Fried Green Tomato Salad Recipe #2

Earlier this month I posted about the joys of fried green tomato season! We have our last bowl of green tomatoes and I was inspired to create another fried green tomato salad with slight variation for the original recipe. I wanted this salad to be heartier with the addition of more vegetables and a creamy basil dressing. The feta, avocado and olives provide softness and those healthy fats. I discovered the Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour to work well for the green tomato batter. I added bacon to this recipe, but you could very easily omit it to keep it vegetarian.

Fried Green Tomatoes-see gluten-free recipe here
Salad greens mix
Sliced carrots, radishes, cucumbers and bell peppers
Sliced avocado
Crumbled feta
Crumbled bacon
Kalamata olives

Autumn Garlicky Tomato Soup with Quinoa & Kale

Happy October friends!
It has been a mild and beautiful autumn in Portland. One of our 4 maple trees has shed it's colorful leaves all over the yard. Some days are sunny & warm, and some are foggy, wet with a chill in the air. Its not too cold to harvest fresh herbs, greens, and even tomatoes from the garden. I love this time of year. It is the beginning of soup season!

I love a good tomato soup. Here are links to other soup recipes I've created. Today's recipe is just a variation on these others. Tomato soup is excellent on its own. Even better with a grilled cheese dipped in. I use quinoa and kale in this recipe. These could easily be substituted for barley, rice, couscous, or your favorite small pasta shape. Swiss chard or spinach could stand in for the kale. Garbanzo or cannellini beans would be equally at home in this savory soup.

You can use fresh tomatoes from your garden, your own tomatoes you've canned or frozen, or store bought tomatoes in a can. Fresh herbs from the garden make all the difference in this recipe. The intense fragrant flavors of garden grown & freshly snipped oregano and basil can not be matched by dried herbs.

This delicious soup is simple and quick to make in under 30 minutes. It is a favorite in our house and a staple in my recipe arsenal. I hope you enjoy it!

6 cloves of garlic, minced
extra virgin olive oil
a few sprigs fresh oregano, leaves finely minced
a few sprigs fresh basil, leaves finely minced
4 lacinato kale leaves, de-ribbed and thinly sliced
about 6 cups diced tomatoes (or 2-48oz cans)
1 vegan broth cube
1 cup COOKED quinoa
1 cup water
1 cup unsweetened plain soymilk
honey
optional: shredded parmesan cheese

1. Sauté over medium heat for a few minutes the garlic, basil and oregano in a splash of olive oil. Add the kale and continue to sauté a few minutes more until the leaves are wilted but still bright green.
2. Add the tomatoes, broth cube, quinoa and 1 cup water. Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil. At boil let cook a few minutes more. Check the flavors. Add honey to taste.
3. Turn off heat. Add the soy milk until consistency you desire. I used about 2 cups.
4. Optional-garnish with shredded parmesan cheese and basil leaves

Black-Eyed Pea Stew with Swiss Chard

Black-Eyed Pea Stew with Swiss Chard

1/10/13

Makes about 8 servings

Prep time 20 minutes

Cooking time 90 minutes

Hoppin’ John is dish of black-eyed peas and rice from the southern United States traditionally served on New Years Day to bring good luck during the New Year. It is thought to eat this dish on New Year’s Day will bring you prosperous year filled with luck.

The black-eyed peas are symbolic of pennies or coins and a dime is sometimes thrown into the cooking pot. Hoppin’ John is traditionally served with cooked greens like collards or mustards. This bright green food is symbolic of money, further adding to your wealth in the New Year!

On the day after New Year’s Day, leftover Hoppin’ John is called Skippin’ Jenny.

My black-eyed pea stew is perfect on a cold wintery night. It incorporates the greens right into the stew. It’s not a quick weeknight meal, but one I put on the stove in the late afternoon on a day-off. The savory, spicy and sweet flavors all compliment each other. It’s delicious served over my garlicky-cheesy grits, brown rice, quinoa or with a side of cornbread.

“Eat poor on New Year’s and eat fat the rest of the year!” Here’s to a prosperous 2013 for all of us!

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp dried basil

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 tbsp dried smoked paprika

1 tsp sea salt

pinch of dried chipotle chili powder

pinch of black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped

2 large swiss chard leaves, stems removed and finely chopped, leaves sliced into fine ribbons

1 cup dried black-eyed peas

28oz can chopped tomatoes

5-6 cups water

1 vegan sea salt & herb bouillon cube

1 tsp prepared Dijon mustard

1 tsp agave syrup

Optional: 6 vegetarian breakfast “sausages”, sliced into chunks 

1. In a large pot warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until browning, approximately 10 minutes.

2. Add the basil, thyme, paprika, chipotle, salt & pepper. Stir and cook with onions for a few minutes until aromatic.

3. Add the garlic, celery, carrot, fennel, swiss chard stems, black-eyed peas, tomatoes and stir until mixed.

4. Add the water, bouillon, mustard and agave. Cover with lid and bring to a boil.

5. Once boil, reduce to medium heat and let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

6. After one hour add the swiss chard leaves and optional sausage. Let cook for 5 minutes.

7. Taste and check spices. Adjust with more basil and salt as needed for your preference.

8. Serve over grits, rice or quinoa. Or with a side of cornbread. 

Broccolini Quiche with Potato Rosemary Crust (Gluten-Free)

Dear Readers,
I love a good quiche. What's not to like? Eggs, cheese, veggies, and a buttery crust. Yum. Yum. Yum. Quiche is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. It's leftover keep well for me to nibble on all week.

My co-worker Kelly & her partner operate Happy Tortoise Farm on Sauvie Island and I'm getting fresh delicious eggs from their flock every week. Once you've had fresh eggs, there is no going back. The yolks are an amazing shade of bright orange and incredibly dense. When you whisk fresh eggs they have a completely different texture and a brightness of color that store bought eggs can not compare. With these beautiful eggs I was eagerly planning a quiche recipe for this week.

Then my friend Carrye forwarded me a link about a gluten-free quiche crust challenge from the blog "The Gluten-Free Homemaker." Game on. I'm up for a good challenge. Rather than construct a standard pie crust-flour, butter, cold water with a gluten free flour I went for the extraordinary. I created a gluten-free pie crust out of grated red skin potatoes, fresh rosemary from my herb garden, toasted pecans, and of course butter. It's flavors are amazing. The edges of the crust peaking up above the custard get toasted brown & crunchy tasting like heavenly little potato chip bites. And, while this gluten-free crust doesn't have the same flaky consistency of a flour based pie crust, I believe it totally holds it own.

For the filling I choose broccilini, because it just looked so seductive in the produce market. Often my ingredients choose me. It's rarely the other way around. It seems they see me coming a mile away and put on their best and freshest faces. Broccolini is basically a type of broccoli with loose flowerettes, rather than forming a tight head like typical broccoli. I combined the broccolini with bright gold ribbed swiss chard and mushrooms. For cheese I choose Chevre, because it's creaminess is a perfect compliment to the eggs in the custard. And Asiago cheese for it's nutty flavor.

This recipe is a little labor intensive, taking in total about 2 hours to prep, cook, and bake. It might be a little quicker for you if you aren't taking photos and writing notes every step of the way. Ha! Everything in my kitchen takes longer. Thankfully, it's a labor of love.

If you take the gluten-free quiche crust challenge and create your own recipe, be sure to leave me a link in your comments. I'd love to check it out. Have a wonderful day.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann









Broccolini Quiche with Potato-Rosemary Crust
Makes 6 servings

Gluten-Free Crust:
3 red skin potatoes
1/4 of a red onion
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp toasted pecans
1 beaten egg
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix

Filling:
1/2 purple onion, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt & black pepper
1 bunch broccolini, chopped, about 2 cups
8 mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 large swiss chard leaves, stems & greens chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup Asiago cheese, grated

Custard:
6 eggs
sea salt & black pepper
1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
1/8 tsp dried mustard
2 oz Chevre goat cheese


Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Grease a 9 inch pie pan

1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Peel the red onion. Using the shred attachment on your food processor, drop in the potatoes and onions. Remove the shred attachment and add the normal blade to food processor. To the shredded potatoes and onions now add the rosemary, lemon zest, sea salt, pecans and butter. Pulse a few times to combine. You don't want it to turn to mush.
2. Remove this mixture from the food processor. In a bowl combine with the beaten egg and gluten free baking flour. Stir until just combined.
3. Press crust batter into the greased pie pan.
4. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Turn down oven to 350 degrees.

While pie crust is baking, prepare the quiche filling:

5. Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions with a dash of sea salt & black pepper and saute for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute another 5 minutes. Add the broccolini and swiss chard. Add the lemon zest and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Saute for a few minutes more. You only want the broccolini and chard to slightly wilt. They should still be crunchy and bright green. Remove from heat.
6. Place the cooked veggie mixture in the cooked pie crust. Sprinkle on the grated asiago cheese.

Set aside while you make the custard:

7. In medium sized bowl beat the eggs with a metal whisk. Add the chopped chives, a pinch of sea salt & black pepper, and the dried mustard. Whisk until combined. Crumble the Chevre into small pieces and add to the eggs. Whisk until combined. There will be pieces of Chevre and that is just perfect.
8. Pour the egg mixture over the waiting veggies in pie crust.
9. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
10. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Coconut Orange Cornmeal Pancakes (Gluten-Free)

Good evening!
I just threw these pancakes together for dinner tonight. I wasn't quite sure how the ingredients would work together, but they turned out great. They turned out so tasty I could barely save any to photograph before I dug into them. Enjoy!

This week one of my friends asked me how I came up with recipes. It's hard to explain. It's just the most natural thing in the world for me. Ever since I can remember my brain is always spinning with recipe ideas. Seriously people, I have memories of this from around 10 years old when I tried to make up meals for my poor family! Waking and sleeping, my brain is a buzz with ideas to cook food, style food, serve food and write about food. My friend who asked me this question, she plays the bass. And I told her just like her playing bass, for me cooking is my creative expression. This week, I was reading an article by Anne Lamott in Sunset magazine and I related to her describing this creative process as the sustenance of life. Cooking and gardening, photographing it, and writing about it is what makes my life fulfilling. What fulfills you? What gives your life meaning, purpose and joy? If you feel like sharing, I'd love to hear it. Now, back to the pancakes...

In Delicious Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

1 cup gluten free pancake mix
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, plus extra for garnish
2 eggs
1 tbsp alcohol-free pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened plain soymilk
1 tsp orange zest, plus extra for garnish
juice of one fresh squeezed orange
2 tbsp canola oil
extra canola oil or butter for cooking-about 1 tsp
optional: powdered sugar, butter, honey for topping

1. Warm the canola oil or butter in a skillet over low-medium heat. For cooking pancakes just right you do not want the skillet to be too hot. It burns the oil/butter and overcooks the outside of the pancakes.
2. Combine the dry ingredients. Stir in the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix the batter.
3. Use about 1/4 cup batter per pancake. Pour into warm skillet. Cook each side until lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes per side.
4. Serve warm with optional butter & honey. Garnish with extra coconut, orange zest and powdered sugar. Go crazy. Just down drown out the subtle orange and coconut flavor with maple syrup!

Root Vegetable & Roasted Winter Squash with Ginger Soup

Dear Readers,

It's a typical Spring day here in Portland. Rain, hail, wind, dark & cloudy, sun breaks, repeat. It's way too muddy to work in your garden. Perfect weather for soup making and baking. I'm using the end of the Winter squash I grew last Summer and have stored through the Winter. Today, I was disappointed to find the pumpkin, blue hubbard, and acorn squashes had mildewed & rotted where I was storing them. I was not being attentive, which is a shame considering I lugged a crate of these homegrown squash with me from apartment to apartment when I moved twice in December. Actually, I remember Catherine carrying my squash crate during both moves. Thanks buddy. The good news is the spaghetti squash and butternut both looked just dandy. Not bad for 6 months of storage. Way to go urban homesteader! So, that's what I used and built this soup recipe around them.

First, roast the squash in the oven until they are soft and browned. Add this cooked squash to sweet potatoes, carrots, rutabaga & parsnip. Fresh minced ginger root and coriander, tarragon & sage round out the flavors. It's important you use a "mild" vegetable broth in this soup. I find the Trader Joe's boxed vegetable broth way too strong and bitter. It overtakes any recipe you use it in. I prefer the Pacific natural foods brand vegetable broth or the "No Chicken" vegetarian broth by Imagine foods brand. Both have a much more delicate flavor that does the job without presenting a dominant flavor. I simmered this soup on the stove, because I was home for the evening. You could easily drop it in the crockpot in the morning and puree it in the evening when you return from work.

Lastly, today I am grateful for rain, as it waters all the delicious plant life in Portland. This is by far the greenest place I have ever lived, and I've lived a lot of places. I don't mind the rain and the hail. It doesn't depress me. Spring is marching on and with it comes all sorts of delicious seasonal treats. I am grateful that it's almost asparagus season. Around April we have a short 1 month window for local Asparagus harvest. I am dreaming up all kinds of new recipes to feature asparagus. I'm thinking cream of asparagus soup, asparagus quiche, asparagus in pasta salad, asparagus risotto. Maybe I'll even pickle & preserve some asparagus this year. I love asparagus! Following asparagus we'll have local harvest of fava beans, snap & snow peas, and shelling peas. I sure love a Spring Panzanella loaded with fresh peas. After that comes June bearing strawberries and the early blueberry varieties. I'm also grateful for my new community garden plot and eager to get my hands in some dirt after a long absence this Winter & early Spring. This new development was a very pleasant surprise I received this week. I thought I would not have a garden this year and I was completely heart broken. My brain is now all a buzz with what I'm going to plant.

So, my friends enjoy slurping your soup and enjoy your life. Stop to appreciate and enjoy all the little things you are grateful for. Give and receive as many hugs as you can today.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Root Vegetable & Roasted Winter Squash Soup with Ginger
Makes 4 servings









2 winter squash of your choice--I used spaghetti & butternut
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
1 yellow onion-chopped
1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 sweet potato-peeled & diced
1 rutabaga-peeled & diced
4 carrots-diced
1 parsnip-peeled & diced
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp dried coriander
2 cups vegetable broth (mild flavor, brand such as Imagine or Pacific)
2 cups water
black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash the 2 squash. Slice each in half and scoop out & discard the seeds. (or save them to toast up later!). Place the squash face down in a shallow baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until squash is soft and browned around the edges.
3. While the squash is baking, prep your vegetables by washing, peeling and chopping as designated in the ingredients list.
4. Warm the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions & a pinch of sea salt and saute for about 10 minutes.
5. Add 1/2 tsp of the minced ginger, (reserve the rest for later use), to the onions. Saute for a minute. Add the sweet potato, rutabaga, carrots, and parsnip. Stir. Add the sage, tarragon, coriander and stir. Saute over medium heat for another 5 minutes.
6. Add the vegetable broth and water. Cover the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer over medium heat covered for 1 hour. Stir occasionally to ensure soup is not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
7. Remove pot from heat and let cool down some. Before pureeing soup, add the remaining 1/2 tsp of minced fresh ginger. To puree the soup either use your immersion blender directly in the pot or puree in batches in your food processor. Either way, soup should not be hot when you do so or it will explode everywhere. After pureeing soup add some black pepper and sea salt. Check the flavor and add more sage, tarragon and coriander if desired.

JBR's Banana Pecan Muffins (Gluten-Free)

Dear Readers,

I love pecans. But, first of all if you are allergic to pecans, like my Catherine & Mary are, then substitute some other nuts or omit them entirely in this recipe. Nuts are not crucial in life. And, you don't want to miss out on these muffins according to my friend JBR. We ate these muffins for our morning snack all week at work. She loved them and raved about their taste. I strongly liked them. So, I'm naming them after her. I find the gluten-free flours to have an odmd texture I'm not used to and they seem a little crumbly to me. I don't imagine I'm the only person who's experimented with gluten-free to express these same two concerns. I used the Bob's Red Mill brand Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour. I omitted the Xanthum gum that most gluten-free baking recipes call for because it's like $16 for a small bag and that's totally out of my budget these days! Maybe that's why they were slightly crumbly. Regardless, the flavors were great and I felt good about eating them because they were gluten-free. Enjoy!


In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann









JBR's Gluten-Free Banana Pecan Muffins
Makes 10-12 muffins

1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup honey
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans












1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin pan.
2. In a small bowl combine the canola oil, eggs, vanilla and honey. Beat with whisk until well mixed and fluffy. Add the bananas and stir until combined.
3. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until well mixed.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture in your large bowl. Stir until combined. Do not over mix. Add the pecans and stir.
5. I like big muffins so I use about 1/3 cup batter to each muffin tin. (And, really, who doesn't like big muffins??) Fill the muffin pan with all the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool only a little before eating. Optional serve with butter or vegan spread. Extras keep well in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

Tomato-Fennel Soup with Garbanzo Beans & Quinoa

Dear Readers,
You may remember when I posted a tomato bisque with quinoa recipe in January. I decided to expand on that recipe as the base for this more complex soup. What I love about this recipe is how all the textures combine: the tomato puree, the slight crunch of the tiny quinoa grains, and the softness of the garbanzos. The fennel and tomato compliment each other with a sweet and tangy bite. Honey softens the acidity of the tomatoes, without being overly sugary. You could substitute for the quinoa: brown rice, barley or couscous. By now you should know how much I love quinoa. If you buy your quinoa in the bulk bin, at say Winco Foods, you will cut the cost in half! Plus I'm trying to increase the protein in my diet to accommodate for my recent increase in exercise. This soup is also easy on the budget and cooks up in a few simple steps in about 45 minutes, including prep time. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free and virtually fat-free. Yet it is substantial and satisfying. It's a big pot of soup, which lasts me all week as lunch to bring to work. Enjoy the recipe. I love hearing from you so please send me comments to let me know what you think.

In Health & Joy,
Miss Jolie Ann

p.s. I wrote this recipe while listening to Def Leppard "Love Bites" because sometime you just need a little old school Def Leppard, right Michelle?

Tomato-Fennel Soup with Garbanzo Beans & Quinoa
6 servings

1 yellow onion, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 bulb fennel, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2-28 oz cans of chopped tomatoes in juice
2 cups water
1 tbsp honey
1 cup unsweetened plain soymilk
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
1 cup cooked quinoa

1. Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a stock pot for a few minutes. Add the onions and the sea salt. Saute for about 10 minutes until onions are soft and started to become translucent. Add the basil, oregano, and marjoram. Stir and let cook for 1 minute until the herbs become fragrant. Add the fennel and carrot. Saute for 5 minutes more.
2. Add the tomatoes and water. Stir. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove pot from heat. Add the honey and stir well. Let soup cool, uncovered, for approximately 15 minutes.
4. Once soup is cool you can puree it either in the pot with an immersion blender or in batches in your food processor. Before pureeing, reserve 1 cup of the soup. Once soup is pureed return it to the pot and back to the stove on medium heat. Add the reserved cup of un-pureed soup, and the soymilk. Stir well. Add the quinoa and garbanzo beans. Stir and cook briefly over medium heat until everything is warm & combined. Taste soup for flavors and add desired amount of sea salt to your taste. If soup is too acidic for your taste add another tsp of honey.

Orange Glazed Tofu

Hello readers,

This dish of fried tofu in an orange gravy is paired nicely with the killer mashed potatoes. I used my basic recipe for batter fried tofu which then any sauce can be added. Honey-mustard, barbecue, and 5 spice are a few of my favorite fried tofu toppings. I like to use the high protein tofu from Trader Joes because it's a thick sturdy tofu that holds up well to frying. Or you can use any extra firm tofu, just make sure you drain & press it well prior to preparing to get rid of the excess water. I find the high protein tofu doesn't have excess liquid. The only feedback from my guests about this dish is it could have had more flavor. Also, I don't think there were any vegetarians in attendance, so probably not a crowd big on tofu to begin with. In hindsight I realized it was a difficult dish to choose for a dinner party, because to cook it in large quantities entailed doing batches and then keeping warm in the oven. I left the oven temperature on too high and the sauce all but dried up on the first batch. I think this recipe will turn out much better when cooking on a smaller scale with only one block of tofu. And, consistent with the rest of the dinner party, I did not get any photos. So no matter how you prepare it, it's going to look perfect! Let me know what you think.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Orange Glazed Tofu
Makes 4 servings

1 block Trader Joe's brand high protein tofu
1 cup brown rice (gluten-free) or whole wheat (full of gluten) flour
1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp dried mustard powder
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp smoked parika
black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tbsp low-sodium wheat-free tamari
juice of 6 freshly squeezed oranges
zest of one orange
2 tbsp honey
black sesame seeds

1. Drain the tofu and cut into cubes or strips about 1/2 inch thick. Set aside on a clean towel to absorb excess liquid.
2. In a shallow bowl combine the flour, nutritional yeast, sea salt, basil, parika, dried mustard, and a pinch of black pepper. Stir until combined.
3. In a skillet add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of your pan completely. Warm oil over medium heat.
4. Add the tofu, little by little, to the flour/spice mixture and turn until fully coated.
5. Add tofu to the pan and fry over medium heat. When each side becomes brown and crispy flip the pieces until all sides are browned.
6. Add the vegetable broth & tamari and continue to cook over medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed.
7. While the broth is being absorbed, in a bowl combine the orange juice, orange zest and honey. Whisk together until well combined.
8. Once the tofu has absorbed and cooked down all the broth-tamari liquid, add the orange juice mixture to the pan. Continue to cook over medium heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed and there is left a sticky gravy.
9. Serve tofu with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds.

Spring Pasta Primavera with Garbanzo Beans & Walnuts

Dear Readers,

I don't often post recipes featuring pasta. Honestly, I think it's overdone. But, gluten-free brown rice pasta makes a nice platform for the first of Spring's beautiful vegetables. That's all Pasta Primavera is--fresh Spring vegetables. If you planted a year-round edible garden your overwintering varieties of cauliflower, cabbage & carrots should be ready to harvest. This Winter was pretty mild and the Spring unseasonably warm which means your hardy greens like kale, chard and mustards should all be doing great and producing a nice harvest. Fall planted garlic should be producing nice green shoots or "scapes" to add to your stir-fry dishes. There's not a lot in the edible garden this time of year. But, with some planning it can produce in early Spring.

Pasta Primavera has endless variations. Mine lacks the standard issue bland cream sauce. The vegetables and their fresh tastes headline this dish. The recipe co-stars garbanzo beans, walnuts, garlic and some fresh lemon zest. It's gluten & dairy free. Loaded with vitamins, fiber, and protein. Whole foods goodness. Plus once the chopping prep is done this dish is completely cooked in under 30 minutes. And it's easy on the budget as well with simple ingredients. Filling, delicious and pretty. What more could you ask for. It's virtually a perfect dish. Please send me your comments. I appreciate the feedback.


In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Pasta Primavera with Garbanzo Beans & Walnuts
Serves 4

1/2 of a 16oz package brown rice spaghetti or linguine
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 of a medium yellow onion, minced
2 cups cauliflower florets
3 thin young carrots, thinly sliced
sea salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 cup chopped walnuts
14 oz can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups thinly sliced mixed greens-kale, chard mustard
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1. Bring a stockpot of water to boil and prepare pasta according to package directions. Do not overcook. It should take about 8-10 minutes. Brown rice pasta quickly becomes mushy if overcooked by a minute. Drain pasta and return to the pot off the heat. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt and black pepper and a splash of olive oil on the pasta. Add the nutritional yeast. Stir well. Cover pot and set aside while you prepare the veggies.
2. Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and continue to saute for another 5 minutes. Add the carrots and continue to saute for another 5 minutes. Add a pinch of sea salt & black pepper, and the walnuts. Saute for another 5 minutes. You want the spices to become fragrant and the walnuts to become slightly toasted. Add the garbanzo beans and the garlic. Stir well to combine. Add the greens and cook for approximately 5 minutes. You want the greens to just begin to wilt but remain bright green. They will be slightly crunchy. Overcooked veggies=no bueno. Remove pan from heat.
3. Add the vegetables to the pasta. Add the lemon zest. Check the flavor and add more sea salt if desired. Eat. You be sure to thank me later.

Blueberry & Dark Cocoa Pancakes

Good Morning Readers!

It's my day off and it's been a really busy couple of weeks at work for me. After sleeping in this morning I wanted a more substantial breakfast than my usual fruit smoothie. It's true. Every morning at 6:30am I make a fruit smoothie & green tea for breakfast. I usually follow this up with some steel cut oats around 9:30am. I am a total creature of habit. I've had this breakfast every morning for easily the past 8 years. Prior to that my breakfast was a strong cup of coffee and a couple of cigarettes. So, I'd say my current breakfast routine is a huge improvement. Little did you know Miss Jolie wasn't always such a healthy eater :)

I am not creative when it comes to breakfast. I found what works for me. But, on my days off I'm a little more adventurous. And this morning when I looked outside at the bleak rainy cold morning I was craving pancakes. Since I kicked the gluten last Autumn I've found success with the Trader Joe's brand gluten-free pancake and waffle mix. I also like this mix is sugar-free, as I try to eat a limited amount of sugar in my daily diet. I try to reserve sugar for special occasions. For this recipe you could substitute any gluten-free pancake mix. For the add-in's I used frozen blueberries because we are months away from fresh blueberry season. The frozen organic wild blueberries from Trader Joe's are the perfect tiny size. I was craving chocolate and had on hand unsweetened cocoa powder and dark chocolate. So these got thrown in the batter. I love the taste of pancakes on their own so much that I rarely add syrup. If you use syrup, please people, invest in some pure maple syrup. That "syrup" junk most folks eat is just brown dyed corn syrup without a trace of real maple. Kick the corn syrup to the curb where it belongs. You'll be better off. I hope pancake joy brightens your day today!

In Health & Happiness,
Miss Jolie Ann

Blueberry Dark Cocoa Pancakes
Improvise with Me....

1. Gluten-free pancake mix (follow directions for the quantity you crave)
2. 1 tbsp unsweetned dark cocoa powder--mix this in with the dry ingredients
3. Prepare the pancake mix according to directions. Once wet & dry ingredients are mixed then add in a handful of defrosted frozen blueberries (the amount will depend on how many pancakes you are making).
4. Add in a few shavings of dark chocolate. mmm.
5. Cook pancakes with according to package directions.
6. Optional toppings: butter, powdered sugar, more dark chocolate shavings, maple syrup, blueberry syrup.
7. Drool and/or eat pancakes now.

Coconut Corn Chowder with Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice

Coconut Corn Chowder with Fresh Squeezed Lime

As a seasonal eater, sometimes I really miss the sweet flavors of Summer during the Winter. In fact, I miss them a lot. This recipe is great with frozen corn and satisfies some of those cravings until fresh corn is available in July. I recommend using frozen vs canned corn. Canned corn, or any canned vegetable actually, contains ridiculous amounts of sodium that honestly you just don't need in your diet. Corn chowder recipes are a dime a dozen. What I love about this one is the addition of creamy coconut milk. It really changes up with traditional corn chowder flavor. Fresh squeezed lime & cilantro are a perfect accompaniment to the coconut milk and corn. A comfort food, kind of like creamed corn, without all the dairy and sugar. Added bonus--the recipe is quick and very simple to prepare. Enjoy this little bit of Summer sunshine and flavor in March!

In Health & Love,
Miss Jolie Ann

Coconut Corn Chowder with Fresh Squeezed Lime
Original Recipe by Miss Jolie
approximately 6 servings

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger root, minced
1 small yukon gold or other yellow potato, finely chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
pinch of black pepper
2 16oz packages of frozen corn
2 cups water
14 oz can unsweetened light coconut milk
1 lime, plus extra for garnish
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1. In a stock pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced onions and cook for 5 minutes until they start to turn translucent. Add the minced ginger root and chopped potato to the pan. Continue to saute for 5 more minutes. Add the sea salt, coriander, cumin, and black pepper. Saute for a few minutes more until the spices are well combined and smell very fragrant.
2. Add the corn to the pan. Stir. Add enough water to cover the corn, approximately 2 cups. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer soup for approximately 20 minutes. The corn is already fully cooked, so you just need the potatoes to get soft and all the flavors to combine themselves.
3. Add the coconut milk and let simmer for just a few minutes until it's combined with the soup. Remove from heat and let cool enough to blend.
4. Reserve 1 cup of the soup and set aside. If you have an immersion blender you can puree the soup directly in the pan. Or you can puree the soup in batches in your blender. Remember to never put hot liquids in your blender because the heat will blow the lid off and make a huge mess. Safety first people! :) After soup is pureed to a creamy consistency, add the reserved cup of soup. This gives it a nice texture.
5. Squeeze the juice of one lime and add to the soup. Stir to combine. Garnish each bowl with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free

Hello friends!

I hope you know about Bob's Red Mill because they have awesome products. They distribute nationwide, however, they are a local company just outside of Portland in Milwaukie Oregon. Check out this link to their entire gluten free line. You will also find recipes on their site. My new favorite product of theirs is Gluten Free Might Tasty Hot Cereal. It has great flavor & texture! And, it really beats plain ole cream of rice cereal. I'm excited to try out their gluten free baking mixes. They have quite a few. Let me know your feedback if you've tried any of them.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Gluten-Free Cornbread

Dear Friends,

I have been experimenting with gluten-free baking. I've successfully used Trader Joe's brand Gluten-Free Pancake & Waffle Mix in several incarnations including a lovely cornbread. But, this week I wanted to try some gluten-free cornbread from scratch. I had on hand brown rice flour from Bob's Red Mill. I'm still experimenting and yet to find a perfectly fluffy yumm-o recipe. Of the 2 recipes the one with the Trader Joe's pancake mix was lighter and less dense. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for a light & fluffy gluten free cornbread recipe. I'd be happy to test it out and report back the results.

Tonight I wanted cornbread as a base for my creole spiced black eyed peas with root veggies & mustard greens. Cornbread is the perfect match for this recipe as it soaks up all the juices and is a great compliment to the black eyed peas.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Experiment #1
Gluten Free Cornbread Muffins

1/2 package of Trader Joe's brand Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix
1 cup cornmeal
2 eggs
1/4 oil
1/2 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a muffin pan with oil or butter
2. In a large bowl combine the pancake & waffle mix and the cornmeal. Stir well until completely combined.
3. In a 2nd bowl beat the eggs. Add the oil and water and stir well until combined.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until mixed together. Do not over mix.
5. Pour into muffin pan, about 1/4 cup batter to each muffin.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.
7. Eat warm smothered in honey or butter or just ole plain...

Experiment #2
Buttermilk Cornbread Gluten-Free

1 1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup honey
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 unsweetened plain soymilk or water

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a round or square 10" pan.
2. Sift the dry ingredients together and mix well in a large bowl.
3. In a 2nd bowl combine the wet ingredients and beat until well mixed.
4. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.
5. Pour into pan and bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Warm Cabbage Kale & Quinoa Salad

Hello friends!

Tonight's recipe experiment was inspired by my friend Peggy. A few months ago she was raving about the Tassajara Warm Red Cabbage Salad she made from the 101 cookbooks recipe blog. I was inspired to do so and bought the ingredients including golden raisins. To be honest, I never got around to making the recipe. The bag of golden raisins remains unopened in my refrigerator. Let's back track to Peggy for a moment. Peggy is a fellow foodie, gardener, and plant geek. A social justice advocate who's committed her life to helping others, she is also a talented photographer and eloquent writer. Peggy would never toot her own horn and I'm sure will be mortified I'm writing this but I am inspired by what she has done for our community. Please check out her recent article featured in "Cooking Up A Story."

Tonight I am inspired to cook something with red cabbage, because it's what I have on hand. And my budget is so tight I'm doing a lot of cooking of what I have on hand at the moment. Suffice to say I created this entire recipe out of what I had in my cabinets and refrigerator. It's modified from the Tassajara Warm Red Cabbage Salad in that I omitted the 2 cheeses to make it vegan and I added quinoa to boost the protein and make it a more substantial main course salad. Some people love to follow recipes, me I relish in changing, adapting, and re-creating them!

I absolutely love the combination of sweet, savory, bitter, and salty in this dish. It's textures, colors and flavors are beautifully complex. It is completely loaded with vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. Every single ingredient (with the exception of salt, pepper, vinegar & oil) is listed on the world's healthiest foods website. I love that website by the way--so check it out! I think this one takes the prize for healthy & delicious improvisational recipes. Enjoy! And, Peggy, thanks for putting the bug in my ear about warm cabbage salads!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Warm Cabbage Kale & Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa
1 yellow onion, peeled & diced
olive oil
salt & pepper
1/2 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw unsalted almonds, slivered or sliced
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 head red cabbage, washed, cored & shredded
1 bunch thin young carrots, washed & shredded
1 bunch "lacinato" kale, washed, stemmed & shredded

1. Place 1 cup quinoa with 2 cups water in a covered saucepan. Bring to a boil. Once boiling turn the heat down to a medium simmer. Cook covered for 15 minutes until the liquid is gone and the quinoa grains are light & fluffy.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, warm 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown.
3. When quinoa is cooked place it in a large mixing bowl and add the cooked onions. Stir and set aside.
4. In the warm skillet pan add another splash of olive oil and warm over medium heat. Add the sunflower seeds and almonds. Cook over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until they are toasted. Add the balsamic vinegar and the raisins. Let cook approximately 2 more minutes until the raisins are warm and the vinegar has reduced. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat and add the nut-raisin mixture to the quinoa-onion mixture in the large mixing bowl. Set aside.
5. In the warm skillet pan add another splash of olive oil and continue to warm over medium heat. Add the cabbage and stir. Cover and cook approximately 5 minutes. You only want the cabbage to be slightly soft and wilted. Do not overcook. Add cooked cabbage to the mixing bowl.
6. In the warm skillet pan and another splash of olive oil and continue to warm over medium heat. Add the carrots and stir. Cover and cook approximately 5 minutes. You only want the carrots to slightly soften. Do no overcook. Add the cooked carrots to the mixing bowl.
7. In the warm skillet pan and another splash of olive oil and continue to warm over medium heat. Add the kale. Cover and cook approximately 3 minutes. You only want the kale to slightly wilt. It should still be bright green and slightly crunchy. Do not overcook. Add the cooked kale to the mixing bowl.
8. Now all the ingredients are complete in the mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Taste for flavor and add salt & pepper, olive oil or balsamic as needed. Serve warm.

Creamy Tomato Bisque with Quinoa

This is one of my favorite soups to warm up in the Fall or Winter. In the Fall you can use fresh tomatoes from your garden. During the Winter use tomatoes you've canned or buy some diced canned tomatoes. I like the Muir Glen and Trader Joe's brands. This soup is so creamy, yet it is vegan! Adding delicious quinoa boosts the protein and adds to the creamy texture. I guarantee you will be happy with this filling and decadent tasting soup. Plus it is very simple and quick to make. Enjoy!

Warmly,
Miss Jolie Ann

Creamy Tomato Bisque with Quinoa Recipe
4-6 servings depending on your appetite

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled & diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 28 oz cans chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp honey
1 cup unsweetened soymilk
salt & pepper
1 cup cooked quinoa

1. In a stock pot over medium heat saute the onion in the olive oil until translucent and beginning to brown. Approximately 10 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, basil & oregano. Continue to saute for about 3 more minutes until garlic begins to soften and the spices become fragrant.
3. Add the tomatoes and their juice to the pot. Add the honey and just enough water to cover the tomatoes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn the heat down to a medium simmer. Let simmer covered for about 20 minutes.
4. Add the soymilk and let simmer for a few minutes until thoroughly heated. Taste and add salt and pepper, as much as desired.
5. Turn off heat and add the cooked quinoa. Stir until the quinoa is well combined into the soup.
6. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if they are in season or growing on your kitchen window sill. Devour! :)

Apple-Pear-Ginger Snap Cobbler (Gluten Free!)

Mmmm cobblers! Such a great way to use the bounty of berries and fruit while it's at it's freshest. Cobblers are delicious and really easy to make. Easier than messing with a pie crust! They are basically a layer of fruit baked until soft and juicy with a biscuity layer on top. I made one almost each week during the late Summer and into Fall. You can use blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, apricots, nectarines, apples, pears, plums, etc etc. One of my favorites was blackberry-peach. Once I started decreasing my gluten intake I found these great gluten-free ginger snap cookies at Trader Joe's. They have awesome ginger flavor-very snappy! They make the perfect topping for a gluten-free cobbler. When you bake this cobbler your house is going to smell so good you will be salivating long before it's out of the oven. Enjoy!

In Sweet Sweet Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Apple-Pear-Ginger Snap Cobbler

3 tart apples, peeled, cored & chopped
3 ripe european pears, peeled, cored & chopped
1 stick butter, at room temperature, thinly sliced
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp cinammon
1 package Trader Joe's Gluten-Free Ginger Snap Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Butter a 10x10x10 baking pan. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the apples, pears, 1/2 of the butter, honey, cinnamon and lemon zest. Stir until well mixed. Pour this mixture into the baking pan.
4. In the empty mixing bowl combine the ginger snaps and remaining butter. Use a pastry cutter or forks to crush the cookies into small chunks. The consistency should have mix of small sandy pieces and larger chunks. Add this mixture on top of the fruit mixture in the baking pan.
5. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for approximately 45 minutes-1 hour. The fruit should be soft, the cobbler bubbling, and the top browned and crunchy. Serve warm with optional ice cream or soy dream or coconut bliss frozen desserts! I ate mine straight out of the pan.