Garden Bounty - Brussel Sprout leaves, pesto, and berries

The garden is in full swing: the zucchini and cucumbers are flowering, the green beans and arugula are carrying on, the blueberries and black raspberries are winding down, and I just ate the last snap peas. Everything else is just getting a LOT bigger and greener. Due to the growth and increasing plant size, I am thinning out a bunch of greens and plants to give more space. This is sometimes hard for me because I seem to get a little hoard-like and want all of the plants to stay and keep growing, but I am learning that more space = bigger and happier plants.

So, thinning it is: kale and beet plants, but had not thought about eating the brussel sprout plants. My Charming Companion sent me this post about the tastiness of brussel sprout leaves though, and we made a big pile of them last weekend. They are a little like super tender collards - you only need to saute them for a minute or two and they are delicious. Here they are all piled up ready to slice.

They got cooked outside on the outdoor rocket stove for a leisurely outdoor breakfast and tea. Here is My Charming Companion adding the tiny kindling sticks to heat the tea.

The sprout leaves were really nice sauteed in a little olive oil with some salt. Super simple.

A couple of other weekend meal highlights included unearthing some frozen pesto from 2011 (time to eat that up before we process more for the freezer!) and putting it on steamed green beans. Omg. I could have eaten this all weekend and still wanted more. Pesto! It's so good. I think this was even a vegan version with no cheese in there. Just steam the green beans until tender (3-5 minutes), remove from heat and stir in the pesto. These were a new pole bean variety that were super long and thin and tasty.

The nasturtiums are also looking really pretty, and I throw them in all my salads. This one included an early cucumber, the last snap peas, tons of fresh basil and parsley (think equal part fresh herbs to arugula), and a mini carrot that was all red on the outside and orange in the middle. You can't see it, but it matched the nasturtiums! This salad got a dressing with some of the aforementioned pesto (mixed with olive oil and a little vinegar) because I really just wanted to keep eating pesto. It turns out the pesto makes a great dressing, and I especially recommend it with lots of fresh basil in the salad too.

Another "omg I am going to die this is so delicious" menu item from the garden was berries with toasted coconut and toasted almonds. Sometimes I take shortcuts and don't toast coconut flakes. No more. Just stick the flakes under the broiler for about 2 minutes (keep an eye on them because it goes really fast) and watch them turn a nice toasty brown and taste how the flavor sky rockets. With the almonds and fresh berries, covered with coconut milk and a little vanilla, this was amazing. Like cereal, like dessert, like a bowl of goodness.

Frozen coconut macadamia bars

I came across this recipe somehow or other - it is a "Mark's Daily Apple" post. I was intrigued because I wanted to find something to eat that is sort of like eating dark chocolate, but without the sugar. This definitely gives the same crunch, and it is really filling. I found that when I made it, I expected it to be sweeter - maybe more hopeful thinking on my part since the only "sweet" ingredients are coconut oil and coconut flakes. (It occurs to me now I could try putting chocolate powder and stevia in the mix too....hmmm.)

The final bars turned out nice, even without any sweet flavor. The chia seeds give a nice crunch, and they are cool and nice in the heat. It seems like a great snack or way to get some extra fat in, which fills me up since sometimes I could eat A LOT of veggies and meat before getting full. It's actually a little like eating a chilled bar of coconut manna. I did do some smearing of honey over the finished bar and it was super delicious, but you know, no longer without sugar! ha.

One thing is that these bars pretty much need to be eaten directly out of the freezer or they will start to melt. You could bring them on a cold weather camping trip I think, but coconut oil has a melting point of 74 degrees, so these bars need to be somewhere below that to ensure a solid bar. I found myself wishing I could bring them for part of my work lunch, but alas.

1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut (60 g)
1 1/2 cups raw, unsalted macadamia nuts (150 to 160 g)
3/4 cup melted coconut oil (180 ml)
1 tablespoon chia seeds (15 ml)
Pinch of sea salt (I used maldon flakes and it was so good!)

Preheat oven to 350 ºF.
Put the coconut flakes in a pan and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about five minutes.
Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. (I had a 9" circular glass pie plate that I used and did not line with parchment - it worked out just fine.)
Process the macadamia nuts and coconut oil in a food processor until very smooth. Add the coconut flakes and chia seeds and pulse a few times.
Pour the batter into the 8×8 pan. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on top.
Cut into bars and store in the freezer - or if you are like me, just keep that glass pie plate in there and carve out a piece now and again!

Paleo Coconut Curry

I am a huge fan of curry and was so excited to put together my own version of a coconut curry.  I have been making my own coconut milk recently and it is tasty, but has a very thin consistency and not very good for cooking as a result.  The canned version is much thicker but always contains guar gum, a no-no on my particular eating plan.  Then, Megan let me know that Seward started carrying Natural Value Organic Coconut Milk that doesn't have any guar gum or other additives.  It also happens to be in a BPA-free can.  So exciting!  Thanks for the tip, Meg!  I was finally able to make a creamy and delicious curry- yum.

I kept the recipe really simple since I don't have very many of the traditional curry spices on hand.  I basically just used sea salt, pepper, and a bunch of turmeric.

Ingredients:

2 Chicken thighs- diced

1/4 yellow onion- diced

1 garlic clove- minced

1/2 can coconut milk

handful of parsley- chopped (cilantro would probably be better)

3 big pieces of bok choy- chopped

large bunch of spinach

sea salt- to taste

pepper- to taste

turmeric- to taste (I used 2-3 tsps)

1 Tbsp coconut oil

Directions:

in cast iron pan on stove top melt coconut oil and saute the onion until soft.  Add garlic and gently saute for a minute before adding the diced chicken.  Saute the chicken for a few minutes, turning to cook on all sides. Add salt, pepper, turmeric, coconut milk and cook on medium heat for a couple minutes before adding the bok choy, spinach and parsley (zucchini or cauliflower would be good as well).  Once the veggies are in, cook for 5-10 minutes, until the veggies are soft and the chicken is cooked through.

Makes 2 servings.  I ate one serving and used the rest for leftovers the next day.  Just as good, if not better, the second time around.  Very satisfying meal for a cold winter evening.

Paleo Snack Mix

I got inspired by a post from The Clothes Make the Girl blog to make her snack mix for my mini-vacation up north last week. And, wow. It is very delicious, and like no taste combo I would have ever come up with (it's based on an Indonesian condiment). I had to restrain myself from consuming the entire batch while it was cooling. My Charming Companion and I made bets as to how long the snack mix would last once we got in the car: 20 minutes, an hour...?

Anyway - I pasted her recipe below. I will note that I have been consuming more nuts than usual over the recent holiday time (as nuts themselves, but also as almond flour in baking). I primarily eat macadamia nuts due to their 1:1 balance of omega 3 and 6 and generally regard other nuts/flours as more occasional things. I am doing some "cold training" right now (cold baths) though, and one of the effects is that you get hives if you have too much omega 6. I recently had some hive-like spots, which made me want to lay off the nut feast of late. And have some fish oil. I don't notice any other physical effects of this - but as someone who gets intense inflammation from a crumb of gluten, I feel extra cautious. So. Moderation for me with the nuts. (The mini hives appeared right before departing for said trip, which I think contributed to the snack mix making it all the way til day 3 - far longer than the earlier estimated consumption time!) 

Savory Paleo Granola - makes 1 1/2 cups
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 medium onion, very finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup dry-roasted almonds
1/3 cup dry-roasted cashews

1. Preheat oven to 300F and cover a large baking sheet/cake pan with parchment paper.
2. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat until melted, then add onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook 2-3 minutes until the onions begin to soften and are fragrant.
3. In a small bowl, mix the cumin, coriander, salt, and turmeric. Add to the onions, stir to combine, and cook an additional 5-7 minutes until the onions are very soft. Add the lemon juice and cook until the mixture forms a paste, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the coconut chips to the pan and stir until they’re coated with the onions and spices. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon and add the nuts to the baking pan (the mixture will already be fairly dark here - that is good!) Roast an additional 10-15 minutes until the coconut/onion flakes are very brown and the nuts are toasted.
5. Allow to cool completely, then mix together and store in an air-tight container. Eat as-is or chop in a food processor until it’s the texture of coarse sand and use as a flavoring condiment on cooked vegetables, meats, soups, and salads.

Coconut chips!

I came across this little snack chip on The Clothes Make the Girl blog, and tried it this morning to bring as a treat with my lunch. It's like a salty/sweet coconut flavor that is really good and so easy. (I could just make these and the seaweed chips non-stop, eating them as they are ready!)

From Clothes Make the Girl blog

All you need is large coconut flakes/chips (they sell them in bulk at the Seward), salt, and cinnamon. I also added in a little chipotle to mine, and that was tasty too. There are lots of variation options: some vanilla for something more sweet, some slivered nuts, paprika for a savory snack, etc.

1 c. coconut chips
1/4 t salt
1/4 t cinnamon
pinch chipotle

Mix salt and spices together in a small bowl. Put a dry cast iron skillet (or non-stick pan) on medium heat. Lay coconut flakes evenly across the pan, stir frequently. It just takes a few minutes for the flakes to brown, so stay nearby. Remove from heat when browned, transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle/shake with the spicy salt. Let cool, then store in an airtight container. Or just eat em all up!

Paleo Energy Bars

I am going camping again - including some expected canoeing and portaging and traveling, so I have been on the hunt for a good granola/energy bar recipe to fuel my travel.

I settled on a slightly modified recipe from Paleo magazine that includes macadamia nuts, dates, coconut and dried fruit.  Really, it seems as though dates are THE ingredient for paleo energy bars - they bind the nuts and whatever else together. My second fave recipe was for chocolate date nut balls. Yum. These bars turned out super tasty - very granola-bar-ish. They do fall apart more easily than baked granola bars, but that seems minor compared to the tastiness!

Paleo Energy Bars

• 8 Medjool dates, sliced in half, pits removed
• 1/2 cup finely shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup organic currants
• 3/4 cup macadamia nuts
• 3/4 cup other nuts (I used almonds and brazil nuts)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp honey
• pinch of salt

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend for about 1 minute or until everything is chopped into small pieces and starts to stick together.
2. Place mixture on a large piece of wax paper.  With your hands, shape into a rectangle, pressing and patting it until very dense and it sticks together nicely. I actually pressed mine into a wax-paper lined rectangular tupperware - whatever works.
3. Refrigerate for a few hours, until very firm.  Slice into bars and enjoy!
4. Store at room temperature for up to 1 week; in the fridge for up to 2 weeks; or wrap bars individually and freeze until needed.  To thaw, simply set on counter for about 30 minutes to bring to room temperature before eating.

*I wrapped these in wax paper and packed them in a ziplock baggie for my canoe trip. They are currently in the freezer until I leave!

Raspberry Bars

I don't bake too often, mostly because I really hate cleaning food mixers. Sometimes on Sundays I'll make an exception. Today was stormy and I felt a little homesick for my mom, so I tried one of the recipes she has been working on for a while. I believe that this recipe is a blend of a few from different gf cookbooks. These were pretty tasty.

Thanks to Megan and everyone else who has posted and inspired me in the kitchen.

Crust:

3/4 cups gf flour

1/4 cup almond flour

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

pinch salt

6 T butter

Bake at 350 for 15-20 - until golden

Filling:

1 cup raspberries

6 oz raspberry jam

Topping:

7 T butter (soft)

3/4 cups superfine sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups shredded coconut

1/2 cups rice flour

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

Rainbow Curry Chicken Stew

I've been making some curry soups lately - sometimes I just throw ingredients in a pot, and other times I actually follow a recipe. With a nice chili paste and broth, it seems I can't go too wrong! One thing I am learning, is that less coconut milk is sometimes nice. I used to want it really really creamy - but lately I think a more broth-y soup carries more flavor.

This stew recipe comes from "Affairs of Living" - a blog with lots of gluten-free and "allergy-friendly" recipes. You can link to the original recipe here. The veggies in the recipe include red pepper, frozen peas, chicken, and broccoli - but certainly you can swap in all kinds of things (zucchini, green beans, etc). It makes a nice big pot full, so you can freeze left overs for later.

One thing I have been reading about lately is BPA in canned foods. This is something I just learned about this year and previously just heard about BPAs in plastic. But alas, it turns out they are also in the linings of most canned foods. And, some research suggests that it leeches most highly to acidic, salty, and high fat products. BPA is not used by Native Harvest Coconut milk though (it is in Thai Kitchen products). This blog post has info about other organic canned food items and if they are or are not BPA free (Muir Glen just switched over so all new products have no BPA).

Anyway, there are lots of health effects linked to the consumption of BPA. So there we are. And I guess while I am on the topic of gloom and doom, did you see this 6th grade science project about microwaved water?! Ah! It isn't totally surprising, but it is pretty persuasive about the effects of microwaving our food.

Tom Kha Gai

I first learned about this spicy, sweet and sour soup a couple of years ago when a friend was making it when she was sick - to help clear her sinuses maybe. Which it does because it can be spicy! It is simple and delicious, and it seems there are lots and lots of recipes out there. I finally settled on a slightly modified version of this one because it seemed easy, and had all of the essential ingredients: lemongrass, galangal, lime/kaffir lime leaves, mushrooms, and chicken. I did add some sweetness because that was common in other recipes, and it needed just a little.

It turned out great, and would be delicious with some sticky white rice. I had mine plain with some sauteed bok choy along side (which was SO good - i think i have previously underestimated this sweet and tasty veggie).

Tom Ka Gai
1 stalk lemongrass, remove outer sheath and the hard ends. Hit the stalk a few times with the back of a knife or a heavy frying pan, cut into several pieces.
1 T coconut oil
1 large onion finely minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 t. Thai red curry paste (I used a little less and also put in a minced jalepeno)
6 slices of galangal - Do not peel, slice into six 1/8" thick slices (I used more!)
3 - 5 kaffir lime leaves, preferably fresh (mine were dried)
4 cups of good chicken stock
3/4 pound of boneless, skinless chicken sliced into strips
2 cups of shitake or early winter mushrooms, chopped in eighths. (I used criminis, but totally wished for shitakes once I was eating...)
2 cans coconut milk
1 T honey
Juice of 2 limes
2 T fish sauce (which has gluten, so I used salt and anchovy paste)
3 scallions trimmed and sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup minced cilantro

In a medium heavy saucepan add the oil, garlic and onion, turn heat to medium. Cook for a minute, stirring and then ad the lemongrass, curry paste, galangal and lime leaves. Cook stirring often for about 3-4 minutes. The onion should begin to soften. Add the stock, honey and coconut milk and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Add the chicken and mushrooms (or maybe put the mushrooms in earlier...just a thought). Cook for about 5 minutes or just until the chicken is cooked. Add the lime juice and fish sauce. Serve in bowls garnished with scallions, cilantro, and lime.

coconut lime bars

the photo is a key lime pie that i made for the big post-thanksgiving pie potluck. it was ok. but the lime bars i made with the leftover limes were way better. so you get that recipe with the pie photo-since i forgot to take one of the bars.
crust:
3/4 c plus 2 tbs all purpose flour
3/4 stick (6 tbs) butter--cold, cut into bits
1/3 c toasted coconut flakes, cooled
1/4 c powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt


custard:
4 lg eggs
1 c sugar (i used slightly less)
1/3 c all purpose flour
1/2 c plus 2 tbs fresh lime juice (about 5 limes)
1 tbs freshly grated lime zest
1/3 c toasted coconut flakes, cooled

make crust:
preheat oven to 325. butter and flour 8x8 baking dish-knocking out excess flour.
in a bowl, blend with fingers flour, butter, coconut, powdered sugar and salt until the mixture resembles course meal. pat mixture into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 to 30 min or until golden brown. (i had to bake mine several minutes longer for it to begin to brown).

make custard:
in a bowl whisk together eggs and sugar until well combined. stir in flour, lime juice and zest.
pour mixture over crust and bake in middle of oven 20 minutes. top custard with coconut and bake 5 to 10 minutes more or until just set. cool in pan on rack and chill at least one hour.

chocolate dipped coconut macaroons

better late than never. these were made for kp and e's 5th anniversary party. the recipe is shockingly quick and easy. they taste great and people tend to be impressed by chocolate-dipped anything. this little gem is straight from 'how to eat supper' by lynne rossetto kasper--of 'splendid table' fame. her syrupy sweet voice drives me crazy but the woman knows what she's doing in the kitchen.

2 lg eggs, beaten
1/2 c sugar
generous pinch salt
1 teasp. almond or vanilla extract (i've done both with equally good results)
3 c shredded coconut

whisk eggs, sugar, salt, extract. blend coconut into mixture. drop by even tablespoons onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet. bake at 350 for 18-24 minutes.

melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in double boiler. i never measure my chips so use your best guess. spread chocolate on bottom of macaroons or dip top first into chocolate. let harden--putting them in the fridge helps in the summer heat.

makes at least a couple dozen.