Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Chocolate Cake with Strawberries

This was my standard “birthday cake” recipe for my children when they were growing up. They always wanted me to use a cake mix out of a box, but I refused. Their friends loved this cake and would never have forgiven me if I didn’t make it for birthday parties. Not all children like strawberries, so I don’t recommend putting them on the cake. I would cut them up into a bowl, and spoon them over each piece, depending on whether or not the person eating that slice liked strawberries.

Ingredients

1 c. melted butter or coconut oil (or combination)
1¼ c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs, separated (set the whites aside to beat stiff)
1 c. water
1/3 c. puréed stewed tomatoes
2½ c. flour (whole wheat or brown rice)
½ c. powdered cocoa
1½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
For topping: cut up heaps of fresh strawberries
(Whipped cream optional)

Directions

Put the stewed tomatoes in the blender and purée them. Separate the eggs and set the egg whites aside. Combine the egg yolks with the wet ingredients and blend well. Combine all the dry ingredients except the salt and blend well. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until smooth (use an electric mixer if necessary). Put the salt into the egg whites and whip them up until they are stiff. Fold the cake mixture into the stiff egg whites.

While the cake is baking, chop up the strawberries.

Pour the cake mixture into two 8-inch square (or round) baking dishes and bake for 40 minutes at 350°. You can frost the cake or simply cut squares and put them on a plate with whipped cream (sweeten with a little maple syrup) and strawberries. Yum!

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Yael’s French Yogurt Cake

In 1974, I visited my cousin Yael in Paris. She was a Holocaust survivor, a linguist, and a vivacious woman with an active mind. She loved to cook and she also cultivated fruit trees. She baked this cake for me while I was there and she gave me the recipe. She served it with jam on top. This cake has always tasted to me like it has an extra ingredient in it that I didn’t include on purpose and that I can’t quite identify, like a mystery flavor that appears out of thin air.

Ingredients

1½ c. flour (whole wheat or brown rice)
¾ c. honey
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 tsp. baking powder
½ c. yogurt
2/3 c. melted butter
2 beaten eggs
(1 tsp. grated orange or lemon peel – optional)

Directions

Melt the butter. Beat the eggs and combine with the yogurt and butter, blending together well. Add the honey and maple syrup and blend it in to the wet ingredients completely. Mix the baking powder into the flour. Add the flour to the wet ingredients and mix together completely. You might want to use an electric mixer to get all the lumps out.

Pour the mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish and bake for 35 minutes at 350° then turn the heat up to 375° and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Stuffed with Roasted Vegetables

There are so many delicious meat and starch dishes at Thanksgiving that it’s easy to forget to cook enough vegetables to go with the meal. We usually have either green beans or collards on our table. This vegan and gluten-free recipe provides something a little more, and it features many of those favorite flavors of Thanksgiving. The vegetables are baked inside a small pumpkin. When it’s done, the pumpkin meat is soft and tender and can be scooped out along with the vegetables.

Ingredients

1 small pumpkin (e.g., New England pie pumpkin)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 chopped red pepper
½ chopped green pepper or orange pepper (or combination)
2 chopped celery stalks
1 chopped Portobello mushroom
½ c. chopped onion or 1 tsp. onion powder
1 large crushed garlic clove or ½ tsp. garlic powder
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or 1 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tbsp. ground sage
1 tsp. ground thyme
1 tsp. ground dill
½ tsp. black pepper
Salt to taste

Directions


Chop the vegetables. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Remove the top from the pumpkin and scoop out the innards. Fill the pumpkin with the veggie mixture. Put the top back on. Bake at 350˚ for 90 minutes (or at 325˚ for 2 hours).

Using 2 little pumpkins, a variation on this recipe would be to include 2 cups of crumbled cornbread and 2 beaten eggs. Also, consider adding ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Then you would divide the ingredients between the 2 pumpkins.

Other ingredients that could be added to the filling include chopped Shitake mushrooms, dried cranberries, chopped apples, chestnuts, or walnuts.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Pumpkin Pie

I can’t imagine making a pumpkin pie with pumpkin from a can. I always bake a pumpkin and scoop out the inside for a real pumpkin pie. The seeds are delicious roasted, too (see my recipe for that). Any pumpkin meat that you don’t use in the pie can be frozen in a freezer bag and saved for another time. You will need a crust for this pie recipe below, of course. You can either purchase a ready-made pie shell or you can make your crust from scratch. Refer to my discussion about pie crusts (both with and without gluten) if you decide to make your own. This recipe assumes that you have the pie crust in which to place the pumpkin pie filling. (Or you can make it with no crust for a delicious pudding.)

Ingredients

2 ½ c. pumpkin purée (see below for pumpkin preparation)
¾ cup honey
1 cup scalded milk (lactose-free milk works for the lactose intolerant)
4 eggs (beaten)
2 tbsp. molasses
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
½ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. mace
¼ tsp. salt
(optional: ½ tsp. grated orange peel)
1 pie shell (either make from scratch or purchase ready-made)

Directions
Don’t use jack-o’-lantern pumpkins for pie. They tend to be stringy and tough. Small pie pumpkins are best (New England pie pumpkins are my favorite). Cinderella pumpkins can be sweet and tasty, but note that they have a lot of moisture in them so you might want to use less milk in this recipe if baking a Cinderella pumpkin.

Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the innards (use my roasted pumpkin seed recipe to roast those seeds for a delicious snack). Put the pumpkin halves upside down on a cookie sheet with a little water in it (up to about ½ of an inch of water). Bake the pumpkin at 350˚ for about an hour or until it is clearly soft when pierced with a fork. Do not overcook as the pumpkin will turn brown on the bottom and discolor your pie. Once the pumpkin has cooled enough to handle, scoop out the meat, discard the skin, and whirl the pumpkin in a food processor until it is smooth. If it doesn’t whirl up so easily, add a little water, but not much.

Scald the milk. Do not boil. Just allow it to heat until hot then take it off the burner. Preheat the oven to 450˚.

Combine the pumpkin meat, honey, and molasses. Add the spices. Beat the eggs and add those. Whirl the filling in the food processor briefly or mix with an electric mixer to get the spices to blend in. Mix in the milk last. Pour the pie filling mixture into the pie shell. Bake for 10 minutes at 450˚ and then turn the oven down to 350˚. Bake at 350˚ for 50 minutes or until the pie is set. It might need to sit for 15 or 20 minutes after it comes out of the oven to “stick together.” I personally prefer pumpkin pie at room temperature. Because of the eggs and milk, this one needs to be refrigerated to keep.

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream are a terrific accompaniment!

Eat well, be well, live deliciously! (And a Happy Thanksgiving to all.)

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Broccoli Plain and Simple


This straightforward recipe provides a terrific side dish to increase the color and healthfulness of any meal.

Ingredients

1 head of broccoli
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large crushed clove of garlic
3 tbsp. lemon juice (fresh-squeezed is best)

Directions

Cut the tender broccoli florets off the broccoli and place them in a vegetable steamer in a pot with 1-2 inches of water in the bottom. Steam on high heat for 8-10 minutes or until the broccoli is bright green and tender when pierced with a fork. Do not overcook.

Combine the olive oil and the lemon juice and crush the garlic into it.

Place the broccoli into a serving dish and drizzle the oil/lemon/garlic mixture on it. Serve immediately while still hot (or zap briefly in a microwave to bring back to temperature when the rest of the meal is ready).

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Manicotti with Baby Bella Mushrooms

Unless you have a source for gluten-free manicotti noodles (there are some on the market), then this recipe is not gluten-free. And it isn’t lactose-free as it uses both ricotta and mozzarella cheese, which are soft cheeses. It’s just plain delicious, however and a family favorite at our house. Serve with garlic bread, a Caesar salad, and red wine to enter bliss!

Ingredients

16 oz. manicotti noodles (about 16 noodles come in a box)
24 oz. tomato sauce
16 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (for the top)
¾ cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. finely chopped baby Portobello mushrooms
1-2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ cup finely chopped fresh basil (or 2 tbsp. dried basil but the dried is not nearly as good as the fresh)
2 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Boil the manicotti noodles until done al dente (follow the directions on the package). Put a dash of olive oil in the water to help prevent the manicotti noodles from sticking together and run cold water over them right away when you drain them to keep them from getting gummy. You want them to be as firm as possible because you are going to have to stuff them with the other ingredients.

Chop the mushrooms and sauté them in olive oil for about 3-5 minutes, until soft. Add the chopped basil for the last minute or two to wilt it. Beat the eggs and combine them with the ricotta cheese and most of the grated mozzarella. Keep about ½ cup of mozzarella out to sprinkle on the top. Add the herbs/spices to the egg and cheese mixture. Add the mushrooms and basil to the egg and cheese mixture and blend together well.

Grease the baking dish with a little olive oil and then put in just enough tomato sauce to cover the bottom. Now comes the hard part. With a teaspoon, gently fill each manicotti noodle with the filling mixture. Place the stuffed noodles into the baking dish. If they tear while you are working with them, not to worry, just fill them with the filling mixture anyway and place them in the baking dish. When you have stuffed all the noodles and placed them in the baking dish, cover them with the rest of the tomato sauce. Then sprinkle the top with the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese reserved for this purpose.

Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350° for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Olive Pesto

This is a terrific spread to put on crackers or bread. It also makes for a delicious do-it-yourself pizza topping. I don’t add salt to it because the olives and the cheese are already pretty salty, but if you have a wicked salt tooth then add as you please.

Ingredients

3 cups pitted Kalamata olives
2 cloves of garlic (sliced)
¼ -½ cup olive oil (see how it goes)
1/3 cup walnuts
5 oz. Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp. black pepper

Directions

Put all the ingredients into a food processor and whirl until creamy smooth. Be careful with the olive oil, don’t add too much. Start out with about ¼ cup and add more if needed to get the consistency right for spreadability.

This pesto can be frozen in Ziploc bags and tastes surprisingly fresh when defrosted months (and even a year) later.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Shredded Zucchini Salad

This is a wonderful fresh and different way to prepare summer squash. You can tell that I grow a lot of it by all the squash recipes I have. I call this a zucchini recipe, but I often make it with a combination of summer squashes, including patty pans and crooknecks.

Ingredients

2-3 medium-sized zucchini squash grated (approximately 3 packed cups)
4 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. brown or black mustard seeds
1½ tbsp. finely chopped (or grated) fresh ginger

Directions

Grate the squash (leave the skin on). Either use the shredding attachment on the food processor or simply use a hand grater. As mentioned, I usually use a combination of squash. Patty pan squash is great for this recipe because it’s a bit on the dense side. Don’t use a larger squash that is seedy.

Grate or chop the fresh ginger.

Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over high heat until smoke begins to rise off it. Add the mustard seeds and the chopped ginger and fry on high heat for approximately one minute, until the mustard seeds are popping and the ginger turns a little brown (two minutes at the most, unless your oil is not hot enough to start with).

Pour the hot oil, mustard seeds, and ginger over the grated squash. Add the Balsamic vinegar. Mix the ingredients together well. Chill. There you have it. Be prepared for an unusual flavor. This dish goes over very well at those summer barbecue potlucks.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

This goes without saying. But I’m going to say it anyway, just in case someone needs a simple recipe for this salad dressing. I eat this every day on my salad at lunch and I never get tired of it.

Ingredients


¼ c. balsamic vinegar
¾ c. olive oil
3 tbsp. water

Directions


Combine, mix well, and put it on your salad!

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Three Sisters Summer Stew

The three sisters, according to the Iroquois, are corn, beans, and squash; and they like to stick together. Many Native American communities had a longstanding farming tradition of planting the three sisters together in the same mound, which is an excellent sustainable farming practice because they work well together to maintain healthy soil. Corn, beans, and squash are also a healthy eating combination for sustaining the human body. This recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

6 cups of uncooked squash sliced
1½ cups corn kernels
½ cup chopped green beans
1 chopped red pepper
2 cups chopped tomatoes or one 15-oz. can of diced tomatoes
2 cups pre-cooked black soy or black beans (one 15-oz. can or equivalent frozen)
½ cup finely chopped onion or 1 tsp. onion granules
2 tbsp. brown or black mustard seeds
2 cloves crushed garlic
½ cup finely chopped fresh basil (preferably Thai basil) or 2 tbsp. dried basil
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. honey
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. thyme
¼ tsp. black pepper
salt to taste

Directions

Chop all the vegetables and herbs so that they are ready to go.

Heat the olive oil over high heat. When smoke begins to rise off the oil, put the mustard seeds and crushed garlic into the hot oil and allow them to fry until the mustard seeds “pop” and the garlic begins to brown. Add the onions, chopped green beans, and red peppers and allow to fry on high heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Turn the heat off. Add the tomatoes, honey, and herbs/spices. Turn the heat back on at a low simmer. Add the squash and basil and allow to cook over low heat for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently. (If the soy beans are frozen, add them here, otherwise, wait to add them in a minute with the corn). Then add the corn and the soy beans. Continue to cook until all the ingredients are cooked, but the squash is still a bit crunchy. Cook this uncovered, otherwise the squash will tend to steam and get soggy. By leaving it uncovered, you can control the texture of the squash better and keep it a bit crispy even when cooked.

Here are some additional notes. I recommend using a combination of zucchini and patty pan squashes for this recipe. The corn kernels can come from a can (or frozen), but much better is to steam a couple of ears of fresh corn and then cut the kernels off the cobs. Yum. As for the soy beans, this recipe can also work with any other bean you want to use. I like to use black soy beans or black beans for the color contrast. If you are a fan of lima beans, then go for it and you will have a sort of succotash on steroids! Nothing does it for this recipe like fresh basil. I grow Thai basil in the garden and it’s heavenly.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Blue Ribbon Zucchini Relish

For nearly twenty years I have used my abundant garden zucchini to make relish. My zucchini relish has upstaged everything else at the barbecue on more than one occasion. When my children were young, I kept saying I wanted to enter my zucchini relish in the County Fair, but I never seemed to manage to do it. Finally, a few years ago, I actually did enter the relish and it won a blue ribbon (first place). This is the only thing I have entered in the County Fair. So here, for your delectable enjoyment, is the blue ribbon recipe. Read all the way to the end for advice about canning/preserving. It keeps in the refrigerator indefinitely, so you don’t have to boil it up in a canning vat if you have room in the fridge. This recipe makes about one quart. For larger quantities, simply multiply the ingredients.

Ingredients

2 packed cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini, approximately 2 inches across at thickest part and about 8 inches long)
1 large red pepper grated
1 large green pepper grated
½ onion is optional – read directions below about the onion (1 heaping tsp. onion granules can be substituted)
¾ c. white vinegar
½ c. maple syrup
2 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. celery seed
½ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. black pepper

Directions
First, let me say a word about the onion. Most zucchini relish recipes call for onion. I am a big fan of red pepper and I can’t eat onion (much as I like it) so I don’t use onion in my award-winning relish. I think it is a bit overbearing in the relish, anyway. If you love onion, then put some real live onion in this recipe. I go for the onion granules instead because they lend the onion flavor but are not as strong as the real deal.

That said, grate the zucchini and peppers (and onion if you choose). I use the grater blade on my Cuisinart for this task. Be sure to remove the core and seeds from the peppers. If you make a larger quantity and use large zucchini, be sure to remove seedy portions and use only the denser part of the squash.

Next put the vinegar into a pot that is large enough for all the ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the vinegar (including the spices) and stir them in well, especially the cornstarch, so that there are no lumps. Then heat the mixture to a boil over medium heat stirring frequently to blend in the maple syrup and cornstarch. When the mixture has boiled and the maple syrup, salt, and cornstarch are clearly dissolved, add the grated vegetables and turn the heat down to a low simmer. Allow the relish to simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered, over very low heat. Stir it frequently.

Put the finished relish into a one-quart jar and store it in the refrigerator when cooled. The vegetables make a lot of juice, so use a slotted spoon to move the relish from the pot to the jar. Include only as much of the juice as you would like. I usually include all the juice, because it holds flavor secrets and I figure the relish can always be drained by using a slotted spoon to scoop it out of the jar later. You can choose how wet you want it to be. I think this relish tastes best when it has marinated for at least a month. As mentioned, it keeps very well in the refrigerator so I usually store it and wait a few weeks to open it up. Or you can preserve it by following the directions below.

To put this relish up in sealed jars as a preserve, fill each canning jar to within ½-inch of the top with relish, put a fresh and unused canning lid on it, and tighten it down with a ring. Place the jars of canned relish in a canning vat so that they are covered with water and boil them for 20 minutes. Then retighten the rings and allow to cool.

Great on veggie burgers, tofu burgers, and cheese sandwiches, this relish is also a dynamite addition to egg salad, deviled eggs, and potato salad. It makes a wonderful dip when combined with mayo.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Spirit Water

For many years now I have made a big batch of what I call “spirit water” and set it out at my larger summer parties. Although it is nothing more than no-calorie flavored water, this refreshing cool drink is always a hit and people ask me what it has in it, even though the answer to that question is clearly visible in plain sight. Here is the recipe for the complete and best version. For smaller groups and less quantity, adjust accordingly. And even if you don’t have all the ingredients, try making it with whatever ones you have at hand. Note that this drink tastes best after sitting in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the oils/flavors to permeate the water.

Ingredients

3 large sprigs of green basil
3 large sprigs of red basil
3 large sprigs of spearmint leaf
3 large sprigs of peppermint leaf
2 lemons
1 lime
1 orange
Water
Ice

Directions

Rinse and clean the leaves of the basils and mints so that no brown spots or bugs remain. I grow these basils and mints in my garden and so pick them fresh for this recipe. Slice the citrus fruit thinly (leave the skin on) and remove all seeds. Fill a pitcher with water and place the leaves and citrus into the water. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 3 hours to allow the water to pick up the flavors.

Be sure that you have plenty of ice on hand if you make this for a summer party that goes for a few hours. I freeze a couple of Jello-mold rings ahead of time to float in the water. It is always a challenge to keep the water sufficiently chilled because it goes so quickly that you have to keep refilling with more water that is not ice cold. Adding ice to it frequently keeps it really fresh.

When you are ready to serve the water, pour the water from the pitcher into a large punch bowl (with ladle) and add more water plus lots of ice. Replenish the water as needed. The flavors of the leaves and fruit will continue to permeate the water even as you refresh the punch bowl over time.

Note that this mixture will keep fairly well in the refrigerator for up to about a week. The citrus should be removed after a few days, when it starts to look soggy; but the leaves will last remarkably long. You can keep a pitcher going to enjoy for many days after the party.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Simply Delicious Basic Chili

This is a basic vegetarian chili recipe. I encourage you to be creative and add more to it, such as cilantro, corn, red peppers, nopales, grated carrots, or other vegetables. As usual, I don’t recommend making chili very spicy. Each person can decide how hot they want it and add chilis to their own plate. You will find this recipe very quick to make.

Ingredients

2 cans pre-cooked pinto beans (total of about 30 oz. of beans)
15 oz. (one can) diced tomatoes or two large chopped fresh tomatoes
6 oz. (one small can) tomato paste
1 green bell pepper chopped
½ c. onion chopped (or substitute 2 tsp. onion powder)
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
grated cheese topping if desired

Directions

Chop the green bell pepper and onion, crush the garlic cloves, and sauté these together in the olive oil until just soft. Then mix in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and herbs/spices and allow to simmer on low temperature, covered, for 5 minutes.

You are welcome to cook your beans from scratch, but what a lot of work! This recipe tastes terrific with canned beans and they are easy. There is a nifty trick to cooking with canned beans. You can reduce their gassiness by rinsing them. Just toss them into a colander and run cold water over them until they stop making bubbles.

Add the beans to the chili in the pan/pot and cook on a low temperature until the beans are hot, about 5-7 minutes. You might have to add a few tablespoons of water to prevent the chili from sticking to the bottom of the pan. I usually cook this chili in my deep dish cast iron frying pan.

Try serving this chili with grated cheese sprinkled on top and homemade cornbread, guacamole, and coleslaw on the side.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Classic "Baked" Beans (Quick and Easy)

The traditional way to make old-fashioned baked beans involves many hours of slow oven-baking. Honestly, I think this quick and easy version tastes pretty delicious without all the hard work. This recipe can be made quickly for hungry children just in the door from after-school activities; plus it is vegan (if you use a vegan Worcestershire sauce), gluten-free, and a high-protein meal.

Ingredients

15 oz. (one can) pre-cooked pinto beans or red beans
2 tbsp. barbecue sauce (use your favorite out of the jar)
1 tbsp. ketchup (use your favorite out of the jar)
1 tbsp. molasses
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (see note below regarding vegan)
1 tsp. onion powder
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

If you want to soak your beans overnight and cook them from scratch, then go for it; but this recipe tastes terrific with canned beans and they are so much easier. There is a nifty trick to cooking with canned beans. You can reduce their gassiness by rinsing them. Just toss them into a colander and run water over them until they stop making bubbles. The human digestive system will produce gas from beans no matter what, but if you eat beans fairly often then you will experience less gas when you eat them. And if you rinse them before throwing them into the pot then you will reduce the gassiness even more.

Combine all the ingredients and warm the beans up on the stove until they are piping hot. Note that Worcestershire sauce usually has anchovies in it. If you prefer to keep the baked beans vegan, use a brand of Worcestershire sauce that says “vegan” on the label. There are a number of varieties and they can usually be found in the natural foods section of the grocery store or at a natural foods specialty store.

This recipe serves three people. Multiply for a larger amount.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Grilled Garnet Yams

This recipe is so simple, there oughta be a law. These yams are totally the best and disappear so quickly that the hardest part is making enough. For 20 people I recommend 3 large garnet yams.

Ingredients

Garnet yams
Olive oil

Directions

Slice the yams about ¼ inch thick. It is not necessary to scrape the skin off first, but do so if you wish. Any yams in the yam family will work for this recipe, but the garnet yams are my favorite. Put the yam slices into a large bowl and coat them generously with olive oil, turning until all pieces are completely covered. That’s it! Just put them on the grill.

Grilling time will vary by how hot your grill is, what type of grill you have, and how many other things are on the grill with the yams. Be sure to spread the yams out so that they are only one layer thick and all yams get the best exposure to the heat of the grill. We usually cover the grill with aluminum foil and poke holes in it to do the yams. Grill them until they are soft yet still firm.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Grilled Marinated Jumbo Portobello Mushrooms

This recipe works best if you use large (jumbo-sized) Portobello mushrooms. After you grill the marinated mushrooms, you can slice them up to serve. Note that this recipe works best if you marinate the mushrooms overnight.

Ingredients

3 jumbo Portobello mushrooms
sesame oil or chili sesame oil
soy or tamari sauce (use wheat-free for a gluten-free meal)
onion powder
crushed garlic (or garlic powder)

Directions

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and place them with the underside facing up. Take the first mushroom and place it in a round bowl or storage dish. I usually stack the mushrooms in a plastic tub that has a lid and can be closed for storage in the refrigerator overnight. You don’t have to marinate these overnight. But they should sit with the marinade in them (as described below) for at least four hours before grilling.

Sprinkle the first mushroom with the sesame oil or chili sesame oil (depending upon whether or not you like spicy food). The oil should soak down into the mushroom. Remember that the mushroom is placed bottom-side-up so that the marinade will seep down into it. Next sprinkle the soy sauce or tamari sauce into the mushroom, and finally sprinkle the onion powder and garlic powder into it. If you use real crushed garlic, you probably want to use about one medium clove.

Stack the next mushroom on top of the first one and repeat the procedure. Then stack the third mushroom on top and again repeat. Preferably allow the mushrooms to sit overnight in the refrigerator. When it is time to cook the mushrooms, put them whole on the grill. After they are cooked (tender and juicy), then you can slice them up to serve. If you have an avid Portobello fan in the crowd, perhaps they will want to eat an entire mushroom like a burger on a bun.

Grilling time will vary by how hot your grill is, what type of grill you have, and how many other things are on the grill with the mushrooms.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Grilled Marinated Tofu

I started out marinating and grilling tofu whenever we barbecued for company so that I’d have something to eat. It didn’t take me long to realize that I had to make a lot more than I wanted because this delicious treat would disappear in a flash. (Children tend to love it.) It’s so simple. I recommend that you marinate the tofu overnight before grilling it.

Ingredients

24 oz. nigari or firm tofu
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. sesame oil
3 tbsp. soy or tamari sauce (use wheat-free for a gluten-free meal)
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. ground ginger (or more to taste)
1 tsp. onion powder (or more to taste) and/or ¼ c. finely chopped onions
1 tsp. garlic powder (or more to taste) and/or 1crushed garlic clove
Water to cover the tofu (see below)

Directions

Slice the tofu into pieces approximately ¼ inch thick and at least 2 inches square. Pieces can be larger, but should definitely not be thicker than ½ inch. You want them to be easy to turn on the grill without falling apart but thin enough to cook all the way through fairly quickly. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a square dish. Place the tofu into the dish. Add enough water to just cover all the tofu. Lift the tofu pieces to be sure that the marinade coats all of them on all surfaces.

Allow the tofu to sit in the marinade overnight. Turn the tofu a few times so that all surfaces are exposed to plenty of marinade. This recipe also works if you only marinate the tofu for a few hours, but it’s better if it sits in the marinade overnight.

Grilling time will vary by how hot your grill is, what type of grill you have, and how many other things are on the grill with the tofu. Grill the tofu, turning every so often, until the outside is browned and a bit hard or crispy.

If you like spicy food, try using a chili sesame oil instead of the plain sesame oil.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Sesame Cabbage Salad

This Asian-style slaw makes the perfect side dish for a wide variety of meals. I like to make this salad to go with latkes (and sour cream and apple sauce) for Hanukah. When I host a potluck dinner, I often make sure to have a bag of grated cabbage on hand in case no one brings a salad or in case there are not enough vegetables on the table, and then I just put this dish together quickly so that we all get our veggies. For the really quick version, either don’t bother to brown the sesame seeds or omit them.

Ingredients


16 oz. grated cabbage (equivalent of about 1 head of cabbage)
½ c. finely chopped onion
¼ c. pine nuts
½ c. sesame seeds
½ c. olive oil or coconut oil
2 tbsp. sesame oil
3 tbsp. maple syrup
¼ c. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. tamari sauce
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. celery seed

Directions

Heat 1-2 tbsp. olive oil in a frying pan. When the oil is hot (a little smoke will appear when it's hot -- then turn the heat down), put the sesame seeds into the pan and, turning frequently, brown them over medium high heat. Set them aside to cool.

Combine the cabbage, onion, and nuts. Add the oils, tamari sauce, and rice wine vinegar, then the maple syrup and spices. Add the cooled sesame seeds. Blend everything completely and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving. The cabbage will diminish in volume once it is completely coated in oil.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Pasta Twist Salad

When I was a starving student, I used to make cold pasta salad with mayonnaise for dinner all the time. It was an inexpensive, satisfying meal. Back in those days, there was little more to it than pasta, mayo, salt, and pepper (plus a little grated cheese if I was lucky). These days, I make a more elaborate version of cold pasta salad, loaded with goodies, that is a terrific addition to barbecue and summer picnic meals.

Ingredients

16 oz. spiral pasta (use rice pasta for the gluten-free version)
1 finely chopped red pepper
½ c. finely chopped onion or 1 tbsp. onion powder/granules
¾ c. finely chopped celery
½ c. sliced black olives
½ c. mayonnaise (more if desired)
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp. paprika
salt to taste
1 c. grated parmesan or cheddar cheese on the side (optional)

Directions

Boil the pasta until it is done. When it is cooked, rinse it with cold water. Add the mayonnaise and the powdered herbs/spices.

Chop the vegetables into small pieces. Use fresh dill if possible. Add them to the pasta salad and toss the ingredients together so that they are thoroughly combined. Adjust the amount of mayo to suit your taste. This dish can be made vegan by using a vegan mayo.

The grated cheese makes a lovely addition as a topping if desired.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Green Treat Sauté

Kale, collards, green beans, and red peppers – it doesn’t get much better than this for health or pleasure. My grandmother used to say “put butter and garlic on anything and it will taste delicious.” I expect she’s right. If you don’t do dairy, then olive oil can be substituted for the butter. Any way you choose to do this recipe, it really is a green treat.

Ingredients

1 bunch of collard greens (see below for preparation instructions)
1 bunch of kale (see below for preparation instructions)
1 lb. green beans
½ red pepper
2-3 tbsp. butter or olive oil
2 crushed cloves of garlic
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Black pepper and salt to taste

Directions

Fill a pot with enough water to amply cover the collards once they are chopped and bring the water to a boil.

Remove the central stem from the collards. Place 4-6 leaves on top of each other and roll them up width-wise into a tight tube, then slice them into thin strips. Follow this pattern with all the collards until they are all cut into thin shreds. When the water comes to a boil, simmer the collards, uncovered, for 6 minutes. After the collards have cooked for 6 minutes, toss them in a colander and rinse them with cold water to instantly stop them from cooking any further.

Remove the central stem from the kale. Place 4-6 leaves on top of each other and roll them up width-wise into a tight tube, then slice them into thin strips. Follow this pattern with all the kale until it is cut into thin shreds.

Snap the ends off the green beans and chop them into short lengths less than an inch long. Chop the half a red pepper into small bits.

Put the oil/butter into a deep dish frying pan and bring it to a high heat, then turn it back to medium and place the crushed garlic, red pepper, and kale in the pan. Sauté the vegetables, turning gently, for 2-3 minutes (until the red peppers soften). Add the collards and the lemon juice and mix to combine the veggies. Continue to sauté for another couple of minutes, until the collards warm back up. Add pepper and salt to taste. This dish is best if served immediately. It is an excellent companion dish to pasta, rice, and/or beans.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Eggplant and Rice Casserole

Dairy alert! This recipe includes cheese, yogurt, butter, and sour cream. When I make it, I substitute the sour cream with Tofutti sour cream to reduce the lactose in it. And I use sharp cheddar cheese. But, if you are quite lactose-intolerant then skip this one. For those avoiding gluten who can eat dairy, it will work as the perfect anchor for a wonderful vegetarian meal.

Ingredients

1 eggplant
1 Portobello mushroom
1 c. rice (uncooked)
6 oz. tomato paste (1 small can)
8 oz. tomato sauce (1 small can)
¼ c. warm water
½ c. sour cream (or Tofutti sour cream substitute)
½ c. yogurt
2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese (or other cheese of your choice)
1 tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ c. flax seed meal (or wheat germ if you eat gluten)
¼ c. butter
Salt to taste

Directions

Cook the rice in advance. Use 1 cup of uncooked rice to 2 cups of water and simmer on very low heat for 45-55 minutes. I recommend using an exotic rice, such as black japonica or red rice combined with a little wild rice. However, any rice will work fine (e.g., brown rice or Basmati rice). I like to add a teaspoon of olive oil to the cooking rice, but it is not necessary.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ and grease a large, oblong baking dish.

Peel the eggplant and slice it into thin rounds (not more than ¼-inch thick). Chop the Portobello mushroom into small pieces. Keep these vegetables separate from each other. Grate the cheese and set it aside.

Combine all the wet ingredients and the herbs in a bowl, stirring the tomato paste in well. Reserve the flax seed meal and butter for the topping and do not add the grated cheese to the wet mixture either.

This is how to assemble this dish. First spread the cooked rice in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle the mushrooms on top. Pour half of the wet mixture over this and spread it to the edges with a spoon. Sprinkle half (one cup) of the grated cheese over the mixture. Lay the eggplant rounds on next, placing them in an even layer that covers the cheese. Then pour the other half of the wet mixture over the eggplant rounds, spreading it to the edges. Sprinkle the other half (one cup) of the grated cheese over the eggplant rounds. Sprinkle the flax seed meal across the cheese and then dot generously with butter.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350˚, then remove the foil and continue baking for another 8 minutes to crisp up the top. This makes enough to serve about 6 people.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Charoset

A Passover favorite and traditional dish, Charoset could easily be served at any time of the year as a sweet appetizer to be eaten with crackers. Try dipping sweet-potato chips or rice chips into it for a party treat any time of year. During Passover, of course, Charoset is eaten with matzah.

Ingredients

4 apples (sweet, not tart)
2 c. chopped walnuts
½ c. sweet red wine (Manischewitz will do the trick nicely and feel free to add a little more to suit your taste)
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 tbsp. honey

Directions

Peel, core, and chop the apples into small pieces. Chop the walnuts in a nut chopper. Combine all the ingredients and allow to sit for half an hour (covered) in the refrigerator so that the apples make a little juice.

Ready to serve.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously! (And a Joyous Pesach to all!)

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Lentil Miso Soup

Miso makes a lovely soup base and trumps the need for a soup stock. I like to use red miso because it makes a hearty soup, and the flavor complements lentils nicely. The lentils should be soaked overnight to soften them up.

Ingredients


4 c. water
1 c. brown lentils (soaked in 4 c. water overnight)
1/4 c. adzuki beans (optional – if you use them, soak them with the lentils overnight)
3 tbsp. red miso
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 chopped carrots
3 chopped celery stalks
¼ c. chopped onion (or 1 tsp. onion powder)
2 crushed garlic cloves (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
2 shredded collard leaves (optional)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. thyme
½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
salt to taste

Directions

Soak the lentils (and beans if used) over night in 4-5 cups of water. Before cooking the soup, drain the lentils and beans and rinse them thoroughly. Put 4 cups of water into a pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the brown lentils (and adzuki beans) and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot. Let it simmer for one hour.

Slice the carrots, chop the celery, and chop the onion. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. When the oil is hot, turn down the heat and sauté the vegetables along with the crushed garlic cloves for a couple of minutes. If you use onion and garlic powders instead of the real vegetables, then don’t add them here. You will add them a little later.

Chop the collard leaves into shreds if you wish to include this ingredient. Set the collards aside.

After one hour, remove the pot with the lentils from the burner. Add the red miso and stir it in until it completely dissolves in the water. Then add 1-2 cups of additional water, depending on how thick you want the soup. Add the lemon juice. Put all the vegetables (both the sauté and the collards) and all the herbs/spices into the pot. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 20 minutes. If the soup is too thick for your taste, add a little water. It’s ready!

If you eat dairy, then try a little grated parmesan in this soup, or a dollop of sour cream.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Cilantro Tomatillo Salsa

If you like spicy (picante!) food then this is one of those appetizers that you will find addictive. Combined with a bowl of chips as an appetizer, this salsa will upstage the main meal.

Ingredients

2 bunches of cilantro
1 large avocado
4 tomatillos
2 Jalapeňo or Serrano chiles (or 3 if you love extra spicy)
1/3 c. chunked red onion
salt to taste

Directions

Cut the tomatillos, chiles, and onion into chunks and sear them by heating a cast iron pan until it’s hot and placing the vegetables into the pan dry, turning them frequently, to slightly brown them and make them soft. Put all the ingredients into a food processor and whirl until fully blended. Add a tiny bit of water if necessary for smooth texture and ease of blending.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Potato Cheese Casserole Au Gratin (Gluten-Free)

What? A gluten-free au gratin? Impossible. Au gratin by definition means that the dish has breadcrumbs on top. Enter my all-purpose breadcrumb substitute: flax seed meal. Flax seed meal is high in Omega-3 oil and provides fiber. It’s also tasty. This recipe is a version of scalloped potatoes with a crusty flax seed meal topping. It serves about four people and can be made with hard cheese and lactose-free milk for those who do not digest lactose well.

Ingredients

4 potatoes average size (about the size of a woman’s fist)
¼ c. finely chopped onions (or 1 tsp. onion powder)
1½ c. grated cheddar cheese (or gruyere, Fontina, or other; or combination)
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
2 eggs
1 c. whole milk (lactose-free works fine)
¼ c. flax seed meal
¼ tsp. black pepper
Dusting of paprika
Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Slice the potatoes very thin (no need to scrape off the skins). If your potato slices are thicker, then you will need to bake the casserole longer to get the potatoes to soften up. Chop the onion. Sauté the onion in olive oil until translucent (a few minutes). Grate the cheese. Grease a baking dish with butter and then spread 1 tbsp. of olive oil in the bottom of it. Place a layer of potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish, sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese (about ½ c. on top. Spread a second layer of potatoes, cover them with the onions (or onion powder) and again sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese on top. Place the final layer of potatoes in the baking dish and cover them with the rest of the cheese. Beat the eggs and combine them with the milk. Add the salt and pepper to the eggs and milk. Pour the egg and milk mixture evenly over the potatoes. Sprinkle the flax seed meal across the top. Dust with paprika. Generously dot the top with butter.

Cover the casserole and bake for 50 minutes at 350˚. Then uncover the casserole and bake for an additional 15 minutes to crisp the top.

If you want a richer and creamier au gratin, then toss the potato slices with ½ c. of sour cream before placing them in the baking dish.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

You will rarely find me putting sugar in a recipe, but a good strawberry rhubarb pie requires sugar. The strawberries and rhubarb are delicious, of course, but they are also tart. So if you prefer not to cook with sugar then you should skip this one. If you don’t mind a now-and-then foray into decadence, then try this recipe. A dollop of vanilla ice cream on top makes this perfect.

Ingredients

2½ c. diced pink rhubarb
2½ c. chopped strawberries
1 c. maple syrup
1 tbsp. tapioca flour
2 tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. orange peel (optional)
2 tbsp. orange juice
1 tbsp. butter
1 double-crust pie shell (either make from scratch or purchase ready-made—see below)

Directions

You will need a double-crust pie shell for this pie. You can either purchase a couple of readymade pie shells (use one on the bottom and put one on the top) or you can make your crust from scratch. Refer to my discussion about pie crusts (both with and without gluten) if you decide to make your own. A lattice crust is traditional for a strawberry rhubarb pie. The rest of this recipe assumes that you have the pie crust in which to place the strawberries and rhubarb.

Preheat the oven to 400˚. Chop the rhubarb and strawberries. In a large bowl combine the rhubarb and strawberries with the maple syrup, tapioca flour, and orange peel. Dissolve the cornstarch in the orange juice until it is smooth and blended, then add that to the rest of the filling mixture. Take a taste of the pie filling and add more syrup if you want it sweeter.

Prepare your bottom pie crust and place it in the pie pan then roll out your top pie crust. Refer to my discussion of pie crusts to make the crust from scratch. Do not place the filling into the bottom crust until the oven is preheated and you have the top crust ready. If you make a lattice top crust from scratch, you will, of course, need to put the filling into the bottom crust before you can lay the lattice crust across the top. Dot the filling with butter before putting the top crust on. Bake for 10 minutes at 400˚ and reduce heat to 350˚, then bake for another 45 minutes.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Peach Pie

The most perfect peach pie is made with fresh peaches in season. If you blanch them in boiling water for a minute, then the skins will pull right off. Or of course you can scrape the skins off if you prefer. If you don’t have fresh peaches handy, you can still make a delicious peach pie with frozen or canned peaches.

Ingredients

7 fresh peaches peeled and chopped or 4 c. frozen or canned peaches
¼ c. honey
1 tbsp. tapioca flour
½ cup raisins (optional)
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. mace
1 double-crust pie shell (either make from scratch or purchase ready-made—see below)

Directions

You will need a double-crust pie shell for this pie. You can either purchase a couple of readymade pie shells (use one on the bottom and put one on the top) or you can make your crust from scratch. Refer to my discussion about pie crusts (both with and without gluten) if you decide to make your own. The rest of this recipe assumes that you have the pie crust in which to place the peaches.

Preheat the oven to 350˚. If you use fresh peaches, remove the skins and pits and chop the fruit into bite-sized pieces. Combine the peaches, honey, tapioca flour, cinnamon, and mace. Add the raisins if you decide to include them. (Note that many children don’t like raisins in pie so better to leave them out if you are baking for children and you don’t know how they feel about raisins.) Blend the ingredients together.

Prepare your bottom pie crust and place it in the pie pan then roll out your top pie crust. Refer to my discussion of pie crusts to make the crust from scratch. Do not place the filling (peaches) into the bottom crust until the oven is preheated and you have the top crust ready. When your crusts are ready, place the peach filling in the bottom crust. Then cover the peaches with the top crust and place the pie in the oven. Bake for 1 hour at 350˚.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Apple Pie Like Mom Used to Make

The best apple pies I’ve made included a couple of different types of apples, not just one kind. I like to combine a tart apple, such as a Granny Smith or Pippin, with a sweeter apple, such as a Gravenstein or Fuji. Remember that Delicious apples don’t make good pie. Some good pie apples I have used are Jonathan, Arkansas Black, Jazz, and, my all-time favorite, the Honey Crisp.

Ingredients


7 average-sized apples peeled, cored, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/3 c. honey
3 tbsp. lemon juice (fresh-squeezed is best)
½ cup raisins (optional)
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter
1 double-crust pie shell (either make from scratch or purchase ready-made—see below)

Directions


Making a terrific apple pie depends a lot on the crust. You will need a double-crust pie shell. You can either purchase a couple of readymade pie shells (use one on the bottom and put one on the top) or you can make your crust from scratch. Refer to my discussion about pie crusts (both with and without gluten) if you decide to make your own. The rest of this recipe assumes that you have the pie crust in which to place the apples.

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Spread two sheets of aluminum foil in the bottom of the oven because there is a good chance the apple juice will overflow this pie and spill into the bottom of the oven.

Prepare your apples (peel, core, slice). In a large bowl combine the apples, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Add the raisins if you decide to include them. (Note that many children don’t like raisins in an apple pie so better to leave them out if you are baking for children and you don’t know how they feel about raisins.) Blend the ingredients together. Keep an eye out for marauding children stealing those sweet cinnamoned apple slices. (You can tell I have made this pie for my children many times. I have often had to slice more apples up by the time I have the pie crust ready because my boys ate half the apple filling!)

Prepare your bottom pie crust and place it in the pie pan then roll out your top pie crust. Refer to my discussion of pie crusts to make the crust from scratch. Do not place the apples into the bottom crust until the oven is preheated and you have the top crust ready. When your crusts are ready, place the apple filling in the bottom crust. Place dots of butter on the top apples before covering them up with the top crust. Then cover the apples with the top crust and place the pie in the oven. Bake for 60-70 minutes at 350˚. Apple juice should begin to bubble over when the pie is done.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Cherry Pie

Cherry pie is even more classic than apple as far as I’m concerned. There’s nothing better for dessert than hot cherry pie with vanilla ice cream. For the quintessential cherry pie, use fresh cherries when in season. I used to take my children up to the old Butler Cherry Ranch in June every year and we would pick cherries until our fingers were purple with juice. I’d take those cherries home and pit them and bake them into pie that tasted like a slice of heaven, as they say. We always had way more cherries than would fit in a pie or two, so I put them up in jars and used them all through the year. You don’t have to pick the cherries yourself to make a great cherry pie; even frozen, pitted cherries can be transformed into a heavenly dessert at any time of year. Here’s how.

Ingredients


5 c. pitted fresh cherries or two 1-lb. bags of frozen pitted cherries
1/3 c. honey (more if you prefer it sweeter)
3 tbsp. lemon juice (fresh-squeezed is best)
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 double-crust pie shell (either make from scratch or purchase ready-made—see below)

Directions


Making cherry pie is as easy as, well, as easy as pie, once you have your pie crust. That’s the complicated part. You need a double-crust pie shell to fill with the cherries. You can either purchase a couple of readymade pie shells (use one on the bottom and put one on the top) or you can make your crust from scratch. Refer to my discussion about pie crusts (both with and without gluten) if you decide to make your own. The rest of this recipe assumes that you have the pie crust in which to place the cherry filling.

Preheat the oven to 350˚. (I spread two sheets of aluminum foil in the bottom of the oven when I bake pie, just in case the juice spills over.)

If you use frozen cherries, they will have some cherry juice in the bag when you open it. Drain all the juice off of one of the bags of cherries and keep the juice from the other bag. My favorite cherry pie cherries are the dark Bing cherries because I love their deep purple-maroon color and their meaty texture. In a large bowl combine the cherries (in juice) and honey. In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with the lemon juice and stir together until all the cornstarch is blended. Pour the cornstarch and lemon juice into the bowl of cherries and stir. Set the cherry filling aside.

Prepare your bottom pie crust and place it in the pie pan then roll out your top pie crust. Refer to my discussion of pie crusts to make the crust from scratch. Do not place the cherry mixture into the bottom crust until the oven is preheated and you have the top crust ready. When all systems are go, place the cherry filling in the bottom crust, cover it with the top crust, and place it in the oven. Bake for one hour at 350˚.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

About Pie Crusts (with and without gluten)

Pie crusts are tricky creatures. They need to be treated with care. When I was a teenager, I asked my Grandma W to teach me how to make a pie crust. She was a terrific cook. She told me to combine 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of butter, and some ice cold water. She said to cut the butter into the flour/salt until it was the size of peas, then add the water until it stuck together. That was my basic pie crust recipe for many years. Once I mentioned to my mother that I used Grandma W’s pie crust recipe. Mom said, “You should ask my mother for her recipe. Her pie crust is much better than your Grandma W’s.” So I took her advice and asked her mother, my Grandma G, for her pie crust recipe. Grandma G’s recipe was identical to Grandma W’s! I couldn’t resist teasing Mom about it. I said that it was the old “Mom cooks it the best” deal. Mom grew indignant and said that was not the case, that her mother’s pie crust was far superior to that of her mother-in-law, and that Grandma W always ruined her pie crust because she “potchkeed” with the dough too much. There you have it in a nutshell. There is no English equivalent for the Yiddish word “potchkee.” But the moral of the story is that the fastest way to ruin a pie crust is to work it too much because then it gets tough. So don’t potchkee too much with your dough and you’ll be just fine.

Standard Whole Wheat Pie Crust


Here is a more detailed explanation of how to use the standard pie crust recipe of my grandmothers. Read the entire instructional section before starting. This is a whole wheat crust that I used for years with great success. If you don’t eat gluten, skip down to the gluten-free pie crust recipes below. Whole wheat crusts are not as light and flaky as white flour crusts, but in my opinion they taste much better. They are nutty and full-bodied. White flour crusts have limited flavor and no nutritional value.

For a standard whole wheat crust, put 2 cups of whole wheat flour on a large cutting board or other flat, smooth surface (that is easy to take to the sink to wash up afterward). Add ¼ teaspoon of salt. Next you cut in 3 heaping tablespoons of your choice of “grease.” By grease, I refer to solid fats, such as butter, palm oil shortening, or coconut. Cut the grease into the crust mixture using a pastry cutter or you can just as easily use two butter knives (drawing them across the dough). Cut the grease into the dough until the bits of grease are mostly no bigger than the size of peas (as Grandma W said). Heap all the dough together in a mound in the middle of the cutting board and create a well in the middle like a little volcano crater. Pour a tablespoon of cold water into the well and work it into the dough. The water should be very cold. Either use water that was kept in the refrigerator or let ice melt into it before you add it to the dough. Continue to add water slowly, a little at a time, and work it into the dough until the dough just barely sticks together in a ball. Don’t add so much water that the dough gets gooey. Sprinkle flour on the cutting board and on top of the ball of dough. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin, continuing to sprinkle flour on it so the rolling pin doesn’t stick. When the dough is rolled out large enough to fill your pie pan, lift and place it in the pie pan. Not to worry if it breaks up, you can mold it into place.

For a double pie crust, repeat the above procedure all over again for the top crust. Don’t put the filling in the pie until you are ready to lift the top crust off the cutting board and cover the pie, otherwise, you risk making the bottom crust too soggy as the filling soaks in. To help keep the top crust together, I usually roll it out on a piece of parchment paper. I can then lift the parchment off the cutting board and flip the crust onto the pie in one piece. You can use parchment paper to roll out your bottom crust as well if you like. I find that it makes it easier to lift a crust. I learned this trick when working with gluten-free pie crusts, which are more crumbly than wheat crusts. Be sure to pinch the edges securely all around on a double crust and then pierce the top in a few places to let the steam out.

Here are some variations on a theme. For a crisscross top crust, follow the directions above. When you have rolled out your top crust, take a butter knife and cut it into strips about ½-inch wide. Lay the strips across the top of the pie and gently weave them in and out of one another. Start with the middle, and longest, strips first (in both directions) and work your way down to the shorter strips. Other ingredients that you might want to add to your pie crust might include a couple of tablespoons of flax seed meal or wheat germ.

Gluten-Free Pie Crust Variations

The gluten-free pie crust is tricky because it tends to fall apart easily. Follow the same directions as above for rolling out the crust, but definitely roll it out on a piece of parchment paper for easier manipulation. I prepare a gluten-free crust in the same way that I prepare a whole wheat crust, but the ingredients are different. Here are two combinations that I have found to work well.

Here is my current most favorite combination: 1½ cups brown rice flour, ½ cup almond meal (I make this myself by whirling the almonds into the food processor for a minute or two), ½ teaspoon xanthan gum, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 heaping tablespoons palm oil shortening, 1 tablespoon butter, cold water as needed to form dough.

Here is another combination: ½ cup Teff flour, 1 cup brown rice flour, ½ cup chopped walnuts (or walnut meal if you whirl the walnuts in the food processor), 2 tablespoons flax seed meal, 2 tablespoons tapioca flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 heaping tablespoons grease of your choice, cold water to form dough.

Hopefully, these two different versions will give you some ideas about how to mix and match different flours to make a delectable gluten-free crust. The xanthan gum is like glue and very powerful, so don’t use too much. The tapioca flour also helps keep the crust together. Just as with the whole wheat crust, remember Mom’s warning: don’t potchkee too much with the dough.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Mediterranean Feta Spinach Bake

Spanikopita is one of my favorite foods. After I stopped eating gluten, I started thinking about a way to satisfy my love for spanakopita even though I had given up on filo dough. This casserole did the trick.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
½ onion, chopped (about ¾ cup) or 2 tbsp. onion powder
2 crushed cloves of garlic
10 baby Portobello mushrooms (sliced)
1 lb. spinach washed and chopped (be sure to wash out all the grit)
1c. crumbled feta cheese
1 c. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
10 eggs
3-4 tbsp. chopped oregano (fresh or dry)
¼ tsp. black pepper
salt to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Chop the onion and slice the mushroom. Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet until medium hot then add the onion, mushrooms, and crushed garlic. Reduce the heat, add 1 tbsp. butter and the oregano and black pepper. Gently fry the vegetables on medium-hot heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Add a little water if necessary to prevent sticking. Wash and chop the spinach. Turn the heat down very low and add the spinach. Cover the pan and steam until the spinach wilts. (You might need to add a bit of water to the skillet to prevent the other vegetables from sticking while you steam the spinach.)

Strain all the liquid out of the vegetables. Add the other 1 tbsp. of butter to the vegetables and melt it in. Beat the eggs and add them to the vegetable mixture along with the crumbled feta cheese and ½ c. of grated Parmesan. Blend the ingredients together. Add salt if desired (I don’t use salt much since it can always be added afterward and everyone has a different taste for salt, it seems). Pour the mixture into a greased oblong casserole dish and sprinkle the other ½ c. of the Parmesan cheese on top.

(Note:  for an extra flavor treat, add approximately 3-4 tbsp. each of the following fresh, chopped herbs:  cilantro, parsley, basil. Add these herbs with the spinach so they wilt when steamed.)

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until the center seems firm.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Creamy Rutabaga Soup

Until I used rutabaga in this soup, I had never cooked one before. The rutabaga soup turned out so good, that my husband and I became hooked on it and were making it every week for a while. This recipe is simple and tastes very rich and creamy even with nonfat or low-fat milk. Use lactose-free milk if you like, but don’t skip the butter. The most fun of all about this soup is saying the word “rutabaga.”

Ingredients

2 rutabagas slightly larger in size than tennis balls (will make 4 bowls of soup)
½ cup water (or vegetable soup stock if you have some handy)
1 cup milk (more may be needed, read directions below)
2 tbsp. butter (or olive oil if you insist on skipping the butter)
1 tbsp. dried thyme or 2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
¼ tsp black pepper
salt to taste

Directions

Peel and thinly slice the rutabagas. Put them into 4 cups of boiling water and simmer on medium to low heat for 20 minutes or until the rutabagas are soft enough to mash with a fork. Drain the water off. Put the rutabagas in the blender with the 2 tbsp. of butter. The butter should be a bit soft, but does not need to be melted. It will melt in the hot rutabagas. Add the water/stock and then the milk. The liquid should cover the rutabaga but not extend above it in the blender. Add the thyme, pepper, and salt and whirl in the blender until smooth. Place the soup back into a pot and reheat slowly over low heat. The milk in the soup will cause it to burn to the sides of the pot if you reheat it too quickly. I think that the “secret ingredient” to this soup is the thyme, which lends it a remarkable uncomplicated, delicious flavor.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Pan-Fried Sesame Asparagus and Carrots

This dish is simple to make, provides an excellent side of vegetables to accompany an entrée, and is colorful to boot.

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus spears
3 slender carrots
1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. sesame seeds

Directions

Break the tough ends off the asparagus spears and scrape tough skin off the carrots. Cut the asparagus spears and carrots at an angle so that they have an attractive diagonal-cut shape. Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat. After the oil has been heating for 2 minutes, put the sesame seeds in the skillet and stir frequently to toast them. Add the carrots to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, turning frequently to avoid browning. Add the asparagus and continue to cook, stirring frequently. Sauté the vegetables until they are soft but still crunchy, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Friday, February 11, 2011

Carrot and Ginger Soup

This soup is surprisingly sweet and the ginger makes it tangy also. It’s inexpensive, simple, and warms you up on a cold winter night. Made with carrots fresh from the garden, it’s heaven.

Ingredients

4 large carrots or equivalent for approximately 3-4 cups of chopped carrots
2 tsp. chopped ginger or 1 tsp. ginger powder
6 c. water or soup stock (add more if necessary for desired consistency)
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. coriander (optional)
Salt to taste

Directions

Wash the carrots. You can get away with not scraping the carrots if you scrub them and if the skin is not too tough. Carrot skin has good nutrients in it and is worth keeping in the soup. Since you will put this soup through the blender, you can usually get away with leaving the skin on. It’s your call. Chop the ginger into tiny pieces. Be careful not to put too much ginger into this soup. It can be surprisingly strong. If you want more ginger, you can always carefully add incremental amounts of powdered ginger to taste.

Boil the carrots and ginger in the water until the carrots are soft. Then add the pepper and coriander and put the mixture in the blender. Blend at high speed to smooth consistency. Add salt to taste. Return the soup to the pot and warm over low heat until piping hot.

I usually don’t put salt in soup because it can always be added later to suit the salt taste of each person individually.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Ron’s Exceptional Sweet Potato Pie

My husband Ron taught me how to make a sweet potato pie. I had never tasted one before I met him. You can’t find anything that qualifies more as Soul Food than a sweet potato pie. And Ron’s is the best. Note that what I call “sweet potato” is actually, technically a garnet yam. This pie can be made with any of the yam family roots, but my very favorite is the garnet yam.

Ingredients

4 medium-sized sweet potatoes or garnet yams (to make approximately 4 c. when cooked and mashed)
3 tbsp. butter
1/3 c. milk
1 egg (beaten)
1/3 c. honey
2 tbsp. molasses
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. allspice
Pinch of mace
1 pie shell (either make from scratch or purchase ready-made)

Directions

Peel and slice the sweet potato and boil the slices until they are soft. Boiling time varies depending on how thin you slice the sweet potato. It usually takes about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350˚.

When the sweet potato is soft, drain out the water and melt in the butter. Mash the sweet potato. Beat the egg and add that as well as the other wet ingredients. Add in the spices. Blend well until the mixture is smooth and has no lumps. Use an electric mixer if necessary. The pie filling should have an even consistency.

Put the filling into the pie shell. If you buy a ready-made pie shell, then you will likely have enough filling for two since they are small. Bake at 350˚ for 50 minutes or until the filling is set and crust browns.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Winter Bean and Vegetable Soup

Here is a basic soup recipe that you can play with (improvise) for a rich and warming winter soup. It’s sort of a “stone soup” because you can combine whatever you have in the refrigerator and cupboard that looks good to you on any given day. Served with a slab of homemade bread and butter, you have a complete Tolstoyan style peasant meal.

Ingredients

14 c. water
¼ c. split peas
1/3 c. brown lentils
1/3 c. adzuki beans
1 chopped potato
2 chopped carrots
2 chopped celery stalks
6 oz. stewed tomatoes
¼ c. chopped onion (or 1 tsp. onion powder)
2 crushed garlic cloves (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
½ c. grated cabbage
2 shredded collard leaves
1 tbsp. olive oil
1½ tsp. dill weed (or use fresh dill, if you have some handy, for a real treat)
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
½ tsp. coriander
salt to taste

Directions

Put the water into a large stew pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the split peas, brown lentils, and adzuki beans and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot. Set a timer for one hour.

Chop the potato into cubes no more than ½-inch in size, slice the carrots, chop the celery, and chop the onion. Add these vegetables to the pot and also add the stewed tomatoes and the olive oil. Crush the garlic cloves and add them to the pot. Grate the cabbage and add that to the pot. Add the herbs. Go light on the salt. (Salt can always be added later by individuals as per their own taste.) Remove the central vein from the collard leaves. Roll the collards into a tube and slice cross-wise into thin shreds. Add the collard shreds to the pot. Now be patient. Cook the soup for one hour from when you put in the dried legumes, or until they are soft. The other vegetables will soften before the legumes.

You may wish to add some water to the pot as the soup cooks, depending on how thick you want your soup. Serve this soup hot with bread and butter. Yum! Warm and tasty for a winter night.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Marinated Baked Tofu

Give this tofu time to sit in the marinade for a couple of hours before you bake it. Tofu soaks up the flavor you give to it and this is a good one. These tofu pieces are handy to have around as a snack or to throw into other dishes. Bake up a batch and keep it in the fridge for later use. A little bag of these hits the spot for the children to get a protein boost before the soccer game.

Ingredients


10-12 oz. nigari or firm tofu
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. sesame oil
½ c. water
2 tbsp. soy or tamari sauce (use wheat-free for a no-gluten meal)
1 tbsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder

Directions

Cut the tofu into 1-inch squares about ¼ inch thick. Combine the oil, soy sauce, and water in a square baking dish. Lay the tofu squares out on a cutting board or cookie sheet and sprinkle them with the ginger, onion, and garlic powders. Place one layer of tofu into the baking dish, then put another layer on top of that, and another if necessary (depending on the size of the baking dish). For those of you who like spicy hot food, try sprinkling a bit of Mongolian Fire Oil (sesame oil with chili) on the tofu when you place it in the dish to marinate. Be sure that all the tofu is covered by the marinade. Let it sit for a couple of hours.

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Lay the tofu squares out on a well-greased cookie sheet in one layer. Bake them for 15-20 minutes, until they become a bit tough and chewy.

These baked tofu squares will keep in the refrigerator for a week or more.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Apple Banana Custard Bake

Fruit lover? This recipe will hit the spot. It is versatile and can be made with many different fruit combos. Below is the version for apples and bananas. Read all the way to the end of the recipe for some other fruit combo ideas that work with this recipe. The basic recipe is gluten-free. This is a sinfully satisfying treat for diabetics and people with gluten sensitivity.

Ingredients

2 c. peeled and sliced apples and bananas (about 2 large apples and 2 bananas)
4 eggs
1 c. yogurt
¾ c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
Dusting of nutmeg for the top

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375˚. Peel and slice the fruit. (Slice the apples thin.) Set the fruit aside. Combine all the other ingredients, except for the nutmeg. You can substitute maple syrup for the honey if you like. Use an electric mixer to blend the yogurt smoothly into the mixture (beat on high for a minute or two). Combine the fruit with the custard and mix together well.

Grease a flat baking dish or glass pie pan. Pour the fruit and custard into the baking dish and dust the top with nutmeg. Bake at 375˚ for 45 minutes or until the custard is firm when jiggled. Delicious warm or chilled.

This basic recipe works for many combinations of fruit. Try making it with pears, or peaches, or a berry mixture. Pears and pineapple pieces: yum! If you like nuts, put some pecans or chopped walnuts on top.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Polenta Pizza with Feta, Sundried Tomato, and Pesto

Polenta provides a terrific base on which to build a gluten-free pizza. For this recipe you will need pesto, which is always best when made fresh. Refer to my pesto recipe. You can also make this recipe with tomato sauce instead of pesto. The point is that the polenta is used instead of a pizza crust.

Ingredients

2 c. cold water
1½ c. yellow cornmeal
4½ c. boiling water
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. honey
2 tbsp. butter
¾ c. pesto (or, alternatively, tomato sauce)
¾ c. sundried tomatoes chopped
½ c. crumbled feta cheese
1 c. grated cheddar cheese (or combination cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan)
1 tbsp. oregano
Optional other additions to the topping are listed below

Directions

If you are going to use a fresh pesto, made from scratch, then prepare that before you begin this recipe. Refer to my pesto recipe.

Put the cold water and salt into a pot. Gradually add the cornmeal, whisking it into the water with a wire whisk. Then add the boiling water and blend it with the cornmeal with a wire whisk. Heat the mixture to boiling. Then turn the heat down to low and cook covered (it “pops” and sputters) until the cornmeal turns to a thick polenta, about 25 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent sticking to the pot. When the polenta is nice and thick, remove it from the heat, stir in the butter (be sure it melts all the way in) and the agave nectar. Then spread the polenta in a greased Pyrex pie pan or a greased quiche baking dish (low, flat, round). Allow the polenta to sit for approximately 20 minutes for it to firm up.

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Chop the sundried tomatoes. I usually use julienne-cut sundried tomatoes marinated in oil. Grate the cheddar cheese (or combination cheeses). Crumble the feta.

When the polenta is firm, spread the pesto (or tomato sauce) generously across the top evenly. Sprinkle the cup of cheddar (or combination of cheeses) evenly across the top. Next put a layer of sprinkled crumbled feta. Then put a layer of the sundried tomatoes. Sprinkle the oregano.

Feeling creative? Here are some other toppings that you might wish to add: marinated artichoke hearts, chopped olives, sliced fire-roasted red peppers, pineapple pieces. And my favorite addition is jalapeňo peppers (if you like spicy food, the peppers are awesome). I like to sprinkle some onion powder on top. If you are an onion-lover (or likewise garlic) then fry up some onions (and/or garlic) to scatter on top as well.

When you have your polenta pizza assembled, put it in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the goodies on top are thoroughly heated. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then slice and serve as you would a traditional pizza.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!

Pan-Fried Sweet Potatoes (Garnet Yams)

I always forget that what I refer to as sweet potatoes are technically called “garnet yams.” I prefer the garnet yams, but this recipe works with yams or sweet potatoes just as well. You can even do a combination of the two. I find that the garnet yams are sweeter and I love the bright orange color. This recipe is simple, but requires patience since you have to stir the yams frequently while they’re cooking to prevent them from burning.

Ingredients

2-3 sweet potatoes or garnet yams
3-4 tbsp. or more olive oil
Optional herbs: ground rosemary, tarragon, black pepper
Optional: ½ c. walnuts or pecans

Directions

I usually leave the skin on the yams, but it can be tough, depending on the batch of yams. If you think you would prefer not to deal with the skin on the finished product, then scrape it off. Slice the yams into rounds about 1/8-inch thick. Put 3 tbsp. of olive oil into a large skillet and turn the heat on high. When the oil begins to smoke slightly (is very hot), turn the heat down to medium and put the sweet potatoes into the pan. Fry the sweet potatoes, turning them frequently, for 15-20 minutes. Add more olive oil if necessary to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. If you want to use any of the optional herbs listed, add them when you put the yams in to cook. If you wish to include the nuts, put them in at the start as well. Do not put a lid on the pan or the sweet potatoes will steam down and get mushy quickly. You can turn the heat up a bit on them if you watch them very carefully and keep turning them frequently. You don’t want them to burn. The thinner they are sliced, the faster they will cook. To see if they are done, take out one of the thickest slices and bite into it. Be patient and keep tending them until they are done.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!