May 29, 2012

Sweet Potato and Kohlrabi Fritters.

In my current medical journey it has become very clear to me that many of the things I have always appreciated and loved are to become even more important to my life. Food, diet and nutrition are things that I have always been interested in and prided myself in being attentive to (no judging some of the fun, i.e. fatty recipes on this here blog!). The effects of autoimmune diseases can be greatly reduced and controlled through diet choices.

Changing ones diet, and the diet of their family, is not an easy road to travel, so I have made the decision to do it slowly and with calculation. I have also decided that I am going to do it in the tastiest way possible. This past weekend marked the beginning of my gluten free journey (I started Thursday) and I had a lot of fun thinking outside of the box with my available garden veggies to create dishes that were nutritious and so tasty the hubs would not even notice (until told) that they were missing ingredients like flour or bread. This fried sweet potato (or yam) dish was a breakfast hit and one I plan to reinvent with many other veggies!

Sweet Potato and Kohlrabi Fritters.

Ingredients

1 medium kohlrabi, shred

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 small yam or sweet potato, shred

1 tablespoon fresh chive, finely chopped

1 free range egg

1 tablespoon flax seed

1/4 teaspoon zantham gum

kosher or sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Non-GMO oil

Process

Salt kohlrabi and let sit for 20 minutes in strainer over a bowl. Rinse well and squeeze dry. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Heat oil to 350 degrees (or until a wooden skewer pressed on bottom of pan bubbles) in a deep frying pan or skillet. Spoon mixture into pan and press flat. Fry 5-6 minutes on each side.

Remove, salt and drain on paper towel until ready to eat.

Enjoy!

3 Comments

Filed under Appetizer, Breakfast, Dairy Free, From the Garden, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Vegetarian

May 15, 2012

Mother’s Day Mascarpone Fettucini.

Alright dear friends, I am going to attempt a post for you. I have double vision (since April 5) so bear with the typing. I also have impaired cognitive function, so this could turn out kinda fun, I guess.

We made this dinner the other night and were so impressed with how simple it was that I wanted to make it again for you and with mom. This is the first time I have been with my mom on Mother’s Day since 2002! She has been in town assisting us keep up with stuff right now. It is not in the low fat or calorie category, which is not what I am going for these days, but it is just too good not to share. I know I said the blog would be going in a new, healthy direction, but some habits (namely those of saturated fat consumption) die a little hard! However, the dish is chock full of garden veggies, so we can cover up a little bit of the fat with that.

Also, I know I owe you all a garden update and I hope to get that out sometime this month, though it might become an April/May post this time around. You can keep up with growth photos over on FB if you have not already in the mean time.

Marscapone Fettucini. (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

1 lb dry fettucini pasta

1 T coconut oil

8 oz shiitake mushrooms (crimini can be subbed if you cannot find shiitake), diced

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced

kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

1 small/medium zucchini, diced

1/2 lb large shrimp, roughly chopped (or left whole if they are bite sized)

8 oz mascarpone cheese

2-3 large handfuls of fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1/8 C fresh basil, chiffonade

kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Process

Bring a large stock pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fettucini to package directions.

While pasta cooks heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté for about 3-5 minutes until mushrooms start to soften. Salt and pepper. Add zucchini and shrimp and sauté. After 3 minutes, flip shrimp and add spinach to the pan. After about three minutes toss all ingredients together, checking shrimp for doneness.

When pasta is to your desired doneness, strain and return to pan or large serving bowl. Add mascarpone cheese and toss to melt. Add cooked vegetables, shrimp and basil and toss. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve with your favorite crusty bread!

Enjoy!

4 Comments

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May 4, 2012

I have MS.

I was just diagnosed with MS. I have joined the ranks of the 400,000 plus US citizens who have this disease and don’t know why. Joined the ranks of silently suffering with symptoms that will come and go, vary with severity, and leave my progressively disabled for the rest of my life. I will now spend the rest of my life struggling to maintain employment and understanding from employers, defending myself to the government and to insurance companies. If I am lucky I will have it easy and maintain a relatively symptom free existence late into life. Or I may not. I have joined the ranks of oblivion, of a disease that does not have rules or standards, a disease that treats everyone differently, that does not care about fairness. This is a disease that comes from nowhere, there is no known cause. There are theories and ideas about what causes it, but what it really is remains unknown. There is no cure.

I will struggle to complete the things I love when I am not in remission. I will lack motivation at times. I will be angry at those who pity me, but I will yearn for their empathy. I understand that I may live a normal and long life and do not need to be constantly reminded by others about this fact. I am grateful that I do not have cancer or a tumor, or another potentially lethal disease, but I am angry that I have this. And I am allowed to be. This disease gives no notice, it comes on and is diagnosed. In my case this was swift. It all happened in a matter of a month or so. That makes for difficulty coping, creates thoughts that the dream will end and I will wake up. It does not happen. I have had many thoughts about diseases that scare me, things I wish I will never get, MS was not one of those diseases. I admit, upon being told I might have MS, I had to look it up and learn quickly. This did not exist in my world before now. I did not know anyone with MS and I don’t care to hear if you do. That is far less comforting than most people reflect upon. Keep it to yourself.

In the end I write this as a purge, of all my feelings. To get it all out there. I will recover, mentally. Until then dear readers hang in there until I am able to post regularly again. I will return, perhaps with a new spin, growing my medicine? I wanted you to know the reason behind my silence and that I appreciate your support and dedication. In the meantime, love your families, tend to your gardens, cook with zeal and love everything you have. Have compassion for people who may seem out of it or annoying, you never know what they might be battling with, be it in their personal life or the life of a friend or family member. Enjoy your life and do not take it for granted, soon enough you will be reminded you are mortal or that someone you love is.

Live it up folks and be kind to everyone.

25 Comments

Filed under Thoughts

April 4, 2012

Soda Replacement Project: Flavored Water Kefir.

So we started making kefir water last month. It seems to be going well. Still looking to experiment with some different sugars and flavors but we have created one staple flavor and have an experimental flavor that turned out well that I want to share.

Cream Soda

1 liter of water kefir

1 T agave nectar

1/2 t real vanilla extract

Combine and store in an air tight container in the pantry or refrigerator.

Blood Orange

1 liter of water

1 t local honey

juice of three blood oranges

Combine and store in an air tight container in the pantry or refrigerator.

So easy and so good!

Enjoy!

9 Comments

Filed under Beverages, Dairy Free, DIY, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Vegetarian

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April 3, 2012

Kale and Golden Beet Salad.

I still have lots of yummy kale coming out of the garden and we are really loving it raw. This past weekend we went to the local farmers market for some items we don’t have coming out of the garden right now and we got some really pretty golden beets. Since we were going to have kale salad anyhow, I thought adding the sweet earthiness of the beets to the salad might add a good layer of flavor. The salad turned out great, full of vibrant color and lots of nourishing vitamins and minerals and the best part is that this was a very simple salad to make. The only real time consumer was roasting the beets, which can be done in advance.

Kale and Golden Beet Salad. 

Ingredients

2 large golden beets

1 T olive oil

3 oz fresh kale

1 T red wine vinegar

1 T olive oil

1 T agave nectar

1/4 t granulated garlic

1/4 t kosher salt

1/8 t fresh cracked black pepper

1-2 oz crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Process

Roast whole, unpeeled beets in a 400 degree oven for an hour and half in a foil pouch drizzled with olive oil.

Allow beets to cool and peel and chop them. Remove woody stems from kale and rough chop that.

In a medium bowl combine red wine vinegar and all remaining ingredients (except goat cheese). Toss in beets, kale and goat cheese. Serve chilled.

Enjoy!

1 Comment

Filed under Appetizer, Dairy Free, From the Garden, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Salad, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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April 2, 2012

Offal with Grandma: Chicken Hearts & Gizzards.

This is a recipe I have always wanted to try. I remember having it at Grandma’s house growing up and watching all of my uncles fight over the hearts! I have watched my Grandma make this, but I do not have a recipe for it. So this is my best guess at her ingredient list and cooking process from what I can remember. I was really happy with the flavor and texture of the meat and think I did an ok job replicating what I remember from my childhood.

Chicken Hearts & Gizzards. 

Ingredients

4 oz unsalted butter

2 lbs chicken hearts and gizzards

1 medium onion

1/2 t kosher salt

1/4 t fresh cracked black pepper

1.5 C water

Process

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Clean gizzards, making sure to remove any tough yellow membrane that still might be on them. Chop onion into larger pieces.

Melt butter in a large stock pot or roaster over medium heat. Add meat and onions, season with salt and pepper and brown for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add water, you may need more or less that the cup and a half. You just want to barely cover the meat. Put stock pot in oven for 2 – 2.5 hours, or until soft. Serve hot with your favorite sides.

Enjoy!

2 Comments

Filed under Chicken, Midwest Inspired, Poultry

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April 1, 2012

March Garden Log.

As well it should be, March was a busy planting month!

3/5/12: Planted seedlings, cilantro (seeded 1/21), one single Crisphead lettuce (12/29), Fiesta broccoli (1/21), Red Head quinoa (1/28), purple kohlrabi (1/21), winter red kale (1/28), Parel cabbage (1/21), Butterhead lettuce (1/28).

3/6/12: Soaked Cascadia snap peas and Alderman shelling peas 24 hours in innoculant and kefir water (it was an experiment!).

3/7/12: Planted pea seeds outside.

3/8/12: Planted globe artichoke (1/28) starts outside.

3/9/12: Planted two asparagus crowns. Fingers crossed that they take!

3/13/12: Planted Roodnerf brussel sprouts (seeded 1/28), Brilliant rainbow quinoa (1/21), Saratoga cabbage (1/21), Mammoth red rock cabbage (1/21).

3/17/12: First harvest of Fizz kale (12/29). Served in a fresh salad tossed with olive oil and vinegar.

3/18/12: Sowing Cherry bell radishes in containers outdoors.

3/23/12: Transplanted basil starts from January…I have been harvesting them and finally got around to potting them! The hubs also turned the potato bed, and I hope to get them in the first weekend of April.

3/24/12: I started more basil seeds. Hey, this is as about as on top of basil as I have ever been, but I love the stuff! I also seeded tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, beets, carrots and soaked more peas (I think the other ones drown in all the March rain we have been having.

 

 

 

Photo update of the broccoli, kale and cauliflower seeded in December.

Photo update of the greens seeded in January.

Happy planting!

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March 27, 2012

Meatballs with Wings {Turkey & Chicken Meatballs}.

Ok, the meatballs don’t really have wings, but the meat that contributed sure did. The hubs wanted some meatballs and we thought it would be fun to make them out of something other than beef or pork. I think these turned out great. They are light and fresh and great for a spring dish.

Turkey & Chicken Meatballs. Makes 22 quarter sized meatballs (about 3/4 ounce each).

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground turkey (fresh from the meat counter if possible)

1/2 lb ground chicken (fresh from the meat counter if possible)

1T fresh chive

1 medium carrot, shred

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

1/4 t smoked paprika

1/2 t kosher salt

1/2 fresh cracked black pepper

Process

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Form into balls the size of a quarter. You may find that putting a little olive oil on your hands makes rolling these fairly sticky balls easier.

Bake on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet for 20 minutes. Remove and serve with your pasta of choice. I tossed mine into this Pasta with Meyer Lemon & Basil from Serious Eats.

Enjoy!

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Filed under Appetizer, Chicken, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Poultry, Snacks, Vegetables

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March 26, 2012

2000th Facebook Fan Giveaway Winner!

I had an absolutely lovely turn out of comments. They were all great and I wish I have a “like” button for all of them. I used a random number generator to pick just one of the comments. And the winner is Em Walker, with an awesome and inspiring comment.

“I’d love either books, they look like a great way to continue my education! I’m building a new garden this year, redoing m yard, canning, dehydrating, raising chickens too. All as a newbie really! So, sign me up for this giveaway!”

I am so excited the books will go to someone just getting started. I always feel like a newbie, so I can relate to Em.

Congrats and thanks for following the blog and hanging out with us on Facebook!

Love!

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March 25, 2012

Beefy Lamb Burgers.

I have never made lamb before. I have eaten it and not really liked it, so I have not found a good reason to make it myself. However, last summer we had some lamb burgers at a family friend’s that the hubs really liked and he has been asking me to try and make some ever since. I finally got up the motivation, and courage I guess, to make some lamb burgers. This one was fun because it was the first time I cooked lamb, I wrote the recipe, and we had friends over for a Portland Timbers viewing party to try my untested first attempt at cooking lamb! Haha! BUT…it worked and so I will share it with you to try as well.

Beefy Lamb Burgers. This recipe makes four 1/4 lb burgers.

Ingredients

1/2 lb lean ground lamb

1/2 lb 5% fat ground beef

1 clove of garlic

1/4 t cumin

1/4 t kosher salt

1/2 t fresh cracked back pepper

1 T basil, finely chopped

4 t soft goat cheese

Process

Mix all ingredients, except cheese, together in a large bowl. Divide into four equal parts. Roll each part into a ball and then make a well in the middle. Place one teaspoon of cheese in each well. Close up the well and gently form into a patty.

Preheat grill to 400-450 degrees. Cook burgers for 5 minutes on each side and remove from grill. Serve on your favorite bun, with your favorite fixins!

Enjoy!

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Filed under Beef, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Greek Inspired, Grilling

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