Quinoa Mushroom Risotto

A nice warming comfort food in the cold of winter when you can get virtually nothing fresh. If you can’t find the mushrooms fresh, use dried mushrooms soaked in warm water until soft and pliable. Use the mushroom liquid to replace some of the stock, leaving all sediment behind. Serve this indulgent recipe with a salad of winter greens and a crusty bread with a good quality olive oil for dipping.

 

A shallot, finely chopped
2 T unsalted butter
½ lb (1 oz dried) of your favorite mushrooms, the larger ones cut in half
4 - 6 c simmering vegetable stock
1 ½ c uncooked quinoa
A packet of saffron, dissolved in a tablespoon of broth
½ c freshly grated Parmigiano
2 T minced parsley
1 T of unsalted butter
Salt & pepper to taste (for an extra layer of flavor, use a mushroom or truffle flavored salt!)

Sauté the shallot in the butter, and when it has wilted and become golden, add the mushrooms. Mix them well. Then add a ladle of the broth. Cook for 10 more minutes, then stir in the quinoa and continue cooking, stirring and adding broth as the quinoa absorbs it. Shortly before the quinoa reaches the al dente stage, stir in the saffron mixture. Stir in the remaining butter, the cheese, and the parsley. Serve immediately.

Fresh vs. Processed: Cooking is processing too!

Cooking really is processing your food. Even the minimal processing of cooking your food can lead to nutrient loss. However the difference in nutrient loss between processed foods purchased at a grocery store and raw foods cooked at home can be significant. Processed foods typically have a nutrient loss of 50% to 80%. Whereas steaming or blanching cause 5% to 15% nutrient loss. Of course this all depends on the nutrient and how carefully you watch the vegetables to make sure you do not overcook. Oftentimes this minimal nutrient loss is beneficial as the cooking process aides in digestion and absorption of the vitamins and minerals into your body. In fact, some foods contain enzyme inhibitors which prevent nutrient digestion if uncooked.


This list, adapted from Dummies.com, shows which nutrients are sensitive to which kinds of processing:

Vitamin A - Heat and Fat
Vitamin D - Fat
Vitamin E - Heat, Air, and Fat
Vitamin C - Heat, Air, and Water
Thiamin - Heat and Water
Riboflavin - Water
Vitamin B6 - Heat, Air, and Water
Folate - Heat and Air
Vitamin B12 - Heat and Water
Biotin - Water
Pantothenic acid - Heat
Potassium – Water

For example then, sautéing carrots which are high in Vitamin A in olive oil would be a poor choice for nutrient retention. But don’t get too wrapped up in memorizing this list or confusing yourself with cooking times and temperatures and methods. Simply avoid overcooking your food and enjoy raw fruits and vegetables whenever possible.

Chili and Cornbread with Quinoa

Thanksgiving was a very special holiday for KC when she was growing up. Friends and family everywhere. Playing in the leaves outside with all the cousins. Cribbage with Grandpa. Decorations on the table. Talking. Laughing. Cooking. Starting Wednesday afternoon people would start arriving. Each bringing a dish to share for Thanksgiving dinner but also looking for something to eat when they got there. KC’s mother always made chili. It was easy to make and keep warm and a universal favorite. Her recipe was usually meat based and did not have quinoa. I mean who had ever heard of quinoa back then? But this recipe is inspired by KC’s mom’s recipe.

Quinoa Chili

1 c quinoa, well rinsed
2 c water
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 med green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 jalapeno, minced (or to taste)
2 15-oz cans black beans, well rinsed
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 T chili powder
2 T fresh parsley
2 T fresh oregano
2 t ground cumin
½ t black pepper
½ t salt
Cheddar cheese or sour cream and scallions as a garnish

Combine quinoa and water in a saucepan and cook until done, approximately 15 minutes. In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeno. Cook for 10 min over med heat. Add beans, tomatoes, and seasonings and cook about 25 minutes over low heat. Add quinoa and stir to combine. Serve with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese or a dollop of sour cream and the scallions.

 
Quinoa Cornbread
 
One of the best things about visiting Uncle Don and Aunt Shirley, was Aunt Shirl’s cornbread! Perfectly sized fried cornmeal fritters really. This is not her recipe, only KC’s version. Complete your pre-Thanksgiving always-ready meal with these cornbread fritters and a salad made of fall greens.


½ c quinoa, well rinsed
1 c water
1 c cornmeal
1 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c agave nectar or other sweetener
1 T baking powder
2 med eggs
¾ c milk
1/3 c olive oil
2 scallions, sliced
Oil for frying

Cook quinoa in water 13 to 15 minutes until done. Cool. Mix remaining ingredients and fold in quinoa. Add more milk as needed. Heat about ½ inch of oil in a heavy bottom pan or skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is very hot, drop batter by spoonful into the oil. The process of cooking the cornbread should take about 6 minutes, turning once. Increase or decrease your heat if needed. Remove each piece of cornbread from the pan and let rest on a plate with paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Serve immediately.

Fresh vs. Processed Foods

This is the first in our series about Fresh vs. Processed Foods. 

Fresh (unprocessed) in general means food in its naturally occurring state.  Like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and uncured meats.  There are a few exceptions that we regularly use in our recipes like tofu and other fake meat products, flours, and dried fruits.  We recommend using whole grain flours and fruits dried without sulfites, though they can be hard to find.  Sugar is another highly processed food that we try to avoid.  We use honey or maple syrup whenever possible.  If you can find maple sugar or honey granules, they can be used in recipes that call for white sugar.    

Food is your fuel, yada yada yada.  Everybody knows what you put into your body effects the way your body performs.  Processed foods frequently have all sorts of additional ingredients like added sugar, salt, and preservatives.  Let’s face it, the last thing most of us need is more sugar and salt.  Don’t get us wrong, bacon is one of our favorite foods, but we only eat it very occasionally.    Although approved by the FDA, the preservatives and chemicals in overly processed foods are linked to all sorts of different health problems.  Many times in the past the FDA has approved a color, sweetener, or flavoring, only to ban it at a later date when problems arise.  It’s difficult to keep track of things like trans fats and MSG hidden in the confusing ingredient list, so the easiest thing is just to avoid processed foods whenever possible.  We know that this makes making food that much more of a pain in the neck.  But if you turn meals back into a social function rather than a chore, you’ll enjoy the experience much more. 

Even if they don’t have added ingredients, processing can reduce the nutrient value of the foods.  In our next post about Fresh vs. Processed Foods, we’ll discuss the reduction of nutrients in your foods.

Pear and Ginger Sorbet with Ginger Molasses Cookies

One of KC’s favorite things, no matter what time of year, is ice cream or sorbet.  Unfortunately, both are usually very high in sugar and ice cream, of course, has tons of fat.  So for her birthday this year, her sweetheart got her a snazzy new ice cream maker.  That way she can make both in lower calorie versions.  These new ice cream makers are the kind that you put the bowls in the freezer overnight, chill the mixture in the fridge, and once you turn on the mixer, you’ve got 6 to 12 ounces of frozen delight within 5 to 10 minutes.  KC keeps her ice cream maker bowls in the freezer at all times now.  Of course her first foray with the ice cream maker was NOT low calorie!  Here it is:  Pear and Ginger Sorbet with Chocolate Sauce and Ginger Molasses Cookies!

Pear Ginger Sorbet

1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1 one inch piece vanilla bean, scraped
1 one inch piece cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
3 pounds ripe pears of your choice, quartered, and cored
2 tablespoons pear vodka or other pear liqueur
2 tablespoons finely minced crystallized ginger

Mix the sugar, water, zest, vanilla bean with scrapings and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.   Add the pears, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the pears are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and discard the vanilla bean and cinnamon stick.   Using a food mill puree the pears in batches, discarding the skins.  Then combine the poaching liquid and puree with the lemon juice and liqueur. Stir in ginger.

Chill the sorbet liquid.  If using an ice cream mixture, follow manufacturer’s instructions.   Otherwise, pour the mixture into ice trays or a 9-inch square cake pan. Freeze until the mixture is mushy in the center, then turn it into a chilled bowl and beat with an electric mixer or food processor until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Spoon back into the container, lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface and freeze until firm.  Serve with chocolate sauce and ginger molasses cookies.

Chocolate Sauce

4.5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 c heavy cream
1 t dark rum (optional)

Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Be careful not to add too much air to the ganache. Stir in the rum if desired. Stir until all the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. It may look done after 1 minute of stirring, but keep going to be sure it's emulsified.

Spicy, Chewy Molasses Cookies

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 large egg
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 freshly ground cloves
1 freshly ground cardamom pod
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon flake or coarse sea salt
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely minced
sugar in the raw, for rolling


Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg until smooth.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Stir flour mixture into molasses mixture. Stir in candied ginger.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball in the sugar in the raw before placing on baking sheet.  Press just enough so that the balls do not roll around on a baking sheet.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set but not browned.
Cool for 5-10 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.

Fresh! Food Field Trip: Jet Setting

I’ve spent this past month it seems traveling. First Seattle with all its wonderful sights, sounds, and flavors. Then my plans were Chicago, Denver and on to Salt Lake City. Chicago was unseasonably cool and of course windy. While I was in Chicago I ate like a princess! Grilled chicken linguine with arugula, lemon, garlic and pine nuts, an asparagus and mushroom risotto that was creamy and delicious, grilled brie and apples on cinnamon raisin bread, and an amazing sampler platter: artichoke and cheese “beignets”, a refreshingly light crab salad, and duck and apple sausages served with a blueberry sauce. DELICIOUS!!


Then in Denver I got the flu. UGH! But not before I went to this WONDERFUL little market, EVOO Marketplace, LLC, on 15th Street near the convention center. WOW!! This incredible little store allows you to try all the oils and vinegars that they have for sale before you buy them. Balsamic vinegars like chocolate, fig, strawberry, and honey ginger! A variety of first pressed extra virgin olive oils, as well as flavor infused oils like, chipotle, wild mushroom and sage, and garlic. In addition they have dark sesame, truffle, and walnut oils. I tried some combinations like the Persian lime olive oil and White Peach balsamic. I ended up bringing home only three bottles. The blood orange olive oil, lavender balsamic vinegar, and cinnamon pear balsamic vinegar. I’m going to try the vinegars over fresh or grilled fruit, the olive oil and lavender balsamic as vinaigrette on salad, and the olive oil to make scallops or shrimp and to roast sweet potatoes as fries.

Alas, I was unable to continue to Salt Lake City and enjoy the sights and smells in that delightful place. The flu took over and I caught the next flight home.

Next Fresh! Food Field Trip: Washington DC for KC’s birthday!

Washington Apples

Apple pickin’ is most assuredly the thing to do in Washington in September. However unless you are looking for bushels and bushels of apples, don’t expect to spend much time doing it! It took three of us about 5 minutes total to pick 31 pounds! So go ahead and block out an afternoon. You can go to one of the wonderful local vineyards to relax after your grueling efforts! Then bring a few bottles of wine home with you. Stop by one of the many gorgeous fruit and vegetable stands and pick up the tail end of the amazing heirloom tomatoes and any other veggies that tickle your fancy. And to round it off? Some goat, sheep, and cow’s milk cheeses, honey, and fresh multi grain bread. After your long demanding day, relax with some antipasto and wine!

So! What to do with all those apples? Apple sauce, apple butter, apple pie filling, apple juice, dried apples, grated apples (to be frozen and later thawed and added to cakes, pancake batter, bread), I could go on and on. Try this crazy, amazingly delicious apple crisp recipe, though for sure. You could even use the crystallized ginger and five spice powder to make jarred apple pie filling and use it for crisp later!

Five Spice Apple Crisp

6 large Macintosh apples (or other good baking apple), peeled, cored, and sliced
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons five spice powder
4 tablespoons finely minced crystallized (aka candied) ginger
1/4 cup honey
Streusel Topping, recipe follows

In a medium bowl, combine the apples and with the lemon juice. Using another small bowl, mix together cornstarch, five spice powder and ginger. Add the dry mixture to the apples and toss until coated. Drizzle with honey and mix well.

Coat a 9x13 baking dish with butter and generously fill with the fruit mixture (it will shrink down as it bakes). Top with Streusel topping and bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until the fruit is tender and topping is golden and crunchy.

Streusel

½ cup old fashioned oats
2 ½ ounces cold butter, unsalted
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar

Using a pastry blender, combine the oats, butter, flour, and sugar and blend just until crumbly.