shoot. it's been a while. my favorite juice.

So the last time I posted something new, I was getting ready to go back to Buenos Aires. Hope you weren't expecting me to keep up the blog while I was enjoying some summer weather in February :)

I've also been cooking a lot of my older recipes, so I don't have as much new material for the blog. But I have a file full of pictures, and I'm going to start chipping away at them... I just hope I can remember the recipes :)

Ready? Here we go.
I got a juicer, as a gift.. thank you (you know who you are).

The juicer is perfect for when I go out of town because I can juice all the produce left in my fridge and not let anything go to waste. I've been going out of town a lot.. so the little juicer has proved it's worth already.
When I'm not making random I'm-leaving-town juices, I like to make a version of Main Squeeze's "ginger tonic."

Celery
Apple
Lemon
Ginger
Carrot

I'm not going to put amounts, because I change it up depending on my mood. Don't be afraid. There's no wrong way. :)

Sometimes I add other things.. like kale, parsley, beets, oranges, or pineapple. Anything goes...

massive purple cauliflower

Just look at the size of that thing! I ate purple cauliflower for a couple weeks...

Puréed into soup.

Sautéed in soup. (This soup is made of sautéed leeks, carrots, maitake mushrooms, cauliflower, and kale in a mixture of lovingly vegetable broth and chicken broth)

Simply sautéed with fresh maitake mushrooms and leeks, with a drizzle of truffle oil on top.

A is for Anna, Agrarian, and A Positive

A is for Anna. That's why I bought this mug for my kitchen utensils a long time ago.. but maybe it also stands for A positive. That's my blood type. I took a nifty little blood type test today to make sure. I've been looking into trying a different diet to try to heal my digestive disorder. The hunt + gather diet was nice for a while, and I learned a lot.. but I didn't actually get better. Not even with all the supplements, and the western medications, and the acupuncture, and the yoga, and the cod liver oil.. Nope. Still not better.

I was turned on to the Blood Type Diet by a few friends here in Columbia while I was buying my first pair of "healthy shoes" (Clarks). I've searched the web to see what people say about the diet and I read the book, "Eat Right For Your Type." There seem to be a bunch of people out there who think the diet's a bunch of bull.. and they would probably say the same thing if you told them they had to stop drinking alcohol and eating pizza. So - I'm going to go with my gut feeling about this one and jump in head first.

The recipes from now on will be based on my blood type. Type A. I don't know if it will work, but I'm going to try it out. If you are having digestive-related problems then maybe you should check the book out from your local library and figure out what your blood type is too.. if you decide not to change your diet based on Dr. D'Adamo's research, then at least it was an interesting read.

The major difference in my diet from now on will be that there will be no meat involved. "Type As flourish on vegetarian diets - the inheritance of your more settled and less warlike farmer ancestors." -Dr. D'Adamo

There are some other things I should tell you before this next chapter of my food life begins.. I got retested for my allergies. The first test I got, about a year ago, was a blood test. My blood was drawn and sent to a lab somewhere in Georgia where it was tested for 120 different foods. My new doctor/chiropractor thinks that these results are either old, inaccurate, or a combination of the two. So she had me bring in all the foods I was tested to be allergic to, and she muscle tested me by putting each one (one at a time) in my mouth and measuring the strength or weakness of my arm muscle.

Her test presented a radically different outcome than that of my first test last summer. It showed that I am not allergic to some of the things I thought I was. But this test, like any other, will not be as accurate as the test of time and a good old fashion elimination diet. Which is pretty much what I've already been doing. So I'm planning on introducing the foods my new doctor thinks I'm not allergic to back into my diet one a time, and giving each food a week or two before I introduce the next food back in.

I am planning on introducing soy first. According to the blood type diet, type A's best get their protein from soy, fish, and a little poultry. And I'll be eating more grains again.. grains like buckwheat and oats. Eventually, I'll slowly introduce some dairy back in - in the form of cultured goat milk, and you might even see and egg in some pancakes. But this is all months away.. It's a little scary and stressful to make a big change in my diet, but it's going to make each day that much more exciting, and the best part will be a healthy Anna. I'll let you know when that happens.

i stopped to pick flowers on the way home, and it made all the difference.

Don't you think?

coconut curry soup

I think I'm turning out more recipes during this week of craziness (I'm graduating from MU on Friday) than I was over the summer.. I specifically start to prepare a simple dinner, knowing I don't have extra time for something special.. then all of a sudden, my creative juices start to flow - and I end up with something seriously delicious! Like this soup.. I think it also has something to do with not shopping for a specific recipe, but just having good ingredients around - so I am forced to make due with what I have. And when I am left with fewer options, I get very creative. Kind of like squeezing out a new awesome outfit from my closet when I really need to do laundry - and I don't think I have anything left to wear.

So! Bet you're wondering how to make this soup.. It's easy..

Gather (these are the ingredients for 1 bowl! - maybe 2 cups if you're having it as a side)
1 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin and organic are implied)
2 tsp coconut oil (extra virgin and organic are implied)
1/2 onion, diced
1 handful of chopped spinach
1/4 cup whole coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp green onion, chopped
1/4 tsp curry powder
1 dash of salt

In big pan, sauté the onions in the two oils until they are translucent, then add the curry powder. mix. Next add the chopped spinach and sauté for a couple minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk and broth, and add the green onion, and simmer until it's the perfect temperature. Salt to taste :)
Enjoy!

brodo di pollo

Chicken broth, Italian style! I sautéed some onion in olive oil, then added a huge clove of garlic. Then came the chicken broth with 1/2 a tomato, seeded and chopped, and finally some fresh parsley and basil. Oh yeah, and some salt. :)
These posts are short, I know - but I shouldn't even be blogging right now.. there are 5 more days left of possible school work.. Or should I say 120 hours..

chicken stock and schmaltz

It's been a while since I made chicken stock.. this time I did it a little differently than before, and the process went SO much faster. Or maybe, I'm just getting good :)

1 as whole as you can find, organic chicken (include feet, necks, and other bony parts)
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 quarts of filtered water
1 bunch parsley - which I always forget.. I need to figure out a way not to forget..

1 - I get my chicken frozen, so I let it thaw all the way out in the fridge first.
2 - Cut up chicken, and cut breast meat off the bone, because you'll be taking the large portions of meat out of the stock after about 1-2 hours (take the liver out and save it for later!)
3 - Put all ingredients, san parsely, in a large stock pot and let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour
4 - Bring to a boil, then skim the foam off the top. Then bring down to a low low low simmer.. and leave it alone (covered, of course)
5 - After 1-2 hours, remove the breast meat as well as the legs and thighs - this is good meat to use, as it hasn't been simmering for 12-24 hours.. put away for later use.
6 - After 12-24 hours, remove from heat and strain out vegetables and leftover chicken.
7 - Return stock to the big pot it was just in, or dirty up another one if you'd like, and let it sit out on the counter until it cools off a bit.. so you don't put it in the fridge when it's still piping hot.
8 - Put the pot of broth in the fridge, and wait for the schmaltz (chicken fat) to collect and harden at the top. Then remove the schmaltz, and save it in a different container.
9 - Pour stock into different containers - I keep some in jars in the fridge and the rest I put in single serving sizes in the freezer for my future chicken soup lunches.

(I don't have a photo of this.. But I sautéed the liver from the chicken with chopped onions thyme, rosemary, and garlic in a spoonful of the schmaltz.. and it was awesome. I'll make it again and post it later..)

roasted garlic olive tapenade

Yes. Another olive tapenade. This one is quite different than the previous ones. It is a lot more refreshing tasting..and sharp.. if that makes any sense.

1 can of ripe black olives, drained
1 bulb of garlic, roasted
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried savory
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 big shakes of shallot salt (one of my new yummy seasonings from a spice shop. my version of being in a candy shop)
love

1. roast the garlic. here's how, just in case. this takes about 40 minutes, and will make your kitchen smell amazing.
2. add the dried spices to the olive oil, and let them sit while the garlic is roasting
3. add all the ingredients to a food processor/blender and wa-la!
4. I enjoyed this with some gluten-free, vegan crackers.. and if there were any left I would eat it on pretty much everything else.

sally fallon's chicken stock

This chicken stock is the concentrated and even more nourishing version of the other broth I have posted. This is Sally Fallon's chicken stock, which probably means - it's my great great great grandmother's chicken stock too. I've only added my commentary.

Ready for the best tasting soup of your life?
1 chicken (whole is best..)
gizzards from 1 chicken (optional)
2 chicken feet (you can find these at an Asian market.. because Asians know better)
4 quarts filtered water
2 tbsp vinegar
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
1 bunch parsley

Cut the chicken into pieces, even cut the wings and neck into pieces. Place the chicken in a stock pot with all the ingredients except the parsley. Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour.. Then bring to a boil. Remove scum that rises to the top, then reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 24 hours. The long you cook, the richer the flavor.
10 mintues before you finish add the parsley. This is an easy step to forget - but it adds important mineral ions to the broth. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon, let it cool, and keep the meat for tomorrow's soup, chicken salad, enchilada, sandwich, or curry.
Strain the stock into a big bowl and reserve in the fridge until the fat collects and congeals on top. Then you can easily remove the fat and store the stock in the fridge or freezer.
Good job!

cabbage soup

I hear that cabbage is helpful in healing digestive problems.. so I made plenty of this yummy soup. It's simple to make, inexpensive, and doesn't create many dishes! There should be a category of meals like that.. so you can search for recipes that won't leave you at the sink for the rest of the night. Oh yeah... most people have dishwashers. nevermind.

This recipe basically came from here.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped,
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 small head cabbage, cored and chopped in about 1” pieces (or 1/2 a big one)
2 cups almond milk (or any milk you want/can)
6 cups vegetable stock
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried rosemary

In the bottom of a soup pot, sauté onions, and pepper in oil until soft. Add cabbage and stir fry for a few minutes. Add almond milk and bring to a boil (just up to a simmer if using regular milk). Turn the heat down, add vegetable stock and salt, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Crush the dried rosemary and add to the pot.. Continue simmering for 10-15 more minutes.
Enjoy!

Hunt + Gather - the new diet.. for now.

So.. I'll just put it out there.
I have digestive.. issues. problems. uncomfortableness. sadness. Whatever you'd like to call it.
And many people do - but it's no fun to talk about.. so it can get to be a lonely disease. It doesn't get much press, I haven't heard of people walking for my cause. All I do see - are people going out to eat things that I can't.

This past year I read Jordan Rubin's book called Restoring Your Digestive Health, and it literally changed my life. At first, coming from a conventional diet - I thought he was totally extreme, and that I'd never be able to live in the way he was describing. But month after month, I found that I was doing and eating more of the things he was talking about - until I finally decided enough was enough with this digestive disorder - I was going to heal myself.

So - I managed my way through his "Guts and Glory" program which consisted of chicken soup, water with clay, and anti-inflammatory supplements.. but that was no fun. I did get better however, so - I need to give Jordan Rubin some props.

Also in the book he puts food in 4 categories, the "good," "not so bad," "bad," and the "ugly." Cute, huh?
So - instead of a diet of chicken soup - I'm going to stick to his "good" list. These are the foods that are easiest to digest because the human race has been digesting them from the time we came about. It's the hunter/gatherer diet. When I'm well again, I'll slowly work foods back in that were starting to appear in the human diet once pastoralism and horticulture appeared .. but I think this is going to work for now.

Here's the "good" list: (the edited version) - organic is a given

Protein:
-organic meat and fowl. (grass fed)
-game (venison, buffalo, elk)
-eggs
-fish with fins and scales
-organ meat (liver, heart)

Fats:
-raw goat milk butter
-coconut oil
-olive oil
-flax seed, cod liver, hemp seed, pumpkin seed, and hazel nut oils
-water packed olives, coconut, avocado

Dairy:
-cultured goat milk products like yogurt, creme bulgare, and kefir cultured for 30+ hours

Vegetables:
-raw, frozen, cooked vegetables
-unpasteurized fermented vegetables
-raw vegetable juices

Fruits:
-fresh, frozen or cooked fruits. Limit intake to 2 or 3 pieces a day

Sweeteners:
-raw honey (use moderately)

Nuts and Seeds:
-organic nuts and seeds, soaked or sprouted.
-nut and seed butters and flours.

Beverages:
-filtered, non-carbonated, high-mineral or catalyst altered water.
-meat stocks and vegetable broths
-raw vegetable juices
-lacto-fermented beverages

Condiments:
-celtic sea salt and herbamare
-lacto-fermented sauces and condiments
-raw, homemade salsa and guac
-homemade salad dressings
-apple cider vinegar
-herbs and spices

All the recipes until I'm well will be fitting to the Hunt + Gather diet.. I'm going to have fun with it, and you can too.. Heck.. I might even go out to a restaurant and celebrate. (by driving my server insane)

May health be with you, and check back soon!
love,
anna

basic mung bean soup

It was months ago at the health food market when I decided to buy these mung beans even though I had never seen them before. There was a little note card describing them and all I had to read was the phrase "easily digestible." I was sold.
So finally I did something with them. Around here, they are frequently used for sprouts - but I found all these traditional recipes for soup online and gave one a whirl.
The night before, I put 1 cup of mung beans in a large jar and filled it up with filtered water, and I let it sit for at least 12 hours before I started the soup. This made the whole process go a lot faster, as well as making them even more digestible.

Ingredients:
1 cup mung beans (soaked the rinsed)
5 cups of water
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin seed
2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp coconut oil
3/4 tsp salt
fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Pour the pre-soaked and rinsed beans, water and turmeric in a large pot and cook until the beans are tender. (I didn't keep track of the time, but it was about 30 minutes? Sorry..)
2. Add the salt then blend to a smooth consistency.
3. Heat the ghee and coconut oil until clear, add the cumin and stir briefly to release the aroma and flavor. Then remove from heat.
4. Pour the ghee mixture over the soup. Stir.
5. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

chicken soup for the heart

If you need healing of any kind, pretty sure this will do the trick. It's also delicious, if you're just hungry.

I got the recipe out the the Eating for Life cookbook. I'm not a huge fan of the book, so I don't recommend getting on to amazon right now - but this is one good recipe.

Kale, Lentil, and Chicken Soup.. what an unimaginative name.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp snipped fresh basil (or 1 tsp crushed dried basil)
4 cups coarsely chopped kale
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken (I had it all ready from making the broth the day before)
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped,
1/2 cup dry lentils (I soaked mine for 7 hours with a dash of apple cider vinegar, then rinsed them!)

1. In a large saucepan heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook covered for 5-7 minutes until veggies are nearly tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Add broth and, if using, dried basil to vegetables. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer covered for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in kale, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil then simmer for 10 more minutes.
4. Stir in chicken, tomato, lentils, and, if using, fresh basil. Simmer covered for 5-10 minutes or until kale and lentils are tender. Makes 6 servings.

Feel better!
Here it is again, the next time I made it during the Hunt + Gather diet - without the lentils..

making chicken stock.. is important

I can't tell you exactly why it's important.. I just have a feeling..

Ingredients:
1 whole (fresh) chicken or leftover chicken parts.. Or a whole frozen chicken (thaw it safely!)
5-6 quarts water (A bit more or less doesn’t matter, since you can reduce the stock to the intensity level you want, anyway).
Vegetable and herb trimmings (Use what ever you have - such as ends from onions, cores and scraps from bell peppers, celery leaves, herb stems, asparagus throwaway stalks ends, fennel leaves, etc.)

Put all the ingredients in a big pot.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium simmer.
After about 30 minutes, take the chicken out. That's something nice about homemade chicken stock.. it comes with chicken!
Continue to simmer the rest for an hour. (simmer longer for a more concentrated stock)
Drain it out, compost the veggies, and add salt and pepper to taste!

Let the stock stand in the fridge overnight if you're not going to use it right away.. then you can easily skim the fat off the top.

thick red lentil & beet soup

I got this recipe from a library book.. Students Go Vegan, but I changed it. Here's my take.

Ingredients:
3 beets, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 1/2 cups red lentils
3 cups water
1 1/4 tsp salt
fresh cilantro (garnish)

1. Soak the lentils in water with a couple tbsp of apple cider vinegar for 7 hours. Then rinse and set aside.
2. Peel and chop beets and boil in water until soft-ish.. about 20 minutes.
3. Saute onions in oil until soft and translucent, then add the carrots and saute for another minute.
4. Add the lentils, water, salt, and beets (drained) and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
5. Serves 5, garnish with fresh cilantro.

the healing/fasting soup

Well, this isn't a very fun post.. but I'm trying to make the best of it. I'm giving my poor intestines a break from working (even though I've been SO nice to them for the past 5 months). Apparently they need a vacation, so here it is. Vegetable soup. Water. Watery vegetable soup.
The recipe came from here, it's a version of Bieler's Broth:

1 pound of string beans
2 pounds zucchini
a hand full of curly parsley
carrots
an onion
enough water to cover your veggies
lemon pepper (or just pepper) and salt to taste

Into rapidly boiling water add above and boil for 10-15 min until fork goes thru outside of zucchini, puree using the water you cooked it in and make it the consistency you desire.

the kombucha's done

yum. wish you were here.