Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free)

These cookies healed my appendix! Nope. Thats not true. I still need to have surgery next week BUT i feel way better about it because now these cookies exist. (The aforementioned useless organ is also the reason I haven’t been cooking or posting recipes or enjoying eating for the past month. Hmph.)

So recently I bought this almond meal at Trader Joes. I didn’t have any sort of plan for it, but i thought it might be a good experiment. Good move erin. And honestly, theres not many gluten free baked goods that i’m crazy about (besides my friend Lydia’s up and coming cookie biz which I’ll tell you about when it launches).

(original recipe from sprouted kitchen cookbook but i found this at Minimalist Baker and made my own edits from there)

(serving: 12 – 15 cookies)

ingredients:

• 1¼ Cups Trader Joes Almond Meal
• ¼ Cup Chopped Dark Chocolate
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Almonds
• ½ Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut [I only had sweetened but i used it and it was great]
• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• ⅓ Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 3 Tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon Almond Extract (alcohol free)

directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together almond meal, baking powder, dark chocolate, sugar and coconut.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg until uniform in color and bigger in volume.
3. Whisk in the melted coconut oil and almond extract, then add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
4. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
6. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, place on baking sheet with 1-1/2 inch space in between each. Press down slightly to flatten a bit.
7. Bake until edges begin to brown, 7-10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.

Spring Tomato Sprout Sandwich with Pesto

I get all bright and breezy in the spring. Everything’s turning green all around me and all i want is for my food to taste like the fresh air. That might sound weird… or maybe you get me.

So you obviously don’t need me to tell you how to make a sandwich but I’m gonna do it anyway because this was a damn good sandwich and i want to do it the same way next time. Also, the ultimate goodness of this recipe completely and totally depends on the flavor of your vegetables and the awesomeness of your bread. Don’t skimp.

ingredients:

• Really good Whole Grain Bread
• Tomato Slices
• Cucumber Slices
• Dill
• Cream Cheese
• Pesto (I used my Basil Cashew Pesto that I freeze in cubes to use in these moments)
• sea salt
• fresh cracked pepper

directions:

1. Toast the bread in the toaster oven until golden brown.
2. Spread cream cheese on one of the halves
3. Spread pesto on the other half
4. Add cucumber slices, then tomato slices on one of the halves. Add salt and pepper.
5. Put the sprouts on the other side.
6. Smoosh together the sides and feel awesome eating Spring.

Grow your own Mushrooms!

two things.

1. I Love Mushrooms. And growing your own mushrooms is really fun and requires almost no work. We got this kit on Amazon and its worked out really well. Their customer service was fabulous too when our previous kit kind of flopped. They tried to help us get it going and when it didn’t, they just sent us their new and improved one as a replacement and its been fabulous. (nearly instant mushrooms. I swear, you can see them growing) AND you can grow your crop on one side and then harvest and grow on the other side.

2. When your sick, you dont feel like cooking. This month might be light on recipes but I’ve got plans for some great things once everything settles down here.

thanks for reading!

e.

 

Vegetarian Sushi

Rolling and cutting sushi is incredibly satisfying.

Wrapping a big mess into a lovely green cylinder that you then slice into neat little rounds. I wish i could roll up my living room and slice it neat.

3 things to note:

1. Make sure you use sushi rice – I read a bunch of recipes. There are lots of opposing opinions about using different kinds of rice – However – NO ONE says sushi rice doesn’t work so I stuck with that. Please let me know if you have another option.

2. I use our serrated bread knife to cut the sushi. Whatever knife you use, just make sure its super sharp.

3. If you want to 1/2 the recipe and make less, that totally works.

Recipe in two parts below… First: making the rice and Second: making the roll.

(Rice Recipe from Alton Brown)

MAKING THE RICE  (makes 4 Cups)

ingredients:

• 2 cups sushi or short grain rice
• 2 cups water, plus extra for rinsing rice
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Directions:

1. Place the rice into a mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Swirl the rice in the water, pour off and repeat 2 to 3 times or until the water is clear.
2. Place the rice and 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered.
3. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
4. Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds.
5. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture.
6. Allow to cool to room temperature before using. [I put mine in the fridge while i prepped the veggies]

MAKING THE SUSHI:

ingredients:

• Seaweed wrappers [Sold at any decent grocery store.]
• Avocado, Cucumber, Carrots [I used a mandolin to shred the veggies long and thin]
• Sesame seeds
• Soy Sauce (as much as you want for dipping)
• Tiny bit of Ginger, minced fine and added to the soy sauce (optional)
• anything else you want to add.. pickled ginger? cream cheese? sweet potato? basil? bean sprouts?

directions:

1. Set up your station: Put a large flat surface on your table. (I used my cutting board.) Fill a small bowl with cold water and put that near you. Surround yourself with your chopped veggies, cooled rice, sesame seeds, seaweed wrappers and whatever else you wanted to include. Once you get going, you’re going to be covered in rice so you want to have everything at the ready.
2. On your flat surface, lay out one piece of seaweed and cover the whole thing with a thin layer of rice.
3. After the rice is spread out, place your vegetables at the end nearest you (because when you start rolling, this edge will end up in the middle of your roll). Add sesame seeds over the vegetables.
4. When everything you want in the roll is all situated, start to roll away from you. Keep everything pretty tight or you wont be happy when you start to cut them. When you get to the end, you can use your water to seal the roll shut. You now have a green cylinder.
5. Use your serrated bread knife to slowly cut your sushi pieces.
6. After you make one roll, you’ll see what you want to change for the next one.

 

 

Armenian Bean and Walnut Pate (Oleana)

A wonderfully creamy rich spread, great on anything from a tomato sandwich to a cracker. This is a regular recipe at our house because its really easy protein on the go.

It comes from my favorite restaurant, Oleana. It’s a part of Anna Sortun’s cookbook, Spice. Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean. I’ve made it a million times and so I’ve come up with some edits and helpful hints that are noted below. You can use dried beans or canned. Honestly, I don’t have the patience to use the dried but if you do, the recipe will probably be better for it. I’ve always use canned and love the result so I’ll include both measurements & directions below so you can decide.

a note about herbs: I’ve used all combinations of the 4 listed below. You don’t need to use them all but you do need to use at least 2 kinds.

(serves 8)

ingredients:

• Beans: 1 Cup Dry Kidney Beans, soaked overnight and rinsed OR  2.5 Cups Canned Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
• 5 Cups Water
• 1/2 Small Sweet Onion, minced (I’ve used onions before that ended up being really bitter so now I always use sweet)
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1.5 Cups Walnuts, lightly toasted
• 1/2 tsp. minced Garlic (about 1 small clove)
• 3 T Butter (original recipe calls for 4 but i didn’t taste the difference with less)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 T chopped fresh Dill
• 1 T chopped fresh Mint or Basil
• 1 T chopped fresh Parsley

directions:

1. For DRY Beans: In a medium saucepan over medium high heat bring the beans to a boil with the water, onion and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 40-50 minutes until the beans are very tender.

For CANNED Beans: I’m never sure if this step is necessary but I’ve always done it to at least cook the onions and infuse the bay into everything…. Anyways, Cook the canned beans with the onions and bay about 10 minutes.

2. Drain the beans into a colander and discard the bay leaf

3. While the beans are still warm, toss them with the toasted walnuts, garlic and butter in a mixing bowl. Add some salt and pepper. Stir until the butter is melted and then dump mixture into your food processor. Puree 3 to 4 minutes until it is a thick paste.

4. Add Herbs and puree until mixed in. Taste it and add more salt and pepper if it needs it.

5. Now here’s where the recipe and i totally differ. I don’t really need the pate to be pretty. We eat this all week long as a snack and a meal so I’m not looking to impress anyone. I pour the whole thing into a glass bowl with a lid and keep in the fridge. Just spread on a piece of bread and go. However, If I were looking to impress, I’d follow the original recipe:  dump out the mixture onto plastic wrap and roll it up into a log so that you can slice it up for serving. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve with Armenian String Cheese.

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Cashew Cream

This is my first recipe using the Lemon Cashew Cream I made the other day and it was just as lovely as i had hoped. I roasted the red pepper myself on the gas range top and chopped the kale ahead of time so it was a super fast – kid is crying and i need to get dinner on the table 5 minutes ago – kind of dinner. But it looks fancy and relaxed doesn’t it? I must be awesome. Pretty sure.

The directions on How To Roast A Red Pepper are below.

(Adjust recipe amounts for whom your feeding. I was just feeding myself because the aforementioned crying kid is not as excited by this meal as I am)

ingredients:

• 1 Roasted Red Pepper
• A handful of Kale
• 1/4 Box fettuccine
• A couple spoon fulls of Lemon Cashew Cream

directions:

TO ROAST A RED PEPPER: Wash the pepper well and then lay it down on the grate of your gas stove and turn the flame to medium-high. Leave the pepper there for a minute or so, until that side is mostly black, and then flip it. Repeat this process until all the sides are charred and black. (Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn your house down. Not really. Well, kind of.) When it’s done roasting, let it sit out and cool. (Avoid the temptation to cool it/peel it under water because you’ll wash off a lot of the smokey flavor and oils) When its cool, peel the skin off, chop up and get rid of the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and then store in fridge until you’re ready to use it. They’ll  last for a week or more.

1. Cook pasta according to directions on box.
2. While pasta is cooking, saute kale for a couple minutes until it begins to wilt.
3. In the mean time, chop up the previously roasted red pepper.
4. Drain the pasta when its done and toss with the Cashew Cream. (I had to heat up the Cashew Cream because mine came straight from the fridge. You can add more water if you want a thinner sauce.)
5. Toss in vegetables and  top with Salt and Pepper. I’m a parmesan cheese addict, so I added that too.

.

tags: Vegetarian, Vegan, Fast Dinner, Quick Meals, Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer, Dressing, Pureed Nut Sauce

Lemon Cashew Cream

with roasted red peppers over pasta? yes.

over farro with roasted root vegetables? yes.

atop an arugula salad with apricots and nutritional yeast? YES.

ok. Honesty time… I’ve never tried any of the above, but now that i have this lovely stuff in my fridge,

I . can’t . wait.

(fills almost to the top of one small mason jar)

ingredients:

• 1 Heaping Cup of Raw Cashews (soaked for a couple hours)
• Zest of 1/2 to 1 full Lemon (Depends how much of the lemon flavor you want)
• 1 T Lemon Juice (You could add more. Taste as you go)
• 1 Cup Water
• Sea Salt

directions:

1. Combine cashews and zest and 1/2 Cup water in a food processor and hit go.
2. Keep adding water and scraping down the sides until you get the consistency you want.
3. Taste it and add salt if you want.
4. Store in the fridge and use for tons of different things.

[notes for next time: Instead of water, I'd like to try unsweetened coconut milk. Also, Garlic and Lemon Thyme would probably be great. Tahini?  Aleppo for some spice?]

tags: dressing, condiment, appetizer, dinner, lunch, vegetarian

Middle Eastern Markets

Theres a magical place in Watertown, MA that has THREE Middle Eastern Markets almost right next to one another…. They’re filled to the ceiling with olives, grape leaves, Armenian string cheese, rose and orange blossom waters, jars upon jars of tahini, honey and piles of giant flatbreads covered in za’atar….. and the reason we went: endless piles of herbs and spices. We try to get to the markets at least once a year to refresh our stash and we were long overdue this time.  I’ve got plans people. Some great recipes are in the works.

If you wanted to visit the markets….

Arax Market

585 Mt. Auburn St.

Watertown, Ma

 

Massis Bakery & Specialty Food Store

569 Mt. Auburn St.

Watertown, Ma

 

Sevan Bakery

599 Mt. Auburn St.

Watertown, Ma

 

Homemade Butter

Butter for this bread i posted yesterday.

It just makes sense people.

Just like the ease of that homemade ricotta I discovered a while back… You can totally do this and its totally worth it. Use a food processor (takes about 15 minutes ) OR your two year olds endless enthusiasm to shake the hell out of a jar of liquid. (time varies). And from here, you can blend in spices or jams or zest and have super fancy butter for all your butter eating needs. (I followed this very helpful site as a guide.)

(Serving Size: You end up with about 1/2 as much butter as the amount of cream used  plus you get “buttermilk”)

ingredient:

• Heavy Whipping Cream [I used a pint which made a really nice beginner amount. A couple sticks maybe]
• Salt (optional)

directions:

1. Pour Cream in a bowl.
2. With an electric mixer, beat cream on medium speed past the whipped cream stage, all the way to when it starts to turn more yellow and buttermilk puddles in the bottom of the bowl. [I used my Kitchen Aid Mixer and had to scrape down the sides a couple times. I wonder if I had the mixer going too fast? I'll update when i make it again.]
3. Stop the mixer and pour off as much milk as possible. Store the buttermilk in the refrigerator and use it for cooking. [When i figure out how to use this, I'll add it to this post]
4. Use a rubber or stiff metal spatula to press the butter up onto the sides of the bowl to squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible.  Mix down the butter and add about 1/2 cup ice water on top of it. Use the spatula to press the butter and water against the side of the bowl. (Original recipe says “This step, called washing, is important to keep the butter from spoiling.”) Pour off the extra liquid and throw away. Add more ice water and repeat the process two or three times until the water becomes less cloudy.
5. Continue kneading butter against the side of the bowl until all the liquid has been pressed out. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.
6. Store a weeks worth in an airtight container in the fridge. [Freeze the rest in chunks for easier use]
7. Refrigerate 1 week or freeze for 6 months.

(flavor ideas: Cinnamon/Cardamom, Apple, Fig, Blueberry, Strawberry, Lemon Zest, Green Onion, Honey, Orange-Honey)

.

tags: Homemade, Dairy, Breakfast, Condiment, Dressing, Spread, Dip, Flavored Butter, Spice Butter, Sweet Butter, Sweet Cream Butter, Honey Butter.

Saturday Crusty Bread

This bread is wonderful for sandwiches (not too many holes so your fixings stay put), french toast, smothered in cheese or nutella, oooo I bet it would make a great bread pudding…. It kind of kicks ass. Just mix it up. Let it sit overnight. Cook it.

Thank you, thank you for posting this recipe  Simply So Good.

(serving size: 1 Loaf)

ingredients:

• 3 Cups All Purpose Flour (I’m gonna experiment with part wheat flour next time)
• 1  3/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Yeast
• 1 1/2 Cups Water

directions:

1. In a large bowl, [I used my Kitchen Aid mixer bowl] whisk together the dry ingredients.
2. Add water to the dry, put in the mixer and mix on low until combined and it all sticks together.
3. Cover with a really damp dishtowel and leave out on the counter to proof for 12 – 18 hours [I did 20 hours because thats how our day was going and it worked out fine. Dont let the cloth dry out too much]
4. Heat oven to 450 degrees and preheat your pot and lid for 20 minutes. [Original recipe uses those lovely Le Creuset pots. I used my 8 inch, oven proof, All Clad stock pot.]
5. While pan is preheating, dump dough out onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a neat lump. Cover with a damp dishtowel and let rise until the 20 minutes is up for the pot in the oven.
6. Move dough to parchment paper (it will be sticky so you can flour the top if you want) and drop into pot. Remind yourself over and over again that the pot is really H O T. You should probably leave a potholder on top of the lid to remind yourself.
7. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove lid and cook for 15 more to brown it up.
8. Cover in homemade butter and jam…. wowza.

Other Versions:

3.25.13 Update:  I Just made a Whole Wheat Flax Seed Version of this which was great. I might add honey next time because while its really nice and nutty tasting, I’d like it to be a tiny bit sweet. The directions are the same but heres the ingredient list:

• 2 Cups White Flour
• 1 Cup Wheat Flour
• 1/4 Cup Toasted Flax Seeds
• 1  3/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Yeast
• 1 1/2 Cups Water

tags: Saturday food, Dinner, Appetizer, Lunch, Soup Bread, Sandwich Bread, Dip, Quick Bread, Yeast Bread