New Year's Eve and new Beginnings

Happy New year.   Time for new beginnings.  I'll be honest, I kind of dread this time of year.  My yoga class gets packed...  Usually it thins out by February, but hey -- the more the merrier...  Hopefully it will stick for some people.

My "resolution" -- includes a simple addition of "life water" from Ann Louise Gittleman's book "Fat Flush" (My daughter took the book with her when she left).

The basic recipe is 1/4 cup of unsweetened cranberry juice and 32 ounces of water -- you add psyllium husk or ground flax seed (I like to add chia instead).

You drink it first thing in the morning and last thing before going to bed.

New juicer, new me

Very happy with this juicer!  It's a Lexen wheat grass juicer.  I was going to buy it from the place where I got my daughter's juicer, but the shipping was pretty high, so I did get it from Amazon --

The Amazon reviews were crap (I think people who don't usually juice wheat grass may have written some of them).

I like it fine.  It's not a $300+ juicer, but it does the job.

So far, so good.  Easy to clean.

Viola! Crackers!

Woke up this morning and they are perfect!  (Well, maybe a little thicker than I'll make them next time)

I stored in an air tight container --

Raw crackers for Raw Pizza

I went to a restaurant with my daughter, she ordered raw pizza.  It was a raw cracker topped with some kind of vegetable mixture and I think cashew cheese on top.

I got some cashew cheese at our local green market, I decided to try and make some crackers.

I looked for a recipe (on line) -- I found this one:  http://www.therawtarian.com/basic-raw-cracker-recipe

I needed the basic recipe.  I made a BUNCH of substitutions based on what I had on hand and what I thought would taste good.

I substituted vegetable broth for the water, I used shallot and garlic instead of red pepper and parsley, I added chia seeds, and kelp granules.

I think the chia made it somewhat firm. (I also used less liquid than the recipe called for)  -- why add more water and then have to dehydrate for longer???

I then spread it onto parchment lined dehydrator rack trays (I've got a cheap dehydrator) --

I was able to score at this stage (rather than wait the 4 hours as the web recipe called for)

I scored it in pizza like slices ;)

I was able to get 2 trays worth....

They are dehydrating now, so I won't know until tomorrow if it went well!

Detoxinista's recipe

I think it was pumpkin pancakes.  You can find the recipe on her website.

http://detoxinista.com/2012/09/grain-free-pumpkin-pancakes/

It's just pumpkin puree, almond butter, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and vanilla.

You bake in the oven.  Tried to get a picture -- I forgot -- my daughter ate it before it was photographed.

I guess I shouldn't be too disappointed, but...

I'm used to sprouting.  My entire plant is ready for harvest in 7 days.  I was excited to see some signs of  life a couple days ago, figuring the rest would follow suit.  Well....

I'm getting another pot to peek out some green, but I expected plants by now...  should have started earlier if I wanted herbs by Christmas!

It's Christmas time

This is my working kitchen decoration.

These pomegranates were smaller with smaller kernels but so juicy and packed with flavor.

My flash distorted the color a bit.

Raw butter

I went back to the "farm stand" where we got fresh eggs.  I bought some raw butter

To me the funniest thing is the "Not for Human Consumption" portion.  I guess that gets around the labeling and the FDA regulations.

Mango Vinaigrette

This week, I threw in Mango into my usual vinaigrette.  I make new dressing each week.

It's the same old vinaigrette recipe I got off the net.  It's white wine, white balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard and some olive oil.  Then you throw in some fruit.  Absolutely wonderful.

cha cha chia! pudding

I love this simple "pudding" -- recipe was from Le Pain Quotidien cookbook -- I went there a while back and got a recipe card -- been making it ever since.  Really yummy.  So simple.

It's just a can of coconut milk and 5 tbsp of Chia Seeds.  You stir and let sit for a few minutes, then refrigerate.  I top with passion fruit or mango or whatever is handy, I puree it.

First signs of life....

I'm used to sprouting so, when I have to wait several days, I was getting worried.

This morning, I saw the first green...  Seems the Basil spouted first.

swiss chard

I drink a smoothie with swiss chard, oranges, dates, papaya, nutmeg and organic protein powder.

The problem is I always have chard leftover.

This is what I do with it.  For lunch the next day or so, I'll saute it in coconut oil with some garlic.

This is red chard, I've tried the green, the rainbow - orange and yellow -- they taste pretty much the same to me...

Nature ....

I harvested my sunflower sprouts.

I went out to get some soil (It is stored in a container outside).  I was just thinking, I hope ants don't get into this soil -- that will be a nightmare.

As I scooped up the soil, I found a visitor.

A tiny frog?toad? of some kind.

That's him in the bottom of a 16 oz solo cup.  quite small really, I'd say could fit on a quarter.  Hope he makes it.  I released him into the yard, but there are birds and critters all around, he'll have to hide.

One of the perks of living in Florida, it's pretty much temperate year round.

Freekeh

Came across this in Costco of all places.  Looked a lot like bulgar Wheat to me.

Looked up some recipes.  Settled on this one.

This is what it looked like cooked (I cooked it in vegetable broth)

I added some "goodies"  cranberries, pumpkin seeds, feta

then some oven roasted butternut squash and viola

made a great side dish!

Bitter Melon

Went to a new farm stand, saw the bitter melon.  I've eaten this since a child -- I just don't really cook it.

I started by taking out the seeds, I cut off the ends and cut lengthwise.

I used a spoon to scoop the insides out,

Then I sliced them up

I sauted them quickly in coconut oil. -- they looked super green.

I added them to beef for beef and bitter melon.

My husband HATED it!  It is definitely an acquired taste.  I ate all mine up!

Planting today

Finally got around to planting my herb garden....  With Thanksgiving and Christmas -- don't have much free time.

I chose 6 out of the 8 to try (not enough room in my tiny "green house")

Inside each foil pouch, there was a little ziplock bag with seeds.

View from the top looking down into the glass roof.

If I step back, you get a better idea -- it is smallish.

The markers give me the date I planted each pot (in case I want to harvest some before others).

ALL planted hooray!

Found Farm Fresh Eggs!

Yeah, not the kind in the supermarket.   There's an egg farm I found from going to a Farm to table restaurant!!!

The eggs are all colors and sizes -- the way they were when I was in France -- that is when I realized how little eggs in this country still taste like eggs.

I was recently asked....

Do you cook dinner EVERY night.  Actually, I generally cook breakfast, lunch and dinner every day -- except Sunday.

So, yeah.  We eat out about 2 to 3 times a month.  We used to eat out maybe 4-6 times a week.  So, we've really cut down.  We eat much "cleaner" than we did before.  Gone are the days of pizza and bagels....

I really don't miss those things much and I do make pizza (with whole wheat crust), spinach, and mozzarella without bgh (bovine growth hormone), and organic pizza sauce -- tomatoes are on the dirty dozen list...

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/  You have to cursor to the bottom of the page for the dirty dozen -- foods with so much pesticide that it generally remains even after washing.  -- luckily there is also a clean 15 list.  

Grapefruit knife

I looked everywhere -- Must have been to 8 stores looking for a grapefruit knife....  Finally got one -- off Amazon.  I tell you, internet shopping is getting easier and with gas prices, I'd almost rather spend the money on shipping.

It came on the cardboard with the top area torn off???

Whatever, I just need the knife.

It's unique in that it is curved at the tip.

very happy with the results!

Papaya salad dressing

I made this salad dressing last week for thanksgiving.  I brought it with a salad to the dinner we were attending.  I forgot to take a picture -- so I made it again and remembered this time.

I got the "base recipe" from online.  It was originally for a pear vinaigrette.

1/2 cup white wine
1 garlic clove
1 tsp prepared mustard
3/4 cup chopped papaya
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar


I throw it all in a blender and it is delicious.  Fresh dressing makes all the difference

Actually looks MORE orange in person....

typical lunch My answer to "fast food"

It is usually egg or tuna or avocado -- on a ezekiel wrap -- topped with organic greens, pomegranate kernels or cranberries, pumpkin seeds, hemp seed, sprouts and dressing -- wrap it up and it's a wrap!

Today, I threw in some papaya.

My husband's new favorite mashed

It's got roasted garlic and smartbalance spread, buttermilk, and veggie broth powder.

It's not what you might think.....  This was the start of this little delight....

cauliflower mash...  Great substitute for mashed potato -- without the starch/ carbs.