One bean chili

 One bean chili

1 cup of dried pinto style beans like Rancho Gordons Rio Zape Bean

16 oz crushed tomatos likw TuttaRosso Crushed Tomatoes

1 carrot peeled and diced

1 tbs ground cumin

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tbs smoked paprika

1 small onion diced

2-3 garlic cloves sliced

1 tbs fig jam

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 cup roasted red or green peppers in olive oil

1/2 lemon grilled

Olive oil

Optional, corn meal

1. Soak the beans in boiled water for 1 hour
2. Add olive oil to a pan, add coriander seeds, sizzle seeds lightly, 
3. Char lemon at the bottom  of a pan.
4. Add beans to olive oil and herbs, add charred lemon
5. Add 2 cups or more of water
6. Bring to a boil then simmer for at least an hour. Beans should be soft and creamy, but skin can have a little tough resistance.
7. Build the chili: in a new medium sauce pan, add 1 tbs olive oil. paprika, cumin, cinnaman stick, warm until fragrant.
8. Add diced onion, carrot and garlic, along with fig jam 
9. Add beans and most of bean cooking liquid
10. Add crushed tomato, bring to boil then simmer for 20 minutes
11. Add roasted peppers
12. Salt to taste. simmer for at least 1 hour stirring every 15- 20 minutes.
13. Optional, stir in 2 tbs of corn meal

Cooked, 2/22/26

Chocolate Chip Chia Cookies

Chocolate Chip Chia Cookies

The 2016 edition. 4 oz. dough / cookie yields 80 cookies.

6 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup ground oats
3 tsp salt
3 tsp baking soda
3 TBS ground chia seeds (coffee grinder works well)
3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 cups sunflower seed oil
3 tsp vanilla

1 cup plantbased milk
36 oz of choc chips

Preheat oven to 375.
Mill 2 cups of dry rolled oats in a food processor or spice grinder.

Toss together 4 cups oats and 2 cups milled oats, ground chia seeds, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda

Blend oil, vanilla, and sugars, and milk until sugar dissolves.

pour sugar mixture over oats and toss to coat, stif in chocolate chips, 

portion out 4 oz cookie balls, press gently on cookie sheet

bake cookies 15 min or until dark golden brown.

Tinkering the Chocolate-Chip-Dunking Cookie

Chocolate
Dunking
mildly Crunching
. . . Vegan

Those are the priorities on the cookie recipe.

I've been tinkering batch by batch the last few weekends. It all started with the Trader Joe's chocolate chip wrapper recipe:

2 1/4 C flour
1t salt
1t baking soda
1 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
1 C butter (room temp)
1t vanilla
2 eggs
1 package of Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 375.
combine flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
combine butter, sugars, and vanilla and beat until creamy. ( I hand mix these just until mixed).
Add eggs.
Add dry ingredients.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Bake 8-10 min 

The first weekend batch I switched out 1 1/4 cup of the flour with instant oatmeal and chia seed "egg" for the eggs. Great results. At this point, I'm almost exclusively switched from ground flax to ground chia for egg replacer across all baking. The formula:

1 large egg = 1 TBS ground chia seed + 3 TBS water*

*Give or take a bit on the 3 TBS water if you don't want too much liquid in the recipe.

The next weekend batch I switched from butter to Earth Balance Soy Free butter replacement.
I event went so far as starting this at room temp. Great flavor so far but they seemed a little oily.
This batch was also graced with Guittard Dark Chocolate chips. They were 1/2 off at Whole Foods and came to $3/bag. I should have stocked up! These chips brought the cookies closer to transcendence, one satiating cookie at a time.

Thoughts on the next batch,
handmix, lower cooking temp to 350.

PS I don't obsess over all recipes methodically in this fashion but this will hopefully be the signature
on which I will make million$.

Guest Chef - MEV

Best known for her cameo appearance on the mini-series, Cooking with MEV, Mary-Ellen boasts a

no-measure technique. The results are delicious BUT-- get out the Friskies, getting her to write it down is like HERDING CATS! I've taken drastic steps at attempting today's recipe from the Guest Chef. It's not plagiarism! You'll just have  to bare with my attempt until MEV publishes that long awaited . . .cook book.

Farm Frittata

1 lb of Swiss Chard leaves and stems chopped.
1 clove garlic minced
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Feta Cheese Crumbled
3 slices of Italian bread chopped into small pieces (like croutons).
Salt Pepper Olive Oil

Saute swiss chard with garlic very slowly,
season with salt and pepper.
Beat an egg, adding a little milk.
Toss the bread and feta over the Swiss Chard.
Pour the beaten egg over this veggie mixture.
Cook very slowly until the Egg is dry and golden. Flip the
frittata out of the pan to serve.

11/15/14 Edit from MEV: "Add:   Adjust to your liking, more veggies, cheese, eggs, etc!" 

Arugula Apple Salad

Arugula is great and all but, especially as the growing temps cool, the taste of fresh picked arugula can get pretty intense and peppery. The apples and dressing combat this.

Chop 2-3 cups arugula
Chop one juicy sweet apple such as Jona Gold or Ginger Gold into bite size pieces.
Add sunflower seeds, raisins or craisins if you have them.
Dressing, whisk 1 part olive oil, 1 part Greek yogurt (any plain yogurt if you have it); 1 part balsamic, very small pinch of salt and a bit of black pepper, and wait for it secret ingredient. . .
a heaping teaspoon of ground flax seed. This "added fat" help the dressing stick to the salad.
Toss everything and toss more, dig in, delicious!

Savory Acorn Squash (AKA baby food for adults)

Heat oven to 375.

Halve one acorn squash lengthwise,

Remove the seeds and brush the surface liberally with olive oil.
Take 1-2 sage leaves and place them on the roasting pan. Place the acorn squash cut side down over the sage leaf.
Roast the squash 30-40 minutes, check for tenderness.

Scoop out the hot squash -- carefully! into a bowl.

Add a pinch of,
--cinnamon
--white pepper (black is ok if you have it)
--salt
--another swirl of olive oil.

Mash and swirl around with a fork -- DONE!
This dish would do well against portobello mushrooms or--gasp!--roast chicken.Voilá - I've converted M to love acorn squash. He's not always big into mushy "baby"food. 

Ladies who lunch Salad

This is not a floppy-hat-and-espadrille-lady salad but a 20-minute-escape-from-cubicle-to-cafe-salad.

Salad:
Lettuce (whatever kind you have on hand) Suggested softer leaves such as red or Boston.
Cottage cheese with pineapple (what I had) - Suggested small curd style.
Leftover Roasted Potatoes
Shaved or chopped radish
Sunflower seeds

Dressing:
Olive Oil (treat yourself to some good stuff)
Lighter soy sauce like ponzu and or apple cider vinegar*
Pepper (soy sauce is pretty salty so leave out Mrs. Salt)
grey poupon style mustard

For one person, a tablespoon of oil to a teaspoon of vinegar should do the trick.
*If you use the apple cider vinegar, add some honey for sweetness.

Migraines

Ok so if you don't suffer from terrible headaches, whether or not they are migraines, you know someone who does. I seem to have outgrown them (growing up in my 30s) but I still attest to the best defense against a jittery headache day or 2 is prevention. There's so much soft/pseudo science out here so please don't consider any of this as advice but an annotation of what has worked for me.

-Minimal soy (as in no soy milk, very little soy sauce, tofu less than once a month.
-1 Low dose aspirin AM and PM.
-Tylenol arthritis at the earliest on set.
-Reduced dairy - exceptions include hnh in coffee, goat cheese, yogurt, a bit o' ice cream.
-Sleep (the least pseudo scientific)
-At least 20 min exercise/day.

FHM Inherited Migraine condition http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/familial-hemiplegic-migraine
Migraines as recognized by the ADA http://askjan.org/media/Migraine.html

Stacked Eggplant

As I've made this dish twice, consistently, it's time to share,

1 Eggplant Sliced Thick (skin on) salted and rinsed.
1 QT of Marinara or Fradiavolo Sauce.
1 cup course corn meal for polenta
2 cups vegetable broth. . .
goat cheese or mozzeralla

updated 6/18/14
Well this is great, I never finished the recipe!
I can only imagine it was, cook polenta and spread it 1/2 thick on an oiled cookie sheet.
Bake a 350 oven for 20 minutes - keep an eye and let it turn golden.
Cut polenta into 2" squares
for a crispier edge place cut squares back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes
slice mozzerella.
Turn the oven up to 500 and cook the eggplant for 20 minutes on a cookie sheet brushed with oil.

Assembly:

1-2 polenta squares as a base
spoonful of sauce
eggplant slice
slice of cheese
eggplant slice
spoonful of sauce
sprig of basil

Veteran Vegan cooks outstanding Sunday Gravy

We had the privilege of M making Lucia's famous Sunday gravy. When M became a vegetarian, she instantly adapted the recipe with zucchini. Here's the carnivore's version,

4 braciole
4 Italian sweet pork sausage
4 cans plum tomatoes
1 can paste
4 cloves garlic sliced
salt
pepper
sugar

In the bottom of your deep large sauce pot, brown the braciole, remove, then the sausage, remove, then the garlic gently -- no burning! Return the braciole and sausage to the pot, add the four cans of crushed tomatoes; paste and seasonings (adjust to taste later on). Bring to a subtle boil then let this simmer basically the rest of the day (at least 2 hours). If you can avoid stirring do so. This way if anything does burn, that bitter charred flavor won't mix with the sauce. The beef and pork gently flavor the entire sauce. Serve with a sauce catching macaroni aldente such as fusilli. Really-- spaghetti will always be my personal favorite.

The superior zucchini version:

4 zucchinis chopped in to 1 in pieces.
4 cans plum tomatoes
1 can paste
4 cloves garlic sliced
salt
pepper
sugar

Brown the garlic and zucchini then ad the tomatoes, seasoning and let sauce simmer as in the former recipe.
You could also hit this with a kick of red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

The last butternut squash marks the end of winter.

Over this winter, I've kept a butternut squash on the counter since it was harvested in October. I liked pretending it was a lart resort, in case we get stranded food. So here we are, a cobbled together recipe for the final chapter of this squash life:

Braised Butternut Squash over Baked Polenta.
(adapted from 2 different Mark Bittman recipes)

In a deep pan, brown minced garlic until golden. Add 1/4 cup stock (or water) and cubed (1 1/2 - 2 inches) pieces of 1 pealed and seeded butternut squash. Add pepper and a touch of salt, then cover and let steam for 15 minutes. Check for tenderness, and likely steam for 15 more minutes.

In a medium sauce pot bring 2 cups water and a half cup almond milk to just boiling. Then whisk in 1 cup of polenta (course corn meal). Consistency will equal soupy oatmeal. Don't let this mixture bubble as you whisk (this will prevent lumps). At the end add a bit of goat cheese if you've got it.

Pour polenta into a casserole dish. Remove butternut squash with a slotted spoon and spread on top of polenta.

As a last step I whisked some leftover pesto into the remaining squash liquid and poured it over. Next time, I'd like this a little thinner or just plate the pesto. It's not best visual effect.

Enjoy! I think this is a good bag lunch leftover. Nothing too exciting but a bit more vivid than PBNJ.

-Bittman, M. (2007). How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p355.

Cooking Television yields Delicious Yams

Have you had a chance to watch A Chef's Life? It's a reality style profile of a restaurant fantasy land. I mean this in a good way. Yes the restaurant work is super hard but meeting the people who grow your food -- it's pretty close to utopia! The main protagonist, Vivian whisks you through a recipe at some point during each episode. The sweet potatoes looked slightly less intimidating so I came up with a vegan alternative. The vegan adaptation is circumstantial; I didn't have bacon or butter. Actually I didn't have anything remotely suggesting the Southern qualities of this dish besides the yams. Se la vie, results were delish!

Here's the recipe from Farm to Table

Try this adaptation. The spinach was calling to be cooked and served as a fair backdrop for the Yams,

Two large yams. Pricked all around with a fork. Cooked for 45 minutes at 450 degrees F. Let the yams rest and cool for a few minutes.

While the yams cool, prepare the sauce. Melt 1/2 cup butter or vegan spread in a pot. Whisk in a scant 1/2 cup brown sugar, at least 1/2 lemon and season with cayenne pepper. Keep this at a low heat so it reduces. Throw in a few handfuls of pumpkin seeds. At the very end add 2 small scallions to the sauce, shut off the heat. Now start to pan fry the yams. Carefully slice yams into 3/4 inches with the skins on. Pan fry the slices in hot peanut oil to give them a crust and caramelize the edges slightly. Plate 2-3 slices then pour a generous amount of sauce over each.

Broiled Grapefruit

When I was a kid and my aunt and uncle in Vermont served us broiled grapefruit with Vermont maple syrup drizzled on top, it was the most exotic food I'd ever seen. Previously, in my mind, this was restaurant food! Still looking exotic and sumptuous today it's a satisfying part of breakfast.

Halve a grapefruit (more evenly than illustrated here)
Cut around the outside, and then the little wedges.
Drizzle honey or maple syrup on top (this is where the even grapefruit helps).
Optionally, dust with cinnamon.
Place grapefruits on a roasting pan under the high broiler for 7-8 minutes. If you start to smell grapefruit, it's ready. These will cool off quickly so if you are serving a group, this should serve right out of the oven.

(c) Vanessa Viola, 2014.

Bird Seed!

Feeding the birds is well, For the Birds! This winter I've dabbled in citizen science by posting bird counts to ebird. Once you get started there's loads of photos, content, stats. Let's not forget bird calls! 

Barn Owl, (c) Vanessa Viola, 2014.

Even beyond the bells and whistles, you can really get hooked on tracking regional birds. We got started taking a Sunday morning to see the Snowy Owls that have frequented the beaches this winter. I have 3 bird lists logged in ebird which makes me, wait for it-- the 116th most active birder in Suffolk County! Yes-- that's how granular these stats get!

Oh yes, I did mix up some bird seed for  the local cardinal and wood thrush. 

Homemade dumpling skins - no turning back!

We found and practiced a recipe for dumpling skins as opposed to buying the opaque discs which pass for some sort of glutinous product. Hands down a delicious experience results! However, a word of caution, taking on this level of provincial kitchen labor, is not for the faint of heart. Rolling, stuffing, and folding these little gems, give yourself 3-5 hours!

Apparently there's a vendor in Flushing which sells homemade dumplings frozen to take home. We had some last week, amazing flavor!! They sell for .50 each?! Really for a special occasion -- go for it!

Research. . .

The Big Lie (slightly aggressive title) (look for my comment!)

At only 2 years old, this book already seems a bit dated but spells out the basics.

Thanksgiving Tradition!

Besides food. . .
We often Fast forward to the end. . (click here)
It's the best part!!!

Thanksgiving Prep!

We're so obsessed with the newly assembled kitchen, I almost forgot to jot down Thursday's prep.
There will be 9 for dinner and I've volunteered to make,

-Brussel Sprouts (now don't groan!)
-Hummus (AKA vegan gravy)
-Apple Pie or Cookies (Salt and Pepper Cocoa Shortbreads Baking : from my home to yours / by Dorie Greenspan.)

For the Brussel Sprouts, I've sources these recipes,
Cider Braised Pheasant with Pearl Onions and Apples
Brussel Sprouts with Wild Mushrooms

"Toss Brussels sprouts with oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, then spread out in 1 layer in 2 large shallow baking pans (17 by 12 inches). Roast, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until tender and browned, 25 to 35 minutes."

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Brussels-Sprouts-with-Shallots-and-Wild-Mushrooms-236410#ixzz2ltwIo36U
"In small skillet over moderately high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onions, apples, sugar, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Sear, shaking pan occasionally, until onions and apples are dark golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in apple cider, scraping up any browned bits in pan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until onions are fork tender, about 2 minutes more."

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cider-Braised-Pheasant-with-Pearl-Onions-and-Apples-236322#ixzz2ltwBfMyQ

. . .

Storage Guide for Fruits and Vegetables

I saw this handy poster circulating, most recently via SlowFood. Although my freezer is brimming with frozen dried tomatoes, kale, and collard greens. These go into soups, sauces, and smoothies respectively. Here's to learning better food storage techniques,

Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Graphs.net.

Meatloaf Competition!

Yesterday I brought a bottle of wine to enjoy with dear friends and easily extended my invitation to stay for dinner. How could I resist the caucus and voting for the  Meatloaf competition?! Pictured here are the winner, competition founders, and with--90+ years of experience--the tie-breaking voter Grandma Broley--AKA Nana.

Great time had by all! On these occasions, I'm often asked - but I thought you were a vegetarian? My typical response is, I treat meat as a delicacy and will eat some on special occasions. I'm pretty sure some people think to themselves, "That's non-committal", "I expected something more political", then look at my leather shoes, etc. In no particular order, these are the reasons I eat very little meat and fish,

• I've accepted the fact that I'm not very disciplined to do or quit anything cold turkey. Changes in my behavior require a modification of routine over time (stubborn and lazy). I've been conditioned to eat meat since birth so I have a conditioned response, salivation, to the smells of meat cooking, stock simmering, the grill, etc. 
• Cooking meat is much more labor intensive and I've never really enjoyed cooking it safely or "just right". 
• I'd rather pay someone else to cook meat for me occasionally.
• Selectively and humanely killing an animal for direct consumption is one thing but mass animal destruction  and torture does not justify a "medium rare shell steak with sauteed onions and mushrooms." 

This post does not represent a defense on vegetarianism but a checkpoint on where I presently stand on the issue. -- Yes,  this is non-committal!