Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Sage and Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing



Phew, I made it before Thanksgiving. I'm telling you- this decreasing daylight thang is really messing with my game! Since we all know camera flash/artificial light and food photography don't get along, it has been challenging to find a time to photograph my food while I am actually cooking! Thus the reason for the string of breakfast recipes as of late. Hopefully this one will break the trend.



OK, so who doesn't like a good 8 ingredient recipe for the holidays? This one is beyond easy, especially if you have some leftover cornbread, as I did, from a pre-holiday Friendsgiving.


The cornbread I used was nice- I included a link to it in the recipe below. If I made it again to enjoy on its own, I would amp up the sweetness with 2 extra tablespoona of honey, and throw in an additional 1/2 teaspoon or so of salt. But I have to say, for the stuffing, it was pretty near perfect. It is gluten-free as well, which helps when feeding a crowd of diverse eaters.



Thanks to the chickens, these eggs were beyond fresh and so golden they were almost orange. Those chickies are definitely on the list of things I am thankful for this year.


You can use either fresh or dried cranberries here- the dried ones will add a touch more sweetness, and the fresh will give you a burst of tang. I did a combo, and really enjoyed what each had to offer.

This is certainly a more indulgent recipe, given the amount of butter, but with high quality ingredients it can certainly still fit into a healthy meal. Tis the season, right?!? Using fresh cranberries boosts the antioxidant load, particularly in the form of manganese and vitamin C.



Luckily my gorgeous little sister stopped by just in time to do a little last-minute modeling with the cornbread. On Saturday she leaves for a big move out to California, so this week has been a bittersweet goodbye.

Whether this dish graces your Thanksgiving table or makes it's way into the week of leftovers, I'll feel nothing but honored to be part of your holiday celebration.

Sage and Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing
Serves 6
Adapted from Claire Robinson of the Food Network

Ingredients

5 tbs. cultured butter, salted, divided
1 large yellow onion, chopped
12 or so sage leaves, fresh or dried
5 cups cornbread (I used this recipe, with honey instead of sugar)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbs. dried cranberries or 1/4 cup fresh (or both!)
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1/2 cup water

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large saute pan, melt 2 tbs. of butter over medium heat. Add chopped onions, and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown. Remove into large bowl.

Heat remaining butter in the same pan over low-medium heat, until beginning to brown and separate. Add sage and let sizzle. Remove from heat.

Cut cornbread into cubes and add to the large bowl with onions, along with beaten eggs, salt, pepper and cranberries. Drizzle with browned sage butter and toss to coat. If more moisture is needed, add 1/2 cup of water to the butter pan to deglaze. Add, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing in between, until stuffing is soft but not wet.

Butter a 8x8 pan, and fill with stuffing. Bake for 20 minutes, rotate and continue to cook for an additional 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Relax. Eat Well.

Friday, October 31, 2014

Fiddleheads Cuisine Kitchen Tour and Open-Faced Egg Sandwich



This week I thought I would give you a behind the scenes tour of the backstage of Fiddleheads Cuisine: the KITCHEN.


My trusty camera, while perfect for the up close food art I normally practice, is less apt at capturing wide angle shots of larger spaces. So you will have to be happy with the details- my favorite nooks and cranny's, worn wood from daily chopping, and colorful accents that warm the space. Hopefully you'll enjoy piecing it all together in your head- or be inspired to come visit for a cooking class soon, to see it all in action.


I love old wood, repurposed and salvaged finds, white mixed with brights, and a touch of industrial.



A cobblers shelf holds my catering platters, evening wine, a touch of living green, and last season's garlic harvest.




I tried not to clean up too much before taking these shots- instead opting to show you a glimpse of my lived-in kitchen: aprons stained with chocolate, wood turmeric-yellow from last week's curry, chalk faded and smudged from wet hands.




The way light catches the glass, feeds the succulents on the windowsill and brings me out of my dream-state each morning over a mug of coffee.



And because I have never left you without a recipe to share, I'll end this post with a glimpse at today's lunch. Nothing fancy or time-consuming, just simple flavors and fresh ingredients. I wasn't feeling particularly vegan or gluten-free today, so I assembled a few of my favorite ingredients and threw them together, open-face style: eggs from the backyard, kale from there too, creamy avocado, chèvre, whisper-thin red onion and a half of my favorite bagel, Myer's Montreal Spice. Made in Burlington, these bagels are wood-fired, doughy but small and slathered thick with peppery spices and herbs.


Open-Faced Egg Sandwich
Serves 1

Ingredients
1/2 a bagel- my favorite is Myer's Montreal Spice
1 tsp. butter
1 farm-fresh egg
a handful of kale, chopped
Sea Salt
1/2 oz chèvre
1/4 of an avocado, sliced thinly
a few uber-thin slivers of red onion

Directions

Set your bagel half to toast. Heat a cast-iron pan over medium heat, with a teaspoon of butter. When hot enough to sizzle when spritzed with water, add kale and cracked egg. Sprinkle with a touch of sea salt. Cover and let cook for a few minutes. Flip egg (breaking yolk if desired) and stirring kale. Continue to cook until egg is done and kale is beginning to crisp. Add chèvre to kale and stir to incorporate.

To assemble sandwich, top toasted bagel with the egg, then chevre-spiked kale and finish with onion slivers and sliced avocado.


Relax. Eat Well.

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Roasted Spaghetti Squash in Butternut Cashew Cream


Two winter squash in one dish?!? Yup. I did it. And I'm not even sorry.

Winter squash might be the only reason I make it through the fall months. I know, I know, fall is everyone's favorite. Not this girl's. To me, it is another harbinger of winter's impending arrival- which is just difficult for me to get excited about. I'm trying harder this year though, with lots of foliage hikes, garden sessions and crisp air runs. We'll see how it goes.


Anyway, there are so many reasons to love winter squash. Nutritionally, it is stuffed full of Vitamin A and C, fiber and potassium, which is needed to balance sodium levels. This combination makes it a super star for immune support. Never a bad thing as the air gets cooler. More importantly, it is sweet, starchy and just plain delicious. L.O.V.E.



This dish could be likened to a lightened-up version of fettuccine alfredo. That is a bit of a stretch, since it is both gluten-free and vegan, but gets you in the ballpark. Hopefully you aren't too intimidated by the ingredient list- it really isn't too scary. Just save it for a rainy fall Saturday sometime soon. Just don't forget to set your cashews out to soak in the morning, so you are all set and ready to go for a yummy lunch or dinner.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash in Butternut Cashew Cream 
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 small/medium spaghetti squash
1 tbs. oil

6 cups butternut squash
1 tbs. oil
1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs. nutritional yeast
1 cup unsweetened almond or soy milk, plus more as needed
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp. mustard
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper, to taste

1 tbs. oil
8 medium crimini mushrooms
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups spinach
1/4 cup fresh sage, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut spaghetti squash in half, remove seeds and drizzle interior with 1 tbs. oil. Place, cut-side down, on another parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Peel butternut squash, scrape out seeds and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss with 1 tbs. oil, 1/2 tsp salt and spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake both squash sheets for 20 minutes. Remove to check butternut squash- if browning and soft, remove and set aside. If they need a bit more time, just rotate the pan and keep checking every 10 minutes. Rotate spaghetti squash and continue to roast until the shell is easily pierced when poked with a fork, another 10-20 minutes depending on the size of the squash. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.

Drain and rinse cashews. Place cashews through ground pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Measure out 2 cups of roasted butternut squash cubes, add to blender and continue to process until smooth, adding additional soy/almond milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Taste, and adjust seasonings with additional salt + pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tbs. oil. Clean and slice mushrooms. Add to skillet and sauté until golden, about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt. Scoop spaghetti squash into the hot skillet, using a fork to loosen the strands. Add cashew cream and spinach. Cover skillet and cook until heated through and spinach has wilted.

To serve, spoon spaghetti squash into 4 bowls. Top with remaining roasted butternut squash cubes, sautéed mushrooms and fresh sage.


Relax. Eat Well.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Green Eggs and Yam



I view breakfast as my chance to start it all off right. A lot rides on this meal, and I take it seriously. I'm only sort of kidding- I find that if I somehow miss breakfast, I tend to over-snack and if I eat something too sweet or full of white flour, sugar cravings plague my day.



There are a few things I aim to include in my morning spread. Not every meal includes them all, but hopefully at least one or two. Here goes:

Greens- preferably hearty (think kale and spinach). Brain food.
Turmeric- for a morning antioxidant boost.
Flax (or hemp/chia)- to get in those pesky little Omega-3's.
Protein- usually in the form of eggs or raw nuts. Thanks chickies!
Fiber- to fill up that fasting belly!

Today's meal has the hearty greens, protein and fiber thang goin' on.




The chickies say "hi" It was a bit grey out for their taste today, but they're troopers and are enjoying a free-range recess.



Fair warning: If your kale is anything like mine right now, it might have some freeloading' caterpillars hanging on tight. Extra protein? (Ew, no. For me, this means quadruple washing those buggers until there is no chance one remains).


I've been trying to take a bit more time composing my visuals lately. It is actually a lot of fun. The downside? My blog meals usually end up a bit cooler than intended by the time I sit down to eat. The upside? They look so pretty on my plate! Other things I have noticed: breakfast posts usually involve a few more cups of coffee than normal. I mean, it has to be steaming right? Today I had four. Oops.

Green Eggs and Yam
Serves 1

Ingredients
1 tbs. butter (or oil), divided
1/2 a small yam, about 1/4 cup sliced
1 large kale leaf
1 tbs. guacamole, or smashed avocado with a pinch of salt, dash of lime and smidge of minced garlic
1 farm fresh egg
1/8-1/4 tsp. salt
favorite hot sauce (I made this Creamy Chipotle Sauce, which I am kind of obsessed with)

Directions

Melt 1/2 tbs. butter over medium heat in a large frying pan. Wash yam and slice into 1/2 inch slices. It is important to keep these slices thin, so they can cook fairly quickly.

When pan is hot enough to sizzle when spritzed with water, add yam circles. Leave to cook for 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Flip and cook until tender, another 5-10 minutes. Remove from pan, set aside and sprinkle with salt.

Wash kale well, remove stem, and chop finely. Turn up heat, add kale and stir-fry until wilted. If you spread it out thinly and let it cook for a few minutes untouched, it will begin to crisp on the edges, which is how I like it. Add 1/8 tsp salt and guacamole and stir to incorporate. Push to the side of the pan. Add remaining 1/2 tbs. butter to the clean half of the pan, crack egg and cook as desired (I like mine over medium).

To serve, plate guaca-kale, egg and sweet potato slices, drizzled with your favorite hot sauce and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Relax. Eat Well. 

Friday, August 15, 2014

Herb and Ricotta Egg Waffles


I have a new favorite way to prepare my morning eggs. It is super simple, fun and totally versatile.

A few months ago, we adopted a few neighborhood laying hens, and my life has not been the same since. I love them. They are so fun to watch, they love my leftover kitchen scraps, and they give me 2 beautiful eggs a day. LOVE them.



2 eggs a day doesn't seem like a lot, but it adds up quickly! I love farm fresh eggs and have been eagerly finding ways to enjoy them in our everyday meals. Such a wonderful protein source. My chickies love dandelion leaves and flax seeds as well, and their yolks are a rich orange. Don't you dare skip those yolks in favor of the fat-free whites. Sure, they have some calories, but the yolks also contain pretty much ALL of the nutrition that the egg has to offer. Rich in vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and iron, they are the most valuable part, for sure. Plus- we eat food to consume calories (a unit of energy) not avoid it, right?



Anywho, this is simply a fun way to enjoy your morning egg, made completely in a waffle iron. Feel free to play with the herbs used, and replace the ricotta with any cheese you prefer, or leave it out completely. It is certainly a light meal, but could easily be doubled to fill both waffle stamps.



Herbed Egg Waffles

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 large egg
1 tbs chives
1 tbs. ricotta
1 tsp water
1/8 tsp sea salt
a crank of black pepper

Directions

Preheat waffle iron. Beat all ingredients together in a small bowl. When iron is hot and ready to go, pour in egg batter. I have a small belgium waffle iron, and this mixture filled one side perfectly. Set timer for 4 minutes. Lift top and make sure you are beginning to see a slight brown  color developing. You are good to go! Of course, the topping options are endless, but I enjoy them with extra minced herbs and a dash of hot sauce.



And now for your bonus recipe. I had so much fun playing with the waffle iron, that I have to share my other creation: Hashbrown Waffles with a Fried Egg. This recipe is a bit more involved, with a few extra steps, but perfect for a weekend morning. Plus, this is my new favorite way to cook hashbrowns- they are so much crispier than any other method!




Hashbrown Waffles with a Fried Egg

Makes 2 small portions or 1 large

Ingredients
1/2 cup shredded potato- 1 small/medium potato
1/8 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 tsp salt
crank of black pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
2 eggs

Directions

Preheat waffle iron.

Shred potato using a grater. Place shredded potato in a bowl of ice cold water. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain and spread out on a clean kitchen towel. Fold towel over and press dry. Like, really dry.

Mix dried potato with the chipotle powder, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. When waffle iron is ready, spread mixture out in a thin layer, avoiding gaps. This will depend on your waffle iron, but mine covered both stamps. Cook for 14 minutes, or until very crisp along all edges.

In the meantime, heat a small pan over medium heat with a dash of oil. Crack both eggs into a small bowl. When pan sizzles when spritzed with water, add both eggs and fry for a few minutes, until whites are almost set. Flip, and continue to cooke for 30 seconds.

Serve hash brown waffles topped with the fried eggs, and a sprinkle of your favorite herb garnish.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Fresh Herb Sea Salt and a Basil-rose-ita


Its my favorite time of the year. By far. The farmers markets are exploding with every fresh ingredient on my list, garlic is out of the ground and curing on my deck and the kitchen gardens are pumping out basil and culinary herbs galore. Ooo la la.


Last weekend I harvested tulsi (holy), purple, Thai and Italian basil and put up over 8 pounds of pesto. I keep it simple- fresh garlic, good quality extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, sea salt, ground pepper, toasted sunflower seeds and a dash of nutritional yeast. Not only does this avoid the cost of pine nuts and parmesan, it also make my pesto very low-allergen, so that I can use it year round, no matter who I am feeding. 


I freeze mine in ice cube trays, so it is easy to thaw in small amounts in the coming months.


But I digress- this post offers another way to preserve your herbs. Herb-infused sea salts. So simple, and SO tasty.

This is a great way to preserve the fresh herbs that don't dry so well, or at least lose all of their personality when they do (I am looking at you, parsley and basil). 


Grab a bunch of your favorite herb- try basil, thyme, parsley, dill etc. - and 1 cup of your favorite sea salt (something a bit coarse) and you are ready to roll. I had some garlic scapes hanging on when I first tried this recipe, and threw a few in. I would highly recommend it, if you are in that glorious season.

So far, I have been enjoying this salt sprinkled on roasted potato wedges, on morning eggs, on Montreal-style bagels smeared with butter…. you get the picture. Oh wait- and in Basil-rose-itas (don't worry, I'll share the recipe below).

Herb Sea Salt

Makes roughly 1 1/4 cup

Ingredients 

1 bunch herb of choice (I used about 1 cup of Italian basil)
1 cup good quality coarse sea salt
Optional- a few tablespoons of a second herb (examples: rosemary, thyme, oregano, or a few garlic scapes)

Directions

In a food processor, pulse herbs (and scapes if using) until finely minced, but not pureed. If using a hardier second herb, you may need to mince these by hand, as the blade of the food processor doesn't always catch them. Add sea salt and continue to pulse until well incorporated and very green. By this time, the salt will be much finer as well.

Spread entire mixture out into a thin layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cover with a clean towel and let sit out at room temperature for 24 hours, so that the moisture in the herbs has enough time to be absorbed by the salt.

Place in small mason jars and store in a cool dark place. Although this has not been verified yet, it is rumored this salt could last upwards of a year. 


Annnd….. now on to the fun stuff- a garden inspired cocktail for your summer happy hour: Basil-rose-ita

Basil-rose-ita

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients

3 tbs (1.5 oz) silver tequila
1 tbs. rose water
2 tbs. fresh lime juice
1 tbs. raw honey 
4 ice cubes
Basil Herb Sea Salt

Directions

Pour basil herb sea salt on a small plate. Prepare your glass by wetting the rim and twirling it upside down in the salt. If your don't enjoy a salted rim, I highly recommend at least throwing a pinch of salt into the mix as you make the drink- it really does amp up the flavors. 

In a shaker, combine tequila, rose water, lime juice and simple syrup with 2 ice cubes. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into prepared glass and serve with 2 additional ice cubes. 


Relax. Eat Well.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Grab and Go Polenta Quiche


 I want chickens more than anything. It will be a reality soon, but I have to wait until some other areas of my life cool off first. In the meantime, I am enjoying farm fresh eggs from my neighbors as often as possible, and creating an arsenal of egg recipes for when my time of surplus arrives.


Breakfast is a tricky meal for many people. Often times, especially for kids, it ends up being a very quick grab-and-go situation, often laden with sugar and empty carbohydrates. In reality, most of us do better with some protein in the morning- and hey, why not throw in some vegetables as well?

These mini quiches can be prepared ahead in big batches, and stored in the fridge for the week. They make a perfect grab-and-go breakfast or lunch. Like most of my recipes- the ingredients are very flexible. Feel free to work with what you have in the kitchen that week, and according to your individual preferences. If red onion, mushrooms and bell peppers aren't your thing, other vegetables that pop into mind are scallions, potatoes, fresh herbs, spinach or broccoli. Just make sure to cook any vegetables you are using appropriately before the final assembly of the quiche. Chèvre or cheddar would also be great substations for the feta, if you lean that way.


The turmeric is optional- I love the extra orange hue it lends, on top of it's superfood antioxidant load. I try to sneak it into my routine whenever possible.

I tried these guys with parchment paper lined muffin tins, and as well as well-oiled tins. Either way worked, but I would honestly forgo the parchment paper - it wasn't entirely necessary and the results were "more aesthetically pleasing" without.

Polenta Quiche
Makes 12 mini quiches

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups water
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup polenta, or corn grits
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 tbs. olive oil
1 egg
a few cranks of black pepper

1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, medium chop
1 portabella mushroom, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large (or 2 small) garlic clove, minced

1/3 cup crumbled feta

4 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. turmeric
ground black pepper

Extra parmesan or grated cheese to garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat to 400 degrees.

Bring water and salt to a boil in a small pot. Stream polenta into boiling water, using a whisk to stir constantly for 5-10 minutes, until thick. Turn off heat, add parmesan, olive oil, egg and black pepper.

Line muffin tins with parchment paper or spray thoroughly with oil. Divide polenta and spoon into muffin tins. Let cool for 5 minutes. With wet fingers (to avoid sticking), press polenta into the bottom of the cups and spread up the sides, to create a nice indent for as much filling as possible. Thinner is better. Place in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until dry to the touch, checking and rotating after 10 minutes. Set aside.

In the meantime, heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add chopped red onion and sauté until translucent. Add sliced mushrooms and continue to cook until broken down, about 5 more minutes, stirring often. Add chopped red pepper, cook for another 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, stir and turn off heat.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs, salt, pepper and turmeric.

To assemble quiches, spoon a tablespoon of mushroom vegetable mixture into each crust. Divide and sprinkle evenly with feta. Finish by pouring egg custard on top. Use a fork to jostle the center a bit to make sure the egg seeps down into the vegis. If using, sprinkle with grated cheese.

Return quiches to the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, or until fork inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before enjoying. Can be stored in the fridge for several days.

Relax. Eat Well.