Eating away from home

This whole internship thing has me in a tizzy. From the middle of last week to today I’ve been turning in papers, training, and learning all I can to make these next five weeks a great adventure for everyone involved. At twenty-one, this is my first experience in putting conflict resolution into practice with people outside my family. And I’m getting paid for it!

 

Today's lunch: turkey & Gouda rice cracker sandwich, Granny Smith apple, handful of almonds, and veggie slices.

I’m more excited than I am terrified. I only learned last week that I would have to provide my own meals, likely from my dorm room at certain times in the day. Cheryl mentioned that I should plan out my meals, at least for the first week, so the “hard” part would just be finding time to go to the grocery store. I will do my best to blog as often as I can throughout this experience, but it will likely be once a week, and much like my “Bento Box Snapshot” series. But I’m still having trouble with not eating enough to sustain me, likely where protein is concerned.

Everything seemed to be put on hold, however, when we got a call from Grandma D last Thursday evening, saying that Grandpa B was in the hospital. By Friday afternoon, we were back in North Carolina, the joke being that it seemed like it was only a week since we’d last visited.

 

Actually, it was just the week before last Mama Dazz and I trekked down to Tarboro to celebrate Father’s Day with the folks. I always look forward to our visits down there. Grandpa B is a man who is set in his ways but progressive, a talented storyteller and animal lover, and a bangin’ griller. He and Grandma D have quite the green thumbs, so we like to ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ the wonders of the backyard those afternoons we arrive. There’s such calmness in that part of North Carolina, where the pine trees shadow the neighborhoods and cows randomly ‘moo’, that I have a tendency to nap before dinner and be in bed asleep before 9 p.m. 

 

 

It’s in the morning as we drink coffee on the porch that I ask why we don’t come down more often. But after driving close to eleven hours, visiting the hospital, taking Grandma D back and forth, doing all we can while we were there, it has taken a toll on everyone involved. To quote Mama Dazz, “It’s like I’m wading through soup today.”

Grandpa B was in the cardiac wing of the hospital connected to East Carolina University, and out by Monday afternoon. The inside of the buildings were simply marvelous, and the staff were hospitable and welcoming. But when I looked at the food, it seemed better than most hospitals provided, but the cafeteria had few gluten free options. I did make my own food, packing fruits, veggies, a jar filled with brown rice and pinto beans for myself, and sandwiches for Mama Dazz and Uncle R. But after seeing Grandpa B’s meals, it made me realize that I would have to provide my own sustenance should I end up in a hospital’s sanitized walls. Mama Dazz agreed wholeheartedly.

For a while I’ve been bringing my own food to eat during our stay, but now Mama Dazz and I simply bring dinner ingredients to make when we get there. Even better, we found a jar of organic peanut butter in Greenville that I can keep there for future visits.

As for the internship, I’ve been given a small fridge to put in my room, and I have a feeling my rice cooker and I are going to become even better friends. I’ve been looking at the recipe booklet that came with it, and really, it’s a multipurpose cooker. I plan on making omelets, oatmeal, quinoa, one-pot meals, and so much more. We’ve already planned amongst ourselves when we have time off. Oh! And I’ve been chosen to go with them to Philadelphia and New York City for an overnight trip. That’s another gluten-free adventure in and of itself that I’ll be sure to write about when we come to that.

Tomorrow we will have early arrivals from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. On Thursday the rest of the campers from Tajikistan, Pakistan, and the U.S. will arrive, and we will be going on a tour of D.C. after they’ve settled in the dorms on Friday.

And to think, it’s only Tuesday.

Prosciutto & Basil Crustless Quiche

I just found out that I would have to provide my own meals throughout my internship at George Mason University with the Benjamin Franklin Summer Institute of South and Central Asia. My job is to watch over the kids after hours, like a camp counselor, and sleep in the commons on campus. I will have a community sitting room to my disposal in a different building (and likely only at certain times of the day), but I’ve never had to deal with something like this. The whole reason I chose off-campus housing was having my own kitchen (that, and it was extremely cheap in comparison with the suites on campus), because the university lacks in allergy-friendly dining and labeling.

So, for the last week of June and the majority of July, I’ll be hanging out with awesome kids from south and central Asia, teaching them the art of conflict resolution, teamwork, and the beauty found in the differences we as individuals (and countries) have. I have a feeling there will be a lack in posting recipes, but you can bet July will focus on how to survive in the dorms gluten-free. I am looking forward to the challenge, but I’m still… uncertain.

How will I deal? The answer is simple: simplicity is key. 

I have a feeling oatmeal smoothies are going to be my go-to breakfasts for a while...

I’m used to making simple and easy meals. It only takes a fresh salad, a bed of rice, and a slab of meat to make my household happy. Simple, right? But it’s going to be a whole new level of “simple” I’ll be attempting. I don’t use the microwave, so I’ll have to use different forms of cooking and preparation.

Here’s what I plan on bringing to survive in the dorms:

• dorm-sized fridge,
• rice cooker,
• coffee maker,
• cutting board and knife,
• plate, bowl, and mug,    
• fork, knife, and spoon
• Mason jars for storage
• lunch bag and Bento box
• dish-washing soap, sponges, and drying towels

Is there anything I’m missing, or things I should put into particular consideration? Any pointers? Advice? Concerns? Anyway, I’ve learned one particular method that’s perfect for college students, beginner and professional cooks alike: one-pot meals.

Prosciutto & Basil Crustless Quiche

6 Large eggs, beaten
8.5 oz So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
2 oz Parmesan, grated
1/2 Red onion, finely diced
1 Tomato, halved and finely sliced
3 Garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 oz Prosciutto, shredded
18 Basil leaves, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the beaten eggs and coconut milk using a hand blender or whisk.
Stir in the Parmesan, salt and pepper, and pour into a greased 9-inch pie pan.
Sprinkle the garlic and onion throughout the filling, “sinking” the prosciutto, tomato slices, and basil leaves just underneath the surface.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the mixture has set.
Serve immediately, garnished with sour cream or salsa.

Serves 4.

Self-Confidence and the Realities of Summer: Chicken Waldorf Salad

“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.” Lao Tzu said that over two millennia ago, but it has only resonated with me this summer. All the same, I say this every year: this is the summer that I am changing the most significantly. It was the summer before college that I said was the most significant in my life. It was the summer after my freshmen year that I said was the most crucial to how I perceived the world. The summers after my sophomore and junior years were the most important in defining family. And what about this summer, the summer before my last semester as an undergrad, the summer that is over one-thirds over?

This is the summer I grow into myself.

I would say that this is the summer I grow up. I would also say this is the summer I become an adult, but that just isn’t true. I have had adult grievances and responsibilities and joys for a while, situational or otherwise throughout my twenty-one odd years of life. Adulthood is just a metaphor, because I don’t think adults even know what it means to be one. But for some reason, children have childhood perfected, until someone comes along and tells them they aren’t doing it right. Then these children are forced to grow into themselves prematurely or a little late in the game into skins too large or too small, because these adults thought it was best, because they believe they are the only ones who know best. Maybe they do know what’s best the majority of the time, maybe all the time, but maybe I do too.

Then again, when everything is happening at once, you have to turn to those who’ve been doing this a lot longer than you. At the same time, you desire balance and compromise. You want to appear competent, responsible, and reliable in all the things you’ve set out to do. You want to be respected as the adult you’re growing into, trusted into doing it your way.

To quote my younger self whenever Mama Dazz asked me why I was crying: “I’m upset because I am not getting my way.” Ah, the honesty of toddlerhood. If only the “adult” me was so honest and insightful.

The universe is a precise and consistent entity. Ask and you shall receive. It doesn’t always give you what you want when you want it, but it can give you what you need when you need it… if you’re observant enough to recognize it and patient enough to wait for it.

I may want to do it all my way, but I also have to trust in others when they’ve had experiences similar to mine. At the same time, a little confidence in me wouldn’t hurt either.

Chicken Waldorf Salad

32 oz Cooked skinless chicken breast meat, cut into manageable chunks
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and finely chopped
30 g (1/4 c.) Raisins
40 g (1/4 c.) Almond slivers
3 Celery stalks, diced
1 Red onion, diced
3 Garlic cloves, diced
1 tbsp. Ginger, crushed or finely chopped
2 tsp. Black sesame seeds
6 oz Lassi (or Kefir)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper

If the chicken has not been cooked already, steam the meat until fully cooked, let it cool, then chop it up and put into a large mixing bowl.
Fold in the chopped apple, raisins, almond slivers, onion, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds to the chicken until thoroughly combined.
In another bowl, blend together the lassi, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, the salt and pepper.
Pour the sauce over the dry ingredients and stir until coated.
Serve on top of lettuce.

Makes 6 – 8 servings.

Ginger Rhubarb Apple Crisp

Up until yesterday, I’d only had rhubarb once. It was a long time ago, and as I recall I hadn’t liked it. Maybe it had to do with the store-bought pie it was in, with strawberries and a syrup so sweet and red that it couldn’t have been a natural occurrence. The pie crust was dry, too thick, and probably made with hydrogenated shortening. After one bite, I vowed to never have strawberries in a pie again. As for rhubarb, I was scarred. The bits were so bulky that it hadn’t meshed with the rest of the flavors at all. I never wanted that red-stalked vegetable on the tip of my tongue ever again. 

Maybe the change in heart started when my fellow holistic foodie bloggers started sharing their rhubarb recipes. They gushed about how excited they were to be back in rhubarb season, purchasing the vegetable in bulk from their local farmer’s markets. They published jams, pies, crisps, coffee cakes, muffins, smoothies, drinks, and pickles. Anything under the sun, they made it with rhubarb.

So, just what was so great about rhubarb anyway? Related to the buckwheat plant, this “pie plant” is high in vitamin C, vitamin A, dietary fiber, and calcium. It is extremely acidic, so it is often paired with fruits (such as strawberries, peaches, or apples) or a type of sweetener. Throughout the ages it has been acknowledged for its health benefits towards aiding indigestion, diminishing menopausal symptoms, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. There have been reports of anti-oxidant, anti-allergy, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also very easy to grow, freezes well, and requires very little care.

Oh. That’s why rhubarb is so great.

From April to September, this plant is harvested just in time for your summer and fall recipes. And to think, it took me twenty-one years to find out how wonderful it is. For weeks I’d been searching for the stuff, and Mama Dazz surprised me with a bunch of it earlier this week. But what to make with it? I was still a tad skeptical about combining strawberries with rhubarb in a crisp or pie, what with the traumatizing reminiscence of it in my youth and all. For my relationship with rhubarb to only flourish from here, I decided to incorporate the new with the familiar. So when Mama Dazz put her two cents in regarding apples, I knew then what I was making. 

Ginger Rhubarb Apple Crisp

For the filling:
18 oz Rhubarb, finely chopped
16 oz Jazz apples (or Gala), cored and finely chopped
3 oz (or more, to taste) Agave nectar
1 tsp. Ginger, grated
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 pinch Nutmeg

For the topping:
3.5 oz Rolled oats
1 oz Almond meal
2.5 oz Butter, melted
2 tbsp. Maple syrup
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, fold in the ingredients for the filling until thoroughly coated and mixed.
Pour the contents into a greased large pie pan or casserole dish.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat.
Turn off the heat and add the remaining ingredients for the topping.
Slowly pour the topping into the pan, evenly and thinly spreading it over the filling.
Bake for 45 minutes, and place aluminum foil on top during the last 15 minutes.
The filling should be bubbling, the rhubarb and apple soft and the topping crispy.

Serves 6 – 8 people.

Steak Kabobs & Savory Rice Muffins

Even two days after Sunday (as I publish this post… make that three), the day of baby showers, concerts, and blog events (oh my), I still am at a loss of words to poetically describe what is forever engraved in my mind. I mean, how can one illustrate the love and happiness I saw in that restaurant?  What fun to see children and adults alike as they attempted to trick others into mentioning anything baby-related to get one another’s clothes pins for the coveted prize. How can I efficiently write about the magnificence and the beauty of people from different backgrounds, cultures, and cycles of life, coming together to celebrate a new life coming into this world in August? The aroma of the food was heavy in the air, delicious and spicy and warm. There was rice, tandoori, kabobs, fritters, salad, fruit, rice pudding, and cake. 

Truthfully I only ate some of the rice, a few salad pieces, and a bit of the chicken, but I can happily say that I was not glutened… and it was good. So good, in fact, that Deshi Spice is definitely a restaurant I intend on trying again. Mama Dazz also wants me to dabble in the cuisine, so I’ll have to ask our neighbors how it’s done.

And then, there was the concert.  

The Indigo Girls were just as amazing performing live on stage as I remember Mama Dazz and I singing along to their CD on our many adventures. Their music was our soundtrack in Arizona, in North Carolina, at various beaches and for plenty of day trips. I grew up with their voices influencing how I perceived the world around me, making it a more vibrant and profound place to be in. Their words echoed everywhere I went that it seemed like all my experiences were all just one Indigo Girl’s song. I couldn’t tell you which of their songs are my favorite, because I don’t know them all. The majority of the songs they sang on Sunday were ones I’d never even heard before. But they still affected me like they always have. I stared down from my box seat on the upper level of the pavilion, much of their bodies saturated with the stage lights, very much in awe and entranced with the music that surrounded me. I was so overcome with emotion that my eyes filled with tears more than once, and even now I couldn’t tell you why. 

Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. The Indigo Girls. These women are supernatural, with voices singing loud and clear, whose spirits are even larger than Wolf Trap has a capacity to hold. 

 

Oh, and let us not forget the band that not only introduced them, but is part of their tour: the Shadowboxers.

Like the Indigo Girls, the Shadowboxers also hail from Atlanta. The members seemed to be around my age, as they mentioned having graduated from college in May (I mention this because life after graduation seemed so unreal to me, but seeing these post-graduates eased my mind regarding my own future… mainly because they were clearly doing something they loved). They have quite a unique sound that, much like the Indigo Girls a decade before, immediately had me spellbound. Their voices harmonized wonderfully, the instruments were very well played, and they had this New Band look to them that I hope they never lose. The fun they had simply being at Wolf Trap was apparent the minute they walked on stage. They jumped and they danced. They smiled and they sang. They were having a ball, and it was a pleasure to be part of it. 

And thank you, Dad, for sharing it with me. Happy (early) Father's Day.

I wish these talented individuals all the joy in the world. For those in the United States, be sure the look up where their tour is heading, because it is something that will stay with you forever. I promise you it is worth the travel.

Tonight’s – well, last night’s – dinner was inspired from the cuisine Mama Dazz and I enjoyed last weekend. Leftover rice and raw vegetables are very abundant in this household, and I wanted to find a way to make some room in the fridge but still make the meal interesting and different. Lisa from Lisa’s Kitchen specializes in healthy Indian cooking, and my adaptation of her rice muffins was the perfect accompaniment to the kabobs. 

Steak Kabobs and Savory Rice Muffins

For the Kabobs:
16 oz Tri-tip steak
1 Yellow bell pepper
1 Red onion
1 Roma tomato
8 Garlic cloves
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil

4 Wooden skewers, soaked for six hours
Aluminum foil
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cut the steak, pepper, onion, and tomato into manageable pieces, leaving the garlic cloves whole.
Place the pieces onto the skewers, and put the kabobs on a baking sheet lightly greased with the olive oil (there will be leftover onion chunks that can be put around the pan).
Rotate the kabobs so the olive oil is evenly distributed (drizzle more if you prefer), then shake the desired amount of salt and pepper on top.
Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and put it in the oven for 35 – 40 minutes.

Makes 4 kabob skewers. Serves 4 people.

For the rice muffins:
5 oz Brown rice flour
2.5 oz Glutinous rice flour
2.5 oz Potato starch
8 oz Short grain brown rice
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
5 oz. Milk
2 oz. Water
2 oz. Butter, softened
3 lg. Eggs
3.5 oz Ricotta cheese

1 tbsp. Agave nectar

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
In another mixing bowl, stir in the wet ingredients with the rice.
Add the wet ingredients with the dry until a consistent batter it formed.
Place the batter in a greased muffin tin, filled to the rim.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins.

On Family & SOS KItchen Challenge Events: PB&B Oatmeal Smoothie

Family is important. You may not see them as often as you would like. You may not agree. You may not always be related. But one thing is certain: spending time with the people you love is time well spent.

I consider myself an extremely lucky person. I have a broad spectrum in my definition of family. It not only includes my parents, my stepparents and step-siblings, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, and my cousins, but there are people who fit those roles as extended members of my family tree. These branches consist of but not limited to next-door neighbors that I’ve known for over a decade, people I’ve met through my school career past and present, extracurricular activities, the spiritual community, and traveling. Sometimes there is a family member, like a cousin for example, who takes on the role as a sibling. Sometimes there’s an elder who takes on the role as a parent. And sometimes there is a friend who becomes something more.

But as you get older, as the people you cherish go on with their lives, months – maybe years – can pass by without seeing loved ones. And it’s not that you love them less or vice versa, but life happens. You grow up; you walk down a path you made for yourself, your dreams in tow. It is likely, but not required, that you will move away from everything that is comfortable and safe. But this is what’s so gosh darned amazing about family: even after an extended amount of time has been spent out of contact, when you come together it would be like no time was spent apart at all.

I’ve quite a Sunday ahead of me. For almost a decade, a wonderful family from Bangladesh has lived across the street from me. In the years I was considered too young to be home alone in the summertime, the family watched me until Mama Dazz came home from work. I experienced the wonders of Bangladeshi cuisine, soap operas, and culture. Over the years the family provided us with hot peppers from their garden. I’ve attended barbeques on their patio, celebrated their becoming U.S. citizens and the marriage of their eldest son. Today I’m celebrating with family for another grand occasion.

He and his wife are having a baby!

As I checked for the time and address for today’s celebration, I was horrified to learn that I was to have an RSVP sent… last week. I thought the celebration would be at their lovely house across the street as it always was. But it was at a kabob place… in Arlington. Oh dear. In panic I called him this morning, apologizing and stating that I had not RSVP’d, nor had I included Mama Dazz or my food intolerances in the mix. In his love and compassion, he told me not to worry. As being part of the family, all we had to do was show up and enjoy the company.        

Let me just say I have the coolest family in the world.

But my Sunday doesn’t stop there. Since I spend Father’s Day in North Carolina with Mama Dazz’s parents, Dad and I are celebrating it a little earlier. We are going to a concert at Wolf Trap. Guess whom we’re seeing. Go on… guess!

That’s right, The Indigo Girls!!! This fantastic duo has been part of my travels as a kid in many of my adventures. Rites of Passage was the first CD I member rocking out to, and still remains one of my all-time favorites. Rumor has it Dad and I have box seats in the pavilion.

I promise photos and hilarity for the next post. As for this post, I want to talk about a breakfast, and a new monthly challenge. In April 2010, Kim of Affairs of Living and Ricki of Diets, Desserts, and Dogs came up with the SOS (Sweet or Savory) Kitchen Challenge blog event. It’s based on the idea that, similar to the Gluten Free Ratio Rally, you can find ways to eat delicious food despite following a special diet surrounding health conditions or allergies. To quote Kim:

“The SOS Kitchen Challenge invites you to create delicious sweet or savory (or both!) dishes based on a key ingredient that we select. At the end of the month, we post a roundup on both our blogs, giving your recipe double the exposure and offering a one-stop shop for health conscious readers and cooks.”

Last month was carob. The month before that was asparagus. This month’s challenge is blueberries, and my first time taking part.

Let me tell you, it was harder than I thought it’d be. True, I’m no stranger to vegan or vegetarian cooking, and refined sugar is a strict no-no for me, but I didn’t want to make something that’s been made over and over again. I wanted to put a new twist on how this small indigo-ish berry is eaten. I didn’t want to simply add it to my oatmeal or make a smoothie. I wanted to try something different, possibly a savory recipe. I googled ‘blueberry’ and ‘savory’ and ‘vegan’, and the only thing that came up was a blueberry sauce to top pork or salmon.

As I recall, pork and salmon are not vegan foods.

Anyway, from various food blogs I learned about the oatmeal smoothie (Namastegurl and HEAB), about lacto-fermenting grains (Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried), and a thought occurred to me. A blueberry oatmeal smoothie. Sadly, Kim had already done an oatmeal smoothie with blueberries for February’s SOS Kitchen Challenge with stevia. But I really liked the idea, so I decided on making it with my own twist to it. And a tablespoon of peanut butter wouldn’t hurt either.

Peanut Butter & Blueberries Oatmeal Smoothie

1/2 c. Rolled oats
1 1/4 c. Filtered water
1/2 tsp. Unrefined apple cider vinegar
1/8 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp. Chia seeds
1 tbsp. Flaxseed meal
1 tbsp. Peanut butter
1/2 c. Blueberries (fresh is preferred)
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
2 pinches Nutmeg

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the rolled oats, filtered water, vinegar, salt, chia seeds, and flaxseed meal.
Cover with saran wrap and let sit overnight in the fridge (between 6 and 24 hours).

Place oat mixture and the remaining ingredients in the blender, and mix until thoroughly combined.
You can serve immediately or wait up to half and hour for ultimate thickness.

Serves 1.

Almost Apple Pie

Sometimes there are foods I cannot eat, foods I desire to enjoy and incorporate into my recipes. These are foods that should be naturally gluten free and refined sugar free, foods that I should be able to enjoy within the boundaries of my amazing lifestyle. For me, the most frustrating thing is knowing I should be able to eat something but I am hindered from doing so because unnecessary additives are put into the product.

Take cottage cheese, for example. I was once skeptical of this cheese curd product, simply because my palate was fussy. Plus, it looked just plain weird to me.

When I was abroad, I learned of this Swedish dessert called ostkaka, literally translated as “cheese (or curd) cake” in English. As the national day for celebrating this oddly textured cake was two days before my 21st birthday (Since 2004, it has been celebrated on November 14th), I decided to have it as my birthday cake. Truthfully, I think the texture would have been better if it was put through the blender before baked in the oven, but it was still a cool thing to make with my other international exchange student friends.

Cottage cheese is one of those foods that is hard to find without any additives or preservatives stirred in. Yogurt is typically the same way when it is sweetened or has fruits in the mix. There are some days I want some probiotic goodness, but have to go without because modified food starch is in it. Even some organic brands do this, but why they do it I don’t understand. In Sweden, after searching the cottage cheese shelves in the dairy section, not only did I find cottage cheese in its purest form but with different curd sizes and fat ratios.

Why is it that we are adding unnecessary things into our foods? Why are we adding modified food starch when it is naturally thick and creamy? Why are we dumping sugar into foods where fruits are present? Why the additives? Why the redundancy? Just… why? By doing this, various brands are limiting their products’ availability to people with food intolerances and allergies. Often times I am unable to because soy was added, or sugar, or unknown food starches. It can be frustrating at times, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a brand out there that caters to my needs. Finding those Morri-friendly brands, however, is a different matter.

The way my household saves money on food is by going to multiple stores. In fact, we are able to feed a family of three (including multiple visitors on weekends) for under $200 a week. For produce and foods hard to find, we go to our local international food market. For our meat, dairy, coffee, and other food needs, we go to Trader Joe’s. On rare occasions we visit Wegmans or Whole Foods, usually to window shop or indulge in gluten free products or something we don’t usually see at the other stores. But for our miscellaneous necessities, such as paper towels, toilet paper, and the latest issue of Glamour magazine, we go to Harris Teeter.

The Harris Teeter we frequent has the So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk brand and agave sweetened coconut ice cream, things that are hard to find or very expensive in other stores. We go there for wild caught wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) as often as once a week, and it is at their pharmacy that I get my hypothyroid medication. It also carries a brand of cottage cheese the way it’s supposed to be, with three ingredients that make cottage cheese… well, cottage cheese.

Daisy® pulled through for me where many brands did not. Cultured skim milk, cream, and salt are this cottage cheese brand’s only ingredients. They have multiple cottage cheeses with different milk fat percentages, but the ingredients remain the same. Truly this company remains true to their “Pure & Natural” philosophy, of which I am thankful. In fact, I was so ecstatic to find cottage cheese I could enjoy without care that I bought two tubs of the stuff. That, and the Burt-man has a tendency to eat an entire tub in one sitting (this goes for tapioca pudding, vanilla ice cream, and a box of cereal also).

With cottage cheese now officially in my repertoire, I wanted to make something simple, delicious, and nutritious. I then remembered a post from a fellow gluten free blogger and hastily looked to her for inspiration. Amy Green of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free was one of the first bloggers I started following. When I became refined sugar free, she and Elana Amsterdam from Elana’s Pantry showed me the art of cooking with healthier alternatives to white sugar and artificial sweeteners (which I never used anyway). I learned to bake with agave nectar, maple syrup, stevia, and honey, ending up with similar – if not tastier – results than when I cooked with cane sugar. I started finding other bloggers who followed the same lifestyle, but Amy truly put it into perspective for me, showing me that wholesome ingredients could also be indulgent, decadent, and satisfying. She truly lives and eats by her motto “fabulous food made better”, and my respect for her knows no bounds.

Her "Almost Pumpkin Pie" recipe was the inspiration of this dish. Her “tastes almost like a dessert but it’s really a meal” concept really tickled me pink, but I didn’t have a can of pumpkin puree in the cabinet or a butternut squash on the counter to use. But with that tub of cottage cheese tempting me from the bottom shelf of the refrigerator door, I decided to incorporate some creative license.

I had a plethora of fruits to choose from, both in type and form (fresh, frozen, dried, and preserved), but soon it occurred to me that I hadn’t had my daily Granny Smith apple yet. My choice was soon clear, and the result was a delicious and filling dessert-like meal.

Almost Apple Pie

1 Granny Smith Apple, finely chopped
1 tbsp. Flaxseed meal
1 tbsp. Unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. Cottage cheese, small curd and 4% milkfat minimum
1/4 tsp, Cinnamon
2 dashes Nutmeg

In a soup bowl or large drinking mug, thoroughly combine the chopped apple, flaxseed meal, and applesauce.
Top the apple mixture with the cottage cheese.
Garnish with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Serves 1.

Aha! Moments & Recipes by the Book

I don’t know where my mind has been, but I have my theories. Rumor has it she has left the confines of my skull in pursuit of better things, such as running off with a Latin Love God, working at a local café, and making it as an actress in b-rated horror flicks. Without her, I’ve made rookie mistakes, mathematical mistakes concerning recipe calculations or forgetting to acknowledge where acknowledgement is due (Like Erin of The Sensitive Epicure for example, the lovely hostess of this month’s Gluten Free Rally for pâté a choux). I know my two wrongs don’t make a right, but I’ve fixed where I could without my mind in her proper place.

That’s the beauty of being alive, though. We don’t always have a “do over” button or a way of making our mistakes magically disappear like the backspace button on our keyboard when we misspell a word. We do, however, have the ability to correct our errors in the present, as well as the difficult choice in deciding whether to fix them or leave them be. Even if my mind has wandered off to goodness knows where, probably Scandinavia of all places, I turned the wrongs into rights.

But it doesn’t stop there.

It was well past midnight when I found myself unable to settle down. In the darkness I stared out into the dark terrain of my bedroom, filled to the brim with boxes. There were mountains of clean and dirty laundry, boxes of memories that weren’t even mine, even going so far as things yet to unpacked from my semester abroad in Sweden. Within a year, to which I am including my anticipated move to the house I’m renting with friends this August, I’ll have packed and unpacked my life nine times. You heard me right, people. Nine. Times. No wonder my mind ran off without me.

It was time to unpack. It was time to declutter. It was time to get my mind back.

There was a severe imbalance towards my path of Being. I pretty much had the health thing down. I was physically aware with what my body was telling me, at least where eating and exercising was concerned. I started to find things I enjoyed doing to keep my mind focused and busy. But still, something was missing. Something wasn’t right.

There was too much clutter physically manifesting itself in my space, that peaceful haven from the boisterous world that awaited me outside. Where there should have been feng shui, there was congestion, and it was affecting me on a spiritual and emotional level. Where there should have been stillness and quiet, there was chatter filled with incessant rambling concerning life paths I didn’t want to take. With all that clutter I had lost a sense of stability and Self that I felt only other people ultimately knew what was best for me.

 Funny. That all seems to change when you start to throw things away, when you finally unpack last year’s adventure. It turns out your mind was there the entire time, but its voice is significantly louder than it used to be, certainly louder than the fading prattle that used to torment you before.

On a completely different tangent, this could explain why I don’t do recipes by the book. I prefer to treat them like guidelines, friendly suggestions more than anything, and tend to add what I think it’s lacking or omit what I think it doesn’t need. Sure, I’ll keep to the same or similar preparations and I’ll give credit to the origins of the recipe, but cooking is an evolutionary process. What works for others may not work for me and vice versa, so adapting to your needs is not only essential but also a great way to experiment with an already delicious concept.

Except for modifying one thing (okay… maybe two, to make it gluten and refined sugar free), I made a recipe exactly as it was written, and I learned a lot from doing so. I learned that it’s okay to do a recipe differently where you see fit, and that doing something just as it was written or said or done may or may not work for you. I learned that having guidelines made by other people are nice to have when you are looking for perspective or a starting point, but not so much to live by right down to the letter.

You’ve made it this far, right? Go on. Give yourself some credit and listen to yourself for a change. You deserve it.

The beauty of homemade: Mango Salsa Fresca

I think the majority of us make “almost homemade” foods. Not that this is a bad thing, of course, but it’s true. Canned tomatoes and beans, peanut butter, fruit preserves and jams, gluten free flour(s), sweetener(s), salsa, sauces, and canned coconut milk are godsends to my household. Rarely do I consider the work it takes to making things from scratch when I am privileged to live in an era where the hard part has already been done for me.

After this weekend, however, my perception of the term “homemade” has been taken to a completely different level. I have a new-found respect to those households where cooking from scratch is a common endeavor, but now know the secret behind their successes.

The secret, my friends, is the having the tools to make homemade possible. On Saturday I was given two such gizmos, an ice pop molds set and a tortilla press, both of which were immediately used. It was the first time that Morri-friendly fajita bowls were made with true-blue tortillas, and the first time in a long time I had a frozen treat that indulged my chocolate craving (but one I could feel good about eating).

Mark my words, lovelies; the tortilla press is going to be used regularly. It took Mama Dazz and me three hours to perfect the corn tortilla (using masa harina), but it was a rewarding experience. Already I’m incorporating it for future recipes such as various flatbreads and pasta doughs in my mind.

As for the frozen pop molds, it’s just a matter of experimenting with different ingredients. For my first attempt I made a dessert pop that was rich, chocolatey, and vegan, with fruit as the dessert’s only sweetener. I like the idea of using coconut milk, avocado, and dates to make it a creamy treat, but I do want to test out different flavors and combinations before posting a recipe, specifically one that has never been seen before.

The following recipe didn’t need either gadget. Salsa fresca (or pico de gallo) is something I make a habit in keeping in the fridge, but it never occurred to me to shake things up a bit and make it myself. Trader Joe’s has two kinds, mild and hot, but I wanted an additional oomph to my taste buds. I wanted something that would really knock my socks off in flavor minus the numbing sensation of a spicy pepper.

Mango Salsa Fresca

20 Frozen mango chunks, quartered
4 Smallish tomatoes (such as Roma), finely diced
1/2 Sweet onion, finely diced
1/2 Green bell pepper, finely diced
1 Jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
Juice of a Lime
3 tbsp. Pomegranate infused red wine vinegar (or 1 tbsp. pomegranate juice and 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar)

Put all of the ingredients in the food processor and pulse until the ingredients are evenly chopped but not completely blended.
Can be served immediately or kept in the fridge up to a week.

For a chunkier version, put all of the ingredients (cut a little finer) in a large mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.
Let it sit in the fridge for up to an hour before serving.

Note: this is a rather “juicy” salsa, so I recommend straining individual servings but keeping the juice for ultimate flavor.

Curried Sweet Potato Oven Fries

After this week, I can happily say my summer funk has lifted. I spent the better part of two weeks in my pajamas, lethargic and bored out of my mind. As a Morri always on the go, I was saddened that my body didn’t want to exercise.

I felt like I wasn’t eating more than I usually did, but it was apparent my inactivity was physically and mentally taking a toll. For the majority of my journey in self-awareness I had only two speeds: stop and go. Everywhere I went I wholly put myself into the moment, then crashing as a result for days afterward. I learned to balance my highs and lows, to listen to my body when it was time to step back and give myself a break. But these days, with people coming by daily and my house is full of activity, I felt lazy by comparison. The only thing that kept me from watching cartoons all day was – you guessed it – cooking.

My two weeks of inaction was my time of self-reflection. In a few short weeks I’ll be at my internship, working with wonderful people at George Mason for a month. By August, I’ll be renting a house with the boyfriend and some friends, maybe with an animal or two. Finally, after this fall semester, I’ll have graduated, set out into the world with a degree and a dream. So I think I can safely tell you all that there are a lot of things going on in my near future.

Mama Dazz has been my go-to person to talk about these kinds of things (as mothers typically are) and she helped me put it into perspective. For one, I have learned to give myself some slack and to not punish myself for the things my body wants as a result. For another, I am an active person, and my way of relaxing is by being in motion.

Since I do not have access to the university’s gym this summer, I’m finding different ways to work out. When I was a little girl, the Burt-man tried to get me to play tennis, but I was never interested in the sport. But I was desperate. I needed to get outside, to feel the strain on my muscles and the sweat trickling down my face. I yearned to hear the playlist I made specifically for exercising.

Tennis has become my summer sport, to which a shocked Mama Dazz looks at me and says, “Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?”

She was right about one thing, though; giving your whole self a break is good for the soul. Truthfully, I was in a funk for most of it, but my creations in the kitchen have definitely been some of my best works yet.

I now have an outlet for my body, a way to keep myself balanced and mobile, but I am learning the art of doing nothing (i.e., relaxing) when there is nothing to do, to accept and trust that my body is resting for a reason, and to enjoy being still.

Even when I’m not in the mood to play, at least I have refuge in preparing meals for the people I love.

Curried Sweet Potato Oven Fries

3 medium Sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered, and slice (each potato can be made into 32 pieces)
2 tsp Garlic, finely grated
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp. Garam Masala (or curry powder)
1 dash Cayenne
3 tbsp. Olive oil (or flaxseed oil)
1 tbsp. Orange juice

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large plastic bag, add all of the ingredients and shake the bag until the sweet potato strips are equally coated.
On a greased baking pan, spread out the strips on a single layer.
Roast the fries for 45 minutes to an hour, turning them over at the 25-minute mark.

Makes 96 fries and can serve 3 to 6 people.

Draft Cider, Saffron, & Chive Gourgères

Maybe it has to do with not having anything to occupy my thoughts aside from what is going on at home day to day, but I’ve been considering my holistic lifestyle as of late. Meaning, I wondered how I came to be gluten free, a standard of living that led to other variants of food-related health I follow. Just how did I end up becoming gluten free? Why was it so easy to follow? Could I, rather, would I ever go back to the “White Bread Diet”?

My Creative Mind is quite the philosopher when it wants to be.

Let us consider the WBD for a moment, if you please. As a kid, I was quite the picky eater. I didn’t like pancakes doused in syrup or breads with visible seeds or grains. I didn’t like runny egg yolks, or eggs for that matter. I didn’t like the texture of oranges or tomatoes. I wasn’t a fan of rice. The majority of seafood was off limits. And don’t get me started on vegetables. Much of my focus was anything I could put in a sandwich or on top of a dinner roll or pasta. 

First time making them. They were slightly larger, and without the saffron.

The WBD also goes hand in hand with Adding White Sugar To Everything. When I was sick, and I often was, with terrible migraines and a tender stomach, sodas such as Ginger Ale or Coca Cola dulled the pain. Nasty tasting medicine tinctures were served with Breyers vanilla ice cream just so I would eat it without nausea forcing it back up again. There was a time I actually put white sugar on top of fruits for sweetness, when fruit juices were not 100%, when Slim Fast was an okay breakfast for all, and when high fructose corn syrup what the sweetener of choice.

It’s apparent that we’ve come a long way since then.

The WBD is the inhibitor diet, the diet that keeps you from truly tasting the wonders of the gastronomic universe. It keeps you in this tiny box where a particular cuisine or food type reigns supreme, where going out to an ethnic restaurant only to eat what you know you like is an adventure of epic proportions.

Out of necessity, this so-called restrictive lifestyle known as GF has broadened my palate and eating spectrum. It was a gateway lifestyle to a happy Morri, a healthy Morri that started to realize the infinite possibilities of her “limitations.” When I cut out refined sugars and pre-made gluten free products of old (Before the Lärabar, the Gluten Free Mall, and So Delicious Coconut Chocolate Ice Cream), I started to see exactly what I had been missing. I started making things from scratch, and developing a knack for it. I began craving for vegetables the eight-year-old me (heck, even the sixteen-year-old me) would have never eaten, or enjoyed eating them. The science and magic behind food and making recipes were always a mystery in my world BGF (before gluten free), and now I’m making things that most people feel they have to buy because they are so hard to make at home. 

The Gluten Free Ratio Rally (hosted by the amazing Erin of The Sensitive Epicure) has revolutionized gluten free baking since its beginnings earlier this year. It brings a number of wonderful people to make something of the same type with their own personal twist added to it. If you have a ratio for a particular food that you are familiar with, say pancakes or muffins or scones, you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand and make a remarkable dish. At the same time, if you are given a ratio to a food that you are unfamiliar with that up until now was a recipe left to the professionals in the culinary world, it is no longer impossible. It’s a challenge.

Before May of this year, I never thought I could make a pâte à choux recipe, even BGF. This eggy pastry dough can be made into savory starters or dessert delights, ranging from gnocchi and gourgère to churros and éclairs. It can be stuffed with soft fillings or topped with ganache or served by its delicious lonesome. It can be steamed, baked, boiled, and fried. This is the pastry of all pastries, one that is all elegance and not as hard to make as one would think, gluten free or not.

Draft Cider, Saffron, & Chive Gourgères

8 oz Newton’s Folly Authentic Draft Cider
4 oz Butter
1 oz Glutinous rice flour
1 oz Rice flour
1 oz Millet flour
1 oz Tapioca starch
8 oz Egg (around 5 eggs, with egg white removed)
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Saffron threads
1/3 c. (0.5 oz) Finely grated Parmesan-Reggiano
1/3 c. (1 oz) Finely grated Gruyère
0.25 oz (1/4 c.) Chives, thinly chopped

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In medium-sized pot, bring the hard cider, butter, saffron, and salt to a simmer over a high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour, and stir rapidly with a wooden spoon. (The flour will absorb the liquid quickly and a dough will form and pull away from the sides.)
Keep stirring to continue cooking the flour and cook off the liquid, about a minute or so.
Remove your pan from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes, when you are able to touch the dough for an extended period but it is still warm to hot.
Add the eggs one at a time, stirring rapidly until each is combined into a paste.
Stir in the grated cheeses and chive after the eggs have been incorporated.
On a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet, pipe or spoon out golf ball-sized portions (I used an icing bag for this).
Place the gourgères in the middle of the oven for ten minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F to complete the cooking, about 10 – 15 minutes longer.
Taste or cut into one to judge the doneness of the pastries.
Before serving, you can fill the puffs with a soft cheese or a savory mousse.

Makes 24 – 28 gourgères. Can be served immediately or stored up to 48 hours in the fridge.

And don't forget to check out what the other lovely members of the Rally did with the pâte à choux ratio:

Amanda of Gluten Free Maui | Earl Grey Cream Puffs  
Amie of The Healthy Apple | Pate Choux with Creamy Macadamia Icing     
Britt of GF in the City | Pâte à Choux
Caleigh of Gluten Free[k] | Savoury Paris-Brest
Caneel of Mama Me Gluten Free | Key Lime Cream Puffs
Charissa of Zest Bakery | Choux Shine: Koshi-an Filled Cream Puffs
Claire of Gluten Freedom |  Chocolate Eclairs
(Our amazing host!) Erin of The Sensitive Epicure | Gluten free gougeres filled with herbed goat cheese mousse | Churros y Chocolate Sin Gluten
Gretchen of kumquat | Cheddar Gougères with Dates and Pine Nuts | A Danish Puff
Irvin of Eat the Love | White Cheddar Gourgères stuffed with Porcini and Shallot Goat Cheese
Jenn of Jenn Cuisine | Gruyère & Herbed Gougères
Lisa of Gluten Free Canteen | Cracked Pepper & Cheese Gougères
Mary Fran of Frannycakes | Marillenknodel with ginger and cardamom sugar & chai cream puffs
Meaghan of The Wicked Good Vegan | Cardamom and Rose Water Cream Puffs (with Rad Whip!)            
Meg of Gluten-Free Boulangerie | Chouquettes   
Pete & Kelli of No Gluten, No Problem | Almond Choux Florentines
Rachel of The Crispy Cook | Cream Puffs Filled with Coffee Cream
Robyn of Chocswirl | Gruyere & Parmesan Gougeres with Sage & Thyme   
Sea of Book of Yum | Rose Vanilla Cream Puffs and Vanilla Eclairs
Silvana of Silvana's Kitchen | Gluten-Free Spinach Gnocchi Parm
T.R.of No One Likes Crumbley Cookies | Beignets
Tara of A Baking Life | Parmesan & Black Pepper Gougères | Frangipane Puffs