I wanted to make a whole grain pizza, which by the way, I never have done successfully before. So, I decided to go straight to the source. The man! One of the most popular Italian chefs in the world… Mr. Mario Batali. And of course viola, he hooked me up and oh yeah, it turned out oh so yummy.

I’m giving full props to the man because I just substituted spelt flour for the all purpose he uses. The consistency of your crust will depend on how thick or thin you wanna shape it. The thicker you go the more bread like it will actually be.

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For the pizza toppings, try whatever you like. We made a quick tomato sauce and added olives, mushrooms, onions and some cilantro after we baked it.

Instructions for the Crust
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar and mix well.
2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the warm water, wine, and olive oil. Using a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until the mixture is too stiff to stir, then mix with your hands in the bowl until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, if necessary, to reach that consistency.
3. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn the dough out. Knead gently, dusting the work surface lightly with more flour as necessary, for 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and only slightly sticky.
4. Oil a large clean bowl, add the dough, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, set in a warm part of the kitchen, and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Punch down the dough, and it is ready to use. Roll out to make a pizza shape. Depending on how thin or thick you want it, as well as the crust part. You decided. It’s your pizza!
6. When rolled in shape, sprinkle some cornmeal on the bottom of a large baking sheet or a pizza stone and place the pizza dough on top and pre-bake in the over for about 5 or 10 minutes, depending on how thick it is.
7. Take out and add toppings and lower oven to 375 and bake for about 20 minutes or until the pizza crust is lightly brown.

Paloma loves to eat. In that way, we are very fortunate. It’s quite a rarity for her to turn down food, and she’s always eager to try anything I put in front of her. I’ll never forget an impossibly bitter dandelion smoothie that I made. No one could drink it, except for Paloma, who joyfully slurped down a whole glass. I dearly love to cook and feed people, especially family and friends, and her approval makes me one happy mama.

Our days usually start with me cooking breakfast and impatient Paloma sitting at the kitchen table, spoon in hand, narrating my preparations and hurrying me on. It’s quite humorous. She is not the calmest of children (a little tornado to be exact) and becomes very excited when food is in sight.

This is where the idea for the edible puzzle stemmed from. I imagined a game that would occupy Paloma, and, since she puts everything in her mouth, be safe and tasty to eat. I thought about the obvious educational qualities of puzzles such as teaching about shape, colour, size, structure, and included two more – flavour and nutritional value.

I started by making various fruit leathers of different colours. Mango, kiwi, blueberry, strawberry, pineapple, kiwi-spinach and carrot-mango to be exact. Then I decided on five basic shapes (circle, triangle, long rectangle, curved teardrop, and straight teardrop) and cut each one out in three different sizes. The simplicity of the shapes allows for much imagination when building a picture, the possibilities here are never-ending. It seems that room for creativity is one of the most important aspects of a children’s game, it encourages a sort of intellectual freedom and concentration.

Well, it was a hit. Paloma is a little too young to be able to construct her own images, but she liked watching us do it, naming all the animals and things, and loved the fact that all the pretty puzzle pieces could be eaten.

This type of puzzle would make for an interesting homemade gift. Or it could be a way for a more finicky eater to learn about the taste, scent, and colour of different fruits and learn to like them through playing a game.

Bunny rabbits, cats, birds, tigers, bears and other animals, snowmen, butterflies, flowers, sailboats, the sun, pine trees, bees, and landscapes.

You name it.

Fruit Leather
You can find many fruit leather recipes on the internet. Here, I just blended the fruit in a food processor. Then sweetened it to taste with raw honey or agave. Spread it quite thickly on Teflex-lined dehydrator trays and dried at 115F until leathery. Peeled off the Teflex, flipped, and dehydrated some more until completely dry. I made hard templates of each shape and used a knife and kitchen scissors to cut out the pieces.

Life has been quite hectic around here lately. I’m sure you know what I mean, we get caught up in the whirlwind of time and soon enough it’s been entirely too long since our last post. I often find myself missing this little nook in the world-wide web and sharing all that’s delicious and healthy with you, Golubka’s lovely readers.

This time it’s a simple savoury meal, one that we find ourselves coming back to this winter due to its satisfying, earthy flavours. Falafel and tabouleh. My love affair with falafel started years ago, when my Middle Eastern cuisine loving husband took me out for a falafel pocket with tabouleh, hot peppers and yogurt sauce. I was, of course, hooked. Since then I’ve made my own falafel the traditional way and, more recently, this much healthier and very delicious version.

As for Paloma, she is often the first one to wipe her plate clean, busily switching between eating with a fork, spoon, and her hands. We often have to remind her to chew her food. She takes after her parents. We’ll be back with more elaborate meals soon, as well as a few stories. But for now, I hope you enjoy this flavourful meal and have a tranquil weekend.

Mix together the mushrooms, carrots, onion, garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Spread on Teflex-lined dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 115F for 1 hour. After dehydration, pulse the mixture in a food processor to achieve small pieces. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

In a food processor, grind the nuts and sunflower seeds to a crumbly texture. Add the ground nuts, parsley, cumin and lemon juice to the mushroom-vegetable mixture and mix thoroughly, seasoning with salt and pepper. Form into spheres, and roll each one in a mix of ground flaxseeds and sesame seeds. Dehydrate on a screen-lined tray for 2 hours before serving.

Whir the cauliflower in a food processor until finely chopped. Take care to not over-chop it to preserve the crunchy texture. Toss with the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Serve on romaine lettuce or baby spinach leaves with the falafel and sauces.

Mix all the ingredients until smooth.

Coat the red pepper in 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and dehydrate for an hour. In a high speed blender, blend the pepper with all the remaining ingredients until smooth.

Summer is officially over – And yes, I’m just now getting the memo. Ok, that’s not true, I got the memo when then blogoshpere blew up with pumpkin-everything – however, I just chose to ignore. Why? Because as I get older, I realize the start of fall means one month closer to the beginning of winter – and that, makes me extremely sad.

Celebrating the end of my most beloved favorite season, I was gifted a large bag of basil from a good friend last week. While most of the basil will be used to make pesto for the winter months (it freezes beautifully), the rest I wanted to use in a more special and unique format. After all, I’m sure no one wants to come to my blog and see a recipe for pesto, right? Right. So instead, I came up with this carrot and basil ice cream concoction.

Carrots are beautiful for a few reasons: they’re easily accessible, they’re affordable, and they transition wonderfully between sweet and savory dishes. Moreover, they also have the ability to take on flavor profiles such as pumpkin, which is exemplified in this recipe. I swear, if you close your eyes and take a bite, you’ll think you are eating a pumpkin-based ice cream. And the best part is, you didn’t have to prep a pumpkin — Ohhh, the angst.

So – put the pumpkin down, step away, and instead, give this much-simpler-to-use veggie a try!

Thanks again to Mike and Stephanie for providing me with such wonderfully fresh and tasty basil this summer – I look forward to next year! (you’ve created a monster

Instructions:
1. In a high-speed blender, blend all ingredients, except basil, until smooth.
2. Once smooth, add in basil and pulse until herbs are fine, but still some-what noticeable.
3. Chill in freezer (or refrigerator) for about 30-60 minutes.
4. Once chilled, process according to manufacturer instructions in an ice cream machine.
5. Scoop into bowls and enjoy!

It’s still cold here. And I don’t mean kinda cold. I mean freaking cold. Like snow is still in the forecast. It’s almost April?! I don’t think I am the only one having trouble accepting this very out of control weather pattern. So, this (chilly!) afternoon I am gonna do what any full blooded California girl does when it snows….pretend that spring has sprung and make a Spring Sweet (frozen) organic pea soup!! And it worked. Well, that is until I went outside…brrrrrr… :)  

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Instructions:
Heat oil in a medium pot then saute onions, celery and a nice pinch of sea salt. Stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Then add sweet potato and cook, about 5 more minutes. Cover vegetables with boiling filtered water. About 5 cups. Add bay leaf and bring to light boil then turn down heat for about 10 minutes or until potato is soft. Add one bag of frozen peas, saving the other 1/2 bag for later (no need to defrost them before hand!) stir about 2 minutes then turn off heat and let stand for about 5 minutes. Cool a bit before carefully transferring, in batches, to a high speed blender and blend throughly. Pour back into pot and turn heat to simmer. Add the 1/2 bag of peas, 1 tsp sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, 1 cup of almond milk and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

I’ve decided that it’s time for a few recipes. I’ve been sitting on these for a while now. In fact, I made the pudding in the summer, as you’ll see by the green plants in the background of the picture – the ground is now covered in snow. The second recipe is a wintery ice cream. It’s very different from the ice creams I’m used to making, and more in keeping in line with my latest dietary needs. In both cases I’ve used young coconut as a base. I love its versatility!

Mint and vanilla are one of my favorite flavor combinations. They don’t necessarily appear to be a match, but there is just something about these ingredients that works well together. It’s my favorite Moonie Pie flavor too – you’ll see that the mint filling is actually filled with both vanilla and mint.

Speaking of moonie pies, a funny thing happened today. Philip is in England right now and while he was dining at Saf Restaurant, he saw a moonie pie on their dessert menu (he even snapped a pic of it written on the menu, for me, hehe). He never tried it or saw the actual dessert, but we found it interesting. I’ll take it as a compliment.

This recipe is fairly low glycemic, with coconut and stevia as the sweeteners. I like to use both fresh mint and it’s essential oil to balance the flavors and make them come to life. If you don’t have the essential oil use a natural extract, but the oil is superior in quality and taste. Like the mint, I use two kinds of vanilla (the seeds of the fresh bean, and a natural extract) to achieve a more multi dimensional taste.

Vanilly Mint Pudding

Instructions: For the Pudding
1. Blend all but the coconut oil, until smooth.
2. Add the oil and blend to incorporate.
3. Chill the pudding for a few hours before eating.

*Irish Moss Gel
2 oz soaked irish moss
1 cup water

Instructions: For the Moss Gel
1. Rinse a handful of irish moss in cold water until any bits of debris have been removed. Keep rinsing until the water runs clear.
2. Allow the moss to soak in cold water for 6-12 hours.
3. Chop the moss and blend it with water until it warms up and turns into a gel.
4. Chill the gel in the fridge for 5-7 days, or use immediately.

Pumpkin Ginger Ice Cream

Like I said above, this is much different from the cashew based and very sweet ice creams that I’m accustomed to making. I decided to use fresh cooked creamy pumpkin in place of the nuts and coconut oil. As a result it’s not quite as creamy, since it has a much lower fat content, but it’s a good option if you want to try something different and are pulling away from nuts like I am. I think this could work as a good base to play around with, perhaps adding some coconut oil to raise the creamy, fatty factor. It works well as a pudding too, using a bit less liquid and allowing the mixture to chill and thicken slightly.

I was fortunate enough to have some fresh pumpkins given to me from a friend’s garden, so I baked them up for this recipe (and for my pumpkin mousse pie which I hope you’ll try because it’s soooo delish, especially with the coconut whipped cream). If you don’t have the time to bake your own pumpkins, try the canned kind.

I enjoyed it topped with coconut flakes and goji berries!

Instructions: For the Pumpkin Ginger Ice Cream
1. Blend all ingredients until completely smooth and creamy.
2. Chill the mixture for a few hours.
3. Process through an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.

The other day, we were taking a walk on the beach and recollecting our many summers spent on the Black Sea shore. Sochi (where the 2014 winter Olympics will be held) was where we usually stayed with family, in a charming old house. Whole days were spent on the beach, bathing in the gentle water and soaking up the sun, completely content. Summer in Sochi is truly magical, with warm windless days, chilly evenings, fireflies, and water temperatures that are refreshing yet welcoming. And that is where we got our yearly dose of figs. In our hometown, figs were a rarity – expensive and shipped from afar. But Sochi was a different story. Come the “velvet season”, at the end of August, and the many fig trees in the streets and backyards exhibited the plump fruit. For some unknown reason, the locals did not care for them. So we became fruit thieves in neighbor’s yards, justified by the fact that the figs would go to waste without our rescue. It’s a known fact that the less the time between harvesting and eating, the better the flavour. And freshly picked, those figs tasted like honey, and their sweetness lingered on our lips all season long.

The other true jewel of those times in Sochi was hazelnut. Hazelnut trees were abundant and beautiful with their trios of ready to pick nuts hidden in green cocoons. We would take bags of freshly harvested hazelnuts to the beach and crack the nuts with smooth sea rocks. They made for an unforgettably tasty snack. Folk medicine is rich with tales of the nut’s healing powers. In fact, one such remedy calls for the mixture of figs and hazelnuts to be taken at the end of the meal to aid digestion.
Now that figs have come into season, we decided to build this pizza around them with the addition of hazelnuts, caramelized onion, and basil sauce.

Instructions for the Pizza Crust:
1. In a food processor, combine the vegetables, date, orange juice and nama shoyu until well mixed.
2. Add the sprouts in batches and blend thoroughly.
3. Lastly, add the with flax seeds and mix until smooth.
4. Spread thickly on Teflex sheets and dehydrate at 115F.
5. After 2 hours, cut into desired crust shapes.
6. Dehydrate for another 12 hours, then remove the crusts from teflex sheets, flip, and dehydrate for another 4 hours or until dry.
7. Keep refrigerated until ready to use in airtight glass containers.

Instructions for the Balsamic Glaze:
1. Puree all ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender.

Instructions for the Caramelized Onions:
1. Cover the onions with warm water mixed with the lemon juice for 30 minutes.
2. Rinse well and drain.
3. Combine the rest of ingredients except the hazelnuts in a blender and add to the onions.
4. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, drain the excess liquid, and dehydrate at 115F for 15 hours or until crisp.
5. In a food processor, pulse the hazelnuts into small pieces.
6. Reserve about 1/4 cup for assembly.
7. Add the onions to the processor and combine well.
8. Add 2 tablespoons of the balsamic glaze and blend to reach a grainy consistency.

Instructions for the Creamy Basil Sauce:
1. In a blender, combine all ingredients except olive oil. Slowly add the oil with the blender still running.

Instructions for Assembling the Pizza:
1. Slice the figs and glaze with the balsamic. Dehydrate for 1-2 hours (optional).
1. Spread the basil sauce on the crust, and arrange the watercress leaves, caramelized onions, and glazed figs on top.
1. Sprinkle with sunflower sprouts and ground hazelnuts.

When I was in Italy over the summer I had lemon pasta for the first time and was in heaven. You see, lemons are one of my most favorite fruits. I use them probably everyday, but I never had it in a pasta before! YUM! A lovely brightness to add to your winter meal…

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Instructions
1. Cook the linguine as per instruction on the package in generously salted boiling water. When done, drain pasta and return to the saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, beat the lemon juice and zest with the olive oil. Taste and add more sea salt lemon juice if needed.
3. Add the lemon sauce to the linguine and shake the pan to coat each strand of pasta with the sauce.
4. Finish by stirring in the nutritional yeast, chopped basil, the arugula and red pepper flakes if using.

Lately I’ve been gaga over mulberries and wanted to find a recipe I could incorporate them into. What better way to use them than in a sweet and nutty high protein granola. Mulberries are kind of new to the superfood scene but have been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine as a tonic herb for the blood, liver and kidneys. They’re high in vitamin C and contain resveratrol, the same cancer fighting antioxidant found in grapes and red wine. They have been used to help relieve fatigue, weakness, constipation, anemia and in reversing gray hair. If you can’t find mulberries in your area feel free to substitute with your favorite dried fruit like raisins, cranberries or goldenberries. I also included some other superfoods like goji berries, chia seeds, and hemp seeds along with some high protein buckwheat and rolled oats.

Superpower Pecan Granola
Makes about 10 1/2 cups

Soaking time: 4 hours
Prep time: 20 minutes
Dehydrator time: 20-22 hours

Instruction:
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and divide among 3 dehydrator trays lined with non stick sheets.
2. Dehydrate at 110 for 12 hours.
3. Flip granola onto mesh screens and continue drying for another 8-10 hours or until crispy.
4. Store in an airtight container for one month.
5. If it gets soft, dehydrate again until crisp.

Eating black eye peas on New Year’s Day is thought to bring prosperity for the new year so… eat this yummy stuff UP and have a very very happy successful delicious new year!! And don’t forget your greens!

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Instructions
1. Drain soaked beans and rinse.
2. In a soup pot over medium heat add olive oil and sauté onion, garlic and celery about 10 minutes.
3. Add black eye peas, filtered water, salt, red pepper and all herbs except parsley.
4. Simmer partially covered for about 2 hours or until peas are tender.
5. Add more water if needed and possibly more salt.
6. Drizzle with some good quality olive oil.

Serving Possibilities:
This salad is great when added to some fresh greens, such as Arugula, Kale or other hearty winter greens. If you want to go completely the cooked route, you can always sauté up the greens.

This is one of my favorite comforting gluten free winter desserts. Your house will smell divinely festive too! Any firm apple works well here: Gala, Fuji, Jonagold, Rome, Winesap, Mutsu. If you use soft apples such as Macintosh or Red delicious you will get more of an apple sauce texture. Hey, could be good too! Try it all I say!! Oh and I like to leave the apple skins on, being that much of the nutrients are in the skin, but if you prefer them without, by all means peel away. Also any seasonal fruit works wonderfully so have fun experimenting with your favorites. You can make this with or without nuts, use any dried fruit, substitute rolled oats for the quinoa flakes and another all purpose whole grain flour for the quinoa flour. Serve warm with a scoop of Nutmeg Ice Cream. Mmmm Mmmmm

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Instructions For The Crumble

Preheat oven 400.

1. To make topping: in a medium bowl mix together quinoa flakes, quinoa and tapioca flour, sugar, walnuts and salt.
2. Drizzle in oil one TB at a time, mix with wooden spoon.
3. It should look crumbly, with clumps and wet sand.
4. Refrigerate for at least an hour or until chilled. (the topping could be made one day in advance. Just refrigerate until use)

Instructions For The Filling
1. Toss everything into an 8×8 inch glass baking dish.
2. Mix everything to combine. 
3. Sprinkle reserved topping evenly over apples.
4. Bake in the middle rack of oven for 15 minutes at 400.
5. Then reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are soft.
6. Remove from oven and let cool a bit.

I love making vegetable soups. They can be very nourishing and are for the most part very easy to create. And since we got such a wonderful response for my Cauliflower soup, I figured I’d share my Broccoli Leek soup with you all. See which one you like betta…

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Instructions
1. In a large pot, over high heat, melt coconut butter or oil.
2. Add the leeks, potatoes and a nice pinch of sea salt. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add chopped broccoli florets and the stock or water, bay leaf and thyme sprigs; cover and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until all the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Stir in 1 tsp sea salt and 1TB of fresh lemon juice.
5. Working in batches, puree the soup until very smooth.
6. Return the puree to the pot and add reserved Broccoli small florets. Cook another 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the milk of choice and the Season with salt and white pepper. Keep warm.

Let me start this post with an UPSIDE DOWN smile :( Okay now that I have that out of my system, lets focus on the title of this post: I Bought The $10 Mast Brothers Chocolate Bar, So Why Am I Not in Chocolate Heaven. What the hell is that suppose to mean right? Well, this is what it means. I sooooo badly wanted to LOVE, I mean butterflies in my belly, love this Chocolate Bar. Why why chocolate fairy did you still my joy!

Let me start at the beginning. I was in the big NYC for a little work and a whole lot of Loving (wishful thinking I know) a few weeks ago. I started off the visit by seeing my friend Dan, who has an office just around the corner from the newish Ace Hotel in Manhattan. Yeah, that cool hip salvation army looking hotel chain. The one out of Portland Oregon. It’s an awesome place and they even have a Portland styled espresso bar just off the main lobby of the Hotel. Since we were so close, we decided to make the Ace our morning espresso destination. Wow, it did not disappoint. The entire lobby is a wifi free hang out zone, featuring a completely black 40 foot ceiling with massive roman style white columns holding up the place.

I think I must have passed out. When I woke, there was a large chunk of this dry bitter bar still stuck to my tongue.

We headed into the espresso bar and order up a few soy cappuccinos. As I am paying for our brews, what quirky little thing catches my eye on the counter? The one and only Mast Brothers Chocolate Bars. I couldn’t believe it. I just wrote a post on the Mast Brothers a week or so before heading to NYC. The post included a few amazing videos about the two brothers and their dedication to the old world craft of chocolate making. Their Brooklyn based store in the videos looked like a mini chocolate heaven to me. So, seeing these Willy Wonka type bars right there, on the counter was just too much to resist, I grabbed one and told the barista, add this to my bill. First words out of his mouth were, are you sure, they are $10. The number echoed in my head. $10 Doooollllaaarrrssssss. Time seemed to stop. Everything was in slow motion. I could hear the hiss of the steam escaping the espresso machines, the slurping sound from all the hipsters sucking down their espressos and my own breath rushing out of my lungs… and then these words leaving my lips, of course, no problem, let me have it. And oh did he! $20 or so dollars later Dan and I strolled out with two espresso’s and my new shiny heaven in a bar of Mast Brothers Espresso Dark Chocolate.

Now I didn’t just rip this thing open and start eating it. Hell no, this thing had to be opened with someone special. It had to be the right moment. Maybe after a really nice dinner or something. This thing is like a fine wine, right? You just don’t pop the cork and chug it. You open it, let it breath and nibble it. I even thought to myself, if I bring this back to enjoy with (a certain unnamed hottie), she will be all over me, I mean after tasting this chocolate perfection. I would be like a chocolate toting stud… right? Hmm well it was not to be. I did stick to my plan and opened it after a really nice dinner we shared, but when this thing hit our lips, we didn’t go all dizzy with delight… no, it was more like, can you pass me the water please, quickly!

My perfect chocolate world came crashing down around my head. I think I must have passed out. When I woke, there was a large chunk of this dry bitter bar still stuck to my tongue. Not a pretty sight and no it didn’t win over the girl. In fact after she helped me up off the floor and reached in to clear my airway, pulling the chocolate lump free from my tongue, she actually asked me to leave. I immediately passed out again. She shook me, and said something like, your sweet, but your taste is questionable. Maybe we should slow things down. How about I call you.

Damn You Mast Brothers! Well to be fair, it just might be this particular bar or this flavor or something. Maybe the rest of the bars are pure heaven. I wouldn’t know and at $10 a pop, I don’t think I will be finding out anytime soon.

If you have had a Mast Brothers Chocolate Bar, chime in, leave a comment and let us know about your experiences. Maybe I am just not sophisticated enough to taste craftsmanship while its choking the life out of me.

I came across this recipe many years ago in some foodie magazine and thought I’d try it as a side dish for a winter holiday brunch I was making for a friend. I changed a few things and added a few things and it was a huge hit! Huge. And, yes, it goes perfectly with a nice big green salad and an organic egg omelet.

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Instructions
1. Cover potatoes in sauce pan with 1 in’ water and 2 tsp sea salt.
2. Boil and simmer until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Drain and cool. Cut into ½ in’ pieces.
4. Stir together shallots, wine, vinegar and 1 tsp sea salt.
5. Add warm potatoes and toss.
6. Add parsley and oil and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Add apple and serve.

A quickie kind of post, for a quickie kind of recipe. However, these are so gosh-darn good, that they really don’t need much of an explanation. I’m addicted. Remember thin mints, the ones you ate as a kid? Well this is my Raw/Vegan version of the Thin Mints. A must try!

Instructions
1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth. If need be, you may need to add a bit of water to keep contents in blender moving.
2. Paper or silicone mini-baking cups
3. Line a miniature cupcake pan with baking cups.
4. Pour a small amount of chocolate in the bottom of each cup.
5. Next, drop a small amount of the mint mixture on top of the chocolate layer.
6. Cover mint mixture with more chocolate sauce.
7. Once all cups have been poured, place in freezer to firm.

Viola – you’re done! Like I said, I’m addicted – And, I love the contrast of the hard outer shell with the soft and gooey minty inside – Ahhh, so heavenly.

Enjoy!

Flesh Monkies prepare yourself for what I am about to tell you. This is V Blak by the way. I know you and I don’t feel this way, we are freaking Monkies after all, but the truth is, sadly most people, HATE, I mean really hate Beets. Even our hip youngish first lady, Michelle Obama has something against these red bloody beauties. She told Ladies Home Journal “Neither the president nor I have the beet gene”. What does that mean? You have to have a gene to like one of the best veggies on the planet? I am taking a wild guess here, but I bet they had that all to common first taste beet experience, you know the one, the dreaded dirt taste.

Yes dirt, come on, lets admit it, beets are very very earthy and if you are a clueless fleshy, like I was, you just don’t know how to properly bring out the lushes side of beets. The result can have them coming out tasting like the backend of a dog. Okay not that bad and no I haven’t tasted a backend of a dog, and anyways I think that taste is exclusively reserved for Durians.

“Neither the president nor I have the beet gene”.

My own first experience with beets almost completely turned me off them forever. I was just beginning to juice and I tossed in way too many beets, greens and all and the result, I could barely keep from tossing the thing back up. I thought I was going to be sick. I just completely over did it. I may have also added garlic to that juice. I think I was sick or something. My point is, it was just too many beets and too little of the sweet stuff. Life is about balance and sometimes I just completely forget that. Oh well, lucky for me, I have an experienced beet lover close at hand now days and she has completely turned me around. I’ll admit it, her beautiful smile and her contagious laugh might have opened me up to giving the beet a second chance, but in the end it was her Beet dish which closed the deal. And maybe if your unfortunately in the hater camp, she can do the same for you. I present to you, GreenChef Aria Alpert and her love love love for the dirty little Beet.

Aria and I whipped up a short GreenChef video just for you, about you guessed it, the Beet. Sit back, click play and enjoy the first GreenChef video from the new G Living Pad in Palm Desert and afterwards, jump down to the comment section and tell everyone why you love or hate beets. And if your in the love category, spill the beans and maybe even share your beet recipe / story. We would love that…. Recipes and photos after the jump.

Instructions Roasted Beets:
Oven 425. Mix beets with oil, salt, Cayenne Pepper and the fresh Thyme leaves. Spread on parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes but check the beets after about 25 minutes to mix them up so they will roast evenly. Roast until tender when pierced with a knife.

Instructions Dressing:
Whisk together. Toss with warm beets and greens. Optional ideas for salad ingredients: Avocado, sprouted pumpkin seeds, or some kind of cheese.

Looking back at the demise of something so dear to my heart. I wrote this post last year as the end was blaring out of the TV, but something this big this important should be shouted from the roof tops, so here is my tribute to not just a magazine, but to an old friend, who for reasons beyond belief, is no longer with us.

Why? Why why why…? It was October 5th 2009, about two weeks ago, I was at the gym, on the treadmill. Loud music blasting in my iPod earphones, CNN on the screen in front of me, both meant to distract me from dwelling on the fact that I’m running on a conveyor belt alongside other people running on conveyor belts. Then I saw it. An image on the TV screen of the cover of the latest issue of Gourmet magazine, and the printed headline, “Gourmet magazine closes after 70 years.” WHAT!? No Way! How is that possible? I’m frantically looking around, for… what… ? I think I was expecting others must have seen this headline and also stopped running out of shock and disbelief, like me. I was thinking I’d see people hugging, comforting one another over the news, shaking their heads. But no, I only saw people still running, pedaling, and the usual sea of heads bobbing up and down in the elliptical section.

I couldn’t keep going. I had to know what happened, so I ran home and checked online and yes, indeed, Conde Nast was shutting down Gourmet. Along with 3 other titles: a cookie magazine and two bridal magazines. I don’t get it. Isn’t there another silly magazine they could shut down? How about Golf World or Golf Digest? Does the world really need both? (or either?) Immediately I emailed my Mom, my Stepmom, and chef Neal, among others, like “OMG, did you hear???” They too were saddened. I wanted to call people and talk about it. I wanted to pull out a bottle of good wine and sit on the floor with all my old issues spread out around me, flipping through them and getting drunk and nostalgic.

I wanted to grieve. I wanted to be around people who understood and were similarly bummed out. I felt like there should be a huge and grand memorial service. Ruth Reichl (the editor) would get up and speak, past editors would get up and speak. All the food world would be there, dressed in dark clothes, and easels everywhere with giant cover images. Then everyone would drink really really good wine, and eat lots of beautiful food, and feel the comfort of communal mourning. Maybe there was such a service and I just wasn’t invited.

Anyway. I was reminded of all of this earlier today as I flipped through my copy of Bon Appetit, Conde Nast’s other food publication that was chosen over Gourmet to live on. The close up photos inside looked gory, the bulky font headlines over them cartoonish, and the dishes simple and uninspiring. Even the lighting on the styled photos looked weird and shadowy. The headlines were: “Entertaining Do’s and Don’ts”, “Party Desserts”, “Healthy Holiday Foods”, “68 Recipes to Mix & Match” and “Leftovers Done Right!” with the boring November issue glossy turkey cover, and “Thanksgiving Made Easy!” across the top. Thanksgiving isn’t supposed to be easy! You’re supposed to labor, with love.

Gourmet was beautiful and classy. It was only a few days before the fateful announcement that I read what I would never have suspected was my last issue. I even thought to myself I was going to call and double back up on my subscription like I did years ago. This way, I can tear out pages in one copy, and keep the other untouched, for my collection. Did I mention I have every single issue filed away going back through 1997? That’s 12 years. I used to have a few more years before that but I recall a very painful and reluctant purging of a couple piles a long time ago. One day I’m going to get the covers scanned and copied and will wallpaper a kitchen hallway with them. Or something like that. Every cover was a work of art, with more pages of art inside. Vegan or not, I was particularly struck by the photos on p. 102/103 of pork chops. “Pork chop” just sounds vulgar. But the photo on page 103 is a work of art. If you get obsessed about color like I do, you’d understand. The pink of the inside of the meat, the mossy dark green backdrop, the burgundy wine… I want to go back to all these pages when I’m picking colors for packaging labels, for furniture fabrics, for clothing I want to design, for whatever I’m putting together, in my Martha Stewart-esque creative fantasy land.

Going almost all raw vegan six years ago did nothing to lessen my appreciation for the pages of this magazine. It’s very much a celebration of the art and elegance of food, restaurants, and cooking. But it’s also been more thoughtful than that. In the August 2004 summer issue (with the sexy cover photo of blackberry jam in a glass jar with a wooden spoon) the editor bravely published an article which infuriated many of the magazine’s readers. It was called “Consider the Lobster” written by the famous writer David Foster Wallace (known for novels, short stories, and essays, not food writing, who also, btw, killed himself about a year ago…L). They sent him to report on the 56th annual Maine Lobster Festival (where “something over 25,000 pounds of fresh-caught Maine lobster is consumed’). She published his entire essay without editing a word. It’s really long and full of digressions and lengthy footnotes. But as Ruth Reichl points out in her Editor’s Letter, “it is hilarious, thought-provoking, very uncomfortable—and something you’re not likely to forget anytime soon.”

With all of its funny details, Wallace makes you feel like you’re there with him. His comments on his discomfort with mass tourism (specifically in footnote 6) are particularly sobering given that he took his own life a few years later. Why is introspection such torture? In the spirit of Wallace’s many digressions, I’m totally digressing here to include a link to a thoroughly beautiful speech given on an overlapping and entirely relevant issue by the writer Elizabeth Gilbert. You can see it here. It’s 20 minutes. Well worth it. Believe me, I have no patience for youtube crap, but this is the opposite. From the TED series, I was referred to this talk by my friend, champion, and hero, Seth Godin. Watch it. Especially if you’ve ever felt tormented by the creative process, whether writing, creating art or music, science, or building a business.

Back to lobsters. Where was I. OK, so part way through this incredibly engaging article, Wallace puts forth what seemed to him in this context an unavoidable question:

“Is it all right to boil a sentient creature alive just for our gustatory pleasure? A related set of concerns: Is the previous question irksomely PC or sentimental? What does ‘all right’ even mean in this context? Is it all just a matter of individual choice?”

Gourmet magazine has been around for almost twice as long as I have, so I haven’t read all the issues, but I’m guessing this is the first time this sort of question was raised in its pages. In a corresponding footnote he points out:

“Similar reasoning underlies the practice of what’s termed ‘debeaking’ broiler chickens and brood hens in modern factory farms. Maximum commercial efficiency requires that enormous poultry populations be confined in unnaturally close quarters, under which conditions many birds go crazy and peck one another to death. As a purely observational side-note, be apprised that debeaking is usually an automated process and that the chickens receive no anesthetic. It’s not clear to me whether most Gourmet readers know about debeaking, or about related practices like dehorning cattle in commercial feedlots, cropping swine’s tails in factory hog farms to keep psychotically bored neighbors from chewing them off, and so forth. It so happens that your assigned correspondent knew almost nothing about standard meat-industry operations before starting work on this article.”

The article is so good that it’s really hard not to quote the entire thing. He’s taking you along with him as he learns a bunch of new stuff himself. In another paragraph he points out:

“The more important point here, though, is that the whole animal-cruelty-and-eating issue is not just complex, it’s also uncomfortable. It is, at any rate, uncomfortable for me, and for just about everyone I know who enjoys a variety of foods and yet does not want to see herself as cruel or unfeeling. As far as I can tell, my own main way of dealing with this conflict has been to avoid thinking about the whole unpleasant thing. I should add that it appears to me unlikely that many readers of Gourmet wish to think hard about it, either, or to be queried about the morality of their eating habits in the pages of a culinary monthly. Since, however, the assigned subject of this article is what it was like to attend the 2003 MLF, and thus to spend several days in the midst of a great mass of Americans all eating lobster, and thus to be more or less impelled to think hard about lobster and the experience of buying and eating lobster, it turns out that there is no honest way to avoid certain moral questions.”

He goes on investigating these questions incredibly thoroughly and thoughtfully, without judgment. I love that the whole thing is without judgment and very personal. You rarely learn so much about the author in a food magazine article. Anyway. He says,

“I’m not trying to give you a PETA-like screed here—at least I don’t think so. I’m trying, rather, to work out and articulate some of the troubling questions that arise amid all the laughter and salutation and community pride of the Maine Lobster Festival. The truth is that if you, the Festival attendee, permit yourself to think that lobsters can suffer and would rather not, the MLF can begin to take on aspects of something like a Roman circus or medieval torture-fest.”

And finally, his conclusion isn’t conclusive, just more thoughtful questions:

“Given this article’s venue and my own lack of culinary sophistication, I’m curious about whether the reader can identify with any of these reactions and acknowledgments and discomforts. I am also concerned not to come off as shrill or preachy when what I really am is confused. … Is their refusal to think about any of this the product of actual thought, or is it just that they don’t want to think about it? Do they ever think about their reluctance to think about it? After all, isn’t being extra aware and attentive and thoughtful about one’s food and its overall context part of what distinguishes a real gourmet? Or is all the gourmet’s extra attention and sensibility just supposed to be aesthetic, gustatory?”

I love love love this essay. And I love Ruth Reichl even more than I did before for printing it. Many readers were furious and cancelled their subscriptions after this article appeared. Which I think is ridiculous. He put forth incredibly relevant (an understatement) questions for people to think about. After all, didn’t I just wax on in the above paragraphs about the beautiful photo of pork chops? Admiring the aesthetics of the photo vs. the content—the artfulness of it rather than the reality that it’s a photograph of a slice of a cooked slab of dead pig?

Watching those nature shows on TV where the lioness attacks and kills the gazelle—I can’t help feeling sad for the poor gazelle, the one of the herd that gets caught and taken down. But the gazelle wasn’t trapped, restrained, de-beaked (if it had a beak—you know what I’m getting at), demeaned, injected with hormones and antibiotics, fed a bunch of crap, or forced to walk a plank and watch a bunch of gazelles before it get unceremoniously and thoughtlessly slain before its turn to die. Was the pig in the photo? I don’t know. I could go on and on thinking these things through.

I loved this article when I first read it in 2004 and I love it now. It’s much easier to read, by the way, if you click on the “print” icon and print the whole thing, 11 pages of paper consumed and all. Easier to read the footnotes that way, and then you can pass it along to someone who might not read it online. Like your grandma. While you’re at it, click on the link to the related articles and you’ll find quite a bit on Food Politics, such as “A View to a Kill” which investigates America’s chicken industry and more humane ways to raise and kill chickens. This one doesn’t even compare to the amazingness that is the lobster article, but again I was cheering Gourmet for printing it and others like it—for raising these questions to its readers.

Despite all the questions in my own mind, I still love the photography and overall beauty and spirit of this now defunct food magazine. I just realized if you flip back a few pages from the pork picture I was admiring so much, there’s a beautiful full page photo of the featured chef holding a lamb, but he’s not in a chef coat and he’s not proudly posing with his prey. He’s holding the lamb like you’d hold a kitten and kissing its forehead. And opposite the pork beauty shot is a quarter page black and white of a pig. These are stunning shots, and their inclusion in the magazine acknowledges that the food in the photos come from these beautiful creatures. Which reminds me… if you’ve been to my restaurant Pure Food and Wine, then you’ve probably noticed the three different photographs on one wall of a very spirited looking duck. I found this photo before the restaurant opened in another 2004 issue of Gourmet. What struck me about it was how the duck was looking right into the camera with an almost feisty sort of look in his eye. I was in love with that photograph (and tracked down the photographer to get it). Little did I know that photo would inspire the name of my company a year later.

I will miss this magazine. The pages of Gourmet will always be inspiring to me.

We escaped the cold ass east coast winter and are staying in a cabin along the Pacific Ocean. It’s warm and beautiful. Winter is a distant memory right now. It is wonderful. We are also staying on a property that has, of course, an incredible organic garden abundant with carrots, garlic, cilantro, greens and lettuces. So I picked up one of my favorite cookbooks, Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters, for a little inspiration. I had to make a few adjustments here and there, but this recipe is all Alice and it was good. It turned out so delicious that my BF went for his camera. Unfortatley the Monkie left it at the office, so we did the next best thing. We made an iphone video. Now go bite this one!

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Instructions
In a medium pot, heat the olive oil. Add onions and cook on medium heat for a few minutes or until slightly beginning to brown. Add carrots and potato and a large pinch of sea salt. Continue to cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring.

Add vegetable stock or filtered water to cover, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until vegetables are soft. Take the pot off heat. Reserve a handful of cilantro for the salsa and stir the rest of the cilantro into the soup.

Carefully puree the soup in blender until smooth. Return purred soup to pot, taste and add a dash more salt if necessary. Cover to keep hot while you make your jalapeno salsa.

In a small saute pan, on medium to high heat add olive oil. Then the onion, garlic, jalapeno and sea salt. Saute until onions are translucent, about 5 minute Add cilantro. Stir until combine. Turn off heat and add lime juice.

To serve: Ladle soup in individual bowls and garnish with a large scoop of the salsa in the middle. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with a lime wedge, sea salt and cayenne pepper. Serve along side a fresh green salad and some toasted bread. YUM!

I love cookbooks. Especially the ones with all those pretty pictures. I fall into those beautiful images and then dig into those recipes. If you can snap a pretty picture, you have me.

This recipe was inspired by a beautiful photo and recipe in a new cookbook by Kim Boyce, called “Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole Grain Flours”. I adapted her recipe to be wheat-free and vegan. In other words, “G” approved. These scones are really best eaten the day of baking them. But if you got leftovers, I would recommend toasting them the next day. Either way, yumminess…. :)

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Instructions

1. Place a rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients into a large bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together milk of choice, lemon juice and applesauce or egg until thoroughly combined.
4. Cut coconut butter into 1/2-inch pieces and add to dry mixture. Rub butter between your fingers, breaking it into smaller bits. Continue rubbing until pieces range from rice grain to flattened pea size.
5. Mix milk mixture into dry mixture and mix until barely combined.
6. Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. If dough is too sticky to handle, add more barley flour. You may need to add up 1 cup. Dust with flour and fold it together a few times. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Flour your hands and pat each piece of dough into a disk about 3/4 inch thick and 7 inches in diameter.
7. Cover disks with jam.
8. Use a sharp knife to slice circle into 8 triangular wedges on baking sheet, leaving a few inches between them. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
9. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Scones are ready when tops are golden brown. Transfer scones to cooling rack by sliding a thin spatula
10. Serve with berries :)

The early autumn continues to bring us gorgeous watermelons and heirloom tomatoes in southern California. The perfect ingredients to create a soup that is as tasty as it is healing. Perfect if you’re on a raw food cleanse. It’s very high in cancer preventing lycopene and the flavor is simply fantastic. I taught this at my Brooklyn Kitchen classes and everyone raved about how much they loved it. If you’re cleansing you can skip the sea salt and if you want a richer soup add a tablespoon or two of good quality extra virgin olive oil to the base.

Serves about 6 to 8

Instructions:
1. Place 4 cups of the watermelon in a blender along with the tomato, spearmint, basil, lime juice, vinegar, garlic and sea salt and blend until smooth.
2. Transfer the puree to a large bowl. Add diced tomatoes, watermelon cucumbers and onions and stir to combine.
3. Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.
4. Will last two days in the refrigerator.

Yogurt is an ancient wonderfood, brimming with beneficial bacteria to keep your gut running good ‘n healthy. But standard yogurt is made with dairy milks – blech – which contain hormones and carcinogens and acids and allergens and irritants. Oh my! But no worries, making your own alt yogurt is *super* easy and totally fun. It also saves a small fortune versus buying prepackaged products (which contain a slew of additives as well).

If you already have a yogurt maker you’re super stoked – and you can still use this recipe, but follow your machine’s directions when it comes time to culture. If you’re interested in making lots of yogurt at home, a yogurt maker may be a good investment for you. They’re really quite cheap – especially if you can find one secondhand (check Craigslist!).

But, a yogurt maker isn’t necessary! I make yogurt in my crock-pot, which is one machine that’s worth the money for all sorts of reasons. (I <3 my crock so much!) But even if you have neither a yogurt maker nor a crock-pot, you can *still* make yogurt at home! Just see the note at the end of this post.

Alright, yogurt time! Here’s what you’ll need:
1. One batch of homemade nut or rice milk (about 4 cups) (you can try subbing store bought – let me know how it goes)
2. Two heaping tablespoons tapioca starch (available at health food stores, specialty shops, or ‘ethnic’ markets)
3. One tablespoon organic evaporated cane juice (or sugar; I’ve tried maple syrup with no luck)
4. Some sort of culture (If this is your first time you have three options: 1 tablespoon store bought non dairy yogurt, One non-dairy probiotic capsule (refrigerated only, as the shelf stable ones are not alive), or a non-dairy yogurt starter.) (Every time you make a batch of yogurt, save some of it to use as a starter for your next batch. this will save you a lot of money!)
5. A small pot
6. A candy thermometer
7. A slow cooker
8. Dish rags/towels and a large blanket

Step One: Pour the entire batch of alt milk into the pot, over medium heat. Whisk in the tapioca starch and the sugar. Allow the milk to heat slowly until it reaches 180º F, whisking frequently. Don’t let it boil!

Step Two: When it’s reached 180º remove it from heat. Give it a good whisk, cover it, and set aside to cool. It will take 1 or 2 hours to cool down completely. You may be tempted to expedite the process by putting it in the fridge but I don’t recommend this. It can lead to tapioca lumps! Stir every so often to help prevent the lumpies.

At this point, place your crock-pot in the center of a blanket or big towel and turn it on to ‘low’. Leave the crock-pot on with the lid off while the alt milk mix is cooling.

Also, remove your starter, whatever it may be, from the fridge. You want it to be room temperature when you add it to the mix. I’ve tried various soy and coconut milk yogurts with equal success. Just make sure that whatever you use is plain, unpasteurized, and explicitly says “live active cultures”. If this is not your first batch of yogurt, you should be using the last few tablespoons of your previous batch!

Step Three: The mix needs to cool to below 110º F, but closer to 90º is better. If it’s too hot it will kill the starter cultures. When it has appropriately cooled, add your starter and whisk thoroughly to combine. Don’t add too much! More does NOT equal better – the bacteria need ‘room’ to grow. A full tablespoon of store bought yogurt or a few tablespoons of leftover homemade yogurt, or a single probiotic pill.

Step Four: Pour the entire mixture into a large glass jar. Cover with the lid but do not tighten it. It needs to be able to ‘breathe’.

Turn off and unplug the crock-pot. Wrap the jar in towels and put it in the crock-pot, put the lid on, and then wrap the whole shebang up tight in the blanket! Now, leave it alone for a good 12-18 hours.

Step Five – Done!: You will know your yogurt has ‘yoged’ if it has a bit of a tang to it. The longer you let it culture, the more sour it gets. Be careful – it can get pretty sour! When it’s done transfer it to the fridge, without stirring or shaking, and let it set up in there for a few hours. It will thicken, but probably not as much as traditional yogurt.

Yay! Enjoy your yogurt! It’s awesome straight up with fresh fruit or nuts, or you can use it to make all sorts of incredible dishes, like . . . dairy-esque dips and dressings, labneh, tzatziki, raita, mango lassi, or frozen yogurt! It’s also delicious in – you guessed it – green smoothies! (Am I predictable or what? Ha!)

So have fun playing with it – it’s just so good for you, you can’t go wrong!

I’m in love… with my latest creation – Cinnamon Marshmallow Mousse. It’s fluffy, springy, soft and downright delicious. I guess I’m on a bit of a kick, since I posted a Dark Chocolate Mousse only days ago. This one is inspired by the Cinnamon Chaga Mousse that I made a few months ago.

I’ll be teaching a raw dessert class in Adelaide on Sunday March 6th! I’m so excited about this. It will be my second class in Australia, as I will also be teaching in Byron Bay. Here’s the info:

Instructions:
Blend all but the coconut oil, until smooth and creamy in a high speed blender.
Add the oil and blend to incorporate.
Spoon into ramekins or dessert bowls and chill in the fridge until set (minimum of a few hours).
Garnish with your favorite goodies!

*Irish Moss Gel
You will need: 3/4 cup chaga tea, reishi tea or water and 2 oz soaked irish moss

Rinse a handful of irish moss in cold water until any bits of debris have been removed. Keep rinsing until the water runs clear.
Allow the moss to soak in cold water for 6-12 hours.
Chop the moss and blend it with the tea or water until it warms up and turns into a gel.
Chill the gel in the fridge for 5-7 days, or use immediately.

It’s time to get the basics down people. Making nut milk couldn’t be easier. Almond milk also happens to be a goto milk for most of my recipes. It’s one of the most versatile of all the nut milks. So, no more heading to the grocery store to buy factory made boxed up milks. Trust me. When you taste this you will never wont to buy that (crap) old stuff again.

To make nut milks you only need to invest in a very inexpensive nut milk bag. You can substitute other nuts for the almonds… hazelnuts, pecans, cashew, brazil nut, walnut…and if you want a richer milk increase the amount of nuts or decrease for a lighter version… Now go make some milk!

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Instructions
1. Blend almonds and water in blender for about 2 minute.
2. Strain the milk through a nut milk bag or multiple layers of cheesecloth to make sure no almond pulp will go back into your milk.
3. (Place almond pulp in a airtight container in the fridge to use for the raw cookie recipe coming in tomorrow’s Bite This!)
4. Add almond milk and remaining ingredients to blender.
5. Blend to combined. Pour into pitcher and refrigerate if not using right away.
6. Lasts about 5 days in fridge.

This is not one of my typical nice and easy recipes, but it’s so delicious that I couldn’t help myself and spend half of my day in the kitchen trying to recreate something I ate a couple of days ago. To be more precise, these should be the infamous mini bites with cashew, vegetables and portobello mushrooms as stated on the menu of the Food Forum list. They were part of our free lunch menu, created by the Chefs of Menu magazine and tasted so good that I ignored my natural sense of shame, got back to the table and asked for one more :)

The main problem with preparing the bites at home was that I had absolutely no idea what’s in them except for the obvious part – vegetables and mushrooms. So I decided to trust my palate and cooked them combining most of my favorite vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, aubergines, carrots, garlic, red peppers and baby spinach. A feast for all the senses with the added portobello mushrooms, cashews, ginger and powdered indian pecans.

Except for the divine food the Forum was also rich in interesting lectors and visitors, a bunch of raw chefs, vegans, Ayurveda specialists, nutritionists, all kinds of healthy foodists and some misguided adventurers like my paraglider instructor. The best place to meet “one of your kind” and share ideas. Like the girl who offered to sell me earrings made of small jars filled with flaxseeds… really cute. Or a vegan canadian woman working for the bulgarian Cru restaurant. People like “uncle Mitko” who decided to start a biodynamic agriculture farm at the age of 55 and working in it for 15 years now! That man looked better at 70 then most 50 years old you can meet on the street. A marvelous event, which I wish will happen more often from now on, because the 400 seats theater was sold out well in advance and lots of people couldn’t attend. Great job, Gorichka, for the Food forum!

“Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die” – a graffiti quote seen in Belgrade from one of the Food Forum lectors, Yana Petkova.

Instructions for the bites:
1. Peel and cut into small bites the aubergine, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and the red peppers, add some salt and olive oil and bake for 40 minutes.
2. Peel the peppers and pour the baked veggies in the food processor. Blend using the S knife.
3. Add the baby spinach, cashews, garlic, 1/3 of the mushrooms, the spices, the rest of the olive oil and blend until nice and smooth.
4. Make small bites or balls using your hands and arrange on a baking paper. Here you have 2 options – to eat them as the are now, baked, blended and arranged (see the image above) or bake them again for 10 more minutes with the upper coils on for a crispier look (see the image below). I liked them both ways :)

Instructions for the marinated portobello mushrooms:
1. Cut the mushrooms and put them in a jar.
2. Add salt, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
3. Close the jar and leave it in the fridge for a day or two.

Instructions for the sauce:
1. Pour the marinated portobello mushrooms in the blender.
2. Add spring water to cover them.
3. Blend until creamy like texture.

For serving arrange the bites in a plate, pour some mushrooms sauce on each and garnish with sprouts, pomegranates, raw nuts or fresh herbs.

You will never make hummus again. Well, maybe you will but I promise you will make this recipe more! It’s one of my all time favorites. So full of flavor and so satisfying. Toast some whole grain bread or pita and you’ve got a wonderful appetizer for your holiday dinner parties.

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Instructions
1. Heat 4 TB olive oil in sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Add onion and cook until soft, about 8 minutes.
3. Add garlic and cook about 2 minutes.
4. Add chickpeas and cook 3 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and cool about 15 minutes.
6. Add chickpea mixture, mint, parsley, lemon juice and salt to food processor, season with fresh ground black pepper and puree. With the machine running add the remaining of olive oil, slow and steady.
7. Transfer to bowl and add more olive oil if desired. Serve with warm pita or crackers.

The oven at my BF house sucks. I think I have expressed this unfortunately dilemma before. So when it comes to baking, I cross my fingers and hope it comes out alright due to the uneven heat distribution. That said, these cookies came out of the oven completely flat…blended all together like one big pancake. I almost tossed them…that is until I tasted them…Mmmm. So if the same thing should happen to you, don’t fret. They are still very tasty and the pics came out so good I may have accidentally created the new flat square cookie craze… :)

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Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment.
2. Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl.
3. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and coconut butter in large bowl until fluffy.
4. Beat in molasses, applesauce or egg and fresh ginger. Then add the dry ingredients.
5. Stir in crystallized ginger.
6. Using moist hands, shape 1 TB of dough into ball. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.
7. Bake cookies until golden and dry-looking, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheets.

A perfect way to use your very soft ripe avocados, not to mention a deliciously spicy way to eat them! Pour this raw dressing over just about anything you like really. You will be very happy you did… Perfect for salads, steamed vegetables, grains, seaweed, baked potatoes, beans…Mmmm Mmmm

Oh and if you happen to be one of those people who hate cilantro (I cry at even the thought of hating cilantro. I am a huge lover of the herb) use a combo of mostly parsley some basil, and a few leaves of mint.

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Instructions
1. Add everything into blender except the olive oil.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil until well emulsified.
4. Lasts about 4 days in the fridge.

Now, here’s a cooking mystery that I’ve been trying to solve. The original fig bar recipe calls for coconut oil in the “dough” part instead of the almond butter that I used in my adapted version. I’ve tried to use coconut oil, but it immediately went rancid in the dehydrator. I didn’t give up easily and tried to use different brands of coconut oil, but the result was always the same – rancid. I’m puzzled – it never happens when I use coconut oil in other recipes that require dehydration. If you happen to know the reason, please let me know. I’m truly curious.

The recipe is adapted from Living Raw Food recipe book by Sarma Melngailis Her Official Site / Sarma’s G Living Section

Instructions
For The Dough: In a large bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients. Add the almond butter and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix the date paste, vanilla extract, and water. Add to the dry mixture and combine well.

For The Filling: To make fig paste, soak any kind of dried figs for 8 hours. Then blend in a food processor, adding the soaking water as needed to achieve a smooth consistency. Keep refrigerated in an air tight container.

Assembly
In order to form the bars, you will need two trays that fit in the bottom of your dehydrator. We use half-sheet pans that can be found at any restaurant supply store.
Line the two pans with parchment paper. Divide the dough equally between them and press into the pans to achieve a uniform thickness. Using a knife, cut the dough in one of the pans into 4 even parts. Place that pan into the freezer for about 10 minutes, so that it becomes more firm for easier handling.
Meanwhile, mix the fig paste with the 1/2 cup of agave, and evenly spread this mixture on top of the uncut dough in the second pan. Remove the first pan from the freezer and carefully place each quadrant on top of the fig paste layer.
Place the sheet pan in the bottom of the dehydrator and dehydrate at 115F for about 6 hours. Remove from the dehydrator, cover with parchment paper and invert your second empty pan on top of it. Carefully flip over, holding both pans together and remove the upper pan. Peel away the parchment paper and place back into the dehydrator for another 6 hours. Once removed from the dehydrator, cut through all the layers to form bars of any size you like. I cut each quadrant in half lengthwise, then across into 8 sections to make 64 bars. Transfer the bars onto screen-covered dehydrator trays and dehydrate for another 10 hours.

Another great thing about these bars – you can always order them online through One Lucky Duck, or pick one up at their takeaway in NYC.

I promise you won’t miss the ham hock in this deeply satisfying soup. Remember to soak the spilt peas overnight or, if you wake up craving this soup, soak them first thing in the morning so they will soak all day and you can make the soup for dinner! Soaking makes the beans cook faster and some say, makes them less gassy. Well, ahem, you be the judge of that. :) I also love to make this soup using yellow spilt peas. They add a lovely brightness to your meal in the wintertime but I only had green on hand so…yep…still as yummy!

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Instructions
1. Drain and rinse the soaked yellow spilt peas until the water is clear.
2. In medium pot combine spilt peas, chili, ginger and 5 cups water over high heat.
3. Bring to boil and skim off any white foam that has formed.
4. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered, for about an hour or until the split peas are soft and have broken down.
5. Add 1 tsp salt. Stir. Discard ginger and chili.
6. Warm oil in saucepan and add onion, garlic, squash and celery.
7. Sauté about 10 minutes over medium heat, or until vegetables are soft and beginning to brown.
8. Add vegetables to spilt peas. Add mirin to vegetable saucepan along with 1 cup water and cook until all the brown goodness is cooked into the liquid.
9. Add to spilt peas and vegetable pot. 
10. Blend half of the soup in high speed blender and add back to pot.
11. Dissolve miso in 2 TB warm water and add to spilt peas.
12. Stir in lemon juice and grated ginger.
13. Taste. Add more salt if necessary.

Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley and a nice dash of cayenne pepper.

I woke up this crisp September Sunday morning with the feeling of Fall. A slight chill in the air. Mist along the west coast. Mmmmm. I LOVE these morning’s. Especially here in Cali, where the weather of the season’s seem to always blend together. Finally, a change! YAY! Gonna embrace this new day in all it’s glory. Enjoy it while it lasts. Stay cozy for as long as I can. And that means, makin’ one of my most beloved dishes…SOUP! Woooooooo hooooooo. Yes, I am really THAT excited to make some yummy homemade soup! And, yes, I am the type of gal that fantasizes about makin’ it in the last long hot days of summer…just sayin’…

Soooooooo stay in your warm comfy PJ’s, put on some holiday music (I know it’s very early in the season for some holiday cheer but, I ain’t gonna lie, I’ve been know to rock out in the kitchen to those fab festive jams while makin’ me soup as soon as it gets chilly outside…:) ). And be sure to call some friends and invite them over for a delish homemade Sunday Soup Supper! Just ask them to bring a baguette and a bottle of wine and you got a wonderful din din…

Oh and I’m also gonna make a stock. It adds more flavor to your soup and is very easy to do. You can always tailor your homemade stock to enhance the soup you are making. For example, if you’re making a sweet vegetable soup, add sweet potato or squash for extra sweetness to your stock. You can also use your vegetable trimmings, such as leek tops, mushroom caps, squash skins and fennel tops. But avoid spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, kale, collard greens, brussel sprouts, beets, onionskins and wilted vegetables. They will make your stock bitter.

To Make the Vegetable Stock Get a large pot and diced a large onion, throw in about 6 cloves of unpeeled garlic, a few stalks of chopped celery, a couple of carrots, parsnip if you got it, corn cob, a chopped seeded chili pepper, a couple of slices of fresh ginger, bag dried shitake mushrooms or a few fresh ones, a piece of kombu seaweed, handful of fresh parsley, a bay leaf, 1 TB mirin (Japanese rice wine) and a tsp of sea salt. Top it all off with some filtered water to cover, bring to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer for about an hour. Strain and, boom, you got homemade veggie stock. It will last about 5 days in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer.

Instructions For Soup:
1. In large pot heat oil and sauté onions, garlic, carrot, parsnip, celery, shitake mushrooms, chili pepper and 1 tsp sea salt.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to turns golden, about 8 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and sauté about 5 minutes then add veggie stock to cover vegetable about an inch.
4. Bring to boil then turn down to simmer for about 25 minutes or until carrots and parsnips are soft.
5. Add corn kernels and cooked pasta or grain for a few minutes then add fresh chopped parsley and cilantro.
6. Taste, and then add more Tamari or seas salt if needed.

Instructions For Pistou:
1. Put everything in food processor and chopped until combine.

To serve
Ladle soup into bowl with fresh sliced basil leaves and large TB of pesto (bring pesto to the table so you can add more if desired). Oh and if you can eat dairy serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese or you can always do a vegan option. Toast the  baguette and serve with the soup. Yum Yum!

I love the delicate nature of micro greens and every time I get my hands on them, I’m always so impressed with their depth of flavor. Despite their daintiness, they pack a huge flavor punch! Locally, I get a mix of red mustard, arugula, mizuna, tatsoi, red cabbage, amaranth, celery and radish. Actually, what I’m finding is labeled “exotic tiny greens”, so I think they are a bit more mature than your average micro green, but who’s counting? This week, I was thrilled to find them for my book photo shoot. They make the loveliest garnishes on savory dishes.

In the summer, I’ve always been all about salads. Even before raw food, fresh salads in the summer just made sense. It’s hot out and you want to keep your kitchen and your body cool. The only problem with summer salads at the moment is that in Florida, all of my beloved organic famers are on vacation! Well, probably not vacation, but it’s too hot to grow and they’re prepping for their next season. It is a tough transition to go from huge baskets of dirt cheap, freshly picked produce to the limp, shipped from who knows where, sitting there for who knows how long, offerings as my local health food store. Oh, it’s almost painful. I do the best I can, picking through and finding what looks the freshest. This week, the fennel was looking nice and I had apples from my co-op share. With the micro greens I had left after my photo shoot, I was inspired to toss this together. It’s a really nice, fresh change from my normal daily lettuce or kale-based salads.

Serves about 2 as a dinner salad

Instructions:
1. Shave the fennel very finely using a mandoline.
2. You should end up with around 1½ cups of shaved fennel.
3. Core the apple and slice with the mandoline.
4. Cut the sliced apple into very thin strips with a knife.
5. In a large bowl, toss the fennel and apple immediately with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
6. Slice the onion very finely with the mandoline.
7. Add the onion, hemp oil, olive oil, poppy seed, fennel sprigs and salt.
8. Mix very well.
9. When ready to serve, divide the micro greens among two dishes.
10. Top each bed of greens with half of the fennel-apple salad mixture.
11. Enjoy with great pleasure!

V Blak Added Instructions
12. Sit in silence, face north, cross your legs, wear black, chew slowly, use a matt white West Elm bowl, and emit a low hum between bites.
13. Enjoy Flesh Monkies

The tale of how Bad Ass Aria, never takes no for an answer, when it comes to reaching a Roma Lover. Well let me back up, let me start by saying, I got my train to Roma. Finally. It was quite an ordeal to get here. On the train that is. I have been challenged with an insane transition back into the real world from my peaceful countryside retreat in Noci. Away from food, wine, espresso, drama, computers, phones, language barriers, crowds of people, obstacles….Ahhhhhhhhh….

So…this is what happened…

The train station is in Bari, about an hour away from Noci. The van dropped me off, with 40 minutes to purchase my ticket, get some water, relax and slowly meander onto the train. I went to the self-serve computer to purchase my ticket but was having trouble. Hmmmmm, what was the problem…. well…the problem was the train seemed to be… sold out. Huh? SOLD OUT?? WTF?

My anxiety immediately started to build. I didn’t even think to buy my ticket in blissed out Noci.! Huh. Okay, pull yaself together. Talk to the authorities. So, I stood in the long ass line to talk to the Italian ticket guy. My turn comes, 25 minutes later. ‘I gotta get on that train. To Roma now.’ I demand. Not only does this guy not speak any English, he didn’t seem to give a shit and he just kept shaking his head, NO.

Well, mister grumpy Italia, I am not gonna take NO for an answer. My lack of speaking this beautiful language will not stop me either from convincing whom ever I need to convince that I gotta get on that f-ing train!!!

I went to the information booth and spoke with the only guy who kinda spoke English. He kept saying , “NO. No available. You take next train. Get you into Roma at midnight”. I am NOT gonna get into Roma that late. I gotta date with my Roman lover. Doesn’t he understand!!

I begged, bribed and almost cried (for dramatic effects, I mean, I am, after all, an actress). He told me to talk to the train captain on Track 3. Oh, grazie, grazie I said, and quickly hobbled on over to find Track 3. Ummm, I think this is a great time to inform everyone that I have not seen ANY elevators or escalators in the train stations in Roma, Lecce OR Bari. Which means I have had to schlep my heavy ass bag up and down the stairs. I know, I know, this is why everyone said, “pack light”. Yeah, well, I thought I did and I still don’t understand why my f-ing suitcase is still so f-ing heavy??? Huh. I hate everyone.

I finally made it up to Track 3, after rushing and falling UP the stairs carrying my suitcase in one hand and my computer bag and purse in the other. I’m fine btw. Thanks for asking. Huh. As soon as I get up to Track 3 my eyes immediately met a cute Italian student, holding a train ticket in his hand. Hmmm….I thought. I’m gonna bribe that mothaf-ker. Forgive the language but I am now officially a badass woman travelling alone in Italy with a mission to get on that f-ing train! Fortunately for me, he didn’t accept my offer cause in my panicked state of mind I forgot to look at the sign that stated his train was going to Milan!

So again, I hall myself and my heavy ass luggage down the platform in search of the train captain. No luck. I noticed a few Italian men in train uniforms staring longingly at me as I walked past them though. Hmmm, I thought….work it. Ha! I sauntered on over to them, dripping with an incredible amount of sweat from, not only the insane heat but also my heightened anxiety. I must admit, I was amazed that in my very uncomfortable state, I somehow was still able to squeak out a sexy sweaty smile and say with pizzazz, ‘molto caldo’ (very hot). They were charmed and they laughed. Good. I’m in. Almost.

I told them my problemo. One of them spoke passable English and reassured me that everything was gonna be ok. He introduced me to the ticket officer for the train to Roma. She told me to go to cabin 5, sit in an empty seat and would find me so I could purchase my ticket on the train. Woooohooooo. I’m IN! Grazie. Grazie…

The heat was so thick in cabin 5, I was even more drenched in sweat. I felt and looked like I was in a Bikram yoga class. No AC in other words. F-it. I was on the train, which was my goal. I found an empty seat and sat, swimming in a pool of my sweat, hoping that no one coming on the train was gonna claim my seat. A few minutes later the train started to move and the AC came on! Ahhhhhhh. All is wonderful and I am going to Roma!

I started to cool down and relax so I took out my make shift lunch, which was in a recycled plastic bag consisting of cut up organic local cucumbers, tomatoes, oregano, frise (crunchy bread), pumpkin seeds, olive oil and basil. Was not the best thing I ever made, needed some salt and lemon but it was fresh and simple.

My happiness was short lived though, when the train stopped to pick up more people at the next station. I was kicked outta my seat by a very large Italian woman who yelled at me that I was in HER assigned seat. Jeezzz. So serious. I moved, but just as my ass hit another seat cushion the ticket officer came over and said I had to go to cabin 9. More empty seats, she said. The train was moving, mind you, and I had 1 suitcase, 1 duffle bag and my purse. I panicked and felt pressure to move through 4 cabins immediately. In other words, while the train was moving. Bad idea. I was bumping into everyone’s sleeping limbs hanging into the isle saying, “scusi” all the way down to cabin 9.

I finally arrived at cabin 9. A bunch of empty seats! I am so glad I didn’t take NO for an answer, cause I would have still been in f-ing Noci!!! I walked past a small group of sweaty, cheesy, Italian molto metro-sexual men staring at me, like they wanted to eat me for lunch. YUK. F-off. I found a seat far away from them and FINALLY sat my tired ass down. But before I could relax, a strong piercing, pungent scent of body odor wafted through my nose. Shit. Of course I found a seat in front of a smelly, pardon the generalization here, O’ naturali European.

I discreetly looked behind me, no one there. Looked across, no one. To the side, no one. Hmmmm…where the F is that smell coming from? And then it hit me…as well as my inspiration for writing this post…OMG…it’s me! I am the one who F-ING STINKS!! I laughed and, as my amazing shrink has taught me, embraced the cosmic humor in the universe. Ha! Perfecto!

Viva Italia!!

My cooking school has ended and now I have a few free days before I go back to Roma to meet my sister who will be joining me for the last two weeks of my Italian journey. Hmmmmmmm…what do I wanna do after a decadent week of abundant food and wine and socializing and lack of sleep…how about a silent retreat and f-ing cleanse! Ha.

I was looking on line at a bunch of different towns and hotels and then, after many searches, I found it: Abate Masseria Resort in the town of Noci. This place sung to me through the computer. I asked Silvestro what he thought about Noci (which means Walnut in Italian) and he said, “Noci? Why would you want to go there? It’s a farm town in the countryside and there is nothing to do.” Perfecto. That’s exactly what I want. Nowhere to be, nothing to see, no one around, no espresso, no wine, not a lot of food, just the sound of birds singing, wind blowing, farmers working, ahhhhhhh… bliss. So I took the train from Lecce north to a town called Bari, got into a cab and drove 45 minutes into the mountains, arriving at Abate Masseria Resort in peaceful Noci.

Abate Masseria is an ancient farmers residence, surrounded by a winding maze of white stonewalls with pastures, olive groves, oak woods, walnut trees and fig trees. The laying of the foundation stone of Masseria dates back to XVII century and it’s name refers to one of it’s ancient owners, an abbot, who used to celebrate the holy mass for the farmers of the area within the small church that still exists. I am staying in a room called Trulli, which has a conic roof and were mainly used for farm storage. I mean, could this be more perfect… :)

When I arrived it was very very hot and I was very very tired so I had a simple arugula and tomato salad with olive oil, sea salt and lemon. Then went into my Trulli and took a nap. About an hour later I was woken up from a major storm. Rain, wind, lightening, thunder and, boom, the lights went out. YES! A day of napping and, even though I was hungry, I decided to skip dinner. Too exhausted and quite frankly I don’t need to eat anymore or want to be around people. Lovely. The healing sounds of nature singing and gently rocking me in and out of deep slumber.

And now it’s morning. Quiet. Still. Peaceful. I think I’m gonna take a breather from eating for awhile…well…maybe I’ll just have this biodynamic apricot for breakfast and…ummmm…I gotta have a walnut…I mean, I am in f-ing Noci after all…:)

I will say it again, Not Just The Best F@ckin Fruit In A Jar, not by a mile. Olives, in my opinion maybe the greatest fruit of all-time. Olives have been described in biblical and other historic texts and are often associated with good health, goodwill, happiness, and peace. In Greece you could actually be put to death for harming an olive tree, while over in Rome is was considered a highly “sexual” fruit, and used as an aphrodisiac. Romans would eat them by the hundreds in single sittings, and were also the first civilization credited for the perfection of olive oil by using a stone press. The more you study olives and their history the more you begin to see how amazing they truly are. I am not talking about your black olives in a can either, I mean REAL, big juicy ripe olives that are fresh and magical.

Most of you know from reading my stuff that I am a big fan of eliminating toxins and getting the toxic mucus out of your system. With olives you seriously hit the jackpot in accomplishing this. Olives have a greater ability than oranges to dissolve toxic mucus in the system, and that’s saying a lot, because oranges are actually great for that. According to Ragnar Berg’s table which lists different foods ability to bind with acids it shows olives having the highest propensity to do so, actually THREE TIMES GREATER than oranges. The higher a foods acid-binding ability, the better it is at dissolving toxic mucus and removing cooked food residues from the body. It turns out that the olive comes it at a rating of 30.56, with figs coming in at 27.81. There were no other foods on the list that even topped a score of 20. Oranges came in at 9.61 and it is considered one of the very best toxic mucus dissolvers. Olives are pretty powerful little fruits!

The oils contained in olives are also great for skin, hair and nails and it is considered one of the foods you definitely need to consume (along with avocados and other nuts and seeds) if you are eating with beauty in mind. I have actually used pure olive oil as an aftershave because it is great for your skin and you just need a very small amount. Olives are high in calcium, magnesium, omega 3 and 6, they are an alkaline food loaded with vitamin A and E, and with so many varieties they are available year around which is very convenient.

Olives are one of those fruits along with avocados, dates, and citrus fruits that actually ripen to perfection in the sun AFTER fallen from the tree. Usually reaching a nice maturity in a couple weeks, but it could take months in some cases, you just have to know your local olives and keep trying them until they reach the ripeness you prefer. During this sun-ripening process the bitter compounds are converted into a flavor that is easily palatable. Most of the time you can tell when an olive is ripe by feeling that it is a little soft on the outside, and has a nice red to brown interior forming. You don’t want to let them get too shriveled and dry either or they lose that juiciness and flavor. You really do have to become familiar with olives that you have locally and test them out yourself.

Of course you can buy your olives instead of hunting the random olive groves in your neighborhood. You want to watch out for a few things though. First to avoid, the canned black olives. These things have been pasteurized, and processed, and they are also soaked in a compound called Ferrous Gluconate which is basically an iron based compound that helps them reach that jet black color. You can get some great olives that are “water cured” or “sea salt/oil” packed but you probably want to eat these types in moderation if you have salt concerns because they are very high in salt. You will want to be sure to eat less than 20 at a time if salt is a major concern for you.

If you are looking for the best olive oils out there you want to search immediately for the darkest bottles on the shelf. Olive oil is extremely sensitive to light so going to the darkest bottle will narrow your search quickly. Then you will want to look for “stone crushed” and “cold pressed” preferably a Greek or Italian extra virgin variety, but if they are American or some other European country that is OK as long as they meet the other criteria. Cold pressed and stone crushed are the most ancient way of collecting olive oil in a way that retains all of the essential fats and properties that make it amazing.

Curious little fruit, so many varieties to choose from. I am sure you will find no trouble getting one that strikes your palate perfectly and your body will definitely thank you in the long run!

Lets be honest, I am not gonna be eating shellfish when I get back home and if I wasn’t here in Lecce I would not be eating all these ‘shit’ eaters at all. Well…that is what they are! And, as you know, while I AM here, I say… f-it! But I gotta admit, it’s been a wee bit challenging for me. But, I’m doing the best I can with embracing the all the many crustacean meals we are making. And we do seem to be making a lot of them. I mean, we are along the Adriatic Sea and all, where the water is clear and blue and beautiful. It surely looks clean but as we all know, looks can be deceiving so while I am here, it’s better not ta ask or investigate if the Sea is, in fact, clean so….F-it!

Today was an easy peassy fish soup that surprisingly didn’t taste too fishy or was too stinky. Which is kinda surprising cause it’s clams, shrimp, mussels, scampi and cod fish in a pot with white wine, tomatoes, garlic, sea salt, red pepper flakes, fresh chopped parsley, basil and mint. It’s very quick to make. The soup takes, at most, about 8 minutes from start to finish. Thank god for the bread today cause I basically dipped it in the soupy part, avoiding the ‘shit’ eaters as much as I could…

Oh and we served it with a simple and refreshing fennel salad with olive oil, lemon juice and mint. Forgot to take a picture of the salad though. I guess I was too busy eating it…

The dolci was Melon al vino or fresh cut melon marinated in red wine. It’s was strong and potent and left me forgetting what I had just consumed… which was perfecto!

For wine we had a white called Messapia from Salento, 2008

Ciao!

This is crazy, how come I have never seen this site/video before. The WindowFarms project is a non-profit organization out of NYC, collaborating and designing gardens you hang in your window. They have over 13,000 members all working together to create new improved systems. This is so awesome, I am thinking even a plant killing dark monkie like me could get this right. Look how cute the founder is too. Right?

The windowfarms project approaches environmental innovation through web 2.0 crowdsourcing and a method called R&D-I-Y (research and develop it yourself). Big Science’s R&D industry is not always free to take the most expedient environmental approach. It must assume that consumers will not make big changes. Its organizational structure tends toward infrastructure-heavy mass solutions. A distributed network of individuals sharing information can implement a wide variety of designs that accommodate specific local needs and implement them locally. Ordinary people can bring about innovative green ideas and popularize them quickly. Web theorists like Clay Shirky claim that this capacity to “organize without hierarchical organization” will be a fundamental shift in our society brought about by the web over the coming decades.

(More videos after the jump)

Click here to view the embedded video.

After only one year and with very limited funding the project has already been widely acclaimed and supported with features in Grist, Art in America, Wired Blog, Ready Made magazine, prominent food blogs, and upcoming documentary films. Over 13,000 people have downloaded the instructions worldwide and are building windowfarms in city windows all over the planet. Please chech out the activity on the community website to see what’s happening.

Yes, friends, this is almost it. The Awaiting Table is coming to an end. It’s been so lovely but, I gotta tell ya, I am f-ing filled to the brim with food and wine. I need to stop f-ing eating and drinking! Ahhhhh… 1 dinner and 1 lunch to go…I think I can…I think I can…I think I can…okay…twist my arm…. :)

The temperature keeps rising here so we wanted to create the least amount of heat in the kitchen while making dinner. That was the plan anyway. But as you know, plans don’t always go as planned. Somehow I volunteered to make the eggplant over the hot stove. The dish shoulda been called eggplant with essence of Aria from all the sweat I dripped making them. And right next to me, Ted was sweating a big pan of yellow bell peppers and next to him Giuseppe was sautéing a pot of string beans…I mean…come on guys! This was probably the MOST heat we made in the kitchen!

The only thing that wasn’t creating any heat was a classic Leccese dish. It’s basically a bread salad with fresh vegetables. The difference is that they use a local dense hard bread to do it called, Frise Integrali. It’s cooked like a biscotti so it’s very hard and the only way they eat it is by soaking it in water to rehydrate it and then eat/use in recipes when soft. Am I the only one who finds that strange? I mean, why not just keep it soft in the first place? Well, I asked of course, and Silverstro informed me that this particular type of bread has been around for years and originally was eaten by field workers and those who travelled long distances because it doesn’t spoil. So they would pack the hard bread in their bag and when they got hungry travelling along the countryside, or working in the fields, they would forage some wild onions and tomatoes, what ever they could find and soak the hard bread in the fresh stream until soft and managia (that’s eat in Italian)! Well, I’ve tried it both ways and personally, I like it better crunchy. But then again, I’m American, so what do I know… :)

Dinner Menu:

We had a few Antipasti: Eggplant with essence of Aria, olive oil, sea salt, red pepper and fresh mint. And a caramelized yellow bell pepper with olive oil, sea salt and finished with breadcrumbs. This is the simplest and one of my favorite dishes we made. Yes, I know. This was a surprise to me as well. Oh, for those of you who don’t know, I am not a fan of the bell peppers. But cooked this way, I do believe I have been converted.

The primi was the Capunata, which is the bread salad I wrote about above. So it’s the crunchy bread, tomatoes, cucumber, capers, olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, fresh mint, parsley and basil.

The secondi was Coniglio e Pollo con verdure alla griglia. Yes, this is grilled chicken with a raw marjoram lemon olive oil sauce. I just wanted to express that all the meats used were organically and humanly grown. So, as these dishes may not be vegan, they sure are Green. I’m just sayin’…

The docli was Pesche al vino, which are roasted peaches in wine and raw sugar. We served it chilled with a sweet vanilla sugar ricotta.

We had 2 different wines. One was a Rose from Salento called Girofle, 2008. And the other was a red Negroamaro from Salento called Brindisi, 2008.

Yum.

Blueberries – nature’s candy and nature’s medicine, packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C. I just happen to live in blueberry country. It’s one of the few perks of living in the north. Every year I battle the bears out in the old logging roads to pick pails and pails of berries. I gobble them up in their natural state, in addition to using them in smoothies and desserts, before freezing heaps of them to enjoy throughout the year. 

The taste of wild berries can’t be compared to store bought ones – in fact, I never buy them because I know what the REAL ones taste like. I often invite my raw food friends up to my little corner in northwestern Ontario, Canada to partake in my wild adventures, so consider this an invite to join in my summer berry expeditions! 

I hope you’ll give this blueberry cheesecake a try. It’s delicious with the cardamom but you could easily omit it if you’re not a fan.  

Instructions: For the Crust
1. Grind both ingredients together in a food processor.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of water if the mixture is too crumbly.
3. Press the crust into pans of choice. I used mini silicone muffin cups. Set aside.

Instructions: For the Filling
1. In a blender, combine all but the cacao butter, until completely smooth and creamy.
2. Add the butter and blend again to incorporate.
3. Pour the mixture over the crust(s)
4. Chill in the fridge or freezer until firm. Since the freezer means less chilling time, I prefer it.
5. Garnish with blueberries, edible flowers, or any other garnish of your choice.

If my life in Italy wasn’t envious enough for you… and me for that matter …I’m gonna break down my days here in Lecce. Around 10am we all meet at the café for our morning espresso drink of our individual choosing. I first started out with an Americano but since it is so freaking hot here I have moved onto the iced espresso with the almond milk I talked about in my previous post. Oh and since I am being so honest with you all, I must admit, my one shot of espresso has moved onto two! It’s a pretty molto bene way to start the day, I gotta say.

So, after we all slowly enjoy each other’s company mixed with the gentle kick from the caffeine, we walk down the road to the famers market and buy all of our fresh produce and ingredients for lunch and dinner. After shopping we walk back to school in the hot summer sun and start our prep to cook lunch. Also, if we are making pasta, we will make 2 different shapes and we’ll enjoy one shape for lunch and the other for dinner.

This is the first time in a long time I have enjoyed eating pasta. It’s fresh and dense and chewy and light and hearty all the same time so less is more, which means you don’t need to eat a mound of it to feel nourished and get satisfied. And since it’s a blend of unprocessed whole grain barley and semolina flours, it gives it tons of fiber, which makes for lovely regularity for this traveler. Sorry…I’m just saying…

Ummmm…before I mention what we prepared, I just want to give a shout out to a very special particular G Monkie who informed me that I am the first and only one blogging on this site who is writing about non-vegan dishes. Thank you for allowing me to share my non-vegan ways!

Now…the menu:

For lunch we started with our primi of Le orecchhiette con le cima di rape or ear shaped pasta with broccoli rabe. It’s one of my favorites. We chopped the rabe, added garlic, red pepper flakes, sea salt, olive oil and cooked it so it became like a thick sauce. Then after we boiled the pasta, we added a little of the pasta water to the rabe cause the starch from the pasta helps thickens the sauce and all the flavors become one. Yum.

Our secondi was Coniglio con olive verde e timo or, brace yourselves, braised rabbit with green olives and thyme. I know. I felt the same way. But I tasted a little and gotta admit, it was kinda great. That’s all I’m gonna say about cause I don’t wanna think to deeply about it, if you get my meaning… :)

And for the docli was had Fresh Green Figs with a lovely not too sweet desert wine.

For wine we had a red Negroamaro from Salento called Santa Maria Del Morige, 2007

Lunch normally ends around 3pm and we have at least 2 or 3 hours before we have to come back and prep for DINNER!!! I know. An abundant amount of food and wine. Very decadent I am these days. And loving every minute of it…

First of all, I just wanna express to you all, that am not the kind of gal who drinks in the afternoon and every night so this wine twice a day thang takes a few days to get in the swing of, or, I shall say, the swagger. But the swag definitely comes quick when you are here in Lecce, I must say. Cause all I gotts ta do is saunter on down the road to my B&B, take my shoes off, put on some Maria Callas, lay down on the bed and take a nap. Damn. This cooking school eating, drinking business is hard work.  What I find the most fascinating though is that after my nap I somehow am, not only sober but ready and roaring to go make and eventually eat dinner and drink some more WINE!!

And now…the dinner menu.

Our primi was Ciceri e tria, which is a slowly cooked thick chick pea stew with flat pasta cooked 2 ways. 1st way boiled, 2nd way fried in olive oil so it’s crispy and soft. Wonderful textures and tastes in this dish and it’s one of the most beloved dishes in this region. And for you vegan’s out there, this one is for you. Back in the day, the fried pasta was originally meant to mimic the texture of meat so…there you go! And, now, you must forgive me when I write the secondi dish.

Our secondi was Salsiccia fresca, which is homemade grilled pork sausage with dried figs. I warned you! This is the one and only dish I wanted nothing to do with, as I am sure you can imagine…so we shall just leave it at that. But we did grill a bunch of eggplants and bell peppers before the sausages, which were yummy. Grilled and finished with olive oil, sea salt and freshly chopped herbs.

The wine we had was a red primitivo de manduria called Moi. Smooth as silk.

And the docli is now one of my new favorites so if you are my friend you will probably be getting this for your annual holiday homemade treat! Just make sure you let me know if you are allergic to almonds!!! It’s called Le Cupeta, otherwise known as almond brittle but unlike any other almond brittle I have had. Blanched almonds, raw sugar caramelized and a rub of a lemon over the hot sugar when it gets poured over the almonds to set. It’s sublime with an intoxicating essence of lemon. Mmmmmm so so so damn good.

And that, my friends, it that…

Hope you enjoy.
Ciao!

On our menu it’s actually called the Pumpkinseed and Herb Salad, but otherwise referred to by me as my favorite breakfast salad. I wake up craving this salad. And yes, it’s meant to fix me. I started eating this specific green mix because I was told that I probably need more of the sexy mineral zinc in my system, among other things. I haven’t been feeling well (at all) so this salad is part of my healing plan. My books are all about how raw food makes you feel amazing. I used to feel amazing. Why do I now feel like shit? And how can I admit that? (Doing it now). More on the healing plan as soon as I can find more time to write about it. Back to zinc. Pumpkinseeds happen to be very high in zinc. And so my love affair with pumpkinseeds has been rekindled.

Years ago in another (not raw) restaurant, I put a pumpkinseed salad on the menu: lolo rosso and red oak lettuces, shaved bosc pear, shaved pecorino, toasted salted pumpkinseeds and pumpkinseed lemon dressing. While I love delicate fluffy greens like lolo rosso and red oak, what I really can’t get enough of are kale and herbs. I could eat bathtubs of kale.

So, I started making myself this salad at the restaurant. Kale plus a bunch of parsley leaves, cilantro leaves, and torn mint leaves. Add hempseeds (full of omega-3’s… good for so many reasons!). Then toss the whole thing in a dressing made of pumpkinseed oil and lemon juice, and plenty of salt (ideally Himalayan crystal salt). You can also use a mix of olive (or other) oil with the pumpkinseed oil since the flavor is strong, and good quality raw organic pumpkinseed oil happens to be super expensive. (ours comes from Austria, raw and organic). I love maxium pumpkinseed flavor so I use just that oil and lemon (and salt). Top this green pile with a handful of pumpkinseed macadamia parmesan.

How and where do you get pumpkinseed macadamia parmesan? Or make it? In Raw Food Real World (page 285) there’s a recipe for pine nut parmesan, and we make it (or a version of it) at the restaurant. It’s really easy, but you need a dehydrator. The recipe in the book , as titled, calls for pine nuts, but since those recently became more expensive than gold, we’ve had to tweak this recipe, as well as a few others that previously featured golden pine nuts. Including the pine nut ricotta in our lasagna. After trying a few different variations, we found that mixing pumpkinseeds and macadamia nuts makes the best substitute. Using all of one or the other is okay, but a mix of the two we liked best. If you want to make your own parmesan, soak raw pumpkinseeds and macadamia nuts for a few hours. Add to a food processor with some water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt. Dehydrate till dry and crisp. YUM. If you’re too lazy or busy or otherwise unprepared to make the parmesan, you can toss plain raw pumpkinseeds in a bit of pumpkinseed oil, salt, and a generous sprinkle of nutritional yeast. This will give you a similar flavor. Nutritional yeast is an amazing vegan source of B-12, by the way. Another reason I like it in my healing salad. Yes, this post is full of links.

Now… if you order this salad at the restaurant, it comes with a mix of greens and kale, since most people find straight kale kind of harsh and prefer a mix. The lovely photo here was taken by the even lovelier Erica Graff, who writes discoveringraw.com where she posts lots of One Lucky Duck dessert porn. Or, “eye candy” as she more tactfully calls it.

Why do I need a salad to heal me? It’s just part of the process. After asking me 1,001 questions via phone from the UK, my friend Elwin of lionheartherbs gave me loads of good advice as well as a shipment of tonic herbs with which to make tea. I’ve been drinking it daily. To Elwin, I could admit anything, and he understood… understands. Finally. He understood that if he told me to take a vacation, start doing yoga, or meditating, I would have hung up, and climbed back in bed. Not that I shouldn’t do all of those things, but… he understands what it’s like being caught in the spiral of sleep-deprivation. Even with the best organic raw food available to me, it seems that I got myself into a place such that no matter what I do, most of the time I’m tired. Various bad habits which I’ll come clean about later, plus too much stress. I’m smart enough to know stress is hurting. Just need help in sorting it out within the currently stressful context in which I got myself into. Thank you Elwin. Thank you Anastasia for harmonyum healing. Thank you Rodrigo for bombarding me with helpful words/books. Thank you Kurt for being my favorite asshat. Thank you Annie for EFT. Thank you to my amazing boyfriend for eucalyptus hot water foot baths followed by coconut butter foot rubs. And lots of patience. And more. And thank you to everyone at the restaurant and duck for taking care of business. And while I’m at it, eternally grateful to the world of twitter and facebook people, who feed me with support and encouragement (and gave me loads of advice and heart warming sweet sympathy when my kitty cat love of my life decided to get sick and then leave this dimension). Now this sounds like an oscar acceptance speech and the music has started to play over me. Thank you and goodnight!

P.S. I know I should take a vacation, more “me time”, spa time, yoga, etc… but I promise, when I’m able to, I will do it. In the meantime, I’m just eating lots of breakfast salads, trying to figure it all out (will share when I do), and charging (crawling?) onward. XOXO :)

Green soup is great any time of year, and a tasty way to consume protein rich greens! Raw soups in general are cost effective, nutrient dense, and filling from all the fiber and water.

Play around! Even one ingredient change can make a huge flavor change, so the sky is the limit here. I also like adding a bit of tomato, or whatever happens to be in season. Avocado provides some body and creaminess to the soup, herbs give heaps of flavor, and a bit of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar adds a bit of acidity to balance flavors. Always remember to add a little something salty, like himalayan or sea salt, nama shoyu, or seaweed, to bring out all flavors.

Occasionally I like to garnish my soups with crunchy, flavored seeds. I like to make big batches to keep on hand. They store for ages in the fridge!

Instructions: For the Soup
Blend all ingredients until smooth, adding enough water for desired consistency.

Instructions: For the Chili Seeds
1. Toss all ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Spread on a dehydrator sheet lined with a paraflexx sheet.
3. Dehydrate at 115F for 24 hours, or until the seeds are completely dry and crunchy.

What did I tell you! People around the world do like me, I mean G Living. I just came across another blog giving us a rave review. The Vegan Healthy Happy Life site has a list of the Best Vegan Blogs and they even have a graphic of dancing veggies with names above their heads. Guess who’s name is above the 3rd veggie (the cucumber), yes that is right, G LIVING. All you drone-freezer heads are now seeing just how popular, your dark monkie really is. There is one question I have for Kathy, the woman who created the list. Why number 18? Shouldn’t we be number one? Really, I think that is where we should be.

Number 18: G Living Just discovered this modern, chic, video, trend-infused site. New fave.

Searching for the Best Vegan Blogs on the web? Look no further. I’ve researched, scrolled and scoured the web for the best vegan blogs. Top Favorites – these are the websites I personally visit reguarily for a number of reasons. If you don’t see your site here and honestly think it should be please reach out to me – the web is vast and I have not seen every single vegan site (though I DO try!)

See, new fave! Bam.. We are on a roll now. It only took, hmmmm 5 years, but hey who is counting. :)

When it comes to healthy living, I’m all or nothing. I love raw food, because it keeps me on track and feeling in control. Right before I even knew what this lifestyle was all about, I was a super junk food eating vegan. Like full on dinners of potato chips because, well, they tasted good and they were fairly natural, meat & dairy free. But healthy? Let’s get real. Overnight I decided raw was the way for me and haven’t looked back. Most importantly, I pushed through the transition and pumped my body full of as many greens as I could handle until I craved them as I once craved chips.

My lifestyle is rooted in pleasure—but not the kind of fleeting pleasure a bag of chips used to give me. This is a flow of pleasure. I love to go to the farmer’s market and hand pick every veggie, sniff the herbs and taste the ripe fruits. I adore creating in my kitchen. A little of this and a little of that = magic. As a life long foodie, you know I love to eat and indulge in all of the pleasures of gourmet raw food. But the most pleasure for me? I feel amazing. I don’t get sick, like ever. I’m completely blissed out. It’s deeply empowering.

Though in my own life I’m pretty hardcore, I’m always recommending balance to others. Like when someone tells me “well I tried to eat all raw but then I ate some brown rice” and I’m just like “oh, it’s all good, it’s about balance”. I fully mean that, but when it comes to me, I’m raw, all day, everyday. That’s just where I’m at right now and where I’ve been for close to 3 years. So, I was craving artichokes, like I used to enjoy, either steamed, sautéed, or marinated. If another raw foodie asked me about eating a cooked artichoke, I would say, “what’s the worst that’s going to happen if you eat a steamed artichoke? Seriously, nothing”. Though if you’re anything like me, this would probably lead to a cooked food binge of potato chips and pizza. Balance is a word I don’t really know how to embody yet. That’s just who I am. So, if I want an artichoke, I’m eating it raw. I didn’t even realize this was cool to do, but while searching for inspiration I found that it’s actually quite fancy to serve a shaved raw artichoke salad. Oh la la!

This recipe is a beautiful toss of Italian herbs and spices with salty olives and a sprinkle of hemp seed. Let me know what you think—and if you decide to steam the artichokes for a softer texture, I promise, it’s all good.

Serves about 4

Instructions:
1. Begin by making a marinade, whisking together the olive oil, garlic, salt and chili pepper. Set aside.
2. Prepare the onion and parsley; set aside.
3. Juice the lemons and place remaining rinds in a large bowl of cold water.
4. Prepare the artichokes by removing and discarding all of the sharp outer leaves. Stop when you reach the pale inner leaves. Peel the stem with a vegetable peeler. Place the artichokes in the lemon water bath to prevent browning.
5. Removing one artichoke from the bath at a time, slice the tender parts, including the stem, very finely into thin strips. Remove the fuzzy choke and any sharp inner leaves and discard.
6. Place the sliced artichoke in a large bowl and immediately drench in the lemon juice to prevent browning.
7. Toss with the onion, parsley and the prepared marinade. Mix in the hemp seeds and olives. Top with additional hemp seeds and chili pepper to garnish when serving. Serve immediately and enjoy the pleasure.

Last week we discovered GreenChef Chloe on VegNews and we posted her 4th of July dessert video. This week, we bring you her Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta video (recipe link). This is a pretty simple and quick recipe, even I could imagine whipping this one up for dinner or lunch. Which means, I will be making this for sure in the next few days. If the recipes are too complicated, I tend to wait for a visiting greenchef to make them for me. I know, I am a very spoiled dark monkie.

Enjoy the video… and go checkout VegNews Magazine, they gave us an award a few years back. Best site to read at night, or something like that. No, I don’t know what that means either. Maybe we are too dark to be read during the day. Also, take a few minutes to see more recipes by Chef Chloe on her site, chefchloeblog.weebly.com

Golden and Green Cannelloni with Sun-Dried Tomato–Ginger Marinara, Mint-Basil Pistachio Pesto, Green Zebra Tomatoes, and Pine Nut and Black Truffle “Ricotta” (raw, vegan) Recipe by GreenChef Matthew Kenney

Recipe from the Entertaining In The Raw Recipe Book by Matthew Kenney

The first raw food dish (or at least, the first successful raw food dish) that I ever created was a green zebra tomato lasagna that I designed for my first raw food menu. There was never a single evening that it wasn’t the best-selling dish on the menu, which lies in the fact that it offers familiar flavors in a unique form. Raw food can often be intimidating, especially for those who have never tried it, and the components of this dish resemble a welcoming gesture—tomato sauce, pesto, ricotta, tomatoes. They work together, we’ve all tried them, and the dish is full flavored.

Serves 4 to 6 people

To Assemble

Cannelloni Using a mandoline, cut the zucchini lengthwise into very thin slices. Brush slices with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt.

“Ricotta” Pulse nuts in a food processor to break up. Add yeast, lemon juice, oil, and water; blend until smooth. Add salt, thyme, and scallions; pulse until well combined. Store in the refrigerator and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Pesto Place all ingredients in food processor and process until chunky. Store in the refrigerator; bring back to room temperature before serving.

Marinara Squeeze water from sun-dried tomatoes and place all ingredients in food processor. Process until smooth. Store in refrigerator; bring back to room temperature before serving.

Final Assembly:

Overlap 2 green zucchini slices flat on a work surface, with the ends facing you. Place 2 tablespoons “ricotta” close to the near end; top with 2 tablespoons marinara sauce, 1 tablespoon pesto, and green zebra tomatoes. Roll carefully 3 times, forming a rectangle, and place on the plate. Form gently with hands to shape it. Repeat the same steps with the golden zucchini. Place two green cannelloni and one yellow on each plate. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with basil or lavender.

Beach weather is finally here and the best way to cool down is to strip down. But what about your stomach? Just as you reach for that bikini (or speedos) that has been stuffed in the back of your drawer, you may find yourself unnerved by a panicked assessment of your neglected core muscles. Yet the thought of doing hundreds of boring and painful crunches is probably even more dreadful.

Good news! You don’t have to do any crunches or sit-ups to get beautiful sleek abs and a strong healthy core. There are many exercises that engage the core indirectly and are effective and fun. One of my favorites is the plank pose in yoga. There are many variations of the plank. To increase the intensity and target the abdominal muscles, try this modified plank exercise with a leg lift on a stability ball:

Photographer:Markiza (CC)

On a stability ball secured up against a wall, place your hands about shoulder-width apart on the ball. With your legs straight and extended out behind you, balance your weight on your hands and toes. Engage your core and suck in and tighten your abs. Your body should be straight and aligned in a pushup position on the ball. Hold this pose for a few seconds. Now lift your right foot a few inches off the floor while balancing on your hands and left toes. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Lower your foot and repeat with your left foot. Do 5-8 sets per side to start. Later you can move the ball away from the wall to make it more challenging. If you don’t have a ball, do this move on the floor. The ball makes it more challenging because it creates an unstable surface. You can also do it on the floor balancing on your forearms instead of your hands.

Attention “G” Moms / Dads, Juli Novotny, one of our very own GreenChefs, is busy building her own “G” space on the internet called Puremamas. Her site is completely focuses on “G” children and families. Part her blog is focused on decor, where she features new families and their eco modern interior designs! You know, she basically is doing a mini dwell thing. Seeking out cool design ideas people put together as their families grow. Is your babies room vogue / dwell worthy? Great, Juli would love to see all your hard work.

If you would like your nursery, children’s room or play room to be a part of it, she’d LOVE to feature you. So much so, in fact that she will also send you free Kookie Karma (which are soooo good by the way) products if she uses your images and story on her blog.

Contact Juli at:
Email: deliciouskookies {at} gmail.com
Twitter: @JuliNovotny

In your email to Juli, please include the following:
Photos of the space/home/rooms. As well as a super short bio and family photos.

Example feature family “G” interior design on Puremamas

Now go get some free Kookie Karma Kookies and share your “Gness”.

The early stages of making your garden involves some disturbance of your landscaping. What may be working may not be as abundant as it could be. Or as it will be. Gardening is an art, but soil prep a science. And as much as I would like it to be, it’s not always sexy. You have to be ready to get out there, get your hands dirty and sweat a little. After all, it’s the end result we’re going for here. And like the rest of life, the key is to relax and enjoy the process — the creative aspect of design and layout, the dirt under your fingernails, and finally reaping the rewards of your labors.

Fortunately, the first part is easy. Whether or not you enjoy it is up to you.

The first step is picking your plot.

Next opportunity you have to spend the day at home, settle in and take some time to observe your yard. Bring with you a good book and cup of coffee or tea and settle in. Relax, watch the weather. Maybe take out a pen and paper and jot down the time the sun reaches and later departs the site you have in mind.

Sunlight is crucial for optimum plant growth. Wind and rain patterns are also a strong influence. Find a sunny spot, avoid places that tend to channel strong wind. Six or more hours of direct sunlight is best. Vegetables especially require direct sun, but can handle some afternoon shade. Fruit trees are more forgiving, but you will find your fruit is sweeter if you choose a spot with afternoon sun. Your smaller fruits such as tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, melons, and corn will appreciate the late day heat as well.

Now that you’ve selected your site, it’s time to assess the soil. Soil types or textures are divided into three categories based on particle size: sandy, clay, and loam. (If you’re like most of us, interested in growing some veggies, but don’t aspire to become a leading soil scientist, check out this site. It succinctly describes different soil types, but won’t bog you down with more info than you need.

Most soils are some combination of two or more: clay/loam, sandy/loam, etc. A sandy/clay/loam is ideal, but through proper amendments, any garden plot can become fertile, abundant, and well balanced. A sandy soil benefits from the addition of organic matter or “humus” usually in the form of finished compost, manure, or green manure (plant matter grown for the purpose of incorporating into the soil).

A clay soil wants to be lightened. Pick up a handful of damp earth from your garden site and squeeze it in your hand. If it holds its shape when you open your hand, you have the makings for pottery, though your worms may be struggling and your plants more challenged to root, it has advantages in holding on to minerals and nutrients. The addition of humus, sand and rock dust will aid drainage and aeration. Your soil needs air and water to thrive, just like us. If it seems dense, compacted or sticky, it probably needs to be broken up with a tiller, shovel or pick axe and incorporated with some healthy loose textured compost or worm castings.

Loam or silty soil is easier to start with. Just add minerals and a little NPK, (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and you’ll be good to go. If you want to have a really rocking garden, working towards balancing your soil will really pay off in the long run. Getting a soil analysis is easy — just take a soil sample. Put a scoop of soil into a ziploc bag and take or mail it to your local co-operative extension based out of the nearest university. They can usually provide you with a lab to get your analysis done and an interpretation of your readout.

Okay, I realize that all seems a little heady. After learning some of the basics, getting the ground dug and prepared for fertilizer will be really refreshing and a great cardiovascular workout. If you have access to a tiller, it can be a great time saving device. It quickly breaks up soils compacted by rain and time. It doesn’t have to be a hard row to hoe. A shovel, pick axe, and garden fork can work just as well – it’s also quieter, more physical and doesn’t require gasoline.

You want your soil as loose and deep as possible, I aim for a minimum of 8 inches, although double digging to a depth of 22 inches yields phenomenal results. (Some methods, like no-till Fukiyoko style, require less.) You want your end result to be crumbly fluffy soil, which makes it easy to plant your young starts and seeds. Tilling may require a few passes; if you’re working your soil by hand, start with the shovel or pick axe to do the initial passes and go back in with your garden fork. (Be sure you don’t confuse your garden fork with you pitch fork. A garden fork has a shorter, 3’ handle, straight wide tines and looks like a large kitchen fork.)

Using your garden fork, slowly go back over your roughed up plot, lifting and turning over your soil to break up larger clods, until it is uniformly loosened to the depth of the tines of your fork.

Fertilizing doesn’t have to be real technical. There are plenty of great well balanced organic blends out there. I usually mix my own to save money, but for a small plot, purchasing and storing one bag is more convenient. For veggies, you want something a little higher in nitrogen with some phosphorus and potassium. The NPK read it out is on the bag directions on application on the back.

There is a learning curve in taking on any new project, but growing food isn’t rocket science. With a little time and energy investment, fresh from the garden food can be a reality for anyone.

This is the second article in a 12 part series on organic gardening. To read the first installment, click here.

Well, I am here. In Lecce. The most quaint, glorious, Italian town I have ever experienced. Yes, I know this is the first time I have ever been to this country but I am still gonna stand by a statement like that. Lecce is everything I ever fanaticized an Italian town, along the coast would be. The friendly locals, the simple and rustic cuisine, the landscape, the vino and the…the…the (forbidden) ESPRESSO! Yep, my friends you read that right, I said it. I am proudly drinking it. It’s some good shit. I must say. I have missed you my espresso!

The espresso over here is totally different than in the states. Even the imported stuff doesn’t compare. I was talking to a local today about that and she says it has to do with the water here, which is loaded minerals and especially has lots of Iron. She says it balances the acidity in the espresso. And boy oh boy does it ever. Yum. Smooth, bitter, perfectly astringent and most importantly, it hasn’t given me the crazy cracked out feeling that I often get when I drink the stuff back home. This espresso just a nice little kick. A warm Italian embrace to get your day started out right. And while I am here in Lecce, or in Italy for that matter, I do believe I am gonna get into it. Well…I guess I already have.

It’s such a lovely part of there community. Communal morning ritual. Much different to our ‘get a coffee to go’ culture back in the states. Here, they all greet each other with a Ciao and a Buongiorno. Drink their drink of choice while still standing at the bar and then when they are finished go about their day. It’s lovely. Enjoying the coffee, the espresso in community instead of rushing to work while burning your tongue on the sugary crap we Americans call coffee. Yes, I am generalizing here but
I‘m sure you understand what I’m getting at. ENJOY YASELVES! Take a beat before your day and savor the warm goodness in your porcelain cup with your fellow men and women.

Oh and since it’s summer and hot here, they have a very delicious local refreshing Leccese coffee drink that is extremely popular. It is a shot espresso on the rocks with special almond milk. Now, this almond milk is unlike any other I have ever tasted. They make it by gently extracting the juice and the oil of the almond then add sugar so it becomes a cloudy thick not so sweet syrup. Nothing at all when I think of my version of almond milk. It has a very similar flavor of almond paste. The drink is called Caffè ghiaccio di Mandorla. Normally I don’t eat or rather drink sugar but remember what my saying is while I am here in Italy…F-it I’m in…well, now, I’m in LECCE!

Now, I am not really a hard alcohol drinker, I would say I am more of a lover of wines. But when I was reading my Bon Appetit magazine a few years ago, I came across this recipe and couldn’t pass it up. I mean, chocolate liqueur. Damn. Yum! And it also makes a wonderful gift. Just be sure to make it about a month ahead of time so the flavors will have time to infuse.

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Instructions
1. Pour rum into large bottle; add vanilla bean halves and cocoa nibs.
2. Close bottle; set aside for 3 weeks, shaking bottle every day to mix ingredients.
3. Strain liqueur into another bottle.

For Canadian thanksgiving, I made mini vegan pumpkin pies. For years I’ve made raw pumpkin pies, trying sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash, carrot juice/nut combo – but I have to say, I prefer this cooked style. Enjoy it with a big dollop of the coconut whipped cream that I featured in my previous recipe post.

What’s so great about this pie? First, there are no nuts in the filling, making it far easier for me to digest (and good digestion is the name of the game for me these days more than ever). Instead I’ve used the natural creaminess of the cooked pumpkin along with healthy raw ingredients to create a delicious pie.

Secondly, this is a low glycemic dessert, using a small amount of coconut sugar in conjunction with stevia to sweeten it.

What makes it a “mousse” pie? I’ve suped it up with irish moss and coconut oil to give it a light, fluffy moussey texture. In fact, I’ve made this a few times already, that’s how much I like it, and it holds well as a cheesecake and as a simple mousse/pudding too! Whatever you choose, I’m fairly certain you’ll enjoy :)

Pumpkin Mousse Pie Cooked Vegan

Instructions: For the Crust
1. In a food processor, grind the macadamia nuts into crumbs.
2. Add all the other ingredients except the butter and grind briefly to combine.
3. Add the butter and pulse to combine.
4. Press the mixture into a pie plate, or small tart plates.
5. Freeze the crust while making the filling.

Instructions: For the Filling
1. Blend all but the coconut oil, until completely smooth and creamy in a blender or food processor.
2. Add the oil and blend to incorporate.
3. Spread the filling into the pie crust and chill.

**To bake the pumpkin: quarter a small baking pumpkin. Place it on a baking sheet and cook for about 40 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 375F (or until it is soft when pierced with a fork).

*Irish Moss Gel
2 oz soaked irish moss
1 cup water

1. Rinse a handful of irish moss in cold water until any bits of debris have been removed. Keep rinsing until the water runs clear.
2. Allow the moss to soak in cold water for 6-12 hours.
3. Chop the moss and blend it with water until it warms up and turns into a gel.
4. Chill the gel in the fridge for 5-7 days, or use immediately.

Short on time? Here are some shortcuts!
1. Make a simple, two ingredient nut/date crust (2 cups nuts/ 3/4 cup medjool dates), or try my coconut macadamia crust.
2. If you don’t feel like pulling out all the various spices, use pumpkin pie spice, to taste.
3. If you don’t have time to bake the fresh pumpkin, try it with canned pumpkin.

Coconut Whipped Cream Raw

I’ve gone really light on the nuts here, and kept it high in coconut. A few drops of stevia allow for less sweetener. Add a few pinches of ground ginger or fresh ginger juice, and cinnamon for a nice kick! To speed up the firming of the cream, chill it in a large metal bowl. 

Instructions: For the Whipped Cream
1. Blend all but the coconut oil, until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the oil and blend to combine.
3. Chill the mixture for at least 6 hours or until it firms.

I must admit. I have never done this before. Making my own Vanilla Extract that is. It’s also only been 3 weeks since it started marinating in its beautiful glass jar. I am not sure how it’s gonna turn out BUT it looks so beautiful we decided we had to share this recipe with everyone. Life is all about the journey…right… :) Jump in and let us know how yours turns out.

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Instructions
1. Put the vanilla beans in a tall bottle or jar and cover with the vodka.
2. Add up to 1/2 cup more vodka to completely submerge the vanilla beans.
3. Close the bottle or jar and let stand in a cool, dark place for at least 6 weeks before using.
4. The extract is done when it’s dark and fragrant.

My uncle and I were talking the other day, he’s not a raw foodist by any means but he’s a health NUT and he owns a supplement company. He drinks green smoothies, makes everything fresh, eats only organic meat, goes on radical cleanses and so on as we do from time to time about health and food.

Our topic on this particular day was COFFEE! Yes, coffee, which I indulge in from time to time. The reason I brought up coffee was because I had read something that REALLY freaked me out. I mean, deep down I know that coffee is far from a healthy beverage. It’s a Fake-Out and a stimulant and bad for the kidneys and nervous system to some degree, it stimulates the bowls, and so on and so forth. Then you hear on the news sometimes that small amounts are actually “healthy for us”! Come on! I don’t believe that {although I listen in hopes that I hear something new and interesting as to why I should drink that espresso}. I mean, MAYBE the good {it’s a great pick-me-up when you are tired} outways the BAD sometimes and won’t really HARM us in a permanent way. Now that I can see!

But again, as with most things, we are always looking for an excuse to drink it or eat it! Right? We like to justify it. I mean come on, there are WORSE things, right?

Back to my story: the blurb I had just read that day was out of Sarma and Matthew’s Raw Food Real World. I had received the book as a gift about 5 years ago when it first came out and hadn’t really read much of it. Of course one of the first pages I turned to was the page on COFFEE and how bad it is for us.

I’ve already heard all the negative things so what NEW information could this page possibly contain. I almost just turned the turned the page…

But I didn’t! I read their perspectives on the matter and I was surprised by what I had read.

They reference a book called Caffeine Blues by Stephen Cherniske because in that book, Stephen calls coffee a “biological poison used by plants as a pesticide,” noting that “caffeine gives leaves and seeds a bitter taste, which discourages their consumption by insects and animals. If predators insist on eating a caffeine-containing plant, the caffeine can cause central nervous system disruptions and even lethal side effects. Most pests soon learn to leave the plant alone.”

“the so-called ‘stimulating’ effect of caffeine is merely our body stepping up the system to flush the poison out as quickly as possible. In fact, coffee beans were first employed as a drug to ‘detoxify’ the sick.

“it’s also damaging to the liver, which has to detoxify the caffeine in it. Decaf is NOT an okay replacement…it contains a variety of damaging chemical, including those cancer-causing agents found in barbecued foods.”

And the book goes on and on. Yeah. Not fun to read. But it’s the biological and scientific “stories” {truths} like this that keep my mind working. I love this stuff. I mean, I HATE to hear it, but that to me makes total sense.

Ugh! So, I asked my uncle what he thought about coffee. His take: “if it comes from nature and is minimally processed, I’m not against it!” {hmmm, do cocaine and crack fit that bill because that doesn’t seem right}. But I get his take on it. What I guess he means is that he drinks wine from time to time, eats chocolate, drinks coffee and tea, and eats meat too. But he avoids all the manmade chemicals and preservatives and colorings and dies and pesticies.

But…what about the natural ones? I’m still torn.

I would definitely NOT recommend pregnant women drink decaf as a drink of choice during pregnancy. Kind of like {if you read my blog} I don’t recommend diet coke as an alcohol replacement. But again, do what you gotta do to get through your pregnancy.

That’s all I have to say today on the subject of caffeine. I wonder what all you guys think!

Beans and greens. Mmmm. One of the simplest, best tasting meals ever. And since I’m currently operating with three, count’em three stictches in my right thumb, my dinners this week have been dishes without a whole lot of chopping involved.

I’ve made lots of similar dishes in the past, but I’ve always used canned beans, since the thought of using dried beans always seemed like so much work to me. Then I came across this cookbook called ‘Super Natural Cooking’ by Heidi Swanson. In it not only is there a fabulous recipes for beans and green, but Heidi also mentions a company called Rancho Gordo that specializes in heirloom beans. I decided to order a few different kind of beans (there are so many amazing varieties) and am now totally obsessed over their giant Cannellini beans. Oh, and they are ‘kitty approved’ as well… :)

Yes, dried beans are a little more work, but with just a little planning ahead, it’s really not that difficult and sooo worth the extra effort. All you have to do is soak them in water before going to bed and then some time the next day, cook them up which takes about an hour to an hour in a half. In fact, you can find out all sorts of helpful tips and recipes at the Rancho Gordo website.

Beans and Greens (adapted from ‘Super Natural Cooking‘ by Heidi Swanson)

Serves 2

Instructions:
1. Heat the butter or olive oil over medium heat in a skillet (the bigger the pan, the better).
2. Add the beans and saute long enough so that they start to form a lovely golden crust on them. This will take around 8 minutes- don’t forget to stir them around every couple of minutes.
3. At this point, add the onion and garlic and continue to cook for another minute or two until the onion softens.
4. At this point you can take the pan off of the heat and stir in the arugula.
5. The hot beans and onion will be enough to wilt the arugula and keep it a vibrant green color. If you use swiss chard or kale, you might want to cook them separately and then add to the bean mixture since they aren’t as delicate and fast cooking as arugula or spinach.
6. Season with salt and pepper and top with a parmesan of your choice and a drizzle of high quality olive oil.

During the summers at our Russian dacha, meals were always accompanied by small, curiously shaped cucumbers that we picked from the garden that very day. Sometimes they were so perfectly sweet, that we would simply cut them in half and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Other times, we would toss a basic cucumber and tomato salad. Either way, this vegetable served as a cooling, hydrating, and nutritional companion to any summer meal. Cucumbers are at their best from May to July, and while we are at the peak of their season, here are two undemanding cucumber salads. One is a deserved favourite, and the other – a new addition. They are simple in preparation, and work well as side dishes or as snacks, on top of crackers.

I’ve always liked to pair cucumbers with dill, but came across the idea of combining them with apple cider vinegar in Carol Alt’s book.

Todays salads are the Cucumber and Dill Salad (an old favourite) and Ginger Cucumber Pickles (a Japanese salad).

Instructions for the Cucumber and Dill Salad:
1. Gently mix the cucumbers with salt in a large bowl, cover with a plate and put a jar full of water on top.
2. Leave to press for 2 hours, or more. Drain the pressed liquid, then squeeze more by hand to discard most of the juice.
3. Mix the cucumbers with the rest of ingredients and enjoy.

Instructions for the Ginger Cucumber Pickles:
1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and repeat the same pressing method, as in the Cucumber and Dill Salad.
2. Garnish with sesame seeds, drizzle with sesame oil.

Blackforest Chocolate Cheesecake (raw)

This decadent Blackforest Chocolate Cheesecake by Vanessa Sherwood drew quite a knockout reaction when she posted it on the forum. I’m sure you can see why. It is bursting with sweet cherries layered between a chocolate crust and a creamy chocolate cheesecake filling. Vanessa advised the members of the forum they can purchase raw cacao butter and coconut oil for great prices at Organic Living Food. She also said it can be replaced with a dark Green and Black’s chocolate bar. I know what some of you will be making your loved ones this Valentines!

Blend everything together except for the cocoa powder and cherries until completely smooth. At this point, if your blender can take it, blend in the cocoa powder. Otherwise scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl and whisk the cocoa powder in by hand. Hand mix in the thawed cherries. If you want to make a sauce out of the cherries, either set some aside or use an additional package.

About the coffee extract. Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate. I use Java Juice- Pure Organic Coffee Extract. The website is www.javajuiceextract.com. If you don’t want to use it, substitute more vanilla extract or just leave it out.

Process the brazil nuts, shredded coconut, salt, cocoa powder and vanilla bean seeds in a food processor until fine crumbs. Add the agave and cacao nibs until the mixture just starts to stick together. Press into the bottom of a springform pan. If you are making a large cheesecake, feel free to double or even triple the recipe (crust and filling).

Pour the filling over the crust and chill or freeze until ready to serve.

Some of you may already know that I have a brand new dehydrator at home, which is also the reason for the lack of posts lately. I’m diving into the raw cuisine with the open eyes of a new born baby. Raw crackers, raw desserts, “baked” nuts… I want to try it all and my dehydrator is working 24-7!

There are so many recipes I want to taste that the first moment the Excalibur arrived I got totally lost. I had absolutely no idea what to start with, where to begin and how to do it, although I spent the last 2 weeks preparing myself and reading all there is to read about using the thing. I also had a list with favorite recipes sticked to my desktop… Well, I had a list with recipes and no ingredients at all. Yeah, I know, the joke is on me. Instead of reading all days long I could’ve bought the necessary products, sprouted different things and prepare better.

Anyway, I managed to pull a couple of cracker variations (will share my most favorite one soon) and some desserts. I’m a true believer that you eat with your eyes wide open, so when I see something beautiful I got inspired. This time my inspiration were these cute little raw fruit paper like crepes appetizer from rawmazing.com, I just wanted mine sweet. The best option I could think of for making them sweet was fruit crepes for the bags and raw brownies for the filling. Easy, delicious and so beautiful! Especially if you make different variations, in my case – orange, apples & kiwi ones. Yum!

Instructions For The Fruit Crepes:
1. Peel and cut the Fruits (be sure to remove all the skin from the citrus Fruits).
2. Blend well with the sweetener.
3. Pour the mixtures on a non-sticky parallexx sheets.
4. Dehydrate for 6-8 hours on 110 F
5. Peel and chill in the refrigerator for a night.

Instructions For The Brownie Filling :
1. Blend the nuts leaving some bigger chunks, then add the dates and blend for 30 more seconds.
2. Add the coconut oil, the sweetener, the water and the salt and blend until all starts to stick together.
3. Add the cacao powder and mix by hand.
4. Pour the mixture on a non-stick parallexx sheet and even with a spatula.
5. Dehydrate for 1 hour at 145°F
6. Then for 3 more hours at 110°F
7. Remove from the dehydrator, cut into square bites and chill for a night.

For assembling
1. Cut into 5‚ square the Fruit Crepe, add 2-3 bites of the brownies inside, fold sides up and tight.
2. The brownies are super delicious and eaten on it’s own, so give them a try :)
3. Serve with a cup of raw nuts milk and enjoy!

Time for preparation: 30 minutes. Makes 20 Fruity Crepe bags.

Organic Kent Mango Cream Tart (raw)

This is one of those desserts your guests will really remember.

Makes about 4-5 small tarts

Crust Process the Almonds and the Dried Coconut and Salt in a food processor until it becomes a fine meal. Add the rest of the ingredients and process again until it clumps together in a ball. Remove the dough and press it into the bottom of 4 4” tart pans with removable bottoms. Place these in the freezer to set while you work on making the creme filling to go inside it.

FillingBlend the ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. Take out your tart shells and with a spatula, fill each tart shell with the creme filling. Cover each tart and place in your fridge to set for 4-5 hrs. Once it is set, remove the wrap and place sliced fresh whole Kent Mango slices on top and serve. Lovely.

Why spend a bunch of money at the store on granola when you can easily make it cheaper and way more delicious yourself at home! I have also included a raw alternative in the instructions at the bottom for all you RAW folks out there who wanna try making this in the dehydrator. Also, feel free to play around with the spices, nuts and dried fruits, tailoring it to your liking or whatever you have in your kitchen.

Oh, and this makes a wonderful homemade gift filled to the brim in a lovely glass airtight container… just sayin’… :)

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Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
3. Mix the first 7 ingredients in large bowl.
4. Mix together melted coconut oil and agave or maple syrup and pour over oat mixture; toss to coat. Spread on prepared sheet.
5. Bake until golden, stirring every 10 minutes, about 40 minutes.
6. Place sheet on rack. Stir granola; cool.
7. Mix in dried fruit.
8. Store in airtight container.

RAW version:
Spread granola on a Teflex sheet. The mesh and dehydrator screen should be placed underneath the Teflex before spreading. Dehydrate at 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 hours, then flip granola onto bare mesh screen and peel off Teflex sheet. Dehydrate for another 10-12 hours, or until the granola is crunchy.

Store in airtight container.

This is one of those classic Italian cakes, which is a must try when your on your first Italian traveling adventure, like I was this past summer. I loved it so much, I thought I needed to try a “G” version. You know, gluten-free and animal product free, without loosing any of the moist goodness found in the original. Now, I love the challenge of transforming classic recipes, but I gotta be honest, I was a little skeptical about how this one would turn out. That is why I am surprisingly delighted to report this one not only workout, it was really really good, so moist and delicious.

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*Xanthan is used by people who are allergic to gluten to add volume and viscosity to bread and other gluten-free baked goods.

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush cake pan with oil, line bottom with parchment; oil and flour parchment and pan. If using, place walnuts in food processor and pulse until finely ground (be careful not to overprocess); set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon and/or orange zest, flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and ground walnuts.
3. In a small bowl, stir applesauce, sugar, lemon and/or orange juice, and oil until combined. Stir into flour mixture and mix until combined.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

I don’t think I know a single person who doesn’t love chocolate. Do you? The only thing better than a really good organic dark chocolate bar, would have to be a dessert created with a really good organic dark chocolate bar! Am I right or what?

That is what I have created here. I took a few of my favorite ingredients (almonds, chocolate, dates, oranges) and combined them to create, little bite size pieces of heaven in a dessert. You get a little sweetness from the dates, crunch from the almonds and mmmness from the chocolate. Not to mention the un-expected hint of orange, cinnamon and nutmeg. This one is definitely monkie approved!

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Instructions
1. Toss 24 almonds, 1 teaspoon orange peel, honey, and spices in small bowl.
2. Carefully slit each date with a sharp knife and remove pit.
3. Press 2 spiced almonds into each slit and enclose nuts in date.
4. Line small baking sheet with foil.
5. Melt chocolate in homemade double broiler*.
6. Dip date into melted chocolate and place on to foil.
7. Repeat with remaining dates.
8. Sprinkle remaining orange peel over chocolate-dipped dates.
9. Chill in refrigerator until chocolate sets, 30 minutes.

*homemade double broiler: You can use any heat proof bowl and place it on top of a pot that has a couple of inches of water in the bottom. Bring the water to a boil and place heat proof bowl on top and add you chocolate. The steam from the boiling water will melt the chocolate so turn off the flame as soon as it starts to melt. Use a oven mitt or kitchen towel to carefully take off bowl.

I know what you are thinking…WHERE THE F HAVE YOU BEEN!!? I signed up for Bite This and have been waiting each day for my daily GreenChef inspirations!! Well, we’ve only been a week off…kinda :) At any rate, I wanted to keep you all in the loop of what has and is going on in my life. Our life actually… I shall explain…

As some of you may or may not know, I have gone through a majorly unexpected life change over these past 10 months. I filled for divorce, travelled from west to east, had an amazing foodie pilgrimage in Italy, VERY unexpectedly stumbled upon love with a certain Monkie who lived in the desert which then took me there and now, months later, we have settled in beautiful Brooklyn. Together. With our doggie Basil. Very happy. Some of you have come along this journey with me…reading my Italian blogs and now, Bite This…and I wanted to take this time to say thank you for reading and for your wonderful comments. They have meant soooo very much to me.

And so, my life has shifted yet again from when I decided to start Bite This. I was in a state of transition and my only real focus was on nourishing my mind, body and soul with love and yummy food. I tend to do that. Cook a lot during those times. But now, I am in a completely different space. Literally! My point is that, with each passing day, my plate is getting fuller and fuller (yes, pun intended!) and the freedom that I used to have to write, to cook, to shoot a daily blog has changed. So I am here to let you all know that, the once ‘daily’ Bite This, will now become a weekly. This is my goal.

I would also like to change the way Bite This had originally started. I wanna put the word out to all you fabulous G peeps to say I want to Bite You! Ahem. I mean, I wanna be the facilitator in sharing your simple homemade recipes, local cafes/restaurants in your hood, organic products, farmers, stores, markets, basically anyone or anything that is conscious, sustainable, yummy, organic, local, healthy, fun, stylish, in other words “G” approved. Soooo submit your stuff to us and if we like it we will feature your post on Bite This each week!!

Oh and I guess this a good time to mention that the love I speak about just happens to be the Monkie who, not only has been taking all those wonderful food photographs for Bite This, he also happens to have started G Living as well…yes, I am talking about V Blak… I say this cause I got the inside scoop as to his likes and dislikes and so all I’m gonna say (in regards to your submissions) is that your pics have to look as slick as all those pretty pics on G living. If they don’t, no matter how fab it is, you ain’t gonna make the cut. What can I say, he’s a very visual guy….

Thanks again for reading and I look forward to seeing what you like to Bite…!

Sunny California is feeling like a distant memory as we settle into our new home, here in sunny rainy windy and oh yes, chilly Brooklyn. I am loving it here though. However, spring has definitely not sprung so I have been rocking out with a bunch of warming soups and this Curry Split Pea Soup has been one of the favorites. If you want extra heat, add a dollop of spicy sun-dried tomato spread on top of you greens. I served it this way to my BF. His mouth is still on fire. Sorry monkie, but the touch of red looks so pretty in your picture…. :)

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Instructions

1. Drain and rinse the soaked yellow spilt peas until the water is clear.
2. In medium pot combine spilt peas, chili, ginger, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and 5 cups water over high heat.
3. Bring to boil and skim off any white foam that has formed.
4. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered, for about an hour or until the split peas are soft and have broken down.
5. Add 1 tsp salt. Stir. Discard chili, ginger, cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
6. Warm coconut butter in saucepan and add onion, garlic, squash, celery and carrot.
7. Sauté about 10 minutes over medium heat, or until vegetables are soft and beginning to brown.
8. Stir in cumin, coriander, tumeric and cayenne.
9. Saute a few minutes then add vegetables to the pot of spilt peas.
10. Add mirin to vegetable saucepan along with 1 cup water and cook until all the brown goodness is cooked into the liquid.
11. Add to spilt pea pot. 
12. In batches, carefully blend the soup in high speed blender and add back to pot.
13. Stir in the frozen or fresh green peas.
14. Dissolve miso in 2 TB warm water and add to spilt peas. Stir in lemon juice and grated ginger.
15. Taste. Add more salt if necessary.
16. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley, a nice handful of sprouts or micro greens and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Text Here

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Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides.
3. Cream butter, vanilla seeds, and sugar with a mixer until fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add flour, hazelnuts or chestnut flour, and salt.
4. Press into pan; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Score shortbread into 18 pieces; bake until gold, about 45 minutes.
5. Let cool for 15 minutes in pan. Then using the parchment paper to transfer, take out of baking pan and cool on a wire rack. Following the score lines, use sharp knife and cut into pieces.
6. Shortbread will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.

I think it’s about time we pour something warm down our throats, it’s freakin cold outside. Yes, I know what you RAW folks are sayin’…“you are heating the almond milk and so this ain’t RAW gurrrl!”…well, yes, BUT you are just heating the milk a wee bit in order to infuse the flavors and everything else is raw so…it’s all about balance…right… :)

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Instructions
1. Bring milk, scraped vanilla bean seeds/pod, cinnamon stick and ginger to almost a boil; cover and turn off heat for 20 minutes.
2. Remove cinnamon stick, vanilla pod and ginger.
3. Whisk in cacoa, chocolate, agave, salt and cayenne (if using) until frothy.

During the holidays, especially when it is cold outside, all I want to do is stay in, get cozy and allow my sweet tooth monster to take over. I don’t let it get out of hand though, I make sure I utilize my best and most nutritious resources to create delectable treats that I can indulge in without guilt.

I am usually craving something creamy, soft and decadent. For me, the perfect antidote to this yearning is a rich chocolate pudding. I know there are many variations of chocolate puddings, but this is one of my favourites!

Why you ask, because it is loaded with avocado. Which not only adds a healthy dose of essential fats in the recipe, but it creams up the pudding, perfectly. This makes me feel better about enjoying it in more ways then one. First I can digest it fairly easily and secondly, I know that I am consuming the healthiest version of chocolate puddings that exists!

Because avocados are so rich and nutrient dense, I am forced to only indulge in a “reasonable” amount of pudding at a time. I only need a little bit and it goes such a long way, bite by bite – I enjoy every second of this pudding. It’s creamy velvety texture melts in my mouth and coats me with joy and pleasure.

Of course the addition of chocolate, dates and maple syrup– just makes this dessert that much more enticing. I also love to add a dollop of almond butter or coconut butter; it creates stickiness in the pudding and gives it some depth. The banana is totally optional, but when I have a ripe one lying around, I love to throw it in.

Then I top it delicately with cinnamon, cacao nibs and shredded coconut, which makes the perfect topping to this delightful pudding.

Maybe I will even think about sharing it with others for the holidays, but for now I would go through all this décor even when it is just for me!

Instructions
1. Combine the ingredients in a blender and whirl on high until well blended into a thick creamy pudding.
2. Divide the pudding into two or more servings.
3. Top with cacao nibs, cacao powder or shredded coconut
4. Enjoy!

I just saw this interesting idea over at Metropolis Magazine. It’s called the Copenhagen Wheel and it’s a prototype electric powered wheel for your bike which not only pushes you along it also gathers data about your ride and the environments you ride through. The wheel sends the date to a special iphone app and then onto the web. Creating a layered map of date from all the Copenhagen wheels in your city. Pretty interesting. I think I would buy one. I didn’t find any information about the size of the electric motor or how you charge it or how fast it goes. I also didn’t see any wires, so maybe it’s just an electric assist and not a full electric bike.

The Copenhagen Wheel turns the bike you already own, quickly and easily into an electric bike with regeneration and real-time environmental sensing capabilities. The wheel harvests the energy you input while braking and cycling and stores it for when you need a bit of a boost. At the same time, sensors in the wheel are collecting information about air and noise pollution, congestion and road conditions.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Copenhagen Wheel differs from other electric bikes in that all components areelegantly packaged into one hub. There is no external wiring or bulky battery packs, making it retrofittable into any bike. Inside the hub, we have arranged a motor, 3-speed internal hub gear, batteries, a torque sensor, GPRS and a sensor kit that monitors CO, NOx, noise (db), relative humidity and temperature. In the future, you will be able to spec out your wheel according to your riding habits and needs.

Live in San Francisco? Add more battery power.
Interested in real-time applications? Increase the number of sensors.

Lastly, the wheel is controlled through your Smart Phone and becomes a natural extension of your everyday life. Simply place your phone on the handlebars, and its Bluetooth module syncs with the Bluetooth module in the hub of the Copenhagen Wheel.You can then use your phone and our Copenhagen Wheel Application to unlock and lock your bike, change gears, select how much the motor assists you and for viewing relevant real-time information.

I am in Cali, where the farmers market is booming with an abundant variety of amazing tomatoes. And, because of that, I always always seem to buy more than I can eat cause they all look so beautiful!!! So, if I don’t eat my luscious ripe tomatoes right away, I put them in the fridge to stay fresh but…ummmm…note to self: don’t forget about them!!! Huh. I know. My beautiful boxes of ripe golden red cherry tomatoes got pushed to the back of the fridge where I couldn’t see them clearly. Oh and I also found a bag of hot red chili’s from the farmer market too…hmmm….what to make…what to make…ohhhh, I know… a spicy Arrabiata Pasta sauce!!!!

Since coming back to the states from my Italian food adventures, I have been completely inspired to cook many incredible Italian dishes I experienced. Ahem…let me be specific…my newfound love for PASTA!!! Whole grain pasta, that is. I made the homemade pasta we learned at The Awaiting Table cooking school but it didn’t come out as perfectly as it did when we made it there, in Italy. Maybe it has something to do the all those wonderful minerals in the water…who knows…hopefully one of these days I will perfect it. It’s not that mine tasted bad, it’s just that it came out a bit thicker and chewier…in the meantime I am joyfully exploring the world of organic dry Italian pasta. Right now, I’m diggin’ Rustichella d’Abruzzo rigate di farro. It’s made from 100% farro flour, which is an unhybridized form of wheat that closely resembles spelt so any of you wheat sensitive peeps should find this ancient grain A-OK.

It’s a glorious end of summer kind of day with that wee bit of crispness of Fall in the gentle breeze, perfecto for an outdoor Italian pasta lunch! Yes, I was thinking the same thing; a special “friend” and some Italian wine is a must too! Either way, enjoy yaself!!! Ciao ciao….

About the photos, I know… I should have taken photos before we started eating. Next time I promise.

Instructions:
1. Make pasta as instructed on box.
2. In a medium sauce on medium heat pan add about 1TB of olive oil.
3. When hot add diced onions, garlic and red chili if using and dash of sea salt. (I like a lot of heat from the chili but if you don’t, by all means, don’t use any chili peppers or if you just want a little, only add a dash of dried red pepper flakes. Your choice.)
4. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes and dried tomatoes and stir until combined.
6. Cover and put on low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes or until tomatoes are fully broken down.
7. In a large bowl add about 4 TB of olive oil, chopped parsley, 1 tsp sea salt and olives.
8. Stir to combine and add your reserved fresh tomatoes.
9. When pasta is down add to the bowl and stir in dulse and combine.
10. Then, when sauce is done add some sauce and combine being sure to add more sauce on top of individual bowls with cheese and pine nut.

There are some people who will cook and bake outside of their “diet philosophies” for family and friends. I’m definitely not one of those people. That may sound stubborn, but really it’s not about being difficult. I just figure if I could make the “same” thing AND be able to eat it, too, why not? It’s easy to go buy any full-fat “normal” dessert. It is not always easy to make a gluten-free vegan birthday cake.

My tradition among close friends and family, is to bake a special treat for them. I usually ask what their top 3 favorite desserts are, then I’ll create a unique recipe for them based off their response. Unfortunately for me, that answer is usually chocolate. No, not “chocolate cake” or “brownies,” just “anything chocolate.” Now, I like chocolate, don’t get me wrong. I can appreciate a good brownie or truffle, but it’s definitely not my first choice. I was always the odd one out among my sisters requesting “vanilla” instead of “chocolate.” I remember refusing birthday cake as a young kid because it was chocolate! My indifference is heightened among the many many chocolate lovers I know.

This tart was so delicious, I actually started laughing upon the first bite.

I had almost 4 friend’s birthdays in a weeks span of time. I knew I had to find something everyone would love. This time, I decided to not just go for my Cocoa Carob Brownie Bites, or homemade truffles, but something I could even like. This tart was so delicious, I actually started laughing upon the first bite. It’s rich chocolate and I like it!

I am warning you now, this is quite a decadent dessert. It is rich, creamy and nutty thanks to an amazing buttery almond meal crust. This will surely make someone feel special on any day, chocolate lover or not.

Makes: 6 Mini Tartlettes

Instructions:
1. Whisk together almond meal and sucanat in a stand mixer. Slowly add cubed “butter” and vanilla until mixture starts holding together.
2. Press 2-3 tablespoons of crust mixture into greased tart pans. Add to mini tarts to baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
3. Chill or freeze for 20 minutes or until less fragile. While the crusts chill, add all chocolate into a food processor until very chopped very small. Add to medium sized bowl.
4. When tart crusts are close to done chilling, add coconut milk to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, pour over chocolate and let stand for 3-5 minutes. Add vanilla extract and whisk into ganache.
5. Remove tart crusts from freezer and pour chocolate ganache into each crust. Return to freezer for 20 minutes, and eat chilled.

A simple sweet comforting seasonally spiced corn desert. You gotta trust me on this one. This is just one of those times…

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Instructions
1. Preheat oven 275.
2. In medium saucepan combine milk, molasses, oil, ginger, cinnamon and salt.
3. Bring to boil, remove from heat and whisk in cornmeal.
4. Pour mixture into 8in square baking dish and bake until pudding is firm but still jiggles slightly in the center about 2 to 2 ½ hours. 5. Let cool for about 1 hour and serve with some sort of vanilla ice cream of your choosing.

I need a badass raw Valentine’s Day tart and I need it pronto. I looked around in thee ole cabinets for some nuts and I am sad to say, I was out of luck. Then I remembered, I froze some of the left over almond pulp from the nut milk I made last week. Yeah, thats it, I can defrosted the almond pulp and try it out for the crust.

And now, I am very very happy to report that it worked out perfectly! Of course, if you have some fresh pulp, you can use that or you could sub straight up finely ground nuts too. The only difference you might notice is the consistency of the crust. The pulp is lighter and I would say fluffier than straight raw nuts.

Oh and the filling…. As I said, I didn’t have any nuts but then again I didn’t have hours to spend soaking them either, so I thought, nut butter to the rescue! I wanted a rich, thick pudding in minutes and YUM, I got that and more!

Happy Valentines everyone! I hope your getting your fill of love “bites” on this special day! :)

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Instructions for the Crust
1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combine.
2. Transfer into desired tart mold and press evenly.
3. Put in freezer for at least 1 hour. Of course, if you can’t wait, you can serve immediately. The consistency will be much softer. Either way, it’s still gonna be delish.

Instructions for the Filling
Blend everything in high speed blender. You may need to add more nut milk if too thick. Pour into tart crust and decorate with fresh organic red raspberries and refrigerate until ready to serve.

I love love love mulberries. They’re one of my top three favorite dried fruits, and are like sweet, chewy candies without the refined sugar. I was fortunate enough to taste fresh mulberries a few summers ago, and wow, what a treat! Mulberries are high in antioxidants and a rich source of vitamin C and iron, so get your snack on! I keep a stash of these dried gems in my purse for emergency snacking purposes, and I particularly enjoy mixing them into dark raw chocolate. They also make a fabulous topping for ice cream – when they’re cold, they’re crunchy! For a great breakfast cereal, toss them with dehydrated buckwheat, cacao nibs, and drizzle it all with cold almond milk. Yum!

Recently I was inspired to turn these goodies into a creamy, luscious mousse! I use irish moss to thicken and “fluff” the mixture. Irish moss is a seaweed rich in minerals, and is high in protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, in addition to other nutrients. It also acts as a skin nourisher and softener, so make extra irish moss gel and wear it as a face mask!

Instructions:
1. Soak the mulberries in the water for 1-2 hours.
2. Blend the berries/soak water along with all other ingredients except the oil, until smooth.
3. Add the oil and blend briefly to incorporate.
4. Chill the mixture.
5. Garnish with dried mulberries and a drizzle of yacon or maple syrup (optional)

*Irish moss gel:
1. Rinse and soak a handful of irish moss in cold water for 8-12 hours.
2. Remove the moss from the water, measure out 2 oz. and chop.
3. Blend the chopped moss with 1 cup of water until smooth and warm.
4. Save remaining gel for other recipes.

I am SO excited about the summer season – TONS of fresh, local and my fav fruits in season. I have this theory that I made up a few years back – EAT tons of local seasonal fruits and veg and you will boost your immune system. The local and seasonal part is the key. I do it with my kids and they seem to be flu and cold-free most of the year {maybe one a year if that – SO FAR}! Roman has yet to be sick and he’s a almost 14 months old.

Anyways…so… I woke up last night dreaming of apricot bars {I definitely don’t eat those anymore}. My girlfriend Kelley Lilien and I used to make them with oats, flour and butter as a crust then topped with apricot preserves {store bought}. They were to die for. So I thought to myself, hmmmm, wonder if I could come up with something comparable? Luckily I had local seasonal apricots on hand.

My recipe makeover turned out AMAZING, but not as firm as I’d liked. So, I am calling it a cobbler! The whole family enjoyed it, together with a scoop of Tomberlies raw vegan ice cream! YUM!

Instructions: To make Preserve:
1. In a Vitamix add first 3 ingredients. Then dissolve the Kuzu in 1/2c water, heat for a few seconds in a pan and it turns to a thick mixture. Add 3 Tbls of mixture to the Vitamix.
2. Blend until smooth with maybe a few chunks. Put in fridge until ready to use.

Instructions: To make dough:
1. In a Cuisinart chop mac nuts, oats, dates, salt until you get a course mixture. In a sauce pan warm cacao butter until it turns to liquid. Add to mixture and blend for about 30 seconds.
2. Press dough into glass pan, reserving about a half cup {as shown below}, pour the preserves over the top and then lay the rest of the dough on the top of the preserves.
3. Dehydrate for 5 hours OR if you don’t have one or care to dehydrate, put in the oven on 170 degrees for 2-3 hours. Let cool.

NOTE: YOU WILL HAVE LEFT OVER APRICOT PRESERVE. USE IT TO MAKE A GREEN DRINK OR WONDERFUL SMOOTHIE! THAT’S WHAT I DID. ;)

Enjoy!

So, this is what happened. I am in Roma right now and, being that I am a foodie, I was taken to a hidden Italian slow food restaurant last night for a 9:30pm dinner. Which meant that we didn’t really eat until 10:30pm, much much later than I normally eat. But I was fine with it. I mean shit. I am in Roma for f-sake!

We started with a salted cod capriccio with black truffles and red onion dressed with lemon and amazing olive oil. Then we went on to have fried zucchini flowers and olives, then we split an order of anchovy, raisin, pine nut homemade tagliatelle pasta and then I ordered an onion flan and he had the rabbit.

Oh yes and washed it all down with a lovely crisp bottle of white wine. Oh and I forgot to mention the traditional Italian aperitivo we started off the evening with, at a bar overlooking the coliseum no less. I forgot what the aperitivio was called but it was a mix of campari, sweet vermouth and sparkling white wine. Bitter and very very strong. Definitely woke my jet-lagged ass right up! Anyway we ate and drank and all was delish and merry. Oh and very salty. A bit too salty but f-it I am in Roma remember.

What is my point at painting the picture of my eating and drinking…well first it’s fun and if you are anything like me I like to have a visual…but my main point is…I went to bed with a full belly and a warm fuzzy wine haze. Which, not only affected my not so sound sleep but I woke up feeling not rested and very salty. Puffy to be exact.

With only 5 ½ hours of sleep I stumbled out of bed and immediately drank some water, then came the green tea, green powder, vitamins, anything and everything to get me out of the way I felt in that moment.

Now, I am not saying that’s bad, to try and balance yourself with supplements that make you feel better, I’m just saying I suddenly became conscious of my behavior and stopped and started to observe myself. My patterns to want to change. To want to control. To feel better. To change may present situation, instead of accepting how I was in that moment. And then it hit me. What if everything was perfect just the way it is. Right now. I mean everything. Not just a few things, I mean the way I feel, look, smell, taste, success, no success, love, no love, good health… yes, I am talking about EVERYTHING.

It’s a simple yet extremely challenging concept to fully be in all the time. Maybe that’s not what it is about anyway. Being in it all the time. The goal is to yes. But the searching and the struggles along the way to being in the present I am now understanding that THAT might just be it. The journey, THIS journey we go through to experience these beautiful bursts of being fully present in the now, is what it’s all about. That’s the lesson. The teaching. The learning. Observing yourself within the moments you’re your own struggle of not being happy with who or what you are and not wanting or needing more. Instead of being at one. Balanced within.

I mean I know it’s been said and written and configured in many many different yet similar ways but for some reason this morning, I got it. The idea of it anyway. Deeply. I felt it penetrating, emanating throughout my body.

What if I was perfect just the way I am right now. Because this really is what it is. Right now. Right now is all I have. Are you with me? Profound, it is, it was, to me anyway…

We have decided to share with everyone, our pilot episode of GreenChefs. This is just a rough idea, what the show would be like. Hope everyone enjoys the show. Feed back is more than welcome and again, anyone out there interested in helping us take the shows to broadcast TV, please reach out and let us hear from you.

Recorded ‘as live’, Green Chefs is a plant-based cooking show like you’ve never seen before. Each 30 min episode features four incredible themed recipes to satisfy the palate and curiosity of any food lover. Set in the high-end designer kitchen of our Venice studios, three cameras cover every angle and each delectable close-up.

Join our G host, Sarah Backhouse, as she introduces us to the top chefs in green cuisine. Together they use the freshest and finest organic ingredients to create truly sumptuous plant-based dishes. With a splash of attitude and good measure rock n’ roll, our slick, glossy on-air look and feel will leave you wanting more. Green Chefs. Eat Green. Be Happy.

Some notes on the pilot:
* In the GreenChefs, Sarah would be joined by co-host and guest GreenChefs
** The show would either be shot in front of a live audience or be pre-recorded to exude a ‘live’ feel

It’s my last night here in Roma before I take to the train. Time just seems to go by smoothly here. There is a flow that has effortlessly slipped into my Roma life. Well, in my life in general but I am here now so…

Tomorrow, I am off to the town of Lecce, to attend, hopefully an amazing week long authentic Italian cooking school. Which happens to be in the Region of Puglia, right along the Adriatic Sea. Damn. I can’t believe this is my life. I have always been envious of those brave people taking trips like this, alone. And then, boom, here I am, doing it. Wow, how quickly your life can change if you choose to change it. Magic starts to sprinkle in and you suddenly find yourself in Italy. In ROMA!

This is also my first night without plans and I am hungry. A familiar loneliness crept in to my mind but thankfully quickly left. Aria, I said to myself, you are in Roma, get over yourself. No time to get depressed. No need to wallow. Get your ass up and out and explore the streets. Stumble upon a cute little café for dinner and embrace life. This moment. As is it is. Cause, remember the last post? I am here now. And it is perfect. And if it wasn’t, well, then, it would be different, right?

So I go walking, feeling the gentle warm breeze guiding me along the cobblestone street and the fresh Roman blisters on the bottom of my feet growing with each stride. It’s already 8:30pm and I seem to be falling right into the late dinner schedule here perfectly too. What do I want…hmmmm…a nice big crisp salad. Greens. Dark. Bitter greens. Simply, that is all I want.

For lunch I went to a classic Italian deli and got a side of sheep feta, black olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes and a slice of focaccia bread that was heavily sprinkled with olive oil. It was salty and oily and the only thing I really LOVED was the black olives. They were the only things not too salty if you could believe that. And I am happy and proud to announce to you all that I am now a black olive lover. I know. I am as shocked as you are, believe me… :)

My point for mentioning lunch was that this is why I am craving the greens based on my not so satisfyingly salty and oily lunch. Salads are hard to come by in Roma, it seems. Veggie salads that is. They all pretty much are meat and cheese and seafood based. But I’m on a mission. And I won’t stop until I get what I want, until I am satisfied.

I walk down many different lovely streets over looking the Coliseum. Everything is pasta and pizza and meat and fish…and everyone was watching the world cup so very crowded with loud Italians and tourists crowded around the outdoor TVs.

But then, in the corner of my eye a tiny little place winks at me. Divin wine bar. I walk by. The outdoor patio is packed so I peek my head inside and Billie Holiday is playing. I know. Perfecto. And it’s adorable. Seven Tables lit by candlelight. I sit down and the only waitress brings me a menu. I look at it and, of course, find SALAD! YEAH! I ordered 2 different ones and another classic Italian aperitivo called a Spritz. It’s Apperol (which is a milder version of Campari), Prosseco, sparkling water, on the rocks with a slice of orange. Wow. Delicious! Slightly bitter, extremely refreshing and not that strong. Just leaving you with an ever so slight swavy feeling.

A Nina Simone song that I have been listening to over this past month comes on. The opening lyrics: “It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me and I’m feelin’ good.” I mean…this is getting kinda ridiculous, right!

My first salad arrives. A delightful bitter mix of chicory, radicchio and endive with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and shaved parmesan. It was fresh, crisp, bitter, sweet from the tomatoes and tangy from the cheese. Lovely. My only problem was that the mushrooms were raw and I hoped for them to be roasted or sautéed or something. But it was fine. I got over my self quickly. Oh and in Italy you dress your own salad so they bring you an incredible bottle of olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and balsamico. You choose what and how much and do your thang. I am an old school olive oil and sea salt kinda gal. Lemon if they got it. But not an Italian thing so oil and salt it is.

Forgot to mention that the bread basket was staring at me. Hmm, do I or don’t I. Since I had some for lunch and since I really don’t like eating a lot of white flour cause there is no nutritional value and it’s like glue in your intestines and my goal is not to grow my ass anymore than…. well…. maybe just the crust…that part’s not that bad…right? F-it. I am in Roma. That’s gonna be my answer for everything I have a feeling on this trip. Mmmmm …tasty.

A Chet Baker song plays as my second Salad comes. (This is quickly becoming my new fav place!) This salad was made special for me. All veggies. Rocket (which is what they call Arugula in Italian), sweet corn, avocado, grapefruit., cherry tomatoes, artichokes, black olives (I know too much in one day but f-it…!) The salad sounds like an odd combo and it’s certainly not food combining friendly but it goes down wonderfully and it was made with a lot of love. As was this café and that’s what it’s really all about. Eating and living and enjoying life with a heck of a lot of love…and that, my friends, is exactly what I am a doin’ over here alone in Italia…and I’m lovin’ it!

Ciao

Previous Post in this series: What If Everything Is Perfect Just The Way It Is | Aria Alperts, Italian Journals

“This was certainly a new concept for me. A sweet tropical kind of “sushi”. Rice made out of macadamia nuts, and topped with delicious fresh fruits and a fruit dipping sauce. No nori, no soy sauce, no real rice and certainly nothing fishy here. It was a refreshing twist on sushi though with cute little chop sticks and dipping it in a zesty raspberry puree. I really enjoyed it. It was a bit on the higher fat side with the macadamias and quite filling, but also very healthy. It was like a fun naughty desert.” – Indulge

Fruit Sushi
(by rawchef Melissa Davison)

Step 1: Process all ingredients until rice like.

Step 2: Press into sushi molds. You can get these at Asian markets for a few dollars.

Step 3: Place in the freezer to set and firm up while making the dipping sauce and fruit topping.

Blend until smooth and pour into decorated saucers for dipping the sushi.

Garnishing Options: Pomegranates, raspberries or blackberries look fantastic on the tray next to the sushi pieces. Remove the “rice” pieces from the freezer, and top them with thinly sliced fruit such as strawberries, mango, blueberries halved, and mint leaves. Be fun and creative!

Fish farming – aquaculture – has taken hold as a major new industry in the world , and in this period of an ever-expanding global market, it promises to continue growing. But there are some important issues to consider when we buy farmed fish for consumption. The foremost question on my mind is “Is this a sustainable industry? Do the inputs (feed, habitat set aside for farms, etc.) equal the outputs (the amount of fish that eventually goes to market)? A second question is “Is farmed fish as healthy as wild-caught fish?” Finally, “What is the cost to the environment?”

Time magazine recently weighed in on some of these issues and uncovered the following facts:

Nearly 40% of all fish consumed worldwide comes from aquaculture.
The industry has grown 9% per year since 1975 and demand for species such as salmon, tuna and shrimp has doubled since then.
To produce 1 kilogram of high-protein fish food that is fed to ocean-bred, farmed fish, it takes 4.5 kilograms of smaller fish.

The main problem, according to Time, is that the fish being bred for aquaculture are those at the top of the oceanic food chain (salmon, tuna, cod, and shrimp) and require a tremendous input of wild fish to feed the captive fish. Estimates from FactoryFarm.org show that it takes up to 5 pounds of wild fish to create one pound of farmed salmon. Salmon feed must be dyed to give the characteristic pink color, and the industry even has a fan of dye colors to simulate different types of salmon.

But that’s not the only problem. There are several environmental and health costs associated with industrial aquaculture.

Large pens of fish attract larger predators such as sharks, whales, seals, sea lions, and birds of prey. These animals must either be killed or discouraged with underwater sound devices that have been shown to have harmful effects on ocean mammals that use sonar for navigation.

There is also a problem with waste. Fish poop. According to SectionZ, an open-net farm the size of a small home produces the sewage equivalent to a town of 65,000. And this sewage passes right in to the water untreated – often in pristine coastal areas of British Columbia and Norway.

The concentration of fish in these pens is also a problem. The average 2-foot, farmed salmon gets the equivalent space of swimming a lifetime in a bathtub. The concentration and lack of motion attracts sea lice, barnacles, and epidemic disease – all of which must be treated with pesticides, algaecides, and antibiotics. These chemicals then enter the food chain in both the ocean and on land.

Finally, PCB levels in farmed fish are found at up to 10 times the levels in wild fish, although these limits are still well below FDA standards, according to Time. The greater risk is perhaps the effect of dyes, pesticides, and antibiotics – especially for children and pregnant women. Farmed fish are fattier due to less room to roam. Chemicals build up in these fats and are then passed on higher up the food chain where the effects of these chemicals are either unknown or hard to decipher.

So, is aquaculture worth the risks? There are pros and cons to every argument. I see a similarity between the growth in industrial aquaculture and the growth of terrestrial, industrial agriculture – turning a once sun-driven industry into a fossil fuel industry. The difference here is that the land animals we cultivate are herbivores, requiring arguably less input than cultivating carnivorous fish. It seems to me that humans are again interrupting the natural cycle of growth and predation, which then forces us to inject extra resources for nominal outcomes. In terms of aquaculture, the payoff seems to come at too high of a price.

For a counterpoint to this argument from a business perspective, click here.

For other resources on aquaculture, I suggest starting here or here.

Want to get active? Pew Charitable Trust’s Oceans Commission funds research on aquaculture. So does the Goldman Fund. The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy studies the pros and cons of all agricultural enterprises.

It’s time to put down that can opener and start making your own fresh batch of beans. It is so simple and quicker than you might think. I know, opening a can is quicker, but definitely not healthier. For those of you who have never made a homemade pot of beans, here is your opportunity. Try this recipe. It’s really tasty and really freaking easy. Serve with green salad, sauteed greens, cooked grains, in a bowl with fresh chopped avocado and cilantro and a side of corn chips, anyway you wanna eat ‘em…explore….

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Instructions
1. Drain soaked beans and rinse.
2. Add the soaked beans, the dried chili and 4 cups fresh filtered water to a medium pot. Bring to boil. Skim off any white foam that forms from the water.
3. Lower heat to simmer and add kombu, garlic, paprika, sage and bay leaf.
4. Cook about 1 ½ hours or until beans are soft, adding extra water if the beans become to dry.
5. Discard chili and bay leaf. Stir in salt and lemon juice.

May be now is the time to make a confession - I hate cooking the same old stuff over and over again. And mainly because of that I spend years of rebelling against myself and convincing everybody around me that I hate cooking. My husband was the only one who didn’t give up on me. He kept on saying everything I made was delicious and I kept on disagreeing.

Only when I started paying attention to what’s healthy, my view changed. I figured out that it’s a whole new world out there with tons of interesting and amazing recipes. With numerous challenges on using the right kinds of ingredients to create a healthy recipe. My kitchen became the most adorable spot in the house and I became addicted to preparing new meals every day. The possibilities turned out to be endless – raw desserts, vegan treats, healthy dishes… All new, all challenging… my boredom with food was finally over.

The idea behind the colorful trio puree came to me while I was thinking of potato puree. How could I come up with a version of the potato puree, say using broccoli, cauliflower or even carrots without over complicating the ingredients. I ended up with three purees made with the simplest ingredients, just the vegetable, coconut oil, lime and salt. The challenge this time will be on you – to make your own twists by adding different herbs, spices, cheeses or whatever :) Or leave them as they are, the choice is yours.

Instructions:
1. Steam the vegetables for exactly 5 minutes each, just enough time to soften them. If your steamer is big enough place them all at once, if not – steam one by one.
2. Put the carrots in the food processor while hot, add 1 teaspoon coconut oil, 1/3 of the lime juice and salt. Blend using the S knife for 30-60 seconds.
3. Clean the processor and blend the cauliflower with 1 teaspoon coconut oil, 1/3 of the lime juice and salt.
4. Clean it again and blend the broccoli using the rest of the coconut oil, lime and dash of salt.
5. Make small balls using your hands and serve hot.

Time for preparation: 15-30 minutes. Serves 4-6.

This is a basic stock that can be used with pretty much any soup or stew.  You can always tailor your homemade stock to enhance the soup you are making. For example, if you’re making a sweet vegetable soup, add sweet potato or squash for extra sweetness. Also use your vegetable trimmings, such as leek tops, mushroom caps, squash skins and fennel tops. But avoid spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, kale, collards, brussel sprouts, beets, onion skins and wilted vegetables. They will make your stock bitter. The stock will last about 5 days in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer.

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Instructions
Put everything in a soup pot. Bring to boil. Skim off any foam that forms. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 1 hour. Strain vegetables and voila, you have made your very own homemade stock.

Two lil’ Pumpkin Muffins sittin’ on a plate. One got devoured, and then there was one. One lil’ Pumpkin Muffin sittin’ on a plate. He got gobbled up, and then there were none!..None until you make more that is.

Fall in love with my two cozy recipes for vegan pumpkin muffins: Cream-Topped Pumpkin Muffins and Spiced Up Pumpkin Muffins. These muffins bake up fluffy, velvety and moist. Bake them this weekend! When I made u p this patch, it was a drizzly, gray-skyed, melancholy morning here in NYC. Too gloomy to venture outside in, but perfect weather for pumpkin muffin baking. There is nothing better than warming up your home with the smell of baking muffins.

One goal I had with the spicy muffin was that I wanted to create a muffin that rivaled Le Pain Quotidien’s Pumpkin Muffin

Lets start with the Spiced Up. In this muffin I add a hint of cayenne, an extra dose of orange zest and pumpkin seeds. These are my muffins of choice in the mornings, not too sweet and perfect slightly warmed. Goes perfect with a warm cup of organic espresso. For extra spice, try adding in 1/2 tsp of grated fresh ginger.

Now from my Cream-Topped. The cream-topped muffins have a silky layer of sweet vegan cream cheese/vanilla yogurt blend drizzling over top, as well as in the center of the muffin. Yes, oozing sweetness. I enjoyed both varieties and will definitely be making these again this fall!

One goal I had with the spicy muffin was that I wanted to create a muffin that rivaled Le Pain Quotidien’s Pumpkin Muffin (which is not vegan – most of their delicious muffins are vegan). And if you’ve ever seen Le Pain’s Pumpkin Muffin, I think I did a pretty good job replicating it. This is one of those cozy weekend activities, which really pay off. Your family and friends will love you, trust me, give it a whirl…

This Recipe Makes 12 Muffins

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add all the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl. Blend together.
2. Add in all remaining ingredients, fold well by hand. Stir until batter becomes smooth. This pumpkin-y batter has a dense body to it.
3. Add in or prep your toppings for whatever variety of muffin you are making (directions above recipe).
4. Line 12 muffin tins with paper or lightly grease the inside of each tin.
5. Pour batter to almost fill each muffin tin. If you are making the cream-topped muffins, pour batter in layers: spoonful of batter, a drizzle of cream in the center, then more batter on top, then a final dollop of cream.
6. Bake muffins for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.
7. Allow to cool a few minutes before devouring.

I am feeling it’s that time again. Yes, new music time. It’s been a while since I have highlighted a new group I am in love with and I thought, hmmm should I share a band I am semi in love with? Sure, go ahead, it’s a cool band. Two fellow North Americans (Canadians) Ethan Kath and Alice Glass, redefining electronic music with the almost seemingly exclusive use of game sounds for their first album.

The band is called Crystal Castles and they seem to on the rise and if you haven’t heard of them before, it’s about time you did. According to the Wiki in the sky, Crystal Castles musical style has been described as “ferocious, asphyxiating sheets of warped two-dimensional Gameboy glitches and bruising drum bombast that pierces your skull with their sheer shrill force, burrowing deep into the brain like a fever.

The reason I am featuring the band today is because of this free remix which has been released with the lead singer of The Cure, Robert Smith. Come on, everyone remembers The Cure right? Please say yes. Well, if you know who Robert is or not, I think you will enjoy this track.

Crystal Castles – ‘Not In Love’ (feat. Robert Smith)

I have included three Crystal Castles videos after the jump, so dig in.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It no longer cuts it just to have beautiful looking home bedding. Not since Montreal designer Janna Notkin set the bar at such dizzying ethical heights. Her exquisite range of cushions and blankets — the result of five years of research and development — are made from the finest sustainable fibers on the planet and — get this — will biodegrade in a composter in one year.

In a search effort that would put American Idol to shame, Notkin spent two years scouring the globe before deciding upon “Climatex Lifecycle yarns and felt from Switzerland (free of toxic chemicals and hazardous by-products), organic cotton and Kapok, a fibre from the Rainforest in Malaysia.” Development of the chemical-free dyes took another five, but it was well worth it for a designer who believes “good design must incorporate sustainability”. The truly beautifully and utterly unique knitted cushions come in an array of eye catching designs, while the waffle-weave blankets offer a great excuse to stay in bed all weekend.

It’s no wonder Looolo Textiles have been featured in “fashion-forward magazines like Lucky, Domino and Elle.”

And then there’s the name. Those of you skilled at cracking codes may have already deciphered that Looolo is a typographical representation of 100 percent — symbolizing their commitment to wholly organic design with a minimal environmental footprint. Although Looolo’s home wares boast biodegrade properties, you’d have to be 100 percent nuts to throw these cozy items away.

This is one of my favorite times of year in New York. For me, everything right now has to be creamy, warm and filled with ginger. That doesn’t mean I don’t still drink green smoothies and kale salads, but when it comes to dessert, it has to be fruit-filled and warm.

I became obsessed with all the mini pears I saw around the greenmarkets. Anyone who reads this knows I have an affinity for anything miniature or especially tiny in size. This may be because I relate to them, being barely 5’1 myself. The little guys have to be recognized sometimes, so I thought I’d treat these little pears just as if they were big ones, and poach them. It resulted in a creamy, sweet and Autumn dessert with just enough of a napoleon complex to be big & bold in flavor.

Cook time: 30 minutes, Serves: 2-4

Instructions:
1. Combine the water, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla bean seeds and pod in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Peel the pear skin and slice off the bottom each pear to create a flat base.
3. Reduce heat to keep poaching liquid at a bare simmer and add the pears, laying them on their sides so they are completely covered.
4. Once pears are tender (you stick a fork in easily), let them cool in the poaching liquid.
5. In the meantime, in a blender or food processor, combine macadamia nuts, more lemon zest, maple syrup and coconut cream. Blend until smooth. Depending on your preferred consistency, add more coconut cream for a thinner sauce.
6. Serve pears warm, drizzled in maple syrup and macadamia cream. Garnish with more lemon and ginger zest, and chopped walnuts.

The first time I tried macarons was at the Macaron Café in Midtown, Manhattan. I had seen many photos of them prior to that and always wondered if they were as tasty as they were pretty. And were they ever. Those macarons melted in my mouth and made my eyes close with pleasure. Even today, whenever I am in the area, I indulge and buy a box of six.

Since preparing healthier alternatives to old favourites is what I love, I decided it was time to conquer the macarons. And what better time to do it than the winter holidays? They are sweet, colourful, and overall cheerful – a wonderful treat and a nice gift. For the flavours, I went with seasonal fruits like persimmon and pomegranate and two powders I had on hand – matcha and blueberry. Each created a beautiful colour, no artificial dye required.

We decorated our tree yesterday. It’s a beauty and fills the home with the smell of pine. Paloma was thrilled when she came home from day care and found the tree all lit up in our living room. She couldn’t stop singing this song, which is a traditional Russian jingle about the New Year’s tree.

The macarons were a success, everyone in the family enjoyed them with a hot cup of tea or two. The persimmon kind were voted the popular favourite.

Our blog will soon turn one, sometime in January. We’d like to thank all of Golubka’s dear readers for the overwhelming support and wonderful feedback each one of you has given, either by commenting or simply stopping by and reading. Every one of your visits and comments is greatly appreciated. Thank you so very much!!!

Happy holidays! Stay happy and healthy!

Instructions For Persimmon Macarons:

In a blender, blend 2-3 ripe persimmons to the consistency of a smooth puree. Take 1/2 cup of it, reserving the rest for later use in macaron cream. In a food processor, combine the puree with the rest of the ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Spread evenly on Teflex-lined dehydrator trays. Using a cookie cutter or shot glass, cut circular shapes out of the “dough”. If the dough is too moist and sticky to cut, place the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes or dehydrate for 30 minutes prior to cutting. Dehydrate at 115F for around 8 hours or more, until dry on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside.

Instructions For Pomegranate Macarons:

To make pomegranate puree, combine 1 cup of dried black mission figs (soaked for 2-3 hours) with 2 cups of fresh pomegranate juice in a high-speed blender to reach a smooth consistency. Take 1/2 cup, reserving the rest for later use in pomegranate cream. In a food processor, combine the puree with the rest of the ingredients until mixed thoroughly. Spread evenly on Teflex-lined dehydrator trays. Using a cookie cutter or shot glass, cut circular shapes out of the “dough”. If the dough is too moist and sticky to cut, place the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes or dehydrate for 30 minutes prior to cutting. Dehydrate at 115F for around 8 hours or more, until dry on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside.

Instructions For Matcha Macarons:

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor until mixed thoroughly. Spread evenly on Teflex-lined dehydrator trays. Using a small cup or shot glass, cut circular shapes out of the “dough”. The dough may be a little crumbly for the task, but it will stick together nicely after dehydration. Dehydrate at 115F for around 8 hours or less, until dry on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside.

Instructions For Blueberry Macarons:

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor until mixed thoroughly. Spread evenly on Teflex-lined dehydrator trays. Using a small cup or shot glass, cut circular shapes out of the “dough”. If using the blueberry powder, the dough may be a little crumbly for the task, but it will stick together nicely after dehydration. Dehydrate at 115F for around 8 hours or less, until dry on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside.

Instructions For Macaron Cream:

We used Artisana coconut butter for the base of the cream. Place the butter jar into warm water to soften the butter up. In separate bowls, mix the butter with the reserved persimmon, and pomegranate purees, matcha, and blueberry powder to achieve desired colors. Add raw agave syrup or other preferred sweetener to taste.

This recipe is from the San Francisco restaurant Gather, created by their chef, Sean Baker. His recipe was featured in Food and Wine Magazine last month as one of the best restaurant dishes of 2010. It was the only vegan recipe so, of course, I had to try it. YUM! I added walnuts when he called for pecans cause I didn’t have any on hand as well as no miso and still it was rich, flavorful and delish.

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Instructions
1. Put the walnuts or pecans in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let stand for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, in a small heatproof bowl, cover the porcini with the boiling water and let stand until softened, about 15 minutes.
3. Rub the porcini to remove grit; transfer them to a small bowl. Reserve the soaking liquid.
4. If your using Portobello mushrooms cut the mushroom caps in half and with a sharp paring knife, trim off the dark gills on the underside of each one. Slice the caps into 1/4-inch-thick pieces.
5. In a bowl, whisk together the tamari, olive oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, rosemary and miso.
6. Add the sliced portobellos and toss to coat thoroughly. Let stand for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.
7. Drain the nuts and transfer them to a food processor. With a slotted spoon, transfer the marinated portobellos, porcini and tomatoes to the processor; puree to a coarse paste, adding about 1/4 cup of the porcini cooking liquid.
8. Add a little more of the porcini liquid if the mixture is too thick. Season lightly with sea salt.
9. Transfer the pâté to a crock and serve with toasted baguette rounds.
10. The pâté can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Serve lightly chilled or at room temperature.

It’s challenging to find fresh organic fruit in the dead of winter. This, of course depends on where you are located in the world. As for me, all the organic berries I find in the markets of New York, are not only extremely expensive but they all seem to be coming from far away places. And so, I decided to go with a couple of bags of frozen organic berries. Those berries were my inspiration for this gluten free berry crisp dessert. It just goes to show you, you never know from where or from what something delicious will be born!

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Instructions
1. Preheat oven 400 degrees.
2. Make filling: Mix together the berries, tapioca, sweetener of choice, vanilla extract, lemon juice and pinch of salt in the baking dish you are using.
3. Mix until combine.
4. Make topping: In a medium bowl stir together flakes, flours, cinnamon, salt and baking powder.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil and sweetener of choice then slowly drizzle over the flour mixture, mixing with a fork. Should look like clumps of wet sand.
6. Sprinkle topping evenly over filling. Bake for 15 minutes then turn oven down to 350 and cook for another 25 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Serve with warm with a scoop of ice cream of your choice. Mmmmmmmm

Napa and savoy cabbage are a softer and sweeter variety than your regular green cabbage, so choose either for this recipe. This is a wonderful accompaniment to serve with one of your favorite winter soups. Adds a refreshing crispiness to your meal.

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Instructions
1. For the dressing: In a bowl, whisk everything together until combine.
2. For the slaw: Mix everything, except the sesame seeds, in a large bowl. Then toss in dressing.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours ahead of time to allow cabbage to absorb flavors.
4. Taste and season with a dash of sea salt if necessary.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

This maybe a simple salad, but believe me it pacts a flavorful punch. The sweet carrots mixed with Moroccan spices and fresh herbs are a heavenly combination and a refreshing colorful addition to any of your winter meals. Warning, you may wanna eat the whole bowl all by yourself…

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Instructions
1. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients.
2. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to marry.
3. Taste. You might need to add a dash more sea salt and/or lemon juice before serving. You can serve salad chilled or at room temperature.

This is a decadently delicious wheat free cake. The chestnut flour adds a divine depth and a touch of nuttiness and has quickly become on of my favorite gluten free flours to bake with. Serve this cake alone, with cashew cream or some homemade Ice Cream and you and your guest will never think this is vegan. Oh and your chocolate fix will be…ummmm…fixed.

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Instructions
1. Preheat oven 350.
2. Oil a 9 inch springform pan – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springform_pan
3. Sift or mix flours, baking powder and baking soda in bowl.
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the cocoa or cacao powder and cinnamon in the milk, stirring continuously. When it begins to bubble, remove from heat and pour into another bowl.
5. Add remaining liquid ingredients and salt to the cocoa and whisk until combined.
6. Pour the mixture into the dry and whisk until batter is smooth.
7. Pour batter into the oiled springform pan and bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or until cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe was inspired by pastry chef extraordinaire, Will Goldfarb. I read this in Bon Appetit magazine a few years ago and then altered and adapted it to become gluten and dairy free. Sometimes adaptions work and sometimes they are a bust. This time, I am extremely happy to report, it is f***ing brilliant. Yes, I am tooting my own horn. And so will you after you make this incredible dessert. It’s that good.

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Instructions for the Kabocha Squash Puree
1. Combine squash and milk in heavy saucepan.
2. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean, add to saucepan.
3. Bring to simmer over medium heat, partially cover, reduce heat to low and cook until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Note: don’t walk too far away from the stove, the liquid could boil over and get messy. Take it from someone who knows ;)
5. Remove vanilla bean. Cool.
6. Place mixture in food processor and blend until smooth.
* Can be made 1 day ahead. cover and refrigerate.

Instructions for the Cakes
1. Preheat oven 375.
2. Lightly oil six 1 cup ramekins.
3. Place 1 cup squash puree in large bowl. (reserve remaining for another use).
4. Add maple, agave, oil, beer and egg to the bowl with squash puree.
5. Blend until combine.
6. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into bowl. Blend.
7. Divide batter among prepared ramekins.
8. Place ramekins on baking sheet. And put into oven.

Bake until cakes are firm, about 20 to 25 minutes. (might need to bake longer). I served them right in the ramekins. Make sure you wait a little for the cakes to cool down before serving. Top with a dollop of Ginger Cashew Cream (recipe below) and some crystallized ginger and you will be in heaven.

Instructions for the Ginger Cashew Cream
1. Drain cashews, discarding the liquid, and add cashews to high speed blender with remaining ingredients.
2. Add a few TB of fresh filtered water and blend on high until smooth. Use more water if too thick.
3. Taste and add more agave if needed.

Perched atop the bluffs of LA’s exclusive Pacific Palisades, the Vicino House is more than just a home; it’s an experience. Designer Timothy McCarthy of the Forma Design Group and Owner / Developer Michael Gottlieb made it their mission to create a home that would evoke the feeling of being in a high-end spa. They succeeded. Visiting the Vicino House, I almost expected to be handed a white fluffy robe and some cucumber water.

The epitome of sustainable living and luxury design, the Vicino House was recently awarded LEED Platinum certification. A modern marvel of steel, glass and wood — one of the homes most striking features is the 180-degree view of the Pacific Ocean — which can be enjoyed from almost every room in the house and many of the sun soaked outdoor decks.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Light streams in from huge windows, skylights, expansive folding glass panels and floor to ceiling sliding glass doors. FSC certified wood floors and accents juxtapose the cool clean lines and deliver warmth. Interior Designer Kelby Bryant peppered the home with unique features like a kitchen island countertop comprised of a single slab of recycled glass underlit with LEDs, and a Kohler ceiling mounted tub filler in the master bath. The exterior also boasts cool touches like an uber stylish outdoor fireplace.

Equally as impressive is the myriad of largely invisible green systems: a well sealed exterior envelope; radiant floor heating; solar thermal panels; photo voltaics; low flow fixtures; low to no VOC paints and sealants; and bio lime plaster.

But the best part of the Vicino House isn’t just the ocean views or the spacious, modern outlook, it’s the fact that the home was designed to be a healthy one. LEED Platinum certification is more than just a badge of honor, it says: “I care about the environment and I’m doing something about it.”

Now, where’s that masseuse?

The newest addition to my pantry is my trio of NUDE BEE HONEY’s. This line came out in Toronto by two local boys. I love it. What is sexier then two men starting a honey line?

This brand in particular has some fine packaging, with a slick black label. It is a long tall jar, which is thin and elegant. I would take this honey out for a taste any day of the week. I would even love to just spread it, pour it and blend it into anything I create. It would make for a sweet addition that is smooth balanced and rich. That’s my kind of honey!

I should also mention that is honey, is untouched, raw in it’s own virgin state. What can be better than that. It hasn’t lost anything; it’s got everything it needs to give me what I need. Nutrients, enzymes, minerals and an unparalleled flavour.

It is also organic, coming from the purest of sources, no chemicals or strong or smelly aftertastes. It was created to be enjoyed… from bottom to top.

Now don’t get too picky, there are three fine honey’s to choose from:

Star Thistle – Works well with all natural of teas and can dress or top any dessert. This superstar possesses after notes of vanilla and lemon.

Honey Dew – This is a darker richer honey, which means it contains more vitamins and minerals. It is rich and fragrant so get your hands on some and add it to some fruit for a warming compote or natural jam.

Wild – The most versatile of the bunch, blending different local nectar’s. This honey goes both ways, and lends itself well to both raw and cooked recipes.

You can’t go wrong really – they all share similar qualities with subtle differences. I think you will be satisfied, no matter which way you go!

Take your honey a little further and use it to your benefit and create something magical together…. a recipe! Feel free to pour your honey all over anything and everything that you are eating!

Instructions
1. Oil and flour a 9x 5 inch loaf pan. Set aside.
2. Stir together spelt flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt poppy seeds and lemon zest. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, honey with rice milk. Add to the dry ingredients in mixing bowl.
4. Add grapeseed oil, vanilla and water to dry ingredients. Mix wet and dry ingredients together thoroughly.
5. Pour the batter into loaf pan.
6. Bake for 1 hour at 350F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Much to my surprise, some of my family members have recently become vegan. This holiday season, lots of traditions had to be adapted for the new dietary habits that aren’t just mine anymore. I took on the challenge of re-creating our Christmas morning treat of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. I always figure, if i’m going to adapt a recipe for whatever reason, I might as well make it gluten-free, too. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I baked something with normal flour–it has been years.

I did a little research to see what recipes already existed for such a thing like vegan and gluten-free cinnamon rolls, when I found a blog called Cooking with Dia. She makes amazing comfort food, and cooks mostly (if not all) gluten-free and vegan. I took a look at her recipe, and the wonderful photos, and I barely adapted a thing. The recipe was amazing as is, and my family loved it, too.

To make the dough:
1. Mix together the yeast with 1 cup warm water and the 1tsp unrefined sugar.
2. Set aside.
3. In another bowl mix together the oat and corn flour, baking soda, baking powder and xanthan gum.
4. By then the yeast should be foaming.
5. Tip this in to the flour and mix.
6. Add in the 1 cup oat milk and salt.
7. Mix thoroughly until dough begins to form.
8. Knead the dough for 30 minutes, or stick inside your stand mixer with the dough hook for 10 minutes.
9. Once dough has been kneaded, place on a floured surface and cover with a warm towel for 1 hour.
10. After the dough has risen, roll out to approximately 16×20″ rectangle.

To make the filling:
1. Mix the brown sugar and sucanat together with the cinnamon.
2. Sprinkle evenly over the rolled out rectangle. Next pour the vegan spread on top of the dough.
3. Roll the dough up slowly, while trying not to push any of the filling out.
4. Once rolled slice into 12 pieces.

For the pan sauce:
1. Pour in the melted vegan spread into a rectangular casserole dish.
2. Next pour in the sucanat and then finally spread the maple syrup evenly around.
3. Place each of the 12 pieces inside this dish.
4. Bake inside oven for 45 minutes or until the cinnamon buns look golden brown.

For the frosting:
1. Place the icing sugar and milk into a tiny bowl, mix thoroughly.
2. Pour on top of cinnamon bun of choice.

One of my favourite warming drinks this time of year is a Masala Chai Tea Latte. Not just any chai latte but my own home brew. Since I am not a fan of tea bags – as staples and strings make things so complicated and messy, and I can’t tolerate black tea (the caffeine gets to me) –this leaves me to create my own original herbal blend.

I’d like to consider myself an alchemist at times like these, playing in my kitchen coming up with different concoctions that I can infuse in some hot water and know it will always taste great! This holds truth especially when it comes to my favourite Chai blend! For starters, I use Nourish Tea’s Rooibos instead of black ceylon tea which is commonly used in most chai tea’s.  Red tea (rooibos) is from Africa – it is super high in antioxidants and caffeine free! I then put in delicious warming spices that make up the taste that is uniquely chai (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, anise peppercorns, fennel…).

Making this brew is actually really simple, especially if you have all of these spices on hand – which I typically do. Not only do I love making my own Indian spiced recipes with a selection of these spices– but they are also useful for everyday nourishment and balance. They are warming, sweet, and aid with digestion. To make the tea complete I finish it off by pouring in a non-dairy based milk, either rice or almond milk with a touch of sweetness from either honey, coconut nectar or maple syrup.

Once it’s done I pour this liquid goodness into the biggest mug I can find in my cupboard, sit with a big blanket – all warm and cozy and sip it slowly – ideally in front of a fire (sadly this is not always the case). Unfortunately one cup is never enough, so I make sure to make enough for at least 2 or 3 servings!

I bet you can’t wait to find out my secret chai latte recipe (I guess it won’t be a secret any more!)

Traditional Chai tea is heated over an open fire – I don’t make mine on an open fire– unless a gas stove counts? However it still tastes amazing…so find out for yourself!

Instructions
1. Simmer all spices in 1 cup of pure water in a covered pot for 30 minutes.
1. Add the “milk” and bring to a soft boil.
1. Reduce the heat and simmer for additional 5 minutes.
1. Remove from heat, cool slightly to comfortable drinking temperature and strain through a small mesh sieve and serve in a Bodum Glass Cup or mug with your sweetener of choice.

The last couple of days were absolutely amazing. I spent the holidays with friends up in the mountain and the weather was perfect – snowy & sunny. White, wood and green were merely the only colors to be seen and my main inspiration for the white asparagus dish I prepared today.

The vacation was also filled with first moments for Deni, a son of friends of ours. His first ski lessons with a professional instructor…

The only problem with the trip was actually the food. It was a disaster. There was nothing delicious at all, not to mention vegan or vegetarian. The New Year’s eve menu was so poor, that the only thing I could eat were baked potatoes and a salad, and even they tasted awful. Thanks for the good friends, the wine and the cheerful mood which compensated it all.

So, coming home and cooking something delicious turned out to be a main priority for the last couple of days and I tried to do my best satisfying the palate. The white asparagus roasted with cashew cheese and served with lemons and garlic is super tasty and easy to prepare. A personal recommendation for a dinner party, where you are supposed to waw your guests with a vegan dish. It’s my third time making this cashew cheese and I have to admit it’s delicious even on it’s own, but combined with asparagus, white or green, it’s a total blast. My husband prefers the green one, but the white looks better, right? :)

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven at 180 C.
2. Line the asparagus in a baking pan and smear with the coconut oil.
3. Pour the cashew cheese on top.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the upper coils on and bake for another 15 minutes.
5. Serve with raw garlic and lemons.

Time for preparation: 35 minutes. Serves 4.

BON APPÉTIT!

I LOVE finding new foodie things at shee shee gourmet food shops. I immediately pop the item into my basket, full of excited inspiration and quickly get my ass into the kitchen to start experimenting! This time, I found a box of gluten free Sweet Potato Flour. I had never seen this kind of flour before. Wow! Not to mention sweet potatoes happen to be one of my favorite foods. The bread came out moist and delicious with the subtly sweetness that only sweet potatoes naturally ensue. My BF used it to make a savory sandwich with kale, black olives, tomatoes, sea salt and olive oil. I poo pooed his creation at first, thinking the flavors wouldn’t work together. But boy oh boy was I wrong!

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Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Soak dates in hot filtered water, about 10 minutes.
3. In a small bowl add walnuts, cinnamon and maple syrup. Mix to coat.
4. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together applesauce (or eggs), oil, milk and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and stir until almost fully combined.
5. Drain dates and stir into mixture.
6. Pour into oiled baking dish and sprinkle the top with walnuts.
7. Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean from the center when tested.
8. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

The brownie universe isn’t exactly full of surprises. The combination of sugar, butter, flour, chocolate, eggs, a few extraneous ingredients, plus a little oven time, inevitably leads to some form of brownie action. Of course, the resulting degree of deliciousness is all in the details — just talk to the adamant nut-adders, the chocolate chip enthusiasts, or the “fudgy” versus “cakey” people that can seemingly never agree. Yet, by and large, the language of brownies is pretty much the same: delicious chocolate squares that just about everyone loves. Including me.

But I have a secret. With the exception of chocolate (which can be profoundly beneficial in its unprocessed form), I don’t use any of the “conventional” ingredients in my homemade brownies. In fact, I don’t even bake them. (I know — what a rebel.) Instead, by using exclusively natural, whole foods, the inherently gorgeous flavor of each healthy ingredient does all the sweet singing — without needing the crutch of sugar or butter. Undercover health benefits like antioxidants, good omega fats, potassium, magnesium (and more) nutritionally rank this dessert as more of an energy bar than an “extra 20 minutes on the treadmill indulgence.” Best of all, five ingredients plus five minutes is all it takes to go from zero to brownie.

Photographer: Julie Morris

Makes about 2 dozen small squares.

Instructions:
Mix: Place walnuts in a food processor and grind for a couple seconds to form a coarse flour. While machine is running, add pitted dates, cacao powder and salt, processing until a moist, crumb-like dough has formed.

Form: Spread into an 8×8 inch pan, sprinkle with cacao nibs, and press firmly into a solid brownie layer. Cut into bite-size squares and serve. Alternately, press and roll brownie dough into small balls to make brownie bites.

Yes, it’s that time again. Time to head out with your love ones and buy all that new Christmas stuff. New LED christmas lights, a fake or real Christmas tree, stockings, fake snow and so on. It is exhausting to even think about.

I was unlucky enough to be at Target, a place I never go to. If that wasn’t bad enough, I found myself in the middle of a Christmas explosion. Christmas everything, they had Chinese cheap o stringed lights for $4, fake trees, ornaments, stockings, fake snow, fake snowflake sparkly ornaments and on and on, you get the picture. As it happens, I wasn’t alone either, I was with my very beautiful and sophisticated girlfriend, who upon laying her eyes on this mega find of Christmas bonanza, transformed into a 5 year old girl, touching and wanting nearly everything. Lucky we made it out of there without buying one of those fake trees, because, this decal idea is looking pretty good. No need to have a decaying fire hazard sitting in the living room, when you can have something as stylish as a vinyl wall tree decal… right?

All the rage in… tiny apartments everywhere, Christmas Tree Wall Decals. The decals are made from self stick vinyl and they come in all kinds of cool modern design. Way cooler than the same old live tree thing everyone does. This is original, fun and yes can be peeled off and used again next year.

Tree’s go for between $12 to $24 plus shipping. No tools need, just a blank wall. Have fun and take photos… you can checkout some of the trees on Subhuit etsy shop.

Golubka (“dove” from Russian) is a mother-daughter collaboration telling a story about a life revolving around fresh and delicious food. We started a blog to share our love for mindful cooking and eating, photography, and storytelling. The kitchen is the heart of our household, where all our days begin and end, with much laughing and experimenting.

A., the mom and mastermind behind many recipes on Golubka, found her way to raw foods through postpartum health problems that occurred after the birth of second daughter Paloma, now a two year old green smoothie fiend. After regaining her health, A. became fascinated with the idea of taking raw food preparation to an artistic level. With the help of M., the older daughter, Golubka was created.

We enjoy traveling and experiencing different cuisines. Our fondness for adventurous flavours is often reflected in our own cooking, with fearless combination of fresh ingredients.

Our day jobs have nothing to do with food preparation or styling, but we’d very much like that to change, and Golubka is a first step towards our dream.

I’d be totally lying if I said I weren’t a sucker for anything colored pink or purple. Which is why, when I came across these purple hull peas at the market, I couldn’t resist the splurge! The price was high, and I had no clue what I was going to do with them, but that only intrigued me more.

When I got home, I anxiously cracked open a pod, and to my surprise found a bean similar to that of the black eyed pea. ‘Crap’ I thought, I have to cook these! Not because I don’t sometimes eat cooked food, but because my dehydrator’s home is on top of my stove  – Basically, cooking (with heat) to me, is so much more work than it’s counterpart. Funny what we get used to…

Any who, I sat in front of my computer, watched two hours of hulu, and shelled all of the beans. Whew, what a job! I knew after all that work, that this would definitely be a one time only purchase!

So after that beautiful mess, I then sat perplexed wondering just what the heck I was going to do with these. After a few thousand google searches, I realized that a traditional pairing includes purple hull peas and cornbread. However, I didn’t want to just serve plain peas, so I channeled a back-in-the-day recipe and decided to serve the cornbread with a modified Texas caviar.

But first, I had to cook the peas – which actually, ended up being a lot quicker than I had imagined. I guess I was thinking it would be like cooking those bagged beans at the store – insert – takes forever! Instead, I had perfectly cooked peas in well under an hour… Maybe I’ll make these more often. That is, if I can sweet talk someone into hulling them for me… Any takers?

Instructions For Cornbread:
1. Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
2. On a non-stick dehydrator sheet, spread mixture evenly.
3. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for about 8 hours, flipping halfway.

Instructions For Purple Pea Caviar:
1. Mix all ingredients together, and let sit for an hour or two to marinate.

And that’s it – food I actually had to work for.

It was black friday and I hadn’t even left the house, and yet, I still managed to do my fare share of post Thanksgiving shopping. Isn’t the internet fabulous!? All those ya-hoo’s waiting in line at 4am, and yet, I’ve scored my fare share of deals without even having to leave the house… Or my pajama’s, for that matter :)

Any who, shopping aside, for Thanksgiving I drove home to have dinner with the fam (all 7 of us – yes, that includes extended fam, ha), so I thought I’d share with you the dishes I made.

Keeping things nut-free, most dishes were super simple, partially cooked and traveled well. Since the following dishes are rather (or extremely) easy, the recipes aren’t exact, but rather, just general guidelines.

Mess ‘O Greens

Since I’m not a huge fan of raw onions and garlic (I know, gasp), I decided to keep the greens raw, but saute the onions and garlic, with a quick flash pickeling.

Instructions For Mess ‘O Greens:
1. Stem collard greens and roll lengthwise.
2. Thinly slice collards on the horizontal and set aside.
3. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil.
4. Once golden in color, add a few tablespoons of red wine vinegar and saute for about 60 more seconds.
5. Take off heat and pour over collards.
6. Add an additional tablespoon or two of olive oil and red wine vinegar to collards.
7. Massage vigorously with hands for about 5 minutes.
8. Season with sea salt and top with coconut bacon.

Ferminted Holiday Sauerkraut

I’ll keep this extremely general, as explaining this process would be a post in itself. Don’t worry though, I plan on having a post up this week on fermented foods.

Instructions For Ferminted Holiday Sauerkraut:
1. Follow basic fermentation process.
2. Pack in jars and store for at least one week.

Cranberry Cherry Sauce

This recipe reminded me of two things: 1) how awesome food savers are! 2) how awesome it is to have a mom who juices expensive things such as cherries :) (and then foodsaves/freezes the juice for you). This didn’t end up as thick as my cranapple plum dressing, but it tasted out of this world! Then again, I just love cherries!

Instructions For Cranberry Cherry Sauce:
1. Combine all ingredient in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour in a glass jar and store in refrigerator.
3. This morning for breakfast, I combined a few tablespoons of this with a few tablespoons of the holiday sauerkraut and topped it with fresh pear slices – it was delish.

Roasted Acorn Squash

Easy peasy!

Instructions ForRoasted Acorn Squash:
1. Slice acorn in half and remove seeds.
2. Cut acorn into .75″ strips on the horizontal.
3. In a large plastic bag, combine all ingredients and shake well.
4. Lay slices on a baking sheet and bake for about 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees.

Besides the above dishes, I also made my Tomatini Spaghetti Squash and a raw/vegan Chocolate Mint Tarte – which, I’m loving! It was supposed to be a persimmon cheesecake, but my persimmons weren’t ripe enough (they take forever), so I made a quick/last minute alteration. The tarte wasn’t ready in time to photograph, but I promise I’ll make it again, so I can put it up on the blog.

Moreover, my mom also made a raw slaw and a vegan succotash – both were awesome! I can’t wait to remake the slaw when I get home.

Hope everyone had a lovely holiday! Time to go partake in a bit more retail therapy

I have been waiting and waiting for a real electric motor bike to hit the market. Now finally an Oregon based company called Brammo is coming out with a bike called the Empulse, that goes over 100 mph and can go 100+ miles before needing to recharge. Sounds perfect, now what will this thing cost right? Well, its up there but so are most super bikes. There will be three models coming out in 2011, ranging in price from $10k to $14k. Not bad, since you never need gas and maintenance will be next to nothing. Would you buy one?

Lots of photos after the jump.

The title should give you a clue to what I am about to rant about and if it doesn’t maybe the I HATE TEMPEH Tattoo on my arm will. I really do hate Tempeh. I mean, I don’t have a hate thing going just because it is Tempeh, I am not like that. I hate it because every time I order Tempeh at a restaurant (like Real Food Daily in Santa Monica) it just taste like cardboard. I am not joking, a fedex box would be better. The waiter serving it even says to me, and who ordered the cardboard. Okay he didn’t say that, but he really should have. People ordering this stuff must really be into the possible health benefits, because come on, really who could like the taste of this stuff. Reminds me of those diet dried rice cakes, I remember people sucking down in the 80′s to lose weight. Dull boring cardboard cakes, MMMMM not!

So, the other day, I am hanging out with Aria and I think she asked me if I liked Tempeh (I guess she didn’t see my tat) and of course that set me off on a rant like the one above. No, I do not like Tempeh, I do not like Tempeh in a salad, I do not like Tempeh on a sandwich, I do not like Tempeh Loafs, I do not like Tempeh while sitting with a goat, or while wearing a coat, I just do not like Tempeh. Well, Aria didn’t like that at all. She gave me a look that could kill a child. Her face turned red and she said, you just don’t know what your talking about. Tempeh is a wonderful food. It’s a whole food don’t you know. It has amazing health benefits (oh here we go) for sickly looking Vegans (hint hint), such as natural cultures to help digestion, protein to pump up those muscles and vitamins like B, calcium, and even essential fatty acids. Yeah yeah yeah, as I roll my eyes, but it taste like cardboard, I said. And I am sure Cardboard has great fiber, but I am not about to sit down and suck down an amazon.com box anytime soon. This just got her fuming… (i am joking, she is actually very calm and when she hit me with the Tempeh package, it didn’t really hurt). Then she said, okay we are going to have a challenge, which I can’t remember exactly what it was, but basically she would make Tempeh I would actually find it impossible to not say, WOW, this is good. Hmmm not likely was my response. She wasn’t phased, she just started cooking and I eased my way out of the kitchen to eat some of my cashew spicy cheesy kale chips.. mmmm. Now those are good… just saying!

What did she make? Hmmm I will give you a hint, I named the recipe in the title. She made a Sweet and yet Spicy Baked Tempeh which was not only good, it was really really good and yes I couldn’t resist… I said Wow, but not in front of her of course. There wasn’t a single hint of the dreaded cardboardishness of all the other Tempeh’s on the planet. What made this tempeh different, then lets say Real Food Daily’s tempeh, it was all in the sauce. When those words came out of my mouth, Aria just rolled her eyes and said, of course it’s the sauce, you thick Monkie. Tempeh doesn’t have a flavor of it’s own. You have to marinate it, to allow it to soak up all the yummy spices. But my point was that it’s the sauce oozing over the tempeh, giving it a nice moist feeling, like a nice BBQ rib or something, which made it so…yummy. No, I don’t eat ribs or any animal anything, but I have in my lifetime so I know what I am talking about. She did the impossible, she made cardboard taste good, hmmmm, maybe she can tackle the rest of Real Food Daily’s menu next. I will keep you posted.

Yes, Aria won again and so can you. Just say no to Cardboard and try this recipe!

Tempeh is a high protein soybean cake that has a meaty texture and absorbs flavors like a sponge. It is also considered the best way to consume soy products because it is the least processed of the soy foods making it one of the most digestible forms.

Recipe by GreenChef Aria Alpert

Instructions:
1. Slice tempeh into desired shape.
2. Whisk apple juice, tamari, vinegar, agave, oils, mirin, red pepper flakes and garlic in bowl.
3. Pour over tempeh in shallow baking dish in singe layer and marinate at least a few hours, over night is best.
4. Preheat oven 350.
5. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top of Tempeh and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until most of the marinate has been absorbed and tempeh is golden.

V Blak Notes
Aria’s recipe was the first Tempeh I actually liked and for me it was all about the sauce. Keep this in mind and save all the extra sauce to use on the dish after you serve it. Also, the Tempeh will in my opinion soaks up all the sauce and is not as good the next day. So again, pull out the extra sauce you saved, heat it up and pour it on the tempeh. This will make everyone happy. The recipe above makes double the sauce you will need to cover the Tempeh for baking. Giving you plenty to smoother it in sauce later. MMMMMM

I rushed home tonight to whip up this raw version of the Macro bowl I had from Aux Vivres last week, so I could share the yummy goodness with all ya’ll before the weekend. You can skip the bowl, but I wouldn’t skip the sauce. I said it before and I’ll say it again – it’s ridic.

Instructions for the Raw Macro Bowl:
1. In a large bowl, lay down zucchini noodles in the center.
2. Around the edges, stack remaining ingredients.
3. Drizzle with the Knock-Off Dragon Sauce

Instructions for the Knock-off Dragon Sauce:
1. In blender, blend all ingredients.
2. Store in refrigerator in a glass jar – keeps about 4-5 days.

Some foods have a distinct seasonal disposition. Ice cream for summertime, apple pie in the autumn, hot soup during winter, and roasted artichoke in the spring. Well, I have a feeling that this soup surpasses seasons. It’s both light and hearty and is just as delicious chilled as it is warm.

I often daydream about food and make up different recipes while doing things unrelated to cooking. Well recently, in the middle of a daydream, I got an idea for making a soup that would have nut milk for its base. I imagined a bowl full of soup that is “blond” and creamy, and became excited about the possibilities of the milk’s earthy flavour.

It took quite a bit of experimentation until I was able to minimize the ingredients to two simple companions to almond milk – apple and fennel. Combined with the milk’s nutty taste, the two bring a sweet and fresh presence to the bowl. The spice of chili and coriander deepens the flavour and ties the whole thing together with a slight kick. The use of nut milk instead of whole nuts makes for a much lighter soup.

Well recently, in the middle of a daydream, I got an idea for making a soup that would have nut milk for its base.

Pumpkinseed cheese is a fairly recent discovery. The first time I made it, I could not believe what a wonderful result I got with so few ingredients. It’s a bit like a cracker. A cheesy, healthy, and delicious one. I’ve made it very frequently over the past couple of months. It’s simple, and works as a wonderful snack or part of a meal. I like to serve the soup with this “cheese,” but it’s very possible to pair it with any crackers of your choice.

Garnishthe reserved 1/4 of apple – cut in small cubes pumpkin seeds – optionally soaked and dehydrated for extra crunch drizzle of chili olive oil (optional) – olive oil mixed with chili powder fresh mint or cilantro leaves

Instructions For Almond Milk:
1. In a high speed blender, thoroughly combine all the ingredients.
2. Strain through a nut bag or double lined cheesecloth, carefully squeezing all the liquid out.
3. Use 2 cups of the milk for soup, and if you have some left over, enjoy it with your breakfast or cookies.
4. You can make these cookies out of the left-over almond pulp.

Instructions For Creamy Apple-Anise Soup:
1. In a high speed blender, combine all the ingredients until smooth.
2. Adjust the salt and spices.
3. Garnish with the cubed apple, pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of chili olive oil.
4. Before serving, heat up in the dehydrator or serve chilled.

Instructions For Pumpkinseed Cheese:
1. In a food processor, blend all the ingredients until smooth.
2. Thinly spread onto Teflex sheets and dehydrate at 115F for 6 hours.
3. Flip and remove the Teflex.
4. Break into pieces and dehydrate for another 2 hours.

I wish I had a brownie for every time I’ve been informed that eating naturally is simply too hard. While making fancy shmancy meals can be a fun project, uber delicious healthy food doesn’t have to be complicated. Some of my favorite “recipes” are not recipes at all. Take, for example, a fig. Bite into it and . . . whoa! All those little seeds and colors and textures are like whole universe of magnificent complexity tucked inside a shriveled-looking edible fruit package. Imagine if the fig didn’t exist, and some company “invented” the recipe for one: would the fig not be the most amazing “product?” So much of our food experience comes down to mindset.

There’s a style of Japanese brush painting called shodo – a form of calligraphy with an abstract offshoot that attempts to capture energy and kinetics through a few simple brush strokes. Whereas most styles of painting take days, months, even years to complete, shodo takes just a few calculated moments. A swish. A swash. Maybe one last accoutremental zing . . . and then, the decision to end. And within this philosophy of “less is more,” the biggest challenge becomes when to step away and recognize perfection in “just enough.” It’s an empowering judgment call – a kind of discipline in a way – embracing simplicity in this funny world of ours that is obsessed with faster, newer, hotter, and anything that begins with “now with more.”

I find natural foods can take us back to a Tao-like state — appreciating beauty in simplicity.

Poor ol’ “less.”

In the realm of food — for the most part — modern cuisine teaches “just enough” is never enough. Our perfectly lovely foods are processed, packaged, mixed, mingled, extracted, added and bastardized until they’re pretty much unrecognizable. Then we process them again, add healthyish-looking colorings, artificial vitamins and preservatives, and reshape the result into forms that pass for food-like. I don’t think most people would be too impressed if I took a beautiful shodo painting, sprayed graffiti all over it until it turned grey, covered it in white-out to get to a white page again, and then drew a couple of lines mimicking the original painting in magic marker.

I find natural foods can take us back to a Tao-like state — appreciating beauty in simplicity. Take the humble parsnip: a wonderfully useful root vastly overshadowed by its more rotund cousin, the potato. While usually just reserved for an occasional hodgepodge-style stew or roasted medley of sorts, the parsnip offers a complex flavor functioning as a gorgeous balance between a potato, a carrot, and fennel . . . all rolled into one (aka a “recipe”). And it even contains more vitamins and minerals than many of its other root friends (especially potassium). What a guy.

Homemade parsnip fries utilize this idea of “ingredient economy.” Slow roasting them allows for a caramelization of their inherent sweetness, and a little coconut oil keeps them crisp on the outside and soft within. There are a billion ways to make this recipe fancier, but in pulling them out of the oven, I’m personally hard-pressed myself to add a thing. There’s simply no need. I find these parsnips perfect: Just. The way. They are.

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Peel the parsnips and trim the ends.
3. Cut in half lengthwise, then slice into sticks – about 1/2 inch thick.
4. Spread out onto a large baking pan and toss with oil, salt and pepper.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown, tossing parsnips once or twice during baking to ensure even cooking.

Everyone knows space in Tokyo Japan is a rare thing and when you find a little, you don’t dare waste any of it. Space was obviously one of the inspirations for Architect Klein Dytham when he designed his Undercover Lab. A floating black box which seems to hover over the back alleys of Tokyo.

Undercover Lab is a building, which is undercover. Not only is it tucked away in the back streets of Harajuku but the site is also very deceiving. A 10m long narrow driveway leads to a 12m x 12m site at the rear.

The building houses a studio, press showroom, and office. A 20m long hanger rail to show the entire collection of one season was required. This is housed in a black tube running along the only 20m straight line on the site, which extends out over the entrance driveway. This cantilevered tube extends the building’s influence to the main street in a strong but stealth way.

The tube was made to look as anonymous as possible, almost like a shipping container where you have no idea of its contents. The tube also conjures up images of telescopes etc, which give the building a mysterious feel _ nobody knowing what quite is going on inside. So much so that some people may feel intimidated just walking under the tube if they are unannounced.

Today I’ve got a tasty ice cream dessert recipe to share, which has the added benefit of the medicial chaga mushroom (although it’s optional). I did a post on chaga last year and included a Chaga Maple Frosty recipe in addition to mentioning some of it’s benefits. I’m fortunate to live in an area where chaga grows in abundance all year around.

I made this ice cream last week, since a friend was over for dinner and I wanted to do a little something special. What to do with a few young coconuts, some ripe mushy persimmons, fresh ginger, and a bunch of soaked irish moss?! Here’s what I came up with. It would also be great with a chocolate sauce, or orange segments in place in place of the persimmon jelly.

Instructions for the Cinnamon Ice Cream:
1. Blend all but the coconut oil until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the oil and blend to incorporate.
3. Chill the mixture in the fridge, about 4-6 hours, or up to over night.
4. Process the liquid mixture through an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.

Instructions for the Orange Ginger Crunch:
1. Toss all ingredients together, adding the oil last.
2. Spread the mixture out on a plate and chill in the fridge or freezer until it firms up.
3. Break up the chunks.
4. Serve over the ice cream

Persimmon Jelly
You will need: 2 ripe persimmons
1. Remove the pulp from the persimmons.
2. Finely chop.

*Irish Moss Gel
You will need: 3/4 cup chaga tea, reishi tea or water and 2 oz soaked irish moss

1. Rinse a handful of irish moss in cold water until any bits of debris have been removed. Keep rinsing until the water runs clear.
2. Allow the moss to soak in cold water for 6-12 hours.
3. Chop the moss and blend it with the tea or water until it warms up and turns into a gel.
4. Chill the gel in the fridge for 5-7 days, or use immediately.

This six seed spelt soda bread is almost like a corn bread in its sweetness and density. It’s also just as easy to make. Try this one out for your next party, guest will love it with a little olive oil and sea salt sprinkled on top.

Feel free to experiment with other combinations of seeds you prefer or what you have on hand. If a wheat allergy isn’t a problem with you, you can also make this with whole-wheat flour in place of the whole spelt flour and unbleached all-purpose flour in place of the white spelt flour.

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