The second edition of 'COMFORT FOOD' is out!

The second edition of  'COMFORT FOOD' is now available!  It now includes over 70 gluten free vegan recipes!  (110 recipes in all.)

For online shoppers, I'd recommend purchasing from Amazon.com.

If you live near Rochester New York, you can find it at:
Loris natural foods
Barnes and Noble book store
Cooks World
American Hotel, Lima
Livonia Pharmacy, Livonia
New York Wine and Culinary Center, Canandaigua
Lavender Moon, Honeoye Falls
Touch of Grace, Geneseo
Honeoye Craft Lab, Honeoye
Edgewood Country Store, Penn Yan
Three Brothers Winery, Penn Yan
Toomeys Express, Bloomfield
Artizann's, Naples

May these recipes be a blessing to you and your family!

Fabulous Fridge Fudge

(Well, my old computer decided a few weeks ago it was tired of uploading photos.  When able to do so in the future, photos will be added.)

This is one of the recipes that a friend got from a friend... and everyone down the line made changes to suite them.  As mentioned before, adding peanut butter, or mint extract to roasted carob transforms it into a wonderful flavor.  Even the chocolate lover in our home prefers roasted carob powder over cocoa powder in this recipe!

Fabulous Fridge Fudge

1 cup xv coconut oil, just barely liquefied, or really soft and partially liquefied.
1 cup roasted carob powder
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp whole salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup 100% smooth peanut butter
1 T pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

In a small pot on very low, heat the coconut oil until JUST liquefied, or a little before.  Remove from the heat.  Whisk in the next four ingredients respectively, until smooth.  Pour half of the mixture into a 7"x 7" or 8"x 8" baking dish greased with coconut oil.  Place in a level spot in the freezer.  In a separate bowl, beat together the remaining three ingredients.  Check the bowl in the freezer.  If it has hardened, spoon the PB mixture evenly on the top, then pour the second half of the carob mixture on top and spread evenly.  (This second half of the carob mixture may need to be warmed up a bit if it began to cool and set up.) Cover and place in the fridge for 6-8 hours.  Cut into pieces, and store in the fridge for a week or two, or store in an airtight container in the freezer for several months.

Please note: If the coconut oil becomes too warm, it may partially separate from the rest of the mix.  If this happens, pour and spread each half as best you can as instructed.  You will end up with a sweet, solid coconut oil layer on top when you are done.  It may not be as attractive a dessert, but it tastes good, and the coconut oil layer on top is a tasty variation!

Options:
1- Add 1/8-1/4 tsp (non-gmo) liquid lecithin to emulsify the carob mixture.  (Creates a smoother mixture)
2- Replace the 2/3 cup peanut butter with 3/4 cup almond butter

2- The maple syrup may be reduced from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup, and the peanut butter may be increased from 2/3 cup to 3/4 cup.  This is a nice option for those who enjoy the flavor without being quite as sweet.  The one down side: the three layers may not stick together quite as well.

Have a joyous and blessed day!

Maple Sugar Candy

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
One of the sweets we make for Christmas is maple sugar candy.  It is a little fussy to make, but if you are flexible with the final results, it all tastes good!

Maple Sugar Candy

4 cups 100% light or medium maple syrup
1 tsp vegan margarine (just in case)
candy thermometer
Place the candy thermometer in boiling water to check it's accuracy.  It should read 212 degrees F.   (If it doesn't, note how much it is off so you will know if you have to add or subtract from your target temp.)  There should be a clip on the candy thermometer to attach it to the inside of a high sided pot.  Pour in the maple syrup.  Be sure the end of the thermometer is well submerged (but not touching the bottom of the pot)  to accurately read the temperature.  Heat on medium/high temperature stirring occasionally, watching constantly.  As it begins to actively simmer, it will expand.  Reduce heat enough to keep the syrup at the original level.  If reducing the heat doesn't lower the level, quickly stir in the teaspoon of margarine you have ready, then adjust the heat to keep it actively boiling but not boiling over.  Continue to watch, and stir occasionally until it reaches a full 240 degrees.  (If it's only 239 or less, you will end up with maple cream or candy that loses it's shape several days later.)  It will take approximately 30-45 minutes to reach 240: the last ten degrees seem to take the longest.   Set aside without stirring, until the temperature drops to 175 degrees.  Next, stir briskly with your favorite sturdy wooden spoon until it lightens in color somewhat.  (Approximately 3-5 minutes.)  Once this happens, QUICKLY spoon into your candy molds. (Or pour out on a large piece of parchment paper, smooth out a bit, and break into pieces when completely cooled.)    Once it is ready to spoon into the molds I place it back on the stove on very very low, and if possible have someone slowly stir as I spoon into the molds.  I do this because I usually lean toward stirring a little longer, as not stirring long enough produces candy that is not as solid as we like it.  The candy to the left shows the extra solid pieces from stirring way too long before spooning into the molds!  Medium maple syrup was used for both.  Light maple syrup will produce lighter colored candy.  Once they have cooled completely, store in an airtight container.
There are always a few solidified sugar clumps left on the bottom and sides that can be scrapped off.  Once they have completely cooled, press through a Foley food mill for nice fine maple sugar, ready for baking or your next bowl of hot cereal. See photo above.
( FYI: a flour sifter is not sturdy enough for this.  With a little pressure applied as you turn the handle, the Foley food mill does a great job.)
Looking for maple leaf molds?  Leaderevaporator.com carries them.
Four cups makes approximately 90-100 little maple candies.  Whether you end up with maple cream or candy, it all tastes great.
Have a joyous and blessed day!

Sesame Kale Chips

Can one have too many kale chip recipes?  I think not!  This makes three.  As nutrient packed as kale is, the ingredients these are coated with make them a super-super food!

Sesame Kale Chips

3 T extra virgin olive oil (xvoo)
1-2 T water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup finely ground sesame seeds
2 T tahini
1 1/4 cup raw cashews
1 tsp whole salt
1/4-1/3 cup fresh garlic, chopped
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 small (2" long) medium hot pepper, seeded
2-3 bunches kale (1-1 1/4 pounds before rinsing)

Place all but the kale in a vitamix (high power) blender or food processor, adding 1 T water at first.  Blend until very smooth, adding a second T of water as needed to produce the consistency of very thick humus.
Remove the ribs from the kale (checking for green larva as you go).  Discard the ribs.  Rinse the kale and rip into 2" pieces.  Place the kale in a large mixing bowl.  Scoop the mixture in also and work into the leaves with your fingers to coat both sides. Spread leaves out onto the dehydrating trays as shown above.  Dehydrate at 110 degrees for 10-12 hours until crispy but still green.  The actual drying time will vary, depending on the thickness of the coating. 
Let the chips cool completely, then immediately store in an airtight container or plastic bag.  (If they are left to the air for longer, they will absorb the moisture in the air and quickly lose their crispness.)

Reminder: you can 'grind' sesame seeds 3/4 cup (or less) at a time in a Vitamix blender.  Chop on high 15-20 seconds.  Remove from base, stir up, and chop on high another 10-15 seconds.  Adding ground sesame seeds to recipes affords you their added nutritional boost, but with a milder flavor than tahini.  (see blog from 10.4.14 to see an example of ground sesame seeds)  Freeze seeds before grinding to keep them from getting too warm and possibly altering the oils they contain.)
Enjoy!

Tomato Harvest

October 23rd and still not a frost!  The raspberries are still ripening, the greens are going strong, and even the basil hasn't given up completely! 
When setting aside the last of the tomatoes, make sure they are free of any blemishes or breaks in the skin, the green ones have begun to lightened up, and the skin is firm and shiny.  No matter how pretty they may be, if the skin is a bit dull, into the compost it goes. 
The last couple canning seasons have been especially busy.  Instead of peeling the tomatoes and canning them whole, I have taken to liquefying them in the Vitamix, bringing them to a simmer for a couple minutes then processing them for 10 minutes.  It is SO much quicker! 
Kale, swiss chard, spinach, carrots, beets, parsnips: a few of the things worth planting to keep the harvest season going late into the fall.  Consider a simple cold frame to extend the season even farther. 
I pray your gardening is satisfying and delicious, whether it is a basil plant on your windowsill or a vegetable garden large enough to feed your whole family.
Have a joyous and blessed day!

ground Almonds, Flax Seeds, and Sesame Seeds

There are several recipes on this site calling for ground nuts and seeds.  The above photo will show you what consistency to shoot for.  Shown here are almonds, flax seeds, and sesame seeds respectively.  The beauty of grinding the sesame seeds to this degree makes their nutrients more available than the whole seeds, but with a milder flavor than Tahiti. In this manner, these little nutrient power houses can be added to recipes without the dominant flavor of Tahiti (AKA sesame seed butter.)
For review:  freeze the seeds.  Place 3/4 cup at a time in a powerful blender such as a Vitamix and close the lid.  Grind on high for 15-20 seconds.  Remove from base, stir up, and repeat, being careful not to over grind past finely ground.  (Freezing the seeds keeps their oils  from getting too hot when ground. This is especially important when grinding flax seeds.)
Have a joyous and blessed day!

Fruit and Veggie Refresher

This dessert has a very light, refreshing taste, and the Agar powder does a nice job of gelling it.  It arose from fond thoughts of a gelatin salad my Mom made years ago that had a weird combination of ingredients that tasted great together.  As it was one of my favorites, so began the experimenting to replicate the recipe, albeit a healthier version.  This photo doesn't do it justice. The actual color and texture are quite attractive.  If you have family members that may not eat some of the ingredients if identified, the mixture may be chopped finer for camouflage.  It will produce a more homogeneous flavor, but is still good.

Fruit and Veggie Refresher

2/3 cup pineapple juice
3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped green cabbage
1/2 cup diced celery (or a bit less)
2 T maple syrup
2 tsp fresh lime juice

3/4 cup 100% orange juice
1 3/4 tsp  agar powder

-Place the first six ingredients in a blender.  Pulse on medium until veggies are 1/4"-1/8" in diameter. (This  will only take a few seconds.)
-Pour into a medium sized bowl.
-Pour the orange juice into a small cooking pot and bring to a very low simmer.
-Whisk in the agar powder and cook whisking constantly for one minute.
-Stir into the above mixture, pour into an 8" x 8" baking dish.
-Cool 5-10 minutes, cover, and chill in the fridge a minimum of six hours, and serve.  This will keep in the  fridge for several days.


-Although 1 3/4 tsp of agar powder sets this to a nice consistency, if you plan to leave this out of the fridge for more than a few minutes (but not more than an hour,) increase the agar powder to 2 tsp.
-Apple juice was tried in place of the OJ, but produced too mild a flavor.  Replacing the OJ with more pineapple juice might be good.  When tried I will let you know on this blog.
Have a joyous and blessed day!