Nurturing Wisdom

Crepes

nurturingwisdom — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:05:10 +0000

One of my favorite desserts while I was studying French in Paris during ancient times was crêpes. They were just light enough to top off a meal. After eating at one of the endless choices of restaurants in the Quartier Latin, I’d stop by an outdoor crêpe vendor for a freshly made crêpe on my way back to my hotel.

My plan was to get back to the hotel, relax a little, and then eat my warm crêpe while I studied. You guessed it, the crêpe never made it back to the hotel! Well, maybe once or twice.

Its buttery aroma wafting through the air was enough to entice me to take a bite. Then another. And another. And another. Before I knew it, the crêpe was all gone. The only evidence left was the melted sugar dripping from my hands.

When I got home to New York, I dreamed of eating those crêpes. I wanted to make a healthier version with healthier ingredients.

I took me many years, but I think I’ve got it! My recipe has changed from white flour, to unbleached flour, to unbrominated flour, to wholewheat flour, and now to sprouted flour.

The filling has changed from homemade, sugar sweetened apricot jam, a gift from Annick, the financée of one of my classmates at the Sorbonne, to fruit juice sweetened jams to fresh fruit and a bit of maple syrup drizzled on top.

Today, my family enjoys my healthier version of the crêpe. It is also an economical and quick dessert. It can also be filled with savory fillings as a dinner or breakfast crêpe, or as a substitutes for regular pancakes. Once in a while when I have a few crêpes left over, I spread a thin layer of crunchy almond or peanut butter on them and enjoy them as a healthy snack.

All the ingredients for the crêpe batter can be hand mixed or blended in a blender. In a bowl mix or blend 3/4 cup of milk or 3/4 cup of apple juice, one egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and one teaspoon of raw agave syrup. In a second bowl, mix the dry ingredients: a half cup of organic, sprouted spelt flour; a pinch of cinnamon; and a pinch of salt. Add the dry ingredients a bit at a time to the liquid mixture. The consistency should be the consistence of light cream. If it’s too thick, add more milk or juice. The batter should easily spread and cover the bottom of the pan as you tilt it. Tilt the pan quickly so the batter swirls around the pan keeping the crêpe thin.

Make sure your frying pan is hot and greased. I’ve used grass-fed butter or coconut oil. Watch the heat so that the fat doesn’t burn.

When the edge of the crepe turns a lighter color, the crepe is ready to be flipped. Loosen the crepe with a spatula and flip. I’ve seen some people flip the crepe by tossing it into the air without a spatula. Several times I’ve stopped myself short of flipping it right from the pan for fear that I’ll drop it on the floor. I just don’t want to waste any of these delicious crepes!

Let the reverse side cook a few seconds, slide (Now this I can do!) the crêpe from the pan onto a plate.

Fill with your favorite filling—fruit, apple butter, nut butter, homemade jams or jellies.

To make a savory crêpe, omit the cinnamon. Add anything that will enhance your savory crêpe—herbs, grated cheese, spices, or make it plain. It makes a great breakfast sandwich.

Spread the filling on half the crêpe or on the entire crêpe. Then fold into quarters or roll. Plate the rolled crêpe with the edge facing the down.

Crêpes

6-8 small crêpes

5 big crêpes

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup organic grass-fed milk

1 range-free omega 3 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon of raw agave syrup

1/2 Cup sprouted organic spelt flour or sprouted whole wheat flour

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of salt

fat of your choice-butter, coconut oil, ghee

1. Mix all the wet ingredients in a bowl. In a second bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet. I like to mix everything by hand. I get all the lumps out by pressing them against the sides of the bowl with my mixing spoon. The consistency should be liquidy, like light cream.

2. Heat up the frying pan. Then coat it with the fat of your choice. Adjust your flame accordingly to prevent the fat from burning.

3. Laddle approximately 1/2 of a cup of batter if using a small frying pan for smaller crêpes. Laddle 3/4 of a cup of batter if using a large frying pan for larger crêpes. Tilt the pan quickly to coat the entire bottom of the pan with batter. If you run out of batter before you finish coating the entire bottom, add more batter. To make the crêpe as thin as possible, tilt quickly.

4. Let the crêpe cook. When the edge changes to a lighter color, carefully get under the crêpe with your spatula. When its loosened, flip it.

5. Let the reverse side cook.

6. Slide the cooked crepe onto a plate.

7. Serve by filling the crêpes with your choice of filling.

Modifications and suggestions: I’ve filled my crêpes with apple butter, nut butters, fresh fruit, or a touch of maple syrup.

The crepes can be rolled with the edge on the bottom or folded into quarters.

For savory crêpes, I leave out the cinnamon. Savory crêpes make a delicious wrap as a breakfast sandwich. Add different flavors to the savory crêpe batter: cheese, herbs, or spices.

The crêpes can be frozen. Separate each crêpe with wax paper. Wrap them well in wax paper and then in aluminum foil.

Vegans may use egg substitute and soy milk.

Bon appétit!

This healthy crêpe recipe is featured in Pennywise Platter Thurdays at http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/

Mango Curry Quinoa

nurturingwisdom — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:35:04 +0000

Mango Curry Quinoa is an end of summer treat. It’s my last chance to savor a juicy organic mango (Fair Trade, of course!) and a sweet red bell pepper— before autumn’s harvest of root vegetables and hardier meals. It’s a great meal to transition into the fall. It’s light enough for these lingering warm days and hardy enough for the cool evenings. I was tempted to call this recipe, The Last Mango, but I didn’t.

This dish is a rich tapestry of flavors and textures. The twice cooked (leftover) quinoa and flax oil mayonnaise create a velvety smooth background that is accented by kicks of spiciness from the yellow Indian curry, jalapeño pepper, and freshly grated ginger. Woven throughout is the zesty lime juice; tangy, full-fat, grass-fed yogurt; and highlighting each bite are the threads of coolness from the mango chunks, sweet crunchy red bell peppers, and mint.

Dazzle your tastebuds with this delicious and nutritious dish that’s full of protein, omega 3’s, and vitamins A and C.

In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup yogurt (I used homemade) with 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Set aside.

In a second bowl, mix the juice of a half a lime, 1/4 teaspoon of Indian curry, and 1/4 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger. Set aside.

In a third bowl, place a ripe, cubed Fair Trade organic mango. Set aside. I used Chef Allen Susser’s second method to cube my mango.

Cut peppers in half and remove ribs and seeds. Dice both peppers. Wash your hands with soap and water after handling the jalapeño pepper. Don’t touch your eyes. I had to wear rubber gloves to be on the safe side. My fingers actually started to turn red and burn the first time I prepared and diced a jalapeño pepper.

Dice the peppers and sauté with a tablespoon of grass-fed butter or your choice of fat.

Add quinoa. Toss.

Add lime, curry, ginger mixture. Toss.

Add yogurt, mayonnaise mixture. Toss. Since the mayonnaise contains flax oil, don’t cook. Flax oil has a very low heat point (low smoke point) that’s not good for cooking. So just toss and remove from heat.

Add diced mango and 1 teaspoon of either fresh (chiffonade) or dried mint. Toss.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish each serving with more mint.

Mango Curry Quinoa

Serves 8 or 4 with seconds and leftovers

Ingredients:

4 cups of cooked quinoa (2 cups uncooked)

1/4 cup grass-fed, full-fat yogurt

1/4 cup omega 3 (flax oil) mayonnaise

juice of 1/2 lime

1/4 teaspoon Indian curry

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated organic ginger

1 Tablespoon of grass-fed butter or choice of cooking fat

1 organic jalapeño pepper

1 small organic red bell pepper

1 organic mango (Fair Trade)

1 teaspoon of fresh or dried mint & 1 teaspoon of fresh or dried mint

salt

pepper

1. I used extra quinoa I had cooked earlier. A fresh pot of quinoa is quick and easy to prepare.

2. In a bowl mix lime juice, Indian curry, and freshly grated ginger. Set aside.

3. In a second bowl, mix the yogurt and flax mayonnaise. I used homemade yogurt made from raw, grass-fed milk. Set aside.

4. In a third bowl place cubed mango. Set aside.

5. Cut the jalapeño and sweet red pepper in half. Remove seeds and ribs. Dice. Be careful not to touch your eyes. Wash your hands with soap and water afterwards. I wore rubber gloves, because my hands are sensitive to the jalapeño.

6. In a frying pan, sauté the peppers in butter or your choice of fat.

7. Add the cooked quinoa. Toss.

8. Add the lime juice, curry, ginger mixture. Toss.

9. Add the yogurt, mayonnaise mixture. Toss.

10. Add one teaspoon of the mint. Toss.

11. Add the cubed mango. Toss.

12. Add salt and pepper to taste.

13. Plate and garnish with mint.

Enjoy!

Modifications and suggestions: vegans may substitute soy or rice yogurt and soy mayonnaise. Some protein types may want to add some meat to this dish. See how satisfied you feel.

You may want to try another fruit such as raisins or grapes instead of the mango.

This healthy, quick, and frugal recipe is featured in Pennywise Platter Thursday in the Nourishing Gourmet.

Salmon Japonais

nurturingwisdom — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:17:42 +0000

Salmon Japonais is inspired by a salmon dish my family and I experienced during our recent visit to Chicago’s Japonais, an up-scale, sophisticated, yet comfortable Japanese Restaurant. Each dish was a work of art.

We loved it so much that we ate there during our first night and again during our last evening. On both occasions, we ordered and savored Salmon Japonais, a succulent piece of salmon bathed in a light, sweet sauce with a touch of curry nestled on thinly sliced potatoes that melted like butter. The smoothness of of the flavors all meld together until the last chew, a gentle kick from the curry…And then the refreshing coolness from the orange slices that garnished the dish. Oh, yes and the pop of fish eggs (cavier) sprinkled sparingly throughout the dish. I know what you’re thinking. Yes, we blew the budget on this vacation!

We arrived home from our trip exhausted, but I couldn’t wait to recreate this delightful experience. Our refrigerator and pantry were pretty bare except for some grapes, some frozen salmon, potatoes, and greens (we picked up earlier in the day, too tired to plan a meal), and a can of coconut milk.

I went searching for recipes that I thought would come close to the taste I wanted. I found Speedy Salmon in Coconut Sauce in Fran McCulliugh’s The Good Fat Cookbook that approximated the taste I wanted to duplicate sans oranges and caviar.

Salmon Japonais is inspired by a combination of my experience at Japonais and Fran McCulliugh’s recipe. This is one of the most delicious, nutritious, and quickest meals I ever cooked.

Salmon Japonais

Serves 3

Ingredients:

2 wild Alaskan sockeye fillet of salmon, 12 oz. (defrost if frozen)

1 cup of coconut milk

1 medium potato

1 teaspoon of Indian curry

salt

pepper

casserole dish with lid

1. Pre-heat oven 375°

2. Mix 1 teaspoon of Indian curry with 1 cup of coconut milk.

3. Thinly slice potato and line the bottom of the casserole dish. Gently salt.

4. Pour 1 cup of coconut curry milk over the potatoes.

5. Cover dish and bake for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

6. Remove scales from the salmon skin. Wash and dry salmon.

7. Remove skin. Add salt and pepper to skin and baked in a separate dish until crispy. The crispy skin will be used to garnish the dish. Japonais used seaweed (nori) that was baked as the garnish. When crispy, cut into triangles.

8. After the potatoes are soft. Lay the salmon fillet on top of the potatoes.

9. Cover the fillet with the coconut-curry mixture.

10. Cover the dish and return to the oven for 3 minutes.

11. After 3 minutes, uncover and baste salmon.

12. Cover and bake for 3 more minutes.

13. With a fork, gently open the center of the salmon to make sure it is done (not quite opaque). Watch so that it’s not overcooked.

14. When done, cut salmon and serve on individual plates—potatoes on the bottom and salmon on top. Spoon coconut-curry mixture over the salmon.

14. Garnish each with a piece of crispy salmon skin or crispy nori, and very thin slices of oranges or grapes cut in half.

Enjoy!

Modifications and suggestions: My daughter usually does not like to eat fish, but she loved Salmon Japonais. I’m glad because salmon is such a rich source of omega 3.

I lightly steamed bok choy and added it as another garnish. It complemented the color of the pink salmon.

Although fish skin and seaweed are commonly eaten in Asian cultures, you may omit the fish skin and nori.

I used grapes, because grapes were the only fruit in my fridge. The grapes gave the dish a refreshing element, but I liked the citrus a bit more.

Although the frozen salmon was delicious, I would like to try this recipe with fresh wild caught salmon next time.

My version of Salmon Japonais is a frugal meal made with what I had on hand is featured in Pennywise Platter Thursday in the Nourishing Gourmet.

Gazpacho Soup

nurturingwisdom — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:30:23 +0000

From the land of sun drenched summers, where sunlight bathes every object and colors vibrate comes Gazpacho Soup.

Refreshing Gazpacho Soup

It was during one of my walks through the streets of Barcelona, Spain that I came upon this chilled soup at a local Spanish restaurant made with farm fresh vegetables. After my first spoonful, I knew I had to replicate this soup when I got home.

Today, each spoonful of this chilled, refreshing soup brings to mind the memory of the Iberian sun, the same unique summer sun that makes Sorolla paintings shimmer.

Gazpacho Soup is simple and economical to make. It is the perfect soup for summer when its ingredients are bountiful, and you’re yearning for something cool and refreshing. For an added boost in nutrition use organically grown vegetables from your local farmers’ market or from your own garden.

The vegetables for Gazpacho Soup only need to be roughly cut or sliced for the blended part of the soup. The blender or food processor does all the work! Well, except the red onions and garlic cloves. You’ll need to dice and chop a little more so that no one gets a chunk of onion or garlic in their soup.

If you’d like to add some texture to your gazpacho, reserve some of the red bell pepper, cucumber, celery, basil leaves, and cilantro. Set them aside for later. These need to be chopped a bit smaller.

I like to blend the vegetables that contain the most liquid first. The liquid makes it easier for the rest of the ingredients to liquify.

Blend four vine ripened tomatoes until liquidy. Add one half of a seeded cucumber and blend. Add celery, leaves included; half of a large sweet red pepper or one medium; two tablespoons of red onions; three cloves of garlic with shoots removed, diced. Blend.

Cut or torn basil leaves; and three tablespoons of cilantro. Blend.

Add the juice of one lime to the blended mixture. Blend.

In serving bowls combine diced red bell peppers, cucumber, and celery (reserved earlier).

Pour the blended mixture over the diced vegetables. Garnish with more diced vegetables, cilantro and basil.

Drizzle with extra virgin oil and hot sauce.

Salud!

Gazpacho Soup

Serves 5-6

Ingredients:

Reserve some cucumber, celery, sweet red pepper, cilantro, and basil for added texture and garnishing.

4 organic tomatoes

1 medium, organic cucumber

2 stalks celery with leaves

1 medium organic red sweet pepper

2 tablespoons of organic red onion or sweet onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

Cut or torn cilantro and basil

extra virgin olive oil

hot sauce (cayenne )

extra virgin olive oil

1. Reserve some cucumber, celery, sweet red pepper chunks with cilantro and basil. These need to be chopped finer.

The blended portion of the soup only needs to be roughly cut.

2. Place roughly cut tomatoes in blender or food processor. Blend.

3. Add cucumber. Blend.

4. Add celery stalks and leaves. Blend.

5. Add sweet red pepper. Blend.

6. Add onion, garlic, cilantro, and basil. Blend.

7. Drizzle with hot sauce (to taste) and extra virgin olive oil.

8. Add more vegetable chunks if desired.

Modifications and suggestions: Serve with a side of crusty bread and cheese; place slices of crusty toasted bread or shrimp in the center of the soup; for protein types, add shrimp or sausage to center of soup.

Chill soup before serving. To get it extra cold, add ice cubes.

This is an easy and fun soup to make. Add more or less of each vegetable. Keep tasting to adjust the proportions to your taste.

Frequent-Flyer Miles: A Free Ticket to Freedom and Heaven

nurturingwisdom — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:19:37 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

In recent years I have been flying back and forth from the east coast to the west coast quite frequently to visit loved ones. As a result, I’ve accumulated many frequent-flyer miles. It was great having free flights, but eventually the frequent- flyer miles started to expire. Afterall, how many times could I go flying around the country? I have responsibilities —my family, work, this blog, etc.

To make sure I received the credit that was due me—my diligence in using only the Visa card associated with the airline that gave me the points for free flights and only flying with a specific airline even though it was a hassle at times to transfer in Atlanta during every trip when other airlines had more direct routes, I decided to make use of my free flights by giving them away instead of letting them go to waste.

On one occasion, the deadline for a free flight was fast approaching. I didn’t have any plans for traveling in the near future, so I decided to give away my free ticket to someone who couldn’t pay for the price of a plane ticket. I wanted to make the plane ticket a gift to someone who needed it but could not pay for it. I didn’t want any money or favors in return. I was just happy that all my hard work for the free flight could free someone of the burden of having to pay for a flight they were unable to pay for.

: Image via Wikipedia

I was having my quiet time with God this morning. I started out by thanking God for all His blessings. I thanked Him for His salvation, His love. I sat and just praised Him for who He is. I then prayed for all the prayer requests my friends and family had requested via the telephone, e-mails, and in person.

After I made these prayer requests known to God on behave of my loved ones and friends, it became very quiet. I sat and sat quietly. Waiting, waiting upon God.

It was during that quiet moment that the the metaphor for giving my frequent-flyer miles away to someone who could not pay for his own flight came to me. The Holy Spirit made the connection for me—

God in the same way has paid for my freedom now and heaven in the future. He paid the price for my sins just like I paid the price for someone’s free plane ticket. I did all the work ahead of time so I could give someone a free plane ticket. God in the same way did all the work by sending His Son to die on the cross for me so that I could go free. All I had to do was to accept the free plane ticket. Spiritually speaking, all I need to do is to acknowledge and receive the gift, what God has done for me that I could not do for myself. The price was too high. I had no ability to pay for my sins, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). God did it for me out of His love for me. What a wonderful God!

It’s wonderful to pray in the Spirit. It is that quiet moment during prayer that God speaks to me. Sometimes it’s an audible voice. Sometimes it’s a knowing that something else is happening that is beyond space and time. Sometimes it is a name of someone I’ve only met once who is in trouble and needs God’s intervention. I never know what the problem is until after the prayer is over, and I contact the person. Sometimes it’s the recalling of a past event in my life that needs healing and forgiveness. Sometimes it is direction for my life. Sometimes it is a warning. It is always a knowing that the Holy Spirit is at work. It is beyond my words. It is always refreshing, peaceful, and calm afterwards. I am in timelessness.

At the time that prayer becomes praying in the Spirit is when it is no longer my requests made known to God, but God’s requests being made known to me. It is an amazing, awesome event when prayer becomes listening to God.

How about it? Would you like to accept this free gift that God is offering you? A relationship with Him through Jesus Christ?

I’d like to pray with you.

Mediterranean Tempeh

nurturingwisdom — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:36:58 +0000

Mediterranean Tempeh

Mediterranean Tempeh is an economical dish that’s made with tempeh, a staple of Indonesian cuisine for centuries. It is a cultured food made with soybeans. It is cultured like cheese, yogurt, miso, and sauerkraut. Because the soybeans have been culture, the proteins are predigested and the B vitamins are increased. It is high in protein and minerals, full of B12, and contains as much protein as chicken or beef. It’s also cholesterol-free and low in fat.

If you’re a vegetarian or planning to eat less meat, tempeh is definitely worth including in your diet for all the nutrition this ancient food contains.

During our vegetarian days, my husband and I relied on tempeh as one of our sources of protein. We also ate tempeh to make sure we were getting our supply of B12.

Mediterranean Tempeh is the perfect combination of an ancient cultured food and summer’s bounty—tempeh, tomatoes and basil. This recipe has taken me several months to get the right blend of ingredients. It has just the right combination of herbs to give it that Mediterranean essence. Savoring this dish brought back memories of sun drench days on the Riviera overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Each bite was a refreshing reminder of my carefree days by the sea.

Tempeh comes in 8 ounce packages. It can be purchased from the health food store. It must be cooked before it’s eaten. It has a nutty flavor. I’ve been working on adjusting the nutty flavor to balance with the flavors of the rest of the ingredients in this recipe. On one occasion I added more balsamic vinegar, but everything became too sour. The next time, I added more grape tomatoes. The tomatoes tasted sweet and delicious, but its sweetness didn’t permeate the tempeh.

It finally dawned on me that the tempeh needed to be sweetened. But with what? Sugar was definitely out. Honey? Agave? Maple Syrup? No, these sweeteners were the wrong flavors for the taste combination I wanted to achieve in this dish. Finally, after much consideration, I tried organic apple juice as my sweetener. It so happened that I had some left over organic apple juice in the fridge. The apple juice sweetened the tempeh and mellowed its nutty flavor, exactly what my taste buds imagined.

Place the cubed tempeh in a quarter cup of apple juice in a covered pot and let it simmer for twenty minutes. Let the apple juice cook off. Place the tempeh in a non-reactive bowl and let it cool off.

While the tempeh is cooling, in a separate non-reactive bowl, make the dressing. Combine two cloves of minced garlic with center shoots removed, one teaspoon of oregano, one quarter cup of balsamic vinegar, one tablespoon of lime juice, four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and half the amount of basil leaves torn or thinly cut (total 32). Whisk all the ingredients together and let stand.

After the the tempeh is cooled, break the tempeh into small pieces. In the same non-reactive bowl, combine one half of the organic feta cheese (4 oz.), one pint of grape or cherry tomatoes sliced into halves, and two thirds cup of sliced pitted black olives.

I tried kalamata olives previously, but they have a slightly bitter taste and brought out the bitter favor in the tempeh and dominated the dish. Use the water cured black olives sold loose or in glass bottles. The flavor of the water cured black olives remains in the background and allows all the other flavors to harmonize.

Toss all the all the ingredients. Whisk the dressing and pour over the tempeh, tomato, feta, olive mixture. Toss. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish each serving with the other half of the crumbled feta and sliced or torn fresh basil leaves.

Mediterranean Tempeh

Serves 6

Ingredients:

8 oz. package of plain tempeh

1/4 cup of organic apple juice

1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half

8 oz. of feta cheese, crumbled (reserve 1/2 for garnish)

2/3 cup of water cured black olives (pitted), sliced

Dressing:

2 cloves garlic, minced with shoots removed

1 teaspoon of oregano

1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of lime juice

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

32 fresh basil leaves, cut thinly or torn (reserve 1/2 for garnish)

1. Cube tempeh

2. Placed cubed tempeh in a covered pot with 1/4 cup of apple juice. Let simmer until all the apple juice is gone, about 20 minutes.

3. Place the tempeh in a non-reactive bowl and let cool.

4. While tempeh is cooling, make the dressing in another non-reactive bowl.

5. Whisk together minced garlic, oregano, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, and half the thinly sliced/torn basil leaves. Let stand.

6. Crumble tempeh.

7. To the tempeh, add half the crumbled the feta cheese, sliced cherry/grape tomatoes, and sliced black olives. Toss.

8. Whisk the dressing and pour onto the tempeh, feta, tomato, olive mixture. Toss.

9. Garnish each serving with reserved crumbled feta cheese and reserved sliced/torn fresh basil.

Enjoy! See you on the Riviera!

Modifications and suggestions: Mediterranean Tempeh can be served on a whole grain bun, as a wrap, or on whole grain bread. Carb types may add more tomatoes and olives. Protein types can add some sliced turkey or grass-fed beef on top of the salad. Vegans can eliminate the feta and use a soy or rice cheese.

Mediterranean Tempeh keeps well overnight. The leftovers are tastier the next day.

Mediterranean Tempeh, a frugal recipe combining tempeh, an ancient cultured food with summer’s bounty, fresh cherry tomatoes and fresh basil is featured in Pennywise Platter Thursday in the Nourishing Gourmet.

Stuffed Portobello Mushroom

nurturingwisdom — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:26:45 +0000

Stuffed Portobello Mushroom

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms is a dish full of contrasts. It’s beefy, yet meatless; crunchy, yet velvety smooth; and sweet, yet savory.

This delicious dish is quick and economical as well as versatile. It can be served as the main dish with a side of vegetables or a grain, or on a whole grain bun, or cut up and placed in a salad.

This is a must try recipe. Your eyes and tastebuds will be enticed for a second serving, but you’re tummy will be satisfied after just one!

This recipe calls for soaked, dehydrated nuts. I usually soak a batch of nuts and dehydrate them each week for snacking and for recipes such as this one.

Clean the Portobello mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Wipe off any dirt. I know, you’re thinking they need to be washed with water! Mushrooms are very porous and will become soggy if washed with water. To preserve their texture and taste, wipe them with a dry paper towel. Then cut off the stems. Trim off the end that was not attached to the mushroom. Set the stems aside for later.

Spread a teaspoon or more of coconut oil in each mushroom. The coconut oil and soaked walnuts will provide the sweetness. Place them in a baking dish and bake at 375° for 7—10 minutes. I’ve used other fats such as ghee or sweet grass-fed butter, but the coconut oil is sweeter.

While the mushrooms are baking, chop one scallion per mushroom. Chop the mushroom stems. Lightly sauté the scallions and mushroom stems in a tablespoon of coconut oil. Add more coconut oil if needed.

While the scallions and mushroom stems are cooking, chop the nuts. I’ve used pecans, walnuts, and a combination of pecans and walnuts, but soaked walnuts provide the right amount of sweetness for this recipe. I prefer the taste of the the soaked walnuts in this recipe. They’re so deliciously sweet. My daughter, who has never liked nuts, loves the soaked walnuts. They’re also high in omega 3’s.

When the scallions are slightly soft, remove the pan form the heat. Add the nuts. Add salt and pepper to taste. I add a tiny bit more salt, because the mushroom juices will balance the saltiness.

Spoon the mixture into each mushroom. I like to pile it into each cap. Top each mushroom cap with a slice of mozzerella cheese.

Bake in the oven at 175 ° until the cheese melts. I’ve baked them at higher temperatures to get that golden color, but recently I’ve set my oven temperature a lot lower to preserve the nutrients of the nuts. Sometimes I warm up the oven at a low temperature, turn it off and set the tray of mushrooms in the oven for as long as it takes to melt the cheese.

Stuffed Portobello Mushroom

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Serves 4

Preheat oven 175° or higher

Ingredients:

1 scallion chopped, per mushroom (4)

1/4 cup soaked nuts, chopped per mushroom (1 cup)

4 slices of grass-fed mozzarella cheese

Fat−grass-fed butter, coconut oil, or grass-fed ghee

1. Wipe each mushroom with a dry paper towel to remove any dirt. Remove mushroom stems and save for later.

2. Place mushrooms in a shallow pan. Spread a teaspoon of grass-fed butter, coconut oil, or ghee on each mushroom.

3. Place in a pre-heated oven for 7-10 minutes.

4. Wash, dry, and chopped scallions.

5. Slice off the end of the mushroom stem that was not attached to the mushroom. Chop up the stem.

6. Sauté chopped mushroom stems and chopped scallions in grass-fed 1 tablespoon of grass-fed butter, coconut oil , or grass-fed ghee until slightly translucent. Remove from heat.

7. Remove mushrooms from oven. Leave in baking pan.

8. Add chopped nuts to sautéed scallions. Add salt and pepper to taste.

9. Spoon generous amounts of the scallion, mushroom stem/nut mixture onto mushrooms.

10. Top each mushroom with a slice of grass-fed mozzarella cheese.

11. Bake in pre-heated oven until cheese melts. You may use a higher temperature. I now use a lower temperature to preserve as many nutrients as possible.

12. Remove from the oven when cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Modifications and suggestions: Serve this as the main dish with a side dish of salad or vegetables; put the mushroom in a whole-grain burger bun for a delicious meatless burger; slice the mushroom and add it to a salad; vegans can substitute dairy cheese with soy, rice, or any vegan cheese; protein types can substitute ground beef, turkey, or chicken for the nuts or add more nuts; those allergic to nuts may substitute nuts with meat. If using meat, add curry, or some salsa to enhance the flavor. If you follow dietary laws, you may want to top the meat with a non-dairy cheese. Be creative!

This healthy, versatile, and frugal recipe is featured in Pennywise Platter Thursday in the Nourishing Gourmet.

Be Inspired! Be Transformed! Be Set Free!

nurturingwisdom — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:11:14 +0000

Do you have a prayer request?

I’d like to pray with for you. And I’m hoping that many others in Christ will join with me in this honored activity to make our needs known to God. He already understands and knows exactly what you need.

Each of us at one time or another has felt the heartbreak of separation, the lost of a loved one, the disappointment of broken promises, the devastation of betrayed vows, or the reality of dashed dreams. God was present in the Garden of Eden when man turned his back on Him and was at Calvary during the death of His Son. Yes, He understands and knows how we feel and what we’re going through.

In Destined for the Throne Paul E. Billheimer describes this mysterious process called prayer as on-the-job training for the believers’ (Church’s) preparation to assume its rightful position with Christ in heaven.

You may ask, If God is who He says He is and is all powerful and all knowing, why would He need us to tell Him what we need ? Can’t He just accomplish it?

Billheimer’s book explains why God needs the Church’s prayers through two analogies. The first analogy is a business check that requires co-signatures. Two people must sign the check so that the bank can release its funds. In terms of prayer, the first signature would be God’s. The second signature would be ours in order for the bank to release the requested funds, the answered prayers.

He uses the opening of a safety deposit box as his second analogy to prayer. Two keys are needed to open a safety deposit box to access the treasures in the box. The bank teller needs the bank’s key and the key from the person who rents the safety deposit box. Both keys will open the box to all the treasures. In terms of prayer, the first key would be God’s, and the second key would be our key. Both God and the believer are needed in the process of prayer.

Checks used by some business firms require the signatures of two individuals to make them valid. One signature is not enough. Both parties must sign. This illustrates God’s method of operating through the prayers and faith of His people. His promises are His checks signed in His own blood, His part was fully completed at Calvary. But no promise is made good until a redeemed man enters the throne room of the universe and, by prayer and faith writes his name beside God’s. Then, and not until then, are the check’s resources released. It is like a safety deposit box in the bank vault. The keeper has a key and you have a key. Neither key alone will open the box. But, when you give the keeper your key, she inserts both keys and the door flies open, making available all the treasures stored in the box. Heaven holds the key by which decisions governing earthy affairs are made but we hold the key by which those decisions are implemented.

It’s one of those books that I immediately planned to reread after the first chapter, because it spoke to my spirit—the Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit. I just cried like a baby the whole afternoon. I realized what an honor it is that the God of the universe cares and loves me enough to first send His Son to die on the cross as an atonement for my sins; and, then on top of that, He cares enough for me on a daily basis that He wants a moment by moment conversation with me, prayer. It just boggles my mind. I am in such awe and am so grateful for what He’s done that I want to worship Him and thank Him continuously with my thoughts, prayers, deeds, and life.

I worship Him out of gratitude to Him for all He’s done for me. He loves me. I’m not alone in this life.

God loves you and has a very special plan for your life. No matter what your circumstances, He knows about them and loves you.

Many people have prayed for me in the past as they are doing now. God has transformed me from the inside out. The Holy Spirit guides me, comforts me, gives me love, peace, and joy. It’s not about me, but it’s about Him, Jesus:

…we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:7-9)

Be inspired by this youtube of Nick Vujicic. See how his life of disability has been changed by the love of Jesus.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord… .(Jeremiah 29:11-14)

I’d like to pray with you.

Do you have a prayer request?

Curry Chicken Salad

nurturingwisdom — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:16:36 +0000

curry chicken salad

Curry Chicken Salad is a refreshing and light salad that’s full of surprises. The spiciness of the curry is dispersed by the burst of sweetness from the crunchy, organic red grapes but only briefly. As the curry continues lingering on each morsel of moist chicken and crunchy celery, your taste buds will be surprised again by another burst of sweetness from the red onions. This dish is punctuated with surprises.

This recipe is a hit with young and old alike. It’s a recipe inspired by my friend Laureen. It’s on the menu every year when we camp out at the Creation Festival. Our group of about 30 teens this year enjoyed it as much as the as the adults in the group. There was not one bite left!

I adapted this recipe to serve my family of three at home. I’ve piggy-backed this recipe onto some leftover roast chicken from the night before. Yesterday I served the roast chicken for dinner, and today I’ve added fresh ingredients to the chicken to create Curry Chicken Salad. Tomorrow’s dinner will be a third meal from the roast chicken, Lemon Chicken Soup with Quinoa, which will be a future post.

The curry for this recipe is Indian curry purchased from the Indian grocery store. Some grocery stores may carry it in its ethnic food department. Curry is rich in tumeric, which contains curcumin, an antiinflamatory.

I shredded the left over chicken breast from last night’s dinner. I chopped one stalk of celery and a quarter of a red onion.

Reserve some of the onion and celery for garnishing. Combine the chicken, celery, and onions in a bowl.

In a second bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon of curry to 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and stir. Taste the mixture and adjust the proportions to suit your taste. I prefer the curry more on the subtle side with just enough of the curry flavor so it won’t overpower the other ingredients.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Although pepper is already an ingredient in the curry, more should be added to the salad. The tumeric that is an ingredient in the curry is better absorbed in combination with black pepper. The black pepper multiples the absorption of the tumeric by two thousand. Without the black pepper, tumeric will not pass through the intestinal track.

Tumeric gives curry its yellow color. Tumeric is an antiinflammatory and contains curcumin. Curcumin helps stimulate apoptosis in cancer cells and inhibits angiogenesis. (Anti Cancer:A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD)

Cut grapes in half. Reserve a few grapes for garnishing. Add cut grapes. Gently toss and coat everything with the curry mayonnaise dressing.

Just one more time, sample the salad and make the final adjustments to the mayonnaise and curry, salt and pepper. Lightly toss again.

Garnish with the celery, onions, and grapes.

Curry Chicken Salad

Serves 3

Ingredients

shredded range-free organic chicken breast (1/2 the breast)

1 stalk organic celery, chopped

1/4 organic red onion if medium or 1 small onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon Indian curry

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons of omega 3 mayonnaise

organic red grapes

This recipe requires the tasting and the adjusting of the ingredients as you assemble the salad. Be creative!

1. Reserve some celery and onions.

2. Combine chicken, celery, and onions in a bowl.

3. In a second bowl, mix curry and mayonnaise. Taste. Adjust the proportions of curry to mayonnaise. Start out with the recommended amount of curry and mayonnaise. Work up gradually to suit your taste.

4. Add salt and fresh ground pepper. Toss and taste. Start with the recommended amount of salt and pepper and adjust to your taste.

5. Cut grapes in half. Reserve a few grape for garnishing. Add cut grapes to the salad. Gently toss and coat with curry mayonnaise dressing.

6. One more time, sample the salad and adjust the curry, mayonnaise, salt , and pepper. Lightly toss again.

7. Garnish with reserved celery, onions, and red grapes.

Enjoy!

Modifications and suggestions: Protein types can use the dark meat of the chicken and add less celery, onions, and grapes; carb types can add more of the celery, onions, and grapes. Canned chicken can be used if you don’t have left over chicken and you want a quick, non-cooked meal.

Visit the Nourishing Gourmet for more frugal recipes during Pennywise Platter Thursday.

Let Them Eat Cake!

nurturingwisdom — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:11:56 +0000

fruit sweetened chocolate chip quinoa cake made with soaked quinoa

Let Them Eat Cake! Yes, you read it right. Do you know anyone who by-passes breakfast even though it’s considered the most important meal of the day? Well, let them eat cake! This recipe made with soaked quinoa is high in protein, fiber, and nutrients to last through the morning.

While I was making a batch of Mama’s Magic Muffins this weekend I realized I only had 11 cupcake liners when my recipe yields 18 muffins due to the expansion quinoa goes through when it is soaked. I guess I could have ladled the muffin batter directly into the muffin tin without the twelfth liner, but at the last minute, before I panicked and ran out to buy more liners (besides, there was no use in panicking since it was 10:30 PM and all the stores were closed), I decided to pour the rest of the batter into my Pyrex loft dish to make a cake, the shape of a pound cake (only a bit lower).

Sometimes youngsters have a preference for a specific shape a food comes in. If the muffin shape doesn’t entice that finicky breakfast-eater, perhaps the cake shape will! Without the liners, you will get to eat every delicious morsel. So, Let them eat cake!

Next time I make Mama’s Magic Muffins, I’m going to use a loft dish for a full size cake. You might want to experiment with different shape and size pans.