Kitchen Math

Basic math skills are essential for the kitchen.  The most useful kitchen math for me is the following.If you spend time in the kitchen, memorize this.

One Tablespoon = Three teaspoons

Kitchen Chemistry

I make a lot of recipes with baking powder and baking soda as leavening agents.  Recently, I've been thinking that it would be convenient to know how to successfully substitute them, particularly, exchanging baking powder for baking soda simply because it's cheaper.  Many of my recipes already include acidic ingredients, like lemon juice or honey, that are necessary to make baking soda effective.

So, I dug in my brain and did a quick internet search to come up with a little chemistry lesson.  Just for the record, I love chemistry, especially as it relates to food science.  It would be fun to do a much more in depth study, but I don't have time.

Hopefully, this will be useful and practical to you as I know it will be for me:

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Baking soda is a base that reacts with acid in a recipe to create air bubbles to lift the batter.  You know the ol' baking soda and vinegar experiment.

Baking powder is baking soda, an acidic agent(s), and a stabilizing agent(s). The acid-base reaction occurs when the mixture gets wet.  Baking powder is useful for recipes that do not have acidic ingredients.

Baking soda and baking powder are used to leaven many recipes including cakes, quick breads, muffins, pancakes, and waffles.  Generally, use 1 tsp baking powder per 1 cup flour in these types of recipes.  If the recipe uses acidic ingredients such as citrus, vinegar, honey, molasses, buttermilk, or yogurt, use 1/4 to 1/2 tsp baking soda per 1 cup flour.

Practically, a muffin recipe that uses 2 cups of flour can be leavened with 2 tsp baking powder.  If the recipe includes citrus, vinegar, honey, molasses, buttermilk, yogurt or other acidic ingredients, use 1/2-1 tsp baking soda.

Happy Cooking!

Airplane Snack

My almost-three-year-old loves all things airplanes.  I found this cute airplane snack idea and thought I'd give it a try.  He, he...  Well, mine didn't turn out quite as cute, but my son recognized it as an airplane and he was excited about it!  If only it would have actually flown!

FYI: I used a fruit leather in place of the rice krispie treat for the wings.  And, not wanting to pay three dollars for a box of cookies with holes, I bought a few gummy O's in bulk for the tail.

Greens--Part 4

6.  Greens and Mashed Potatoes.  We like to wash, boil, and chop a bunch of greens and then mix them into a big pot of mashed potatoes.  Kid friendly!  Maybe some day my kids will wonder about where the green flecks are in those "other" mashed potatoes!

7.  Fried Rice.  I like to use some cooked, finely chopped greens as part of the vegetable assortment in "fried" rice.  If you don't already have a tried and true recipe for fried rice, start with 3 cups of leftover, cooked brown rice and 3 cups of finely chopped vegetables, such as greens, broccoli, peas, corn, carrots, green onions, etc.  Heat it all in a little bit of oil and stir in 1T of reduced sodium tamari (or soy sauce) and adjust things to your preference.


8.  Greens also work in spring rolls, soups, and egg dishes, but you're on your own for those recipes!

Greens--Part 3

4.  Beginner Smoothies.  Smoothies are a great way to get a little extra green nutrition in your diet.  To start with, try adding a handful of baby spinach to your favorite smoothie.  Or, blend these ingredients (serves 4).  To hide your greens in a smoothie, use equal part berries to spinach.

• 2 cup frozen strawberries, slightly thawed
• 1 frozen banana, slightly thawed
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 cups loosely packed spinach.

5.  Advanced Smoothies.  If you think you can handle a smoothie that is green colored (pictured above) but doesn't taste like salad, here is one sweet option (serves 1-2):  Blend together...

• 2 cups loosely packed spinach
• 1 cup frozen mango, slightly thawed
• 1/2 frozen banana, slightly thawed
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice

What is your favorite green smoothie?

Greens--Part 2

I've discovered that greens go well with pasta, so here are a few pasta dishes.

1.  Mac and Orach.  I've replaced the chard with orach from Robin Robertson's Mac and Chard recipe in 1000 Vegan Recipes.  Most vegan "macaroni and cheese" recipes use nutritional yeast as a cheese replacement, but this recipes uses potato as a thickener, cashews for creaminess, and turmeric for color.  It really does look like cheese sauce!  Of course, it doesn't taste like cheese, but it is delicious.  I have some orach in the freezer so we can enjoy this during the winter too.


2. Peanut Pasta.  I'm sure you can find several recipes for this sort of thing, but here's my version, originally adapted from a recipe in AllYou magazine:

• Boil one bunch of greens and chop finely.
• Boil 8oz whole wheat thin spaghetti until al dente.
• In a small sauce pan or microwave bowl, mix together 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1 1/2 T reduced sodium tamari, 1 T rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 T  grated fresh ginger.
• Drain pasta and add 1/2 cup pasta water to the above sauce, heat if necessary and stir until smooth.
• Add sauce, greens, and 1-2 T unhulled sesame seeds to pasta and stir.  

3.  Green Spaghetti. Originally, I got this idea from Whole Foods for the Whole Family from La Leche League.  Basically, it goes like this.  Steam and puree 10-16oz fresh spinach, add a bit of water or broth, salt, pepper, and garlic and any other seasonings that sound like an adventure.  Pour over your spaghetti!  I was a bit wary about this idea, worrying that it would be a strong spinach flavor, but it was pleasantly mild

Disclosure.

Greens--Part 1

We get a lot of greens from our CSA farm.  By "a lot," I mean pounds and pounds.  Prior to joining a CSA, the greens in our diet consisted mostly of raw spinach and salad lettuces.  Greens are commonly served as a side dish, chopped and sauteed with garlic and other seasonings.  I have to admit that I just haven't learned to appreciate greens served in this manner--yet.  So, I have a few other ways of preparing them.  I thought maybe I'd share in case someone else has pounds and pounds of greens!

Before they can be eaten, they need to be washed.  I'm sure there are many ways to do this, but here's what works for me:

1.  Fill a large bowl with cold water.
2.  Submerge your greens and swirl around.
3.  Allow the greens to sit for several minutes, letting the dirt and creatures fall to the bottom of the bowl.
4.  Lift out the greens and set aside.
5.  Empty the bowl of water and refill.
6.  Repeat until you have clean water.

I've discovered several types of creatures in my greens, even a slug!

Pesticide Residues List--2010

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has updated their list of fruits and vegetables with the most and least pesticide residues.  Using data from the USDA and the FDA, the EWG lists 49 common fruits and vegetables according to their pesticide residue levels.  Click here to link to the information.

Cookbooks!

I'm getting reacquainted with the public library.  Today I borrowed a cookbook called Fresh from thee Vegetarian Slow Cookerby Robin Robertson.  I'm excited!  I think this book might be my menu plan for the next several weeks!  I even discovered a few recipes that call for ingredients that we get from our CSA farm.

I own a copy of 100 Vegan Recipes also by Robin Robertson and have found it to be a valuable tool for me as a beginner-veganish-cook!  I find her recipes to be a great source of ideas for my "so what do I make for dinner if not meat?" mindset.  I'm even more excited about Vegetarian Slow Cooker because maybe it will save me some time and the madness of the five o'clock meltdown.





Disclosure.

Seasoned Broccoli

A while ago, I came across this broccoli recipe from Allrecipes.com.  I modified it to my preferences and found it a delicious new way to enjoy broccoli!  I like to serve it over brown rice, but it's yummy all by itself.  Here's my modified version:

Seasoned Broccoli
4 cups small broccoli florets (8oz)
1 T olive oil
1 T reduced-sodium tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tsp honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup slivered almonds

1. Steam broccoli to desired tenderness and set aside.
2.  In a small bowl or saucepan, mix everything else but the almonds and heat just until warm.
3.  Add almonds to the oil/tamari mixture and pour over broccoli.
4.  Serve warm!

High and Dry

Before I post more recipes here, you should know a few things.  I live and cook where it's high and dry.  If you live closer to sea level and/or in a humid climate, you might need to make a few adjustments.

1.  It's dry here, really dry.  That means that my flour might by dryer than your flour.  Therefore, my flour might absorb more liquids than your flour.

2.  Up, up and away!  I live at approximately 4700 feet above sea level.  There is less atmospheric pressure here than at sea level.  Using the same amount of leavening, my baked goods will rise higher that those at sea level.  If I use too much leavening, my baked goods, particularly cakes and yeast breads, may rise and fall.   And that makes a mess.  So...

If I post a yeast bread recipe, I will make note of any leavening or rising adjustments you may need to make.  Most of my recipes for quick breads, muffins, and pancakes should work out just fine if you live between me and the sea.  If you live at a higher elevation, you may need to slightly decrease your leavening.

3.  Liquids and Flours.  Technically, "high altitude" adjustments call for increasing the amount of flour in baked goods.  I have not found this to be a useful adjustment.  Pay attention to the consistency of your batters and doughs.  If your batter seems dry, add more liquid. (This is easier said than done since over mixing causes undesirable effects.)  If you have added too much liquid, add a couple tablespoons of oat bran and wait for a few minutes.

Happy Baking!

Blueberry Muffins

 

Soon, blueberries will be in season and I'm beginning to think of wonderful ways to eat them.... Like blueberry nectarine crisp and these blueberry muffins.  In addition to the recipe below, I have another muffin recipe in mind that I will share with you if it indeed is as delicious in reality as it is in my imagination!

Blueberry Muffins

adapted  from this recipe by Carole

2 cups whole wheat or spelt flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups orange juice

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup honey

1 T ground flaxseed mixed with 3T water

3/4 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

1.  Mix dry ingredients.

2.  Mix wet ingredients.

3.  Mix dry and wet ingredients together just until blended.

4.  Fold in blueberries.

5.  Divide into 12 greased muffin cups and bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and top springs back when lightly touched.

Fun From the Farm

We received some fun stuff from the farm this week, like rose petals and radish pods!  Among our herbs, we have cilantro with coriander berries. 

Until we started getting them from the CSA farm, I had little experience with fresh herbs.  I still don't know very much, but now I know that what we Americans call cilantro is actually the leaves of the coriander plant!

Next I need to learn what to do with these coriander berries.  Any ideas?

Pesto-Part Three

 

We are getting a lot of parsley from the farm this year, so I made some sunflower seed-parsley pesto.  Turned out pretty tasty!  So far, we've used it as a topping for baked potatoes and also tossed it with diced potatoes to roast in the oven. 

A Mouse in the House!

 

It looks like a mouse ate a whole in my bread!  (Or, maybe my two year old.)

Whole Grains: Barley

Like wheat, barley has been cultivated longer than we have recorded.  Barley tolerates extreme temperatures and has even been found growing north of the Arctic Circle!  Most of the barley grown in the United States is used for brewing and for animal feed.

Despite its other uses, barley is a nutritious grain for human consumption.  Like oats, it contains soluble fiber, famous for improving blood cholesterol levels.

Much of barley sold for human consumption is pearled barley, which has some of the outer nutrient dense layers removed.  The true form of whole grain barley goes by "hull-less" or "hulled" barley.  Barley, like every other grain, can be ground into flour.  Sometimes it is ground from pearled barley and sometimes it is ground from hulled barley, so be sure to check the label.

Whole grain barley adds a chewy texture to soups and offers dimension as a replacement for a side dish of rice.  Rolled barley can replace rolled oats in many baked goods and can be made into hot cereal or granola.  Barley flour can replace some of the flour in yeast breads, but contains less gluten than wheat, resulting in a denser bread.  Use barley in larger amounts in other baked goods.

Citation: The New Book of Whole Grains by Marlene Anne Bumgarner

Whole Grains: Wheat

The whole grains cookbook that I am borrowing from the library had a new recipe for 100% whole wheat bread, so I thought I'd give it a try.  This is the best 100% whole wheat loaf I have ever made!  Looks yummy and tastes yummy too.

Wheat is popular around the world.  Often it is ground into flour to be made into breads, pastas, and other baked goods.  Wheat flour is popular for yeast bread baking because of the protein gluten.  Gluten stretches and retains its structure while it is peppered with numerous tiny holes that give wheat bread a light airiness.  

In addition to flour, wheat is served other ways.  The edible portion of wheat is referred to as a wheat berry.  Wheat berries can be served whole in soups or as a side dish, similar to rice.  Additionally, wheat berries can be cut into smaller pieces called cracked wheat or bulgur.  These may be used as a hot cereal or in salads.  These forms of wheat are whole, retaining all the edible parts of the wheat berry.

However you eat your wheat, eat it whole!

Farm News

Bad news from the farm this week.  The mice got the beet roots.  I LOVE BEETS!  Oh, well, I guess I'll go to the Farmer's Market and see if another farm got beets this year.

The good news is that there will still be plenty, plenty, of vegetables to eat this week.  I always feel a bit overwhelmed after I bring our bag of vegetables home.  Pictured above in the top row is spinach and lettuce.  Middle row: kale, mustard greens, mint.  Beneath the mint is parsley (not discernible in the picture.)  Bottom row: sunflower sprouts, cilantro, green onions, orach.  To the far right is beet greens.

Pesto-Part Two

I was flipping through a cookbook trying to discover uses for the one and half pounds of spinach in my fridge, when I came across a recipe for pasta with mint-almond pesto.

In addition to the spinach, the CSA farmers brought us some fresh mint this week.  In the past, I've dried mint and frozen mint, but didn't really use much of any of that, so I thought I may as well try this recipe.  I used quinoa and garbanzo beans instead of pasta, but mostly followed the directions for the pesto. 

I understand that mint is used in many savory dishes around the world, but my American taste buds think that mint should go with chocolate, so I wasn't sure if my brain could get around this dish or not.  But, it was tasty!  If I get more mint, I might make it again.

Later, my husband enjoyed the leftover mint-almond pesto as salad dressing.

Pesto-Part One

A couple weeks ago, we received arugula from our CSA farm.  Arugula is a peppery salad green.  However, I don't like arugula in my salad, so I thought I'd make it into pesto.  Plenty of arugula pesto recipes abound, but I just used arugula, oil, and garlic, and then stored it in glass baby food jars in the freezer.

I found a list of creative uses for arugula pesto on this blog (scroll to the bottom of the post for the lists of ideas.) 

Earlier this week, I warmed a jar of arugula pesto from the freezer for a dipping sauce for our homemade baked fries.  Nope, not tasty.  But my husband found it good enough.  Maybe I just don't like arugula?  I do have two more jars of arugula pesto, though, so I'll give those a try in some other recipe!