WHAT WE GOT & WHAT I AM DOING WITH IT

Here’s the breakdown from Thursday’s share

Kohlrabi – 1 pc    actually we got several pieces
Fennel – 1 pce       I traded for a big kohlrabi
Carrots – 1 bun     the carrots were kind of small. I put them through the juicer
Cilantro – 1 bun    a big bunch
Escarole – 1 hd      this was a large head
Scallions – 1 bun    traded for more cilantro
Arugula – 1 bag       we got choggia beets
Green Romaine Lettuce – 1 hd    traded for more beets
Green Boston Lettuce – 1 hd

I put the carrots through the juicer and got a small juice glass of carrot juice. I froze the pulp for use in something later.

I’ve made a couple of different versions of raw ravioli, using the large kohlrabi.  I cut it in half and sliced it with my thin slicer (looks like a vegetable peeler, but it’s very wide).  I put my cashew-kale pate and cilantro in the raviolis, and I also made the “chicken pate” recipe from Ani Phyo’s first book and put it in the wraps with some cilantro.

I used the escarole in some wraps with the cashew-kale pate, onion, tomato, cilantro, and lentil sprouts.   I also made a soup with lentil sprouts by dehydrating chopped up  escarole leaves to tender, then adding garlic, olive oil, a little sea salt (!) and black pepper, cilantro, and some red pepper flakes, and dehydrating for a few hours until it was warm.

Well, the lettuce has gone into salads, duh. I also threw some of it, along with some escarole, and an apple, into the blender for a smoothie.  Yuck.  I drank it anyway.  It’s good for me, right?

The beets, you ask?  My beet salad (beets into the food processor along with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, onions, and garlic – with some cilantro!).  I also made a “slaw” with some kohlrabi, beets, apple cider vinegar, onions, extra virgin olive oil, garlic,  and – yes! cilantro! — I put the kohlrabi in the food processor first, and ground it to almost apple sauce consistency, removed it, then put the beets and everything else in, then tossed all in a bowl — the idea was to have white color, but the beets in colored the kohlrabi anyway

My room-mate and I are tentatively back on a two-day meal share plan, so I am planning some fancy kohlrabi raviolo (not sure what will go in them yet), with a sauce of some sort – likely sun-dried tomatoes with something;  a lettuce, escarole, seaweed salad with lentil or sunflower sprouts and a vinaigrette of some sort. I might make the escarole soup again, as well – I liked it, and I will have enough time on Wednesday to do all of the dehydrating.

I’m glad to be back to a one day a week meal share because it gives me a chance to use up stuff I won’t eat all of by myself (I mean, I have been eating all of my share because I have no money to buy other food, but it sure would be nice to have a helping hand, and my room-mate loves salads.)

Of course, we do expect the appearance of sauerkraut somewhere in all of this.  I still have 1/2 qt jalapeno sauerkraut.  I’ll be making more sauerkraut by week end.

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CASHEW/KALE CHEEZE ON TOMATO SLICES

CASHEW/KALE CHEEZE ON TOMATO SLICES

1 large tomato, sliced thickly
1 C cashews, soaked and rinsed
2 C kale, chopped fine
2 – 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 C onion, chopped
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

• In the food processor, process all ingredients, except tomato, to a fine consistency.
• Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper over tomato slices.
• Spread kale/cashew cheeze thickly onto tomato slices.

10/28/10 CSA SHARE: What they say we will get and what I think I will make

Here’s what they say we will get:

Arugula…1/4 lb.
Golden Beets…..1 bun.
Daikon Radish….2 pcs
Sweet Potatoes….3.5 – 4 lbs
Green Cabbage…1 hd
Toscano Kale…..1 bun.
Guy Lon (Chinese Broccoli)… 1 bun.
Leeks….2 – 3 pcs
Mixed Red and Golden Delicious Apples

I love golden beets – mainly because they don’t stain your hands.  One of my students has reported that she added lemon juice and ginger to her grated beets – that sounds like a good thing to try out.

Toscano kale is also called lacinato kale and dinosaur kale.  I wonder why it has that many names.  I find it funny.  Regardless, I think I will make some more kale chips .  The chili/cheddar-cheezy ones I made a few weeks ago were really yummy, and the “smoked jalapeno” cheezy ones I made were very nice and spicy.

It’s time to make Amazing Sweet Potatoes again.  Yumm!

I’ll be making sauerkraut this week, of course.  What else to do with cabbage?  Perhaps I’ll make a little coleslaw, as well. We’ll see.

Daikon Cheeze Bites!  I’ll use my usual cheddar cheeze instead of the fancy one I originally posted – the usual one has fewer ingredients, so is cheaper and easier, and I like it better.

TRYING A NEW CHEEZE RECIPE: Wish me luck!

I’ve been busy.

Tonight, I am going to find out if my brilliant idea about another way to age cheeze has worked – either it is going to be very delicious, or it is going to have been a waste of two cups of cashews. I will know when I get back from yoga tonight – I am letting it age for 24 hrs.  Hanging and draining it hasn’t made it any drier (maybe I used too much cheesecloth), and pressing it just made it seem gooey and sticky.  Pray for my cheeze, pleeze!  If it comes out right, I will do another one tonight.  If it doesn’t come out right, I will do another different kind tonight.

REJUVELAC WEEK: Day 2 and Day 3

REJUVELAC WEEK: Making Rejuvelac: DAY 2
In the morning, I poured out the soak water and rinsed the wheat, then drained it and upended the jars on the dish-drying rack.

In the evening, I saw tiny sprouts.  I rinsed, drained, and returned the jars to the dishrack.

REJUVELAC WEEK! Making Rejuvelac: Day 3

This morning, I saw little sprouts.  I rinsed, drained, and returned the jars, up-ended, to the dishrack.

This evening, I had nice long, spidery sprouts.  I rinsed, and drained, and started STEP II of rejuvelac:

• I put a jar of sprouts in the VitaMix (you could also use a regular blender), covered them with 2 inches of water, and blended for about 30 seconds, until the grains were cracked, but not totally ground.
• Then I poured the blended mix back into the jar, and poured 1 C of filtered water into the VitaMix jar, swished it around to catch the remaining grains, and poured it out into the Mason jar.  I saw some more grains left in the VitaMix, so I poured in another C of filtered water, swished it around, and poured all into the Mason jar.
• Finally, I filled the jar to the neck with filtered water, put the mesh cap back on, and set it on the in the corner.

I repeated the steps for the second jar.

From here, I will stir the ingredients in the jars twice a day for three days, once in the morning, and once in the evening..

I am planning to make one jar of plain rejuvelac, which I want to use for making cheeze, and making a rejuvelac wine with the second jar.

If you want to think ahead:

RECIPES FOR CHEEZE & REJUVELAC WINES

FERMENTED AGED CASHEW CHEEZE

CHAMPAGNE REJUVELAC

REJUVELAC WINES

I BELIEVE YOU COULD CALL THIS CHEEZ WHIZ

Last night I had the brilliant idea to try to make my cheddar cheez recipe be solid.  I had made up one solid cheez once before, using agar flakes, so I figured it would work.  Even sitting overnight in the refrigerator, however, it never hardened, just thickened quite a bit, to a texture a little like that cheese product that used to come in a jar.   It still tastes okay, though.

I have a party tomorrow, so I will pack it up and take it along.

CSA POTLUCK TOMORROW, and I still don’t know what dish I will take

There is a CSA Potluck Dinner tomorrow, coupled with a silent auction. I have donated a malachite and silver necklace and a package of 20 corn crackers with a container of cashew cheez.

Now I need to think about what I will make for my contribution to the potluck. I am really really thinking of bringing a plate worth of the corn crackers and a pot of the cheez, to generate interest in buying the auction item.

Maybe I should make something else as well.

I have several sweet potatoes lying around, and some oranges, some dates, and some raw unsweetened dried coconut. That is the beginning of two possible recipes (I don’t think I want to make my two usual stand-by’s – raw marinated massaged collards, or raw beets/turnips in vinegar– although I do have some beets, some radishes, and some turnips in the refrigerator)

I’m thinking of one of two sweet potato recipes. I like them both because people are surprised when they realize that what they are eating is raw. I don’t know if I would make the whole pie, but I would offer the filling — with all those dates, it is very sweet. I am also thinking about a “stuffing” recipe made with sunflower seeds.

AMAZING SWEET POTATOES
2 – 3 sweet potatoes (or yams)
1 C coconut, dried
2 apples
1/4 C ginger root
4 lemons juiced
2 oranges, juiced
1 C walnuts, chopped fine

• Chop sweet potatoes, apples, and ginger, and run through Champion juicer with ….blank plate. (Alternatively, grate sweet potatoes, apples, and ginger).
• Remove mixtureto a large bowl. Add shredded dried coconut, lemon and orange …juices, and chopped walnuts.
• Mix thoroughly

JUDY’S “JUST LIKE PUMPKIN” PIE
this is most amazing

2 C almonds, soaked
1 C walnuts or pecans, soaked
1 C unsweetened shredded coconut
20 dates, soaked overnight
2 C cashews, soaked overnight, and drained
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced.
3 t pumpkin pie spice
drizzle agave nectar

CRUST
• Combine almonds, walnuts (or pecans, and coconut in food processor or Vitamix, …..and process until ground fine and dough-like
• Pat the dough into two pie plates

FILLING
• Drain dates; reserve soak water.
• In food processor, puree dates, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie spice
• Remove mixture from food processor and set aside in a bowl.
• Set mixture aside in a bowl.
• Process cashews, agave nectar, vanilla, and date soak water as needed, until …..smooth and creamy.
• Combine cashew mixture and sweet potato mix puree
• Spread filling in pie shells
• Dehydrate for 6 hours, then refrigerate.

SUNFLOWER SEED DRESSING
1 C sunflower seeds, soaked and drained
1 T flax seeds
1-1/2 C celery
1-1/2 C onion
1-1/4 C red bell pepper
1 T sage to taste (or use Bell’s Poultry Seasoning)
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic to taste (optional)
1/2 C kalamata olives, chopped fine

• In a food processor, grind soaked sunflower seeds fine.
• Grind flax seeds fine in a coffee grinder.
• Remove ground seeds to a bowl.
• Place all remaining ingredients, save olives, in the food processor, and mince.
• Add olives and combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Place in a pie tin, or rectangular tin of suitable size and dehydrate for six hours, or until dressing has reached your desired consistency.

No matter what, I need to go to the supermarket.

If I make ‘Amazing Sweet Potatoes” I need lemons.

If I make the sunflower seed dressing, I need the olives.

Oh!! If I make the pie filling, I don’t need anything, and it tastes really good…

What will I choose??? I need to decide in the next half hour. Oops! I’ve just gone for the easy one. Excuse me, I need to go soak the nuts.

CASHEW CHEESE

I made cashew cheese this week, based on a recipe from Charlie Trotter’s Raw

CASHEW CHEESE
3 C cashews, soaked 10 – 12 hrs and drained
1/4 C rejuvelac
½ t sea salt

Process the cashews through the Champion, using the blank plate.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
Place mixture in a sieve lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth and placed over a bowl. Drape remaining cheesecloth over the mixture.
Place in a warm place to ferment for 12 hours.
Remove cheese from cloth.
Form into a round, and refrigerate for 24 hours in a covered container, until it becomes firmer.
Use immediately, or store in covered container for up to 3 days.

MY NOTES:
This makes a lot of cheese.  With the additions I made, it is very reminiscent of  Boursin or Rondele “pub cheese.”

I decided to divide my cheese into 4 parts.  Then I mixed in different seasonings in each one – in one, I added sun-dried tomatoes, in the next, I added red bell pepper powder (ground dehydrated peppers) and soaked red pepper flakes with a little garlic, in the third, I added garlic powder, onion powder, and herbs d’provence.  I left one plain to see what it would taste like – (I am trying to get close to a tofu sort of thing, but my room-mate says it tastes more like cream cheese)

I have seen other recipes that say that you can keep the cheese anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks.  I am, of necessity, going to have to check that out – there is simply no way that I can down all this cheese in 3 days.

FALSE ALARM!!! you’ve seen it on other raw food news sources!

I held my breath when I heard the story that the FDA was going to force “pasteurization” of organic vegetables. Of course, I was frightened, because of the forced pasteurization of California almonds, which has raised the price of raw almonds through the roof, but I still held off…. I held my breath…. good thing…

Today, I received an email from Dave Klein, the publisher of Living Nutrition Magazine:
“I was wrong about the pasteurization of greens; the FDA
is not, in fact, proposing to pasteurize greens at all! What happened was someone on the rawfoods board posted a thread that read like there was a proposal to pasteurize greens, telling us to protest on the FDA comment line, with a link to the original article. I didn’t read the article.

In fact, the FDA is proposing regulating growers’ practices, which is probably a good thing.

They’re proposing making growers test their produce at certain intervals for contamination. Also they are looking to make certain regulations about soil conditions, which some groups feel will negatively impact organic growers. I would tend to disagree, as I think a lot of ‘organic’ growers today are faking it and need to be regulated. The real organic growers probably have little to hide.”

I have sat out of this scary notification loop because I wanted to see what would really come around. I understand the panic based on California almonds (what were they thinking of… do they really think that pasteurizing almonds will increase almond consumption, as the world continues to go organic and raw????? They just make us go to outside (foreign) sources, which do not have such ignorant laws (unfortunately, almond prices for raw foodists have just gone through the ceiling, as (sensible) foreign sources have realized that they have a limitless market) The main problem for us here (in the US) is that we must trust foreign sources, which are not necessarily under the same regulations as our local regulations.

Perhaps, our “formerly” raw almond growers/producers in California will be able to organize (oh, but it is California!!! they couldn’t organize when the threat was imminent! )

Meanwhile, it looks like we are safe… stay awake… stay aware!!!

EASY RAW SUNFLOWER SEED SOUR CREAM

RAW SUNFLOWER SEED SOUR CREAM
adapted from a recipe found on livingmom.net

1 C sunflower seeds
1 C water
4+ T lemon juice
1 garlic clove, pressed (alt: 1/2 t garlic powder)
3/4 t onion powder
3/4 t salt

Blend all ingredients until smooth.