tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29866142980829103182024-03-15T15:46:17.288-04:00Kitchen Vignettes by AubergineA video food blog celebrating the joys of the kitchen and local organic eating.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-31735467400234166782019-03-25T12:35:00.000-04:002019-03-25T12:37:09.509-04:00Got a bag of carrots? Make Tunisian "carrot pesto"!This recipe is deceivingly simple but so flavourful.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEuqfKsf5dFK6rD5RONkPNar-cvXk2MgAlPJykZOXr8ZrIr1LoIohqja0beFgevMO4dD_5ZsabrQXDh5kA2JdbagErQgeKnR4CHP5iDzpvvIhkhWdrqstJt7exxQ5Ax0pk5rEPOJNG7YQ/s1600/SL4A3258-cc+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEuqfKsf5dFK6rD5RONkPNar-cvXk2MgAlPJykZOXr8ZrIr1LoIohqja0beFgevMO4dD_5ZsabrQXDh5kA2JdbagErQgeKnR4CHP5iDzpvvIhkhWdrqstJt7exxQ5Ax0pk5rEPOJNG7YQ/s1600/SL4A3258-cc+small.jpg" /></a></div>
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I've written before about the special place my heart holds for Tunisia, my dear friend <a href="http://kitchenvignettes.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-story-about-friendship-and-food.html" target="_blank">Synda</a>, and our shared love of cooking. This is a recipe she taught me, many years ago, a Tunisian classic called Ommek Houria. It's kind of like a pesto, maybe more of a spread... some people even call it carrot caviar! You can learn from the pro and watch Synda preparing it on her beautiful online <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoFnfCEOopQ&t=1s" target="_blank">Tunisian cooking show here</a>! I love this recipe because the ingredients are fairly commonplace, but the flavour combination is new and exciting.<br />
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A couple months ago, I volunteered to cook a benefit dinner to raise funds for the <a href="https://www.madagascarschoolproject.com/" target="_blank">Madagascar School Project</a>, and for the appetizers, I made little crostini (baguette toasts) with Ommek Houria, and also <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFYIYIqcscQ" target="_blank">Slata Mechouia</a> (a Tunisian dish of gilled pepper, onion, garlic, tomatoes all mashed up with spices and olive oil... sooo good). They were gobbled up in a flash!<br />
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This is a great recipe at this time of year, when there is not much in the way of fresh produce at farmers market, but still many farmers trying to sell off the last of their winter root crops before the new season begins.<br />
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It's been a while since I wrote on this blog. Is anyone still out there?? Between the <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/" target="_blank">PBS blog</a> and my film "<a href="http://www.modifiedthefilm.com/" target="_blank">Modified</a>", I've had my hands quite full lately, and I've missed you!<br />
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Last summer, I started a whole new format with my cooking videos. Now, each video features a different farmer or gardener, with a recipe from their kitchen and an ingredient from their farm or garden. It's been such a wonderful opportunity to meet food producers and learn about what they grow and how they cook it. I'm on a little hiatus now until the weather warms again but I'll be back at it soon, with some brand new videos coming your way. Here was one of my favorite videos out of the five I created in the new format:<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="505" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EbcNJ7SjGH4" width="853"></iframe>
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Some of you have asked where you can see my film <a href="http://www.modifiedthefilm.com/" target="_blank">Modified</a>. It's been doing the film festival circuit the past year and a half, and showing in theaters and at community screenings and it will soon be released on DVD and for digital online streaming. In the meantime, do check out the <a href="https://www.modifiedthefilm.com/see-the-film" target="_blank">list of upcoming public screenings</a> on the film's website, and you can also put in a <a href="https://www.modifiedthefilm.com/host-a-screening" target="_blank">request to host</a> a community screening of the film. I'm also very excited to announce that the film's first national broadcast (in Canada) takes place this Friday, March 29 on CBC television at 9:00 pm across Canada (9:30 pm in NL). The CBC version of the film is a shorter one, 44 minutes long, whereas the feature-length version is 87 minutes.<br />
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I'm not gonna lie, it's felt a little scary and heavy at times to put such a personal film out into the world, especially one that challenges the industrial model agriculture used to produce much of our food. I've recently been reminded of just how toxic the online world can be, with trolls and staunch industrial ag defenders making angry and hateful comments about the film, even without having seen it. It's a reminder of the powerful lobby out there, whose purpose is to defend pesticides & industrialized agriculture at all cost, even when the science clearly shows that the way we are producing our food needs to change. From the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-threaten-collapse-of-nature" target="_blank">catastrophic collapse</a> of global insect populations caused by intensive pesticide use, to the ever-growing <a href="https://civileats.com/2017/08/03/largest-ever-gulf-dead-zone-reveals-stark-impacts-of-industrial-agriculture/" target="_blank">dead zones</a> in our oceans and lakes caused by fertilizer run-off, to the massive release of <a href="https://www.nature.com/news/one-third-of-our-greenhouse-gas-emissions-come-from-agriculture-1.11708" target="_blank">greenhouse gas emissions</a> created by industrial agriculture, the need for change urgently need to be addressed. It's become more important than ever before to support local, organic agriculture, which is trying to take us in a different direction, one that provides <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32781136" target="_blank">more biodiversity</a>, <a href="https://rodaleinstitute.org/blog/10-ways-organic-improves-soil-health/" target="_blank">healthier soils</a>, and <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/02/18/467136329/is-organic-more-nutritious-new-study-adds-to-the-evidence?fbclid=IwAR0ivqfJIsUhKAZZAWp-wAmyVqVLvsCrXLhnIbHoMFhTQfrgQrCAIToW_Bg" target="_blank">healthier foods</a>.<br />
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PS: One more thing, I'm doing a fun little shampoo bar giveaway this week on my <a href="http://www.instagram.com/kitchenvignettes" target="_blank">Instagram</a> page! Did you know if every American switched from plastic-bottled shampoo to these little guys below, the manufacture and disposal of 552 million plastic shampoo bottles would be avoided. That's how many plastic shampoo bottles are thrown out each year in the US alone!)<br />
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But let's get back to carrots shall we?<br />
And this Ommek Houria.<br />
Here's how it's made:<br />
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<b>Ommek Houria (Carrot "pesto"):</b><br />
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8 medium-large carrots<br />
4 to 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced or crushed<br />
1/2 tsp. ground caraway + 1 tsp. ground coriander (or substitute 1 tsp. cumin)<br />
1 tsp paprika<br />
1/4 cup olive oil<br />
1 onion, chopped finely<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp lemon juice<br />
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<b>Optional but recommended toppings:</b><br />
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A handful of chopped fresh parsley<br />
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced<br />
Olives<br />
Capers<br />
A good fresh baguette<br />
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To begin, cook the carrots. In Tunisia, this is usually done by peeling them, chopping them, and boiling them in water until soft. It's perhaps less traditional but I often like to roast the carrots whole, in a 375F oven, with a little olive oil rubbed on to coat them, because I've<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/07/10/195592468/eating-on-the-wild-side-a-field-guide-to-nutritious-food" target="_blank"> read</a> carrots keep their nutritious value more when roasted whole. You can use either method, so long as you end up with carrots that are nice, soft and tender.<br />
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Sautée the finely chopped onion in 1 Tbsp of olive oil, on medium heat, until nice and golden.<br />
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Now mash the carrots (with a fork, or in a food processor). If using the food processor don't puree them until smooth, they should still be a bit chunky. Now add the cooked onion and all the other remaining ingredients. Mix well. You should have a nice chunky bright orange mash. Taste, and add a bit more salt or spices, as needed.<br />
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Traditionally, Ommek Houria is served with toppings such as olives and hard boiled eggs, a good glug of olive oil on top, and a fresh baguette to scoop it up with. It can also be served as a spread on top of toasted baguette, as is shown in the photo. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-26656832834804013102017-12-25T19:59:00.000-05:002017-12-26T00:48:43.417-05:00A holiday fruit salad... the way my mom made it<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm sitting here wondering... is there a limit to how much butter a person can handle? I walked into the kitchen yesterday armed with 2 pounds of butter which somehow instantly disappeared into the parade of my usual holiday concoctions (I tend to think of it as my own little trifecta of holiday doughs... rich and unrestrained): </span><a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/tourte-milanaise/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" target="_blank">Tourte Milanaise</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> for breakfast (this year I managed to tackle my very own puff pastry thanks to a tattered copy of The Joy of Cooking which expertly guided me through the process), </span><a href="http://www.pbs.org/video/kitchen-vignettes-christmas-tourtiere/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" target="_blank">Tourtière</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> for dinner (with an all-butter spelt crust), and of course my mom's boozy, eggy, yeasty, buttery </span><a href="http://kitchenvignettes.blogspot.com/2011/12/baba-au-rhum.html" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" target="_blank">Baba au Rhum</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">... (my belly is already all warmed up from the most recent one). It would all be fine and dandy but the thing is, this year I'm spending a quiet, snowy, secluded Christmas with my love... which means... there are only two of us... which means... we're well on our way to chowing down, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">unaided</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, 2 pounds of butters worth of Christmas baking. Yeesh. We're balancing it out with walks and salads... but still... </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Luckily, I was brought up with the notion that these cold northern climes call for plenty of fortification and that the pillars of a well-spent winter include a pile of long-postponed books, a few zealous knitting projects, and importantly, heaps of butter (organic and grass-fed, bien sûr) and hearty baked goods.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As you may have gathered from my lack of blogposts this past year, it's been a non-stop race to finish <a href="https://www.modifiedthefilm.com/" target="_blank">my film</a>, and this blog took the back-burner for a bit. But I've missed it and I'm excited to finally get some days to rest by the fire, browse new cookbooks, gather up fresh recipes to try, and find my way around a warmly humming kitchen again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's been an incredible year and I want to thank all of you who so kindly encouraged me and contributed to helping me finish this film. It was by far one of the most challenging projects I've ever embarked on. I often questioned whether I could pull it off and I never could have done it without your support. In the next few days, I'll be sending out a proper film update to all those who contributed to the film's crowdfunding campaign as well as the Indiegogo perks you've been so patient about (thank you!!) including your very own copy of the film to watch. The film had its world premiere in September and has so far won 5 awards at film festivals, we're on a roll! It will continue the film festival circuit into the new year, as well as theatrical and community showings, so stay tuned for a <a href="https://www.modifiedthefilm.com/see-the-film" target="_blank">screening near you</a> (and stay updated by following the film's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/modifiedthefilm/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I wish you a restful and joyful holiday season, and a very merry Christmas day to those that celebrate it. I'm sharing my new Christmas video below, and my mom's fruit salad, which she always made around the holidays to counteract that aforementioned butter bonanza. For holiday pizazz, she would adorn her fruit salads with either a few glugs of an aromatic booze or some floral essence, sometimes a bit of dried fruit such as currants, nuts or seeds for a crunchy topping, and a dollop of tart yoghurt. So refreshing between all those doughy delights!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My mom's holiday fruit salad</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Think of this more as a guide than a recipe and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">customize it to your tastes and what you have on hand.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">)</span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The salad:</span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6 to 8 cups of chopped fruit of your choice (I like to use a mix of grapefruit, orange, pear, apples, bananas and pomegranate)</span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The perfume:</span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">About 1 to 2 Tbsp brandy or other liqueur, or a teaspoon of orange blossom water</span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The fixin's:</span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 cup chopped nuts or seeds (for crunch)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/3 cup chopped dried fruit (for chew)</span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The topping:</span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yoghurt (or whipped cream)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a large serving bowl, mix the liqueur or floral water with the chopped fresh fruit as well as the dried fruit. Serve in individual bowls with a generous dollop of yoghurt and a scattering of chopped nuts. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And my latest video... for the Spruce Shortbread recipe, <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/spruce-tree-shortbread/" target="_blank">click here</a>!</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-73600556768184404932017-02-16T11:56:00.000-05:002017-02-16T11:58:29.920-05:00The world is a different place...<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ahoy friends! This is my longest absence yet from this wee corner of the ever-expanding universe of the interwebs. And since I last wrote in August, so much has happened in the world, a reminder that the one thing that's always constant is change, that nothing is certain, and that the world can become a very different place in a very short time. These trying political times certainly call on us for greater engagement in our communities, deeper compassion and understanding, action, vigilance, and resistance! How are you all holding up?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It's been quiet on this little blog because as many of you know, I've been finishing my very first feature film, and it's taken much longer than I ever anticipated. I arrived in Toronto last April, rough cut of the film in hand, the promise of spring in the air, thinking it would take oh, give or take 3 or 4 months to bring the film to completion. Ha, that was a funny little joke I played on myself. Almost a full year later, after countless hours, days, weeks, months of nose-to-the-grindstone unrelenting effort, here I finally am, 2 months away from the film's release in April! In fact, yesterday, I <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQjMKuKj3U4/" target="_blank">finally delivered</a> (shaky hands and all) my picture lock (my baaaaaby!!) to the post-production house where it will get colour corrected and all polished up and mastered and ready for the world. It's certainly been a long uphill battle, but one that always had the undercurrent of an inexplicably-propelled determination that come hell or high water, I would finish this thing... for myself, and for my mom... and for YOU! Yes, you. Wherever you are, whoever you are, I have a story I've been wanting to share with you. And I'm almost ready to do so.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I want to thank you so much for all the support, the ongoing words of encouragement, the generous contributions to my <a href="http://igg.me/at/modifiedthefilm/" target="_blank">Indiegogo campaign</a> (where I'm still trying to raise the last of the finishing funds needed to complete). </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;">Many of you have asked if I am still making my video recipes and the answer is yes! Albeit on a somewhat reduced basis until the film is released in April, but yes, every month, I'm still making a new video. In case you missed them, I'm posting the latest ones here below. But please know that once the film is fully finished and released, I'll be back to sharing new recipes with you on a much more regular basis. In the meantime, I hope this month of February is treating you well. I leave you with this quote which I've been coming back to again and again lately:</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Your heart knows the way.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Run in that direction.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~ Rumi</span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YZ3znFm5qSI?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="853"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://to.pbs.org/2kpmVoj" target="_blank">Click here for the recipe for Crespelle in Brodo</a></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Apm452SXzXQ?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="853"></iframe>
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<a href="http://to.pbs.org/2hM0bjd" target="_blank">Click here for the Brioche Star recipe</a><br />
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<a href="http://to.pbs.org/2ga8IZd" target="_blank">Click here for the Buttercup Squash Fries recipe</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-78744666970972488142016-08-10T20:13:00.000-04:002016-11-22T12:42:40.999-05:002 days left!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAsqw6ItMlNQ-AB1AKJZ8PG_IZ4w9gEoQMX4X8LbmZYKSbTADgncPOK3xxdVOEP2TmbKqRvmsgSTdV2sBjs4QMX2iwJSe3bKTuPRLGEHmNCw5ovlhKlCoRre3hhi7kGqXxlHCCIeNG8hY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-08-10+at+7.49.59+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAsqw6ItMlNQ-AB1AKJZ8PG_IZ4w9gEoQMX4X8LbmZYKSbTADgncPOK3xxdVOEP2TmbKqRvmsgSTdV2sBjs4QMX2iwJSe3bKTuPRLGEHmNCw5ovlhKlCoRre3hhi7kGqXxlHCCIeNG8hY/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-08-10+at+7.49.59+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I know things have been a little quiet over here lately, especially on the recipe front. The truth is, there's not much cooking going on in my kitchen these days. Yesterday, I ate a tub of coffee ice cream for dinner while scrambling to finish last-minute notes for my film editor. The day before, it was a cucumber and a bag of tortilla chips, while sitting in my underwear (it's very, very hot in Toronto). Let's just say, things have not been too glamorous or wholesome around here as of late. Between the heat, and my superhuman attempt to complete <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/modified-food-farming/x/13948103#/" target="_blank">my documentary</a>, things have been downright crazy. Like pulling all-nighters and eating whole tubs of ice cream for dinner crazy. And not being able to maintain coherent conversations with other human beings crazy. (Though I did miraculously manage to (sort of) pull off this <a href="https://soundcloud.com/lets-eat-with-zane-caplansky/august-6-2016?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=facebook" target="_blank">45-minute radio interview</a> about GMOs with the one and only Zane Caplansky). But I'm just going with it. Whatever needs to happen to get this thing done. The exciting thing that is keeping me going right now is... it actually IS getting done!! The end is in sight!!! Hallelujah.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thank you so much to everyone who has so generously encouraged me on this endeavour and contributed to Indiegogo film finishing fund. If you'd still like to make a contribution, there's still time and I would be so so so grateful!! I only have 2 days left to my crowdfunding campaign and I'm at 70% of my minimum goal so far. So I'm hoping for a miraculous final push in these last 48 hours. This is where you go to do the deed: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=https://igg.me/at/modified&source=gmail&ust=1468026393485000&usg=AFQjCNHfcf14Z8-XVCCgFQYv4kVZfGMYcg" href="https://igg.me/at/modified" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://igg.me/at/modified</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And if you haven't seen my trailer yet, here it is! </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Thank you my friends, and I'll be back with recipes soon...</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-45016116364229368242016-07-07T21:25:00.000-04:002016-11-21T14:45:33.043-05:00I'm about to give birth...<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not to a baby. To a film. (I made you look though right?)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There might be a few similarities: there's a lot of nurturing and care going on, a bit of anxiety, trepidation, ups and downs, exhaustion... It's painful, it's scary, it's a heck of a lot of work, but it's so exciting. By my best estimate, I'd say I'm in early labour right about now, things are starting to happen, the film is taking shape!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been working on this film for nine years and part of the reason it's taken me so long is that I've funded and produced it entirely on my own up until now. Crazy? Yup, quite probably. But it's been an all-out labour of love at every step. It's a film I'm dedicating to my mom, and to everyone who believes we have a right to know what's in the food we eat, that we need an agriculture that doesn't harm our planet, and that food tastes better when you know the story behind it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After years of researching, shooting, travelling, interviewing, shooting some more, little by little, I've finally reached the final stage where a lot technical stuff now needs to happen (picture editing, sound editing, color correction, music composing, animations, final mix, subtitles, etc, etc). The expenses are far beyond anything I can afford on my own and that's why I'm asking for a bit of help to put this film into the world. Please watch my introduction to the campaign and film trailer below, and visit my <a href="https://igg.me/at/modified" target="_blank">Indiegogo campaign page</a> to get the full story behind the film.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aCMFa60qErQ" width="853"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you can, please consider making a contribution (no contribution is too small, every dollar gets me closer to completing the film). Another way to help me out is to spread the word by sharing my <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/command_center/modified--2#/contributions/main" target="_blank">Indiegogo page</a> with friends and family through email and social media. This is the short link to share: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=https://igg.me/at/modified&source=gmail&ust=1468026393485000&usg=AFQjCNHfcf14Z8-XVCCgFQYv4kVZfGMYcg" href="https://igg.me/at/modified" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">https://igg.me/at/modified</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Keep in mind that for any contribution $25 and over, you'll receive a digital link to view the film online when it is complete.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thank you so much for your support and I can't wait to show you my film!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With my most heartfelt gratitude,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Aube</span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-22134869710793772092016-06-16T22:44:00.001-04:002016-06-16T22:45:26.647-04:00Fresh Mint and Chocolate Ice Cream: A Special Collaboration!<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kKWiojGkaDY?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="853"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="s1">I am generally a bit of a hermit blogger, tucked away in my rural corner of the east coast doing my thing. So it’s not too often that I get to meet other food bloggers. But I’m in Toronto for a few months this summer and I decided it was time to get to know some fellow bloggers whose mouth-watering blogs I follow with a big appetite. My first “blind blogging date” was with Alanna of </span><span class="s2"><a href="http://toughcookieblog.com/" target="_blank">One Tough Cookie</a></span><span class="s1">. Meeting up reminded me a bit of online dating... Would we recognize each other? Would she like me? But put two food lovers in front of each other and there’s no shortage of things to talk about. I instantly felt a kinship with Alanna and we slipped into easy banter about food photography, and wwoofing, and Italy... and cake. We also talked about more intimate things too, like losing our moms, and how profoundly that impacts your life, in ways you sometimes don't even realize.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My next blogging date was with Sofia of <a href="http://fromthelandweliveon.com/" target="_blank">From The Land We Live On</a> and since she is a fellow gardener, I thought it would be fun to collaborate on something together and feature her making a special recipe from her garden. </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We spent a glorious day together and I’m so grateful that she graciously let me follow her around with my camera. Filming in her kitchen was a dream come true because she had just finished renovations (which she and her husband took on all on their own which makes them my heroes! see the <a href="http://fromthelandweliveon.com/" target="_blank">photos here</a>). </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Their renos involved installing a stunning new </span><a href="http://www.lacanche.com/" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;" target="_blank">Lacanche</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> stove that had me swooning and dreaming... one day, perhaps. Every angle of the kitchen was beautiful to look at. And that stove, I could sit and gaze at it all day long. I forgot to take photos of it but you can see some </span><a href="http://fromthelandweliveon.com/kitchen-pics-grilled-asparagus-feast/" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;" target="_blank">here on Sofia's blog</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">you'll also see some sweet fleeting glimpses in the video! The brass knobs. Enough said.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjehYQZLibIMJT4C5rO6THdEB2ERnDoa4hp_0d8jPaiWR52mDC_7V_i0NfZD7hl9nYfvnt9t49LcfmHc9n9MyjPwOtyLFaDrvqaMAJmWqY26xaAZ9jJU0pQdKuWa19RysShxWIPGUL2zA/s1600/Aube2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjehYQZLibIMJT4C5rO6THdEB2ERnDoa4hp_0d8jPaiWR52mDC_7V_i0NfZD7hl9nYfvnt9t49LcfmHc9n9MyjPwOtyLFaDrvqaMAJmWqY26xaAZ9jJU0pQdKuWa19RysShxWIPGUL2zA/s1600/Aube2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a filming break to lick the ice cream paddle, one of life's great joys. <br />
Photo credit: <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sofia Eydelman</span></td></tr>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We got so carried away with filming that we almost forgot to eat but Sofia quickly whipped up an elegant lunch of rice pasta salad with garden pesto, peaches, and slivered almonds. She paired that with some beet crackers and the silkiest homemade hummus I've ever had, beautifully presented with za'atar and olive oil. The girl has style.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the end of it all, we enjoyed her delicious homemade ice cream in the garden, where the whole adventure started. As you can see in the video, we had a very earnest, tiny helper. My latest heart throb. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You know it's good when ALL the tongues are sticking out</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMI1xBfcs8u1A39rcR7VwcX1oGTsUh-oVi754Fbq1QYIBZcMDRXrm73XbOSudrIkJbtUmvv6O9UELjQqWrKPArm-sb8VvhS_Lgsj135QWHEt1nqtoVh-11Del38_B9u5tvCGPqkpTS28VJ/s1600/SL4A2015-cc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMI1xBfcs8u1A39rcR7VwcX1oGTsUh-oVi754Fbq1QYIBZcMDRXrm73XbOSudrIkJbtUmvv6O9UELjQqWrKPArm-sb8VvhS_Lgsj135QWHEt1nqtoVh-11Del38_B9u5tvCGPqkpTS28VJ/s1600/SL4A2015-cc.jpg" /></a><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Get Sofia's recipe and read all about what makes this ice cream so extra-special in <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/fresh-mint-chocolate-ice-cream/" target="_blank">my post on PBS Food</a> (ok fine, I'll give you a few clues in case you don't have time: two types of chocolates! tapioca instead of egg yolks! and fresh garden mint instead of mint extract!)</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Happy mid-June my friends xoxo.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZ0Xh48wvTJIFWU-wmk7zpaEQUkndmxpoD8FBikQF8FbSlrshQZ9YkQMgoiUmnDsQIyJnjHJXQjBpWUEJcTf_NHqNy0tQVFIkfyEL0rjEhbWdqwwiMS8U_FS-gfs3rcU5hyphenhyphenA2TkbEqHVb/s1600/icecream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZ0Xh48wvTJIFWU-wmk7zpaEQUkndmxpoD8FBikQF8FbSlrshQZ9YkQMgoiUmnDsQIyJnjHJXQjBpWUEJcTf_NHqNy0tQVFIkfyEL0rjEhbWdqwwiMS8U_FS-gfs3rcU5hyphenhyphenA2TkbEqHVb/s1600/icecream.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Sofia Eydelman</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-36188296001610152172016-04-14T19:42:00.000-04:002016-06-10T13:29:44.868-04:00Candied Lilacs and spring delights!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4kpYXX_nWCLkwOhL3J-EqODoH6iEflmsarnmFRiir6EYDCLjhQK7kYcM7sbNSynvkYi17L3Gk1eGxZLpXzhxsSA0mGKK3a3y4GC99ZM_2bz0xq6OMmHe477ezIfzaD5JG37taeZKGZyN/s1600/SL4A0979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4kpYXX_nWCLkwOhL3J-EqODoH6iEflmsarnmFRiir6EYDCLjhQK7kYcM7sbNSynvkYi17L3Gk1eGxZLpXzhxsSA0mGKK3a3y4GC99ZM_2bz0xq6OMmHe477ezIfzaD5JG37taeZKGZyN/s1600/SL4A0979.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For those of us in the great white north, it's still a little early for lilacs, but they really are just around the corner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My latest video recipe for <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/lilac-coconut-cream-tarts/">Lilac Coconut Cream Tarts</a> is truly an unabashed lilac fiesta, and if you want to go all out with it, then I'm afraid you'll need to make some candied lilacs to plop on top for a fancy flourish! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzdJoXSeeiTADCjYIlLSZDHAqQPcAralnkQeJH6MGwQUFrZylM8igD1_jYc98BrfMHbdc_5rBExTvR3H2kpACufSBHCPUp0AsiBbBqgKI5hSLtrJHmlCtvK_zguwyw8u27aCFAWf5Sk0F/s1600/SL4A0915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzdJoXSeeiTADCjYIlLSZDHAqQPcAralnkQeJH6MGwQUFrZylM8igD1_jYc98BrfMHbdc_5rBExTvR3H2kpACufSBHCPUp0AsiBbBqgKI5hSLtrJHmlCtvK_zguwyw8u27aCFAWf5Sk0F/s1600/SL4A0915.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But first, here's the video of the tart-making in its full spring glory (I filmed it last year so I could release it just a little ahead of lilac season this year):</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g1LzYxClPBE?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="853"></iframe>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>For the Coconut Lilac Cream Tart recipe, go to my post on <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/lilac-coconut-cream-tarts/" target="_blank">PBS Food</a>.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As for the candied lilac, they're really quite simple to make and there are two main techniques I'd like to share with you. One age-old method involves dipping the blooms in an egg white wash and then then dipping the flowers in sugar. But I know some people feel a bit squeamish about raw egg whites, so the other option is to make a basic sugar syrup instead of using egg whites. (Alternately, you can use powdered egg whites mixed with water). I've used both methods and either one is fine. As an aside, this will work for violets as well as most edible flowers.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">METHOD 1:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fresh, unsprayed lilac blossoms (stems removed)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 egg white</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 tsp water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 cup fine granulated sugar (not powdered sugar)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Be sure to use freshly-picked, unsprayed flowers and remove any green bits as they will give an off-taste. Whisk the egg white and water together. Using tweezers, dip the flowers in the egg wash (or for more control, paint the egg wash on with a small paintbrush) and then sprinkle the sugar on top of the flower, making sure you cover every side of the flower. Allow the flowers to dry for around 12 hours. You can use them right away or store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">METHOD 2:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fresh, unsprayed lilac blossoms (stems removed)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 cup granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/2 cup water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 cup fine granulated sugar (not powdered sugar)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Be sure to use freshly-picked, unsprayed flowers and remove any green bits as they will give an off-taste. Cook the sugar and water until it reaches 220F on a candy thermometer. Allow mixture to <u>cool fully</u> before dipping in the lilac blossoms. Sprinkle the sugar on top of the flower, making sure you cover every side of the flower. Allow the flowers to dry for around 12 hours. You can use them right away or store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3vW1g1E1R8cEA_Sv5wuQ2nIEFWIa5rYx0VHYT53YEPFzxwiHm5F3yGNKPaGEWt6uYQ7IPqJ3Z6qcdx6rX55lX8Dzc_ITuNs-sbXyxskR86p0hsblBtfhGl88sejHsvcYHL7dvjXj-IXb/s1600/SL4A0788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3vW1g1E1R8cEA_Sv5wuQ2nIEFWIa5rYx0VHYT53YEPFzxwiHm5F3yGNKPaGEWt6uYQ7IPqJ3Z6qcdx6rX55lX8Dzc_ITuNs-sbXyxskR86p0hsblBtfhGl88sejHsvcYHL7dvjXj-IXb/s1600/SL4A0788.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In other news, spring seems to have FINALLY arrived in Toronto where I'm based for the next couple of months, madly scrambling to finish a documentary film and graduate research. (More about that very soon!) And yesterday, I had the great privilege of interviewing the one and only Dr. Jane Goodall who is just simply one of the most delightful human beings to walk this earth. She is so full of love and wisdom that you can't help but come away feeling a renewed sense of hope and determination to make the world a better place. Here is a snapshot after our interview (I think I might be professing my undying love here):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 21px;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” </span></i></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 21px;"> ― Dr. </span><a class="authorOrTitle" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18163.Jane_Goodall" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;">Jane Goodall</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-70548006457178861092016-03-31T16:36:00.000-04:002016-04-06T13:47:34.795-04:00KoMo Flour Mill Giveaway!<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Many of you who follow this blog and my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kitchenvignettes/" target="_blank">Instagram feed</a> have inquired about the beautiful wooden flour mill that I use to freshly mill my grains into flour. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In fact, there has been so much interest in the mill that the wonderful folks at <a href="http://pleasanthillgrain.com/" target="_blank">Pleasant Hill Grain</a> - the American distributor of the KoMo grain mills and flakers - have offered to give a gorgeous <a href="http://pleasanthillgrain.com/komo-classic-grain-mill-flour-grinder-wood-stone" target="_blank">KoMo Classic mill</a> to a very lucky Kitchen Vignettes reader. I'm beyond excited that one of you will get to have your very own flour mill and experience the pure joy of fresh-milled flour because there really is nothing like it!!</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When we were looking around for a portable flour mill to mill our homegrown grains, we shopped for quite a while and the KoMo mill stood out for many reasons. Aside from being impeccably crafted, it has a powerful and solid motor that quickly turns whole grains into flour of any texture. By simply rotating the hopper, you can adjust for the texture of flour you want, achieving everything from roughly cracked grains, to very coarse flour, to ultra-fine flour. So not only do you have a great degree of control over the milling process, but the mill is also incredibly simple to operate: you just pour the grains into the hopper and out comes the most fragrant, sweet-smelling, fresh flour.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUokicewyTuv17OqEfAA-r-cdLnO6Hm64zAJulLuv4kokCPp82FnyqvNRlE03cqooSMFLKcxwVja64dNIiN5hGvu6P09EaIaBhGfIMr8Ng2meZeHe0hceWWoJ8J1xXVBqXBXgztLjA6j5H/s1600/SL4A4918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUokicewyTuv17OqEfAA-r-cdLnO6Hm64zAJulLuv4kokCPp82FnyqvNRlE03cqooSMFLKcxwVja64dNIiN5hGvu6P09EaIaBhGfIMr8Ng2meZeHe0hceWWoJ8J1xXVBqXBXgztLjA6j5H/s1600/SL4A4918.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Unbeknownst to a lot of people, much of the whole grain flour we buy has been shipped long distances and left on store shelves for far too long. Many packaged flours have gone rancid even before we purchase them! I'm always surprised how often friends and family don't notice when their flour has gone rancid. I think it's because we've actually become accustomed to the taste of rancid flour and we don't consider flour as a living product with a shelf life. While whole, unmilled grains have a shelf life of many years, as soon as they are milled into flour, the flour becomes perishable and can go rancid within just a few months' time. In fact, some of the vitamin content begins to diminish within just days of the flour being milled. The most important reason I use freshly-milled flour though, is because it makes the best-tasting bread and baked goods. So I'm a huge advocate for home-milling (or sourcing) fresh flour whenever possible. The milling only takes a few minutes and it's incredibly satisfying.</span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you’re new to the <a href="http://pleasanthillgrain.com/komo-classic-grain-mill-flour-grinder-wood-stone" target="_blank">KoMo Classic mill</a>, here’s the low-down: the mill is built in Austria and beautifully handcrafted out of native beechwood or new American Walnut with finger-jointed corners. All dry grains can be ground in it, including soft or hard wheat, oat groats (dehulled oats), rice, triticale, kamut, spelt, buckwheat, barley, rye, millet, teff, quinoa, amaranth, sorghum and dent (field) corn. It will also grind lentils, dry beans (pinto, red, garbanzo, kidney & more), and dried, non-oily spices. (It isn't suitable for herbs, oilseeds like flax or sesame, popcorn, or fibrous materials). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">For people who wish to mill gluten-free flours, Pleasant Hill Grain sells an <a href="http://pleasanthillgrain.com/komo-interchangeable-milling-insert" target="_blank">interchangeable insert</a> that allows the mill to grind different materials without cross-contamination. Using this accessory, your KoMo mill can be used with gluten-containing grains (such as wheat) as well as gluten-free grains (such as teff), without the risk of getting any gluten into your gluten-free flour. The insert is not included in this giveaway, but it can purchased separately <a href="http://pleasanthillgrain.com/komo-interchangeable-milling-insert">here.</a></span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Having access to a grain mill really makes you fall in love with the magnificent world of whole grains and the incredible diversity of nutritious and tasty flours that can take your cooking and baking to a whole other level.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You can see the KoMo mill at work in several of my Kitchen Vignettes videos, including the one for <a href="http://kitchenvignettes.blogspot.ca/2014/11/roasted-squash-cornbread-and-corn.html" target="_blank">Roasted Squash Cornbread</a> where I mill fresh cornmeal from whole field corn kernels and this one for <a href="http://kitchenvignettes.blogspot.ca/2014/10/groaning-cake-traditional-post-partum.html" target="_blank">Whole Wheat Groaning Cake</a>. And here's my latest, featuring Rye Crepes:</span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The KoMo giveaway will run all through the month of April and Rafflecopter will randomly choose a winner on May 1st - just in time for Mother’s Day (hint hint! this would make a wonderful present for any bakers in your life!) The model that Pleasant Hill Grain is giving away is the <a href="http://pleasanthillgrain.com/komo-classic-grain-mill-flour-grinder-wood-stone" target="_blank">KoMo Classic grain mill</a> and the winner may choose between the American Walnut or native beechwood housing. </span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span class="s1" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>*Please note that this giveaway is only open to residents of the United States.</i></b> You may also enter the giveaway on my Facebook page. Once you log-in to enter the giveaway, you will see 5 different choices of actions you can take. For each one you do, you will get 5 points, for a potential total of 25 points, increasing your odds of winning. Some of the options can even be repeated each day throughout the giveaway, such as tweeting or visiting the Pleasant Hill Grain website, to increase your odds even more. Good luck everyone!</span><br />
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="bccf035012" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bccf035012/" id="rcwidget_vwff0uaa" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com116tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-70290459944741069292016-03-28T09:09:00.000-04:002016-03-28T10:28:18.623-04:00My mom's pea soup and the magic of seed saving...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhea5eIWSlawu37vDDm8_8VwupnwlycORP6c_M1SgKnIEUbBEdQvZu5vtKXQCVKYacjMJwj4VkbsXD_xkZbMZrahdHQsclJGTS0jWx8ulD1QHtE8qhKV3MHiWKmxwiVTuT6DIUlgSTTVZmp/s1600/SL4A3836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhea5eIWSlawu37vDDm8_8VwupnwlycORP6c_M1SgKnIEUbBEdQvZu5vtKXQCVKYacjMJwj4VkbsXD_xkZbMZrahdHQsclJGTS0jWx8ulD1QHtE8qhKV3MHiWKmxwiVTuT6DIUlgSTTVZmp/s1600/SL4A3836.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When my family first moved to Nova Scotia from Québec 28 years ago, my mom had a hard time finding yellow dry peas to make her traditional </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">soupe aux pois</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> (Québec pea soup). It was at </span><a href="http://www.saltspringseeds.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Salt Spring Seeds</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, all the way on the other side of the country, where she ended up finding the perfect yellow pea to grow in her garden for the beloved </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">soupe aux pois</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She ordered a small packet from them and the humble handful grew enough peas for a nice pot of soup and for replanting an even larger amount the following spring. From then on, we always had a good supply of peas and she declared the </span><a href="http://www.saltspringseeds.com/products/darlaine-pea" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;" target="_blank">Darlaine yellow pea</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> to be the ideal soup pea. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz99A_oBu4Gu443soHKYOc7MLhzFWNGshapz-K4s6C7MiifOnqwnMYGH-I6h7mYItzV9dgDYxVAq8YxRei-luB6xiKkgHBKZHb3qf6_lFD3lj7719xHg9saRgAv_3ZOT2fBtt6Fpb2lGxo/s1600/IMG_0650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz99A_oBu4Gu443soHKYOc7MLhzFWNGshapz-K4s6C7MiifOnqwnMYGH-I6h7mYItzV9dgDYxVAq8YxRei-luB6xiKkgHBKZHb3qf6_lFD3lj7719xHg9saRgAv_3ZOT2fBtt6Fpb2lGxo/s1600/IMG_0650.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She delighted in growing the dry pea every bit as much as the tender green snap peas that she would eat like candy off the plant while listening to the birds in her garden. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Because as any Québecois knows, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">soupe aux pois</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> is a sacred thing: simple, filling, hearty. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After my mom passed away, my stepdad continued growing out many of the peas and beans she had carefully grown and saved year after year. And I did the same with some of those varieties that I remember her praising: Ethiopian lentils, Salt Lake Beans, and especially the cherished Darlaine pea. Last year, I finally had a harvest large enough to make a hearty pot of soup, and it was an occasion worthy of capturing on video. A moment of celebration, a nod to my mom and the knowledge and treasures she has passed on. (I can always hear her giggling with delight and mischief when she was harvesting something that she was about to turn into a delicious dish). </span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0BDgR4hBQpc?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="853"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A couple weeks ago, I wrote to Dan Jason at Salt Spring Seeds and asked him for more information about the Darlaine pea. I was surprised when he said that after all these years, he remembered my mom's name very well from her seed orders, because he said that she had the most beautiful-sounding name. I found it moving that he remembered her even though he had never met her. If she had ordered her seeds from a larger seed company, that would have been unlikely to happen. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I thanked Dan for bringing the Darlaine pea and so many other beautiful heirloom seeds into my mom's garden and into our lives, even years after she died. It has created a special sense of continuity and connection that repeats itself year after year, in each plant and pea pod and bowl of soup. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You'll find my mom's recipe on <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/quebec-style-yellow-pea-soup/" target="_blank">my post over at PBS Food</a>. </span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-34098222218836300322016-02-24T17:30:00.000-05:002016-02-24T17:31:32.070-05:00Tahini Chocolate Mousse Pie (version 2.0 - vegan and gluten-free)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLk8F24F3jgO1wXqkcMgM3N5_pP2JbJ6WmLduuu-whX9rByzCcJzFofXyKX5nYZe4FeDfMcYmuKFZDS6Hk3mmSGGX2SUWAFzWCVd51jWDhK_DdNLYaqwHhnfLP1bt-7eJYBPO1bRYcrME/s1600/SL4A9802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLk8F24F3jgO1wXqkcMgM3N5_pP2JbJ6WmLduuu-whX9rByzCcJzFofXyKX5nYZe4FeDfMcYmuKFZDS6Hk3mmSGGX2SUWAFzWCVd51jWDhK_DdNLYaqwHhnfLP1bt-7eJYBPO1bRYcrME/s1600/SL4A9802.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Any tahini lovers in the house?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I just posted a silky and decadent <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/no-bake-tahini-chocolate-mousse-pie/" target="_blank">tahini chocolate mousse pie</a> recipe over on PBS Food this week. But it does requires a small mountain of heavy cream and I know some of you are not into that (my tendency to overdo it in the cream and butter department has been pointed out a few times, haha)... So, if you prefer to opt out of all that cream, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">here's the vegan version of my pie</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. It doesn't </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">quite</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> compare to the rich cream-based version, but it's still a delicious pie with a smooth and velvety texture that somehow manages to be both rich and light at the same time. Avocado is the surprising ingredient that replaces the cream! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'll keep this short other than to say two things:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Thanks to all of you who entered the Nature's Path giveaway last week! I loved reading your comments about what changes you're making to get on a healthier path this year. I am thoroughly inspired by all your amazing commitments, you rock!! Congrats to Suzi MH, the lucky winner! And stay tuned for another exciting giveaway coming up soon... </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. The <a href="http://www.ewg.org/agmag/2016/02/top-10-reasons-oppose-senate-dark-act" target="_blank">DARK Act</a> is back! Yuck. Just when we thought it had gone away, it's back from the dead, like the zombie that it is. It's amazing that some American politicians (heavily backed by c<a href="http://www.ewg.org/research/anti-label-lobby" target="_blank">orporate big food & biotech money</a>) seem hellbent on preventing people from knowing what's in their food. 64 countries around the world already label GMOs. Why does it have to be such a huge battle in the US when <a href="http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/issues/976/ge-food-labeling/us-polls-on-ge-food-labeling" target="_blank">poll after poll </a>clearly shows that 90% of Americans want GMO labelling. Vermont's GMO labelling law is set to go into effect this July (in less than 5 months!). It would be the first US state to have GMO labelling, unless this new bill gets in the way. We need all hands on deck to protect Vermont's law and American's right to know. C<a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=18370" target="_blank">lick here to take action</a>. Or you can call the Senate switchboard to be directly connected to your Senator and ask them to vote against the DARK Act and support mandatory GMO labelling in America: <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.32px;">(202) 224-3121. Also, <a href="https://www.stabenow.senate.gov/contact" target="_blank">Senator Debbie Stabenow</a> is a ranking member on the Senate Agriculture Committee and she could be key in stopping this bill. I just called her office, as I've been told many times that a phone call carries a lot more weight than just signing a petition. It only takes a minute, <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=14184" target="_blank">click here to find out how to reach her office</a>. We've gotta fight for our right to know what's in our food, honeybuns!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.32px;">Now, here's that mousse pie:</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">NO-BAKE TAHINI CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE (vegan, no-bake & gluten-free)</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No-Bake Crust:</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/2 cup pecans</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant oats)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/2 cup toasted unsweetened coconut</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 cup melted coconut oil (I use refined since it's neutral-tasting)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5 mejdool dates</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 Tbsp maple syrup</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 tsp freshly grated organic orange zest (optional)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/8 tsp salt</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Filling:</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">100 grams (3.5 oz) dark chocolate</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3 ripe avocados, mashed (about 1 1/2 cup)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 Tbsp maple syrup (if needed, depends on sweetness of chocolate)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 Tbsp Grand Marnier (optional)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2 tsp vanilla</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/4 tsp salt</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Optional Garnish:</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 Tbsp sesame seeds</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Coconut whipped cream (<a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2012/08/30/coconut-whipped-cream-a-step-by-step-photo-tutorial/" target="_blank">click here for recipe</a>)</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To begin, make the crust. Pour a cup of boiling water over the 5 dates. Let them absorb the water and soften for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the pecans, toasted coconut, rolled oats, and salt into a food processor and pulse several times, until a crumbly mixture is obtained. There can still be small bits of oats and coconut. Add the drained, softened dates, melted coconut oil, grated orange zest, and 1 Tbsp maple syrup. Pulse until the mixture turns into a dough that comes together when you squeeze it between your fingers. Pour into an 8-inch pie plate and press into the bottom and sides of the plate. You pie crust is now ready for the filling.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl placed on top of a pot of simmering water. Allow it to cool (lukewarm is fine but it shouldn’t be hot). Whip the avocados and, tahini, and salt until smooth. Next, fold in the cooled, melted chocolate. Add the vanilla, and Grand Marnier, and mix well. When the mixture is smooth and uniform, taste it. If needed, add one tablespoon of maple syrup and a pinch more salt. Once you are happy with the flavour, pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Smooth the top with a spatula and place the pie in the fridge for at least 3 hours to cool and set. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's best eaten cold. Serve it with coconut whipped cream and sesame seeds. Enjoy!</span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-70310297632982063942016-02-14T14:54:00.000-05:002016-02-14T14:54:57.929-05:00A Valentine's Day video and a giveaway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQflqeLbTshtJaN8ozfemhSrdoKQRn2LaIlDl7pEBua_gz2WNvsj2QLyM5aGSlpDRgvfPiuzIu0GUx8oxaMjlOZVtdU1wmq6BmXs2Nl0Z3Twbpn2qUWctovSx5n035VYdOhrLlQWOBV5m/s1600/SL4A0497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQflqeLbTshtJaN8ozfemhSrdoKQRn2LaIlDl7pEBua_gz2WNvsj2QLyM5aGSlpDRgvfPiuzIu0GUx8oxaMjlOZVtdU1wmq6BmXs2Nl0Z3Twbpn2qUWctovSx5n035VYdOhrLlQWOBV5m/s1600/SL4A0497.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hey, happy Valentine's Day, YOU! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's a little beet tart video and my way of saying... may your day be full of love:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HT1dDgQTQqw?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="853"></iframe>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You can find the recipe for these beet tarts with goat cheese and caramelized onion on my <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/beet-tarts-goat-cheese-caramelized-onions/" target="_blank">PBS Food post</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguF-9xWDkB1ZerPKQhJcXVgAegXR79NcgHI8ZbXmm6F58CxV0uJuHuwLNM9yDVlde9AqinTSCJw6XItj7QjK6l5L3APLqBOZIkx_Zc8J1jRPeE6mZKtFZYwbMk9l9R-aNGmHj4s3dpvcAl/s1600/SL4A0602.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguF-9xWDkB1ZerPKQhJcXVgAegXR79NcgHI8ZbXmm6F58CxV0uJuHuwLNM9yDVlde9AqinTSCJw6XItj7QjK6l5L3APLqBOZIkx_Zc8J1jRPeE6mZKtFZYwbMk9l9R-aNGmHj4s3dpvcAl/s1600/SL4A0602.JPG" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To spread the love around today, <a href="http://ca-en.naturespath.com/" target="_blank">Nature's Path</a> has kindly offered to give away one of their beautiful organic granola gift packs to a Kitchen Vignettes reader. Hurrah! Here's me receiving my own gift pack in the mail, and not wasting a second to dive right into their new coconut chia seed granola:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I often get asked by food companies if I will feature their product or do a giveaway on this blog and most of the time, I say no because I don't agree with how they produce their food. Plus, did you know that over 80% of health food brands are owned by big multinational parent companies? Here's what I love about Nature's Path, on their package it says: "Run by parents, not by a parent company". I love that! Nature's Path is independent, family-owned, and they are huge advocates for GMO labelling and organic farming. Here's a video they put together, that beautifully tells their philosophy:</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vd19AaO9Cg4" width="853"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>So be sure to enter the giveaway - I'll notify the lucky winner one week from today! The winner will receive a gift box with a whole assortment of granolas to sample, free vouchers, and a healthy recipe ebook. As well, you get a chance to enter the grand prize giveaway (see how to qualify for that below). Both giveaways are open to residents of Canada and the US only.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>So, first things first, here's how you enter the gift box giveaway:</b></i></span><br />
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="bccf035011" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bccf035011/" id="rcwidget_fhr2tcz9" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, if you wish to also enter Nature's Path grand prize giveaway of a year's supply of organic granola and breakfast foods, here's how to do it<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px;">: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px;">Getting back on a healthy path? Running your first marathon? Trying a plant-based diet? We want to know! </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px;">Tell us what’s on your path for 2016</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px;"> by posting on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using both hashtags: #OnMyPath and #GranolaForAYear.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px;">Prize includes everything you need to get back on a healthy path including:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Nature’s Path granola and organic breakfast foods for a year</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.adashofcompassion.com/ebooks/diyvegan/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">DIY Vegan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">, by Nicole Axworthy & Lisa Pitman – recipe book including more than 100 ways to create an awesome plant-based pantry</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><a href="http://desireerd.com/books/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Un-Junk Your Diet</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">by Desiree Nielsen, R.D. – how to shop, cook and eat to feel better forever</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Prize will ship on or after March 1, 2016</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Grand prize contest closes February 28, 2016</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<i style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">*This prize is open to all blogs participating and their audiences. Must be resident of the US or Canada. There will be one grand prize total.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Happy trails my friends, and have a lovely day!</span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-46161816007453350722016-01-28T22:36:00.001-05:002016-02-04T11:50:18.748-05:00My most recent recipes and videos<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's already the end of January and for me, that usually means coming to terms with my less than ideal performance on new year's resolutions. So far, I've managed to make only the most minute amount of progress. Go to bed earlier? Barely. Begin each day with a jog or yoga? It happened, but oh ever so fleetingly. I hope you're faring better with yours. But if not, don't be too hard on yourself, it is January after all and sometimes you have to pat yourself on the back for just showing up every day. I loved this piece in The Guardian about how to be a <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/01/how-to-be-moderately-successful-person-like-me?CMP=share_btn_fb" target="_blank">moderately successful person</a>. In other words, give yourself some slack. But also, give yourself a pep talk every now and then. Just because things didn't get off to a great start or you slipped off the wagon is no reason to abandon your precious resolutions. Also, this Mark Manson piece about <a href="http://markmanson.net/goals" target="_blank">habits versus goals</a> is a great read.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of my resolutions is to keep this blog more up-to-date. Ahem. And I've got so many new recipes to share with you this year, it's hard to know where to begin! It's also been a while since I've done a giveaway and I've got 2 very exciting ones coming up for you soon, so do stay tuned.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the meantime, there is a whole slew of recipes I recently posted over on <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/" target="_blank">PBS Food</a> which I forgot to tell you about. Not a very good start to my resolution, but let's get caught up, shall we?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First up, these rye crepes were a revelation this fall. My crepe of choice has long been the mighty buckwheat variety, but since we have our own homegrown rye (coming out of our ears!) I decided to try it out in crepes and lo and behold, a wonderfully nutty yet much lighter than expected crepe emerged. A new favorite. Rather lovely with pears and cheddar. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And this video contains a good hint as to one of my upcoming giveaways... (think fresh-milled flour!!)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Here's the video and </span><a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/rye-crepes-pear-cheddar/" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;" target="_blank">the recipe</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">:</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CmjLotBMLyI?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="853"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then, over the holidays, I made about a gazillion of these Salted Honey Cranberry Pumpkin Seeds Bars and gifted the ones I managed not to devour. Made with coconut oil and using only honey to sweeten, they're a relatively guilt-free treat and pretty addictive. <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/salted-honey-cranberry-pumpkin-seed-bars/" target="_blank">Recipe here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then there was the breakfast pie to end all breakfast pies. Oh epic pie. Oh pie to dream about. Turns out, it makes a perfect Christmas breakfast. I'm adopting it as a yearly Christmas morning tradition. But really, it is quite suitable for any day of the year. Whatever you do in 2016, be sure to make this pie. <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/tourte-milanaise/" target="_blank">Recipe here.</a></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XgIScu8an9o?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="853"></iframe>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then there's this veggie pâté which is a Québec classic and a long-time family favorite. Do you know how hard it is to make brown pâté look good in a photo? It's very hard. But don't let the drab appearance fool you, it's a tasty little </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">pâté</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. And it makes a fabulous vegetarian Banh Mi sandwich, in case you were wondering. </span><a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/veggie-pate/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Recipe here.</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then, most recently, there was my beloved Leekchi, queen of ferments (at least in my books, though it's hard to beat ginger carrot kraut). If you are into fermenting, do try this one. You won't be disappointed. I eat it on everything. Also, I have a hunch this might be a seriously good-for-you superfood. <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/leekchi/" target="_blank">Recipe here. </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YAZ5deItOuw?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="853"></iframe>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And finally, there's this bright Savoy cabbage salad with blood oranges and avocado that will splash some color into the greyest of winter days. <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/savoy-cabbage-blood-orange-avocado-salad/" target="_blank">Recipe here.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So that brings us up to date my friends. Until very soon, I promise! xox</span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-41383087231531770072015-12-04T18:12:00.001-05:002015-12-04T18:32:36.249-05:00Five-in-one<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Somewhere after <a href="http://kitchenvignettes.blogspot.ca/2015/08/blackberry-swirl-cheesecake-with-new.html" target="_blank">blackberry swirl cheesecake</a> and the end of summer, I lost my blogging zeal. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">It's kind of hard to talk about food and share recipes when some pretty horrific things are happening in the world all around us and it can feel almost impossible to find the right words to talk about them, especially in the limited context of a food blog. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Also, according to several sources <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2014/jul/16/blogging-dead-bloggers-digital-content" target="_blank">blogging is dead</a>. So that didn't help with my bad case of blog neglect. And the truth is, much of my old recipe-sharing and food-rambling energy now goes to my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kitchenvignettes/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kitchenvignettes/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> feeds, not to mention the <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/" target="_blank">PBS blog</a>. So for a girl who tries to not overdo the social media thing, it can all get to be a bit much. When I started this blog just over 4 years ago, I didn't have any of those other outlets. But this is where it all started, and it <i>is</i> always nice to meander back and dangle my legs from this exact place and dispatch a long-overdue greeting and some recipes. So. Hello! How have you been? And d</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">oes anyone else out there also feel like crawling into a full body cloak these days and not coming out again until spring? Because that's kind of where I'm at right now. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Found on Facebook, if you know who created this, let me know so I can credit them, it's brilliant)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify;">Yep. Once the trees are bare and the temperature begins to dip below zero, there's a strange growl from deep within that urges me to go into hiding. It's the sword-wielding winter beast. She really, really likes wood stoves. And blankets. </span>A friend just posted <a href="http://www.motherearthliving.com/health-and-wellness/a-long-winters-nap-hibernation-helps.aspx" target="_blank">this article</a> about how the colder weather makes us want to sleep more. What if instead of fighting it, we indulged our inclination to lay down our weary little heads and sleep for just a bit longer in the winter months? Bears do it. Skunks do it. And bats and snakes and groundhogs. It seems only normal that we should at the very least, relent our frenzy of activities. I loved this excerpt from the article:</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: georgia, times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Villages and even small towns were silent, with barely a column of smoke to reveal a human presence. As soon as the weather turned cold, people all over France shut themselves away and practiced the forgotten art of doing nothing at all for months on end.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This year, I plan to embrace my inner bear. Though in the last few months since I last wrote, I've been anything but hibernating. On the recipe front, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; widows: 1;">I've got a backlog of new recipes to share with you, so I figured I should do a little round-up here, a little five-in-one if you don't mind, to get us all caught up and up-to-date.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxqVVNGPtXwf1f86_efgiCoa-itmfgTWDd0RI582GxidxF4eowCfs3gA1kjHUS0sqKvmCU9YAX9iIYd_mhuVR2dwdLhlKcwzIhbK74qJxkW3GFpPeG3XCcGlR2gCE0FsgY1iIN9nn7R6l/s1600/SL4A3539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxqVVNGPtXwf1f86_efgiCoa-itmfgTWDd0RI582GxidxF4eowCfs3gA1kjHUS0sqKvmCU9YAX9iIYd_mhuVR2dwdLhlKcwzIhbK74qJxkW3GFpPeG3XCcGlR2gCE0FsgY1iIN9nn7R6l/s1600/SL4A3539.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first one is this </span><a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/rye-berry-salad/" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;" target="_blank">Rye Berry Salad</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> which features red cabbage, feta, and dill. I love the chew of shiny rye berries, but you can use pretty much any whole grain to make this dish. They turn this into a wholesome salad, perfect for wintery days.</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ccd_tKXEhCg?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="853"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The second is a beloved Italian recipe for <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/pickled-eggplant/" target="_blank">Pickled Eggplant in Olive Oil</a>, one of the most delicious things I've ever learned to make. There are a hundred different ways to make this recipe in Italy and each family has their own treasured recipe. In this video, I share the way I was taught to make it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Next up are my mom's <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/maple-walnut-stuffed-baked-apples/" target="_blank">Maple Walnut Stuffed Baked Apples</a>, an easy seasonal favourite. And the ultimate healthy comfort food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then there was this <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/roasted-red-pepper-pesto/" target="_blank">Roasted Red Pepper Pesto</a>, a fun one to make, eat, and shoot.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSdzB6ycgfX-wcvSIvqWUwqXR39dMw0EZGMPKwN-LYee2iXAnzpfGr-ATEHV6OCk5PkMuVHhjnaHSzhjlzvFzurY-EX8tlpdgjFDhAPd9AoINwof_bmUkW6m8Sw5KM3FJQv9S2S-QvHDV/s1600/SL4A5980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSdzB6ycgfX-wcvSIvqWUwqXR39dMw0EZGMPKwN-LYee2iXAnzpfGr-ATEHV6OCk5PkMuVHhjnaHSzhjlzvFzurY-EX8tlpdgjFDhAPd9AoINwof_bmUkW6m8Sw5KM3FJQv9S2S-QvHDV/s1600/SL4A5980.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And finally, a very seasonal <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/pumpkin-maple-creme-caramel/" target="_blank">Pumpkin Maple Flan</a> (or Crème Caramel). And an appropriate pre-hibernation food. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There. That brings us at least somewhat up to date with the recipes. I'll be back with more recipes soon and perhaps even find the words to say some of the things that have been on my mind that are not always food-related. Until then, may your sleeps be a tiny bit longer.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D2986614298082910318%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1012850269328052612%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D2%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-MJJlu0WwKyU%2FVl9SWzl4rEI%2FAAAAAAAADdE%2FOpbq_M6JWu0%2Fs1600%2FSL4A3506.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=F9AiHn0q2Pkc&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 26px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1316px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D2986614298082910318%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1012850269328052612%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D2%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-MJJlu0WwKyU%2FVl9SWzl4rEI%2FAAAAAAAADdE%2FOpbq_M6JWu0%2Fs1600%2FSL4A3506.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=F9AiHn0q2Pkc&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 26px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1316px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-43550550323106763892015-08-27T17:22:00.000-04:002015-08-27T17:22:51.522-04:00Blackberry Swirl Cheesecake (with a new video!)<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="478" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wmWSltxYK7U?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="850"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't know about where you live, but over here the blackberries are insane this year! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've <a href="http://kitchenvignettes.blogspot.com/2012/08/blackberry-swirl-poundcake-perfumed.html" target="_blank">talked about my love</a> of blackberries before, and how they always remind me of my stepdad because he is the most dedicated blackberry picker I've ever met. Whenever I go visit him, no matter the time of year, I know I can always count on an amazing blackberry smoothie for breakfast. All I have to do is open up the freezer to find mountains of blackberries in there, memories of late August afternoons spent foraging. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm a bit lazier about picking and I just gobble them all right away for the most part, but this year I did manage to whip up this cheesecake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In all honesty, there aren't that many blackberries in the cake. It's really all just about making the swirl. Let's talk about the swirl. I've been making a lot of swirls in my desserts this summer and let me tell you, there's something weirdly meditative, calming, mesmerizing, and totally addictive about swirling colors and textures around. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was thinking they should make kids (and grown-ups) who struggle with ADD do swirls. It takes all your attention and concentrates it into one glorious action until your brain is nothing but one liquid color melding into another. Totally gnarly. Totally groovy. Have I lost my mind with swirls? Yes, quite probably. You'll just have to try it to see if I'm exaggerating or not. Happy swirling!</span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh yeah, the recipe. Click <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/blackberry-swirl-cheesecake/" target="_blank">right here</a> my dear friends. xox</span></b></i><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-83549935589522971492015-08-05T15:49:00.001-04:002015-08-05T17:01:04.202-04:00Butterflied Grilled Cornish hen (or chicken)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bS4gav3DWejoRZv2SFT-gLrUV_DgUuI_lUMoxdPve89RclD7A3Ii4wc00ngUzOCdT3n0Uag1iEBuZwWkDoBQNrbsOO-2-VYYvtNdav7SeNXRgMFYzn9f3N799TZZs8tsVLJV0o3vuUFS/s1600/Nb0PJ.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bS4gav3DWejoRZv2SFT-gLrUV_DgUuI_lUMoxdPve89RclD7A3Ii4wc00ngUzOCdT3n0Uag1iEBuZwWkDoBQNrbsOO-2-VYYvtNdav7SeNXRgMFYzn9f3N799TZZs8tsVLJV0o3vuUFS/s1600/Nb0PJ.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many moons ago, I went through a painful break-up and found myself very alone with a sore tender heart on Valentine's Day. I decided I would make myself the fanciest meal I could conjure up and enjoy my own company over candlelight. So I bought a Cornish hen and a great bottle of wine. I stuffed that little bird, roasted it up with some veggies, got out some nice linens, and proceeded to wine and dine myself. It was empowering, delicious, memorable. When I think of it now, it makes me think of this video by the marvellous Andrea Dorfman and Tanya Davis:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That was one of the few times I'd ever eaten Cornish hen, mainly because it's hard to find a source of good local, organic ones. But this summer, I've rekindled my romance with the sweet hen. As it turns out, Cornish hen are not so fancy after all (or even necessarily a hen for that matter), they're actually just a younger version of the regular broiler chicken. I learned that from our friends at the farmer's market who have got me hooked on their organically-raised Cornish hen. They also told me about butterflying the bird (also called spatchcocking, though that sounds kind of naughty doesn't it?) to get quick, even cooking and the most tender meat possible. (And that's saying a lot since Cornish hen is already incredibly moist and tender). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As a teenager, I always had a song that embodied the feeling of each summer, usually whatever song was being played on the radio the most. I still do that. (In case you're wondering, this is my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUFJJNQGwhk" target="_blank">summer 2015</a> song). In the same vein, there's sometimes one dish that embodies a particular summer. And this summer's is most definitely this butterflied Cornish hen grilled on wood coals.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXHpSUIKBZSI6M9w2lA77sDLmFmCrjA6CRZRpxNersrMpV1BnHEiVP9YFlSoImI8mSqzQNOM2NAyER34PPf0GBaXJAXhxzco5uaGwCxApdf3JzilQDIXVbnMzEh1kYbwToiTCTxQC8P0c/s1600/SL4A1726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXHpSUIKBZSI6M9w2lA77sDLmFmCrjA6CRZRpxNersrMpV1BnHEiVP9YFlSoImI8mSqzQNOM2NAyER34PPf0GBaXJAXhxzco5uaGwCxApdf3JzilQDIXVbnMzEh1kYbwToiTCTxQC8P0c/s1600/SL4A1726.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I feel like I'm only just now emerging from a somber couple of weeks. First, there was the recent passing of the <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2015/07/20/let-americans-decide-for-themselves-gmos/dNfid0PFI71ghYDfOUn0yJ/story.html" target="_blank">DARK Act</a> in Congress which was like a punch in the stomach. In case you missed <a href="http://kitchenvignettes.blogspot.com/2015/07/healthier-homemade-oreo-cookies.html" target="_blank">my last post</a>, the DARK Act would kill GMO labelling in America, making it illegal for individual states to have mandatory GMO labelling. So if it gets through the Senate, then Vermont, Maine, and Connecticut's GMO labelling laws would be overturned. The bill was <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/billsum.php?id=hr1599-114" target="_blank">heavily sponsored</a> by big food companies (Kraft, Kellogg's, Coca-Cola, etc) and of course, the folks at Monsanto who seem willing to put any amount of money down to make sure the public won't know which foods contain their GMOs. The only hope now is to <a href="http://signforgood.com/stopthedarkact/?code=JLI" target="_blank">convince Senators</a> to vote against this un-democratic bill so it doesn't go into law.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then, the week after the DARK Act passed, our piglets got attacked by what we think was a coyote. One of them was badly injured and we spent several days trying to nurse him back to health. After three long days performing gruesome wound cleanings of the kind I would have never thought myself capable of, and three long nights sleeping in the tent close to their pen to make sure coyotes didn't come back for them, we made the heartbreaking decision to put the little guy down. I spent the whole day in tears, wondering if we were doing the right thing, if we should keep trying to nurse him back to health, or if we should have put him out of his misery much sooner. During those days of tending to his wounds, I got very attached to him and to the hope that he would make a comeback. He was our favorite from the start: the runt of the pack, small, freckled, with ears so floppy we called him Eeyore. I hope he is in a better place now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was my first experience with injured farm animals and making such a difficult decision. It made me question how I feel about eating meat since even if little Eeyore had gotten better, he would have eventually been slaughtered for meat. I've always believed that if a person chooses to be a carnivore, they should be aware of where their meat comes from and what kind of life the animal had. Getting to know a living being whose life you are one day going to take raises all kinds of questions about meat-eating that I've long struggled with, even more so now. My rationale for choosing to eat meat boils down to three main things. The first is that animals kill each other for food in the wild, and we are (albeit more and more distantly) part of that natural world. The second is that many vegetarians I know have experienced severe vitamin B12 deficiencies, having to take supplements in order to get better and I'd rather not cut anything out of my diet that could make me deficient in key nutrients. And finally, purely selfishly, because it tastes so damn good. But not all meat is created equal and eating meat should come with a responsibility. The responsibility to source it carefully, from animals that have lived a happy, healthy life outdoors, with access to fresh air and pasture and who have been slaughtered quickly, painlessly, and humanely. Any day, I would choose a vegetarian diet over eating generic factory-farmed meat, especially given <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeLgkniFW2c" target="_blank">this alarming recent development</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsA65EPKhdHupvR35hGz7Zjly2fqyM8a2xIVq6vF_R1BWBBMjxR4SkgeXv6YDSVyk2QVi_BszkdRV5pd9s_GXRUtuM7bU61AvNVW3Me0qo7UpWQ69liVQS_7kpiuIommupxnud0ee8YOFN/s1600/SL4A1771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsA65EPKhdHupvR35hGz7Zjly2fqyM8a2xIVq6vF_R1BWBBMjxR4SkgeXv6YDSVyk2QVi_BszkdRV5pd9s_GXRUtuM7bU61AvNVW3Me0qo7UpWQ69liVQS_7kpiuIommupxnud0ee8YOFN/s1600/SL4A1771.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">During the three difficult days of nursing our piglet, I spoke to a very kind vet on the phone, a guardian angel who talked us through our options. As he said, choosing to end an animal's life is not an easy thing to do, but an instant death is likely preferable to slow prolonged suffering. And when I think about it, that's probably what I would choose for myself if I were so badly injured. What's for sure is that the bacon we'll be eating this winter will be even more appreciated than ever before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And while we wait for that tasty bacon, you'll find me grilling the world's most juicy tender Cornish hen, thanks to our friends at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CommonWealthFarmLLC?fref=ts" target="_blank">Common Wealth Farm</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/grilled-butterflied-cornish-hen/" target="_blank">Click here for my recipe.</a></i></b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make a tiny wish! Cornish hen wishbone...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUlis6Sh1O6KF5JCwMb1GcO2SsowGn8vGgMHB9eI_mGtcZ0EP6F4NxS4fL1fhIVRWjRmu0YzyIa7K9yP3LTMv1kzwalFzE8_E_0eyuJXr4Pz0_98VCUAo_rpE1Zf2V-2nLxMgGouSygI7/s1600/IMG_2094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUlis6Sh1O6KF5JCwMb1GcO2SsowGn8vGgMHB9eI_mGtcZ0EP6F4NxS4fL1fhIVRWjRmu0YzyIa7K9yP3LTMv1kzwalFzE8_E_0eyuJXr4Pz0_98VCUAo_rpE1Zf2V-2nLxMgGouSygI7/s640/IMG_2094.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three plump Cornish hen!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-22877583160167706022015-07-15T19:24:00.004-04:002015-07-24T17:31:48.372-04:00Healthier Homemade "Oreo" Cookies<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I grew up in a junk food-free household but as a kid, I would secretly go across the street to get my sugar fix. My friend and I had an unspoken agreement that whenever I would come over, she would raid the cupboards and bust out whatever boxed sugary treats she could find. Oreo cookies were the prize find. At the risk of having you un-follow this blog, I'm going to tell you that we had this thing we did where we would scrape off all the Oreo cream filling and collect as much of it as we could, roll it into a giant ball and stick it in the freezer to gnaw away at later. Yup. Like the strange sugar-obsessed demented squirrels that we were. It's a miracle her parents never banned me from their house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was scrolling through my Instagram feed the other day and a blogger I follow had posted a photo of the new Oreo thins. The photo description encouraged her followers to enter an Oreo contest. Her photo was hashtagged #sponsored and #oreothins so I clicked on the hashtag and saw that oodles of popular Instagrammers were being sponsored to post photos of the new Oreo thins. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What irked me about this is that, as some of you know, I'm working on a documentary about GMO labelling and I've been doing a lot of research to find out who is preventing GMO labelling from happening here in Canada and the United States. It turns out that among many other junk food companies, the <a href="http://www.behindthebrands.org/en-us/brands/mondelez/cadburys" target="_blank">company that owns Oreos</a> is paying big bucks to lobbyists in Washington to sweet talk politicians into voting in favor of the DARK Act (HR1599) which would overturn Vermont, Maine and Connecticut's democratic GMO labelling laws. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In fact, t</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">his bill would make it illegal for <i>any</i> state to pass a GMO labelling law <i>ever. </i>Instead, it proposes national "voluntary" GMO labelling. What does this mean? It means if a company feels like it, they can tell us their food contains GMOs and if they don't feel like it, you're shit out of luck. And guess what? We've already had a "voluntary" GMO labelling system in place for the past 20 years and do you know how many companies have chosen to label the GMO ingredients on their products? Zero. Not one single company. If this bill passes we can all kiss bye bye to GMO-labelling in America. Years of hard work by activists, farmers, chefs, politicians, moms and dads? GONE. Hasta la vista. If you want to know what's in your food, better move to Europe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The sad thing is, all that lobbying paid off because just yesterday, <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">the House Agriculture Committee voted to pass the bill which now goes directly to the House floor for a vote as early as next week. But here's the encouraging thing, good politicians DO listen to what their constituents want, and here's the proof:</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">So we need to rally the troops, get all hands on deck, and call, tweet, visit, email our <a href="https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/how-will-your-representative-vote-dark-act" target="_blank">elected reps</a> to tell them to vote NO on HR1599 because we have a right to know what's in the food we eat. It seems like such a no-brainer, it's mind-boggling that we're having to fight so hard for this. I've heard people say "it's not a big deal, just buy organic". Aside from the fact that this bill threatens the future of <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/248249-federal-bill-will-hurt-family-farmers-and-consumers" target="_blank">organic and non-GMO agriculture</a>, it's important to realize that not everyone can afford or even access organic or non-GMO certified foods. It shouldn't matter where you live or what your budget is, every person deserves the right to informed decision making, especially when it comes to what we put into our bodies.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It never ceases to astound me that, despite the fact that 90% of Americans want GMOs labeled, our elected officials would ignore their constituents and vote for what junk food companies with deep pockets have convinced them to do instead. 64 countries around the world already have GMO labeling, so why do we have to be fighting such a gigantic battle to get that basic right here? GMO labelling is scheduled to go into effect in Vermont in 2016. If this bill passes, Vermont's democratically passed law will be overturned. It begs the questions, who gets to write our laws, people or corporations? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/billsum.php?id=hr1599-114" target="_blank">paid lobbying list</a> for HR1599, alongside Oreo's parent company, you see the usual suspects: Monsanto ($1.2 million), Kellogg ($700,000), Coca-Cola ($3 million), Kraft Foods ($350,000)... to name just a few. It makes my brain explode when I think of how much money these companies are willing to invest into making sure no one knows which foods contain GMOs. And that's not counting the millions of dollars they've shelled out to fight individual state GMO labelling bills such as the ones in California and Washington.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I wrote a friendly note on my fellow blogger's sponsored photo, telling her about what Oreo is doing. I said no thank-you to the Oreo thins contest but that if she did a homemade Oreo recipe post, I'd be all over it. She deleted my comment. Actually she deleted all the comments by all of her followers who don't like Oreos or who questioned why she was promoting Oreos. I wondered if Oreos made her delete the comments as part of their sponsorship agreement. At any rate, I gathered she was not going to be doing a homemade Oreos post anytime soon. So I decided I would.</span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The recipe took a bit of testing, it was finicky because I was trying to avoid refined sugar and white flour, etc. (My mom would have approved). In fact, I was trying to avoid just about every single ingredient normally found in Oreos, except for the cocoa and the baking soda</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; text-transform: uppercase;">SUGAR*, UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px; text-transform: uppercase;">(WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE {VITAMIN B1}, RIBOFLAVIN {VITAMIN B2}, FOLIC ACID)</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6000003814697px; text-transform: uppercase;">, HIGH OLEIC CANOLA* AND/OR PALM AND/OR CANOLA OIL*, COCOA, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP*, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA AND/OR CALCIUM PHOSPHATE), CORNSTARCH*, SALT, SOY LECITHIN*, VANILLIN--AN ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CHOCOLATE / *</span>(the starred ones are likely GMO)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the end, I arrived at 2 recipes. Both are made with buckwheat flour which I've <a href="http://kitchenvignettes.blogspot.com/2013/02/buckwheat-shortbread-hearts-dipped-in.html" target="_blank">always found</a> goes well with chocolate. One version has organic butter, egg, and coconut sugar, and you can find that one on my latest <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/healthier-homemade-oreos/" target="_blank">PBS Food post</a>. The other version which I'm sharing below is dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, and only sweetened with honey. And despite being "everything-free", it's surprisingly full of flavour and goodness!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As a final note, please <a href="http://bit.ly/nodarkact" target="_blank">sign and share the petition</a> against HR1599 because we all have the right to know what's in our food. Also, <a href="https://www.organicconsumers.org/campaigns/millions-against-monsanto/act-now-states%E2%80%99-rights-label-gmos-danger" target="_blank">check here to see</a> if your elected rep is on the committees that will be looking at this bill before it goes to a vote. Or if they're a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/1599/cosponsors?pageSort=lastToFirst" target="_blank">cosponsor</a> of the bill. Please call their office, write to them, let them know how you feel! I've started working my way through the list of undecided cosponsors and tweeting to every one of them. Let's sway them in favor of democracy. Because as it's been said, "democracy is like a muscle, either you use it or you lose it".</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Homemade Healthier "Oreo" Cookies</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(This version is dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free. For a butter and egg-based version of these, check out my <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/healthier-homemade-oreos/" target="_blank">post on PBS Food</a>.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cookie dough:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 cup buckwheat</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 cup tapioca flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 cup cocoa powder</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/4 cup softened coconut oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5 Tbsp white or creamed honey</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 tsp vanilla</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3/4 tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 level teaspoon baking soda</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3/4 cup raw cashews</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 Tbsp white or creamed honey</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3 Tbsp coconut oil, at </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">room temperature</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> (use </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">refined, expeller-pressed</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> if you want to </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">avoid the coconut taste)</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/4 tsp vanilla or peppermint extract (I highly recommend the peppermint!)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To make the cream filling, place the cashews in a small bowl and cover with water. Soak them for at least an hour, or overnight. Drain the water and pat the cashews dry with a clean towel. To make the cream filling, you can either use a high-powered blender or an immersion stick blender. Place all the ingredients together and blend on highest setting for several minutes to obtain a smooth thick paste. Place this in the fridge while you work on the dough.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To make the cookies, preheat your oven to 325 F. Whisk all the dry ingredients together. If you have a food processor, simply pulse the coconut oil and honey together until creamy, then add the dry ingredients and pulse until they come together into a ball. If mixing by hand, cream the coconut oil and honey together. Add the dry ingredients mixture and mixing with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together. Use your hands to shape the dough into a ball. Flatten it into a disk. Sprinkle a little buckwheat flour on a rolling pin and on a clean surface and begin to roll out the dough to about 1/8th or even 1/16th of an inch thick. (</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The thinner the dough, the crispier the cookie). </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Continue to sprinkle a little buckwheat flour under the dough as you roll it, it will help you lift off the cookies to transfer them to the pan. This dough is delicate and does not flip over well, but with flour sprinkled on top and bottom, it will roll out nicely. If your dough is simply too sticky to roll out, you can knead in a bit more buckwheat flour (not more than 1 Tbsp at a time) or chill the dough in the fridge for about 10 minutes. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once your dough is rolled thin, use a round cookie cutter or the top of a small drinking glass, about 2 inches in diameter, to cut the cookies into circles. Using a thin spatula, carefully transfer them to a parchment paper-lined or greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes in a 325F oven, but check them often as they can burn very quickly, and burnt buckwheat does not taste very nice. (If your dough is rolled very thin, they may bake even more quickly). Cool the cookies on a rack, they will crisp a bit as they cool. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To assemble, make sure the cookies are completely cooled (or the filling will melt). Coconut oil hardens significantly when chilled. If your cream filling is cold and hardened, you can roll it into little balls, about 3/4 inch in size and gently squeeze it between 2 cookies, making sure to press on the centre of the cookie so it doesn’t crack along the edges. Alternately, if your filling is not too cold and still spreadable, you can simply butter it on the bottom of one cookie and press another cookie on top. If the filling is left at room temperature too long, the oil may begin to separate, if this happens, simply chill it again and whisk it back into a cream. The filling amount should be fairly thin, about 1/8th inch thick. The cookies will keep for about 1 week. Enjoy!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-49948542401218012952015-06-23T17:50:00.002-04:002015-06-23T20:41:51.780-04:00Hakurei Turnip and Shiitake Mushrooms on Soba Noodles<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/12LCKR40YRM?list=PLQMKh4LBO6xPX3auAldak7iXCqNAURj7Q" width="853"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you've never experienced the bliss of crunching on a Hakurei turnip, you're missing out. What I love about Hakurei (aside from its creamy tender awesomeness) is that it's not readily available in most grocery stores even though many farmers grow them. What this means is that you have to seek it out. It's a vegetable begging to be pursued and found, ideally close to its place of origin and the hands that grew it: at farm stands, farmer's markets, or through a CSA share with a local farmer. In a world where we are spoiled enough to find pretty much anything we could dream of at one-stop grocery stores, I get a secret pleasure knowing that there are still some things that you need to get right from the farmer who grew them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've been making various incarnations of this Hakurei & soba noodle recipe pretty much non-stop this spring, ever since I laid hands on the first Hakurei of the season. I can't seem to get tired of it. I could eat it (and have done so) for days on end. It's tasty, light, healthy, and quick to make.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was lucky that one of our neighbouring organic farms, <a href="http://www.bahnerfarm.com/" target="_blank">Bahner Farm</a>, had a lush bed of Hakurei and kindly harvested some so I could make this month's recipe video. I loved working on this video because a) I got to visit Bahner Farm, b) got to eat a LOT of soba noodles and Hakurei, c) got to try out my new <a href="http://www.lecreuset.com/cutlery" target="_blank">bling bling knife</a> from Le Creuset (it's nothing short of amazing!!), and d) I got to make my baby turnips dance to another fabulous <a href="http://www.lullatone.com/" target="_blank">Lullatone</a> tune. (I always did love to play with my food). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You can find the recipe <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/hakurei-turnip-soba/" target="_blank">over on PBS Food</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, go forth my friends and eat some Hakurei!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-45688652583465445982015-06-11T18:42:00.000-04:002015-07-06T15:39:27.157-04:00Your help is needed + chocolate sesame smoothies!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm fairly certain I'm not alone in saying that given the choice, I'd rather spend my time looking at food porn than reading about agricultural policy or writing a letter to my elected representative. But no matter which way you slice it, food is political. And if you love food and believe you've got a right to know what you're eating, there are 2 things happening right now that are putting our food democracy at risk. One is the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the other is a bill making its way through Congress, called the DARK Act. If you don't have time to read on, it takes 30 seconds to send a letter to Congress: <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=15359" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://takeaction.takepart.com/actions/oppose-the-dark-act" target="_blank">here</a>. It may seem like it won't make a difference, but these types of letters do have an impact and the more people sign on, the greater that impact. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First, the TPP. A strange beast that no one has fully gotten their head around yet for the simple reason that the documents are top secret. They haven't been publicly released and even most Congress members haven't been able to read the details of the agreement. The TPP is a massive free trade deal that would give sweeping new powers to corporations and make it illegal for countries to pass laws protecting health care, labour wages, consumer rights, and the environment if any of those laws were seen as obstacles to selling a product. So if TPP passes, it will have devastating impacts on <a href="http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/15353-transpacific-partnership-will-undermine-democracy-empower-transnational-corporations#" target="_blank">our democracy</a>, our <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/01/140117-trans-pacific-partnership-free-trade-environment-obama/" target="_blank">environment</a>, our <a href="http://www.farmaid.org/issues/industrial-agriculture/how-will-the-new-trade-deals-being-negotiated-affect-farmers/" target="_blank">farmers</a>, and needless to say, on our <a href="http://civileats.com/2014/01/21/how-will-the-tpp-affect-the-food-system/" target="_blank">food</a>. Basically, it's NAFTA on crack. TPP documents have also identified GMO labelling as an "unjustified trade restriction". What does this mean? It means that j<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">ust as we are finally on the verge of winning GMO labeling in the US, the TPP could eliminate the ability of countries around the world to label GMOs or impose common sense restrictions on the sale of genetically engineered seed and food in their countries. Tomorrow, Congress votes on fast-tracking the TPP, so it's very important that as many people as possible sign <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=15359" target="_blank">this petition</a>.</span></span><br />
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The second thing is <a href="https://takeaction.takepart.com/actions/oppose-the-dark-act" target="_blank">the DARK Act</a> which is quickly working its way through Congress and would deny the right of individual states to pass GMO labelling laws. Vermont is the first state in the US to have passed an unconditional GMO labelling law and it is set to take effect on July 1, 2016. Monsanto and its junk food industry friends are in a panic. They've already filed a <a href="http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/blog/2015/apr/29-1" target="_blank">lawsuit</a> against the state of Vermont, and now their lobbyists are hard at work to pass the act (HR1599), which would make it illegal for individual states to label GMOs. If they're so proud of their GMOs, why not label them and give us all the choice whether to eat them or not? 90% of Americans want GMOs labeled and if this act is passed, Congress would be siding with biotech companies instead of the vast majority of citizens. <a href="https://takeaction.takepart.com/actions/oppose-the-dark-act" target="_blank">Click here to add your voice to the petition against HR1599.</a> You can also write a letter to your elected rep and <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/1599/cosponsors" target="_blank">click here</a> to find out if your Congress member is a sponsor of HR1599. The best thing to do is to call your elected rep's office directly and simply ask them to oppose HR1599 because we all have a right to know what we are eating.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have you made it this far? If so, I love you. And I give you<b> <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/chocolate-sesame-smoothie/" target="_blank">this chocolate sesame smoothie</a></b>, I hope you like it! </span><br />
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And in case you missed this one on my Facebook page this week, it oh so delightfully nails the problem with GMOs…</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-6747162091217901372015-05-29T11:55:00.000-04:002015-05-29T11:55:08.469-04:00Spruce Tip Jelly!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jelly that tastes like a forest and all things wonderful and wild? Yes please.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Spruce tips are indeed edible, they're packed with vitamin C, and spring is the time to pick them. Making jars of this jelly is like bottling up a little sliver of the invigorating smell of spruce trees and springtime, to eat all year round. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've already written all about this one over on my <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/spruce-tip-jelly/" target="_blank">PBS Food post</a> where you'll find the recipe, so I will keep it short and just leave you with the video recipe and a few photos for today. Let me know if you make it!</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-68221364216285476812015-05-12T13:30:00.000-04:002016-05-08T10:22:29.908-04:00On surviving Mother's Day + Honey Fennel Gingerbread<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I wanted to write a Mother's Day post, at the very least acknowledge the occasion with a special recipe, a kind thought, a photo of my mom and I, anything. But I began Sunday morning by accidentally going on Facebook. That did not go so well for me. I forgot last year's note to self to avoid FB like the plague on Mother's Day (and also ideally hide in a dark hole and not come out for days after). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yup. Some years are rougher than others. It's funny how grief doesn't follow a linear or logical path. It's been close to 6 years since my mom died, and I'm still at times whammed in the gut, usually when I least expect it. Most of the time, I'm fine. As Hope Edelman says in <a href="http://hopeedelman.com/2015/05/mothers-day-letter-motherless-daughters/" target="_blank">this year's</a> Mother's Day Letter to Motherless Daughters: "<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><i>A mother-sized hole will always exist in your life. But as the author Abigail </i></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><i>Thomas has said, eventually you get used to never getting used to it.</i>" Nailed it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">My mom actually hated Mother's Day. She thought it was a corporate hallmark holiday that was cheesy and overly-commercial. So there. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">It makes me laugh when I think of it. Mother's Day</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> rubbed her anti-establishment spirit the wrong way, for probably all the same reasons she wanted me and my sister to call her by her actual name, instead of mommy. But I think she secretly delighted in anything special we did to mark the occasion. For all her rebelliousness against mainstream culture, she had the most tender heart I've ever met.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom and our unconventional post-modern art 'Christmas tree', circa 1985</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">Still, she always made a point of protesting if we did anything for Mother's Day. Save it for my birthday, she would say, that is the real day you should be c</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">elebrating me. I try to remind myself of this every year, sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. My boyfriend also lost his mother, a few years before mine, so our approach is to just kind of pretend Mother's Day isn't happening and try to go about our regular activities. Denial seems like a lame way to go about it, but for now it's all we've got.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With rarely-seen curlers in her hair, which she saw as an opportunity to be a goofball</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">So if any of you out there also found it to be a hard day to get through this year, for whatever reason… a) please know you were not alone, b) I've got two things for you: my best gingerbread recipe, and these words that the one and only </span><a href="http://www.eater.com/2015/5/11/8575571/eater-upsell-podcast-dan-barber" style="line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Helen Rosner</a><span style="line-height: 19px;"> posted on Facebook, which I found piercingly honest and funny and totally awesome and comforting:</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Love to all having a rough day because you don't have a mom, don't have the mom you want, aren't a mom & want to be, are a mom & don't want to be, hate old photos, or hate brunch."</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I happen to love brunch </span><i style="line-height: 19px;">and</i><span style="line-height: 19px;"> old photos, so I guess at least I have that going for me. More importantly, I had the mother I wanted, so I am infinitely blessed, no matter how much pain her physical absence causes me.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For my Honey Fennel Gingerbread recipe, whose ambrosial aroma has been clinically proven to melt away loneliness and post-holiday angst (or at the very least, just make a really really nice snack with tea), <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/honey-fennel-gingerbread-loaf/" target="_blank">click here</a>. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And for those of you who are lucky enough not to suffer from Mother's Day PTSD, I hope it was a sunny and love-filled day this year. </span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-34709830104442745962015-05-06T11:21:00.000-04:002017-03-24T16:24:33.756-04:00Tortillas will never be the same: nixtamalizing whole corn tortillas in Mexico!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This winter I gave myself a very big gift. The gift of Mexico. It was an antidote to a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=196OwW8vN5E" target="_blank">notoriously brutal</a> Nova Scotian winter, but also to a confusing time in my life, one where the constant shifting back and forth between two lives (one in Maine and one in Nova Scotia) had worn me down. Wanting to put down roots but unable to take the leap in one definitive direction, I chose to just veer off-course entirely and get some perspective from a different vista, recharging my batteries while doing some much-needed work to inch closer to my master's thesis completion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />I swam in the ocean and fed my freckles (who greedily drank the sun and multiplied tenfold), consumed vast quantities of mangoes, avocados, papayas, and (!) octopus, met some inspiring new faces, and generally became acquainted with the gentle pace of life in the tiny coastal town of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Agustinillo" target="_blank">San Augustinillo</a>. You've got to love a lifestyle where your daily to-do list includes eating a whole coconut, on the beach. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Having discovered true bliss</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Indeed, the high point of each day was walking down the hill to the village's only grocer to buy an extra-large green coconut, its top expertly lopped off with a few decisive strokes of machete, a straw popped into the exposed fleshy white bubble. And off we'd go, me and my coconut, nature's most refreshing drink. The best part: no plastic bottle, no waste. After drinking my coconut (usually on the sand, where coconuts are meant to be sipped), I'd return home, along the way requesting a few more chops from my machete-wielding friend to expose the gelatinous tender flesh inside. Unlike the dry brittle stuff we get up north, fresh coconut meat is soft, the jello of my dreams. A meal in and of itself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It will probably come as no big surprise to anyone who knows me that my most memorable moments of the trip revolved around food. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But towering above the mountain of magical food moments (coconut oil-fried </span><a href="https://instagram.com/p/0k-blbTOYm/?taken-by=kitchenvignettes" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">platano macho</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><a href="https://instagram.com/p/zvxkBGzOTK/?taken-by=kitchenvignettes" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">chipotle shrimp</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> eaten on the beach, fresh-fried </span><a href="https://instagram.com/p/08Q0nnTOae/?taken-by=kitchenvignettes" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">chicharron</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> at the market), was by far my journey's highlight: learning how to nixtamalize whole corn and make traditional tortillas with Elena. A game changer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I met Elena at the friendly family-run posada where I stayed for a month,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://recintodelviento.wordpress.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;" target="_blank">El Recinto Del Viento</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. S</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: center;">he came daily to cook and clean, sometimes bearing small bags of beautifully-trimmed, pan-ready nopalitos (cactus), or free-range eggs from her chickens. She often couldn't hold back a good laugh at the strange fruit I would bring back from the market and ask her how to eat. Early on, we got talking about corn and when I learned that, like many rural Oaxacans, she grows her own year's worth supply of corn and nixtamalizes it every evening in order to make fresh tortillas for her whole extended family the next morning, it was all I could do to just invite myself right over.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">I've wanted to learn how to make tortillas from whole corn for a long time. The 'masa harina' (nixatamalized corn flour) that is sold in grocery stores is made in large part from American-grown GMO corn, except for Bob's Red Mill which is GMO-free. (As an aside, most of the corn used to make tortillas in Mexico is GMO corn imported from the United States. Cheap, highly-subsidized American corn has been flooding Mexico ever since NAFTA, causing the mass exodus of hundreds of thousands of small-scale farmers who have been forced to leave their land in search of jobs in cities or in the United States. You can read more about that in this <a href="http://www.thenation.com/article/36330/retreat-subsistence" target="_blank">excellent article</a> by Peter Canby. And about the GMO contamination of native Mexican corn <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2009/02/yes-its-true-gmos-contaminate-mexican-corn" target="_blank">here</a>.) At any rate, if you want the real deal, a true flavour-packed tortilla, the way to go is whole corn kernels, not masa harina. And since we grow our own organic field corn, it seems like a no-brainer that we should know how to make our own fresh tortillas. But the whole nixtamalization thing was always a bit of a mystery and I'd been lazy about learning how to do it on my own. Now, thanks to Elena's generous guidance and teachings, nixtamalization has taken my love of corn to a whole other level.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">Nixtamalization is the magical process whereby whole corn kernels are boiled and soaked in limewater. It's the equivalent of using sourdough to make bread (i.e.: dramatically boosting nutrient content, digestibility, and flavor). In a nutshell, here's what it does to </span>corn:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It increases the nutritional value of corn exponentially, making the nutrients more readily available for the body to absorb. For instance, it increases calcium content by 750%! (For corn-dependent cultures, it's crucial to good health and avoiding the creepy-sounding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pellagra" target="_blank">pellagra</a>, a disease found in cultures whose diet is heavily corn-based but who do not practice nixtamalization)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It softens the corn, breaking down its outer skin and changing its chemical composition so that it can be ground into a soft pliable dough, known as masa.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nixtamalization reduces carcinogenic mycotoxins which are naturally-occurring on corn, diminishing their content by over 90%</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nixtamalization chemically changes the corn, releasing its flavours and aromas, hence that indescribable corn smell that makes one swoon when walking by a tortilleria</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's a fascinating subject to read about, one on which I geeked-out for hours on end after Elena's lesson. And if you're like me and want to know more, you must read the world's most entertaining, informative article about nixtamalization: Dave Arnold's <a href="http://www.cookingissues.com/index.html%3Fp=5129.html" target="_blank">Mesoamerican Miracle Megapost</a>, where he even figures out a way to nixtamalize rye. That guy is my hero.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was lucky that our expedition to Elena's coincided with my favorite <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GrangeCornerFarm" target="_blank">gringo farmer</a>'s visit to Mexico, and that we were able to learn nixtamalizing together, especially since corn is one of his favorite crops to grow. We arrived at Elena's in the late afternoon. We first chatted and walked around, tasting tamarind out of plump pods, straight from her tree. We admired her <i>ciruela</i> (plum) trees with their shapely branches, barren of leaves but covered in compact, yet-to-ripen green fruit. Elena's family may not have a lot in the way of economic wealth but they are rich people when it comes to food and knowledge, and the kind of abundance that fertile, healthy soils shower upon you. There is a fulfillment and dignity that comes from living a life where you are so directly connected to the source of the food you eat on a daily basis</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJzrzMshW_SfjlGU6Z6QkhYb9LCnU87UhxGSiLhEL1RehK2eiEI2pJnHZhXg0c2XnIkU7sMzeKoU1rTq3uXAzYOLxn-ZXbDUM-40c8_GkoD3Gq9y9f0lPJMcPz3vx0X_Xgl0MtC0yIgW-/s1600/IMG_1996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJzrzMshW_SfjlGU6Z6QkhYb9LCnU87UhxGSiLhEL1RehK2eiEI2pJnHZhXg0c2XnIkU7sMzeKoU1rTq3uXAzYOLxn-ZXbDUM-40c8_GkoD3Gq9y9f0lPJMcPz3vx0X_Xgl0MtC0yIgW-/s1600/IMG_1996.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Elena showed us the cream-colored ears of corn (with the occasional purple fleck) that she and her husband grow in the hills near their home and we compared notes on corn varieties. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I told her that we grow a variety of deep yellow corn, she said "oh you're lucky, yellow corn is more flavourful than white!" In fact, I heard this from several people, but white corn seems to be favored in many parts of Mexico, due to the more pliable, workable tortillas it produces. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But aside from the popularity of white corn, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mexican corn is a smorgasbord of all colours, shapes, and sizes... to be expected from the country known as the birthplace of corn. Having seen</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> purple-blue, bright rose red, and even jade green Oaxacan corn, I am now dreaming of rainbows of tortillas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To nixtamlize the corn, Elena measured out 4 kilos, the amount she makes every night for the next morning's tortillas (she has a large family and they eat tortillas with breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Then she added about a cup of "cal" or lime to a large metal pail of water and boiled the corn in the limewater over her outdoor wood stove. She boils the corn for about 30 minutes before removing it from the heat and it turns yellow from the chemical reaction with the lime. She says you know the corn is ready to be removed from the heat when the outer skin has started dissolving and the kernels have plumped nicely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">After she placed the metal pail aside to cool and rest overnight, we headed home and returned to Elena's bright and early the next morning, ready to see the next steps. She started by draining the corn and rinsing it in fresh water. She showed us how to rub handfuls of kernels with our fingers to get any remaining pieces of skin off. Once the corn was clean, we walked down to the communal masa mill, or <i>molino</i> in the </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: center;">village centre, a few minutes away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fortunately, we were first to get to the mill because within a few minutes, there was a small line-up of women all waiting to mill their morning corn. In about 5 minutes flat, the corn was transformed into a moist pile of fragrant masa. Elena paid a small fee to the woman who runs the mill and we were on our way back, with our precious cargo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">Back at the homestead, Elena kneaded a bit more water into the masa and we got right to work rolling out little balls and pressing them into tortillas. </span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After pressing, Elena showed us how to carefully place the tortilla on the hot <i>comal</i> (the large clay plate that sits on top of the fire). There is a certain graceful technique to it. As Elena gently pointed out after my first few messy, torn-up tortillas, you need to place them down delicately, one end first, so they don't tear or fold. </span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I loved everything about this step of the process, the way the tortillas puffed up, the smell of the wood smoke mixing with the rich corn-ey aroma that makes your mouth water, the mound of warm tortillas that grew higher and higher as the little <i>bolitas</i> of dough became less and less. And then we tasted our first tortilla and well, probably my life will never be the same again.</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Elena learned to make tortillas when she was eight years old, and has been making them pretty much every single day since. So we knew we were learning from a pro. Back when she first learned how to make tortillas, there were no mechanized mills and she used a <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metate" target="_blank">metate</a> </i>(a traditional grinding stone) to mill the nixtamalized corn into masa by hand. When you consider the amount of work that goes into making a tortilla, from planting the seed to harvesting the corn, to nixtamalizing it and milling it into masa, rolling it, pressing it, then cooking it, you start to look at tortillas differently, you eat them with a bit more reverence. I asked Elena if she ever got bored or tired of making tortillas every single day and without a moment of hesitation she replied a strong no. She explained how much she enjoys this evening and morning ritual and finds pleasure in it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">When you travel to another country, you see people going about their daily lives as an outsider, looking in. I've never gotten much satisfaction from being a tourist and staying in a hotel because there is a part of a culture that you cannot really understand unless you're invited into someone's home. There, you become a participant, not just an observer. To me, that makes all the difference in the world. So when someone invites me </span>into their home, and especially into their kitchen, it is the greatest honour and pleasure, and no amount of sight-seeing can ever provide the richness of experience, the opportunity to exchange knowledge, culture, and friendship, and to crack open and fill up your heart and mind so deliciously.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">I feel so grateful to Elena for sharing her time and wisdom with us. It was a true gift that will always stay with me. In fact, I returned home with a nagging tortilla obsession, an itch that could only be relieved by seeing if I could replicate what I had learned in the vastly different environment of my home kitchen. It's still a work in progress, but I'll share my experience of it, in case it is useful to anyone out there who wants to try. For those of you who share the obsession and have already assembled techniques and solutions for small-scale whole kernel tortilla-making at home, please do share in the comments! All feedback, tips, and thoughts are appreciated.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><b>NIXTAMALIZED WHOLE CORN TORTILLAS</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><i>Makes about 2 dozen tortillas</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">2 pounds whole corn kernels (dry 'field corn' - not sweet corn - preferably organic)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">1/4 cup </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_hydroxide" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">pickling lime</a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">3 quarts water</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">Mix the pickling lime (find it at hardware supply stores or buy it online) and water together in a large heavy-bottomed <i><a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/food-science-explaining-reacti-73723" target="_blank">non-reactive</a></i> pot (such as stainless steel, do <i>not</i> use aluminum). Wash off any lime that gets on your hands. Rinse the corn and add it to the limewater. </span></span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bring to a boil and then maintain a gentle simmer for about 30 minutes. It can take more or less time than this, so check the kernels every now and then to see if the skin starts to dissolves. Lime creates a chemical reaction, so don't be surprised if the kernels change colour Our yellow kernels get a green skin as soon as they touch the limewater. It's perfectly normal. After about 30 minutes, remove the corn from heat and allow it to cool and rest at room temperature overnight, and for up to 24 hours. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: center;">Drain the corn and rinse it in fresh water several times, rubbing handfuls of kernel with your fingers to loosen any remaining bits of kernel skins. (Don't worry if some remain). Now you have nixtamalized corn kernels! You could use them to make a delicious <a href="http://www.patismexicantable.com/2014/01/red-pozole-with-traditional-garnishes/" target="_blank">pozole</a> or you can mill them into masa.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Milling masa is the tricky part. Traditionally, this was done on a large grinding stone called a <i>metate</i>. Today, most Mexicans have access to a mechanized molino. I wanted to buy a <i>metate</i> but seeing as I could barely lift the thing, bringing it home seemed improbable. A blender or food processor isn't powerful enough to mill masa, but I had heard of using an old-school meat grinder so this is what I did. Hello tortilla noodles!</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had to run the corn through about 3 times and it was still a little chunky for my liking but the resulting tortillas were still a success, and quite pliable. I have since gotten a few tips from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kitchenvignettes?ref=tn_tnmn" target="_blank">Facebook followers</a> and from the amazing <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/magazine/29food-t-000.html?_r=0" target="_blank">Steve Sando</a> of <a href="http://www.ranchogordo.com/" target="_blank">Rancho Gordo</a>. Steve uses a Nixtamatic grinder that he bought and had shipped from Mexico, he even made a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G1b86GU6ug" target="_blank">video</a> showing how it works. Cost is about $400. Apparently, putting the masa through a blender or food processor after it goes through the meat grinder is also an option. As is using a Victoria hand crank mill, but again, you have to put the corn through twice to get a decent masa. I found that adding a little water to the corn as it went through the grinder was useful.</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Either way, once you have your masa, you need to add a bit of water, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup but this varies. The dough should not be so dry that it cracks, but should not be so wet that it sticks to your hands. Once you've got a nice working dough, you can knead it a little and then roll it into little balls, about the size of golf balls or a bit bigger, depending on what size tortilla you want. You then flatten it, either <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=180q6Y9DE9U" target="_blank">by hand</a>, or using a tortilla press (which comes in heavy cast aluminum or wood and can easily be ordered online). Pressing between 2 sheets of thin plastic is the way to go. You gently peel back the plastic and then cook the tortilla on a hot skillet, over medium-high heat. About 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Place the hot tortillas in a clean tea towel and keep them wrapped and covered so they stay warm and develop that lovely pliability and chew.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Phew! Is anyone still reading?? This might be my most epic post yet. I could say more, but you're probably exhausted, and so am I. Though this is probably not the last you'll hear from me on the topic… Happy nixtamalizing, please share feedback in the comments!</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D2986614298082910318%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D3470983010444274596%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F-7t7bWBzaUU8%252FVUlM1V0mT5I%252FAAAAAAAADO4%252FjEdHLaTNbWQ%252Fs1600%252FIMG_2033-cc.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 26px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1808px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D2986614298082910318%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D3470983010444274596%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F-7t7bWBzaUU8%252FVUlM1V0mT5I%252FAAAAAAAADO4%252FjEdHLaTNbWQ%252Fs1600%252FIMG_2033-cc.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 26px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1808px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-61453099981314266052015-03-06T14:29:00.000-05:002015-03-06T15:12:11.011-05:00Beef and Stout Stew… and hellos from Mexico<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I made this a couple of weeks ago, on a very </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">snowy day, right before I made my get-away.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaWG3HNDdRAIuD4Fa6m-WHhbi1dclCr3N1r3oa8gmQ5l7rQkLiFJDkdDkI10OXGCsWwWi4tQn9rmYsLtVDMlgvEsA4vhrzHYYED66vyKZocYPJU9lBLiG6VpzR9giMF6pxugGzoTsDNQQ/s1600/horizontal-promo-1468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaWG3HNDdRAIuD4Fa6m-WHhbi1dclCr3N1r3oa8gmQ5l7rQkLiFJDkdDkI10OXGCsWwWi4tQn9rmYsLtVDMlgvEsA4vhrzHYYED66vyKZocYPJU9lBLiG6VpzR9giMF6pxugGzoTsDNQQ/s1600/horizontal-promo-1468.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">It's a simple meal that hits the spot on a cold winter's day: grass-fed beef stewed in a whole bottle of dark beer with mushrooms and carrots, served over mashed potatoes.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjmACiIDnjGx6F8Da0Fs7w-7bBQGv-G8-gv5GQ0w0j4VRlZ4waIDSsPWQOpEDi8213Ns_oclOku0TWbX3ohZtQk0DSyZTzONrDy0mh6rGE9LVt0c1KQZXh2iB_gtDUpPzhGasFxLMFBix/s1600/IMG_1339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjmACiIDnjGx6F8Da0Fs7w-7bBQGv-G8-gv5GQ0w0j4VRlZ4waIDSsPWQOpEDi8213Ns_oclOku0TWbX3ohZtQk0DSyZTzONrDy0mh6rGE9LVt0c1KQZXh2iB_gtDUpPzhGasFxLMFBix/s1600/IMG_1339.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't usually do this whole running away from winter thing. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">one morning a few weeks ago, I woke up to the umpteenth snow blizzard raging outside and thought to myself, you know, I don't have any kids, I can carry my job with me anywhere I go, and I could work on this blasted master's thesis from somewhere sunny because there is nothing tying me down anywhere in this exact moment of my life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Plus, I was due for a visit to my old stomping grounds, because this winter marks exactly 30 years since my parents took me to Mexico as a kid. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We spent 5 glorious winter months living in a tent on the beach in a tiny town (well, tiny at the time) on the Pacific coast called Puerto Escondido, a place which holds some of my best childhood memories. I didn't go to school that year, I had a pet baby parrot who followed me everywhere, and I basically romped around on the beach all day, practically naked, playing with the local kids, jumping in the waves and picking up Spanish as I went. Yes. Pretty freaking idyllic. (And as someone said knowingly the other day when I told them about it, "Ah, tus padres estan los hippies!" ... yes, well they never liked it when I called them that, but you're kind of asking for it if you're living on a beach in a tent for 5 months...) </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrH-wDnYKYdTdNtUe_GVDA5bBxxjQvc9q72IB96C8FDM5UVsveiRWC9rEwRbChU7c87uaRB7t-Eeol8c-hDqPfK-sw-AYIn9aFKXBgtGCOntJ-PdRyDx56kDyAT2YWsF5a7k5ZmbbQtGq/s1600/shovelling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrH-wDnYKYdTdNtUe_GVDA5bBxxjQvc9q72IB96C8FDM5UVsveiRWC9rEwRbChU7c87uaRB7t-Eeol8c-hDqPfK-sw-AYIn9aFKXBgtGCOntJ-PdRyDx56kDyAT2YWsF5a7k5ZmbbQtGq/s1600/shovelling.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I bought a plane ticket, shoveled out my car (this photo was actually taken right before the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=196OwW8vN5E" target="_blank"> insane mega snowdumps</a> that the east coast got pummeled with right before I left), had to get 3 people to help me push it out of the snow, and a few days later, found myself staring out of the plane window at the big blue ocean and long stretch of beaches as the plane touched down in Huatulco. Free as a bird.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcGYpuyhVF5Fc0YNYNm9NzIlcb0exdb9XDhAGRcjSqBuZRV1A_3kXdToHz4jMLonFcgciaNMJuyc0BJV9G4Cy7oy5rF90lXw7gHxFxc4DyJwNFOyDJFc9lmYMEKds-6k6wVgNORBpD_vA/s1600/IMG_0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcGYpuyhVF5Fc0YNYNm9NzIlcb0exdb9XDhAGRcjSqBuZRV1A_3kXdToHz4jMLonFcgciaNMJuyc0BJV9G4Cy7oy5rF90lXw7gHxFxc4DyJwNFOyDJFc9lmYMEKds-6k6wVgNORBpD_vA/s1600/IMG_0327.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Puerto Escondido has changed so much since thirty years ago that I barely recognized it. It's much bigger than I remember it. I had wanted to feel the magic and see all the spots I remembered from my 7-year old eyes. But on that first day, I just felt sweaty, tired, and very alone. The only things that felt familiar were the smells and the sounds. That moist smell of sun-bathed palm leaves and sticky flowers mingled with the faint whiff of garbage, laundry soap, and burning wood. It's the sweet perfume of my childhood days here and it brought me right back. After a good night's sleep, I woke up in much better spirits, ready to devour my favorite Mexican breakfast, huevos a la mexicana and agua de papaya, with my feet firmly planted in the sand. It would be almost impossible not to feel deliriously happy after a breakfast like this.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwW8JTA31AhCOUzEw4zScTwjZD31Mw_jtudyIbHMIYPSuAEeNMXauJtmKj8jR7yUSzcmP-zqc1GuQDJ_px-NpUbmRb-A9daAABp2xWbSPyuH87fL8bP3nAqiaRmZyDxoQO2WT-XaiauFse/s1600/IMG_0407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwW8JTA31AhCOUzEw4zScTwjZD31Mw_jtudyIbHMIYPSuAEeNMXauJtmKj8jR7yUSzcmP-zqc1GuQDJ_px-NpUbmRb-A9daAABp2xWbSPyuH87fL8bP3nAqiaRmZyDxoQO2WT-XaiauFse/s1600/IMG_0407.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What I love about the main beach in Puerto Escondido is that it's a perfect mix of locals, fishermen, and both Mexican and foreign tourists. In the evening the port is filled with fishing boats returning from their day at sea. It's still very much a working port but also a gorgeous swimming beach. Everyone seems at home here.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUYAvHQ-LurxDA3zEop1hpo0KoiRV9_ltKG8d9krd5UPBucu_nzpyrXZol_dFP-8RNsHFh-yWMegI29Ly54sxplekSHQfSApbsqL_Q8Bgy3Inu6XN48qPIZpd7oP7E3ZNrYYfA7wObyJ4/s1600/IMG_0341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUYAvHQ-LurxDA3zEop1hpo0KoiRV9_ltKG8d9krd5UPBucu_nzpyrXZol_dFP-8RNsHFh-yWMegI29Ly54sxplekSHQfSApbsqL_Q8Bgy3Inu6XN48qPIZpd7oP7E3ZNrYYfA7wObyJ4/s1600/IMG_0341.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main beach, Puerto Escondido</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I spent 3 days exploring Puerto Escondido, vaguely asking around if anyone knew my old Mexican playmates, Olivia and Maselica, the sisters who played on the beach with me and sometimes invited me to their house. Not surprisingly, given the size of the place, and how many years have gone by, I didn't have any luck finding them.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3LsLfqJqW_XESg9z8344BO9xPXPSnG4ZrMpqMZv_IgcKEnEyjW7NGq8ySYSlDoFUmA05Q-U0LPptbFH0T-oNphouYGzqnVTl6Kcl8lb-z22Xd49D4uaSVErQTVQyAZCrlI3eqiLjKC2T/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3LsLfqJqW_XESg9z8344BO9xPXPSnG4ZrMpqMZv_IgcKEnEyjW7NGq8ySYSlDoFUmA05Q-U0LPptbFH0T-oNphouYGzqnVTl6Kcl8lb-z22Xd49D4uaSVErQTVQyAZCrlI3eqiLjKC2T/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puerto Escondido market</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As much as I love Puerto Escondido, I needed a quieter place to settle into my thesis work, so I've headed an hour south along the coast, to a tiny beach town called San Augustinillo, where the rhythm of life is very conducive to completing one's thesis.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAES-_zUgmvQKkZ9t9gfkGNx6KMmIBUObHZHGezrY_NvRXrccAzvGQnm4f_kv-LT2LXAXYKlV_C4CPB1TO5NBZpKaF8LAPIb4_Hr2xF8T-DXwI_mp8hcWddmuPhyphenhyphenoPs4fPZ1Phhrx6Ugo/s1600/IMG_0397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAES-_zUgmvQKkZ9t9gfkGNx6KMmIBUObHZHGezrY_NvRXrccAzvGQnm4f_kv-LT2LXAXYKlV_C4CPB1TO5NBZpKaF8LAPIb4_Hr2xF8T-DXwI_mp8hcWddmuPhyphenhyphenoPs4fPZ1Phhrx6Ugo/s1600/IMG_0397.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The afternoon light hits the main street in San Augustinillo</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's a calm, magical place on the ocean, with the sweetest little café ever (from which I'm writing this), the best shrimp and octopus I've ever eaten, and stunning ocean views from everywhere. I am falling madly in love with this place already.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIWX30xs6gORQpyNXI53dzKNGE2gXho2-pnxhZuGWIw_PrPXDqMbJxULQQP8U0woJtEGLAlSSjkcFT1x8FXyqzA-MS8mggDgrPSWQgqUrsFv6XDIPlPjYBscR-fUoBhh3OW2Auzj-mR2N/s1600/IMG_0366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIWX30xs6gORQpyNXI53dzKNGE2gXho2-pnxhZuGWIw_PrPXDqMbJxULQQP8U0woJtEGLAlSSjkcFT1x8FXyqzA-MS8mggDgrPSWQgqUrsFv6XDIPlPjYBscR-fUoBhh3OW2Auzj-mR2N/s1600/IMG_0366.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having just devoured a plate of fresh-caught shrimp in chipotle sauce</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've settled into a small posada up on the hill, which feels like a secret hideaway from the world. This was the welcoming committee when I arrived (whose eggs are collected each morning).</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ducks of the household</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And this is the view from my room. I think I can handle seeing the sun rise over the ocean from this window every morning.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from my room up on the hill</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There's no wifi connection there, so its a little internet vacation for me… I don't know how much I'll be able to post here in the next month, but we'll see what happens… either way, I hope to come back to you in the spring, with some new Mexico-inspired recipe ideas. Until then, I leave you with this wintery dish I made before leaving snowlandia. It's full of flavour and a great comfort food. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/beef-stout-stew-mashed-potatoes/" target="_blank">Click here for the recipe.</a></b></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-34914820009011640752015-02-12T10:46:00.002-05:002015-02-12T10:46:20.677-05:00Rosemary Rye Brownies<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yIXfkRJxruI?rel=0" width="853"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As if the world needs yet another brownie recipe, right??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course I'm a bit biased, since I specifically honed and tweaked this recipe until I arrived at the brownie of my dreams (during a blissful era marked by multiple revolving pans of brownies on my counter), but I think I can safely say you will love this brownie too. It has received the all-telling moan of approval from several friends. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm always looking for new ways to use rye since we grow it and mill it ourselves. Last summer, my friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SailorsRestFarm" target="_blank">Ladleah</a> had the brilliant idea to make brownies with our rye for <a href="http://www.maine-fare.org/" target="_blank">Maine Fare</a> and that's what first put the bug in my ear. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rye has a robust flavour that pairs beautifully with dark chocolate, and I have a little theory that because it contains less gluten than wheat, it creates a less doughy, and more chewy brownie. Either way, I believe it makes a brownie that has much more personality and je-ne-sais quoi than one made with plain white flour. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Add the fragrant earthy tones of fresh rosemary (inspired by my mom's <a href="http://kitchenvignettes.blogspot.ca/2012/08/basil-hazelnut-chocolate-cake.html" target="_blank">basil chocolate cake</a>) and you've just taken this brownie to a whole other level. There. Have I sold you on it? I hope so! And I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day. </span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You'll find my recipe on <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/rosemary-rye-brownies/" target="_blank">PBS Food.</a></span></i></b><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-70418833869598685342015-02-10T18:55:00.000-05:002017-03-26T16:04:30.288-04:00Red Lentil Walnut Ice Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">OK, I know you might think red lentil ice cream sounds a little crazy, but stay with me here.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Here's the thing, red lentils, when cooked, naturally turn into a rich purée that is very tasty all by itself. And it just so happens that when you combine that purée with coconut milk, maple syrup, and a little salt, the lentils take on a taste that is strangely addictive and almost caramel-like. Add walnuts and you've got yourself a dairy-free ice cream that is unique, delicious, and even quite healthy. Did you know lentils are high in fibre, protein, potassium, folate, iron, and manganese? Our very own Canadian-grown superfood!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This ice cream bypasses the usual milk, cream, and egg custard that most ice cream recipes require. It needs no cooking, aside from the lentils, so it's very easy to make. It's also fully vegan, free of milk, eggs, and artificial sweeteners.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It does come with one caveat though: it should be eaten on the soft side, ideally right after it comes out of the ice cream maker, when it's smooth and creamy. If it freezes fully, it becomes hard and brittle and falls apart easily. The bourbon is optional but make sure to add the salt, it brings all the flavours together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>RED LENTIL WALNUT ICE CREAM</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Serves 4 to 6</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 3/4 cup cooked red lentils (about 1 cup dry red lentils)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 x 400ml (14 oz.) can of full-fat coconut milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/2 cup pure maple syrup (add 2 Tbsp more if you like a sweeter ice cream)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/3 tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1 Tbsp bourbon (optional)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Place 1 cup dry red lentils in a fine mesh sieve and rinse well under cold water. Drain them and place in a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cup of water and bring to a simmer on medium-low heat. Cook covered, for about 25 minutes or until the whole thing turns to a thick purée. Stir often to make sure it's not burning on the bottom as it cooks and thickens. If the lentils are cooked but still too soupy, leave the lid off so more water evaporates. Once they are fully cooked and very soft and mushy, remove from heat and allow them to cool a little, with the lid off for about 10 minutes. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The red lentils should now be almost as thick as mashed potatoes.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Measure out 1 3/4 cup of lentil purée for this recipe (you may have a little more than that in the saucepan).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a food processor, blend the coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and the warm lentils until you have a smooth thick mixture. (Be sure the lentils are still warm - if they are cold, the coconut fat might not melt and emulsify well which will not give you a smooth mixture - if this happens, simply heat all the ingredients for a couple minutes in a saucepan on low heat to help the coconut milk to fully </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">emulsify, then return the mixture to the food processor).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cool the mixture for an hour in the fridge, then use it in your ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Halfway through, add the toasted chopped walnuts and bourbon. Enjoy before it's fully frozen or hardened, when it's still soft and smooth.</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986614298082910318.post-36453974542369196282015-02-03T16:50:00.001-05:002015-02-03T16:50:16.469-05:00Lima Bean Stew with Tomatoes, Olives, and Kale<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2JwbKFy8ag4PWiLiJnDCQlbtnCkvpwaRcC4FKTdlEzNYvwfGjbsOdhA8GRYFm6k1HQfMDBjdCRr51O8Ho5HflbfXRpf5BQyXdE_VsWLjm3MhrRYs4NNvtg9ou_lnoM4lzWDbab1Dzoodb/s1600/IMG_1191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2JwbKFy8ag4PWiLiJnDCQlbtnCkvpwaRcC4FKTdlEzNYvwfGjbsOdhA8GRYFm6k1HQfMDBjdCRr51O8Ho5HflbfXRpf5BQyXdE_VsWLjm3MhrRYs4NNvtg9ou_lnoM4lzWDbab1Dzoodb/s1600/IMG_1191.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How are you all coping with the snow there, fellow northerners? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Over here, the wind howled and whistled all night long, trying its best to bring this old house down, and now there's a glittery expanse of jagged drifts and soft snow mounds out there. After sitting at my computer most of the morning in my winter jacket, wool scarf, two layers of pants, and a hot water bottle at my feet (it takes a while to get the wood stove going again in the morning), I finally opted to embrace the situation instead of curse it. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The road still hasn't been ploughed, which means it is ALL ours. Not a vehicle in sight, perfect for a blissful cross-country ski under a serene blue after-storm sky. A sky that seems to be saying "who, me? I didn't do it". </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEi9z-2q1WCiSKkR2CQ6ysN_sM-zSWx4Zn1rYomwlxrVIUe77tUiv1brL6CcQdoCVSh-28StBOFIztlvd5PJQHkPnt1qCEoYOijvux0hgMY_YQ25H8ZsqSPrcTLNnugbdRccvm1-qx0LW/s1600/IMG_1110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEi9z-2q1WCiSKkR2CQ6ysN_sM-zSWx4Zn1rYomwlxrVIUe77tUiv1brL6CcQdoCVSh-28StBOFIztlvd5PJQHkPnt1qCEoYOijvux0hgMY_YQ25H8ZsqSPrcTLNnugbdRccvm1-qx0LW/s1600/IMG_1110.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've always found winter to be a challenge, but days like today, I realize it really is all about whether I chose to enjoy it or not. Spending time outside changes everything. I keep having to remind myself of that, and get off my butt a little bit more often. For me, it means the difference between loving or hating winter.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicula8QJmvo4arSyGIia2HAPnPneINktvou88dmWiKOYT6w-jIK7b7Bu7ELgi3O8xvT7fIN7Pr0wSHzQLhWS11YVqdUzbl5fss9LVrFXGjiBEQRB7VAvDtiVR9ak_m-ZmYVHJsVh1266Jv/s1600/IMG_1140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicula8QJmvo4arSyGIia2HAPnPneINktvou88dmWiKOYT6w-jIK7b7Bu7ELgi3O8xvT7fIN7Pr0wSHzQLhWS11YVqdUzbl5fss9LVrFXGjiBEQRB7VAvDtiVR9ak_m-ZmYVHJsVh1266Jv/s1600/IMG_1140.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had wanted to get this stew recipe out to you in time for the storm. But it's just as good apres-storm as before. Stews, soups, broths... these are the necessary armour to face a Nova Scotian winter. And lately, we've had a good rotation of various versions of all of these bubbling away on the stove. This one was quite a hit, and I thought I should share it with you. So if you're in need of a bowl of something warm to comfort you after all that snow, here's what I'm proposing: a tomato-ey lima bean stew with a rich flavour from the use of green olives, red wine, garlic, and smoked paprika. (<a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/lima-bean-stew-olives-tomatoes-kale/" target="_blank">Recipe link</a>).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXmeQFKsbfCDIaPW8lerzU7PPOVc0cmU99hf8tNycEbFgdvABjFFZJkfx8Sa6Jhe7KfM3xrRix1cuCSeZmxmNwhZFUeMyNUrcjDyAzrq2U6xL_Jm9gZNmqRZD9y4nuPibvZYwXVwWia_9/s1600/IMG_1183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXmeQFKsbfCDIaPW8lerzU7PPOVc0cmU99hf8tNycEbFgdvABjFFZJkfx8Sa6Jhe7KfM3xrRix1cuCSeZmxmNwhZFUeMyNUrcjDyAzrq2U6xL_Jm9gZNmqRZD9y4nuPibvZYwXVwWia_9/s1600/IMG_1183.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>You'll find the recipe <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/lima-bean-stew-olives-tomatoes-kale/" target="_blank">over here, on PBS Food</a>. Enjoy!!</i></b><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3