Muhammara (Say WHAAT?!)

Repeat after me... Moo-Ha-Mar-A!

What might you ask is this? It is basically a red pepper dip from Aleppo, Syria. My first encounter with muhammara was when I was working in the test kitchen at Saveur Magazine, and I got to lo and behold first test a recipe for this concoction I knew nothing about -- nor what it tasted like.

Holy taste bud delight!

Think bright roasted red peppers with syrupy pomegranate sweetness, add the smoothness of walnuts and breadcrumbs blitzed with olive oil... and a good dose of cumin for depth? Yeah - basically that is what this is. Hungry yet?

I forgot about muhammara until I was shopping the Whole Foods Market in Salt Lake City, desperately looking for anything that would excite my baby food/soft mush diet (the joys of a broken jaw). In the hummus aisle (who says you can't eat hummus with a spoon?!), I found a little slice of heaven in a container. Needless to say, I devoured a half pint solo in four days.

Back East, I knew I couldn't find the same product. So I decided to whip out the old Saveur recipe and tweak it for my ease and what was available. The end result that night was delicious. A day or two later? Still amazing, even though the subtle heat from the red pepper flakes has deepened and become a bit smokier. Given it is 20 degrees colder where I am in VT than home in UT or RI, I gladly welcome some heat in my life!!! Should you not share my penchance for heat, by all means reduce/eliminate the red pepper flakes all together!

Muhammara

13 ounces roasted red peppers, drained
2/3 cup pistachio crumbs (this is basically 50/50 breadcrumbs and ground pistachios - sub in all breadcrumbs if you like, just be sure to taste the dip so it's to your liking)
1 cup shelled walnuts
5 cloves garlic, peeled
6 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt, to taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup olive oil

Combine peppers through cumin in a blender or Cusinart and puree. Add salt, red pepper flakes, and half of the oil. Blend well. Add the remaining oil as desired, tasting for seasoning, heat, and sweetness.

Serve with pita points -- or for those with a broken jaw, a spoon!

Makes... a LOT!

Banana-Peanut Butter-Almond-Coconut Smoothie

This should be a crime. It's relatively healthy, but so calorie packed with substance (rather than those sugar- and dairy-filled milkshakes you might get at your local fast food joint). And SO good.

I've recently been restricted to a liquid diet. Not all as fun as you might think. No booze, and I've recently resumed coffee to get me through finals. It's not running through my system all too well.

After 36 hours no food, I could hardly walk by myself without lunging for something (or opting for the wheelchair). I'm usually a stair-taker -- I couldn't even do that (albeit two flights at 8,500 feet isn't a piece of pie). Some may stay in the hospital in that condition, thinking they were too weak to go home. I've been through surgery before -- you only heal as fast as the quality sleep and rest you get, the remedies your mom gives you (OK, for me...), and the quality, nutrient-packed foods that I only seem to get at home. So, what did I make as soon as I got home Sunday night, still groggy from anesthesia? A calorie-packed smoothie full of good fats that would quell my hunger, soothe my throat, go down smoothly, and enable me to sleep through the night.

I hit the nail on the head.

**I use this as a post-op, low volume, calorie-dense treat. It would also be good for those in a refeeding stage eager to minimize simple sugars.

Banana-Peanut Butter-Almond-Coconut Smoothie

1 banana, frozen
1/4 cup smooth, organic peanut butter
Liquid probiotics, if desired
Cinnamon, if desired
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 cup Coconut Bliss Vanilla Island frozen dessert
1/2 cup, plus more if desired, sweetened almond milk

Combine all ingredients in a Vitamix and puree on high until smooth and velvety. Enjoy in a mug or with a spoon.

Roasted Cauliflower Salad

It's been one of those weekends where Friday couldn't come soon enough, and you wish Friday (with it's 18" of snow) was just a darn SNOW day so you could frolic in the field and enjoy it all.

Ha. 

While the car and stairs are dug out, I've decided to spend my evening inside cooking up a storm - namely this dish below, inspired by this recipe from Food & Wine magazine.

Some notes. I can't tolerate lentils, and I was craving something more simple and tasty... So I used the spice blend in the F&W recipe, and then roasted my little chunks of cauliflower, and added a slew of kale. SCORE! 

This is SO good. Enjoy it alone, with some marcona almonds for a light lunch, or toss with some kale ribbons, rice pasta, and a bit more olive oil or butter and you've got a delicious and nutritious dinner!

Roast Cauliflower Salad

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized chunks

Olive oil, to coat

Salt, as desired

1 shallot, thinly sliced

10 dates, chopped

1-2 tablespoons honey

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cumin

8 small Lacinato kale leaves, finely chiffonaded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and a bit of salt. Place in oven and roast until deeply colored, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, shallot, dates, honey, cinnamon, cayenne, cumin, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Add kale. Set aside.

Once the cauliflower is done, immediately toss hot cauliflower with the spice mixture, toss well, and let rest for 5 minutes. Stir well again, taste for salt, then serve.

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side dish.

Gluten Free Waffles

I. LOVE. WAFFLES!

Last year, banana-nut almond flour pancakes were my go-to. This year? I actually haven't made pancakes, french toast, or waffles since... this summer? The morning I went mountain biking and did THIS to my legs?

(Yeah, I was complimented on my war wounds shopping in one of the SLC Whole Foods. I kind of liked it).

This summer, there were a few occasions when I slept in, made a big lazy breakfast, and sat out on the sunny deck. It currently looks like this:

French toast (with Udi's GF bread) was my first go-to. Then I realized I had the little waffles makers. Personally, I prefer Belgian-style (the thick kind) waffles, but these were oh so tasty. Topped with salted nuts, sliced bananas, coconut flakes, cinnamon, and LOTS of hot maple syrup from VT...? AMAZING!

Gluten-Free Almond Flour Waffles

1/2 cup almond flour
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Add egg yolks in a well in the middle. Whisk together. Add oil and vanilla and combine well. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks, and add to batter gently, folding in until just mixed.

Pour into a heated, lightly greased waffle iron. Cook according to the timer on the waffle maker. Top with your choice of toppings, perhaps blueberries and maple syrup, peanuts and fruity syrup, or my favorite, bananas, salted nuts, and LOTS of maple syrup!

Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins

These have been a go-to of mine over the past year. Filled with blood sugar-stabilizing almond flour and antioxidant-rich blueberries, I like to think these are a virtuous breakfast treat. The reality is, they're amazing because they never fail in keeping me full and satiated until lunch... a good thing when you're always on the move.

Gluten-Free Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins

Loosely adapted from Elana's Pantry

4 ounces almond meal or flour (I like Bob's Red Mill)

2 large eggs, beaten well

1 ounce honey or maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 cups frozen blueberries (you can also choose another fruit in a similar chunk size)

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, combine wet ingredients. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir in blueberries. Pour into prepared muffin tins, about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let cool completely. Serve within 24 hours or freeze to enjoy at a later date.

Banana-Nut Vanilla Chia Breakfast Pudding

As a child, I LOVED 'fish eyes and glue' - tapioca pudding for the rest of you...

Fast forward 28 years, and I'm dairy-free (for the most part). So tapioca pudding and I haven't partied together in quite a while. Luckily, I discovered chia seeds.

I've been looking for raw chia seeds for a while - ended up finding a package at my local TJ Maxx (along with the best Marmot furry vest EVER, score!) this past fall. I'm hooked!

Chia pudding is the perfect healthy breakfast for me. Easy to make, healthy, filling, readily packable in a Mason jar. And topped with bananas, salted macadamia nuts (or these crazy ones), and some candied nuts, like you see below, it'll keep me going all morning!

Here's my recipe for a basic breakfast pudding that you can dress up with your choice of toppings. What is your favorite way to dress up your chia pudding?

Basic Vanilla Chia Pudding

1/2 cup chia seeds
2 cups vanilla almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp maple syrup (brown rice syrup also works well)

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients well. Let sit, refridgerated, overnight. Scoop into mason jars and top with your favorite toppings! I like chopped bananas, nuts, and cinnamon.

Banana Ice Cream

What to you do when you have six over-ripened bananas?

Make banana bread you say? Well yes, if you do gluten...

But if not? Why not make "healthy" banana ice cream?

I'd seen this recipe many times prior, but never got my act around to execute it. One hot day this summer, nothing sufficed for breakfast before a mellow hike. I was hot. Thirsty. This was the perfect breakfast. Nutritious, yet could be dressed up with power foods like macadamias, coconut, and dried cranberries for added oomph to power me up hill.

How do you like to dress up your banana "ice cream?"

Banana "Ice Cream"

6 bananas, diced, and frozen

In a Cuisinart, blend frozen bananas until creamy. Serve immediately.

Eat Your Colors

So where have I been? The past, oh, 4 months have been a blur. Like putting your life on fast-forward xx4? Yeah. Welcome to mine. Life really should come with a pause button.

While I have been cooking, there isn't anything wild and crazy you haven't seen yet... so I'm going through some of the posts I should have posted back, oh, WHEN I TOOK THESE SHOTS?!?! But there are times when you gotta hunker down and work hard.

So, this is the second installment in a series of "Remember When" food shots from when the grass was green and the temperatures were consistently above 30 degrees F. I had just ridden 60-70ish miles with a dear friend from Vermont to raise money for the Krempels Center for those who have suffered from brain trauma. We were so gung-ho on getting a beer (or two...) that by the time the ride was over, there was no more food! Armed with some chocolates, I decided to forget meandering around southern New Hampshire seeking food and beelined it home, where I promptly cleaned off all the road grime, poured myself a large glass of wine, some salty macadamias and apricots, then napped until dinner time.

This is what I awoke to, to go along with another much needed glass of wine. A brilliant salad, full of color. Cherry tomatoes. Avocadoes. Orange segments. Cucumber. Sweet red pepper. Leafy Boston lettuce and baby greens. And, of course, brilliantly purple edible flowers. Dressed with a light maple-champagne vinaigrette, it was the perfect thing to round out a busy day.

Remember When? Grilled Pizzas

It's been ages since I've posted... I decided to go through my culinary adventures since June 2013 and share some of the highlights....

This was one of my favorite summer meals. I spent the summer in Utah, living up in my little slice of heaven at Alta Ski Area and working in downtown Salt Lake City on environmental remediation and compliance contracts -- my dream job.

As it was just me, I spent a lot of time cooking up fresh vegetables from my share from Liberty Heights Fresh and grilling chicken sausages or my favorite Canyon Meadows Ribeye from Caputo's. This meal was an impromptu attempt to feed myself when nature released her fury.

Flash back to July 4th. I had spent the morning hiking with friends and napping up at Cecret Lake solo. Walking home, a good friend convinced me to join him for a drink at a BBQ. Three drinks later, I rolled home and collapsed into bed... only to be woken up at 12 midnight to a rainstorm the likes of which I'd never heard.

The next morning, I awoke at 5:30 to make my way down Little Cottonwood to the gym. But, I was quickly thwarted at avalanche gate B. It was down (and there was no snow). I was so confused. The power didn't go out - what was wrong?

After calling good friends in the know, I saw the UDot announcement that we'd had rockslides and mudalanches... and the road was closed. So, no work for me. Hiking it will be! Worse, I was in desperate need of food...

Lucky for me, that night, I had frozen pizza dough and a fresh bunch of figs and arugula from a shop earlier in the week at my disposal... the rest, they say, is history.

Grilled Pizzas

1 frozen pizza crust
Brown rice flour, as needed
Cheese, for topping (I like mozzarella, tallegio, goat cheese, Brie)
Toppings of your choosing

Preheat the grill to 500 degrees F. Roll out the dough into two small rounds. Coat lightly with brown rice flour. Place on hot grill for 2-3 minutes, flip. Cook 2 minutes longer. Take the crust inside and top with your choice of sauce and toppings, first cooked side up. Place the pizza, second side down, back on grill (with the top closed) until the cheese is just melted. Let cool 1-2 minutes and serve.

Some combinations I like:
Arugula, grilled figs, pesto, proscuitto
Pesto, pignola nuts, raisins
Pesto, tomato sauce, caramelized onions, and zucchini

Candied Spiced Macadamias

These are one of my all-time favorite snacks... slash glam cheese platter accompaniments, plus a great gift for the holidays. And they're easy to make -- healthy -- AND easy to eat!

I make two versions of these -- one with herbs de Provence. The other with a spicy cayenne-cumin-curry mix.

The spice mix, I feel, goes best with some salted macadamias as a base. The herbs de Provence go well with salted mixed nuts. But the fun here is being creative with making up a combination that suits you!

Here's the basic recipe -- feel free to experiment and try new combinations as you see fit

Spiced Candied Nuts

2 cups salted mixed nuts (if you don't use salted nuts, then add salt to taste, well)
1/2 cup honey, plus more if desired
2-3 tablespoons spice mix (herbs de Provence or 1/3-1/3-1/3 cayenne-cumin-curry)

In a large (10-12") skillet, heat up nuts over medium high heat. Add honey and cook until liquid and nuts are all coated. Add seasonings, distributing well. Stir well and cook 1-2 minutes longer, until honey starts to caramelize. Pour onto silpat or parchment paper, and cool completely.

Serve with an array of cheeses (Fromager D'Affinois and Humboldt Fog), fig jam, and fruit... or with a hearty kale or arugula salad... or snack plain alone!