Sunday, September 12, 2010

Cookbook

I've had a food filled weekend (but actually didn't manage to eat much at all). I've been editing my cookbook. I'm on the 3 round. It is starting to look substantial in each section! YAY! It is also taking a herculean effort. The first 50 some pages has taken me all weekend. There are almost 200 pages. My goal is to put everything in and when we get closer to the final edits, I will start taking things out. At the moment, I am working to fill out some of the sections. For example, the vegetable sections have tons on brussel sprouts and green beens, but almost nothing else substantially. The great thing though, is many of the sections are really start to come together and look great, which is in turn inspiring me even more to come up with great recipes. Sifting through so many of my materials has also pointed out things here and there I have jotted down as notes, but never followed up on, allowing me to dig and find new recipes on breads, pastas, and vegetables and more that I wouldn't have been able to use before. So exciting!

It'll be a while before it looks "done", but in the mean time, I am super excited for my future in the realm of cooking!

Italian breads?

I have found Italian bread.... and others, made of chickpeas.

Farinata (Italian- Livorno)
Cecina (Italian- Northwest areas)
Panelle (Italian- Sicily)
Socca (French)

Chestnut flour is frequently used as well as potatoes. JACKPOT! .... off to see if my experiments prove useful and easy (and tasty)!



EDIT: When it rains, it POURS! I have found 30+ (mostly flatbread) recipes using chickpea, millet, buckwheat, and rice. YAY! .... it should be an adventurous few weeks! I just needed the right vocabulary in a dozen different world languages to find them. :-/

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Almond Bread

OMG I MADE BREAD!!!!

I went on a quick-bread hunt and found a few recipes I will be trying out. I found one made of almond flour, yogurt and lots of eggs. OMG it is good. (expensive too since i don't have the equipment to make my own almond flour....) I think also a key to making this work is using the oven in my microwave (it is a kick-ass piece of machinery with not only micro settings but conventional oven and rotisserie) simply because I can get a consistent and accurate temperature and the door is glass and I can watch the bread. Some of my best yeast recipes were egg and yogurt based, so I'm really glad this worked. Yogurt in bread seems to be a key secret ingredient! I thought I would share. :-)


Almond Bread

~3 c almond flour
1/4 c starch (i used tapioca)
2 1/4c tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 lg eggs
1/2 c yogurt (i used plain coconut yogurt)
2 T butter or oil (I used 1 T ghee and 1 T canola)
1 T sweetener (I used honey)


Preheat oven to 325F. Grease & flour a glass bread pan.

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately. Quickly add wet to dry, mix just enough to de-lump and drop into the bread pan. Smooth out (with a wet hand if necessary) and pop into the oven asap. Watch to make sure it doesn't get too brown on top. If so, drop oven temp to 300F. Bake for 40-45 min. until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before slicing.

It is very flavorful and will fill you up fast (ie: it may be a small sandwich but it is a MIGHTY one. lol) Recipe says that it should be kept in the refrigerator and is good for pan frying like cornmeal mush and turns out tasting like french toast.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Kale Chips & Granola

I'm gunna post two recipes here. My granola recipe and my kale chips. :-) I gave up on the bread.


Kale Chips

Bunch of kale, ripped to bite size pieces.
1 part Tamari
1/2 part Honey
1 part Apple Cider vinegar (the raw stuff if possible!)
3/4 part Olive oil

Toss

Dehydrate until crispy.
Steal pieces before they are done. Its like healthy candy, omg!



Granola (this has been a 4 year trial and error, finally ready for publication recipe!!!!)

3 c. Oats
OR
1 c. Quinoa Flakes
1c Buckwheat Crispies (Whole buckwheat groats soaked for 24 hours and dehydrated)
1. Enjoy Life Perky's Crunchy Flax (or Rice)

1/4 c Brown sugar
1/3 c Oat or Rice Bran
~1/3 c Coconut Flakes
~3/4 c Puffed Rice cereal (I use Rice Twice by Erewhon)
1/4 c Vegetable oil
1/4 c Honey

opt:
1/3 c chopped nuts
to desire dried fruit, chopped
1/4 c sunflower or pumpkin seeds
1/8 c sesame seeds
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract


1. Toast oats or quinoa in oven on 350F no more than 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile combine all ingredients in a large bowl (except fruit, oil, and honey)
3. Add oats/quinoa flakes to bowl and add oil and honey. Mix well.
4. Lay out on a baking sheet or shallow casserole dish and bake no more than 25 mins, stirring and checking every 5 minutes to make sure it isn't burning. It burns easily!
5. Take out of oven and add fruit. Cool completely (up to an hour or two) before storing in an airtight bag or container.