Christmas Present Salad

With all of us about to turn our attention to December activity, I wanted to put this salad out. Although not really a recipe, I thought it looked like Christmas.  Green, red and white.  It looks like a festival of color.  We are all getting ready to shop, decorate, hang lights, wrap presents and think about holiday baking.

A salad is an easy and healthy dish to ponder those extra calories over.  Have a cookie, have a salad, have a piece of candy, have a salad, have.....balance.

Christmas Present Salad

Really I just cut up julienne style (to cut food into very thin strips) celery, red bell pepper, carrots and red cabbage.  Tossed it with my favorite oil and vinegar.  Toss some pomegranate seeds and sesame seeds on.  Put it on a green plate and there you have it.

Ho Ho Ho

Thanksgiving

No recipe today just gypsy thoughts on this holiday called Thanksgiving.  I did some research the other day on the history just to see what I think I know.  I found truth, some mystery, myth and gratitude.  So just like everything in life.....find your own truth.  This is my approach to life.  Thanksgiving is what you make it.

Today Thanksgiving 2010 is like most things - it's about people.  Life is a little more special if you have people to share things with.  People your are intimate with or the ones you just connected with.

Sharing and doing onto others as you want others to do unto you is a good concept to adopt.  I believe it is the energy that powers our planet.  In this new era of the internet and blogging we can share concepts with many people.

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday.  I give thanks for this location of the planet I am occupying.  As you can see it is beautiful.  I appreciate every day and all the people who are a part of my journey.  As the line goes from one of my favorite musicals "This story is about truth, beauty, freedom; but above all things, this story is about Love".  Moulin Rouge.

So if you do nothing else on this Thanksgiving.....stop, look, listen, breath and have gratitude for all....it is awesome out there.

Yam Good Bars Gone Coconut-ie

All things yam, sweet potato or pumpkin seems to be on the brain.  Guess that is what we do in preparation for the big feast.  That time of year when we get together and share our favorite foods.  I have been testing a lot of recipes and know others are doing the same.  My sister is having Thanksgiving this year.  We have a family with a few of us eating gluten free so it is a little more time consuming getting it all to work out.

Gluten free  isn't so difficult anymore for me, it is the casein and egg free that adds a new twist. I have made a few trial pumpkin pies, but haven't really liked them.  So I started thinking about gelatin and no baking.  I found these amazing organic garnet yams or sweet potato.  I decided to put the two together.  Of course, recently I discovered the coconut milk whipped cream and knew I wanted to use that.  I combined all those and there you have it yam good bars gone coconut-ie.

I found if I left it in the refrigerator a day or two it got really firm.  The crust fell apart a little trying to get the first bar or two out, but it worked fine after that.

Yam Good Bars Gone Coconut-ie

2 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut (I used Bob's Redmill)
3 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
3 Tablespoons Sugar (I used Sweet Tree organic blonde coconut palm sugar)

Blend sugar with coconut and add melted oil.  Press firmly into square glass 8x8 dish.  Bake 15 minutes at 325.  I didn't grease the pan but maybe if you do the bars will come out easier? Try it.

2 cups yams or sweet potato baked or microwaved (I used organic garnet sweet potato it took about 3)
1/4 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup coconut milk, canned (make sure you shake it up before opening)
1 can coconut milk - place in refrigerator for at least 2 days do not shake(this is for the whipping cream)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg (I used fresh grated)
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp Smoked Spanish paprika (can omit)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tablespoon Knox unflavored gelatin (one package)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or any nuts you like

Punch holes in sweet potato with fork.  Cook in microwave or bake until done.  Scoop out puree and put in food processor.  Add maple syrup, coconut milk (this is separate coconut milk from the one you are refrigerating for the whipping cream)cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, paprika, salt and vanilla to food processor and blend slightly.

Put 1/4 cup water in small kettle.  Sprinkle gelatin over water and let sit a minute.  Place over low heat and stir until dissolved.  Pour gelatin into sweet potato mixture and blend well.

Spread over coconut crust evenly.  Sprinkle chopped nuts on top and chill.

For the whipped cream take the can of coconut milk from the refrigerator and open the top of  the can and do not shake.  Scoop the heavy cream off the top and leave the coconut water in can(drink it later - yum).  Add a tsp of vanilla and some agave depending on how sweet you like it.  Whip with hand mixer just like any whipped cream.  

So in our count down to Thanksgiving - gather your ingredients, make your plans, think about what you are thankful for and good luck with the details.  Most of all have fun.

Wild Rice

With November upon us and considering my location...I have to talk about wild rice.

Here in the Great Lakes area you can buy wild rice anywhere.  Vendors along the roadside or at almost any store.  If you are lucky maybe even directly from a Native American.  It is a long-grain marsh grass native  to the Northern Great Lakes area and harvested by the local Indians.  Living in Wisconsin or Minnesota you get very familiar with this rice.

Wild rice has a nutty flavor and chewy texture.  Often cooked and used like brown and white rice.  One cup of raw rice yields three to four cups of cooked rice.  It is important to clean wild rice thoroughly before cooking it.  Depending on the method used, wild rice can take up to an hour to cook.  I often include wild rice for Thanksgiving because it is one of the original native foods.

This is a basic recipe.  It is a good place to start if you are up for a new side dish.

Basic Wild Rice

Cook according to the package or if you buy it bulk try this.

1 cup raw rice - washed and drained
3 cups Pacific organic chicken broth low sodium or just water
Salt to taste

Put rice and stock in kettle, bring to boil.  Reduce heat cover and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  I add salt in the water in the beginning then I adjust for taste after.

My pictures feature the grain raw and then cooked.  This time I sauteed onion, celery and mushrooms in olive oil then added the rice to it.  So many possibilities for ingredients to add.  I am working on my recipe for Thanksgiving.  So find some wild rice and feel a little connected to the spirit of a native food.

Apple Crisp

Boo.  Since I am posting on Halloween I had to discuss those black and white movies from the 30's.  I watched "Hunchback of  Notre Dame", last night.  I love all those old black and white movies for Halloween.  How can you not love Quasimodo.  I can relate to Esmeralda of course she was a gypsy.  I have been to Notre Dame in Paris which makes it even more exciting to watch.  So honor of Halloween and Esmeralda let us get on with this gypsy's adventure.

I have been in transition.  This seems like the appropriate recipe especially for this time of year and my new adventure.  I didn't leave Wisconsin just went more north.  Actually I am as far north as you can get in this state.  Up near the Apostle Islands, Bayfield and Cornucopia.  If you look at a map you can see how unusual the area is.  I have a view of Lake Superior the greatest of all the Great Lakes.  I have the pleasure of watching the ferry and sailboats grace the waters daily.

The season is over now for apples, but when I arrived it was the peak of apple season.  Bayfield has an apple festival every year which we had the opportunity to witness.  The main street was lined with apple crisp.  Really, vendors all up and down the quaint village and all the local orchards selling their goods.  Bayfield is "Berry Capital of Wisconsin".  The numerous orchards grow many berry varieties and of course apples.

This again is a recipe from my husband's family.  His favorite after school treat when he was young.  Who doesn't enjoy the smell of apples baking on those rainy October days.  Especially here the Gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore with its 21 enchanting Apostle Islands.

Changing this recipe to gluten free is pretty simple.  Just use your favorite flour or flour blend.  I changed the butter to Spectrum Organic Vegetable shortening.  Use butter if you can.  Apple crisp is such a simple pleasure.

Apple Crisp

7 or 8 large apples - peel, core and slice into a 7x7 pan or large pie dish.  Tart apples are the best.  The apple variety does affect the taste.
1/2 cup brown rice flour or white rice flour or a blend or whatever you like
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup spectrum organic vegetable shortening or butter
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or just cinnamon

Blend the flour, sugar, spices and shortening with your fingers until a coarse crumble forms.  Spread over the apples.  Bake at 375 for about 35 to 45 minutes or until apples are done.  Serve hot or cold.

If you can eat dairy this is really good with a little cream or ice cream.  We just eat it hot out of the oven.  This apple crisp was especially good.  We got our apples straight from the local farmer who was happy to give us one of his last bags and a few special apples to try - as he welcomed us to the community.

Sausage

I am still trying to get settled with my move and wanted to start with something from where I am....but that is not ready yet so lets do sausage.  You love it or hate it I think - seems most people I know anyway.  In Wisconsin the sausage of choice has been bratwurst.  Many are made here because there is an abundance of German heritage.  Sausage can differ dramatically depending on the ingredients, additives, curing techniques, shape and whether it is fresh or cooked.

Sausage when you are gluten and soy free can be a problem.  If you read your ingredients you will find most have one or the other as a filler.  If you really search you can find pure sausage with no fillers or artificial anything.  Whole Foods Market is one place that makes their own.  Some are gluten free and some are both soy and gluten free.  They also carry some brands from old time sausage makers that are also pretty pure.  I  have found local farmers getting into the act and having more pure types made.  So if you really look around they are out there.

One thing I have discovered on this gluten free adventure is the bread is a work in progress.  Hamburger and hot dog buns don't really appeal to me, especially the gluten free kind.  So I have adopted a different approach to sausage.  I serve it over gluten free pasta.  We have been having it this way some time now and prefer it.

This isn't so much a recipe as a suggestion for a different way to serve sausage.  This picture features Yak sausage.  Actually they called it a Yak bratwurst.  Yes Yak.  We have a local farmer raising these animals and they made sausage with it.  Very interesting for something different.  An extremely lean meat and grass fed.

In my new location I have already found an apple bratwurst.  So start searching and you might discover a new sausage.

Sausage

We just cook all our sausage on the grill according to the type we are making.  Some take longer than others.  Just follow the package or ask the sausage maker.  Some are precooked and only need heating.  Make sure you know if it's fresh or cooked.

For the pasta I just make any combination of what I have from my gluten free pantry which is always Tinkyada rice pasta.  Just cook according to the package directions.  I add olive oil and fresh herbs once cooked.

I always  feature some vegetable with the combination.  In this dish I used asparagus and onions that I just sauteed in olive oil.

That's it.  Explore sausage it's a big adventure.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Fall Food.  You know when it's a little cooler and the leaves are changing and you want more than a salad.  This recipe is a family favorite from my husband.  His family got this recipe from an Italian friend.

Family recipes are part of that food connection I like to talk about.  When  you make it you remember all the other times you had it.  That is so misunderstood today, I think.  Seems people are in a hurry and the food gets in the way of all the stuff.  To me food is important everyday all the time.  Even as busy as I am trying to pack for my next move.....

Everyone has some food from the past they like to make every now and then.  This is one of those recipes.  The only part of the original recipe that was affected by the gluten free life is the bread crumbs and the spaghetti.  So not really a big deal I just switched those to gluten free brands.  The original recipe had 2 eggs in the meatballs which I omitted.  Use them if you can.

Yes it does take 3 hours to prepare and I know a lot of people think they don't have that much time - but it is so worth it.  Good food does take time.  So some rainy day when you find 3 hours to spend on food - try this I think you will enjoy it and who knows maybe you will create a memory.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

2 - 28oz cans whole tomatoes (I use Bella Terra whole peeled San Marzano from Whole Foods Market)

Cook tomatoes slowly over low heat for 1 1/2 hours.  Use emulsion blender or potato masher to make smooth.  Add 2- 6oz cans tomato paste (I use Contadina) and 6oz of water.  Season with salt and pepper.

Make meatballs with the next ingredients

1# ground beef organic
3/4# ground pork organic
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 cup bread crumbs (I use Hol-Grain brown rice bread crumbs)
Handful of parsley chopped
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 green bell pepper chopped fine
salt and pepper

Blend well with hands then form meatballs.  Brown meatballs in 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 garlic clove sliced.  Add browned meatballs to tomato sauce.  Add some dripping from the meatball pan about 1 tbsp.  Cook for an additional 1-1/2 hours on low heat.

Cook spaghetti according to package. (I use Tinkyada brown rice spaghetti)  Serve meatballs and sauce with spaghetti.

Generally I make the meatballs while the tomato sauce is cooking.