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.

Christmas 2010

The count down is here.  Are you ready?  I just finished in the kitchen. I have been busy making several goodies.  I do not have the recipes together.  I decided not to knock myself out trying to pull all that together.  I will finish the details and post in January.  That way you have all year to practice for next year.

As you can see I made cookies, cranberry bread, truffles and toffee. Most of the recipes are from my card index of old recipes from family members.  I of course changed all of them to be gluten, casein, soy and egg free.  At this point I am not sure which ones I feel are perfected to post.  Check back.

In true gypsy spirit I will spend Christmas traveling "over the river and thru the woods, to grandmother's house we go; the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh, thru the white and drifted snow, Oh!" (Lydia Maria Child)

So I wish everyone a safe and Very Merry Christmas and hope you enjoy all the goodies, the gifts and the LOVE.

Chocolate Winter White Cupcakes

I just had to try making cupcakes.  Highly unusual food for me,  but very in vogue from what I see on TV, cookbooks and blogs.  Everyone is cupcake crazy.  There seems to be some curious obsession with this little mini wonder cake.  I am more fascinated with the creating part I guess.  It is in this gypsy's blood to be creative.  If  I don't do something creative everyday with food, art or interior design I get very unsettled.

So I attempted this curious cake we call a cupcake.  I decided to try it in chocolate since I always have chocolate on the brain (and in the stomach) this time of year.  Don't you?

Now this is not health food - but cupcakes aren't meant to be.  I, of course, had to have my salad and fresh squeezed carrot juice and then the cupcake.  That is just my approach to food.  I just feel better when I eat that way.

Anyone who knows me is aware I try to keep up with the trends, whether fashion, art or food.  So here is my attempt at keeping in cupcake style.

Chocolate Winter White Cupcakes

1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup sweet rice flour
1/3 cup potato starch not flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp xanthum gum
1 tsp baking soda gluten free
1/2 tsp baking powder gluten free
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cultured coconut milk (I use So Delicious)
3/4 cup organic cane sugar
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.

I started by sifting the flours, cocoa, xanthum gum, baking soda, baking powder and salt in separate bowl.  I put the cultured coconut milk in the stand mixer bowl and added the sugar, grapeseed oil and vanilla. I beat this until well mixed and creamy.  Then I added half the flour mixer, blended it.  Then other half, blended it again. Put cupcake liners in muffin pan and fill with batter about 3/4 full.  Bake 20 minutes.  Test with toothpick.  Cool. 

For frosting I just used any basic butter cream frosting recipe.  Change out the dairy for non dairy.  Then I just piled unsweetened coconut on top.

Even I have to admit they are pretty "tasty" as a friend of mine would say.  Really it didn't take much time.  I baked my cake and ate it too.

Apple Snow

It is snowing outside here so I thought snow in a bowl would be fun.  You can do this with just about any fruit if you puree it.  This one is apple.  If you happen to be lucky enough to have snow as a kid you know what is like to eat it. 

At least this snow tastes good and you know what it is made of.  Thinking about eating snow as a kid reminds me of the movie we watch every year.  "A Christmas Story".  Ralphie gets a snowball in the face and Flick sticks his tongue to a flag pole.  Funny every time you see it.

So in honor of Christmas, winter and all that crazy stuff we do with snow.

Apple Snow

Take equal parts of apple sauce and apple cider.  Put in a blender.  Add a few tablespoons of maple syrup depending on how sweet you want it.  Blend then put in a bowl in the freezer.  When frozen scrap off what you want into a bowl.

Just something fun, quick and easy to take your mind off all the projects you have to do yet.

Ho Ho Ho

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.