Falling into the next season

Happy Autumnal Equinox! It is fall time. Here in California, we share the same shortening of the days as everyone, but we are still eating tomatoes and watermelon, though they won't last much longer. I have personal chef friends and colleagues all across the country with whom I share recipes along with many other business related ideas. Gone are the postings of tomato and salad recipes. Our in boxes are full of soups, stews, and winter squash ideas. 
Eating seasonally has become as trendy as being a locavore these days. This is a good thing! Eating locally and seasonally is not a new idea. It goes all the way back to caveman/woman days. You ate what you could harvest and hunt. You relished the fresh greens out of the ground in the spring,filled your bellies with berries in the summer, dug roots in the fall,and saved what you could keep over the winter.  

Fall is the season for harvesting, reaping what we have sown and nurtured through out the summer. Think of this on the physical, emotional, and spiritual level. Fall is a time of balance of the light and the dark, time to work on our own balance, again inner and outer. What in your life is out of balance ?

We naturally gravitate away from the cold refreshing foods of summer - salads, juicy fruits, cold and tart.  Now is the time for roasting root vegetables, making pots of soup that fill the house with their aroma, sipping hot tea instead of iced, baking. 

Go to the farmers' market if you can, or look in your favorite grocery store for what is fresh and in season. Have you ever had a roasted parsnip ? celery root? a yellow or chiogga beet ? When was the last time you ate turnips, if you ever have ?? Roasting root vegetables is a delicious and easy way to enjoy the fall bounty.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Use what ever vegetables you like or want to try. These work well... carrots, potatoes, beets, parsnips, celery root, turnips, rutabaga, onions. The celery root you will want to peel, but I don't bother with the rest. Just make sure they are clean and cut out the bad spots. I like bite size chunks. Just make sure you cut everything approximately the same size. Preheat your oven to 400º. Fill a large sheet pan/baking sheet with your veggies. Coat with olive oil ( several Tablespoons), salt and pepper. Depending on your tastes you could add garlic ( whole cloves or granulated), Herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, rosemary. Roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Check after the first 15, stir and turn over the veggies for even cooking. You want some crispy caramelization.  Enjoy. I like the leftovers with eggs for breakfast.

Quinoa Pudding

I have been focussing much energy this week on cleaning up my diet, banning added sugar for the moment. I am also seriously reducing my starchy carbohydrate intake as well as overall amount of food. For me to be successful with this, I need to maximize nutrition and taste. I want my meals to give me the power and energy I need while satisfying my taste buds.
We need carbohydrates for energy. Quinoa is a good grain to keep IN the diet.It has no gluten, is high in protein, low on the glycemic index, and is quite versatile. I had some yesterday in a savory main dish with shrimp and vegetables. Today it is dessert, and I still have some already cooked for another creation, perhaps a cold salad. As well as being gluten free, I don't use much dairy. Coconut milk is an extremely satisfying alternative.
Quinoa Pudding

serves 4

1 c. cooked quinoa ( some say rinse before cooking to reduce any bitterness, I also suggest soaking overnight before cooking for easier digestion)

1c. coconut milk ( go ahead and use the full fat, and please get organic)

1 tsp. Chinese 5 spice powder

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 T. lemon juice

2 pears, cored and cubed

pinch of salt

1/4c. chopped walnuts

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Enjoy warm or cold.

So, we have got protein from the quinoa, good fats from the coconut milk and walnuts, sweetness from the pears, and unusual flavor from the 5 spice powder. This is tonight's dessert as well as breakfast one morning this week.

This is a recipe that has room for much improvisation. I didn't use any sugar. If you want, add some honey or agave nectar. I used pears because they are coming into season. Try apples. Stone fruits are still in season here in California so plums or peaches would be good. If I had had some fruit liquor that would have matched the flavors, I would have added 1 T. If only I had not finished off that ginger liquor! That would have been tasty. I have a lemon tree in my yard and this week lemons are plentiful. Orange zest would also work really well. And, of course, use any nuts you like.

Eating food like this reminds me that high power nutrition can be delicious. No reason to stray from the course I have set! Enjoy. 

Figs!

I love figs! I used to eat canned figs and cream at my grandparents' house growing up. I don't remember liking them then. As an adult, I discovered dried figs ( Fig Newtons don't really count as eating figs) and then, one wonderful day, I ate my first fresh fig. Oh joy!  While not cheap, they are available now and worth every penny. I cooked a dinner party a few weeks ago and made a wonderful appetizer called Figs in a Blanket, a fresh fig, stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in prosciutto , baked to a heavenly crunchy gooeyness, and drizzled with a honey and balsamic vinegar reduction. mmm. In an earlier post, I mentioned fig gelato, and that same friend has made fig pickles. Recently on one of the many internet sites I peruse for recipes, I found this one shared by a personal chef colleague for Chicken and Fig salad.
It is originally from the California Fig Advisory Board. Now, that would be a fun gig!

Greek Style Chicken Fig Salad

serves 6-8

1/4 c orange juice

1 T plain yoghurt ( I used Bellwether Farms Sheep's milk)

1 T lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced, or crushed with a press ( I used more)

1/2 T Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 c good olive oil

1 1/2 c ( about one lb) cooked, diced chicken breast

1 1/2 c cooked chickpeas ( at the last minute I realized I had forgotten to buy any, I think they would add alot to the recipe)

1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced 1/4 in. thick ( I used the English variety and didn't peel)

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped or sliced

3/4c. fresh figs ( about 10) diced ( or quartered)

3 c. mixed salad greens

6T chopped fresh mint

In a large bowl, whisk together the orange juice, yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until well blended. Add the chicken, chickpeas, cucumber, onion, and figs; stir and toss to coat well. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

To serve, divide the greens among individual plates. Top each with an equal amount of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with the mint.

I also added some herbs to the dressing mix - finely chopped mint, thyme, and oregano, to bring in more flavors of Greece. I added some celery to the salad and garnished with pine nuts. You could add feta cheese. Try a bit of honey in the dressing. Pomegranate seeds would make a lovely addition and garnish.

If, ( gasp!) you don't like figs, you probably aren't reading this anymore, but if that is the case, you could substitute grapes, or do that when figs are out of season which will be soon.

While this didn't really remind me of the Greek food I have eaten, smelling the thyme and the oregano did. I have spent many happy days on the beautiful island of Crete, sitting amidst the herbs . I wonder what dishes this will inspire me to cook now. Opa!!

A walk in the Park

Today is a bright sunny day and a friend and I went for a walk in the beautiful Forest of Nisene Marks in Santa Cruz Co. California. A busy place today, we saw families on bicycles, people of all ages running and hiking, enjoying the sunshine and the shade the redwood trees provide.
I am sure most of you have heard that California's budget is in a state of dire emergency. Next week, the legislature will decide what parks it needs to close to save money. Nisene Marks is one of the parks under consideration, because it has no campgrounds. Closing the park doesn't mean that people won't have access to it. There will be no rangers to collect fees, no one to maintain the roads and trails ( and the bathrooms!), no one to patrol and provide some safety. Some parks will be entirely closed and others will have trail closures.
I think this is one of the ridiculous decisions being made. Our parks provide so much for us as seen today by how many people were there using this one. It is a beautiful sanctuary, a reminder of our past, a place of quiet, a place for family fun. Dare I say it ? These trees are sacred and holy. Some of them are ancient, all of them have something wise to say and something precious to give us.
There is some expression about something being as easy as a walk in the park. Something to think about and not take for granted.
Today, I listened to the trees, I listened to my friend, I listened to the children laughing and I was happy. 

Summer Vegetable Tart

I am always looking for easy, light, gluten free recipes utilizing the best of the season. This vegetable tart or pie fits the bill perfectly. Adapted from a recipe from Cooking Light magazine, it is the best of summer with fresh ripe tomatoes, basil, and swiss chard, all from my visit to the farmers' market over the weekend. The chard was getting a bit limp, so it needed to be cooked today. 
Summer Vegetable Tart

serves 4 -6

crust:

2 cups cooked brown rice

2 T commercial pesto ( i didn't have any, so chopped up 2 T of basil, added 2 T olive oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 T grated pecorino romano cheese*) ( you could use parmesan if you like)

   * I am lactose intolerant and seem to be able to tolerate goat's milk cheeses

1 T grated pecorino romano cheese

1 large egg

cooking spray

filling:

3 large eggs

  *if you can tolerate dairy, add 1/2 cup milk ( low fat or cream, up to you!)

salt and pepper to taste ( pecorino is VERY salty so I didn't use any salt)

2 cups of cooked seasonal vegetables ( i used 1/2 onion and swiss chard sauteed in 1 T butter and 1 T olive oil)

3 small plum tomatoes ( or one larger beefsteak variety)

1 T. chopped fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 350º. (* I am so excited! I just learned how to make that degree symbol! simultaneously press the option key and the number zero, cool eh?)

2. To prepare crust, combine rice, pesto, cheese and 1 egg. Firmly press mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9 in. pie plate, coated with cooking spray. Wet your hands and this will be easier. Bake at 350º for 15 mins and remove from oven.

3. Increase oven temp. to 400º

4. To prepare filling, whisk eggs. Add seasonings and milk if using.

5. Spoon cooked vegetable mixture evenly on bottom of prepared crust. Top with egg mixture, then tomato slices. ( here is where you could get really creative. The original recipe called for grated cheese and prosciutto. Go ahead! or olives or ??? I added a bit more cheese underneath the tomatoes)

6. Bake at 400º for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 325º and bake an additional 35 minutes until set. ( Because I didn't use milk, mine was only in for an additional 15 minutes, so check!) Cool 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with the chopped basil. ( I forgot!)

I realized as I was taking pictures that my vegetables match my placemats today. My friends will tell you that I am all about matching, but this truly was unintended. Funny! 
This would be great for any meal of the day, or an afterschool snack. I have been (more or less) gluten free for about 15 years. I do not have Celiac's disease but do have hypothyroid and arthritis issues and find that I feel much better when I do not eat wheat or other gluten containing grains. One of my fellow personal chefs ( thanks, Laura!) mentioned The Gluten Free Registry yesterday. I have listed For Life! Personal Chef Service there and definitely plan to use this information when I make a trip to New England this fall. It is getting easier and easier to follow a gluten free diet. 15 years ago, it was all about lack, NOT being able to eat interesting food out and about. This is not so true anymore. More about gluten intolerance coming up in other posts.

We are in the height of tomato season here in Central Coastal California. Enjoy them while they are here.