Refreshing Apple-Veggie Salad

This refreshing sweet and savory apple-veggie salad is a tasty side dish year-round, and gives you options as to which vegetables you wish to add. Here's how I adapted a classic Broccoli Apple Salad to my liking.

Ingredients

1/4 cup Red Onion

1 large crisp Red Apple

1/2 cup fresh Pineapple Chunks

1/2 cup Craisins

4 stalks Celery, chopped

1/2 cup Walnuts (or Pecans), chopped

Other suggested options or additions: Broccoli, Carrots (sliced or slivered), Spinach, 

Pickled Beets, Strawberries, Mandarin Oranges or Orange segments (chopped),

Garbanzo Beans, Jicama... experiment with whatever you have on hand

Dressing Ingredients

1/2 cup Mayonaise 1/2 cup

1/2 cup Yogurt, plain or honey flavored for extra sweetness

2 Tablespoons, fresh squeezed Lemon

1 Tablespoon Sugar, more or less

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 pinch Cayenne (or 1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper)

Directions

1. Prepare, slice or chop first set of ingredients into a medium bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix the salad dressing ingredients together.
3. Pour the salad dressing over the salad ingredients, mix and chill.
4. Serve in small bowls or on a plate on a bed of lettuce or spinach.

Merry Mac & Cheese

Who says that the gluten-intolerant can't enjoy one of America's favorite comfort foods during the holidays - Macaroni and Cheese?!

I think I may make the best homemade Mac and Cheese on the planet - and it's gluten-free. For the holidays, add some Christmas color by folding in or laying the noodles and cheese sauce with a your favorite red. white and green veggies, lightly sauteed. I call this version Merry Mac and Cheese. This dish is a great way to get your kids to eat more veggies!

This recipes does have some dairy, as I won't give up real cheddar cheese (soy cheeses are no substitute in this case). So, for those that are also lactose-intolerant, who don't want to give up their mac and cheese, consider taking the enzyme supplement lactase. I find that soy cheese is tasteless and doesn't melt the same as regular cheese, but give it a try, if real cheese is absolutely not an option for you. Let me know how it turns out.

Ingredients (I like to double this recipe. If you do, remember not to double the salt):

1/2 pound medium or sharp Cheddar Cheese, cubed
4 tablespoons Butter (or butter substitute)
4 tablespoons all-purpose, gluten-free Flour*
1 teaspoon Vegetable Bouillon
1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Dash of Nutmeg (freshly grated is best)
1-1/2 teaspoon Seasoned Salt (I love using Herbamare; watch out for MSG in seasoned salts)
2 cups Milk Substitute (I use Rice Milk or Coconut Milk - original (neutral flavor))
1 8-ounce package of Quinoa Elbow Macaroni (I find that rice noodles tend to get mushy, but not the quinoa noodles - they stay firm)
Paprika for the top garnish
Mix of red, white and green vegetables to stir in or layer is optional*

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
2. If including colorful vegetables, chopped and lightly saute mixture with a little olive oil or butter (substitute).
3. Cube the cheese into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside in a bowl.
4. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter, blend in the *gluten-free flour mixture*, the seasonings and bouillon (if cubes, crumble first; if paste, blend first with butter).
5. Over low-heat blend and stir mixture until smooth and it starts to bubble. Do not let it brown.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk.
7. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring continually. Add more milk, if too thick. Once the desired consistency is reached, reduce the heat to low and add in half or all the cheese. If you use half the cheese, the other half can be layered along with the *lightly sauteed vegetables or only the cheese.
8. Stir the cheese sauce until all the cheese is melted.
9. Cook the macaroni noodles according to package directions (add a little oil to the water, and stir to keep them from sticking together), drain and rinse.
10. In a "buttered" casserole dish, large enough for a single or double batch (picture here is a double batch), layer half of the macaroni noodles, sprinkle remaining cheese if you didn't add it all to make the cheese sauce, along with the sauteed vegetables. Pour half the cheese sauce evenly over the first layer of noodles (and vegetables).
11. Layer the remaining noodles, evenly pouring the the remaining cheese sauce over all. 
12. Garnish with paprika.
13. Bake the Mac and Cheese in a 350-degree oven for 30-40 minutes for a single batch and 40-50 minutes for a double batch.
14. One batch serves 6-8.

* Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix

Blend together the following ingredients and store in an air-tight container:
2 cups Rice Flour
2/3 cup Potato Starch
1/3 cup Tapioca Flour

Crab Babies

DZ is harvesting crabs daily, with a limit of five per harvest - Washington State limit per person, per day. It was dark by the time I got home, and DZ was still in the garage removing the crab meat from the  five he brought home and steamed late afternoon. The day before, he bought a small freezer to keep in the garage to store the vacuum-sealed seafood we will enjoy after their perspective season has ended.

We were both tired and hungry, with two portions of fresh crab in the refrigerator... so while DZ was dealing with the crabs outside, I need to quickly get creative and productive in the kitchen, if we wanted to eat anytime soon.

Having served my friend, Kris, sweet Dutch Babies filled with fresh fruit and Greek yogurt drizzled with agave nectar, for breakfast a few days earlier, I thought it would be tasty to serve us savory "Crab Babies" for dinner... simple, quick, and with little taxing of what brain cells I had left, a creative solution that proved to be excellent, despite how I had to take a number of little offerings from the refrigerator to generate enough content to feed two people. Our Crab Babies ended up just right - flavor-wise and portion-wise, especially for two, who whatever reasons, forgot to eat lunch.

Dutch Babies are easy-cheesy to make and take few ingredients... even with alternative ingredients in the batter, they hardly ever fail to impress, look and taste great.

Here's the ingredients and directions for making my version of a gluten-free Dutch Babies, using what I had on hand:

Ingredients for Dutch Babies Batter:

1/4 cup, same as a half a stick of Butter or butter substitute (four pats - two for each baking dish)

3 Eggs

1/2 cup Rice Milk

1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour

Pinch of Salt

Note: Dutch Baby batter recipes may vary slightly as to the ratio of number of eggs, milk, flour and butter per serving.

Directions and Other Ingredients for making Crab Babies:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425-degrees with two glass pie plates on a rack in the middle of the oven. Do not have a rack above, as the Dutch Babies have the potential of rising on the sides, sometime quite high.
2. Liquid first, put all the ingredients, sans the butter, in a blender and blend until... well, blended.
3. When oven reaches temperature,  put two pats of butter in each glass pie plate and melt, without browning - happens very fast, so watch carefully. It's easy to forget and set off the smoke detector.
4. As soon as the butter is melted, pour half of the batter into each of the two glass pie plates.
5. Before or while they bake at 425-degrees for 18-20 minutes, prepare the contents to fill the "Crab Babies" after they are transferred to dinner plates, as shown above.
6. In a saute pan, lightly saute together in olive oil savory ingredients of choice. Here's what I had on hand: chopped Green Onion, diced White Onion, diced Red Bell Pepper, sliced Mushrooms, teaspoon or less of Capers (rinsed), a quarter + teaspoon of Fennel Seed and a pinch of Salt and Cayenne Pepper. Keep warm, but don't over cook.
7. In a small mixing bowl, whip together - best at room temperature (a quick microwave works to take the chill off) -  whatever portions seems right to you of creamy ingredients. I found a little of each of the following in our refrigerator and combined them to make a wonderful, creamy base to my concoction: Tofutti (soy cream cheese substitute), Greek Yogurt, Mayonnaise, shredded Parmesan Cheese, a squeeze of fresh Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest... and a pinch of Salt.
8. As soon as the Dutch Babies come out of the oven - oven mitts compulsory - very, very hot and easy to burn yourself - transfer them to dinner plates. They should have lovely, toasty brown edges, perhaps bubbly in the center slathered in melted butter... then immediately start to "settle" on the dinner plates.
9. Best using a rubber spatula, divide and spread the creamy mixture across each, hot serving, then divide both the savory filling and warmed, cooked crab meat, and cover the creamy mixture with color and texture of the sauteed mixture and bite-size pieces of crab.
10. Garnish with a light sprinkling of Paprika and serve while hot. 

Generously serves 2

Recipe dedicated to Crab harvesters DZ and Phil.

Moving Day Soup

Taking a break to tell you about my day, then back to it....

Packing to move, boxes of all sizes stacked everywhere... and I'm getting hungry. I have some food in the refrigerator from which I could rustle us up some homemade soup in a hurry, but I have no idea which box has our cooking utensils. Husband saves the day calling to say he's going to stop by and pick up a gluten-free pizza. He calls back and says they're closed for the day. Our kitchen counter is cluttered with everything I pulled out of the cupboards, boxes and bubble wrap, along with today's mail. So, I push what I can aside and work quickly to be able to say "Soup's on!" thirty minutes later when DZ walks through the door with my empty suitcase to fill with clothes that are folded neatly in the landlord's dresser drawer.

I love soup and figure that we must have enough produce to make a Moving Day vegetable soup using whatever hasn't been packed up. So let's take a quick look and get busy... for ingredients, we have:

fresh picked, local assortment of green beans

several vine ripened tomatoes

a couple of large white potatoes

yellow and green bell peppers

a couple of yellow crooked-neck squash

a bunch of celery and part of a zucchini

a part of an onion sliced and half of another onion

a couple of fresh mushrooms and a can of sliced mushrooms

a can of corn and a part of a jar of vegetable stock base

I found my soup pot, but I can't find my knives. The landlord's collection, which I just unpacked and put back in the drawer...all as dull as butter knives. This is the time to  be very, very careful not to cut myself. Dull is dangerous. I hack at the vegetables more than cut them, then furiously tossed them into the pot filled part way with water, two tablespoons of vegetable stock base and two large pinches of sea salt.  

My nifty, red rubber tube to remove garlic skin is lost to a box somewhere, so I use my hand towel to loosen the peel, rolling it around four plump cloves of garlic and rolling furiously back and forth with the palms of my hands. My garlic press is probably buried with the roller, so I slivered the garlic rather than attempt to mince them with a dull blade and blended them into the mix of fresh ingredients with one of three wooden spoons that will remain in our loft apartment kitchen. I could have mashed them, I suppose.

I pinched in some cayenne and tossed a liberal amount of the Italian herb blend sitting on the counter by the sea salt. All the other spices were... of course... packed.

Having replaced our personal dishes, bowls, glasses and flatware with that of the landlord's assortment, we enjoyed a fine lunch on the deck with the simplicity of a bowl, a soup spoon and a glass of water... all because DZ scrounged around until he found the soup ladle!

I don't know when I will have to pack and move again. I hope not any time soon. But when I do, I need to remind myself to withhold just a few more basic items and provisions during the exodus with which we can cook and feed ourselves with for a few days.

Despite the lack of kitchen equipment, gadgets, cookware, food and spice selection, the soup turned out great - though simple, has wonderful flavor... proving yet again that more doesn't necessarily mean better. And we have enough soup left in the pot to last us for the next couple of lunches during our move.

Now back to packing.

Bon Appetit!

Gone Vegan, Be Back Soon!

Yep. I've gone vegan! About a week and a half ago, I started juicing with lots and lots of fabulous, mineral and vitamin rich veggies and fruits every day. I'm drinking at least 32-ounces of juice daily. I snack on raw fruits and veggies and have eaten a couple of meals out at a new vegan restaurant in town, the Cornbread Cafe.

I've eliminated all remaining animal products from my diet: seafood, eggs and dairy. I have easily adjusted to a plant-based diet. Satiated by an abundance of nutritious raw and vegan foods, I have increased energy and am dropping not only weight, but reducing my blood pressure too.

This all came about as a result of watching two documentaries: Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead (instant play on Netflix). Joe Cross has a website as a follow-up to his film: Reboot Your Life. Forks Over Knives is a must see, which is now available on DVD. I just ordered a copy, as I plan to show it to everyone I love. I highly recommend them both!

It's been months and months since I've blogged, but I will get back to it soon. From now on, all my posts will focus on vegan cuisine and related topics. I will continue to enjoy the vegan recipes I've already prepared and shared here with you. For the time being, if you are reading this post and interested in juicing, I invite you to try my "The Beet Goes On" juice recipe featured on Healthy Juicing.

To Your Heatlh!

Green Drinks

This past year, we rented then bought a copy of "Crazy Sexy Cancer" DVD by Kris Carr, which I highly recommend if you are on a journey toward optimal health and wellness. At the tail end of the documentary, Kris shares how she makes her green drinks either using a Brevel juicer or Vita Mix blender.

Here are examples of what I put into my green drinks using my Vita Mix blender or Brevel juicer. As Kris clarifies, the only difference between the juicer and blender is the pulp - the Brevel juicer removes the skins of fruits and vegetables creating a liquid. The Vita Mix will make a smoothie.

Cheers! Here's to Your Health!
Green Drink Smoothies made with my Vita Mix blender.

Try a Variety of Ingredients:

Sweat Pea Sprouts
Mung Bean Sprouts
Romaine Lettuce
Cucumber (peel, if not organic)
Avocado
Celery (Brevel)
Broccoli Stems (Brevel)
Thai Coconut (1/4-1/2 cup milk)
Spinach
Kale
Parsley
Apple
Carrot
Protein Powder
Ginger
Cinnamon
Stevia (optional for added sweetness to taste)
Ice Cubes - 3 to 5
Option - shredded coconut topping

Directions

Add some of the fruits and veggies of choice and portion to serve one or two. Tamp down and stir with the Vita Mix push-tool. Add more ingredients, tamp down and stir with the push-tool, and then add ice cubes if you wish to chill your drink. Top with shredded coconut for a treat. My Green Smoothie is so thick and creamy I eat it with a spoon. Yum!

More about Kris Carr and Kris' Vlogs.

Food Rules

Michael Pollan shares his rules for healthy living. Rule 1: "Eat food and avoid edible food-like substances". Food Rules - An Eater's Manual

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Michael Pollan
www.thedailyshow.com

Michael Pollan wants Americans to recognize that cheap food comes with a high cost to their health and the environment. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Book Description:

A pocket compendium of food wisdom-from the author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food

Michael Pollan, our nation's most trusted resource for food-related issues, offers this indispensible guide for anyone concerned about health and food. Simple, sensible, and easy to use, Food Rules is a set of memorable rules for eating wisely, many drawn from a variety of ethnic or cultural traditions. Whether at the supermarket or an all-you-can-eat-buffet, this handy, pocket-size resource is the perfect guide for anyone who would like to become more mindful of the food we eat. BetterWorldBooks

Rawsome! Vegetable Kabobs

So, I'm experimenting with our new dehydrator and recipes from Rawsome! - Maximzing Health, Energy, and Culinary Delight with the Raw Foods Diet by Brigitte Mars.

Twenty Vegetable Kebobs and twelve hours later, we successfully marinated and dehydrated our entree for lunch for three this afternoon, this evening's meal for two with leftovers for another lunch for one. The cookbook author claims that her kebobs are " So delicious - the mushrooms will satisfy even a meat-eater's cravings" (page 210). I have to agree. The marinated, dehydrated kebobs, especially the mushrooms, are "meaty," tasty and filling.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
2 small zucchini, cubed (I sliced into rounds)
1 box of 36 cherry tomatoes (I cut up red bell peppers)
24 shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Nama Shoyu (I used gluten-free tamarind)
3 dates, soaked for 20 minutes
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh rosemary

Directions:

1. Place the vegetables in a shallow glass pan.
2. Combine the oil, tamari and dates in a blender until mixed.
3. Stir the rosemary into the mixture.
4. Pour the sauce over the medley of vegetables and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
5. Thread the vegetables on skewers and set them on solid dehydrator sheets.
6. Pour the leftover marinade over the skewered vegetables and dehydrate for 12 hours at 125-degrees (according to dehydrator directions).

Yields: 20 Kebobs

Serve with rice.

Despite the fact that we didn't have solid dehydrator sheets on hand, therefore unable to pour the extra marinade over the skewered vegetables, the kebobs were chewy and flavorful. I think they would have turned out even better if we had been able to use the extra marinade. Next time. To serve the kebobs right away, I would suggest only dehydrating for 8-10 hours, so they are more plump.

Rice and Lentils with Wild Salmon Over Vegetables

Thank you to my friend Elli for this fabulous Iraqi recipe Kichri - Rice and Lentils Dish. I prepared it this evening to serve with Zenobia's Wild Rice Over Vegetables entree from Raman Prasad's cookbook Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, on page 132. 

 Here is Elli's recipe and the background to this aromatic, savory dish: 

Kichri - Rice and Lentils Dish

"This is a simple and quick dish that is very tasty and nutritious. Plus some history of the middle east as a bonus.

Iraqi cuisine is a fine cuisine. What we now call Iraq (name invented by the British when they created the country, as they did for the whole Middle East), was once a major trade route and the cultural center of the Islamic Empire during the Golden Age. This cuisine has mellow flavors that blend together -- certain flavors that you will not fine anywhere else.

When the concept of fine dining -- which includes using silverware and glassware, eating three course meals, and maintaining certain table manners -- was invented in the Islamic capital, Europeans were eating bread, salt and roasted pigs with their hands, and would have to sell their house for an ounce of cloves. Being on a central trade route from India to the west meant that a wealth of spices was available to Iraqis and were commonly used in the country for centuries. There are minor resemblances to Indian cuisine, but you will not get the bombardment of spices in Iraqi cuisine, it is about finesse.

I did some modifications to the original recipe by the advice of my sister, chef Hadas Levendiger. This makes it even quicker to make, at a minor price in flavor." Elli A.

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1/2 an hour to 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1 chopped onion
• 5-7 spoons oil
• 4 ounces tomato paste
• 2-3 cups of boiling water
• 10 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Wash rice and lentils
2. Soak in water for at least 1.5 hours.
3. In a pot, fry the onions until they are golden in color.
4. Add crushed garlic and fry little bit more. Be careful not to burn the garlic; it burns very quickly.
5. Add rice, lentils, and tomato paste to 2 ½ cups of boiling water. The water has to be boiling before you add them.
6. Mix spices
7. Bring to a boil again and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.

[Note: I added a 1/2 cup more boiling water for more moisture near the end of the cooking time; stir occasionally as it slow-cooks without a lid.]

Water and Cooking Time

This largely depends on the type of rice you use. It varies between 2-3 cups of water and 20-45 minutes of cooking time. Plain white rice is the quickest and needs the least amount of water.

Original Recipe

Same as above, but do NOT add garlic, turmeric and cumin to the pot. When the dish is ready, fry the garlic and spices in a frying pan, and then mix it in.

This is an extra step that emphasizes the flavor of the spices. Cooking them in water does have flavor degradation.

Serves 6 

Wild Salmon Over Vegetables

I made some changes to the ingredients in the original recipe*. Here's my version, using what I had on hand:

Ingredients 

 

3/4 pound wild salmon fillet, with skin left on (option to remove it)

garlic salt, dill weed and lemon peel to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

Bragg's organic Ginger & Sesame Salad Dressing

1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

1-1/2 tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
2. Lightly oil glass baking dish with olive oil.
3. Layer the thinly-sliced vegetables on the bottom.
4. Lightly pre-cook the vegetables in the microwave for 2 minutes. 
   
5. Lay the salmon across the top of the layered vegetables.
6. Rub the seasoning on the topside of the salmon.
7. Drizzle the ginger and sesame seed salad dressing over all.
8. Bake uncovered for 20-minutes.

I was pleased at how well this dish turned out; not at all fishy. The seasoning and dressing gave both the fish and the vegetables a fresh, delicate flavor. For those that don't have much time to spend in the kitchen, this is a very simple way to prepare salmon and cut down the time it takes to cook a meal.

Serves 2

* Zenobia's ingredients to serve 7 to 8:

1-1/2 pounds wild salmon skinned
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3/4 teaspoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 to 4 portobello mushroom caps, finely chopped

Vegetarian Borscht

I love beets, but this borscht recipe is adapted for those who don't particularly care for beets. Make ahead the day of your gathering. The longer it sits the thicker it gets. It also freezes well.

Use as many fresh, local and organic ingredients as you can. Directions are for preparing vegetables with a food processor. If you like beets, you can add them too (peeled and shredded). Other options: tomatoes, red wine vinegar, bay leaf, garlic, chopped parsley, a pinch of sugar, cinnamon, allspice etc. You can also use vegetable broth and water to cover the vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 1/4-1 pound beets (optional, peeled an shredded)
• 2 medium onions, peeled
• 3 ribs celery, with tops
• 1 leek, white part only
• 6 to 8 carrots, peeled
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 3 large potatoes, peeled
• 2 medium turnips, peeled
• 3 medium parsnips, peeled
• 1 pound green beans
• 1 bunch watercress, stems removed
• 1 small head cabbage, cored and cut into 4 wedges
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions:

1. Place the slicing disk into the bowl of the food processor. Cut the onions, celery, leek, and carrots to fit feed tube. With light pressure, push the vegetables through the feed tube using the pusher.

2. Over medium heat, melt the margarine in a large stockpot. Add the onions, celery, leeks, and carrots and saute until the onion is soft and limp, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.

3. Insert the French-fry blade into the food processor. Cut the potatoes, turnips, and parsnips to fit the feed tube. Chop, using the pusher with firm pressure. Add these vegetables to the stockpot.

4. Insert the metal blade into the food processor bowl. Add the green beans and watercress. Pulse several times to chop, then add to the stockpot.

5. Place 2 wedges of the cabbage into the processor bowl. Chop with several pulses. Add to the stockpot. Repeat with the remaining cabbage and add to the stockpot. Add the tomato paste, salt, and white pepper to the stockpot.

6. Add enough cold water to cover the vegetables, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream, garnished with dill.

Makes 5 Quarts

Veggilicious Lasagna

Make this easy, cheesy and moist, very veggie and gluten-free lasagna your family's new and nutritious Italian classic favorite!

Ingredients:

I recommend buying as many fresh, local and organic ingredients as you can find to make this recipe:

1 - 8 oz. package shredded mozzarella cheese
1 - 15 oz. container of part-skim ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 cup shredded carrots
3 cups shredded zucchini, firmly packed
1 - 26 oz. jar roasted garlic marinara
1 package brown rice lasagna noodles

Optional: include in your layering of vegetables - dried or thinly sliced tomatoes and raw baby spinach leaves.

Directions:

1. Set aside 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. In a bowl, combine the remaining mozzarella with the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese and 1/2 tsp. salt.
2. Cook the shredded carrots in the microwave for 2 minutes, then stir into the cheese mixture and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, stir the remaining 1/2 tsp. of salt into the zucchini.
4. Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with a cooking spray (I use olive oil). Spread 1/3 of the marinara on the bottom. Break two noodles to fill and cover sauce. Spread 1 cup of the cheese mixture over the noodles. Top with 1 cup of the shredded zucchini and spread 2/3 cup of marina over all. Add another layer of broken noodles, and repeat with layers of cheese mixture, zucchini and sauce. Top with broken noodles, remaining sauce, and sprinkle with the 1/2 cup of the reserved mozzarella cheese.
5. Cook in the slow cooker on high for 3 hours.

Serves 8

Note: Read the label on any pre-shredded cheese very carefully. Many brands are dusted with flour to prevent clumping, and as a result these cheeses are not gluten-free.

What's Your Curry?

Green curry is sublime with chicken, seafood and/or vegetables. If you're not in a hurry, make your own homemade curry. It will have more flavor and aroma than what you can find at the market.

Take your time to enjoy the process of cooking and enjoying the taste of Thai.

Ingredients:

Green Curry Paste

• 15 to 20 Thai Green Chili Peppers
• 2 stalks Lemon Grass, chopped
• 3 Shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 clove Garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped Kha*
• 1 tablespoon chopped Kaffir Lime
• 1/2 teaspoon Coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon Caraway Seed
• 1/2 teaspoon Fish Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sugar or a mild Honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Shrimp Paste (optional)
• 2 tablespoons Oil

Check with your local Asian market for Thai Peppers, Kha, Kaffir Lime, Fish Sauce and Shrimp Paste.

* Kha, also know as galangal or laos, looks similar to ginger, but has lighter, flesh and a different flavor than ginger. It is available fresh in selected Asian grocery stores. Fresh kha can be frozen to make it last longer. It is also available in dried slices and in powder. Dried kha should be soaked in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes before using.

What's Your Curry? Prawns and Vegetables:

• 2 tablespoons Grapeseed Oil, for stir-frying the vegetables
• 1 large Onion
• 2 stalks of Celery
• 1-2 Carrots
• 2 cups chopped Green Leafy Vegetable
• 4 large Mushrooms
• 1 13.5 ounce can of Coconut Milk
• 3/4-1 lb. Prawns, pre-cooked and peeled
• 1-2 cups Bamboo Shoots and/or Water Chestnuts, thin-sliced (optional) (comes in 4-ounce cans)
  

Method:

• Blend all the Curry Paste ingredients together using a mortar and pestle. Use in the recipe according to taste.
• Thinly slice the Vegetables; julienne the Celery and Carrots.
• Remove the tails from the Prawns, rinse and let drain.
• This dish can also be served over a bed of white Rice or Noodles. Cook and have ready to serve by the time you are done cooking the curry dish.

Directions:

1. In a large wok, on high heat, add the oil, then the assorted vegetables. Toss gently and continually.
2. When the vegetables are almost tender, stir in the Green Curry Paste.
3. Add all of the Coconut Milk and more Curry Paste, to taste.
4. 1-2 minutes before serving, add the Prawns and lightly toss to warm through.
5. Serve in wide bowls and garnish with a spring of fresh Basil.

Serves 2-4

Vegetable Strata

This festive vegetable medley is one of my family's favorite side dishes. Not only is it colorful, but it is delicious and nutritious. For variations, make this strata with seasonal vegetables from your garden or to complement holiday fare with winter squash and root vegetables like parsnips, turnips and rutabagas.

Ingredients:

2 cups Green Beans, fresh or thawed

2 cups Celery, bias cut

2 cups Carrots, sliced

1 large Onion, thinly sliced

4 Tomatoes, cut in wedges

1 green or red Bell Pepper, sliced

1 8-ounce can Water Chestnuts, drained

1/4 cup Butter

Dry Mix:

1-1/2 Tablespoons Tapioca

3/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

Directions:

   1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

   2. In a buttered 1-quart baking dish layer half of the vegetables in the order listed above.

   3. Sprinkle all of the dry mix evenly over the top of the first layer.

   4. Add a second layer of the vegetables, again in the order listed.

   5. Dot the top with butter (1/4 c. = 1/2 stick of butter)

   6. Bake covered for one hour; uncover and bake an additional 20-minutes.

Serves 4-6. To serve 6 or more, double the recipe (do not double the salt). With the doubled recipe, I turn up the oven to 375-degrees for the last 10-minutes of cooking. If you are taking this dish to a party, bake ahead and reheat just before serving.

Support your local farmers' market; buy organic produce, as often as you are able. Local Harvest is an excellent online resource for locating the best organic produce closest to where you live. Use the locator-map or type in the product, city, state and zip code to find family farms, farmers' markets and other places to buy organic produce in your locale. The LH online store catalog is a way to shop for items you can't seem to find locally. Enjoy the Blog Barn, a gathering place for Local Harvest bloggers.

He makes... plants for man to cultivate - bringing forth food from the earth.... Psalm 104:14