New Beginnings

If only the days were longer...
It would probably not make much difference: we'd fill up the extra hours very quickly.

I've been meaning to post here for a while now. I have SO much to say.
Just finished my Detox with my friend. Yes - detox. I am fully aware of what I said about it in the past. I feel very strongly about how "Detox" and "Cleansing" were turned into a buzzword.
A lot of those are no more than good profit in someone's pocket...
Why would I choose to detox?
First of all, the plan we have followed is not one that deprives us of nourishment. No juice cleanse for me...  I admire those who can stick with it for any length of time. I, however, have no energy on a liquid only diet.
 We eat very well.  The annual detox serves as a reminder of what "clean eating" should be.
(I need that reminder after the Holiday season and the long winter :) )
This is the plan we follow

We tend to wait till near the end of February to start.   It kind of "resets the system".
We are getting closer to the season when at least hot house local produce becomes available...
Now, we are not perfect.  I still drink coffee during my detox. Why?  I enjoy my coffee.  I  managed to quit coffee for 10 days when I did a previous detox. I survived :)  I don't feel the need to prove to myself that I can do it.  I'm sure life would be more pure without caffeine:)

Each year, I make new discoveries as we go through the stages of detox. We have a week for each stage, which gives plenty of time to observe one's responses to different foods.
Since we are limited in some ways, it forces us to think and also gives an opportunity to search for foods, recipes we normally don't include in our diet.
This year,  chia was central to my detox.  Oh, I was familiar with it for a long time. I have included it in many dishes. Made chia puddings, too. However, this time, I discovered a couple of new chia recipes and made those diligently after adding my own touch.

In addition to chia, Mung beans served me well.   I made a large amount of Kitchari and enjoyed it as my main meal often. (It freezes well, too)

I found that not eating bread and other baked goods  made the greatest difference. My digestion improved, I felt lighter.  Since then, I have added bread to my diet but am less reliant on it. Gone are the days when I would reach for a sandwich as my first choice to satisfy my hunger.

All these changes happened over time. I learned something each time we did the detox. The first one was in 2012. Prior to that I did a different one for 10 days, under the guidance of a Naturopath.
I found that one a bit short. 21 - 28 days gives you a chance to get into some good habits.

In my next post, I will tell you all how a powerful blender changed my life in the kitchen.

More Market

It may not sound as exciting as it tastes amazing...

We have not had spinach at the market yet, but I picked some up at the health food store. Then, today,
I got my fresh, market strawberries...  could not resist: turned it into a lovely salad, along with the baby spinach, some roasted almonds, and cashews. A little goat cheese and a drizzle of Balsamic....
So good!
We had Asparagus soup  with it and fresh raspberries for dessert.

Tomorrow I'll be making Garlic Scapes Pesto. (Yes, the scapes are back!)

I know, I'm overdue with some photos... I'll make up for it:)

Sunday Night Improv

As long as there are fresh veggies in the Fridge, dinner is not far ...

Tonight - a quick improv with whatever we had on hand:

Spelt tortillas in the fridge
Asparagus of the thick kind
Green Garlic
Shallots,
Poblano peppers
Grated Gruyere in the freezer
Vegannaise
and some Garlic Spice mix

So I put those together:

Sauteed Shallots and Green Garlic
Added some Poblano
Added the Asparagus in pieces
Sprinkled it with some Garlic Spice,
Covered it and let it cook on low for a while

Spread Vegannaise on the Tortillas
Sprinkled them with more Garlic Spice
Added a just a touch of cheese (for those who don't believe it's good without cheese)
Filled them with the Asparagus mix/Folded them and Cooked them briefly on each side in the frying pan.
Voila!

To Market, To Market... Again:)

Oh, the anticipation all winter long...
The countdown to starting date.
The excitement of the first morning...
What am I talking about? The local Farmer's Market, of course:).

What  a delight.  A few stalls with fresh, local produce. They look like veggies and fruits. They smell like vegetables and fruits. They are picked the night before. Can you beat that?

Even this early in the season, there is a thrill.
I kind of cheated this time and went to another market on Saturday. It was a thrill to acquire things like organic amber turnips, wild leeks (also known as ramps)...
Then, today, was the first day of our local market.
I did not really know what to expect as our growing season was a bit delayed by the long cold winter and unseasonable temperatures in the spring.
However, there were gorgeous, huge bunches of asparagus, green garlic, hot house peppers, tomatoes,
fresh kale,  lots of beautiful potted herbs... So I shopped. Then I came home and inspired by the freshness, I cooked. I felt like a painter must feel every time he stands in front of a blank canvas...

I cooked a  White bean soup with the kale, using Fire Roasted tomatoes, a potato, a couple of Heirloom Carrots (from Saturday's market)  and the gorgeous fresh green garlic. (one whole piece!)  I added some Tuscan Seasoning. Lovely:)

I cooked a giant pot of Asparagus Soup.  I froze it for those days when we can no longer get fresh (local) Asparagus.

Can't wait till next Thursday!

Amazing Detox-friendly Ice Cream

This is not a recipe. I can't really give quantities. I use a Magic Bullet for smoothies and have discovered that when I add too little liquid (usually non-dairy milk) to my fruits, I get a nice creamy consistency. Sometimes I have Mango Ice cream, other times Banana Ice cream.

Later, I found out on the internet that you can turn your Banana Ice cream into a lovely Chocolate Ice cream by adding Cacao to it. Delicious!

Then,  just because I have to have the "last word" :),  I added Shredded Coconuts to the above.  Very good.
Still feeling creative, I topped the Ice Cream with frozen Sour Cherry pieces. Now you're talking!
What a dessert! Who needs sugar?

detox

... once more.

Happy New Year

It is time, once more, to get in shape for the summer.
:)
It is not a weight-issue. It is simply a predictable pattern:
fall/early winter translate into comfort foods. Make that too many comfort foods.
Holidays mean LOTS of treats, desserts, etc.
January brings a desire to do better, to improve, etc.

It's that time again. I am actually looking forward to a detox. (Starting on the 12th)

Why I rushed here to post after a prolonged absence was the discovery of delicious greens.
(This is the time I start craving greens like crazy)

Swiss Chard

1 bunch chard chopped small (leaves and stems)
1 onion sliced thin
a few garlic cloves
EVOO
S&P
(cheese - optional)

Preheat oven @350

Mix veggies with oil, S&P - bake for 15 min.
Add another TBSP oil - bake for anothe 15 min. (until chards are done, onions and garlic have attractive colour) Serve with or without cheese. Very delicious.:)

A New Recipe is Born

Created by necessity, craving and curiosity.

Necessity : a need to use up whey left over from making yogurt cheese the other day.
Craving: for something ginger-y.
Curiosity: to see whether combining a couple of recipes would work.

And, thus my Ginger Oatmeal Whey Pancake Recipe is born.

(Inspired by Mollie Katzen's Gingerbread Pancake and Martha Rose Shulman's Oatmeal Buttermilk Blueberry Pancake)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of oats
1/2 cup milk (it can be non-dairy)

1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/2 cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger (I'd make it with 1 tsp next time)
1/2 tsp allspice

2 eggs,
1 cup whey
1/2 cup buttermilk
(or omit whey and replace with 1 1/2 cup buttermilk)
3 TBS canola oil

crystallized ginger pieces chopped into tiny bits

1. Mix oats w milk - set aside
2. Combine  dry ingredients
3. Beat eggs with buttermilk, whey and oil
4. Add dry ing. to egg mixture
5. Fold in Oats
6. Let it rest in fridge for and hour or overnight.

Add ginger pieces as you are making the individual pancakes.

Now, these were so good that I had to sit down to post the recipe - I don't want to forget the details.

Nature walk - good for the soul

This post is dedicated to my cyber-friend,  "jehanne" :)

This was a very early morning.... Our hike started at 5 a.m. through fields, forests... As I set up my camera by the lake, the earlier greys gave way to warmer colours. The mist glowed in the amber rays of the sun.  Weeds, flowers glistened. The dew seemed like tiny jewels on their surfaces...

I only had a couple of hours sleep the night before but came away feeling refreshed, happy.

In earlier posts I talked about Nature Appreciation. It was a very important point in Blissology.

I am fully convinced that it is.

We need so much more of it in our lives. This walk was not unlike yoga, in the sense of "being there". Within the first few moments I forgot about everything, only the "moment" mattered. 

(Numerous mosquitoes made sure that I stayed focused on the moment :) )

A hike like this is a great tool for stress release.

Dawn with mist over the lake
My photo does not do it justice...

Dew

Two friends

Mist

Jewels in the sunlight

Little snail

• 
  

Saturday Morning Oatmeal

I usually have oatmeal for breakfast . My standard fare is: Rolled Oats with Almond Milk, with a tablespoon of Carob Powder and half of a frozen banana, sliced. I microwave this, then add a tablespoon of sprouted flax.
On Saturdays or Sundays, I like to make some baked oatmeal.
I played with a recipe I found on the net until I had it "just right".
Here it is:

Mix in a largish bowl:
2 cups of Extra Thick Rolled Oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 TBS carob powder (optional)

In a small bowl mix:
3 TBS warm water
1 TBS chia seeds

In another bowl
Mash 1 ripe banana
add 2 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups almond milk (or other milk)

Add the chia to the banana mixture (once the chia had time to gel)
Add the liquid ingr. to the Oats. Mix.

Pour into a greased 8X8 sq. pan and
place sliced bananas over the top. (about 2 bananas)

Bake for 30 min. at 350 F.
Enjoy!

(4 nice large portions or 6 smaller ones)

No added sugar - whole grain - fruit....  filling and tastes delicious.

I owe you a photo:)

Sugar free

Not quite yet- but working towards it.

Found a couple of beautiful recipes to try  for when I actually get there:

Chocolate Cherry Banana Muffins

Berry Beautiful Berry Pie with Chocolate Crust

Sugar free does not mean it cannot be sweet...

Happy New Year!

Starting a New Year:)

Lots of ideas on how to make it a better year.

I'll keep working on them - and posting them:)

Greens and More Greens

The discovery:
I can use greens in so many creative ways ...   They do not need to be in a salad.
I have added kale to my lentil soup, served it in my Ribollita, along with Savoy Cabbage. Sauteed Collard Greens with Mushrooms- they were a hit even with my husband who is "anti-green"...
Rapini with Edens Twisty Kamut pasta... With some imagination, it's easy include them.

New Year is not far away... I'm getting ready for new challenges.
Stay tuned:)

Ribollita

There is nothing like a big pot of soup...

http://www.thestar.com/living/food/recipes/article/547259--tuscan-bean-and-kale-soup-ribollita

A New Recipe is Born

Macaroni and Cheese
My favourite food of childhood. The one that was responsible for the weight I carried.
Here I am some 40 years later - still love it.
I am a bit smarter now... at least, I hope. :)

My Macaroni is made out of red and white quinoa. It has protein, fiber.
The cheese: Gruyere. Not much: just a cup of grated cheese in  2% Evaporated Milk. (A bit of cornstarch added to thicken the sauce)
I need veggies... I was searching for broccoli in my freezer: no luck. I found some green peas.
Sure, why not?
Added a cup of green peas to my ingredients  list.
Looked for some suitable veggies in the fridge while I was already softening a chopped sweet onion with some chopped garlic scapes from the freezer, over some olive oil in a frying pan.
I found a bunch of rapini. Washed it well, chopped it, added it to my onion, sprinkled it with some red pepper flakes - and let wilt and reduce in volume.

I spread 1/3 of the cooked macaroni in my baking dish,
added the green peas, as they were, semi-frozen,
covered that with more macaroni,
added my onion/garlic scapes/rapini mix,
covered it with the remaining macaroni,
gave it a sprinkling of Black pepper,
poured the hot cheese sauce on,

and baked it in a preheated 375F oven for about 35 minutes.

A nice and filling lunch or dinner for 6  with a soup or a salad.

A Funny Story - with a Moral

 I will tell you a funny story.
It's a true story and there is a moral, too...
I know that it's important to label anything we put in the freezer.
I do it, pretty religiously, listing the item, and the date I froze it.
A couple of things I don't always bother with as they go through quick rotation. My sliced bananas don't get labeled, my garlic and my ginger are not labeled. Anyone can tell them apart... and I use them within the week so there is no problem.

This morning, in a hurry, I grabbed my oatmeal, added the almond milk, carob and reached for the small pack of sliced bananas. I mixed everything, put it in the microwave. As I was closing the door, I smelled "cooking smell" - so I made a mental note to clean the microwave soon.
It beeped - I grabbed the flaxseed that I add after cooking so as not to heat it, mixed it once more and settled into a chair to eat. The first bite was shocking. The banana was hard. Bananas are NEVER hard -  - wait a minute: this "banana" smelled... of garlic. Itwas garlic.
And thus my breakfast ended up in the garbage...  

Moral of the story:
Label. Everything.

More and More

I've been playing with recipes, inventing others...

Tonight's quick creation:

Collard Greens and Cremini Mushrooms over Shallots and Garlic - Served with Soba Noodles.

I used Olive oil to saute the Shallots/Garlic/Greens and Mushrooms -
Seasoned it with Black Pepper, Tamari - added a bit of Sherry for good measure -
a good spray of Garlic Olive Oil. Simple and delicious.
Don't tell anyone: it's also nutritious:).

For the Love of ... Okra

A new one for me...
I tried okra for the first time this year. For some reason, Lentil and Okra sounded like a match.
I had a wonderful Lentil soup recipe - a lucky internet find - and I decided I'd play with it a bit to accommodate the okra.

Here it is  - because it's delicious and I'd hate to forget it.

Lentil Okra Soup.

Ingredients:
1 cup red lentils
2 cups water
1 tsp turmeric
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 - 2 tsp Caraway seeds
1 TBS veg. oil
1 cup diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped okra
4 cups veg. broth

1. cook the lentils in the water with the turmeric in a stockpot
2. heat the oil in a skillet, add the caraway , stir until it's fragrant,
3. add the onions, cook until softened
4.  add the bay leaf and the okra.
    Cook for a few minutes
5. Add the tomatoes, stir.
6. Once Lentils are done, blend, using an immersion blender or Food processor, then
 add the broth and the the contents of the skillet. ( Remove bay leaf before blending the soup)
Stir and serve.


A nice fall/winter salad:

Roasted vegetables and Chickpea salad

Heat oven to 425-450 F

Ingredients:
(this is a flexible list - other veggies could work equally well )

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 head of broccoli, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 red pepper
1 can chickpeas
Olive oil to coat the bottom of the roasting pan
2 TBS Balsamic or Sherry Vinegar
1 TBS  Tarragon Mustard (or a good Dijon)

Spread Olive oil on the roasting pan.
Add the veggies - and roast - check frequently.  Once it's done, mix together with the chickpeas. Mash the roasted garlic.
Add the vinegar - mustard dressing and toss well.
Enjoy!

More Fun with Napa

You can't really go wrong with a salad.

This week's version of Napa Cabbage:

Sliced Napa
Jicama, peeled and chopped
Shallot, sliced thin
Handful of Curried Raw Sunflower seeds

Dressing:
Grape Seed Oil and Rice Vinegar  in 2:3 ratio.

Very pleasant, mild with a little hint of spice (in the seeds)

The Soups of the Season

I've been cooking soups daily (and filling my freezer).
Currently, I have containers of Cauliflower Soup, Broccoli Soup, Lentil Soup, Mushroom Barley Soup,
Cream of Mushroom Soup, Black Eyed Pea Soup, Cannelini Soup.
They are great in the fall and winter seasons.
I find that as long as I have soup ready, making lunches, dinners becomes less of a chore.

Having a large salad and fruit salad also helps:)
It is no longer "what will I make for dinner". I just pull out a large bowl, gather my goodies from the veggie drawer, the pantry shelf and make a salad out of it.
If I have a good dressing - it is ALWAYS  well-received by family.

Speaking of dressings: I stopped buying them a while ago. If I don't have anything made up, it's a breeze to put together something with the help of  Olive Oil and Balsamic, Sherry, Rice, or Apple Cider vinegars.