I am so amazingly fortunate to have my own community farm www.raleighcityfarm. Gracing my plate & my health this morning — food that is locally & sustainably grown; is pesticide & herbicide free & tended by passionate professional Farmer Josh Sattin.My harvest is pictured here. A quick zip up to Raleigh City Farm’s COVID smart Farmstand thrills me. First I get to see the plots of gorgeous vegetables & herbs organized as a work of art. Then I easily order my produce, flowers, bird house, bird feeder, even micro greens with a sprouting young farmer John (pun intended) NEW this week.
The recipe — VEGE TARTINE
1 slice rustic sourdough, toasted
1/4 avocado or smashed great northern beans or refried beans
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 t Greek herbs (or your favorite herb/spice blend or salt & pepper)
1 pattypan (scallop) squash or other summer squash, sliced
1 large green onion, white & a bit of green cut in long strips. Green tops: chopped & saved for garnish
1 carrot (enough for 8 diagonal carrot slices or more)
1 French radish sliced
1 handful of Russian Kale torn
Fresh micro sprouts (garnish & health!)
1 t balsamic vinegar
1 T pickled onions or your favorite zing (capers, sauerkraut, olives, pickles, lemon peel, sriracha, salsa)
1 t (or more) hemp seeds (so healthy)
Fresh coarsely ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400°F (convection speeds roasting time). Hand rub the veggies with 1 T (more if needed) olive oil & herbs. Place in specific vegetable type groups on roasting pan in case one cooks faster than another so they’re easy to take out. Bake about 10 minutes, checking after 5 (removing kale) until the veggies are done to your preference.
Meanwhile toast the bread & smash the avocado on it. Drizzle with oil. Layer the veggies on the toast. Drizzle with olive oil & balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with pickled onions, hemp hearts & black pepper.
Garnish with sprouts.
TRIPLE THE ROASTED VEGES — They’ll be delicious later!
Well, there is a big hunk out of this cake. And I ATE IT! Inspired by Deborah Madison’s fabulous book Vegetable Literacy, it’s delicious. I only tweaked the recipe a bit. Raleigh City Farm-stand @raleighcityfarm Wednesdays 4-7 has carrots (green onions, kale & French radishes) this week!
4 T melted & cooled + 1 t butter (1t for pan)
1 1/2 C blanched almond flour
2 t fine lemon zest (grated from about 2 lemons)
3/4 C + 2 T sugar
1 1/4 C cake flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
4 large eggs (room temperature is better)
1/4 t each almond & lemon extract
1/2 t vanilla extract (double strength)
2 C finely grated carrots (not packed cups)
Confectioner’s sugar (optional for top)
Heat oven to 375°F. Parchment line a 9″ springform or cake pan, using 1 t butter to stick paper to pan sides & to lightly butter the batter side of the paper. Sprinkle a bit of the almond flower in the cake pan bottom over the buttered parchment.
Mix the almond flour, lemon zest & 2 T sugar in. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder & salt.
In an electric mixer, whip the eggs on high for about 2 minutes. Add the 3/4 c sugar & whip until pale, thick & creamy, about 5 minutes.
Reduce speed to low. Add extracts, almond flour mixture & carrots. Mix until well combined. Add butter & mix until just combined. Fold in flour mixture, combining gently until the dry mixture is just incorporated.
Pour batter into baking pan. (I pull the batter a bit from the center so it bakes more evenly.) Bake 30 minutes until lightly browned & the center springs back. It will most likely have a couple of cracks in the top when it’s done. Remove from oven to a cooling rack. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
Remove the cake from the pan & display on a cake stand with a glass dome so you can walk by & easily eat it. Hence the name “disappearing.”
P.S. Sprinkle the top with confectioner’s sugar before serving, if you like. I never made it to this step.
Raleigh City Farm FRESH HARVEST NOW Russian Kale. www.raleighcityfarm.orgToasted Kale Chips with Tasty Nutritional Yeast SprinklesCruciferous Slaw — Kale & purple cabbage join with carrots, seeds, blueberries & a Dijon garlic splash.
TOASTED KALE CHIPS
4 – 6 C kale leaves torn into 2-3 inch pieces
2 T olive oil
1 t each white & black sesame seeds
Greek seasoning or sea salt & fresh pepper
Preheat oven to 400°F (convection setting preferred). Mix kale with all ingredients. Spread the kale in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 12-20 minutes, checking every 5 minutes or so until kale is crispy. That might mean pulling out leaves as they are done. They are delicious with or without the yeast sprinkles.
NUTRITIONAL YEAST SPRINKLES
2 T nutritional yeast
1 T olive or avocado oil
4 drops Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t dry oregano
dash cayenne
Mix all together with a fork until the mixture forms crumbs. Sprinkle over warm kale chips.
CRUCIFEROUS SLAW
3 C diced kale (think smaller pieces for a tender bite)
1 C diced red cabbage
1/2 C grated carrot
1/4 C minced parsley
2 T each pumpkin, hemp & sunflower seeds
1/2 C fresh blueberries
DIJON GARLIC SPLASH
3 T olive oil (I used the very best – which has a kick to it)
2 t Dijon mustard – the real thing from Dijon, France
2 t Braggs vinegar
1 clove very finely minced garlic
1 t honey (taste the dressing before you add)
Sea salt & fresh black pepper
In a small bowl mix the splash. In a larger bowl add slaw ingredients, and toss with the splash. Serve at room temperature. Top with blueberries to serve. (Sans blueberries, I like this as a sandwich relish too.)
Preheat oven to 400° F. I use a convection setting.
Wash your radishes. Wash your radishes again. And one more time. In the commercial kitchen we wash anything with greens at least 3 times to clear the grit. Drain on a clean tea towel. BTW your towels should be washed in non scented, natural detergent.
Radishes are really pretty so try to serve them close to their original design. Carefully remove the green tops. Slice the radishes in half, keeping the roots intact. I’ve tried to keep the greens attached & roast them whole but the greens usually cook so much faster than the roots so separating them works better.
Toss the greens with olive oil & seasoning in one bowl & the roots in another. Place roots on one side of a parchment lined pan. Roast for about 10 minutes. Add greens to pan spread in one layer. Roast for 5 minutes. You want the greens just crisp not burnt so watch them.
Serve. Drizzle with fresh EVOO. If you like, mix the EVOO with a bit of Dijon mustard or Balsamic vinegar. Great cold too.
Greek Spice Blend *3x for fresh herbs
1 T dry oregano*
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t onion powder
1 T dry marjoram*
1 T dill weed*
1 t parsley*
1 T lemon pepper seasoning
1 t sea salt
1/2 t black pepper
MUSINGS about radishes. Radishes can be spicy hot. Roasting mellows the heat, as does steaming or blanching. You can parboil & then quickly ice & add to your salads to calm their dominant bite. Or enjoy a crunchy fresh one.
Let’s go to the 18th century when baking in molds began. Oh wait…let’s read Proust’s In Search of Lost Time and dip our petit madeleines in our London Fog (bergamot tea, foamed almond milk with vanilla syrup) & selectively remember why we just know that now & then cake comforts us. Enjoy your sweet life!
2 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 c sugar
3/4 t vanilla 1/2 t almond extract or vice versa depending on your taste or traditional = 3/4 t vanilla 1 T lemon zest
1/2 c unsalted butter melted set aside to cool + 2 T butter melted to oil tin
1 c flour
1/4 t salt (or less)
1/2 t baking powder
Tendre, s’il vous plaît. Whisk flour, salt & baking powder in small bowl. In mixer with wire whip, beat eggs & sugar 6-8 minutes until light & thick. Add flavorings. Fold in flour mixture, gently. Take 1/4 c of the batter & mix with the 1/2 c melted butter until the butter is incorporated. Then thoroughly fold this butter batter into the egg, sugar, flour batter, gently. Cover & refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile oil molds VERY WELL. EVEN if you have non stick molds, oil them well. The butter helps the petit cakes brown too. Preheat oven to 350° F.
Organize your tea ingredients: Begamot (Earl Grey) Tea, almond or milk of choice, vanilla or vanilla syrup, sugar. Make your tea while your cakes bake.
Place 1 tablespoon of batter in the center of each of 22* VERY WELL oiled 3″ x 1.75″ mold. Bake 10 to 14 minutes. (Ovens and atmospheres vary.) They are done when the edges are just brown. You can test with your finger by pressing gently. If it’s done it’ll resist a bit & spring back. Remove from oven. Wait 1 minute (no longer) & with a table knife coax your madeleines onto a wire rack to cool. (OR DON’T WAIT – I like one warm from the oven.) Store in air tight container or freeze.
Eat within a few minutes. (Did I say that?) I meant days. (I am a glutton for anything French or cake like or filled with glorious memories.) I am pretty sure the benefits of bergamot & black tea totally counteract the sugar sins.
Some folks like them sprinkled with (more) sugar. I like mine naked with Earl Grey tea. ENJOY!
*The shells in my tin are about 3″ x 1-3/4″. There are 24 shells but this batter made 22 perfectly. (Rumor has it you can use real bivalve shells.)
YOU CAN USE ALL FRESH or MIX FRESH & DRY HERBS IN THIS BLEND AND FREEZE. Allow 3 times the dry amount for fresh and of course you’ll have to grind your dry herbs, mince your fresh ones & blend. Storage info follows.
To mix, you can use a suribachi (I love this Japanese grinding bowl bowl with a rough unglazed center that I learned about from Alice Waters.); mortar and pestle; or an electric spice grinder. (I have a Cuisinart SG10 which holds all of this mix.) You can also use ANY BOWL and a wooden spoon.
When mixing spices grind the largest ones first…ie. peppercorns and bay leaves. When these are relatively small, add the all the remaining herbs & blend to your preference, coarse to very fine. Try to have consistent particle sizes of all the herbs so you have true blend of flavors for your recipe.
Store AIRTIGHT in a dark/tinted GLASS container for up to 6 months. Beyond that your flavors and nutrients will dim. You can freeze your blend (IN FREEZER PROOF AIR TIGHT GLASS NOT METAL OR PLASTIC) and maybe get 12 months. (PLASTIC is toxic next to any food! It is NOT airtight. I love Ball straight-sided freezer safe jars! Here’s Dr. Weil’s view about SILICONE which might be an option…https://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/cooking-cookware/cooking-with-silicone/
I have also mixed my blend with olive oil, plopped teaspoonfuls on a parchment lined tray, frozen and popped out into my BALL jars and returned to freezer. Pre-measured with an extra boost of EVOO. 12 months maximum storage but I use within 6 months.
MAGIC HEALTH
This is just a teeny bit about the health gifts.
As a nutritional chef, I have learned that this blend is loaded with LIFE — phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, etc. Remember more is not necessarily better. Taste your foods as you cook to see what is your spice preference.
Fennel – Carminative (antiflatulent), galactagogue (increases breast milk supply), expectorant/antitussive (relieves chronic cough), anti-colic, stomachic (aids digestion), anti-inflammatory (supports overall wellness). I LOVE FENNEL!
Savory – Anti-oxidant (see oregano blog https://chamberslife.com/?s=oregano for information about antioxidants), anti-septic, anti-fungal, expectorant, stomachic, aphrodisiac, thirst quencher.
Bay Leaf – Anti-carcinogen, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, calmative, antiflatulent, sedative, sodium replacement for taste. DO NOT EAT WHOLE BAY LEAVES AS THEY MAY CAUSE CHOKING/GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS!
Lavender Flowers – Antibacterial, digestive, cholagogue (promotes bile flow), carminative, nervine (Lavender is amazing, helping with sleep, depression, fatigue, anxiety, etc.), insect repellent. Suggested lavender varieties include Provence, Melissa, Royal Velvet, Buena Vista and English.
Tarragon – Digestive, antiflatulent, cholagogue, nervine, appetite stimulant, metabolism booster. *Tarragon has very distinctive flavor can overpower other herbs, so you may want to start with less to see if your taste buds agree. If your tongue feels a little numb when you eat Tarragon, I am told that’s part of it’s magic.
Black Peppercorns – Digestive, enhances bioavailability, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, improves cognition, expectorant, antitussive. EAT ON EVERYTHING!
SOURCES & REFERENCES, ETC.
www.katolenyardley.comThe Good Living Guide to Natural and Herbal Remedies by Katolen Yardley
www.thymeherbal.comRecipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen by Brittany Wood Nickerson
And last but not least — I love this podcast because Dr. Gundry has a plethora of health professionals as guests whether he agrees with their views or not. So if you are a sponge for health info this is your go to… …https://drgundry.com/the-dr-gundry-podcast/
1 large or 2 medium onions, peeled & cut into wedges (about 3 cups)
3-5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled (think gentle garlic background flavor not strong in- your-face garlic)
Olive oil
Dash of cayenne pepper
Sea salt
Good water*
Cooking steps follow below the cashew cream and garnish information.
Cashew cream:
1 cup raw cashews
3-4 cups good water*
1 t orange juice (or lemon)
1/4 t sea salt
Dash (1/16 t) nutmeg
Soak cashews in 2 c water for 2 hours. Drain. Put cashews, 1 cup water and all other ingredients in Blentec. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adding more water if you’d like a bit thinner. I like it a thick cream consistency.
Garnish: Diced apple, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, and chose one spice: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, curry powder. Rebecca Katz’s Triple Triple Brittle is particularly delicious, alone or as a garnish. https://www.rebeccakatz.com/recipe-box/triple-triple-brittle (I revised the spices: 2 t cinnamon, 1 t ginger, 1/4 t allspice, 1/8 t cloves, 1/4 t cardamom.)
A grapefruit spoon works great to remove the seeds.
Smash the Garlic to easily peel and release antioxidants.
Keeping ingredients separate (so that when they bake you can remove any item that cooks faster), toss them with olive oil, sea salt and cayenne and place in dedicated sections on the baking sheet. Roast until they just start to caramelize. Start with 20 minutes. Depending on the moisture content, this may vary by quite a bit. The apples usually cook a bit faster, so remove them to a bowl and return the pan to the oven. The pumpkin really does need to brown a bit to have the best flavor.
Now you can make, a mash, a puree, or a soup. Blendtec everything, adding 2 cups of good water. (*Blog about what make good clean water coming soon. For now, nothing out of a plastic bottle and preferably filtered.)
The amount of liquid you add will, of course, determine if you want a mash, puree, or soup. BUT it also depends on the moisture content left in your unique squash, onions, and apples. I make a thick soup that can be used as a sauce for grains, chicken, fish, etc. It’s especially good with scallops.
Portion the soup, then stir in a bit (1T) of diced apple for interest. Then swirl cashew cream on top and sprinkle with pomegranate and pumpkin seeds. Wow — It’s like a beautiful party!
Hot. Cold. Over. Under. As a base under or a sauce over for grains, scallops, green beans, chicken, eggs…
Freezes perfectly. So does the cashew cream. Use Ball Jars (straight-sided that say freeze proof), leave 1″ of space at top of jar (head room) to allow the expansion that happens when freezing. Stock up. Thaw in the refrigerator totally or under constant supervision to be sure it stays cold, thaw under warm water. For food safety, if you are using the warm water method, thaw just until it can pop out of the jar into a saucepan to heat.
PLAY! Here’s a bit of plate art…Butternut Heaven, Cashew Cream and Spinach Basil Soup. (Recipe coming soon.)
Start here at your food’s end to improve your health. Everything digested? Is your poo brown or slightly green? Maybe red if you ate a lot of beets. And the winner is Type 4. A smooth snakelike poo reflects foods you easily digest, plenty of fiber, plenty of hydration, plenty of exercise, managed stress.
Two recommendations to add to your daily – 1/2 lemon (1 T) in warm water upon waking. You can add 1 teaspoon each of raw honey and fresh ginger plus a dash of cayenne if you like.
Eat breakfast within an hour after awakening. Think greens! Cooked or slightly wilted with a bit of good fat (ghee, coconut, olive oil, avocado oil). Add an egg or an avocado half and perhaps a bit of nutritional yeast and sesame seeds.
And a bit of my body’s wisdom. Yours may be different. Give up or limit dairy, wheat (gluten) , sugar and nightshades. I have found that when I eat a lot of any of these substances my body has a few nasty reactions – the shits (dairy), nerve and muscle pain (sugar/alcohol/gluten), incontinence (nightshades, especially tomatoes). I can eat any of the above now and then. Pizza is one of my happy foods as well as marinara. And a funny little thing I noticed, if I eat European dairy or wheat — no problems. Seed, peel and cook the nightshades (like I learned in chef school). I know all of the science behind all of this – from my nightly reading and nutrition podcast addiction.
One last comment is about lectins. I think Gundry’s book, THE PLANT PARADOX, is worth reading and it might just be exactly what your body needs. The wonderful thing I got from Gundry’s work is my Insta-pot and the best tasting, most easily digestible beans I’ve ever tasted.
Love your poo. Once or twice a day. Your doctor should ask you what your poo looks like. Tell him about the Bristol Stool Chart and that you’re a perfect Type 4!
Chambers Life! 