Fast Food Fix the Slow Food Way: Curly Fries

I stopped eating fast food 20 years ago (that's right, drive thru's are not a part of my life), but I still get a hankerin' for some Curly Fries, so what's a gal to do?

I make them at home!  But using all organic materials, healthy fat:  extra-virgin olive oil, Himalayan sea salt, and this spice blend (all powders):

Cayenne 1 part
Onion 1 part
Garlic 1 part
Salt 2 parts
Turmeric 2 parts
Paprika 8 parts
Starch 24 parts

By parts, I mean any unit of measurement you choose.  If you choose teaspoons, you will have a total of 39 teaspoons of spice blend, or 13 Tablespoons since there are 3 teaspoons in a Tablespoon.  If you'd like more finished product than this, then enlarge your part, maybe a Tablespoon, or if you want to make a whole lot, maybe a 1/4 c.  You choose.  And you can eyeball the measuring if you wish, or add another spice you'd like to include...no rules.  This is kitchen alchemy not rocket science.  ;)

I like to make up more than I will use at once and keep it in a jar so it's ready to go for the next time.  Being an Herbalist I buy my spices by the pound as many I also utilize medicinally, and I simply use them often and in large quantities in my cooking.  :)

The starch can be any type, I have used Tapioca or a non-GMO corn starch.  This acts as a carrier and also provides a "coating" like "crust" on the fries.

I use a Spiralizer (also works great for all those Zucchini - I make Zucchini pasta - anyone who grows them knows what I mean), but you could just cut strips by hand.  Coat the cut potatoes and the baking sheet with olive oil (I just pour some on and use my hands to mix it all up), sprinkle with salt and the spice blend to taste and bake 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, turning at least once to get them evenly crispy.

Enjoy this healthy snack!  or even make it a meal - top with avocado and mix with some steamed Kale. 

I like to make a lot at a time and have leftovers; they're great on soup or in an omelette for instance...

Uplifting! Rose Vanilla Sesame Cookies

Your tastebuds will dance a jig!

These cookies are chewy and crispy at the same time.  A delight for the mouth!

And using this quantity of real Roses makes them medicinal! 

Rose is cooling, assists with digestion including lessening gut inflammation and creating a healthy gut mircrobiome (anti-infective), supports good mood by addressing Liver stagnation, and as such is used for insomnia, frustration, depression, resentment, and fatigue.  In TCM, we'd say Rose, Mei Gui Hua, moves Qi and harmonizes Blood.  It can be useful for menstrual complaints.

Grind dried Roses until powdered.  You can use a coffee bean grinder.

Ingredients and Directions:
1 2/3c. flour
(you can use and mix various flours, I like these to use sprouted whole grain flours because they are better for you and also quinoa as it is a complete protein)
1/3 c. powdered Rose petals or buds
mix above in separate bowl with 1 tspn. baking powder

In another bowl mix:
2c. sugar
1/2c. coconut oil, melted/soft
1-2 tspn. vanilla extract (amt. depends on how strong you want the vanilla)
1c. sesame tahini, well mixed first
2 eggs

Blend together, place on greased baking sheet by the teaspoon scoop
Bake 350 degrees . 8-12 min. (less time for chewier, more for crispier)

Makes about 80 cookies; this is 8 minutes cooking for chewier.

This is 12 minutes cooking for crispier.

These cookies will delight your senses, first when you bake them and smell them, then when you eat them, and lastly when Rose works her magic!

You can harvest your own Roses for this; just make sure they are chemical-free!
These can be wild-grown or from your organic garden.

Persimmon Pie with Autumn-Olive Berries

This pie is not overly sweet, increase the sugar if that is your desire.

Satisfying and seasonal, like a pumpkin pie, but with a flavor twist - and one you cannot get from the store, but from the wild...

Nature's Bounty - and a taste delight.

De-seed the Persimmon by hand, or with a food mill.  Then compost the seeds or toss out for the critters.

Autumn-Olive berries are optional; you can leave them out if you don't have access to them.

To make one pie:
Preheat 375 degrees.

Place approximately 1 1/2 c. of Autumn-Olive berries in pre-made pie shell
(buy pre-made pie shells, or make your own; there are lots or recipes for this online).

Mix approximately 1 1/2 c. de-seeded Persimmon flesh,
2 Tbsn. melted butter or coconut oil for dairy free option
1/2 c. raw cane sugar
2 Tbsn. whole wheat flour or other for gluten free option
1/2 c. hemp (or other) milk
3 eggs
1 tspn. vanilla 
Once thoroughly blended, pour in shell and level with spatula and bake.

Spread into pie crust and bake 45-55 minutes.

Whip cream topping is optional; if you want this, just use organic heavy whipping cream and beat it until fluffy, then apply and eat.

I like to double the recipe when I can to double the results of my efforts.  Enjoy!

Going Nuts! - a Recipe: Gluten-free Nutella Crepes

Okay, so I just fixed a crazy good dessert and have to share it with you...

It's so good it'll make your skin turn inside out 

and your socks shoot off to the stars.

~~~

 If you think you can handle this decadent delight, here's how to make it for two:
 

For each crepe-type bottom mix one egg and about 1/4 c. hemp or other milk, whisk until frothy, and pour into a well-greased small skillet (I used about 1/2 Tbspn. coconut oil and a 6" cast-iron skillet).  You need to make sure it will flip and come out of the skillet in one piece, so no skimping on the fat.  Once lightly browned on both sides and cooked through place on a plate, then fix the next one.  While this is cooking chop about 1/4 c. of pecans.

 









Once your "crepes" are ready, spread each one with 2 Tbspn. of nutella (if you are lucky your grocery store will sell an organic, natural version of this hazelnut cocoa spread like mine does).  It's not easy to spread unless warmed - just do the best you can.  Top each with a half of a banana, sliced, then sprinkle on chopped pecans.  Best served warm.

This treat is high enough in calories to have it instead of a meal (about 500).  It's higher in protein and fiber than most desserts thought so you can feel good about it on occasion (about 12 and 3.5 grams, respectively).  I like too that it isn't made with flour.

I'd say Enjoy! but that would be superfluous.  :)

Herbals Truffles - a.k.a. Little Balls of Utter Bliss!

These de-stressing herbal treats move Liver Qi, help digestion,
are high in antioxidants, and are adaptogenic.

Have one as needed, share them with guests, make them as gifts...they taste out of this world.

These are made with Rosebud, Tulsi, Ashwaganda, Tangerine Peel, Cardamom, and Ginger.

So, I am bad about actually using or writing down recipes when I create food and herbal remedies.  With these herbal truffles, I usually just mix ingredients until I feel satisfied with the combination and texture.  This time I did this with my apprentices and made it a point to create a recipe with measured amounts.   That said, please feel free to deviate.

You can start simply with alternating a different nut, or using nut butter, or altering the herbs used.  Just making these seemingly simple changes though can change the consistency and you want them to stick together.  So if needed, add more coconut oil, maybe a little honey if you need its stickiness, or maybe use another fat that will be firm at cold temperatures such as cocoa butter.  If you need it more wet, you could even add some avocado or coconut milk.  Experiment.  If need be start with this exact recipe until you feel comfortable with it, then deviate...

These have no added sugar; dates and raisins were used for sweetness.  These balls have some bitterness, but those of us who enjoy straight tea, black coffee, hoppy beer, or dark chocolate won't mind.  You could try other fruits...I do find dates to be the sweetest and raisins to be nice and gummy adding a good texture.

If you try an experimental batch that you can't seem to get right to roll into balls, add a bit of whole grain flour and a few eggs and bake it.  It's hard to go wrong with these ingredients.

Keep refrigerated.



Here's what to use and how to make the balls pictured above:
Grind all your Herbs and Cacao into powder (or buy them already powdered) before mixing them;
I use a coffee grinder that is not used for coffee. (until I can get one of these that is ....someday) 
Bear in mind that powdered herbs do not last anywhere near as long as whole or cut & sifted ones.
I try not to buy my herbs powdered for this reason, unless I will use them right away, and also because I don't care for the sludge in the bottom of my decoctions.

Mix all dry ingredients together (all ground)
1/2 c. Mei Gui Hua, Rosebuds
1/2 c. Chen Pi, Tangerine peel (you can make your own and can use other organic citrus if you wish)
1/4 c. Ashwaganda
1/2 c. Tulsi
1 Tb. Cardamom
1 ts. Ginger
1 c. raw Cacao
pinch sea salt

Blend "wet" ingredients
6 Dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 c. Raisins
2 Tb. Coconut oil, melted
1/2 tspn. Vanilla
2 c. Walnuts
optional:  about 5 drops of a flower essence, these included Bee Balm.

Then stir or blend both together; it will be dry but should form a sticky ball with pressure once mixed.  You can add a little water for moisture if you need to, but these did not have any added.

On the side mix 1/4 c. ea. Hemp seeds and ground Cacao
After pressing into to ball, roll the ball into this coating.




These balls are more herb than food; for a ball more food than herb, see this recipe.

~~~

Barberry Chutney: Using a Wild Edible You Can Find in the Winter

Barberry - Berberis vulgaris or thunbergii:  a wild edible that is a non-native invasive -
so you get the added bonus of removing the seeds from the wild that way it doesn't spread so voraciously.
Also, it's common, hence easy to find, either growing wild or in the landscape.
I notice that the birds and other creatures aren't too fond of these berries and they will often persist throughout the winter.

As you can see, the berries are easy to spot; they stand out in the stark landscape of winter.

Harvesting the berries can be a pain because of the thorns, but if you take your time and keep awareness you can do it.  Take it as a Zen moment in which you can be calm and present.

Ingredients:
1/2 Tbspn. sea salt
1/2 Tbspn. grated ginger
1/4 c. sugar (be sure to get organic or non-GMO as most sugar in this country is
                       from genetically modified sugar beets).
2 garlic cloves
juice of one lemon (or equivalent)
1/8 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. grated onion
1/4 c. raisins
1 tspn. coriander
1/4 tspn. cayenne
1/4 c. fresh barberries

Coriander from the garden... did you know Cilantro seeds are Coriander?  Cilantro bolts so easily, what a benefit that you can then enjoy the flowers, along with the butterflies, then let it go to seed and have Coriander!

Mix all together and cook on low to medium, stirring and watching it until thick.  It doesn't take long.  Don't overdo it and make it too thick and be careful not to burn it; it'll burn easily with the sugar.

This lasts a long time in the fridge.  Use it as a compliment to meats, a topping for flat breads, or as a flavoring agents in soups or grain dishes.

 I like to put it on Pakora; here's one variety:

Look at all wonderful Turmeric color!  When you see that you know you have a potent anti-inflammatory dish!

Ingredients:
2 c. garbonzo bean flour
1 Tbspn. ea. cumin and turmeric
1 tspn. salt
dash cayenne

Mix these together, then add 2- 2 1/2 c. broth until no lumps remain, then add

2 c. finely chopped cauliflower
2 c. diced purple onion
bunch chopped Cilantro

preheated 450 degrees

Oil baking sheet, spoon mixture onto sheet, bake for 15 minutes, flipping mid-way through.  You could also fry these in oil if you wanted to...

I love to add Cilantro to dishes as it helps to remove heavy metals (such as mercury and lead) from the body through chelation.

Millet Polenta/Porridge

Millet is considered the most easily digested grain, the one least likely to cause allergy issues, and is inexpensive when bought in bulk, so it's a great one to add to your kitchen repertoire.

Polenta is usually made with corn, and while it tastes great, corn can be an allergen for some and if it isn't for you, well, this is another flavor option - good too for those who are gluten-free.

Also, most corn (if not organic or certified non-GMO) is genetically modified in this country -

and who wants THAT. 

Usually when cooking millet, you use about 2 - 21/4 c. of water per cup of grain and about a tablespoon of fat (like ghee or olive oil) so it doesn't stick together, but for making polenta with millet, you use about 
3 1/3 cups of water and no fat.

Usually you don't stir it, but cook it with a lid like rice, but for polenta you want to stir every few minutes,  just like you would with regular polenta or a creamy grain porridge.

Optional:  before beginning to cook the polenta, you can toast it in a dry skillet to bring out the nutty flavor.

Be careful not to burn it like I did here.  I have multi-tasker's dis-ease.

.

I like to use a large cast-iron skillet for this.  I doubled the recipe, using 2 cups of millet and a 12" skillet. 

Add the polenta and water together with salt to taste (a large pinch), bring to a boil, and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, basically until the water is mostly cooked out.

I find that this does not stick together in slabs when you slice it like corn polenta, so I just let it fall apart.

Here I have mixed it with some of the summer garden's bounty, avocado, and hemp seeds.
Love the texture of the Millet Polenta; it's soft but still has substance.

Voila!  This can be served with anything, sweet or savory, such as ghee and maple syrup or a mix of nuts, seeds, and grilled onions, etc.  Or add a sauce or use as a simple side dish.

Easy Krispy Kale

A healthy delicious snack for you!

Pour a couple tblspns of olive oil on a baking sheet 

and spread it around using the leafy side of each piece of Kale.

Once oil is all over the sheet and the leafy sides of your Kale, 

place all the Kale stem-side-down on the sheet.

Top with Herbamare and garlic powder, if you don't have Herbamare, you can use salt, 

cook about 15 min. until browned.

 

I use the low broil setting and place the sheet on the bottom oven rack.

Try not to overlap the Kale, but squeeze it in side by side so all of the leafy parts are exposed to the heat.

Can be eaten hot or cold; it's most crispy when hot, but works well in lunches or on sandwiches.

Try different spices as a topping to change the flavor, 

such as nutritional yeast (after baking), curry, italian seasoning, etc.