cooked roasted cauliflower pureed and added to the asparagus mixture
Asparagus cooked in pan. Cauliflower roasted in the oven. Melted Pecorino cheese with cream, butter and garlic. Cracked pepper. Garnished with steamed kale and fresh lime juice.
Today I needed a healthy dose of yellow. I gathered together my favorite yellow foods, onion, turmeric, beets, lentils, potato and nettle tincture. 
Arlo is reaching for a beet and in the arms of his grandma. He won’t eat the red ones but he loves the yellow ones. Milder perhaps? I quartered these and boiled them in an inch of water. Then I ran cold water over them and pushed their peels off easily with my fingers.
I found a sweet onion at the market and I could smell its sweetness as I cut into it. I poured some lentils into the pan along with some sesame and peanut oil, and beet water left over from boiling the beets. The lentils will absorb this and become soft in 10/15 minutes.
The veggies also include some shitake from the farmers market and a potato that I thought would be sweet, but it tasted like a pretty average potato to me. I cheated and cooked it in the microwave for 4 min.
I used a lot of turmeric, but you can’t go wrong. It is a smokey flavor but not overly rich. It makes everything an even richer golden color. Even the onions turned into beautiful golden transparent wedges. A little dill and cilantro. A few dashes of salt.
Cut up some dried apricots and sprinkle them in if you have them…or golden raisins and almond slivers. I served it with plain yogurt, a nice sour side dish that also helps me digest my food.
My mom and I hiked out to the nettle bed at the opposite end of the hay field. We also found some beautiful dried purple Dock. A plant famous for it’s resilience. Arlo was a little runny in the nose from allergies, but he hung in there, literally. The nettle bed has been pushed to the side this year by long grass. You will want to clip the top four or five leaves of the plant, the new growth, so don’t wait too late in the season like I did. An ideal time for nettle is about mid July.
I have heard that indigenous peoples pick the nettle with a special gesture that prevents them from getting stung. I do not know this technique and have tried using rubber gloves, plastic bags and scissors. I walk away with ouchy stings every time.
Between me starting my first period since pregnancy and my mom’s hot flashes, the nettle is perfect for balancing hormones and gives us a heavy dose of vitamin D. It is also good for weight loss I hear. I boiled the nettle leaves with lemon balm and spearmint leaves. We soaked the foliage for a few hours in a big steel pot. Then we rinsed and boiled it for about an hour on low. I pulled the leaves out before they turned brownish green.
He is one of my most favorite artists. He decided to be an artist instead of a monk. Here he is sifting pollen from hazelnuts that he collected himself. His work is visual medicine. I look at this piece and I am reminded how healing yellow is. Just looking at it I feel energized. In this case, the color and the substance carry powerful meaning, of fecundity and rejuvenation.
I was musing over the mysterious disappearance of black rice from my studio on facebook the other day. It lead to a request from my friend Mickey seeking an interesting black rice dish. It took me a while, but every other week or so I look at the substantial stock of black rice in my kitchen and try to figure out a new way to cook it. Honestly, it originally put me off in the past due to the lack of flavor and rough texture. Since then, my palate has become more sophisticated, I now see black rice much the way the ancient Chinese did, as “food for the emperors”. It is not so bland, as it steams the house fills with a nutty fragrance, exotic and welcoming.
After steaming the rice, in a separate pan, I cooked carrots and purple cabbage, red onion, fresh ginger and garlic. I think that color has it’s own nutritional value.
My cat Gertrude has become pretty grumpy since Arlo was born. She doesn’t seem to be the least bit interested in the baby. On the other hand, Arlo is completely in love with her. Like peppy le pew, his eyes turn into little heart shapes and he sings a low humming tune.
Arlo is in love with Gertrude. But she is repulsed. You are another species little man.
I chose to use a combination of oils, peanut and sesame. Together the flavor is fairly mild, but also very nutritional. After learning that seeds are packed with essential minerals, I add flax and sesame to salads, and stir fry.
Don’t use too much, it will make your texture gummy.
As you can see the local wild flowers in bloom include black eyed susan and queen anne’s lace.
Ingredients:
I stirred the black rice into the mixture and added some soy sauce (instead of salt), cayenne pepper, cinnamon and cumin (equal parts).
Pour about half of the mixture into a food processor to add some complexity to the texture.
Served with freshly squeezed lime, plain yogurt and marinated artichokes.
The temperature dropped this week, almost freakishly. It got me thinking about Fall and many things associated. We all know that Fall is a time for squash and spices, but is also the time that many of us go back to school, or teach in my case. Not that I dislike working, it brings a full filling structure to life. But this summer has been one to always cherish with my sweet little Arlo. Watching him grow up every step of the way has been a gift I would never have traded for anything.
Arlo has begun to crawl across the floor, wave and play the drum all in the same week. It makes cooking a bit challenging (I probably say this in nearly every post) but I have begun to place him in the pack n play for short periods. He is tolerant for short durations, but today, with his horizontal stripes on he looked like a cartoon prison baby.
Arlo in the Pack n Play
Anti-diabetic, antioxidant Acorn or Winter squash is considered to be one of the worlds most healthiest foods. I heard this once from a woman who ate squash while fighting cancer. It’s just one of those vegetables I think we over look sometimes, in restaurants and at home. There is really no good reason for that, squash is tasty, versatile, filling and affordable.
Acorn squash bake while the links simmer
I cut the squash in half and set it face up in the oven on 350. There is butter inside the squash and about a half inch of water in the pan. I cooked some hot turkey sausages with a white onion, garlic, and fresh ginger root upstairs on the stove.
Flavors that cooperate: walnuts, ginger, orange zest and juice, raisins, onions, garlic.
Biggest mistake that cooks make is throwing things in and tasting at the end. Always taste your food as you go people.
processor blends ingredients so they are a finer ground meat
I am always a bit skeptical of meat photographs. I mean, who really wants to look at it, especially ground meat. Regardless, I promise you this is a delicious mixture. I put the sausages in the food processor with these other ingredients. I am never exact, you might have figured this out about me by now. I am however, particular about flavor.
A little water in the pan keeps them moist.
I cooked the squash for about 45 minutes. I removed them from the oven temporarily only to scrape the first half inch layer of cooked squash out, which I mixed with the meat. Next, which is plainly obvious here, I stuffed them heartily. I cooked them for another 30 minutes. Stick a knife in your squash, it should move through like butter, but not fall apart.
A salad of pickled beets, marinated artichokes, tomatoes, and greens with orange and lime juice freshly squeezed with a little olive oil and salt. The spice mixture in the turkey meat made for a lighter (than beef or pork) yet satisfying meal. The walnuts and spices with hints of orange in the turkey made for a rich but not too overwhelming flavor. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for being patient Arlo.
I call this jail bar pie because sometimes I feel trapped in my domestic life, even though it is sweet. It was also the result of being a little short on pie dough.
Jail pie before the oven
These summer days in the country can be a lot of work. But sometimes one just has to say ‘screw it’ and put their feet up. OR, better yet, bake a pie. My mom has been visiting and helping out with baby Arlo, so it has freed me up to do a few extra special things – like indulge in baked goods – not the most ideal for a hot and humid climate. Luckily the pool is also open now and we can drive into town on occasion to cool off. The house cat however can never escape the warmth of her own fur, but she still manages to get comfy.
Gertrude taking the lap while she still can (baby asleep).
The all butter crust recipes are great, just use your fingers to squish the cold butter and flour together and chill the dough for at least four hours. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/butter-flaky-pie-crust/
I created a mixture of organic fresh peaches ( 3 large) and blueberries, simmered some pure cranberry and cherry juice, cinnamon, and added a mini ‘snowstorm’ of corn starch.
About a half cup of sugar (but this is up to you), created the perfect combination of sweet and tart.
The potted plants on our porch are thriving with the daily thunderstorms and bright morning sun.
Broiled cauliflower is nutty and delicious.
Dessert before dinner, can’t help myself. My friend was talking about a cream of cauliflower soup just yesterday and so I decided to try my own. I pretty much winged it but did a little bit of research to discover that Worcestershire sauce takes care of any potential blandness, and does not necessarily even taste like a condiment. What is this stuff but a lovely fermented liquid from back in the 17th century.
White cheddar. Yup.
I didn’t add a lot of this (maybe a cup and a half?) but it helps with the texture and flavor.
Soup is on.
All in there:
Peas Please Me
Peas please me.
PEAS RELEASE ME!
Never forget pea.
It’s all about pea.
SO SUE PEA.
Let it pea.
It wasn’t meant to pea.
I need a pea.
Be the best that you can pea.
CAN’T YOU PEA?
What you think you pea is only
What you want to pea.
Eat, drink and pea merry,
For tomorrow we die,
And/or get put in a pie.
http://poemsaboutpeas.wordpress.com
I made some pea soup, not exciting, not fancy. Just peas with carrots. Lots of pepper. Peas love pepper.
Split peas cook faster than whole peas when dried. Cook them in broth, chicken or veggie. Half of the cooked peas were processed or creamed in a blender and added back into the mixture with cooked carrots, garlic, onion and spices (cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper).
I was craving spinach pie without all the fuss of phyllo dough so I made this spinach and feta mixture that I used as both a topping on mini spinach pizza pies and filling for an easy breakfast scramble made underway while towing a neighbors sailboat to a mooring ball down the bay.
Sauté red onion and garlic in olive oil. Thaw and press out as much liquid from a bag of frozen chopped spinach, add to sauté, warm through. Add 1-2 Tbsp of pesto sauce and stir covering spinach mixture evenly. Top with a couple spoonfuls of garlic and herb feta crumbles.
Mini Spinach Pizza Pies
Flavorful leftover spinach filling used for breakfast.
Spinach pesto and feta egg scramble cooking underway.
A warming breakfast tortilla with salsa, yogurt and diced avocado.
Katt & Jazzy
Passing the festive Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse
Around this time of the year creasy greens or Barbarea verna (mustard family) show up in large quantities in the lower fields. We had several friends over this past weekend and they all went home with a bag. They taste a little mustardy, a little sweet, a little bitter. Reminiscent of very young collards, but wilder.
It is best to pick them when they’re about to bloom, so they are not quite as bitter.
Our lower field, usually used for harvesting Hay.
They are drooping a little in this picture because we had an unexpected frost last night. Even the narcissus are drooping.
The greens should be picked before the yellow blooms pop.
Any part of the greens can be eaten, steamed or fresh. You could also cook them into a frittata. The green buds are the sweetest, so I put them into a salad.
Excellent source of vitamin A, K and B2
They will keep in the fridge in a freezer bag with a paper towel for 4-5 days.
Black rice is a super food – no gluten, fat or cholesterol.
My salad accompanied this delicious dish, with black rice, and red lentils, cooked with red potatoes and portabella mushrooms. The dressing consisted of lemon juice and olive oil with some salt and dried dill.
Put one cup of black rice and one and 3/4 cup of water in a skillet. Bring to a simmer and cover for 35-40 min. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 min.I like to eat my rice with some yummy sour pain yogurt.
The red lentil dish combines:
I browned the red potatoes and garlic in peanut oil. When tender, I added chopped mushrooms, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and pepper, red lentils and stock. Covered the pan and let simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils were tender and soft and the stock completely absorbed.
A departure from my usual salads I thought I’d try a new vegetable, Jicama. Jicama (pronounced HICK-ah-mah and fun to say!) is a root vegetable, but so crunchy, full of water and slightly sweet and nutty it could be confused for a fruit. It tastes like a combination of radish and apple. Pairing the jicama with fruit, tart citrus, zing of ginger and earthy walnuts makes for a nice light and bright morning salad. I think I’ll cube the jicama and apple instead of strips, they reminded me of french fries ha! Looks appetizing next to barnacles, eh?!
We have an awesome farmers market here in Athens, partially because of the variety, but mostly because they always have lots of fresh mushrooms and greens. Here is a recipe that went so well that I was reminded how much I love cooked greens. I might eat this till I get back to the size I was before I ever got pregnant. Not only that, it is vegetarian, unless you consider that a mushroom is both plant and animal family.
Shitake: rich in iron and B vitamins
While your collards are cooking, prepare your shitakes. Fresh chopped ginger and garlic in a pan with a blend of sesame and peanut oil (light oils for high heat). Brown the ginger and garlic before tossing the shitake in, add a few drizzles of soy sauce. Don’t over cook! The combination of these flavors..divine, both sweet and savory.
collards: detox support and antioxidants
After tearing the leaves from the thick center stalks, I steamed my collards in a 1/2 inch of water, a tablespoon of peanut oil (or oil of choice flavor) and dash of salt. They cooked on low for 20-25 min. I did give it a stir or two. I personally think people over cook their greens…as long as they have a soft texture and are still green they are ready.
Sesame seeds: minerals and cholesterol lowering
Put some of the greens in a dish, drizzle with soy sauce. Top with shitake mixture. A dash of toasted sesame seeds. Delicious!!!!
Our Endless Salad Days 