Berlin's Whimsy

The Savory Green Smoothie of choice.

 
I make savory green smoothies on a regular basis around here, especially in the winter when I'm craving fresh vegetables. I like V-8 juice and this is my healthier twist on it. I believe fresh garlic is good for you and this smoothie is a tasty way to get some fresh garlic into my diet. It adds just enough kick!

I start with a good-quality tomato juice base. My favorite is Whole Foods' 365 Organic Tomato Juice. I like its flavor the best (though it's from concentrate) and it goes on sale frequently. I've used many kinds, however, including V-8. This summer, I plan to can my own tomato juice for the sole purpose of making more of these smoothies next winter. I'll dream of my summer tomato patch while I sip this flavorful concoction.

To make one, I add a big glug of tomato juice (2 Cups?), some fresh greens (kale, spinach, lettuce leaves, or dandelion greens), a celery stalk, a clove or two of garlic, 1 T. fresh lemon juice, and 2 T. flax seeds to my blender (though I use my Vita-mix, you can use a regular blender for this one). I find that this mixture is very forgiving so you can add many vegetables, such as cucumber, cabbage, bell pepper, basil, a hot pepper(!), etc. It will change the taste a bit but it's always good! I also add water to get things moving (1 Cup?).

On cold days, I add warm water to this smoothie. A warm and savory smoothie is very soothing in that Campbell's-Tomato-Soup-on-a-cold-day sort of way--- only healthier.

 
In fact, we've even used the warm version of this smoothie as a soup! Mmmm. I think I added a bit of cheese and a sun-dried tomato to that blend. I send these in my family's lunches, as well.

:: Okay enough about food, I'll have a post soon about my quick and easy wool skirt I made myself... So warm and cozy on these cold days we're experiencing!

Playing with Grains on a Sunday.

 
I received the cookbook, Good to the Grain, awhile back, but only recently did I delve into its scrumptious offerings. At first glance, I was a little intimidated by the variety of grains it calls for. Nonetheless, this past Sunday, I cracked open the book and read through it in earnest.

 
Soon thereafter, I had the Vita-mix out and a variety of grains at the ready for grinding. I love the ability to grind my own grains. In fact, an old-fashioned grain mill has been on my covet list for quite sometime, but the Vita-mix does great work with grinding in the meantime. 

 
In the book, the author includes a recipe for a Multi-Grain baking mix. It's made from whole wheat, barley, oat, millet, and rye flours. You can grind them yourself or buy them as flours and mix them up. It creates a flour mixture that smells wonderful and is flecked with the golden color of the millet.

 
There are a variety of recipes that use this Multi-Grain mix, including Popovers. Popovers are one of those fanciful baking creations; a basic mixture of grain, eggs, butter, and milk that puff up so magically in the oven. You must be quick about it, though, because their height quickly recedes to a buttery and dense baked treat. Take a quick peek when you pull them from the oven.

 
I was reticent to use a Multi-Grain mix for popovers; I've only used all-purpose flour for them in the past. I questioned their ability to truly rise and pop over (ha!) their tins with whole grains. I was wrong. This mix is magical! It provides a hearty taste yet doesn't inhibit the baked goods' rise too much. I am impressed!

The author mentions using this Multi-Grain mix in other recipes and I will definitely do so. I plan to add it to my regular bread recipe, as well as banana bread and other quick breads.

 
The information about grains and that Multi-Grain baking mix are worth buying the book alone; however, there are other reasons why I love this book...

:: The author has tasted and accurately identified each grain's distinct flavor. She uses the grain's innate flavor to create recipes that highlight it, rather than hide it.

:: She's not too idealistic that baked goods still need a little help here and there from all-purpose flour to rise properly and create a tender crumb.

:: She uses whole grains in quick-bread recipes!!

:: She encourages experimentation, yet she's also a professional who knows where and when to tweak things.

Coconut, Pizzert, & Applesauce in less than 5-minutes.

I read the blog, HEAB, and I've used many of her healthy recipes and ideas. Just yesterday, she shared a couple recipes from other blogs that made my day!

One of the recipes was from the blog, Chocolate Covered Katie. The recipe is for a 'Pizzert.'

 
I had the 'Pizzert' recipe in mind when I went to the store yesterday, but I forgot to buy applesauce for it (I must always bring a list). So, when I got home, I improvised. I microwaved an organic apple, cut in half and covered, in the microwave for less than 4 minutes, threw the whole thing (peel & all) in the blender (a food processor would work, too) and voila, applesauce! In fact, it made the whole house smell wonderful. I'll remember this technique for other applesauce needs (cravings).

 
The 'Pizzert' is like a thick pancake baked in the oven. But that's not all: it's quick to make (you don't even pre-heat the oven), it's fat-free, and good! The variations are endless. I used HEAB's version and a few of my own.

 
To mine, I added Coconut Flour to the dry ingredients and topped the 'Pizzert' with another HEAB-shared recipe, Coconut Cream.

 
To make the cream, I blended Coconut Flour, a little coconut oil (1 tsp?), and enough coconut milk to create a spread consistency. I must admit, I am a coconut addict: I love everything about coconut; its taste AND fragrance. Not to mention the health benefits.

The whole thing (Pizzert and Coconut Cream) were so yummy. We ate it alongside dinner but Pants said, "This should be dessert!" It makes a great breakfast, too...

 

Smoothies for Dessert.

 
My kids love treats. When the clock chimes 7 PM, I'm asked, "Can we have a dessert?"  Where they got the impression that one eats dessert every single night, is beyond me. Is it in their genes?

 
Well, lately I've gotten into the habit of making a healthy smoothie, frozen fruit "ice cream," parfait, or some other similar concoction when the dessert desires occur. But the trick is to make the kids think it's a treat.

 
Presentation is everything (in fact, that goes for almost any cooking for kids). I have my various methods of presentation. I have fansical (that's a word, right?) dessert and parfait glasses. I have super special glass straws. I have a blender that will blend most anything until it no longer resembles its former self (eg. kale).

 
On this particular occasion, I blended equal parts yogurt, soft tofu, frozen strawberries, a squeeze of lemon and some agave nectar until smooth. I poured it into parfait glasses and topped it with a hemp granola. Voila, dessert!

 

Neighborly Almonds--- savory almond recipe

I am fortunate in the neighbor department. I've had so many kind neighbors. Sure, I've had some doozies, too---- like the crazy guy who ran up and down the street threatening people with a chainsaw (true story); but for the most part, my neighbors have meant so much to me. They brighten my day with a wave, they bring over treats, they provide a positive constant in the place where you want to feel the coziest and safest, your home.

On New Year's Day, one of our neighbors brought over some black-eyed peas and corn bread for luck; along with a little note describing the story behind the tradition.

Before Christmas, he gave us some savory roasted almonds. We couldn't stop eating them! Thankfully, my neighbor explained how he makes them and I made my own version; though I don't think my version does his any justice. But they're good, all the same!

Try them and I'm sure you'll like them. And if you want to share a little with your neighbor, all the better!

 
Neighborly Almonds

3 C. raw Almonds

1/3 C. stir-fry or teriyaki sauce (I used Classic Stir-Fry Sauce)

2 T. grainy mustard

2 T. sherry

2 drops liquid smoke

Method: In a bowl, whisk together the coating (all ingredients but the almonds). Add the almonds and stir until the almonds are coated. Leave them in the bowl for an hour, stirring ocassionally. Preheat the oven to 200-degrees.

Pour the almonds onto a thick baking sheet and spread to one layer. Bake for 30 minutes, stir and rotate, and bake for another 30 minutes. Allow to cool on sheets. Store in an air-tight container. Enjoy & share!

 

Citrus Season---Orange Julius recipe.

Decidedly, I want to proclaim every season my favorite for cooking and food. Those spring greens. The summer's bounty from the garden. Fall squash and Thanksgiving. And when I think of Christmas, I usually envision treats, but they aren't the only delights of the season.

 
Citrus season is a favorite of mine. I can only imagine the pleasure our ancestors experienced when they received a perfectly sweet orange in the dreary months of winter (back before the ease of transportation rendered them ubiquitous in our markets). For me, a plump and perfectly sweet/tart grapefruit makes a satisfying dessert on a winter evening. But last night's dessert was an Orange Julius smoothie (remember those?)! (Recipe below)

My son relishes the arrival of pomegranates. This year, he received a little pamphlet on the proper technique to open one. It works like a charm!

 
Yesterday, I was pleased to find persimmons--- colorful and perfectly ripe--- on sale on the shelves of Whole Foods.

Like flickering holiday lights so bright in the winter months, so are these special fruits of the season. I find myself drawn to them this time of year. Though they are quite perfect on their own, there are many ways to enjoy them... 

Simple Bites' citrus salad with a drizzling of rose water sounds like a great option!

 
 
Colorful smoothies. And an Orange Julius:

• 2 large oranges, peeled
• 1 C. prepared Orange Juice (or fresh squeezed---even better)!
• 1/2 C. simple syrup (or to taste)
• 2 tsp. powdered milk
• a handful of ice

Blend it all up and enjoy! Serves 2.

Late Summer.

Ah, late summer. It's such a wonderful time of year... because fall is just around the corner!

In addition, the garden is coming to fruition and offering up delicious results. Harvest season is such a wondrous time. I pulled these beauties from my garden yesterday. With eight tomato heavy with tomatoes, I'm going to be busy in the coming weeks!

Whenever I pull a vegetable from the garden, I envision ways to prepare it. That zucchini will be roasted along with some other veggies in my veggie drawer. The Anaheim peppers will be broiled and stuffed with some jack cheese. Some of those tomatoes will be sliced onto tomato sandwiches on homemade bread  (mmmm). Those little Thai peppers? Well, they're hot as the dickens so I'm going to dry them and grind them into a powder to add a little heat to dishes throughout the year.

How about you? What do you have planned for your garden treasures?

Sunflower Seed - Basil Sauce Recipe

Veggies make up a big portion of my diet recently. Mostly, I've been sauteing them and drizzling a variety of dressing over the top. Often I turn to the Yumm-y Sauce but with a little experimentation, I found a new favorite!

One of our favorite simple pasta dishes is pasta with homemade pesto and a sprinkling of toasted sunflower seeds. The flavor of sunflower seeds and pesto is amazing. This sauce (or dip, you choose!) blends those flavors wonderfully!

Sunflower Sauce (or Dip)

1/2 C. toasted sunflower seeds (I buy them at Trader Joes)

1/3 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 T. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

1 T. honey

4 T. warm water (or enough to thin)

scant 1/4 C. fresh basil leaves

Method: Place all ingredients in either a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Thin with more warm water if you want it to be a drizzling consistency. Makes approximately 1 1/2 Cups.

It's amazing on stir-fried greens! In fact, this photo makes me want to make some now for breakfast!

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Have you entered the Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway!? You have until this Friday to enter. I'm glad to hear you all are enjoying their website and wares as much as I do!

Favorite Oat Bran Muffins

I've been on an oat kick lately. By far, I eat oats this way the most often: soak 1/2 C. oats & 1 T. chia seeds  in 1 C. water overnight. In the morning, add your milk of choice (mine is usually almond or soy) and voila! I prefer the texture of soaked oats to the traditional stove-top method--- they retain some of the their texture.

However, here's another way to get your oats (oat bran) in--- a way that my kids enjoy, too!

The only caveat is that the best muffins are made from Trader Joe's Chunky Spiced Apples. It's perfect for these muffins! 

Oat Bran Muffins

1/2 C. dark brown sugar

1 1/2 C. Oat Bran

1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cardamom

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 C. Trader Joe's Chunky Spiced Apples

4 T. vegetable oil

Method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Either line or grease a 12-C. muffin tin.

Mix the dry ingredients together (oat bran, flour, leavening, spices, salt) in a bowl. Mix the sugar, eggs, and oil together in another bowl and allow the sugar to dissolve a bit. Mix the two together and stir until just blended (it's okay if there are bits of flour not stirred in--- don't over stir)! 

Fill each muffin tin 3/4 the way full. Bake for approximately 15-minutes or until golden brown.

Added: If you don't have a Trader Joes nearby, you can make your own chunky applesauce to use for this recipe or to eat all on its own!

The way I'd do it would be to peel and quarter three apples (1 granny Smith to hold its shape and two others) and place in a saucepan over medium heat. Add a little apple juice concentrate (or brown sugar if you want), 1 tsp. cinnamon, a dash of mace and nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and about 2 tsp. lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat until the apples are cooked through but retain some of the shape. Remove half the apples and puree and return to the chunky ones. Yummy!

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I have a fun giveaway coming up on Monday! Hint: It's clothing related... :-)

Jason's Biscuits. My favorite biscuit recipe.

Almost as much as I love eating biscuits, I love making them. In fact, any recipe that calls for cutting butter into dry ingredients makes me smile. It must be the baker in me.

Anyhow, I considered myself a fairly good biscuit maker until one weekend my brother (who is a professional chef) came down and baked the most fabulous biscuits ever. Huh?! What was his secret? Well, he added an egg to the dough. I was a little skeptical because never in all my biscuit making have I added an egg. He said the egg creates a biscuit that is little more cakey. And it does. It creates a biscuit that is both flaky AND cakey, and very tender. Yum. And if you use a farm fresh egg, the biscuits are a beautiful, buttery yellow color.

(the biscuits before baking)

So, this is my favorite biscuit recipe---- my version of Jason's Biscuits. They are high rising, tender, and very, very yummy. They aren't my usual healthy fare, but they are a great treat when the occasion warrants the best biscuits ever (biscuits and gravy, biscuits with freezer jam, biscuits with lemon curd, biscuits with eggs.... mmmmm. You get the idea).

Here are my tips for making great biscuits:

- I cut in butter using my fingers because I believe I can control the size and consistency that way. I work quickly, though, so my fingers don't melt the butter. 

- I keep the dough cool. If it's very hot out, I chill the dry ingredients with the butter cut in before adding the buttermilk mixture. In fact, you can cut in the butter and leave this mixture in the refrigerator and whip up a batch of biscuits in no time just by adding the liquids to this mix when the biscuit need arises.

- I use a fork to mix in the liquids and I don't mix too much. It should just come together before you pour the mixture onto a work surface and knead it together once or twice.

- I lightly press the dough into a rectangle (don't push it down too hard) and I keep the dough fairly thick. I like my biscuits tall.

- I use a metal biscuit cutter to cut the shapes. You can use such things as a glass or a can but I believe that a thin, straight cutting edge doesn't press the edges of the biscuit down and allows the biscuit to rise better.

- Don't bake them too long or they will dry out. They should be tinged light brown and be slightly firm when pressed, but not too much so.

Jason's Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

5 T. butter

1 egg

approx. 1 C. buttermilk (see method)

Method: Preheat oven to 450-degrees.

Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in butter until pieces are the size of peas. Crack egg into a measuring pitcher and fill with enough buttermilk to measure one cup. Whisk to mix the egg in. Add this mix to the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until it just comes together. Pour onto work surface and knead once or twice. Lightly press the dough into a rectangle approximately 2-inches thick. Cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter. Reshape any remaining dough. I get nine biscuits out of this recipe.

Place biscuits on a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet and bake for approximately 9-12 minutes, until just a little brown tinged.

Makes 9 tall biscuits.