I created this artichoke dip recipe about ten years ago when we were heavily into Macrobiotic eating. It has become a favorite of ours and I hope you'll like it. There is no dairy, wheat or corn and it is vegan.
Ingredients:
16oz artichoke hearts drained and chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1 & 1/4c Veganaise
3/4c brown rice Mochi, grated (found at health food stores or sometime Asian markets)
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 T chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
3T nutritional yeast (optional)
Preheat oven to 350
Mix all ingredients well. This can be done in a food processor if you prefer instead of chopping the artichoke hearts. Place mixture into a medium casserole dish and bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove cover, stir and cook 15 minutes more.
This dish is flavorful and creamy and is "cheesy" enough to convince the most suspecting eaters.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Sad News
I just wanted to take a minute and say farewell to an old friend. I just found out that an old friend of mine and JIm's passed away today. Frank Cook was really fascinating and caring person and an amazing ethnobotanist. He traveled the world trying to gain as much planty knowledge as possible and sharing everything he learned with others. He was always willing to give of his time and to to share a kind word, smile or magical potion with those who needed it most. Although I never knew Frank extrememly well, I have known him for over a decade and he was someone I always looked forward to seeing at least once a year. I know that both Jim and I will miss him and so will the many many people whose lives he touched. Truly, I think that the plant kingdom of this planet will miss Frank too, he was a true champion for them. My thoughts go out to his family and friends and I share the sadness that I know many others are experiencing as they find out this news. May we all be glad we had the chance to know him. Let this serve as a reminder to all of us to live our lives to fullest each and everyday because you never know if it migt be the end of this journey. Blessings to all those i love.Monday, August 17, 2009
Watermelon Margarita
Oh so delicious and refreshing on a hot summer afternoon.
First scroll down to the bottm of this blog and get the recipe for watermelon granita and make it, as you will need some for this recipe. About 2/3C -1C per maragrita actually.
Sour Mix: makes 24oz, serves 6-8
in a large bowl or pitcher mix together
1 1/2c spring water
1/2c lemon juice
1/2c lime juice
1/2c agave nectar
then add
1 1/2c or 12 oz tequila
3/4c or 6oz triple sec
to make the margarita mixture
Fill each glass with watermelon granita and pour the margarita mixture over. Relax and enjoy!
For a single serving make the sour mix and keep in in the refrigerator. Then for each glass add 4oz sour mix, 2oz tequila and 1oz triple sec.
First scroll down to the bottm of this blog and get the recipe for watermelon granita and make it, as you will need some for this recipe. About 2/3C -1C per maragrita actually.
Sour Mix: makes 24oz, serves 6-8
in a large bowl or pitcher mix together
1 1/2c spring water
1/2c lemon juice
1/2c lime juice
1/2c agave nectar
then add
1 1/2c or 12 oz tequila
3/4c or 6oz triple sec
to make the margarita mixture
Fill each glass with watermelon granita and pour the margarita mixture over. Relax and enjoy!
For a single serving make the sour mix and keep in in the refrigerator. Then for each glass add 4oz sour mix, 2oz tequila and 1oz triple sec.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Mooless Chocolate Pie
Here is a delicious recipe adapted from my friend Amy. She came over this weekend with her fmaily and we had such a blast. Of course the lake fun was topped off by this awesome and super easy dessert. Enjoy!
2c Chocolate chips (use grain sweetened if you want)
1/2c Soymilk
1t Vanilla extract
16oz Silken tofu
1T Agave nectar
Pre-made pie crust, either bought or made ahead of time.
1. Melt chocolate chips in soymilk and then stir in vanilla.
2. Combine tofu, chocolate mixture and agave nectar in a blender until smooth.
3. Pour into pie crust and chill at least 2 hours.
2c Chocolate chips (use grain sweetened if you want)
1/2c Soymilk
1t Vanilla extract
16oz Silken tofu
1T Agave nectar
Pre-made pie crust, either bought or made ahead of time.
1. Melt chocolate chips in soymilk and then stir in vanilla.
2. Combine tofu, chocolate mixture and agave nectar in a blender until smooth.
3. Pour into pie crust and chill at least 2 hours.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Food as Art
Friday night I helped with a great event here in Hot Springs. The Spa City Local Foods Market in conjuction with the Art Church hosted a combined evening of fine finger foods and fine art. This event was held during the 20th anniversary of the Hot Springs Gallery Walk.The Food as Art Tasting was used as a way to showcase fresh, locally grown and raised produce and meats. Spearheaded by Brittany Lindon, we provided a delectable feast that tickled the taste buds of all who tried. Our finger foods menu consisted of Chipotle Sirloin on Gorgonzola Crostini, Peppered Steak with Garlic Crostini and Horseradish Cream, Lemon Verbena Lamb and Pok meatballs, Panko Crusted eggplant with Herbed Goat Cheese and Pomegranate Molasses, Crudite, and Coconut Shiso Flan.
The ingredients were provided by Arkansas Natural Produce, Arkansas Natural Meats, Petit Jean Natural Meats, Backyard Girl, Beadtanical Betty and a few others (sorry I can't remember all the names).
The Art Church provided the space for the event as well as live music and a variety of artists work to bring in folks on the Gallery Walk.
We all had a great time and so did the folks who came by. Thanks for supporting the Spa City Local Foods Market and the Art Church.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Sunrise on the beach
Just wanted to share a writing exercise here allwoing my thoughts to wander to memories and try to describe them. I plan on sharing other writings, stories, poetry, memories and works of fiction. I hope you enjoy.
"I walked quietly along the shoreline listening to the sound of the waves lapping against retreating sand. I could hear the seagulls from above as they prepared to land a little further up the beach. The water gently washed over my toes as my feet sank and I could feel the grit left behind. I reached my hands into the cool morning water that had not yet been heated by the sun which was only just rising over the the horizon. I could tell the sun would be strong today, not a cloud in the sky, at least not yet. It was still early. The rain wouldn’t come until later. I looked out into the vast ocean spread before me and could see the large tankers and cargo carriers awaiting their turn to enter the port. Port Everglades that is.
As I contemplated the strangeness of working third shift at Primanti Brothers, I was glad the morning had come and I was done. Even though I had come in as a customer before during the late night/early morning hours, I didn’t realize how many people liked to eat pizza at 2 in the morning. It had been fun and strange to serve them hot NY style slices made fresh and dripping with the grease of really delicious mozzarella. The smell clung to me, and the grease. I had a ride coming to get me but not for a while still and so I had some time to just enjoy the solitude and quiet of early morning on Fort Lauderdale Beach.
Slowly I spread a towel out before me and stood gazing into the never ending water stretched out before me. I breathed deeply a few times. I reflected briefly on how much I loved the true nature of this place. The sun, the sand, the sound of the waves, the sea birds, the breeze, the salty smell were a part of me. I began a sun salutation and went into an hour long series of yoga poses I had learned in college. I meditated on the towel allowing it to form to the changing shape of the dry sand below me. When I was done I walked to the water and plunged in to the small waves allowing the salty sea to take me in her arms. I felt refreshed and awake and alive and I let my floating body drift with the current back to the shore. I was cleansed. The pizza smell and grease officially removed from my body, my hair and my mind. I knew the day would be a good one.
That was the only time I worked third shift. In fact, I had given my notice and was preparing to leave this place and never look back. Even though I felt so whole right then, standing on the beach in the early morning, I knew this place was no longer my home."
"I walked quietly along the shoreline listening to the sound of the waves lapping against retreating sand. I could hear the seagulls from above as they prepared to land a little further up the beach. The water gently washed over my toes as my feet sank and I could feel the grit left behind. I reached my hands into the cool morning water that had not yet been heated by the sun which was only just rising over the the horizon. I could tell the sun would be strong today, not a cloud in the sky, at least not yet. It was still early. The rain wouldn’t come until later. I looked out into the vast ocean spread before me and could see the large tankers and cargo carriers awaiting their turn to enter the port. Port Everglades that is.
As I contemplated the strangeness of working third shift at Primanti Brothers, I was glad the morning had come and I was done. Even though I had come in as a customer before during the late night/early morning hours, I didn’t realize how many people liked to eat pizza at 2 in the morning. It had been fun and strange to serve them hot NY style slices made fresh and dripping with the grease of really delicious mozzarella. The smell clung to me, and the grease. I had a ride coming to get me but not for a while still and so I had some time to just enjoy the solitude and quiet of early morning on Fort Lauderdale Beach.
Slowly I spread a towel out before me and stood gazing into the never ending water stretched out before me. I breathed deeply a few times. I reflected briefly on how much I loved the true nature of this place. The sun, the sand, the sound of the waves, the sea birds, the breeze, the salty smell were a part of me. I began a sun salutation and went into an hour long series of yoga poses I had learned in college. I meditated on the towel allowing it to form to the changing shape of the dry sand below me. When I was done I walked to the water and plunged in to the small waves allowing the salty sea to take me in her arms. I felt refreshed and awake and alive and I let my floating body drift with the current back to the shore. I was cleansed. The pizza smell and grease officially removed from my body, my hair and my mind. I knew the day would be a good one.
That was the only time I worked third shift. In fact, I had given my notice and was preparing to leave this place and never look back. Even though I felt so whole right then, standing on the beach in the early morning, I knew this place was no longer my home."
Monday, August 3, 2009
Twilight (the saga)
I thought I would take a minute or two just share my thoughts about this particular book saga.
The truth is, when I first heard about the movie and the books I was pretty sure that I wouldn't be interested in it at all. Considering with the fact that my main vampire interest days seemed to have peaked somewhere about 1995 or so with the onslaught of the Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles. However, I like to watch movies and this one intrigued me, just because. When J- was out of town I got it from Netflix (I knew he would not want to watch it, never really having gone through any sort of vamp stage). After my little one was settled into bed for the night and I was ready to just relax I put it on to give it a try. Truthfully I had not followed all the hype and had no idea how good or bad it was proclaimed in the media, I simply knew it was in the media.
I really enjoyed the movie. Well it was more the actual story I loved. I'm a romantic at heart and if truth be told I like happy endings that are somewhat sappy and probably not that realistic. However they make me smile and I do love that warm fuzzy feeling inside.
So, since I like, ok well I'll just say it, loved it, I thought I might like to read the books too. So I went on the hunt to find the series to borrow. In the library here there was llike a two month waiting list. I wasn't committed enough to buy them. Finally a friend helped me connect with a set to borrow.
Let me tell you that for me these books were like crack. I could not put them down. I think it was just becasue I allowed myself to both sympathize and empathize with the main themes of deep love, loss and hurt, growth and change, rebirth into our next stage of life. I read the books twice in less than a week. The first time I devoured them reading so quickly and so caught up that at the end I was so sad for them to be done. So I read them again at a slower rate, which for me is still fairly quick.
Now I won't go so far as to these books are a Literary Masterpiece. They are simple for an adult to read being geared to a teenage audience and all. However, I would recommend them to others that simply just an't get enough of a good love story with a lot of twists and turns.
So, that's my two cents. Take it or leave it.
The truth is, when I first heard about the movie and the books I was pretty sure that I wouldn't be interested in it at all. Considering with the fact that my main vampire interest days seemed to have peaked somewhere about 1995 or so with the onslaught of the Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles. However, I like to watch movies and this one intrigued me, just because. When J- was out of town I got it from Netflix (I knew he would not want to watch it, never really having gone through any sort of vamp stage). After my little one was settled into bed for the night and I was ready to just relax I put it on to give it a try. Truthfully I had not followed all the hype and had no idea how good or bad it was proclaimed in the media, I simply knew it was in the media.
I really enjoyed the movie. Well it was more the actual story I loved. I'm a romantic at heart and if truth be told I like happy endings that are somewhat sappy and probably not that realistic. However they make me smile and I do love that warm fuzzy feeling inside.
So, since I like, ok well I'll just say it, loved it, I thought I might like to read the books too. So I went on the hunt to find the series to borrow. In the library here there was llike a two month waiting list. I wasn't committed enough to buy them. Finally a friend helped me connect with a set to borrow.
Let me tell you that for me these books were like crack. I could not put them down. I think it was just becasue I allowed myself to both sympathize and empathize with the main themes of deep love, loss and hurt, growth and change, rebirth into our next stage of life. I read the books twice in less than a week. The first time I devoured them reading so quickly and so caught up that at the end I was so sad for them to be done. So I read them again at a slower rate, which for me is still fairly quick.
Now I won't go so far as to these books are a Literary Masterpiece. They are simple for an adult to read being geared to a teenage audience and all. However, I would recommend them to others that simply just an't get enough of a good love story with a lot of twists and turns.
So, that's my two cents. Take it or leave it.
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