Life Smoothie

Today I decided to discuss life over my morning smoothie. My favorite smoothie which I posted the first day I started my blog.  I called it the Hippstie Smoothie.  I just combine hemp milk, coconut milk, almond butter and a banana.  This is a smoothie I use to always get from a cute food shack on my way to the beach when I lived in Hawaii.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

I am thinking about choices today.  Life, health, food. Food for thought - food for our bodies. Life is about choice.  Our choices define our lives. The circle of life.  What goes around comes around.  Reap what we sow. These are all things I believe in for my life. Look for someone to help in some way everyday.  Bless someone everyday. Words are like arrows be careful of your choices. What is in your heart comes out of your mouth.

Many of these are energies of the universe, I believe. This stuff is hard to get but I believe age helps.  I find myself thinking about retirement life lately. My husband and I have been having many discussions on it. What, when, where, why, how. I believe there is a lot of this energy right now because there are so many of us baby boomers. So many gray haired souls.  Interesting.

Just has me drinking a life smoothie I guess.

Have a safe Memorial Day Weekend.

Shrimp

 This is called America's favorite shellfish.  I have them occasionally.  I keep them on hand in my freezer because shrimp is easy when you are short on time.  Although, I guess we all have the same 24 hours everyday so we are not really short on time.

In my attempt to eat light we try to have fish or seafood at least 3 times a week. I find shrimp somewhat difficult to find good quality.  Since I rely on frozen I read the labels carefully. Know your source.  I tend to stick to US shrimp wild caught and with only salt added.  Shrimp is best if not overcooked.  If you overcook they form the letter O and have a rubber like texture.  I like only 3-4 minutes depending on the shrimp and cooking style.

The two dishes I am sharing today are coconut shrimp and Thai basil curry shrimp.  The first photo is coconut shrimp I served with sweet potato fries and grilled asparagus.  The second is the curry shrimp served with purple sticky rice.

Coconut Shrimp

Peel and devein your shrimp I use 16-20 count per pound size
Melt 2 Tbsp of coconut oil and place in a bowl (may need more depending on the quantity of shrimp)
Mix equal parts of bread crumbs (Hol-grain brown rice) and unsweetened coconut Bob's Red mill) in a separate dish

Dip one shrimp at a time in coconut oil then bread crumb/coconut mixture until well coated.  Place on wax paper until all shrimp are dipped.  Heat peanut oil in pan and saute shrimp until golden on both sides.  Usually about 3-5 minutes depending on shrimp size.

Thai Basil Curry Shrimp

Basically follow the recipe on the jar of Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste. I substituted shrimp for chicken and also made the following adjustments for my taste.

2 Tbsp Thai Kitchen green curry paste instead of one
1 Tbsp fish sauce instead of 2
1 Tbsp brown sugar instead of 2
shrimp instead of chicken
add fresh basil

Shrimp is great when you want a little more of that precious time we are all trying not to waste.

Nutty Gypsy Scones

I decided to post scones again. I reworked my recipe a little.  Scones are my favorite travel food.  Since I have been traveling a lot lately it was a good thing to rework.  As I stated on my first post of scones, I like them dry and not very sweet.  I just don't bake very much because I like to keep sugar out of my diet as much as possible. If you like more sugar just add it. Sometimes I will spread a little homemade jelly on the scone for added sweetness.  My first recipe was called Door County Scones because of the addition of cherries.  This time I changed the flours and just added walnuts.

Nutty Gypsy Scones

1 cup gluten free multi-purpose flour (King Arthur)
1 cup whole grain millet flour (Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 cup Blonde Coconut Palm Sugar (Sweet Tree)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthum gum
5 Tbsp Organic Coconut Oil
1/2 cup hemp milk
1/4 cup cultured coconut milk (So Delicious)
Ener G egg replacer for 1 egg mixed according to box
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400.
Place flours, sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and xanthum gum in bowl of stand mixer. Add coconut oil and blend until resembles a coarse meal. Add nuts.  Whisk hemp, coconut milk, Ener G and vanilla in separate bowl. Take bowl of dry ingredients from mixer and make a well in center - add milk mixture to well of dry ingredients. Stir just until dough forms. Place on floured surface and gently knead until it comes together.  Pat into a round shape about 7".  Cut into wedges with a knife.  Transfer wedges to baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

I have tried these with many different flours over time. If you can use dairy try butter instead of coconut oil, milk instead of hemp milk, and sour cream instead of cultured coconut milk. An egg can be used instead of Ener G replacer. It all works.

Best of all it is grab and go food for those of you who enjoy the gypsy life as I do.

Carrots

HAPPY EASTER

In honor of that childish side of Easter... the Bunny I decided to feature Bunny food. Carrots of course.  We all know it is the food of choice for the Easter Bunny...Right?  Maybe I have been fed a web of lies but I must believe.

Such a colorful vegetable.  Liking juicing as I do the carrot is often my choice. Who knew me and the Easter Bunny enjoying the Elixir of the Bunny Gods.

Steam, boil, eat raw, juiced whatever your mind can create.  Here are two I recently had.

Carrot Salad

Peel and shred raw carrots.  Add chopped fresh dill and chopped scallions.  Mix olive oil and lemon for dressing.  I used basil olive oil.

Carrot Dip

Similar to hummus just done with carrots.
I used six large peeled and boiled carrots. Place in food processor and add spices.  I did 3 Tbsp of olive oil.
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar. 1 Tbsp sweet paprika. 1 tsp cumin. 1/2 tsp cayenne. 1 garlic clove and a little salt and pepper.  Blend until smooth.

So in honor of the Easter Bunny and keeping in touch with our childish nature make some bunny food and have fun.  P.S. Don't forget to eat the chocolate bunnies!!!!

Quinoa w/Orange

Quinoa.  What a wonderful grain. I know we all eat our fair share of it when we eat gluten free.  It is a grain everyone should try because it is a complete protein.  I have tried it many different ways some hot some cold. I like to mix it up with the different colors - red, black and white. This time I added oranges and orange juice.

It can become difficult to keep some of these grains interesting because we use them so often. Just keep trying different things and you will eventually come up with a combination that surprises you.  Here is how I did this one.

Quinoa w/Orange

1 cup quinoa rinsed and cook in 2 cups of water - cool
1 cup celery chopped
1 cup orange bell pepper chopped
1/2 cup red onion chopped fine
6 cherry tomatoes sliced
1 orange peeled and cut into pieces
Handful of chopped parsley
1/2 tsp smoked Spanish Paprika, optional
Blend fresh squeezed orange juice with olive oil.  I used Moroccan olive oil. I did one part orange juice to 2 parts olive oil

Mix the quinoa and all the vegetables and fruit.  Then stir in the orange juice and olive oil blend to your taste.

Try it my way or as usual create your own.

Spring Chicken Salad

Let's go lively into spring with color.  Our taste buds and eyes are canvassing for excitement.  Spring....that time of year we start thinking about asparagus, flowers, color and everything new.  I already have been eating that spring vegetable we love, asparagus. I am waiting for our annual hunt and gather for it.  Actually, I don't really hunt and gather, I just drop my husband off in his favorite field and pick him up when the bag is full.

Today it is a chicken salad.  We found this great smoked chicken at a local store that makes their own.  So I thought some kind of chicken salad would be great.  Then I started thinking about roasted bell peppers.  I had this gorgeous tomato which tastes like the ones you get in summer from your garden and magically a salad is created.

Roasted red bell pepper sauce

1 red bell pepper, blackened on an open flame or grill then placed in a brown bag for 10 minutes
1/4 cup chicken stock gluten free
1 tsp sunny Paris (Pensheys Spices)shallots, chives,green peppercorn,basil,tarragon,chervil,bay leaf and dill weed
Or any spice you like
Dash of garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Take bell pepper from bag and clean off black char, take off stem and seeds and rough chop.  Put in food processor with stock and spices and blend until smooth.  Adjust thickness with more or less stock.

For the salad I combined lettuce, tomato, smoked chicken and a dab of brown rice.  Topped it all off with the roasted pepper sauce.

Create your own spring treat.  Spring the time for a re-awakening of our zest for food and life....just like the spring chickens.

Grains

From left to right.  Green lentils, red quinoa, millet, buckwheat, orange lentils, purple sticky rice, red rice and brown rice.

Whole beautiful colored grains.  I just went to my pantry and pulled this variety out.  This wasn't even all of them - I forgot the wild rice, black quinoa and white quinoa.  With all these choices why is anyone eating white potatoes and white rice. Everywhere you turn there is something discussing whole grains.  Get them in your diet your body will appreciate it.

I made purple sticky rice also called black thai rice.  Try this one. Often it is cooked as a dessert rice. I had it once that way in a Thai restaurant.  I just cook it in water and add seasonings. I like it because it is a sticky rice.  Just 2 cups of water or broth to 1 cup of rice. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer covered for 30-40 minutes.  Do not stir.  Turn off heat and let sit 10 minutes. Fluff and serve.  Some people use a rice cooker, I never have yet.




With all the beautiful colored food choices who needs white food.

O'Chard

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

If you're enough lucky to be Irish....You're lucky enough.

I had such a hard time deciding what to post today.  I am married to an Irish laddie.  Michael is his name.  The O' kind of  Irish.  He likes corned beef and cabbage.  That is what we have for this day.  I am not posting that because it is so basic you really don't need a recipe.  I am doing something green instead.  Swiss Chard.

We are counting the hours to the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade.  This year Michael's Godchild is in the parade in her high school band.  She is on the bus right now with eyes and mouth wide open.  I remember that feeling when I first went to New York.  Have fun Courtney!

Now for the green of the day.  More of you are venturing into this healthy, richly textured and colorful leafy food.  I have some version everyday.  You can eat them raw, cooked in stock for a long period of time or just steam them.  Try baked kale for something interesting.

This recipe originates from Spain, that wonderful region of the world you can smell just thinking about it.  What an exciting place to visit.  All that great Serrano ham just hanging around in all the taverns and restaurants.  A place to go visit more than once, just like New York City.

I typically have ingredients like this around.  This is quick and easy .  You could do it with other greens, but try it for the first time with the chard.  Eat it as a main dish or use as a side dish.

Sauteed Chard

2 large bunches of Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 (1/4 inch thick) slice Serrano or other dry cured ham, diced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup raisins, soaked in hot water to soften, about 1 hour, drained

Cook chard in a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes.  Drain and press out water. You could cook it longer if you like it that way.

Heat olive oil in skillet over med high heat.  Add Serrano and saute a minute or two.   Add the pine nuts then the chard and raisins.  Stir.  Cook to desired texture.  Serve hot.

Try this next time you are looking to make something with greens.

When Irish eyes are smiling,
'Tis like a morn in spring.
With a lilt of Irish Laughter
You can hear the angels sing.
~Author Unknown

Fish Tacos

Tacos, tacos, tacos.  How much do we LOVE tacos.  I like beef, pork, chicken and of course fish tacos.  Let's talk fish tacos.  I did some research on the origin.

Some say it originated in Ensenada, Mexico.  I had my first fish taco there - oh the memories.  When we lived in San Diego we went to Ensenada often.  They say Rubio's Fish Taco started in 1983 and got the recipe from Ensenada.   When we lived in San Diego Rubio's Fish Taco is where we ate ours.  That was in the 80's.  How exciting is food when you can connect it to your life that way.  We make history and connections with our food everyday.  Just think - what you eat today will be tomorrows memories.  EAT SOMETHING WORTH REMEMBERING!

Since I have been making fish tacos for so long and so many ways, I thought it was a good subject.  I have used many varieties of fish.  When I do the grilled type I like Tuna or any firm ocean fish.  Otherwise just use regional fish.  Here in the Bayfield area and other parts of Wisconsin whitefish is popular.  Another Wisconsin favorite is perch.  When I can't find any fresh fish I have used frozen cod.  My pictures here feature two different fish varieties from two different taco meals.

Where ever you live, there must be a fish you can use.  Try the fish taco - you might like it. 

Fish Tacos

Any fish - grilled or Sauteed crispy.
For a thick batter use white rice flour with cumin and chili powder, salt and pepper and enough club soda to make a batter consistency then fry in oil until crispy.   Or lightly dust with white rice flour and saute.
Soft corn tortillas
Cabbage shredded
Cilantro chopped
White onions chopped
Fresh Limes
Salsa or hot sauce or both

Cook your fish whatever style you like.  Mix the cabbage, cilantro and onions together.  Heat the corn tortillas.

The way I assemble is salsa on tortilla then the fish then the cabbage mixture.  Add salsa and hot sauce and fresh lime juice.  If you can use dairy a blend of sour cream and salsa is nice. I always serve with guacamole and pico de gallo. Plenty of recipes for both of those find one you like.

Fish tacos - eat them often and you will find your favorite way.  Enjoy. 

Soup and Salad

Soup and salad, Bayfield and Hawaii, yin and yang, black and white, winter and summer.  Contrasts that create balance.  As I enjoy the beauty of winter here in Bayfield, I can't help but think of the contrast of living in Hawaii and enjoying all those great flowers. It is common this time of year to start thinking of warm places.  I guess we refer to that as cabin fever.

This post is about soup and salad.  Soup that wonderful dish we prepare when we are looking for comfort and salad that crispy side dish that can transport us to anywhere. Together they create a balance. It doesn't matter what soup or what salad, there is just something about the combination.  This combination is as extreme as the contrast of Bayfield and Hawaii.  This soup is my version of French onion soup.  The salad is a combination of greens, avocado, seaweed and seared tuna.

French Onion Soup

I omitted the bread and the cheese.  Add it if it makes you happy.  I think it is very good without. This is a good soup to prepare when you have a homemade stock for a much more intense flavor.  Really good sweet yellow onions are a must.

6 large sweet yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced

olive oil
8 cups of beef stock
1/4 cup of sweet vermouth
salt and pepper

In a large saucepan saute the onions in olive oil over medium high heat until the onions are caramelized, about 30-40 minutes.  This is the important part of the soup.  Do not burn.   Add the stock and the sweet vermouth, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  That's it.

So as our calendars are progressing to March, enjoy what winter is left and make your favorite soup and create a salad that reminds you of someplace in contrast to where you are.

Snacks

I thought I would do snacks today. What I call snacks.  Little morsels of beautifully colored foods you eat between meals.  I tend to eat about 5 times a day.  My three main morning, lunch and dinner with nibbles or snacks between.  Our bodies work ultimately on a variety of food choices.   Maybe if I share some of mine it will get you thinking about yours.

The sweet potato featured here is just the pulp (I cooked it in the microwave) topped with fresh ground turmeric, ginger spread (a product by Ginger People), and the pulp from juicing beets, carrots and cucumber.(bottom left)

The half eaten avocado is topped with the vegetable pulp again and I had a piece of flat bread with it.(top left)

The smoothie is coconut milk, half of a banana, and 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries.(top right)

The applesauce (in the purple dish) is topped with raw sunflower seeds that I ground into a meal.(bottom middle)

The chips and salsa are basic except the salsa is my own I can in the summer from the tomatoes in my garden.(bottom right)

So simple, so good.  We all have different needs when it comes to food choices so if these don't work for you try your own creations. Just have fun and explore.

Flat bread

 What kind of weekend did you have.  Ours here in Wisconsin was a little exciting don't you think.  Mine started off with a dog sled race in Bayfield.  How exciting was that.  One of those events I had never been to before and it was just fun.  Then add to that  the Packers winning the Super Bowl and winter is easy.

I have been experimenting with flat breads.  I tried various flours.  Seems like just about any flour will work.  This one is featured with quinoa flour.  Really easy and quick.  You can use these in so many different ways.  I had them as a sandwich, just spread with favorite ingredients, or use in place of crackers.  When you use whole grain flours that are gluten free it really is a healthy food.  I don't eat much bread so this is a nice replacement.

For our exciting dog sled weekend I used it as crackers with pea soup.  We needed to take something along for the day and that worked out beautifully.

Flat bread

1 cup quinoa flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
2 tsp guar gum
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried onion
3/4 c water
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp flax meal mixed with 6 Tbsp water
sesame seeds for sprinkling

Mix all dry ingredients in stand mixer bowl.  In separate bowl blend water, vinegar and olive oil.  In separate bowl mix flax with water.  Add wet ingredients and flax to dry ingredients.  Mix and turn on high for 1 minute.  Scrap down bowl and blend on high one more minute.  Grease and flour a 8x12 inch glass cake pan.  Spread the batter evenly with the back of a wet spoon.  Keep dipping the spoon in water until spread out evenly and smooth.  Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.  Cut into whatever sizes you want.

So try flat bread.  I think you won't be disappointed.  Just like everyone in Wisconsin!

 That's me in the picture on the right with the big furry hood around my face next to the guy in orange. 

Masterpiece Salad

Just like my artwork(I wish), this salad is a masterpiece.   My favorite color combination is orange and pink.  I have used that many times in artwork, interior design and food.  I find it so exciting.

How fun is it to create. I believe we all have creativity in us the challenge is to find your tool.  I am lucky to have been exploring this since childhood.  Sewing, art and food.  Food is so fun, especially when the outcome is so great.

Like any Picasso or the Mona Lisa, this looks good up close or at a distance.  I  did have the opportunity to view the Mona Lisa up close when I went to the Louvre.  How exciting was that.  I will never forget the lunch we ate there.  We ate for 2 hours because that is how you eat in Paris, slow and steady.  They sure know how to enjoy food much more than we do.

So on with the masterpiece salad ingredients.

Romaine
Red cabbage raw
Raw Brussels sprout leaves
Mustard greens
Scarlet red turnip raw sliced
Sweet baby bell peppers orange and yellow
Lacto-fermented Curtido (cabbage, carrots, onions, oregano, red pepper flakes and sea salt)
www.spiritcreekfarm.com
Dressing of choice this day rice vinegar and olive oil

Just assemble all the ingredients in the quantity you like.

So capture the creative energy of the universe.  To you and through you.  Create a masterpiece of your own - on the plate, on a canvas or in the world.  Enjoy

Gypsy Lunch Salad

Yes salad again.  I eat one everyday so I have a large collection.  With salads I don't do recipes, just suggestions.  I like to eat salad for lunch.  In the past I always saw my sister having salad and always asked "how can you just eat salad?".  Now I prefer it.  Must be that age thing?  Our whole body changes when we get to this over 50 stage of life. 

I often put whatever I can find in my refrigerator in my salads.  Today I was thinking about how we get into such food routines.  You know habits of the same thing, same thing, same thing.  I think we need to mix things up from time to time.  Try something you can't get your brain around.  Just do it.

This salad is one of those.  Spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, lentils, cooked fingerling potatoes and a raw sweet scarlet turnip.  Then I topped it with my favorite salad dressing.  At the moment I am liking pumpkin oil and balsamic vinegar.  YUM. So rewarding.

So keep up the pace of the new year and do something good and above all different for your body.

Whitefish-Lentils-Cauliflower

I am back to food. 

I decided to feature my complete dinner on occasion just in case you are looking for something new or different from your everyday.  Most often my meals are simple but flavorful. We all seem to have different versions of everyday.  Sometimes I cook for hours but most of the time it takes under an hour.  This combination is whitefish, lentils and cauliflower.

Whitefish is the fish of choice here in the Lake Superior region.  I can watch the fishermen in the morning and have the fish on my plate for dinner.  Even now in winter the water is still flowing.  Whitefish has a high fat mild flavored flesh, it's firm and white.  I steamed it.  Simply put a little chicken stock or water in your pan, place some greens and celery in bottom( I used collards).  Once it is steaming place fish fillets on top cover and steam about 5 minutes depending on the size these were small.  Season. Use whatever is the freshest fish in your area.

Lentils.  These are French green lentils.  The best, most delicate lentils with a peppery taste. I like the brown and red as well.  Lentils can be used as a side dish (pureed, whole and combined with vegetables)in salads, soups and stews.  For this meal I cooked one cup of lentils in two cups of chicken stock for about 30 minutes.

Cauliflower.  Choose a firm cauliflower with compact florets; the leaves should be crisp and green with no sign of yellowing.  I pulled off the florets and sliced them then sauteed in olive oil and spiced up with cayenne pepper, garlic powder and smoked Spanish paprika.  Just season according to taste and saute for about 15 minutes.

We try to have fish a least three times a week.

So thanks for coming to dinner with the Gypsy.  Let's do it again.  As they say in the famous card game... "GO FISH".

Heartache

The only thing flowing from me today is this painting I am calling Heartache.

Nouveau B Sprouts Salad

In true gypsy style I had to start the new year with a salad.  My last blog featured all the holiday treats I made.  At this time I will not be providing those recipes.  I decided no to do sugar.  I really don't use it.  It can sit in my pantry for a year unused.  I ended 2010 exploring more of it than I like.  I took it out of my diet long ago and decided to stick with that.  I occasionally will do something sweet.

So here is the salad of the hour.  You really should try this.  It is so unusual.  It is a combination of raw and pureed Brussels sprouts.  I found really nice organic Brussels sprouts.  There seems to be much debate on organic and is the flavor better.  I believe yes it is much better that is why I buy it.

Nouveau B Sprouts Salad

Brussels Sprouts outer leaves and cores separated
Ghee or butter
One apple cored and chopped
Almond slices toasted
Olive oil and apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts and wash and refrigerate.  Depending on how many people the salad is for this is the greens part of the salad.  I don't know how much I used just experiment.

Cook the cores you have left in salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Drain and cool.  Place in food processor with 1 to 2 tablespoons of ghee or butter.  Puree.

To assemble take leaves from refrigerator.  Toss the leaves, apple, almonds with olive oil and vinegar to taste.
Place the puree on the plate and top with the greens.

This is a new fresh approach to an old favorite.  Sort of like our lives and each new year.  Go for it. It's all good.