maantis

 A REAL BEAUT

(baby greens salad with:)

(chive blossoms, fennel, celery, carrot & golden beet)

Chive blossoms are beautiful; the two varieties growing in my herb garden are bright pink and lavender. They taste strongly of chive, but with a slight floral twist. Surprise surprise. Anyway, they add a tasty pop of color to salads, like this one.

Slice/shave beautifully:

• Bit of fennel
• Stalk or two of celery
• A carrot
• A golden beet

Toss with baby mixed greens and some whole mint leaves. Dress as you please; we used whole grain mustard, a touch of horseradish, cider vinegar and evoo.

EGGS & ASPARAGUS

Thinly sliced asparagus, lightly sautéed in butter with plenty of black pepper, makes a lush nest for perfectly over-easy eggs. Perhaps a non-traditional breakfast food, asparagus really shines when paired with eggs - I could eat this simple dish any time of day. I used purple and green asparagus varieties, both of which were grown just a couple miles from my home - lovely to look at and so so tender.

Cut asparagus in half the long way, then quarter, etc, until you’ve got strips thin enough to be a bit bendy. Sauté in butter, salt and pepper until just slightly soft - don’t overcook; fresh asparagus is awesome even raw, so it doesn’t need much heat time.  Form into a little nest on your plate, then top with an over easy egg or two. Insanely simple, but the presentation is impressive and the flavor will not disappoint! 

SOLID SESAME SLAW

(with ginger & raisins)

Still loving slaws for all the same reasons - this one is bright with sesame and ginger, but a handful of sweet raisins give it a twist. 

Peel (if applicable) and grate:

• 1/3 green cabbage
• 2 beets
• 3 carrots
• 1 inch ginger root

Toss together and add:

• 1 c raisins
• 1/4 c sesame seeds, toasted or not

Dress with:

• Sesame oil
• Cider vinegar
• Dash of Braggs aminos

Thats it. This one especially improves after a day or two as the raisins plump up with dressing.

(SO SPRING MEAL)

MISO SOUP W NETTLE, WILD ONION, SPROUTS & SHITAKE

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BABY ARUGULA SALAD W STRAWBERRIES

So many nettles growing wild in the pasture, so many ideas for how to use them. Here’s my first. I incorporated them into a light miso soup, using wild onions that grow near the compost, with more substance supplied by garlic-sauteed shitake mushrooms and freshly sprouted mung beans. Providing the nettles are cooked long enough to eliminate sting, they’re a really tasty green that can be used anywhere you’d want spinach or the like. SO GOOD FOR YOU. 

I also thinned my arugula for the first time, a process which is much less heart-wrenching once salad made from the baby leaves proves to be the most deliciously delicate thing ever. 

FOR THE SOUP:

Warm together:

• 1 qt stock (I used chx)
• 1 qt water

Avoid boiling this soup for the entirety of the cooking process.

Meanwhile sauté in butter (& a dash of sesame oil) until tender:

• 2 c thinly sliced shitakes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Once your broth is hot, add:

• 1/4 white miso paste

When the miso is fully dissolved, add:

• 3 c freshly picked nettles, leaves only
• 1 c bean sprouts (any will do, I used mung)
• Sauteed shitakes
• 1/2 c thinly sliced green onion, or scallion, or chives

Stir to combine and serve. A dash of Braggs aminos or tamari sauce finishes the dish perfectly. 

FOR THE SALAD:

All you need is:

• baby arugula
• thinly sliced RIIIPE strawberries

Dress with:

• Tiny splashes of lemon juice and evoo
• Sprinkle of sea salt

EAT IMMEDIATELY.

THE WORST STUFF EVER

(and how I fixed it)

(Part crisis aversion saga, part PSA)

I’ll skirt the details of how I ended up in Wh*le F*ods, 10 minutes before they closed, ogling the gelato aisle. I quickly grabbed what I took to be dark chocolate gelato, confident it would satisfy my urgent craving. However, when I got home, I realized I’d snagged dark chocolate sorbet instead. (One more reason NEVER to buy sneaky packaged foods.) I have nothing against sorbet, at least until now. I’m not opposed to frozen, dairy-free desserts as long as they’re fruity and refreshing. But chocolate? Come on. This is, without question, the WORST purchase, accidental or not, that I’ve ever made. It was icy and miles away from the ‘decadently rich’ proclamation on the carton, hardly chocolatey at all, more like a chocolate flavored Tootsie-Pop taste, if anyone remembers those. I took one bite and almost threw the whole thing away. But desperate times call for desperate measures, so I decided to perform emergency surgery on this poor, lifeless treat I’d spent almost $4 on. It’s not like I was going to make it any worse. The diagnosis: bland, as well as nutritionally and texturally desolate. The prescription: some dairy, some superfood, plus banana & peanut butter to cut the ice-watery mouthfeel.

NB: This isn’t a recipe I’d EVER encourage you to buy this product to make; it’s a last-resort solution. I hope no one reading this finds themselves in the same situation.

I upended the carton into the blender and added:

• 1 banana
• 1 c whole milk yogurt
• 1/3 c peanut butter
• 1 t spirulina

I blended everything until smooth, transferred the now smoothie-like mess into a quart container and stirred in some chocolate chunks. Back into the freezer to set, and hours later, the resurrection. Much improved, much healthier, but never to be repeated. Maybe it’s time for an ice-cream maker. 

MANY HANDS/FIRST INDOOR STARTS IN THE GROUND

RHUBARB APPLE COMPOTE

(sugah-freeee with ginger & cardamom)

Almost all recipes for stewed rhubarb are loaded with sugar; those that aren’t suggest using stevia or Splenda - options that are bad & worse, and, in my opinion, entirely unnecessary. Instead, I sweetened my favorite delightfully sour spring fruity vegetable with apple. Stewed with a chunk of ginger root and a small handful of cardamom pods, this compote is pleasantly tart and utterly irresistible when paired with yogurt & granola. It probably goes without saying that it would be fab on ice-cream, pancakes or crepes, too.

Chop into bite-sized chunks:

• 5 or 6 medium sized rhubarb stalks
• 1 apple

Transfer the chopped goods to a saucepan at medium heat and add 1/4 c water. Add:

• 1 inch ginger root, halved
• Some cardamom pods, 10 maybe

Stew & stir until it begins to cook down - the rhubarb will fall apart beautifully; the apple may require a bit of smashing with the back of a spoon. When it’s good and mushy, enjoy right away or allow to cool and store in a tightly sealed glass jar. It should keep for at least a week in the fridge, but you’ll probably eat it all and want to make more before then.

CARAMELIZED ONION & BEET GREEN FRITATTA 

How is it that I’ve never caramelized onions using molasses before now? Why have I never used those carm-o’s in a fritatta before? These are questions you too will be unable to answer after going this route. 

Slice 2 white onions & sauté in butter. As they become translucent, add 1 T molasses & continue to stir at a low temperature. After 10 minutes or so, once the onions are caramelized, add 2 c chopped beet greens. Preheat oven to 450.

Whisk together:

• 6 eggs
• 1/4 c milk
• salt & pepper to taste

Add the egg mixture to the veggies, stir to evenly distribute, then transfer to the oven. Bake to cook through, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven, slice & serve with toast.

Happy Mother’s Day to my MOST BEAUTIFUL MAMA, who’s taught me so much, including this. I LOVE YOU!

(MINT LEMONADE ICED TEA)

Where I come from, lemonade iced tea is a summer stand-by; made with mint that grows rampant in the yard, it’s long been my family’s hot weather refreshment. Fondly referred to as ‘pond-water’ by Henry for it’s murky appearance and stewed mint leaf flotsam, it’s offered to anyone who stops by our home in Maine on a warm day and is the perfect post-garden pick-me-up or porch picnic accompaniment. My grandmother made it too, with the same mint family. Countless clumps emerge every spring and continue to grow through the summer; more and more appear every year. My mom often shooed me outside to pick several sprigs as she boiled water and tied tea bags, and I would amble out the screen door, bare foot, down to the mint. Years ago, when the list of edible things I knew how to prepare could be counted on one hand, this was on it. I’ve recently adapted this recipe to my own kitchen, but I’m still using my grandmother’s mint and my mama’s method - the wisdom I’ve gained from them both informs my every day, as I aspire to their grace I’ve long admired. My version of this tea includes fresh lemon juice and honey instead of lemonade, but the result is comparable with the taste of my memory and refreshing as always. Cheers to our mamas!

Pour 2 quarts boiling water over:

• 6 black tea bags - caf for me, usually, and decaf for my ma.
• 5 or 6 sprigs mint - leaves picked

Allow to steep 10 minutes or so, then remove tea bags. You could remove the mint leaves, but I don’t, and neither does my mom. Now add:

• 1 c freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 c honey

Stir to dissolve the honey and allow to cool, then store in the fridge and serve over ice. 

A GREAT GRAIN SALAD

(barley, green beans & mung bean sprouts with arugula)

This is a great warm weather salad - the barley renders it substantial enough to hold its own alongside grilled fish or what have you; it also makes perfect lunch leftovers, especially if you set some aside undressed - this recipe makes LOTS. I’ve made it several times over the past year, swapping out the mung beans for toasted almonds, or fresh corn later when it’s in season. 

Soak mung beans for 8 hours, drain and rinse, then rinse once a day until sprouts form - they usually begin to appear after only 24 hours, but I like to wait until the sprouts are at least as long as the beans themselves. 

Cook in boiling water:

• 2 c barley

Drain and cool. Meanwhile blanche approx. 2 c trimmed green beans - they’re best, in my opinion, after just a minute in well-salted boiling water, then transferred immediately to an ice bath to halt cooking. This ensures they remain crisp and tender. When fully cooled, cut into 1 inch pieces and toss with the barley. Add:

• 1.5 c sprouted mung beans
• 3 c arugula, roughly chopped

For the dressing, combine:

• 1/4 c minced thyme
• 1/4 c minced chives
• 1/2 c white wine or apple cider vinegar
• 1 T whole grain mustard
• 2/3 c extra virgin olive oil

Shake or whisk and toss into the salad.

Some baby arugula, chard, kale & Detroit dark red beets coming up, plus new kids on the block: carrots, green & wax beans, and cylindra beets just planted.

WAKE & BAKE BREAD

(A (semi) no-knead variation)

(CINNAMON RAISIN BAGEL BREAD W FLAX)

Baking bread is often one of the projects I can always manage to pull off on a whim, no matter how few groceries I have around, since the ingredients are basics I always keep stocked. Last week I found my cupboards unusually bare after a week of visitors, traveling and my ever-vigorous work schedule, but I did scrounge together the fixings for this tasty loaf - one perfect for toast, my ultimate comfort food. I opted to try a no-knead-inspired variation, as time has recently been on short supply for me as well. I’m more than happy to catch up on sleep while bread makes itself - this way, all the action happens over night; low amounts of yeast mean the dough can sit for up to 18, even 24 hours without over-proofing. I didn’t wait quite that long, but being able to start bread late in the evening without thinking about it until the next morning is certainly convenient. No-kneads are often baked in pre-heated cast iron dutch ovens, since the dough is much more loose and thus difficult to form into loaves. The resulting bread is dense and riddled with plump raisins, the crust chewy and soft, a lot like a bagel. 

To start, combine:

• 1/2 t dry active baking yeast
• 1 5/8 c lukewarm water
• 1/4 c honey

Whisk, wait 5 minutes and then add:

• 3 c flour (I used 2 c wheat, 1 c white)
• 2 T cinnamon
• 2 T  flax seed
• 1 t salt
• 1 c raisins

Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon - the dough should come together but is probably too sticky to knead. Cover with plastic wrap and leave overnight or however long - no less than 8 hours. When you’re ready, turn the dough out onto a WELL-floured surface and knead briefly - 1-2 minutes is perfect. It is normal and correct for the dough to be softer than your typical bread dough. Return the dough to an oiled bowl and cover again, let rise 1.5 hours. Now, sprinkle a clean dish cloth with LOTS of flour/cornmeal; I used a combination of ww flour and wheat bran. Turn the dough ball out onto the center of the towel and fold the edges in to cover the dough. Preheat your oven to 450, placing a heavy cast iron dutch oven with cover inside. After 20 minutes, CAREFULLY take the cast iron out of the oven and gently place the dough inside - you don’t need to score it, just cover quickly and return to the oven. After 20-25 minutes, remove the lid from the dutch oven and continue baking until the loaf is evenly browned ~ 30-45 minutes total bake time. Enjoy freshly warm from the oven or toasted later with butter or peanut butter or whatever you fancy. 

SPROUTED MUNG BEAN HUMMUS

The result of scrambling for an impromptu dinner party in defiance of going to the grocery store. I simply adapted my stand-by hummus ingredients to go with mung bean sprouts in lieu of chick peas; the outcome a smooth & bud-green dip/spread. The flavor is freshly bitter and intriguing, a perfect spring hors d’oeuvres.  

In food processor, mince:

• 1 clove garlic

Add:

• 2 c sprouted mung beans
• 3 T lemon juice
• 1 T tahini
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 t cumin
• 1/2 c fresh parsley

Blend until smooth, adding a splash of extra virgin olive oil as the beans process. Transfer to a bowl and top with another small drizzle of evoo and lemon juice, plus parsley garnish. 

SPRING HERB BOMBELET

A bounty of fresh parsley, mint, chives & basil are really all an omelet needs, though a touch of finely grated aged gouda doesn’t hurt. Add the cheese first and then toss the herbs on fresh, immediately before transferring to the plate to ensure the omelets interior will still be full of vibrancy when you dig in.