INTERESTING OBSERVATION

I have always gone back to recipes for popular omnivore foods to get inspiration for raw recipes.  Recently, I’ve started smelling bad smells, or experiencing nausea, when I read recipes that have non-vegan ingredients.  Interesting.

To be sure, I do know that I have always been able to smell things that were not good for me – my family never realized I was extremely allergic to milk but I always complained that it smelled bad. Once I left home and no longer had to drink or eat things with milk in them, a number of my long-term illnesses disappeared. This has been a lesson to me – things that smell or taste bad to me (regardless of how many people think they are the bee’s knees) are things I am allergic to, and I avoid them like the plague.  I do extrapolate to things that sound like they would smell bad to me (okay, so I miss some foreign foods – I would rather err on the side of safety. I still experiment plenty with foreign foods).   This is also how I found out that I am allergic to mango (yeah!).

When I had good  health insurance and paid sick days, when I found something that smelled bad or tasted bad, I put it on a list, and, when I had a list of 10 or so things, I took it to the doctor and got tested… it never failed.  I always turned out to be allergic to those things.

I trust my body now (it is cheaper).  If it smells un-good, or if it tastes un-good, I know it is not good for me.  I do not try to eat it again.

I opened the door at a Wendy’s the other day. I didn’t even go in (I was thinking about getting a salad — yeah, I know, not organic), because the smell of cooked meat turned my stomach.

REALLY GOOD SAUERKRAUT: my new favorite

MY NEW FAVORITE SAUERKRAUT RECIPE:

I got two heads of cabbage last Monday and started a batch of sauerkraut on Tuesday night..

This time, in addition to the basic recipe , I added two capsules of acidophilus (I use New Chapter– I usually use powder, but I decided to measure by capules this time).

I also also added two serrano peppers, sliced.

To make it up, I first grated the two heads of cabbage in the food processor.   I placed the grated cabbage and the thinly sliced serrano peppers  in a large bowl and added one T sea salt, tossed it all well, then massaged the cabbage/serrano pepper mix  until it began to release juice.  I continued to massage until it was very juicy.

Then, I placed all of the cabbage/serrano pepper mix in a 2 qt. jar (I used the funnel from my Champion juicer (it has a wide mouth).  Once all of the mix was in the jar, I pushed it down with my fist a few times to make the juice come out more.  Then I emptied the acidophilus caps into 1/4 C spring water and mixed it up, poured that into the jar, and poured in enough water to bring the level up to 1 inch from the top of the jar, I lidded the jar (it was a Mason jar with the two part “dome” lid) , and set it aside, in a bowl, to catch the juices which would escape.

I had to pour off the juices after a day or so, because they were attracting fruit flies.

This evening, after four days, I opened the jar.  Wow!
The sauerkraut exploded out of it (I lost about 1/8 C) — I will wear a bib apron when I open my sauerkraut from here on in!)….  I tasted the sauerkraut tentatively, and found that it was so tasty that I had to eat a bowlful right away!

This is the recipe I will use from here on in!  Yumm!

LAST NIGHT’S SQUASH SOUP

LAST NIGHT’S SQUASH SOUP

I had a sunshine squash left over, so I peeled and cut it, washed the seeds to dehydrate, and set about to make a soup.  I developed the recipe as I went, and, of course, I did not write down anything, so here is the basic idea of the recipe.

I put in

• @ 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• @ 4 C chopped squash
• @ 1 T green Thai curry paste
• @ 1 C cashews, soaked, drained, soak water saved
• @ 1/2 C dehydrated tomatoes, soaked, drained, chopped, soak water saved
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 C sauerkraut

1. I added everything to the VitaMix and processed it, adding a little more water to give it a creamy soup texture.
2. Because there was so much, I ended up having to divide it in half for final processing.
3. To serve, I sprinkled a little tomato powder on top.

2009 WINTER SHARE NEWS!!!

I wrote to Golden Earthworm Farm yesterday to see if they were going to post share contents for the Winter Shares.  Suddenly, today, I got an email which our CSA “leader” had forwarded from the farm, saying that they had decided to keep a Winter Newsletter going, and to post share contents.  Coincidence?  Hmn!

Anyway, I am happy to know what to expect in my box on Thursday.

Radicchio – 1 hd
Red Kale – 2 lb.
Broccoli – 2 hds
Green Kale – 2 lb.
Baby Bok Choi – 1 hd
Sweet Potatoes – 3 lb.
Butternut Squash – 1 pc
Rutabaga – 3 lb.
Celery Root – 2 pc
BONUS: Garlic

In addition, I will be getting some apples and some apple cider.

I’m excited about these things…I am imagining that I will try pickling at least some of the rutabaga and the celery root.

MORE PICKLES ON THE WAY

I had some watermelon radishes, choggia beets, and turnips left in the refrigerator, so they’ve gone for pickles tonight.

I put up two pints of beets, and 1 quart of radish, and 1 quart of turnip with garlic and hot pepper.  I think they should be ready in 3 or 4 days.

Now I need to go off and get some more New Chapter AllFlora acidophilus (I like this one because it comes in powder).

HOLIDAY RECIPES! Yes! You can have a RAW Hannukah and Christmas

What food to serve for the holidays?  No problem!

Hanukkah and Christmas recipes are here!

OMIGOSH! ALL THE PICKLES ARE GONE!

I promised to bring a pickle to my friend, and I got home, and all the pickles were gone!  They were there when I left!  (maybe the cats ate them? )

So, now I have to go back to the market and get some more pickling cucumbers. That’s an issue! I’m actually busy this weekend!  All weekend! (can you believe it?  If you still don’t understand: I work seven days a week.)

The  biggest customer for my pickles is ….. ME!  I like them.

I still have some sauerkraut left, but it is going fast.  I am going to have to book in a trip to the market…. BUT…. I sort of don’t want to because I am getting my first winter CSA vegetable and fruit delivery next Thursday…. what will be in it that I can pickle?  (there is also the financial issue — I get paid next Thursday)

Decisions! Decisions!

PICKLE PROCESS – Jars: where do you get them in New York City?

I have had a dickens of a time finding Ball/Mason jars to use for my pickling projects.  I mean, I don’t buy that many packaged foods (like not any most months), so glass jars don’t come into my home on any kind of a regular basis. In most places I have visited, Ball jars are for sale at hardware stores or at Walmart.  Here the hardware stores have hardware, and we don’t have Walmart in New York City (stupid New York City political issues).  I did find some Ball jars at Michael’s today (I think they think I am supposed to use them for candles or something).

After Christmas, I am going to order jars directly from Ball.  The prices are good, but you have to order a case, which can be up to 12 jars.  (I don’t care!  I will pickle!!!!)  Even with shipping it still comes out a little less than tacking down the jars at Michael’s (they did not even have a dozen of either of the two sizes they carried)  The jars I order will free up my 2 qt. jars for rejuvelac and allow me to make sauerkraut in more manageable amounts, and experiment with different flavors more easily.  I will also be able to get some smaller jars to give away sauerkraut and pickles to those who ask.  (I expect I will also be able to use the smaller jars I want to get for making and keeping fermented cheezes)

PICKLE PROGRESS

I opened the second jar of Kirbys and the jar of Brussels sprouts!

These Kirbys are crunchier – maybe it is the seasoning? I put chopped hot peppers in with the dill).  I am not crazy about the Brussels sprouts, possibly because I seem to have decided to put curry powder in with them, or else because I don’t really like fresh Brussels sprouts.

PICKLE PERFECT!

I’ve just opened one of the jars of pickles…. it was still bubbling… so cute!  When I bit into onea pickle, it was wonderful!  It was a dill pickle, and it was a dill pickle that I had made myself!  Yumm!

I should mention that I haven’t eaten a pickle in years… they just did not fit into my diet (and I wouldn’t, anyway, because I don’t like the ingredients listed).  I had a pickle from Gus’s Pickles on the Lower East Side about 20 years ago. It was a half sour, and it was made from a raw cucumber.

I haven’t tried the Brussels sprout pickles or the second jar of Kirbys (different flavor), but I will later tonight.

The only thing I did not like about these pickles was the dill weed… it clings to the pickles. Now I understand why people use dill seed.

Next time I make cucumber pickles, I am going to try to get them crunchier — perhaps it is that they need a shorter pickling time (these have been going for @5 days).  The texture of these pickles is about the same as that of a supermarket pickle from a jar.