Time for a Journey

I would love to tell you about the lovely cooking that has been going on in my kitchen, but this pile suggests where my time and energy has been focused for the last week or so.  It’s funny, I kept saying, “As soon as I finish my culminating project, I will have a ton of free time.”  Hmm.  Maybe not.  Mid-May arrived, my project was completed, reviewed and stamped with those approval marks that stressed me out for months.  But somehow my free time never arrived.  Of course, I still had two classes.  So then I said, “As soon as I get these projects done, I will take time to breathe!”  Again, projects were submitted early, grades were posted and I found myself still spinning through my days.  As my graduate school commencement is now less than 24 hours away, you would expect me to be blogging the words of freedom and relaxation.  Instead, I am running about, seeing dear friends from out of town, washing clothes, buying last minute items, applying for just one more job, running.  Running.  Running.  But all is good.  The running will end shortly and I will happily find myself running to the airport to catch a flight to London.  The Philosopher and I have been saving pennies for two years and now for the opportunity to travel for our “honeymoon”.  We planned this trip quickly and I still can’t completely report our itinerary.  We are meeting more dear friends across the pond for some time sightseeing in the city and relaxing in a cottage in Wales.  Please, don’t feel sorry for me.  While the burden of drinking a cup of coffee on our balcony overlooking the mountains will be difficult, I will try to find a way to enjoy myself.  Afternoons hiking the countryside will be taxing, but I am certain I will pull through.  Seeing old friends and meeting new ones will inevitably leave me talking all night long, but I will survive.  Somehow.  I hope to have some wonderful pictures and stories to share when I return.

In the meantime,  I promised to share CSA news every week.  Here are some lovely pictures of some of this week’s goodness.  We received carrots, green onions, salad greens, leaf lettuce, and kale this week.  The recipe of the week for the CSA could be titled “The Five Thousand and Fifteenth Thing to Do with Kale”.  But let’s just call it lovely.

Kale with Indian Spices

In a deep skillet or wok heat oil and gently warm minced garlic and 1/2t mustard seeds until the seeds begin to pop.  Add 1T turmeric, 1T ground coriander, 1/4t cayenne (more or less to taste), 1T cumin., and a few pinches of garam masala.  Warm the spices until fragrant.  Add a large bunch of kale cut into 1-2″ pieces.  Add one small can of crushed tomatoes (I added one half of a large can) or use a few fresh tomatoes and one can of coconut milk.  Cook until thickened over medium-low heat (about 5-10 minutes) and serve over quinoa or rice.  I added chopped fresh green onions to the top.  This is an absolutely lovely way to eat kale.  Warming, yet refreshing.  Add a can of  garbanzo beans or some fried tofu to make it a one pot meal.

I wish everyone a lovely couple of weeks.  There will likely be no update until I return to The Bus as I plan to leave technology on this side of the pond.  Enjoy yourselves and eat well!

Detox Detour: What do you eat when you’re sick?

I’ve been enjoying Tracy’s tour through this interesting detox diet with the rest of you, but I thought I would step in and make a brief post about a much looked-over branch of cuisine: sick food.

Sure, there are different kinds of sick, and different kinds of sick food.  When you are stomach sick, there are usually only a few things you can tolerate without feeling sicker.  Some people swear by ginger, others turn green at the mention of it.  Some people will only eat dry saltines, other people avoid carbs altogether.  Honestly, if it’s the stomach flu, I’m eating Wasa Crackers and apple sauce.  Unless that’s what I was eating when I got sick, obviously.

But when we are talking about the common cold, or some derivative thereof (I am currently fighting a sinus infection), chicken soup is the best thing to have when you are sick, at least according to traditional American folk knowledge.  (Veggie noodle soup for the vegetarians, I would imagine.) This is probably true for a number of reasons: it’s nutritious, especially when made from homemade stock, it’s usually served hot, the steam serving to loosen the sinuses and the hot liquid serving to soothe the throat, and it’s got flavor without being heavy, spicy, or too anything.  Chicken soup is simple and it’s therapeutic. It feels good to have warm soup in your belly, especially when you are experiencing chills and/or fever.  It may even keep a persistent cough at bay for a short while.

And let me tell you, I had chicken noodle soup this week.  It was good.  There actually wasn’t any chicken in it, so maybe it doesn’t count. I’m not sure it made me feel better, but it filled the hole.  Honestly, I didn’t feel like eating much, mostly because nothing tasted good.  Usually, when I am feeling healthy and ready to go, I never order chicken soup.  It’s too blandfor me.  I like to keep things interesting, spicy, you know, tom yum soup or lentil curry soup.  I spent too much time eating meat and potato 1950’s farmlife inspired meals growing up to choose those dishes as an adult… but that’s another story.

What I really wanted to get to, without further detouring from the detour, was my non-soup sick food for today.  Today, I wanted something cold for my throat, and I had already wailed through my carrot, apple, and orange juice supplies over the weekend.  So I decided to make a green smoothie.

I went through a raw food phase last year, which was enlightening in a number of ways, but the real take home message for me was that eating as many raw greens as possible was the best change anyone could make to their diet.  Some folks will make outrageous claims and say that a green smoothie every day will reverse your heart disease or your diabetes, but let’s be honest, those are anecdotes and not the norm.  But I’m all in for the greens, especially kale, and when I feel like I need a vitamin boost, or I have the ingredients sitting around, a green smoothie will happen.  For those of you who are put off by the idea of drinking kale or collards, let me tell you, the only mistake you can make is using mustard greens for your smoothie.  (That is a mistake I will NEVER make again.  The name really should have convinced me, but no, I was headstrong about it, and I still managed to drink the whole thing.)

Lacking my full facilities in my weakened state, I did neglect to take pictures, but really, all you need to imagine is the following recipe.

5-6 kale stalks (center vein removed, lightly chopped) any type of kale is find

1 banana (rough chop)

2 scoops peanut butter (I prefer crunchy)

soy milk

almonds (optional)

ice cream (my sick day addition, also because my banana wasn’t frozen)

Throw all this stuff in the blender and blend it smooth.  Really, once you have the kale in there, you add the other stuff on top, and make sure you have enough milk to make it blend, and then add in additional ingredients for your prefered consistency, flavor.  Sometimes, if I don’t have/want to add ice cream, I’ll put a touch of honey in.  If you are wondering if it TASTES like kale, the answer is no, not usually.  Today it tasted like peanut banana ice cream.  And that was perfect.  If you up the kale ratio, it will start to taste like kale.  If that’s what you want, knock yourself out.  Leave out the peanut butter and add other fruits (strawberries, blueberries, apples) for different flavors.  You can even add whey protein if that’s your thing.

Green smoothies, I love them.  And for this round of terrible illness, green is my go to.

Tell me, what do you eat when you are sick?

The Diet: Day 1

Breakfast:  We began with a hearty bowl of homemade granola topped with sliced bananas and blueberries.  Oh and some unsweetened almond milk.

 It was quite a filling breakfast and even after my workout, I was full.

Lunch:  I had a late lunch that matched The Philosopher’s packed items.  We ate lettuce wraps with fresh veggies and homemade hummus (I will share various recipe options soon!), quinoa salad (lime juice, tomatoes, red peppers, cilantro), and a granny smith apple with almond butter.  According to The Philosopher, we never have to buy peanut butter again, regardless of the outcome of the diet.  He is hooked on almond butter!  I also packed a few cherry tomatoes and broccoli florets in my backpack to get me through class.  Tonight I had a Happy Hour event for an organization I used to work for.  While it was great talking and seeing everyone again, it was hard to watch everyone else eat pizza and drink beer!  I rushed home to make dinner before the temptation grew too great.

Dinner:  I adapted a recipe for Spinach with Coconut (or Spinach Thoren) from “Savoring the Spice Coast” by Maya Kaimal.  Here’s what I did:

Prepare 5 oz (half a bag) of spinach and one bunch of kale.  Dice one onion or shallot.  In a bowl combine 3/4c grated unsweetened coconut with 1 t cumin, 1/8 t cayenne, 1/4 t tumeric, 1 fresh green chili sliced lengthwise, and 1 t garam masala (you can usually find this in the spice section, I made my own.  See recipe below).  I added 1/4 cup of water and mixed this well.

In a wok or large skillet, I melted 2T coconut oil until melted.  Next, I added 1t mustard seeds and cooked them until they began to pop.  I added the onion and sauted just until tender.  Next, I added the kale and cooked until wilted, then I added the spinach.  When the spinach just began to wilt, I added the bowl of spices and coconut and continued to cook until the greens were tender.  I cooked brown rice earlier in the day (1 c rice, 2 c water, 1 t safflower oil) and refrigerated.  I tossed the cooked rice with the greens and coconut mixture to coat and warm completely.  I would suggest removing the green chili before serving (oops!  Lesson learned!).  Even with bites of chili, this was yummy!  I think I caught The Philosopher sneaking thirds!

So far, the best thing about this diet is the coconut oil.  Who knew that lurking in my supermarket was this luxurious fat?  Tomorrow it will be used in a baking experiment.  You can vote, apple pie or maple bars?

Thoughts: Today’s menu is easily reflected in many that we have eaten in the past.  Overall things didn’t feel strange today.  So far, the hardest thing is when I wanted a little snack:  a handful of potato chips, a chocolate chip cookie, or a cup of coffee on my way to class are all off limits.  I think the key will be to build up allowable snacks in the house so we don’t feel so boxed in with our choices.

The other important news is that tomorrow I will be cooking with my friend Cathy, owner of Photo Kitchen.  We will prepare dinner (and dessert!) together and she will be on hand to actually provide professional photos!  About time this amateur photographer asked for help, huh?  Stay tuned!

*Garam Masala

Grind 4 whole pieces of star anise in a coffee grinder (or a mortar and pestle) and measure out 2 teaspoons.  Reserve the rest for a future use (I don’t yet know what that is–sorry!).  Grind 2t fennel seeds.  Combine ground star anise, ground fennel seeds, 2t cinnamon, 2t ground clove, 2t ground cardamom, and 1t ground nutmeg.  Combine and store for up to 6 months.

In Times of Plenty and in Want

The Philosopher has been seeing a physician at The Ohio State University Center for Integrated Medicine for a few months.  The Philosopher has struggled with psoriasis for the past few years and decided to seek other ideas for treating the problems that involved less medication.  He has enjoyed the experience and has valued their work to look at his entire lifestyle and the impact of diet, exercise, and environment all have on his overall health.

After his first visit, we ran out to buy various supplements –including a smelly mixture prescribed by an Ayurveda specialist, part of India’s traditional medical system.  He was also instructed to remove yeast-products from his diet (goodbye sourdough starter and beer) and reduce his cheese intake.  Subsequent visits led to the purchase of a humidifier, creating a routine sleep schedule, and an increased exercise routine.  All these changes were reasonable.  I tried to use cheese in our meals no more than once per week and leavened bread was almost completely eliminated (a guy’s gotta have his pizza sometimes!).

Then last week he came home with a packet titled “Elimination Diet Support Group”.  The physicians run a support group to help patients taking on a detox diet a few times per week.  The packet includes lists of foods one can and cannot eat, recipes, suggestions, etc.  Since The Philosopher has been editing for one of the physicians at the Center for Integrated Medicine, I assumed he was going to edit this as well.  Wrong.

The Philosopher and I will be attending a class on March 2 to learn about the diet and will begin on March 3.  Foods to exclude are long:  oranges, dairy and eggs, wheat, corn, red meat and pork, soy products, peanuts, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, honey, maple syrup, chocolate, and soy and teriyaki sauces.

Now, some of these aren’t too difficult.  We don’t eat red meat or pork.  There are plenty of fruits and veggies we eat outside of oranges and corn.   I once gave up chocolate for Lent with an ex-boyfriend, I can do it again.

On the other hand, going completely gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free will be hard.  I don’t use a lot of refined sugar, but relying only on agave to sweeten will be difficult.  Can anyone spot the food/kitchen items that will be off-limits soon?

Oh yea, did I mention no alcohol?  Seriously?  How am I supposed to write rough drafts of papers without a glass of wine?  It’s going to be the end of the quarter!

So, I have decided that the next 1 1/2 weeks will be our time of plenty.  I made biscuits Friday with flour, baking powder, salt, butter and 3 cups of cream! These are perfect with homemade sweet potato and apple butter.  I purchased a few bottles of wine and beer.  I also began to plan the next few meals with the idea of enjoying some of our favorite ingredients.

Time of Plenty

Tonight’s menu; dill and lemon roasted salmon, smashed potatoes with kale (and more of that cream), and butter garlic roasted mushrooms (keep reading for the recipes)

Monday:  carmalized onion and kale frittata

Tuesday: stir-fried veggies in a spicy peanut sauce

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: tofu and veggie fajitas

Friday: out for pizza

Saturday:  Swiss Chard and Onion Panade

I also began to think about the week of want.  I am simmering vegetable stock while writing and am thinking of some of my favorite bean-based meals.  I have a pretty good foundation since this is fairly representative our our winter diet.  Unfortunately, The Philosopher will not be eating a veggie pita with yogurt for lunch.  Since he has a nearly bottomless stomach, I am going to need some ideas for new, filling recipes that do not require meat beyond fresh fish.   Also, I am guessing we will not be eating out until this diet is over.

Here are my initial ideas:

Coconut curry with beans and rice

Veggie Chili

Hummus and veggies

Red beans and Rice

Risotto

Kale chips

Lentils

Roasted veggies

I predict the biggest challenges will be to ensure that The Philosopher has enough in his lunch.  He does not like vinegar, making salads with a traditional dressing a no-go, so rice or quinoa salads will be necessary.  We also love having bread to sop up broth, so I won’t be able to rely solely on soup for success.

I plan on perusing my vegan cookbook for ideas and all my gathered recipes from over the years.  I will also probably search the online blog-o-sphere for other meal plans.  Readers, we are going to need a little more help.  This could last a few weeks and I would love some ideas and recipes.  Within those tight parameters, do you have any favorites out there?  Please, comment away!  I am sure other readers will greatly benefit from the combined wisdom.  I am going to try to post as many of the recipes I use during the elimination diet so that others can benefit in the future.

Most importantly, does anyone know a good replacement for the evening glass of red wine?

Here’s recipes for tonight’s meal of plenty:

Dill and Lemon Roasted Salmon

I mixed ~ 1T of Dijon mustard, one minced garlic clove, a splash of lemon juice, and a good helping of fresh dill with a few tablespoons of butter to make a compound butter.  After applying kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to the salmon fillets, I layered the compound butter on top and baked at 400 for ~15 minutes.  Careful, the butter will melt and you may end up filling your oven with smoke.  I suggest putting the salmon on a cookie sheet with a lip, unlike my cookie sheet choice.

Smashed Potatoes with Kale

I diced and boiled 4-5 yukon gold potatoes (leaving their skins on) until nearly soft.  Before finished, I added loosely chopped kale to the water and potatoes.  After everything had softened, I strained the water.  To smash, I used my stand mixer, but a good potato masher would work.  I added 1 stick of butter, fresh pepper and salt, and a few tablespoons of heavy cream while mixing.

Butter and Garlic Roasted Mushrooms

I simply used this recipe and made no changes.  With spoon-licking results.

While this was far from the most heart-healthy meal I have ever posted, it was certainly delicious. Especially with a beer.

Damn, this is going to be hard!  Help please!