Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Happy Holidays!

Every year I say it was the best Christmas ever, and every year I mean it. The morning is a quiet one, with “A Christmas Story” playing in the background while people have brunch and drink coffee. The family tradition is lox on a bagel with various odds and ends, but I made gluten free biscuits (much more successful than the last time, I think, but not perfect) as my “bagel”. Along with Mama Dazz, Burt-man, IB, and myself, we also had our good friend TD stay over from our Christmas Eve dinner. Uncle R came over in time for brunch and our day of board games, and his girlfriend AS came later.

Ahhh! It's the Lox Ness Monster!

The people in my life know me so well. Mama Dazz bought me a kindle, the same kind she bought Grandpa B when we visited them earlier this week. I was rendered speechless, and already I have quite a collection of free kindle books, many of them fairytales from all over the world, and some of them are classics I denied myself reading in my youth. (Sherlock Holmes is a great example.) I was also given books, and I was overjoyed to see my favorite cartoon artist Nick Galifianakis’ book If You Loved Me, You’d Think This Was Cute, Alton Brown’s Good Eats 3: The Later Years, and Potter’s Cooking For Geeks. The boyfriend went with me to purchase ski clothes for our week at Timberline in WV, and as one of my gifts he bought my ski pants for me.

Gift opening during brunch

In the afternoon I went over to Daddy-O and his wife A's lovely house for the Sands Family Christmas. All the cousins were there, including my cousin Amy, who is teaching English in China for a year to little kids (if you are interested, here is her blog). After dinner was eaten (I was still full from brunch and Christmas Eve’s duck dinner), we circled around the large Christmas tree where a huge pile of presents were sparkling under the Christmas lights. “Thank you” and “Oh, wow!” were heard from all over the room, and it was quite a sight. At my feet, there were Pink Floyd CDs, a rather stylish carrier bag, Gluten Free on a Shoestring, tangle-free and retractable headphones, a scarf, a slushy making mug, and much-needed funds. I was blown away by Uncle K and Aunt L’s graduation gift, and it is really going to help get my post-college life together (Thank you thank you thank you!).

Although the gifts I received were beyond amazing, it was such a humbling Christmas to have after my Christmas in Sweden. I was surrounded by loved ones, good food, and found my heart had grown three sizes in twenty-four hours. There was no Scrooge or Grinch to be found.


He and I are spending this week at Timberline Ski Resort in Davis, WV with his family and friends until the New Year. Russian is the language of choice, and it is so beautiful to hear. It is raining at the moment, and he is a tad under the weather, but I do aim to either ski or run while I’m here. Most of the food, as I anticipated, is not Morri-friendly, but I did bring provisions to keep my tummy happy.   


I end this post with a Merry Christmas, God Jul, Happy Boxing Day, and Happy New Year. Also, what does your traditional Christmas (or whatever you celebrate) look like in regards to food?   

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Two Winter Veggie Dishes, Two Different Ways

As mentioned in my “God Jul” post, there were a plethora of vegetable dishes. The two I made were the “Marinated Ruby Red Salad” and the “Dairy Free Creamed Spinach.” The boyfriend was my inspiration for the former, as Eastern Europe is very big on pickled and marinated veggies. The latter was something I replicated from my first ever Julbord when we were in Sweden, only I wanted to have an edge on the dish. Both are wonderful winter side dishes to have when you’re in that veggie rut. Where one is refreshing, the other is comforting. Where one is light, the other is rich and filling. 

Marinated Ruby Red Salad

16 oz./454 g/12 -14 Baby beets, steamed and peeled
1 Medium-sized White onion, finely diced
6 oz. (171 g) English cucumber, gutted and finely diced
20 g or 9 small radishes, coarsely chopped
45 g (1/4 c.) Red wine vinegar
1 Ruby red grapefruit, sectioned and juiced

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and let marinated at least four hours.
Refrigerate to serve later or serve immediately.

Serves 6 – 8.

Dairy Free Creamed Spinach

16 oz. (464 g) Frozen spinach
13.5 oz. (383 g) Canned coconut milk
1 tbsp. Dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Penzeys Spices Balti seasoning, optional
Cracked pepper, to taste
20 g Garbanzo bean flour

Place the spinach and coconut milk in a medium saucepan on medium heat until the mixture is hot, about ten minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients, drop the heat to a medium-low, and it should thicken after three minutes.
Serve hot.

Serves 6 – 8.

Fitness Week 3 (or lack there of...)

This week was rather upsetting. Well, not really upsetting, but I didn't follow the fitness plan at all. I felt like I was dealing with the Academic Hangover, or AH for short. For the first time in years I didn't have to be somewhere unless I wanted to be. This week was MY week, and next week skiing with the boyfriend's family will make up for it I think.

Ah well... Happy Holidays.

Monday [not completed]
One Walk 10 minutes.
Next 10 minutes alternate running 1 minute and walking 1 minute.
Walk 10 minutes.
Stretch.

Notes: Instead of running, I hung out with the kids at the community center for 5 1/2 hours. I think running around with munchkins totally counts as exercise...

Tuesday [not completed]
"Tone Zone" Strength Training Program.
Stretch.

Notes: Today is the Winter Graduation Reception! So the morning is going to be spent buying a dress (walking) and ski clothes for next week (more walking), and then this afternoon will be the reception and a blog post or two.

Wednesday [not completed]
Walk 10 minutes.
Next 15 minutes alternate running 1 minute and walking 1 minute.
Walk 5 minutes.
Stretch.

Notes: Day of making Julbord feast for family. Feeling totally lame by not "working out."

Thursday [not completed]
"Rock Solid Abs" Strength Training Program.
Stretch.

Notes: Taking a trip down to NC to visit Grandpa B and Grandma D. Tons of "not completed" this week. Lame...

Friday [not completed]
Walk 10 minutes.
Next 15 minutes alternate running 2 minute and walking 1 minute.
Walk 3 minutes.

Notes: Back from NC and was extremely tired.

Saturday
Rest Day.
My "cheat" day for gluten free grains, fruits, and sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.

Notes: Oh, did I ever feast! Duck, coconut winter wonderland rice, Cobb salad, and coffee. Yum!

Sunday [not completed]
Walk 5 minutes.
Next 21 minutes alternate running 2 minutes and walking 1 minutes.
Walk 4 minutes.
Stretch.

Notes: It's Christmas, people. And I think the ski trip taking place of Week 4 will suffice. :) Happy holidays.

God Jul & the Solstice Julbord

God Jul, my merry readers! I felt that this Swedish saying was rather appropriate for this post, because Sweden has truly inspired my household this holiday season. On the twenty-first, family and friends sat around the dining room table for a three-course feast similar to the one I had last year with Sofia’s family. It was my first Christmas away from home, though her family kept homesickness at bay. We played games and sang songs in between bites. We walked on the frozen lake and watched Donald Duck in various cartoons. The boyfriend and I were given presents of tomte sculptures and Swedish Jul music. 


This family showed us the true Swedish Christmas spirit, and I was determined to do the same in the United States.

After our Ikea outing a few weeks back, Mama Dazz and I came home with edible goodies, including pickled herring, fish paste, seaweed “caviar”, non-alcoholic glögg, cookies, and lingonberry nectar. From there we came up with a menu for our very own Julbord.

Now, for those who do not know about Scandinavian culture, the Julbord is a buffet-style meal with various courses served at the table. The Julbord is a form of the Smörgåsbord, Swedish for open-faced sandwich (smörgås) and table (bord). There are hot and cold dishes, and the meal usually starts with bread, butter, cheese (and lots of it), and pickled seafood. The second course is then served, with deli meats, cold veggies, and crisp breads with more cheese. The third course would be the warm dishes, with meatballs, sausages, carbohydrate-laden casseroles and cooked veggies. Depending on the family, there may or may not be dessert, but an after dinner fika is expected.

We had an amazing menu, and the people around the table were stuffed to the gills. So what did we have, you may ask? Well, I’ll tell you.


Drinks
Spiced wine*
Moscow Mule* (a mixed drink made with potato vodka, ginger beer, and lime)
Water
Hot tea
Coffee


First course
Pumpernickel bread
Cracker assortment
Cheese: Havarti with Dill, Holland sharp cheddar
Garlic-stuffed Olives
Pickles
Deli meat: Sliced pancetta, capiola
Pickled herring
Applegate beef hotdogs with Dijon mustard
Deviled eggs with real caviar
Yuletide sugarplums



Second course
Dairy free creamed spinach
Marinated ruby red salad
Sautéed Brussel sprout mash
Jansson’s temptation (eller Janssons frestelse), without the bread on top
Swedish meatballs (recipe in post)
Third Course
Coffee
Tea
Fresh berries, biscotti, and whipped cream

It was an amazing meal, with amazing people to share it with. I hope I did you proud, Sweden.

God Jul to all, and have a safe holiday (whichever one(s) you may celebrate).
Swedish Meatballs (adapted from The Joy of Cooking cookbook)

64 g (> 2.25 oz.) CGF rolled oats
100 g Whole milk
12 oz. (340 g) Ground beef
12 oz. (340 g) Ground pork
2 Eggs, beaten
1 tbsp. (14 g) Butter, melted
1/4 c. (30 g) Minced dried onion
3 tbsp. Dried parsley
1 scant tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Paprika, Spanish smoked
1/2 tsp. Grated lemon rind
1 tsp. Lemon juice
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/8 tsp. Allspice
2 c. (16 oz./ 454 g) Chicken stock, for pan gravy

Coarsely grind the rolled oats through the food processor, and in a small mixing bowl, soak in the milk throughout the other prep processes on the counter, about thirty to fort-five minutes.
In a larger mixing bowl, mix together the ground meats with the eggs.
While both bowls are setting, sauté the minced onions in the olive oil until golden and allow cooling.
Add the onion in with the meat, as well as the remaining spices and the rolled oats, and mix (either by hand or a wooden spoon) until the ingredients are fully integrated.
In a large pot, put the chicken stock on medium heat.
Shape into balls (I was rather anal about this: the mixture equals 992 g, so to make 18 I measured each to be around 55 g), about 2 inches.
Drop into the bowling stock and cook until done, about fifteen minutes, and then proceed to make pan gravy.

Makes 18 meatballs. Serves 6 – 9 people.
Pan Gravy

2 c. (16 oz/ 454 g) boiling cooking liquid (in this case, the chicken stock)
2 tbsp. (20 g) Garbanzo bean flour
1/2 c. (90 g) Heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp. Grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp. Dill

In a small bowl, mix the garbanzo bean flour in with a ladle of the hot liquid and stir until a thick slurry is formed.
Pour the slurry into the cooking liquid (with the meatballs still in the pot), and lower the heat to a steady simmer for five minutes.
Add in the lemon rind and nutmeg.
Turn the heat to the lowest setting, and slowly add the cream to cook for another minute or so.
Serve immediately.
*Alcoholic drinks: I want to remind my readers to please please please drink responsibly. Everyone at the Julbord was over the age of 21 (the legal drinking age of the United States), and waited a good number of hours before driving. I encourage the use of designated drivers, staying hydrated with water, and eating a ton of food when alcohol is present. I want you to have fun, and I want you to be safe.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Yuletide Sugarplums

I feel as if my life is at a standstill. There are no more exams, essays, or projects. There are no more car battles for the closest parking space on campus, running from class to class, or studying. I am no longer an undergraduate.


As of Monday, I am officially an Alumnus.

After turning in my paper and portfolio for Conflict Integration on Thursday, I joined my friends while they ate lunch. I was the only one who was completely finished, but there was talk that I could take another semester’s worth of classes, maybe a minor of fifteen credits or less. Joking or not, I was done with the student aspect of my life for a while, but what I am going to do to fill the new void where school was a part of me for more than sixteen years?

(On a positive note, fall graduates like myself are actually supposed to be part of the cap and gown walk in May, even though we get our diplomas in January.)

The word of the week is Obligation, as I have obligations with family, new and old, friends, my significant other, my work at the community center, and yes, definitely myself. My life isn’t at a standstill, per se, but I feel like my pants have been yanked from the back to keep me in place even though Life keeps on going. I have Obligations to others to go a certain way, but at the same time I have Obligations to go a certain way that may not be compatible. So I do what I can, but as the boyfriend explained it, Life is like an apple pie. You have enough ingredients to make two pies, which will satisfy sixteen people. But say there’s eighteen people; what will you do then? If you cut the pie pieces to accommodate the other two, the pieces won’t nearly be as satisfying for everyone involved, including the baker.

After he told me that, I knew he was right. I’ve been trying to satisfy too many people and as a result, I feel I have only done what had to done at minimum. On my end, it hasn’t been as fulfilling and believe me, I aim to fix this error… especially where stress management is concerned.

I have so much to be thankful for, and they are things that have made this Yuletide a glorious one. I am extremely lucky to have a family that has pushed me to succeed and had paid my way through college. I am humbled by the love I have for the people in my life and the love that is reflected right back.  

(source)

So here I am, an Alumnus with or without a plan for the upcoming year ahead of me. Will I attend Grad school in the fall?  Will I move into my own place by February? Will I have a job pertaining to what I want to use my discipline in conflict resolution in the spring? Will I travel on my own accord, make a garden to feed the people I love, run a 5k (or 10k), or start the art project I’ve been thinking about the last two months? Will I finally have the apple pie distributed in the manner that suits my liking?

True, I’ve been thinking about these questions. But at the moment, the only thing I’m thinking about is the holidays and the recipes it may bring.

This month has become the designated cookie month for many who have children, love baking for the holidays, and well, love cookies. At the same time I’ve been looking for something different for a Yuletide dessert, although I assure you cookies are definitely in the making. Alton Brown from Good Eats did a particularly festive episode titled “Twas the Night Before Good Eats,” and inspired me to have the Holiday Spirit in recipes other than in cookie form. Cassie from the amazing blog Back to Her Roots also inspired me with her sugar plums recipe, whose ratio I’ve used as the base for my creation.  

And wouldn’t you know it? The recipe happens to be gluten free without any help at all.

The history of sugarplums varies depending on the type. There is the literal sugarplum, which are plums oven-dried and then rolled in sugar, a delicacy during the Tudor period. Plum also denoted any kind of dried fruit, so it wasn’t always made with a plum. But then there is the archaic version, made with more than that. The recipe has changed throughout the eras, the Victorians even going to far as to hang them on the Christmas tree as an edible treat (similarly the same concept that I’ve done with putting candy canes on mine in the past).

From Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker to Moore’s "A Visit from St. Nicholas" to Field’s “The Sugar Plum Tree,” this delectable treat is, by far, a healthier indulgence than what can be expected in the remaining weeks of 2011. I used coconut flour in place of the powdered sugar as coating, but each piece is still two bites of heaven.


Yuletide Sugarplums
1 c. (112 g) Raw almonds
1 c. (120 g) Raw pistachios
1/4 c. (63 g) Creamed honey (regular if you don’t have it or maple syrup/agave nectar for a vegan friendly recipe)
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Allspice
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
3/4 c. (85 g) Dried apricots
3/4 c. (114 g) Prunes
15 Medjool dates, pitted
Zest of 1 Tangerine
Coconut flour, for dusting

Put the almonds and pistachios through the food processor until they are chopped into fine pieces.
Add the spices, dried fruits, and the tangerine zest, and pulse until the mixture is chopped and beginning to clump (I pulsed mine past what Alton Brown had done, but they turned out just fine).
To form the sugarplums, use the larger end of a melon baller (a tablespoon works also) to scoop the mixture and roll it into a ball with your hands.
Roll the balls into the coconut flour (or powdered sugar if you prefer) and shake off the excess before stacking them in a jar or on a plate.

Makes 44 sugarplums.

Fitness Week 2

I felt rather lame that I hadn't completed this week to the extent I would've liked. I didn't weigh myself until Saturday (on another scale, too), and I did have some carbohydrates (in the form of potatoes and forbidden rice) when I was feeling particularly worn out, and it helped tremendously. As the third week has already started, it make not even start until Wednesday, and next week I'll be skiing so it's a different sort of exercise. 

Week Two (moved to the 12th - 18th because of health issues)

Monday [not completed... still sick]
One Walk 10 minutes.
Next 10 minutes alternate running 1 minute and walking 1 minute.
Walk 5 minutes.
Stretch.

Notes: Still sick, and as I think this is pre-time of the month week, I didn't bother measuring in.
 
Tuesday [completed]
"Tone Zone" Strength Training Program.
Stretch.

Notes: Still had issues with #2, #5, and #6. For the "Warrior Three Tricep Extension" I used a stand in the gym for balance. Didn't have time to stretch, and the walk to my car was brutal. Still, it felt good to be back at the gym. 

Wednesday [completed]
Walk 10 minutes.
Next 12 minutes alternate running 1 minute and walking 1 minute.
Walk 3 minutes.
Stretch.

Notes: Did with success! I did not stretch, though... work and exams to do.

Thursday [not completed]
"Rock Solid Abs" Strength Training Program.
Stretch.

Notes: Big day of turning in exams and work.

Friday [not completed]
Walk 10 minutes.
Next 12 minutes alternate running 2 minute and walking 1 minute.
Walk 3 minutes.

Notes: Beyond exhausted. I put up the Tree, though, so that counts as something... right?

Saturday
Rest Day.
My "cheat" day for gluten free grains, fruits, and sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.

Notes: Had guests and a huge family dinner, but I couldn't each much because only a select part of the feast was Morri-friendly, and I had a severe caloric imbalance the next two days. With the other scale, as well as significantly more clothes on my person, I weighed under 124 pounds. :)

Sunday [not completed]
Walk 8 minutes.
Next 15 minutes alternate running 2 minutes and walking 1 minutes.
Walk 2 minutes.
Stretch.

Notes: My final week of school, papers, and exams, and then a weekend filled with family staying at our house, I didn't end up exercising as often as I wanted, though the little munchkin who came kept me preoccupied. I felt life, making food, and not overdoing it too much was way more important than additional fitness.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Spiced Buckwheat Zucchini Breakfast Bake with Cocoa Nibs

I think it was a rather shallow victory to be sick during my last week of class and having a Finals Week without the Finals. And without a winter graduation ceremony that includes wearing the cap and gown, I was a bit let down. I could do the cap and gown ceremony in the spring, but it doesn’t feel the same. It wouldn’t be a 2011 ceremony, and for some reason the graduation year means a lot to me.
 

So last week was “Morri is a Grumpy Gus” week, which has bled off into this week. I was sick, unable to do Week Two of my fitness plan, unable to go to work, saddened by my anticlimactic end of my last semester as an undergrad, and sleeping all the time. I was able to complete all my assignments on time (not to mention getting an A on my all-nighter poster presentation), I’m halfway done with one essay exam, a five hundred-word assignment, my conflict integration portfolio and a fifteen-page (at maximum) paper to go. Thursday is the day its all over, and I couldn’t be more relieved.

True, I didn’t blog while I was sick. Just thinking of blogging and taking photos made me feel exhausted. I was nauseous when I thought about certain foods, and I did what I could to keep my meals simple. There was a lot of egg, chicken, bean, and vegetable consumption last week. Looking back, I wish I had photographed what I made, because I don’t think people realize how easy grain-free and low-carb eating can be. The last week was rather tedious, me being sick and all, but after a month of this diet I’ve considered a few things.

Since I’ve been doing a specific fitness plan that focuses on running, I wonder how important carbohydrates are in the runner’s diet. I think having incorporated more protein and veggies (as well as having limited my fruit intake) in my daily regimen has helped out significantly, and I’m fuller longer. Will I have grains on other days besides Saturday, I don’t know. Will I eat them daily at every meal? Probably not. However, I don’t want to restrict my body from what it needs, so we shall see where that goes. Plus, why shouldn’t I enjoy the holidays by eating the treats I have in mind to make just because they weren’t made on a Saturday? True, stevia looks to be my sweetener of choice for the majority of my recipes in the near future. But even if honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar is used, I still want to enjoy it.

And believe me, I plan on it.      

Breakfast bakes (this one inspired by this recipe) have taken center stage in the mornings, and garbanzo bean flour is officially my favorite flour. I used the socca ratio I’ve done in the past, only with an egg or two to make it different. Each one was cooked in the smallest iron skillet (well, the smallest one that could hold the batter without spilling over) on the stovetop, and then put under the broil to cook all the way through. Although garbanzo bean was used the majority of the time, I use buckwheat groats for a few, with additional flours such as coconut and almond meal. Until last week, all I did was play around with a few spices, but I started getting sick of the same old breakfast bake. After my success with frozen blueberries, I thought I’d experiment. And after my Nuts Online package arriving yesterday and the one from Bob’s Red Mill on the way, I just had to go where no Morri has gone before.

I have a feeling breakfast bakes are going to be posted on this blog more often. All in all, I liked today's turnout. It was nice to have some greenage in the morning, and it was filling without me feeling heavy afterward. Along with an apple and some almond butter, this lasted me until lunchtime. That, and it kept me motivated to working out before work.

Spiced Buckwheat Zucchini Breakfast Bake with Cocoa Nibs

1/4 c. (45 g) Raw buckwheat groats, soaked overnight in filtered water and 1 tsp. cider vinegar
4 oz. Filtered water
1 tsp. Coconut oil
1 Egg
1/4 tsp. Bourbon vanilla extract
1/2 c. (>49 g or 1.75 oz) Grated zucchini, slightly blotted or drained of moisture
2 tsp. Cocoa nibs
1 tsp. Almond meal
1 tsp. Mesquite powder
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon powder
1/8 tsp. Allspice powder
1/8 tsp. Ground nutmeg
Stevia (or your choice of sweetener), to taste
Coconut oil, for greasing

Put the buckwheat groats and water through a blender or food processor (in the smallest bowl) until a smooth, liquid batter forms.
Add the coconut oil, egg, and the bourbon vanilla into the batter and blend.
Pour into a medium-sized mixing bowl and fold in the remaining ingredients (i.e., the grated zucchini, cocoa nibs, almond meal, and spices).
Place the smallest black iron pan you have over medium heat, and after a minute add in the coconut oil.
Once the oil starts to smoke, pour in the batter.
As the sides begin to solidify and the bubbles in the center begin bursting, put the pan under the broiler (roughly at the center of the oven) and rotate every minute or so until done, about two to four minutes.
It should be able to slide out of the pan by flipping it over, but use a knife around the edges if it sticks slightly.
Garnish with additional cocoa nibs or a smear of nut butter.

Serves 1.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Stevia Sweetened & Grain-Free Thumbprint Cookies with Apricot Preserves

This has been one interesting year, blowing by like gust of wind and just as violently. It has had its moments, with the enlightening and confusing lessons, the exciting and terrifying situations, and the thrilling as well as exhausting activities of which I thought of as important. I felt like I was flying from day to day, hour to hour, events to events, and suddenly I’ve come to a wall. Since October my life decided to put on the breaks, and the second half of the semester has turned into a slow-motion car crash. I’m so tired, the tired that reaches down to your very core, the type of tired that most college students get this time of year. As this is my last official week as an undergraduate, my body has taken on another wave of sickness. You know, the December pre-holiday, sore throat, slight fever, congested sinuses, and swollen glands kind. And let me tell you, all these things make it hard to get into the holiday spirit.


I love Christmas, Yule, Jul, St. Lucia’s Day, the Winter Solstice, Boxing Day, and New Years Eve. I love the lights on the houses, the smell in the air, the color of snow clouds, and the secular winter songs sung by various Big Band, ragtime, jazz, and contemporary artists. Most importantly, I love the food. After my Christmas in Sweden last year, IB and I are bringing the traditions we learned from our friend SR. We’re celebrating our guilt free and grain-free free day with a Julbord on the 24th like we did with our friend SR and her amazing family. There will be lox, various pickled things, cheese, sweets, and maybe a little singing around the dinner table with schnapps in hand. 

His and My Christmas in Sweden, 2010

Is it just me, or has the “Christmas spirit” changed a bit in the last few years? As I recall, the winter holidays didn’t start in October. Maybe that’s what has soured my childlike love for this time of year: the consumerist part of this holiday that sells good cheer earlier and earlier in stores. My biggest fear is turning into my version of Dickens’ Scrooge, but even worse than a Scrooge would be the kind of person who feels nothing for the holiday once beloved and viewed as a magical experience. I want to relive my childhood memories of larger than life trees, of Santa Claus and the night before Christmas present tradition, of holiday movie marathons like “A Christmas Story” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and seasonal treats like hot cocoa, lox on bagels, and candy. Once more, I want to keep the spirit of the holidays alive, last semester and post-graduation stress besides.

But this month’s Gluten Free Ratio Rally was what really got me into the spirit of the holidays. I mean, what is December without cookies?


Cookies, sometimes known as biscuits in other English-speaking countries, have been seen throughout history since food has been documented. Its not-so sweet ancestor (such as the jumble) traveled well and lasted much longer than other foods when people went on long journeys through harsh lands and environments. The cookie the U.S. knows and loves today involves the creaming of butter and sugar, which wasn’t introduced to our palates until the 18th century.

Call it what you like, whether it is the Dutch koekje, the Scandinavian kakor, the Anglicized cooky, or the modern cookie, it’s an amazingly adaptable treat. The classification of each type of cookie is based on how it is formed. There is the drop cookie (the classic oatmeal or chocolate chip), the “icebox” cookie, the molded cookie (the gingerbread man), the rolled cookie, the pressed cookie (the German Spritzgebäck), the bar cookie (the British “Tray Bakes”), the sandwich cookie (the Oreo), and so much more. They can be decorated or left plain. They can be crispy or chewy. They can be “healthy” and beyond your average indulgence.

Have it with milk, with tea, or with coffee, a cookie is a dessert to be relished, enjoyed and cherished with every bite. And even with my week of low-carb, grain free, limited fruit intake, and sweetener free, I still wanted to participate in this month’s GFRR and eat what I made… even if it wasn’t on Saturday (aka my grain-free free day).

I had in mind a thumbprint cookie, with an apricot preserve filling that didn’t have any added sugar in it. I thought, should I add more sugar to the cookie dough or not? I wanted a cookie, but I didn’t want a baked sugary thing posing as a cookie. I wanted it to have the integrity I felt cookies should have, where it’s not too sweet but definitely fulfilling. I’m not the only one who prefers a not-too-sweet cookie. Just look at Ruhlman’s “1-2-3 Cookie” in Ratio, a shortbread cookie all about the cookie and not all about the sugar.

So I had a challenge, two actually. The first was to make it grain free. The second was to make it refined sugar free and low in the unrefined also. It was the second that took me out my element, and I’m glad I gave it a go.

My Gluten Free Julbord Plate, 2010

As you know, I don’t do refined sugars, even organic cane sugar. It makes me lethargic, ill, and my digestion is finicky for days after. I also don’t do artificial sweeteners or corn syrup, the “regular” or the “high fructose” kind.  So what was a Morri to do?

The answer, my friends, is stevia.

Stevia is a herb/shrub/plant found in the sunflower family, whose extract is three hundred times sweeter than your average sugar. It is also the only natural sweetener that the body does not recognize as a sweet as well as being non-caloric, so it has little effect on blood glucose and the liver. It's great for diabetics and those with glucose intolerance alike.

There are quite a few gluten free bloggers noted for using stevia in their recipes, such as: Iris of The Daily Dietribe, Desi of The Palate Peacemaker, Lori and Michelle of Pure2Raw, and Ricki of Diet, Dessert, and Dogs. I first tried stevia years and years ago, back when stevia started entering the holistic food world. That same stevia in our fridge isn’t pure; it has grapeseed extract, an ingredient that has a bitter aftertaste. Some people think stevia has a bitter aftertaste all on its own, though I find stevia works in some foods and not in others. (I also recently purchased 100% pure stevia in powdered form from Trader Joe's, which tastes significantly better and was what I ended up using for the cookies.) It tastes great with pumpkin and socca bakes, though I’m not a fan of it in light beverages such as lemon water, tea, or coffee. The taste of stevia in beverages was what concerned me in the first place, but it’s like comparing the taste of milk to juice, or fish to steak, or… or uh, beverages to baked goods.

Anyway, stevia should be used sparingly, but it does work with cookies. Oh yes, it works with cookies… these cookies, actually.

This recipe was inspired by Williams and Kidd’s Cooking At Home recipe for “Miniature Jelly Thumbprint Cookies” (pg. 483).

Stevia-Sweetened Grain-Free Thumbprint Cookies with Apricot Preserves

3 oz Almond meal
4 oz Garbanzo bean flour
1 oz Coconut flour
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
4 oz Unsalted butter, room temperature
1/8 – 1/4 tsp. Stevia
1/2 tsp. Bourbon vanilla extract
1 Egg yolk
2.5 oz Apricot preserves (if not smooth, put it through the food processor until it’s curd-like)

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
In a food processor or stand mixer, cream the butter, stevia, vanilla, and egg yolk on medium speed.
Decrease the speed setting to low and slowly add the dry ingredients until the dough begins to form.
Separate the dough into a least twelve equal parts (although I recommend making three to four times that amount for smaller cookies), roll into balls, and place on parchment paper or on an ungreased baking sheet at least 1 1/2 inches apart.
Using your index finger or a 1/4 tsp. spoon, make a depression in the center of each ball.
For the smaller cookies, bake for 7 minutes, while doubling the time to 14 minutes if you’re making a dozen larger cookies.
Remove from the oven and use a small spoon (the same 1/4 tsp. spoon) to fill the depressions with the preserves.
Return to the oven and continue to bake until the cookies begin to color, about 8 minutes (16 minutes for the larger cookies).
Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.

Makes 12 – 42 cookies.

The great Caroline of The G-Spot Revolution hosts this month’s GFRR,  “because a healthy life shouldn’t be hard to find.” I think she is the right person for this ratio for this month. She’s sassy, warm, and honest, a person who isn’t afraid to get her hands into cookie dough. Her photos are beautiful and her recipes are intuitive and easy to follow.

So thank you, Caroline, for being awesome and making cookies with the rest of us:

Amanda | Gluten Free Maui     Simple Shortbread
Amie Valpone | The Healthy Apple     Gluten-Free Grapefruit Sugar Cookies
Brooke | B & the boy!     Candy Cane Shortbread
Caleigh | Gluten Free[k]     Mulled Spice Cookies
Caneel | Mama Me Gluten Free     Cardamom Date Cookies
*Caroline |  The G-Spot Revolution     Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies
charissa | zest bakery      Coconut Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
Claire | Gluten Freedom     Chai Latte Cashew Cookies
Erin | The Sensitive Epicure     Spritz Cookies w/ Jam
gretchen | kumquat     classic sugar cookies
Irvin | Eat the Love     Apple Brown Butter Bay Leaf Spice Cookies
Jean | Gluten Free Doctor Recipes     Reindeer Cookies
Jenn | Jenn Cuisine     Basler Brunsli
Jonathan | The Canary Files     Vegan Salted Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Karen | Cooking Gluten Free!     Mexican Wedding Cakes
Lisa | Gluten Free Canteen     Molasses Rum Raisin Cookies, Gluten Free
Mary Fran | frannycakes     Gluten-Free Pinwheel Cookies
Meaghan | The Wicked Good Vegan     Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Meredith | Gluten Free Betty     Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Me! | Meals With Morri     Stevia Sweetened & Grain Free Thumbprint Cookies with Apricot Preserves
Pete & Kelli | No Gluten, No Problem     Belgian Speculaas Cookies
Rachel | The Crispy Cook     Melomakarona
Shauna | Gluten Free Girl & The Chef     Gluten Free Soft Molasses Cookies 
Silvana Nardone | Silvana's Kitchen     Old-School Italian Jam-Filled Hazelnut Cookies
T.R. | No One Likes Crumbley Cookies     Cinnamon Lemon Cookies
Tara | A Baking Life     Walnut Shortbread

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Instant Quail Mayonnaise with Dijon Mustard & Fresh Dill

Wow. My 100th post. Already? It seems like it was yesterday I was posting about pancakes.

Moving on.

There are some things in the food world that people feel is tedious to make, hard to make, or unnecessary to make. Thus, it has been brought to us in millions of brands, with different ways of making it, and different prices based on the quality of the ingredients.

Off the top of my head I can think of two food categories that fit this description: baked goods and condiments. The Gluten Free Ratio Rally helped me see the error of my ways for the former. As for the latter, well, let’s just say I have a fairly condiment-free existence.

And I’m okay with that, despite the fact I love various nut butters, sour cream, and Dijon mustard. But there is one condiment that I think everyone at some point in their lives has a love-hate relationship with. That, my friends, is mayonnaise.

A great condiment for this recipe.

Most of us were introduced to mayonnaise as a white, oily, and, in my personal experience, foul smelling concoction posing as what mayonnaise used to be from the olden days. As a kid I put a little on my ham and cheese sandwiches, and [sometimes] a teeny bit in my tuna salads. But after a while I just couldn’t manage that… that stuff anymore. Burt-man loves the store-bought brands, and we joke that he looks for things to put on it instead of the other way around. Recently, though, we’ve noticed that some of the things we make for dinner are missing something where hot gravies, broths, and other condiments wouldn’t work as well.

The mayonnaise I’m referring isn’t store-bought, and there’s something else that adds to its uniqueness. As the title of this post has told you, this form of mayonnaise is made with quail eggs.

[source]

Quail eggs are the cutest things. It takes five of them to equal the calories and weight of a large chicken egg. Their shells are a pain to open, and don’t get me started on attempting to separate the yolks from the whites. Besides that, they have a marvelous taste to them. For some reason, they taste rather “blue” to me.

The beauty of quail eggs, and the reason why I chose them to make mayonnaise, was because of the bird itself. Since the birds have a higher body temperature as well as various other awesome things, it is impossible for salmonella to be present in the eggs. Therefore, it is completely, totally, and utterly safe to eat them (the eggs) raw… within reason, of course.

Hence, mayonnaise. The instant (albeit epic) kind. My recipe is adapted from Ruhlman’s book Ratio, so of course it turned out awesomely.

Instant Quail Mayonnaise with Dijon Mustard & Fresh Dill

3 Quail eggs (the whites give it a lighter color and airy texture)
2 tsp. Lemon juice
1 tsp. Water
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. Sea salt
90 g (> 3.15 oz or 1/2 c.) Olive oil
1 Dill sprig, leaves removed from the stem
1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Combine the quail eggs, lemon juice, water, and salt in the food processor’s smallest work bowl and pulse until mixed.
Add a few drops of oil, hold the pulse button and blend until an emulsion forms (a few seconds at the most).
With the blade running, pour the remaining oil slowly into the chute for the mixture to incorporate the oil.
Once the mayonnaise has solidified and opaque, add the dill leaves and Dijon mustard and pulse until thoroughly merged.
Use immediately or store up to three days in the fridge.

Makes roughly 1/2 c. 

Fitness Week 1

Monday [completed]

Walk 10 minutes.
Next 6 minutes alternate running 1 minute and walking 1 minute.
Walk 4 minutes.
Stretch.

Notes: Time passed! Fun, and actually “ran.” I did stretch, but didn't do the ones they recommended. Will do so from now on.

Measurements 1 hr after 450-550 cal breakfast, and <8 oz cold water right before.

Body Photos [check.]

Weight: 124 lbs
BMI: 21.6
BMR: 1389.45

Measurements:
Forearms: L11 R11 in.
Waist: 26.75 in.
Hips: 36.75 in.
Thighs: L19 R19 in.
Total Inches: 123.5

Tuesday [sort of completed... see notes]
"Tone Zone" Strength Training Program.
Stretch.

Notes: I must have been doing work outs all wrong in the past. Thirty minutes + 10 - 15 minutes of the recommended stretching = beyond tired. On the other hand, I should have also watched the video(s) on each move, because I did: #1 wrong with a pair of 7.5 lb dumbbells, #2 too slowly (and thus, not well or at all), #3 straightforward and without the rotation, #4 with support and by bending my knee against the wall, #5 with 5 lb dumbbells and on bended knee when my right wrist started hurting again (that, and I didn't change arms every other time), #6 awkwardly and not changing direction to form a full circle, and #7 with 5 lb dumbbells and a lot of effort (but at least correctly).

For future reference, dear readers, if there is a video showing you a workout movement, click it before you hit the gym. I think I did the stretches correctly, though... except for #10 (didn't do sideways).

Wednesday [completed]
Walk 10 minutes.
Next 8 minutes alternate running 1 minute and walking 1 minute.
Walk 2 minutes.
Stretch.

Notes: Despite soreness from yesterday's workout, I ran beautifully. Did recommended stretches except for #5, #7, and #10 - 12 (I didn't have the equipment at home).

Thursday [not completed]
"Rock Solid Abs" Strength Training Program.
Stretch.

Notes: With an all-nighter, school, and then work, I didn't have time to go. That, and I didn't want to overexert myself. I moved Thursday's workout to Friday. Slept 12+ hours then that night, and felt significantly better.

Friday [completed Thursday's workout]
Walk 8 minutes.
Next 10 minutes alternate running 1 minute and walking 1 minute.
Walk 2 minutes.

"Rock Solid Abs" Strength Training Program.
Stretch.

Notes: The "Rock Solid Abs" Strength Training Program was really intense! It took me two tries to get the "Stability Ball Pelvic Tilt Crunch", but I'm glad I did it right. I'm still having issues with the plank exercises, such as "Walk the Plank and Rotate" and "Nose-to-Knee Crunch" and ended up not doing them. My muscles were still getting used to the new exercise plan, and I was quite awkward in my attempts. The rest of them, while difficult, were able to be completed successfully.

Saturday [Completed :)]
Rest Day.
My "cheat" day for gluten free grains, fruits, and sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.

Notes: I had a rolled oats breakfast bake with 2 eggs, 1/2 a banana, and peanut butter with spirulina for breakfast (including coffee). Went to Ikea (sigh... I miss Sweden), and had some of their coffee and half-&-half. For lunch had a teff "crepe", made with 2 eggs, and topped it with leftover turkey; side was goat chevre, tomatoes, and cucumber. I had an afternoon snack, a Granny Smith and a little honey. Dinner consisted of slices of New York strip, mushrooms and onions, and oven baked root veggies (rutabaga, garlic cloves, sweet potato, russet potato, and parsnip). 

Sunday [Completed]
Walk 6 minutes.
Next 12 minutes alternate running 2 minutes and walking 2 minutes.
Walk 2 minutes.
Stretch.

Notes: Not too bad, but I definitely ran slower. As I had run to far and extended the walk by an additional five minutes, I decided not to stretch as I have been doing after every exercise.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Grain-Free Salmon Cakes

I can’t believe how sore I am after less than a week. Five days, and muscles I never knew existed are tender. It may have more to do with learning the mistakes I made on Tuesday and Friday, but on Wednesday I flew down the sidewalk, running despite the ache. I felt beyond empowered.

With the poster for my final project in Conflict Integration presented on Thursday, I’m surprised I’m not as openly stressed, especially after the all-nighter and the all day schedule that had me sleeping over twelve hours that evening. It may have to do with increasing my caloric intake per meal, and not clawing towards the next one when they were smaller. Even with one poster presentation down, and four papers plus two take-home essay exams to go, simply having a plan for my health has taken a lot of weight off my shoulders. 
   
It’s nice, having a plan for something.


This grain-free, low-carb whatchmacallit that I’m eating day-to-day is amazing! The boyfriend has gone on the slow-carb diet in Ferriss’ book, missing noodles, bread, other gluteny things, and not so gluteny things like cheese, but doing very well regardless. Our lunches have turned into similar beasts, and I’ve noticed that most of the dinners I’ve been making were s/low-carb anyway. All you had to do was take away the rice, quinoa, buckwheat, or various potatoes. But his binge day and my rest day are on Saturdays; it is also my day to enjoy all gluten free grains, fruits, and certain sweetener. It’s a day where guilt is not welcome and sleeping in is encouraged. It’s a day of wearing pajamas while working on various blog posts and schoolwork due next week. Oh... and Ikea.

I couldn’t wait for Saturday. You have no idea how much I’ve been looking forward to it. What carnage of epic proportions will I partake in? I don’t know yet. I thought it would have something to do with oats (which ended up being a two egg breakfast bake with half a banana), a Granny Smith with nut butter (nah…), tea with honey, rice with dinner, and pumpkin pie somewhere during the day (Burt-man ate it all).

We shall see.

There are moments where I’m thinking “Yeah! A grain-free free day!” followed by “Crap! A grain-free free day!” The FiveLac worked, all right, but all it did was kill the bad bacteria, with little to no good bacteria to be found. I’ve started taking enzymes again, and Mama Dazz was kind enough to order me enzymes specifically for digesting grains, so we’ll see where that goes. I actually like the grain-free eating. I’ve become rather innovative with recipes and what goes on my plate, as well as making things I never thought I would or could.  

Where Elana’s Pantry has almond flour, I have garbanzo bean flour. I’ve used it to make a socca breakfast bake (well, for everything socca really), as a thickener for sauces, as part of a pie crust ratio, and donuts. I love everything about this flour and what it brings to recipes. It’s dense, rich, and has a hint of savoryness that stands out beautifully in a plethora of dishes.

Take salmon cakes for example. I was absolutely craving salmon cakes, with a superb crunchy outside and an inside so flavorful you’ll be craving for more. It’s a delicious grain free and dairy free option perfect for the entire family.

Grain-free Salmon Cakes (Recipe adapted from The Joy of Cooking)

1 can (14.75 oz) Wild salmon (containing skin and bones), drained
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1.6 oz Garbanzo bean flour
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1/8 tsp. Spanish smoked paprika
1 Dill sprig, leaves removed from the stem and left relatively whole
10 (0.20 oz) Thai basil leaves
3 Garlic cloves
Olive Oil (Ghee or Coconut oil works too), for greasing

Plop the salmon meat in a large bowl and use a wire potato masher to fully integrate the skin and bones.
Fold in the eggs, garbanzo bean flour, salt, dill leaves, and paprika.
Chop the basil leaves and garlic cloves as finely as possible (I used a small food processor), and pour them in with the salmon cake mixture.
Separate the mixture into four distinct pieces and form them into thick patties (alternatively, you can make eight small patties).
Put a cast iron griddle pan on medium heat and add the oil.
Once the oil begins to smoke, put in the patties and cook two minutes per side.
Place them under the broiler and flip every other minute for a crispy exterior until cooked through.
Serve with a side of green beans and garnished with Dijon mustard or homemade mayonnaise.

Makes 4 – 8 salmon cakes. Serve 2 – 4 people.