Buckwheat Pancakes

Blender Buckwheat pancakes

1 cup whole buckwheat groats

¾ cup water

1 ½ Tb coconut oil

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 tsp honey

1 ½ tsp baking powder



Soak the buckwheat grouts overnight. Using a strainer, rinse well and drain in the morning. Add drained groats to blender all ingredients except the baking powder. Blend until smooth. Add baking powder and blend well. serves 2 **I recommend doubling or tripling the recipe**


Note: Soaking overnight increases the overall digestibility of the buckwheat by starting the germination process, allowing nutrients to be more readily absorbed during digestion. All whole grains contain phytic acid, an enzyme inhibitor, that binds to the minerals and proteins in grain. Consumption of unsoaked grains can lead to poor absorption of the nutrients in the grain, and the undigested proteins can irritate the intestines. In addition, the phytic acid binds to minerals in the intestinal tract such as calcium and zinc, leading to a net loss in minerals in the body.



Buckwheat pancakes



3 cups buckwheat flour

3 cups Buttermilk



Soak in warm place overnight

Add

3 eggs lightly beaten

¾ tsp sea salt

1 ½ tsp soda

2 Tb melted butter

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla

1Tb honey



Mix well and pour out to make pancakes. I ½ this recipe and it was plenty.

Chickpea and Roasted Yam Wrap with Tahini Sauce

From Cafe Flora

A definite keeper. Roasted the yams, cooked the chickpeas, made the Tahini Sauce and the Sweet Chili Sauce days ahead of time. I put the chickpea-yam mixture on all the tortillas but then had all the veggies and cheese set out on the table so people could put what they wanted on it. Made the final preparation pretty quick.

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (which I couldn't find)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 cup dried chickpeas (cooked in the usual dried-bean fashion), or 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas

2 bay leaves

1 large (12- to 14-oz) yam, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 Tblsp olive oil

1 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

salt

1 Tbsp tamari

1 Tbsp mirin (couldn't find this either)

4 (12-inch or wrapsize) spinach or sun-dried tomato flour tortillas

1/2 cup Tahini Sauce (recipe follows)

2 cups mixed salad greens, or chopped romaine lettuce

Additional chopped raw vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, green bell peppers)

feta cheese (optional but I'd recommend it)

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

GET READY. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toast the fenugreek and cumin seeds together in a hot skillet until fragrant, stirring a few times.

COOK THE CHICKPEAS. If you're using dried chickpeas, drain them, and put them in a pot along with the bay leaves, cumin seed, and fenugreek. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer until the chickpeas are very tender, about 1 hour.

If you're using canned chickpeas, rinse them under cold water, and drain well. Add the toasted cumin, fenugreek seeds, bay leaves, and two cups of water. Simmer for 20 minutes to infuse the canned chickpeas with flavor.

PREPARE THE YAM. Spread the yam pieces on a rimmed baking sheet large enough to accommodate them in a single layer without crowding. (If you crowd the pieces, you will steam rather than roast them.) Roast until the yam is very tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

DRAIN THE CHICKPEAS. Discard the bay leaves (if you're using them). Drain the chickpeas in a mesh strainer (keeping the cumin and fenugreek seed with the chickpeas), reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

MASH THE CHICKPEAS. Put the cooked chickpeas, tamari, mirin, and 2 Tbsp of cooking liquid in a food processor. Pulse several times until the chickpeas are coarsely broken, and the mixture holds together slightly in a crumbly mash. If the mixture doesn't hold together, add 1 Tbsp of cooking liquid or water at a time until it does.

ADD THE YAM TO THE CHICKPEAS. Gently fold the roasted yam into the chickpeas; you don't want to turn the yam to mush. Add salt to taste.

WARM A TORTILLA in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 seconds. Flip it over, and warm the other side for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat for the remaining tortillas as you build the wraps.

BUILD THE WRAP. Lay the tortilla flat on a work surface, and spread with 2 Tbsp of Tahini Sauce, leaving a 2-inch border all around.

Put 2/3 cup of the chickpea-yammixture in the center of the wrap, and spread it over the sauce. (If you're planning to add a lot of chopped vegetables, cut this mixture back so you can still roll the wrap.)

Top this with 1/2 cup salad greens, spreading them to cover the chickpea-yam mixture. (If you're adding veggie chunks, this would be the time to do it).

ROLL THE WRAP. Fold the sides of the wrap in towards the filling. Roll the tortilla starting with the end closest to you, keeping the sides folded in. Build the 3 remaining tortillas, and roll them as described here.

SERVE THE WRAPS. Using a very sharp knife, cut each wrap in half at an angle. Serve the Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce in 4 small bowls for dipping.

TAHINI SAUCE

You can make this up to several days ahead of time.

1/2 cup tahini

1 tsp tamari

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp rice vinegar

1/2 cup water

Combine all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. If it's too thick, just dribble in more water until you get the consistency you want.

SWEET CHILI DIPPING SAUCE

Scott and the missionaries loved this. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup rice vinegar

2 cups water

Combine all the ingredients in a small pan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool completely.

Eating at the Neuners

A friend asked me for a sample weekly menu and I had been meaning to put some up here so I thought I'd hit two birds with one stone. These are all wintery dishes but they're all tried and true. I made some Amish baked oatmeal bars this week for the first time but feel I need to tweak the recipe a bit more before "publishing." I'm also making Yam and Chickpea Wraps (Cafe Flora) for the missionaries on Monday; they won't know what hit them. If it's good I'll put it up too.

And I don't want anyone to think that I make Pumpkin Enchiladas every week. We mix up fancy pants dinners with things like omelets, quesadillas with black bean stew and guacamole, cheese toast and smoothie, and the always popular ... German Pancakes.

Happy eating!

Spaghetti with Broccoli

Silver Spoon

One of my favorite quick recipes.

1 lb 2 oz frozen broccoli

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

4 Tbsp heavy cream

12 oz spaghetti

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

salt and pepper

Parboil the broccoli in salted water for 10 minutes. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet, add the onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened. Drain the broccoli, add to the skillet and mix well. Stir in the cream and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process to a puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of salted, boiling water until al dente, then drain, toss with the broccoli and cream mixture, sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.

Yam and Cheese Sandwich with Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Cafe Flora

A favorite. Making me hungry just thinking about these sandwiches.

You can make the Pumpkin Seed Pesto as much as several days ahead, and roast the yams the day before.

1 large yam (about 1 lb), peeled and sliced in rounds, about 1/8 inch thick

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 medium onion, sliced in rounds about 1/4 inch thick

4 sticcola rolls, or other chewy rolls or buns with a tender crust

Pumpkin Seed Pesto (recipe follows)

4 slices fontina or provolone cheese

sweet hot mustard, Dijon, or your favorite mustard

A couple handfuls spinach leaves

GET READY. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the yam in a bowl with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil and pimenton. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss again.

ROAST THE YAM. Spread the yam slices on a rimmed baking sheet large enough to accommodate them in a single layer without crowding. (If you crowd the yams, you will steam rather than roast them.) Roast until tender, but not mushy, so that a sharp knife easily pierces the yam slices, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and set aside. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

BROWN TEH ONION. Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the onion in a single layer, trying to keep the slices intact. Cook undisturbed until on side is browned, about 5 minutes.

Flip the onion rounds over - it's OK if they falls apart at this point - and continue to cook. Flip the onion occasionally until it's tender and browned evenly all over, about 5 minutes more.

TOAST THE BREAD. Slice the rolls in half, and lay them, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, 2 or 3 minutes.

MAKE THE SANDWICHES. Spread each of the 8 halves right to the edges with 1 or 2 Tblsp of Pumpkin Seed Pesto. Layer 4 halves (the bottom halves) with 5 or 6 slices of roasted yam, one-fourth of the onion, and finish with a slice of cheese.

BAKE THE SANDWICH HALVES. Put all 8 sandwich halves on a lightly oiled baking sheet (or on a sheet of parchment paper), and bake until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

SERVE THE SANDWICHES. Remove the sandwich halves from the oven. Spread the top halves with sweet hot mustard. Top the bottom halves with spinach leaves, put the sandwich together, and eat!

PUMPKIN SEED PESTO

1/2 cup raw green pumpkin seeds, hulled

salt

6 to 8 large fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped (about 3 Tbsp)

1/2 cup fresh parsley sprigs, roughly chopped

1 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

freshly ground pepper

TOAST THE PUMPKIN SEEDS by tossing them in a dry saute pan over high heat until they start to pop. Add salt to taste, and set aside to cool.

MIX ALL THE INGREDIENTS. Put the pumpkin seeds, sage, parsley, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, add the olive oil through the feed tube, processing until the mixture is chunky (like chunky peanut butter). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Note: If you can find toasted pumpkin seeds (or pepitas), use those and skip the roasting instructions.

Pumpkin Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

Cafe Flora

I've never made the roasted tomatillo sauce but boughten salsa verde tasted just fine on it. Maybe if I make the Tomatillo sauce myself I'll put the recipe up. The enchilada directions are a lot to type up as it is.

2 Tbsp vegetable oil, plus oil for the pan and cooking the tortillas

4 lb pumpkin, kabocha, or red kuri squash, unpeeled

1/2 lb button mushrooms

2 Tbsp tamari

1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 medium zucchini, cut in 1/2-inch dice

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp cumin seeds, tasted and ground

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika; which I've never been able to find so I just use regular paprika)

1 tsp salt

12 thin corn tortillas

Roasted tomatilla Sauce (recipe follows

2 cups grated cheese (8 oz)

GET READY. Thoroughly oil a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with some oil or cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

ROAST THE SQUASH. Split the pumpkin or squash in half, and scrape out the seeds and fiber. Put the cut sides down on a lightly greased baking sheet, and roast until tender and you can pierce the squash easily with a fork, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool.

ROAST THE MUSHROOMS. Ross the mushrooms in a medium bowl with the tamari and 1 Tbsp of the oil, and spread on a lightly greased baking sheet. You can put the mushroom in the oven with the squash; just leave some space between the racks. Roast for 30 minutes

SAUTE THE ONION AND ZUCCHINI. While the squash and mushrooms are in the oven, heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add the zucchini and garlic, and saute for 5 more minutes. Add the spices and salt, and saute for 1 minute more. Set aside to cool.

MIX ALL THE VEGETABLES. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh. When the mushrooms are cool, quarter or slice them thickly. Combine the squash, mushrooms, and onion-zucchini mixture in a large bowl, and mix thoroughly.

OIL THE TORTILLAS. Heat 1/4 inch oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, put a tortilla in the hot oil and fry until it is soft, 8 to 10 seconds, flip and repeat with the other side. Do not let the tortilla get crisp by letting the oil bubble up around its edges; reduce the heat to medium-low or low if this occurs. (It's important for the tortillas to be oily so they get crisp when roasted in the oven.)

KEEP THE TORTILLAS WARM. Put the tortilla on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Continue to heat the tortillas, piling them on on top of the other under the foil cover. (Keep the tortillas warm so they're pliable enough to stuff and roll without breaking.)

ASSEMBLE THE ENCHILADA. Divide the squash filling equally among the 12 tortillas. Roll them up like tacos, and place them seam side down in the prepared baking dish.

ASSEMBLE AND BAKE THE ENCHILADA. Bake until the edges of the tortillas have begun to crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and just cover each enchilada with the tomatillo sauce. (This shouldn't be a bath of sauce.) Sprinkle with the cheese, and bake for 10 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted.

Enchiladas

The famous enchiladas from Claire's Corner Copia.

4 Tbsp butter, cut into 4 pieces

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound mushrooms, sliced into 1/4o-inch slices

corn kernels cut from 3 ears, or one 10-oz box frozen kernels

two 10-oz bags fresh spinach, washed and chopped

1 tsp chili powder

12 oz grated Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups low-fat sour cream

black pepper to taste

twelve 6-inch corn tortillas

vegetable oil for brushing the tortillas

2 cups salsa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, and corn. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened. Add the spinach and chili powder. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted. Stir in 1/2 the cheese. Mix well until melted. Add the sour cream and pepper and mix well. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Brush both sides of each tortilla with a little oil. Spoon just less than 1/3 cup of the filling into the center of each tortilla. Roll one side of the tortilla over the filling, then roll the other side over. Place the filled tortilla, seam side down, in a rectangular glass baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, placing them in the baking dish in a single layer. Spoon the salsa over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the salsa is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Acorn Squash Pasta

From Claire's Corner Copia

A bit heavy for my taste but great if you have an excess of acorn squash. You know who you are.

We added feta cheese on top of ours and it lightened it up nicely. Feta cheese is always a good idea in my book.

4 large acorn squash, cut in half and seeded

1/2 cup olive oil

6 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1 pound linguine

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the acorn squash, cut side down, in a single layer in a baking pan. Using a fork, pierce each shell in 4 places. Pour water into the pan to 1/2 inch. Cover the pan with foil. Bake about 1 hour, or until the squash is very soft when pierced with a fork. When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the pulp into a bowl. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, parsley, and basil. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until the garlic is softened and golden, but not dark brown. Add the squash, salt, and pepper and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until heated through and well mixed. Taste for seasoning. Cook the pasta, drain and toss with sauce.

Lemon Tuna Pasta

This is a variation on the one in the Lochhead Ladies cookbook. A regular for us.

1 pound green beans

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp finely chopped shallots

salt and pepper

zest and juice from 1 lemon

1 to 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan (thanks Cindy!)

1 Tbsp capers, rinsed

2 cans tuna, packed in oil (thank you Trader Joe's)

1 lb pasta

Toss green beans in the oil, shallots and some salt and pepper. Roast at 375 for 45 minutes or until they just barely start to brown.

Toss everything together. You can substitute fresh arugula for the green beans. If you do, just remember to add the hot pasta right on top of the arugula so that it cooks it a bit.

Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Spinach Curry

I don't love curry but Scott does and I liked this one because it had butternut squash instead of potatoes. Not a regular for us but nice to toss in every once and a while.

1 butternut squash (6-8 inches), peeled and diced

200 g spinach, chopped

1 tin chickpeas

1 tin tomatoes

1 tin coconut milk

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 green chili, finely chopped

thumb size amount of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

handful of chopped fresh coriander

half a lemon

1 Tbsp cumin seed

1 Tbsp coriander seed

1/2 Tbsp turmeric

8 black peppercorns

Grind the spices in a pestel & mortar.

Fry the onion until translucent over medium heat in some oil. Add the garlic, ginger and chili for a minute or so. Add the spices for a minute or so, you'll start to smell them as they temper. Add the butternut squash and coat in the ingredients in the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes and coconut milk, and cook for 10-15 minutes until the squash is cooked and you can push a fork through it.

Drain the chickpeas and add to the sauce. Also add the spinach. When the spinach is wilted and the chickpeas are warmed through, add the coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice. The lemon juice lifts the flavour nicely, taste as you go. Salt to taste and serve with rice and/or flatbreads.

Artisan Bread

from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 TBS dry yeast
3/4 TBS salt
6 1/2 cups flour
 cornmeal for dusting
also need baking stone, broiling tray or rimmed cookie sheet, wooden peel

Dissolve yeast in water; add other ingredients and stir (do not knead).  Cover and let rise 2 hours.  Store in covered (not airtight) container in the refegerator up to 14 days (improves with a few days of sitting in the fridge).

On baking day:  Spray a wooden peel with oil spray.  Sprinkle generously with cornmeal.  Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour so it's easier to manage.  Pick up a 1-pound section of dough (grapefruit size) and form into a ball by tucking edges into the bottom.  Set on peel and slash dough with three parallel slits or two criss-cross slits.  Let rise for 30-90 minutes (the longer the dough rises, the more airy the bread will be).  30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450* with the baking stone and rimmed broiling tray or cookie sheet on the rack just below stone.  When ready to bake, transfer dough to hot stone, add 1 cup of tap water to the broiling tray, and quickly close the oven door to trap the steam.  Bake 25-30 minutes.

Makes 3-4 loaves.

variations:
Baguettes--shape, brush with water and cut parallel diagonal slits, bake 425 for 20-25 minutes
Rolls/ Bread Bowls--bake 15-20 minutes
Focaccia-- roll dough flat to 1/4 inch thick, top with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, tomatoes, basil, etc.  bake 425 for 15-20 minutes (may need to bake longer if you add lots of veggies)
Pizza Crust
Calzones
Pitas--bake at 500, roll out golf-ball size dough to 1/8 inch thick circle, do not slash, no rest time needed, bake 5-7 minutes

happy baking!

Recipes from Marilyn Crittenden

Some of you have requested these...so here they are for all.

Gluten Free Breakfast Grains:

1 cup rinsed millet, quinoa, teff, or buckwheat groats
3 cups water
1 tsp salt

cook in pressure cooker for 10-15 minutes (depending on grain)
Stir in 1 tsp vanilla

Serve with honey, maple syrup,nuts, fresh or dried fruit, etc
coconut milk and bananas are a nice combo for millet


WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
(The bread isn't as tasty right out of the oven as mom's, but it is a bit easier to make and holds up longer without going crumbly)
5 cups warm water
2 Tb. dough enhancer
2 Tb. salt
2/3 c oil
2/3 c honey
6 cups flour
2 Tbl (heaping) yeast

Add ingredients in order as given, mix, and add more flour until pulls away from the side of the bowl. Knead or mix on low for about 8 minutes. Put dough on oiled counter. Divide into 6 standard or 4 extra-large loaves. Make into loaf and place in greased pan. Rise until 1" above pan. Bake in 325 oven for 25-30 minutes.

PUMPKIN WAFFLES AND APPLE CINNAMON SYRUP
(I haven't made these yet, but Chris loves them)
2 cups milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup pumpkin
1/2 oil
2 cups flour
1 Tbl sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger

Mix all ingredients together and bake in waffle iron

APPLE CINNAMON SYRUP (a special treat)
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tb lemon juice
1 cup cider or apple juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbl cornstarch

Combine dry ingredients, add apple juice and lemon juice. Cook over heat to thicken and add: 2 Tbl butter.

BUTTERMILK WAFFLES
(works well with whole wheat flour)

2 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs separated
2 cups buttermilk
8 Tbl butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In other bowl, whisk egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla. Pour into dry mixture. In other bowl, beat egg white until stiff, but not dry. Fold whites into batter. Pour into hot griddle and cook.

BLENDER PANCAKES
1 cup whole grain wheat
1 cup milk
combine in blender and mix on high speed for 2 full minutes

Add 3/4 cup milk and blend 2 more minutes

Add: 2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbl honey

Blend well. Just before cooking add 1 Tbl baking powder.

SUSHI SALAD
(I haven't tried this one either, but it's a favorite of Brent's.)

2 cups cooked brown rice
Nori seaweed strips
1/2 cucumber in 1/2 inch cubes
1-2 Tble sesame seeds
1 cup tofu, or salmon in 1/2 inch cubes
pickled ginger
1 Tbl brown rice vinegar
1 avocado peeled and cubed
1 carrot, shredded
3 scallions, sliced thinly
1 Tbl olive oil

Cook rice and transfer into a large bowl. Drizzle brown rice vinegar over the rice as it cools. After it cools add vegetable and mix. Top with Nori seaweed.

New Recipes from Lizzy

Edamame, corn & tomato salad

a fast, fresh, yummy variation to a corn and bean salad. Portions are very flexible.

fresh corn kernels: 2 ears or 3/4 c frozen

Frozen shelled edamame: about 1 1/2 cups

Cherry tomatoes: 12, halved

Avocado: 1 large, pitted, peeled, cubed

Fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons

Salt and pepper

oil: 1 tablespoon

Romaine lettuce (I used greenleaf)

Fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons finely chopped

1. cook corn and edamame: bring a saucepan of water to a boil and have ready a bowl of ice water. Ad the corn and the edamame and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to ice water using a slotted spoon. Drain the corn and edamame, place in a large bowl and add the tomatoes and avocado.

2. Whisk together the lime juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving platter and spoon the salad onto the leaves. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Potato Salad with Spring Onions, Capers, and Mint

~courtesy of “Vegetable Harvest” by Patricia Wells

1 lb firm yellow-flesh potatoes

¼ cup olive-oil

2 Tbl fresh lemon juice

1 Tbl imported French mustard

3 spring onions trimmed, peeled, and cut into very thin slices

¼ cup capers in vinegar, drained

Fine sea salt

¼ cup fresh mint leaves, cut into chiffonade

1. scrub potatoes, but do not peel. Bring 1 quart water to a simmer in the bottom of a steamer. Place potatoes on the steaming rack and steam, covered, just until the potatoes are fully cooked, about 25 minutes.
2. Dressing: in large salad bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, and mustard and whisk to blend. Add onions and capers and toss. Taste for seasoning.
3. Once the potatoes are cooked, cut them crosswise into thin slices, tossing theh slices directly into the dressing. Do this while the potatoes are still warm so they quickly absorb the dressing. Toss to thoroughly coat the potatoes with the dressing. Add the mint and toss again. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm.

Doll Party Memories

New book by Michael Pollen

Here's an article about it.

Recipes

Bass in Artichoke and Tomato Broth (From Epicurious)

**I haven't tried making the bass yet, but I had it at a friends and it was simply wonderful.

(photo by: Romulo Yanes)

Provençal-inspired, this light, brothy seafood dish will have you wondering how something so delicious could be so easy to make.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

1 small onion, quartered and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 (9-oz) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained
1 (15-oz) can stewed tomatoes
1/3 cup pitted brine-cured black olives such as Kalamata, chopped
2/3 cup water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6- to 7-oz) black sea bass fillets (1/2 inch thick) with skin
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orangezest

Cook onion in 2 tablespoons oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil 1 minute. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes (including juice), olives, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, pat fish dry and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Transfer sauce to a 13- by 9- by 2-inch (3-quart) glass or ceramic baking dish and arrange fish (without crowding) over sauce. Dot fish with butter and cover dish tightly with foil. Roast until fish is just opaque and cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together zest and remaining 2 tablespoons oil.

Transfer fish with vegetables and broth to shallow bowls and serve drizzled with orange oil.

Maple-Roasted Acorn Squash (cleanse)

• 2 acorn squash
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 3 tsp minced ginger
• 3 TB olive oil
• 2 TB maple syrup
• 4 TB chopped pecans

Heat oven to 400°. Slice a thin piece off both ends of the squash, then cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds. Smear the flesh with olive oil, then sprinkle salt, drizzle maple syrup and sprinkle with the ginger. Roast until nicely brown and tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add the pecans for the last 10 minutes. Do not undercook!

Winter Grain Bowl (cleanse)

*This recipe is excessively healthy and while the strange combination doesn't look very appetizing, all together it was quite good. Still, not for every palate.

• Roasted squash and root vegetables
• Barley (the barley groat is more nutritious than pearl barley)
  
• Sauteed kale
• Adzuki Beans
• Ginger Miso Lime Sauce

Ginger Miso Lime Sauce (cleanse)

• 3 TB olive oil
• ¼ c water
• 1 TB ginger, grated
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 3 TB light miso
• 1 clove crushed garlic or minced
• ¼ c fresh lime juice
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper

Salmon with Miso Sesame Glaze (cleanse)

**One of Chris's favorites...I was feeling nauseous at the time so I'm not the best judge.

• 12 oz Salmon fillet
• 3 TB pickle juice
• 1 TB olive oil
• ½ tsp ginger juice
• 2 TB miso
• 1 TB sesame seeds
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Blend together all ingredients except salmon. Cover salmon with sauce about an hour before cooking, refrigerate. In a skillet over medium heat add 1 TB olive oil and put salmon in, skin side down. Cook slowly, with the lid on. There will be no need to turn the fish. Cooking time is approximately 10-12 minutes.

Sesame Miso Maple Sauce (cleanse)

• 2 TB sesame oil
• 4 TB tahini
• 5 TB water
• 1 tsp grated orange zest
• 2 TB olive oil
• 4 TB miso
• 2 TB maple syrup

Blend everything together. (We used this on the rice and salmon whenever we made this meal.)

In case you were curious, here is some more info on the Cleanse...

CLEANSE RULES

Forbidden List

1. Rule #1 is Do Not Go Hungry

2. No Dairy

3. No Processed Grains (this includes any product which contains flour as well as any other product containing a processed grain )

4. No Processed/Refined Sugar

5. No Meat (however, if you are working out regularly you can eat organic eggs and fish)

Things to do Every Day

1. Drink AT LEAST half your body weight in ounces of water

2. Drink AT LEAST 8 oz. of fresh vegetable juice (this can also contain fruit)

3. Eat AT LEAST one food item containing live bacteria (ie. some pickles, sauerkraut, some soy products, some olives, some types of soy sauce, anything with miso, etc.)

4. Eat AT LEAST one food item rich in minerals (ie. celtic sea salt, some type of seaweed)

5. Perform AT LEAST one of the 7 daily cellular cleansing activities (see below)

6. Live Organic (eat organic whenever possible, use organic/natural personal products)

7 Cellular Daily Cleansing Activities

1. Skin Brushing

2. Cardiac Sweat

3. Sauna Treatment

4. Massage

5. Colon Cleanse

6. Mineral/Salt Bath

7. I can't remember #7 right now

Ever heard Scott H.'s theory on middle-aged women?

I thought of you Mom when I read this article:

“'bump up against people and ideas' that are different"

"get out of the comfort zone to push and nourish your brain"

"anything from learning a foreign language to taking a different route to work"

"adults learn best if presented with what he calls a 'disorienting dilemma'”

The food may kill you but at least your brain will be better for your little disorienting dilemma in the Mother Land.