GLOW

I find the term "slaw" to be one of the most unappetizing sounding words,  probably because coleslaw is one of the most unappetizing dishes, so I apologize for not being able to come up with a more creative name for this, or perhaps you will thank me for lending it a new, entirely appetizing association. This dish is so delicious, and has become such a staple in my diet, that I feel compelled to emerge from my nearly permanent hiatus on this blog to share it with you. It is exceptionally easy to make (as most raw food is), and the most exotic ingredient in it, really, is the kale. I hope that you try it, and love it as much as I do. (I just polished off my third bowl in two days.)

I like to make this big batch, and keep the leftovers in the refrigerator for easy meals. This is even more excellent after chilling in the fridge, especially the next day, so I highly recommend it. Feel free to cut it in half, though, if you only have a smaller amount of the ingredients on hand. This is a versatile recipe, so eyeballing the amount of vegetables is okay. If using the cashews instead of the sunflower seeds, the salad will be lent almost a Waldorf salad sort of taste, so feel free to run with that and add some grapes and walnuts, too!

ABOUT 8 LARGE RED RUSSIAN KURLY KALE LEAVES (approximate if your bunch includes a variety of sizes. This could be about 3/4 of a bunch, depending.)

8 BRUSSEL SPROUTS

2 LARGE OR 4 SMALL APPLES, PREFERABLY GALA OR PINK LADY

2 CUPS RAW SUNFLOWER SEEDS, OR RAW CASHEWS

JUICE OF 2 LEMONS

SPLASH OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (RAW, WITH THE MOTHER!), OR ABOUT 1 TBS

1/2-1 TBS RAW AGAVE NECTAR (if using cashews instead of sunflower seeds, omit the agave, as the cashews are naturally quite sweet)

ABOUT 1 CUP WATER

SEA SALT TO TASTE

POUR THE SEEDS OR NUTS INTO A FOOD PROCESSOR AND GRIND UNTIL FINE. (I USUALLY LET IT RUN UNTIL I'M DONE PREPARING THE VEGETABLES.) WASH THE KALE, BRUSSEL SPROUTS & APPLES. DESTEM THE KALE AND TEAR IT INTO SMALL PIECES. LOP THE ENDS OF THE BRUSSEL SPROUTS OFF, AND CUT THIN SLICES ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE SPROUT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. SLICE LENGTHWISE ONCE YOU CAN'T HOLD IT ANY LONGER WITHOUT CHOPPING OF YOUR FINGER TIPS. SLICE THE SIDES OF THE APPLE OFF OF THE CORE, AND THEN DICE THE FRUIT. MIX THE KALE, SPROUTS AND APPLE TOGETHER IN A LARGE BOWL. ONCE THE SEEDS OR NUTS ARE FINELY GROUND, WORK OUT ANY LUMPS WITH A FORK, AND MIX IN THE REMAINING INGREDIENTS. POUR OVER THE VEGETABLES AND MIX VERY THOROUGHLY. I FIND A ROUNDED SPATULA TO BE BEST FOR THIS STEP, AS IT HELPS TO MIX UP THE SAUCE THAT POOLS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BOWL BEST. SERVE IMMEDIATELY OR CHILL FOR MORE FLAVORFUL RESULTS.

One of my favorite things about eating largely raw is how forgiving my experiments seem to be. With fresh, local vegetables and fruits, the flavors are so rich and refreshing that a little bit goes a long way, and the science in the kitchen just doesn't need to be so exact. As a result, many of the "recipes" I'll be sharing with you will kind of be a glorified list of ingredients. Taste as you go, season to your palate, and remember that you don't need as many spices and seasonings as when you cook. Here is a recent favorite of mine, which my husband has been enjoying with me. This recipe has been entered into Ricki's Summer Wellness Weekend event. Go here to check out the other entries.)

I MD HEAD OF CAULIFLOWER

1/2 CUP CHOPPED CHUNKS OF CUCUMBER

1 LG HANDFUL OF CILANTRO

1 LG HANDFUL OF PARSLEY

SPLASH OF OLIVE OIL

CUMIN, CORIANDER & SEA SALT TO TASTE

OPTIONAL: LEMON, GARLIC, DULSE

CHOP CAULIFLOWER INTO CHUNKS, AND PUT INTO FOOD PROCESSOR, HANDFULS AT A TIME AS IT BREAKS DOWN THE CHUNKS. CHOP THE HERBS. TRANSFER THE PROCESSED CAULIFLOWER (SHOULD BE ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF COUS COUS, BUT A BIT LARGER) INTO A BOWL, AND ADD THE REMAINING INGREDIENTS. EAT AS A SALAD, OR IN A RAW COLLARD OR CHARD LEAF WRAP, PERHAPS WITH SOME AVOCADO OR TAHINI IF IT SUITS YOUR FANCY.

RAW ZUCCHINI & SUMMER SQUASH "NOODLES"* WITH AN HERBED LEMON & COCONUT BUTTER "CHEESE", LIGHTLY SPLASHED WITH RAW COCONUT AMINOS

 I've been spending a great deal of time (perhaps too much) researching Lupus since my diagnosis. I've wanted to be informed when attending my follow-up appointment with the rheumatologist (as he sadly didn't offer me with many resources), and have wanted to expose myself to alternative treatment options that an allopathic doctor would not typically suggest to me. The most commonly advocated alternative treatment for autoimmune diseases is an appropriate diet that eliminates food sensitivities and common toxins. Guess what? I have a head start. My intuition has clearly served me well in that department. Besides eliminating gluten, however, a diet largely made up of raw foods seems to be the most commonly talked about diet, which according to various anecdotal stories shared via the web and to me personally, can alleviate many of the symptoms and even lead some to remission. This gives me great hope, although I am keeping that hope in check with the understanding that every body is different; what works for one may not work for another. Let me be clear that Lupus is potentially a very serious disease, and therefore alternative treatments for it are highly controversial. I have the advantage of only having mild Lupus at this time (in my mind thanks to the dietary changes I've made, though I will elaborate on that more at a different time), and consequently have some leeway to experiment. Summer is an excellent time to eat raw food, as well; I am more than happy to rarely turn on the stove. I'm a little bit more skeptical about how this will work out in a cold New England winter, given that I also have Raynaud's. Anyone with experience in that department, please share your thoughts in the comments!

RAW SHAVED* ACORN SQUASH WITH MINT, SHAVED MACADAMIA NUTS, COCONUT BUTTER, LEMON, OLIVE OIL, LAVENDER BUDS & FLEUR DE SEL

So, have I noticed any improvements since making the shift? Hell yes. My cravings for starch and sweets have decreased significantly. My portion control (typically something I really struggle with) is leaps and bounds beyond what it has been. Also, when I've made exceptions to my diet by indulging in typically forbidden foods, my reactions are far less severe, and I recover much more quickly. Want an example? I'm eating fruit. Let me put that into perspective for you: with the exception of lemon & avocado, I haven't eaten fruit for almost 2 years. I've been following the recommendations of the Body Ecology Diet and eating it only in the morning and always by itself, but I've made some exceptions to that, as well. Papaya, pear & banana have been recent trials. Want another example? Today, my husband and I went to Kickass Cupcakes, where I indulged in not one, but two gluten-free cupcakes. (Sugar, eggs, flours, oh my!) So far, I'm suffering from some mild brain fog, but otherwise I'm okay. I followed the trip up with some raw celery to help move it along, and some stevia-sweetened sparkling mineral water with added peppermint oil to soothe any possible inflammation.

RAW SHAVED* DAIKON & EASTER EGG RADISHES WITH PARSLEY, LEMON, CHOPPED RAW HAZELNUTS, SEA SALT & OLIVE OIL

I would love it if you would share your thoughts on this approach. I am still holding off on fulfilling my prescription for Plaquenil at the pharmacy, but beginning to warm up to the idea. How do you treat your illness? Have you improved from an autoimmune disease through diet? Have you tried the raw food diet and improved your health? Have you recovered? Or are you one of the many who feels it to be a naive and mislead approach? Please weigh in.

In the meantime, here are two resources I have taken advantage of:

Shares her experience of putting her severe Lupus into remission on a raw food diet.

I can't pass up fiddleheads, a seasonal New England favorite, when they make their appearance at the market in Spring. I never cook them as well as my native Maine friends, but I enjoy them nonetheless! Here I steamed them and paired them with some vermicelli noodles I purchased at the Korean market (only ingredient is sweet potato starch), fresh mint & basil, with fresh lemon juice and avocado oil drizzled on top.

From my searches online, it seems that the vegan souffle is one of those culinary holy grails. Most recipes available seem to utilize tofu or other soy products to mimic the texture of one made with eggs, though, and since soy is out of the question for me, I needed to find another way to recreate that unique texture, and fulfill a craving that I've had probably since Thanksgiving. I think this recipe is extremely convincing, and I'm pretty excited about the possibilities for future variations. Today was a gorgeous spring day in Boston, and I feel blessed that this lovely recipe was a part of it! 

In my last run to a local Indian market that recently relocated (Little India moved from Union Square to the old Milk Row warehouse by Market Basket), I picked up a bag of coarse chickpea flour or maghaj flour, and though I've been limiting my consumption of flour lately, the few times that I've experimented with it have yielded really interesting results that have me scheming up both savory and sweet dishes. The coarse flour behaves differently than its fine counterpart, and because it's a little bit harder on the digestive system, I've thought it the perfect flour to try soaking/fermenting a bit prior to cooking, a process that I've wanted to better acquaint myself with for a while. The flavor of the flour is wonderfully enhanced by the light fermentation, and no doubt aids in the slight rise of the batter when it bakes in the oven. I love that the ingredients are pretty minimal, too, and are fresh and seasonal for most this time of year. If you tolerate allium, I would definitely recommend carmelizing some shallots and adding them to the batter. I'm going to do my best to not think about how unbearably divine that would be. This is my second submission to Ricki & Kim's SOS Challenge for April, and I hope that you are able to enjoy it soon! 

1/2 CUP COARSE CHICKPEA FLOUR/MAGHAJ FLOUR

1/2 CUP WARM WATER

1 TBS APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

3/4 CUP ASPARAGUS PUREE

JUICE & ZEST OF HALF A LEMON

1/3 TSP APPLEWOOD SMOKED SEA SALT (OR SMOKED SEA SALT OF YOUR CHOICE)

1/4 TSP AGAR AGAR POWDER*

1/4 TSP DRIED PORCINI POWDER (OPTIONAL)

PINCH OF STEVIA

1/4 CUP ARUGULA

1 TSP FRESH MINT

1/2 TSP ROSEMARY

GHEE OR OIL OF CHOICE FOR GREASING 

COMBINE FLOUR, WATER & VINEGAR. MIX, COVER AND LET SIT IN A WARM SPOT OVERNIGHT OR 8+ HOURS. WHEN READY TO PREPARE, PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT**. MIX TOGETHER ALL INGREDIENTS, ADDING THE HERBS LAST. GREASE THE RAMEKINS GENEROUSLY, AND FILL WITH BATTER. PLACE ON A BAKING SHEET AND BAKE FOR 35 MINUTES, OR UNTIL THE TOP IS A LIGHT GOLDEN BROWN.

At least once a month I try to be adventurous at the grocery store and purchase a vegetable that I'm unfamiliar with to research when I get home. Rarely do I actually end up using it in the way I'm instructed to online, but the information I read helps me to understand it's flavor, texture and properties a bit better before having a hand at it. A few weeks ago I picked up a chayote squash from the market, and was pretty pleased both with it's texture and flavor as well as how my body reacted to it. (So far, so good.) Chayote is a crisp, watery squash found in both Latin American as well as Indian cuisine. Let me half-ass this entry for a moment and give you a direct quote from Wikipedia:

"The chayote (Sechium edule), also known as christophene, vegetable pear, mirliton, alligator pear (South Louisiana), choko (Australia, New Zealand), starprecianté, citrayota, citrayote (Ecuador and Colombia), chuchu (Brazil), chow chow (India) Sayote (Philippines) ,güisquil (Guatemala, El Salvador), or pear squash, iskus (इस्कुस) (Nepal) is an edible plant that belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae along with melons, cucumbers and squash."

I've used the chayote now in smoothies and sauteed with other vegetables, but my favorite discovery so far is how well it soothes my desire for a crisp raw apple. Sliced raw, not only does it look quite like a green apple, it has the same watery refreshing snap to it, and I'm really looking forward to enjoying it in the warm summer months. If you or your child suffers from fructose malabsorption, this could be the perfect substitute for you. I haven't been able to locate any information online about the fructan content in them, so don't hold me to that, but I'm quite sensitive to fructose and many fructans, and I seem to digest them without trouble. 

RAW CHAYOTE SQUASH

FRESH SQUEEZED LEMON OR LIME JUICE

STEVIA TO TASTE

SQUEEZE THE LIME OR LEMON JUICE OVER THE CHAYOTE, SPRINKLE OR DRIZZLE WITH STEVIA TO TASTE. FOR A MORE INTENSE SWEET & SOUR FLAVOR, STORE IN A CONTAINER IN THE JUICES TO ALLOW THE CHAYOTE TO ABSORB THE FLAVOR MORE FULLY.

I eat squash pretty infrequently because my body isn't the biggest fan of the sugar content, but whenever I do enjoy it, I always feel conflicted about what to do with the guts. They've got to be good for something other than roasting and snacking on the seeds, right? (Which, is surely a worthy task, don't get me wrong.) The other night I was cooking up a light dinner of steamed squash and green vegetables, and wanted a quick and easy way to boost the nutrition and flavor profile a bit. The blender and I have become a bit better acquainted lately, so I decided to toss the guts in with some oil, water and herbs, and was supremely happy with the result. Best part is that even though I've been drizzling it onto meals and snacks for the past 2 or 3 days, there is still plenty left to enjoy...a rarity in this kitchen.

1 CUP WATER

1/4 CUP AVOCADO OIL OR OLIVE OIL

GUTS OF AN ACORN SQUASH

1/4 CUP PACKED BASIL LEAVES

1 TBS PACKED PARSLEY LEAVES

1/4 TSP SEA SALT

THROW INGREDIENTS INTO A BLENDER AND PUREE. REFRIGERATE TO PRESERVE; SHAKE BEFORE SERVING.

Diced Korean radish sauteed in coconut oil with cultured burdock root, seaweed, flax meal and a splash of Coconut Aminos. I used the Shiso leaves, purchased at a local Korean market, as wraps for the mix. This was definitely a favorite lunch this week.

This has kind of been an exciting week for me in terms of food adventures. I'm trying not to go too deep into the water, just inching a little bit further out on the diving board (on my bum, though, mind you), and relishing the view. I believe that it is thanks to the tips I'm getting from reading The Body Ecology Diet, and my bravely plugging through the varying symptom flare-ups I get upon (slowly) introducing  cultured vegetables into my daily routine. (See previous post.) My digestive system seems to be getting stronger, and being able to enjoy a mug of this beautiful soup seems to be a result. On Friday, my husband and our friends were able to reap the benefits as well, as I quickly brainstormed and cooked this soup up for us to enjoy for dinner. (Butternut squash is not typically something that my body can handle.) Can you tell by the blurry picture how excited I was to sit down and eat it? Our dinner was completed by some salad greens and my salmon cakes topped with homemade mint & basil avocado mayo. Both recipes utilize the smoked sea salt that I am currently having a giveaway for. Go here now, as there is only one more day to enter!

4 CUPS PEELED, CUBED AND ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

3 CUPS WATER

JUICE OF 1/2- 1 LIME (according to your taste)

2 TBS COCONUT OIL

1 1/2 TSP CUMIN

3/4 TSP CORIANDER

1/2 TSP MEXICAN SMOKED SEA SALT

1/4 TSP CARDAMOM

1/4 TSP ALLSPICE

1/8 TSP ASAFOETIDA POWDER

FRESH CILANTRO TO TASTE

PUT ROASTED SQUASH AND WATER INTO A BLENDER AND PUREE. POUR INTO A SOUP POT AND HEAT ON STOVE, ADDING LIME AND SPICES FIRST, AND THEN COCONUT OIL. COOK UNTIL HEATED AND COCONUT OIL IS FULLY MIXED AND MELTED. ADD CILANTRO RIGHT BEFORE SERVING.

Sometimes the simplest meals are the most satisfying: Cabbage and blue potatoes sauteed in coconut oil. 

(I'm typically quite sensitive to potatoes, but seem to tolerate the more rare varieties in small amounts.)

As promised, a second edition this week to compensate for my silence last week. I made these delicious grilled turkey patties last night with fennel, cardamom, lemon zest, dill and parsley. They were absolutely delicious! I'm having one for breakfast now with some pea shoots and avocado.

Chickpea crisps with a hazelnut, basil & spring green pesto, roasted vegetables and salad greens. My mind is transitioning into Spring fare...

I've been craving this dish for seven years. That's right. I remember a misty day in Maryland when my dad and I drove to a small town on the coast, and stopped to have lunch in a little cafe nestled in the first floor of a white Victorian home. The town felt deserted, perhaps it was the off-season, or just a rainy weekday, but I can picture us sitting on the enclosed porch overlooking the quaint main street, and I can see myself perusing the menu and selecting for the first time in my life, "Crab cakes please." This was probably one of my first experiences with out-of-the-ordinary, phenomenal food.  (I'd never lived in a coastal area with abundant fresh seafood, so crab cakes were new to me.) The flavor was perfect...savory, melt-in-your-mouth perfect. I never ate another seafood cake half as good...until last week. I purchased a container of pre-cooked Wild Alaskan Salmon from Trader Joe's last week (so cheap!) that tasted a bit too much like the plastic container it came in. Yuck. I decided that instead of wasting it, I needed to come up with a recipe that would camouflage that unpleasant flavor without masking the tasty flavor of the fish. Thus, the Salmon Cake was born. (Does anyone else cringe at that phrase? Why can I say "Crab Cake" without blinking, but immediately think of sweet pink confections flavored with fish when I say "Salmon Cake"?) This is definitely one of the best things I've ever made, and it's such a simple formula. Really quick to prepare and cook, and full of all kinds of healthy protein and omega fatty acids to keep my nervous system happy. I'm already looking forward to cooking more of these up tomorrow with tonight's leftover salmon.

1 CUP PRE-COOKED SALMON

1/2 CUP LOOSELY PACKED FRESH BASIL

1/2 CUP ROASTED PISTACHIOS

1/2 CUP PUMPKIN SEEDS

1/4 CUP CHICKPEA FLOUR

1/2 TBS FLAXMEAL

1/2 TSP APPLEWOOD SMOKED SEA SALT (any smoked sea salt would surely suffice)

JUICE OF 1/2 A LEMON

1/4 CUP WATER

GRAPESEED OIL FOR FRYING

PUT NUTS, SEEDS, FLOUR, FLAXMEAL AND SALT IN FOOD PROCESSOR AND GRIND TO A MEAL. (MINE WAS A MIXTURE OF FINE AND SEMI-COARSE.) SHRED THE SALMON IF NOT ALREADY AND MIX WITH THE DRY INGREDIENTS ALONG WITH THE BASIL. ADD WATER AND LEMON, AND SHAPE INTO PATTIES.  HEAT A GENEROUS AMOUNT OF GRAPESEED OIL IN A PAN ON MEDIUM TO MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT. WHEN OIL IS HOT, PLACE THE PATTIES IN THE PAN AND FRY UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN ON EACH SIDE. 

Being a little lady who is unable to eat wheat, gluten, yeast, garlic, tomatoes or cheese, I have to get a little bit creative with my definition of pizza. I have quite a few different crust recipes that I've made up over the last year, most of which I didn't document, some of which I'm still perfecting a bit before I share with you. This week, I thought I'd try my hand at a new one. I'm really trying to treat my body well by severely limiting my intake of grains, so though I really wanted a pizza, I wanted to make a crust that would be high in protein and have minimal flour. I've recently been on a pistachio kick, snacking on them, incorporating them into a number of recipes, and just generally enjoying the fact that I am tolerating them after a year of getting nausea and headaches from eating even a small amount. I fancied they'd make an excellent flavor pairing with the basil and vegetables in my refrigerator, so they joined the mix. The teff flour really compliments the robust flavor of the pistachios, and also fits the protein qualifier. If you are unfamiliar with teff flour, I do recommend picking some up. It can seem intimidating given the usual price tag, but it's quite versatile, healthy and tasty. You can find both ivory and brown teff; this recipe uses the more popular dark grain. The crust cooks very quickly, so choose and prep your toppings accordingly. The first night I topped it with basil and thinly sliced asparagus, adding some marinated tempeh to my husband's portion. Today I used  basil, thinly shaved sweet potato, pre-cooked salmon marinated in Coconut Aminos, and sprinkled some applewood smoked sea salt on top. Woh. I enjoyed the pizza warm out of the oven, and later in the day, out of the fridge and topped with some avocado and tahini. If you can tolerate egg, I would recommend baking the crust and serving a fried egg on top for breakfast. Oh, dear.

YOU'LL NEED:

PARCHMENT PAPER

BAKING SHEET

1/2 CUP TEFF FLOUR

1/2 CUP RAW SUNFLOWER SEEDS

1/2 CUP ROASTED PISTACHIOS

1 TBS TAPIOCA FLOUR

1 TSP BAKING POWDER

1/2 TSP SEA SALT

-

2 TBS FLAXMEAL

1/2 TSP BAKING SODA

1/4 CUP WARM WATER

2 TBS GRAPESEED OIL

JUICE OF A 1/4 LEMON

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. GRIND NUTS AND SEEDS DOWN TO A MEAL IN A FOOD PROCESSOR. MIX WITH TEFF FLOUR, TAPIOCA FLOUR, BAKING POWDER AND SALT, BREAKING APART LUMPS WITH YOUR FINGERS. IN A SEPARATE BOWL, MIX FLAXMEAL & BAKING SODA. ADD WATER AND WHISK, ADD OIL, MIX, AND THEN ADD LEMON. MIXTURE SHOULD BE FROTHY. ADD THE MIXTURE TO THE DRY, MIX AND THEN KNEAD A BIT INTO A BALL. PLACE PARCHMENT PAPER ON A BAKING SHEET AND PAT DOWN DOUGH WITH YOUR PALM, TO ABOUT A 1/4-1/2 INCH THICK CIRCLE. ADD TOPPINGS IF DESIRED, AND BAKE FOR ABOUT 10-12 MINUTES.

Keeping with my winter comfort food kick...roasted parsnip fries with chestnut gravy.

I had the pleasure of visiting my friend Courtney again last week, and relished the opportunity to enjoy her cooking. My gratitude for having food prepared for me by others is immense; it is such a novel experience to sit at the dinner table and have a plate handed to me that I can eye with anticipation rather than anxiety. She always does such a wonderful job coming up with thoughtfully prepared meals that adhere to my lengthy list of food restrictions. On my last evening at her lovely country home, she prepared delicious veggie burgers made with quinoa, pistachios, cashews and chickpeas, and I just had to figure out a way to replicate them in my own home. I was happy to have come up with a similar recipe the other night that both my husband and I loved. I served them over a bed of baby arugula with a homemade basil avocado mayo and celeriac fries. I topped my husband's with sauteed red peppers, and mine with roasted fennel. Thank you so much, Courtney, for the inspiration!

1/2 CUP QUINOA

2 TBS TEFF

1 1/4 CUPS WATER

-

1/4 CUP SUNFLOWER SEEDS

 2 TBS FLAXMEAL

1 TBS TEFF FLOUR

1 TBS TAPIOCA FLOUR

1/2 TSP SMOKED SEA SALT (I USE SMOKED MEXICAN, A BLACK SALT)

1/4 CUP CANNED GARBANZO BEANS

4 TBS LIQUID FROM CAN OF BEANS, OR ADDITIONAL WATER

1/4 CUP ROASTED PISTACHIOS, CHOPPED

-

GRAPESEED OIL

COOK QUINOA AND TEFF ON STOVETOP. TOAST SUNFLOWER SEEDS IN PAN ON STOVE, AND GRIND IN FOOD PROCESSOR TO A MEAL. MIX FLAXMEAL, FLOURS AND SALT WITH THE SUNFLOWER SEED MEAL. MIX COOKED QUINOA & TEFF IN WITH MIXTURE. SLIGHTLY MASH BEANS WITH A FORK, MIX THEM AND PISTACHIOS WITH THE OTHER INGREDIENTS. FORM INTO PATTIES. HEAT PAN ON STOVE, GENEROUSLY COAT PAN WITH GRAPESEED OIL, AND COOK PATTIES UNTIL BROWNED ON EACH SIDE.

MAKES ABOUT 6 BURGERS

2 AVOCADOS

1/2 CUP HEMPMILK

JUICE OF 1 LEMON

1/4 TSP SEA SALT

ABOUT 1/2 CUP FRESH BASIL LEAVES

PROCESS ALL INGREDIENTS IN A FOOD PROCESSOR OR BLENDER UNTIL PUREED. SERVE ON BURGERS AND USE AS A DIP FOR FRIES.

Vegan Broccoli Gratin. Definitely consumed the whole casserole dish single-handedly. I should be ashamed, but, you know, it was that good.

Let me first say that this may be one of the most unappetizing-looking photographs I'll ever share with you, but let's face it-- does a plate of dirty diner fare like this ever really look good? On a recent trip with family down south, we stopped on a Sunday at a Virginia diner famed for its Southern fare, and though I tried to distract myself from my grumbling tummy and empty plate by admiring the impressive hats of the church-goers surrounding me, my eyes kept being drawn to the plates next to me piled with fried chicken, biscuits & gravy, and I found myself thinking, "Why do I want that so badly?" When, a few weeks later, a friend advertised online that she was eating chicken fried steak with biscuits & gravy for dinner, and the same thought resurfaced in my brain, I decided that I needed to make it happen. And hot damn, did I make it happen. There were exaggerated (but sincere) looks of amazement on my face, tap dancing in place, and even a bit of (manageable) heartburn for the genuine Southern comfort food experience. What a perfect winter meal! The chicken tastes remarkably buttery, and the rustic flavor of the biscuits, albeit not a very traditional choice, pairs really well with the savory gravy. I may play around with the biscuits a bit more in the future to see if I can satisfy another, "Why do I want this so badly?" craving for KFC biscuits. This meal is easily made vegan by using tofu instead of chicken, if you are one of the lucky souls who can indulge in soy, or you could try breading thick-cut vegetables like zucchini, summer squash or eggplant.

1 15.3 OZ CAN CHESTNUT PUREE

1 CUP WATER (OR VEGETABLE OR MEAT STOCK IF YOU CAN TOLERATE IT)

1 1/4 TSP TOASTED SESAME OIL

1/2 TSP MEXICAN SMOKED SEA SALT (OR SMOKED SEA SALT OF YOUR CHOICE)

2 PINCHES OF ASAFOETIDA POWDER

PUT CHESTNUT PUREE IN FOOD PROCESSOR OR BLENDER AND PROCESS, ADDING LIQUID SLOWLY AS IT BLENDS. ADD REST OF THE INGREDIENTS*, MIX UNTIL SMOOTH, AND HEAT ON STOVE TOP.

1 1/2 CUPS BUCKWHEAT FLOUR

1/2 CUP TEFF FLOUR

1/2 CUP TAPIOCA FLOUR

1 TSP SEA SALT

1 TSP BAKING POWDER

-

1/4 CUP FLAX MEAL

2/3 TSP BAKING SODA

1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL

2 TSP FRESH LEMON JUICE

1 CUP WARM WATER

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES. MIX FIRST FIVE INGREDIENTS IN A LARGE MIXING BOWL. IN SMALLER BOWL, MIX FLAX MEAL AND BAKING SODA, ADD WARM WATER, LEMON JUICE AND OLIVE OIL, MIX THOROUGHLY, AND ALLOW TO SIT FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES. POUR WET MIXTURE INTO THE DRY, KNEAD UNTIL ALL CRUMBS ARE MIXED INTO THE DOUGH. LINE A BAKING SHEET WITH PARCHMENT PAPER, FLATTEN OUT DOUGH TO ABOUT 3/4 INCH HIGH, AND USE A CUP OR COOKIE CUTTER TO CUT OUT ROUNDS ABOUT 2 1/2-3 INCHES WIDE. BAKE 8-10 MINUTES. 

4 TBS FLAXMEAL

1/2 CUP WARM WATER

-

6 TBS (3/8 CUP) GROUND RAW CASHEWS

2 TBS TAPIOCA FLOUR

2 TBS TEFF FLOUR

1/2 TSP SEA SALT

2 PINCHES OF ASAFOETIDA POWDER

-

2 LARGE CHICKEN BREASTS (OR EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF TOFU OR VEGGIES), CUT INTO STRIPS

-

GRAPESEED OIL FOR FRYING

IN A SMALL BOWL, MIX FLAXMEAL AND WATER UNTIL THE MIXTURE GELS. IN A LARGER BOWL, MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS. HEAT SKILLET ON STOVE, AND POUR ENOUGH GRAPESEED OIL IN THE PAN TO FRY, ALMOST A 1/4 INCH DEEP. COAT EACH STRIP IN FLAXMEAL MIXTURE, AND THEN COAT WITH DRY MIX THOROUGHLY. WHEN OIL IS HEATED, DROP THE STRIPS INTO THE OIL AND FRY, TURNING WHEN ONE SIDE IS BROWNED.

POUR GRAVY OVER THE CHICKEN AND BISCUITS, AND ENJOY.

I'm going to try to start a tradition of posting these this year. No recipe necessarily, just food that I love to eat. Hopefully it will, besides make you drool, give you some ideas of what to eat on a restricted diet. This week is a combination of some recipes I have posted previously. Oh dear, I would love to eat this every day.

Faux omelette made with garbanzo/fava bean flour, lemon thyme, lavender and rosemary. Served with mixed field greens and macadamia nut cream. Swoon...