“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“Better late than never.” The origin of “better late than never” is Canterbury Tales {circa 1386}, and was coined by Geoffery Chaucer. It comes from the story The Yeoman’s Tale.
The timing of this post leaves a little to be desired, but better late than never they say, and I agree.
I wanted to tell you about a fantastic event that happens on Maui, on the second Monday of each month. It is an opportunity to attend free theatre called ONO {One Night Only}, and it takes place at the Historic Iao Theatre in Wailuku. Not only is it free theatre, it is excellent theatre! Wow, how fortunate we are to have such a great treasure less than 30 minutes from home. Anyway, I was busy finishing up the final project for my physics of cooking class, and everything required to get new tenants into our home across the ocean in Washington. And then. . .I got sick. . .nothing serious, just a cold. . .a dumb pain-in-the-rear cold, which is doing what colds do, traveling to places I’d rather it didn’t, making sleeping difficult. It could be worse, so let’s just forge ahead and be thankful for everything else that is good in life. Needless to say, we did not make it to ONO, and if you went, it was because of your own accord, with no help from me-hope you enjoyed it! Just for the record, it was a one-man show, the actor playing Einstein {he even looks like Einstein in the picture}. There is another great theatre opportunity though, but you need to hurry and get yourself a ticket to see La Cage aux Folles, at the same wonderful Historic Iao Theatre. If you live on Maui, you may know about this terrific local theatre, and may already have a ticket. If you don’t live here, and are lucky enough to be jetting our way before the show closes this weekend {yes I do realize that this notice is terribly last minute}, you should seriously think about going. We were accustomed to attending fantastic theatre in Seattle, and before that San Francisco, and thought that by moving to Maui, we may be trading great theatre for warm, fragrant trade winds, but that is not the case my friends. We have a gem in the Iao Theatre, so hope you will take in a show one day. The next second Monday ONO, presenting Cactus Flower, is on its way soon; see you at the Iao!
If you like frozen desserts {like ice cream!} and haven’t yet tried my Banana Mocha Peanut Butter Soft Serve, I suggest that you do. Or, you could give some frozen bananas and frozen cherries a whirl and try my newest soft serve. I suppose I shouldn’t necessarily call these delectables desserts, because they make fantastic post walk/run/fill-in-the-blank activity treats, and because there is no sugar beyond what is in the fruit and chocolate chips, I deem them to be pretty healthy. Like I mentioned in my Banana Soft Serve post, this is best made and eaten right away, or within the hour {in the freezer of course}. Left in the freezer for too long, the creamy mixture becomes rather hard and difficult to eat unless you process it again. I made a double batch once, and decided it was easier to just make it fresh and enjoy it right away.
We bought a bag of beautiful frozen pitted sweet cherries at Costco, and I’ve just been snacking on them straight from the freezer. Then it occurred to me that cherries and bananas would make a tasty combination, with some dark chocolate thrown in for good measure, and lo and behold, they play together quite nicely indeed.
Banana Cherry Soft Serve with Chocolate
1 medium to large frozen banana
6 frozen sweet cherries
10 dark chocolate chips {I love Ghirardelli 60% Bittersweet chips}
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Walnuts Raw cacao nibs
Slice the frozen banana into the work bowl of a food processor {For this quantity I use a mini food processor. You could use a blender, but you will need some liquid to get it going.}
Add cherries, chocolate chips and vanilla. Process until smooth and creamy.
Top with raw cacao nibs and walnuts. Enjoy!
Variations:
~ You can use all chocolate chips {or chop your favorite chocolate} or all cacao nibs
~ Substitute sour cherries for sweet, but you may need to add something sweet.
“If you’re busy, never cook for one meal; always cook for two or three. Put it in the freezer, but it doesn’t have to encore in the same form.” Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Kula Black Raspberries
Who knew? Not me. I had no idea that some nice farmer is growing black raspberries, on Maui, for our eating pleasure {in November!!!}. My husband purchased these beauties at the Upcountry Farmers Market. What a pleasant surprise!
Luscious Fresh Berries
Black Raspberries with Cream & Powdered Sugar
We love fresh berries with a dribble of heavy organic cream and a flurry of powdered
sugar. . .pure bliss.
Unlike other easier to eat berries, cranberries elicit strong opinions from those who either love them or loathe them. We happen to enjoy cranberries, and have a few favorite ways to use them. I should say that I am talking about fresh cranberries, not the dried ones. We do like dried cranberries, but they are not the same healthy powerhouse as the fresh variety.
Fresh Cranberries
Once the berries are dried, the sugar and calorie content skyrocket. Fresh berries are only available a few months of the year, so if you want them year round, you will need to buy them now and squirrel them away for another day. We like to rinse fresh cranberries in a colander, blot them dry and then put them on a parchment-lined sheet pan for a short stint in the freezer; this will prevent them from freezing into a solid block of cranberries, which will not be user friendly. If you do not have parchment paper, a flexible cutting board works well, but I do not recommend using waxed paper, as it tears easily from being wet and it will be harder to remove the frozen berries. Once the berries are frozen, pop them into a freezer bag and enjoy them whenever you like, in breads, cookies, hot cereal, smoothies or relish.
Ready for the freezer!
One of our favorite cranberry recipes is for fresh cranberry orange relish. We also like cooked cranberry relish, but this is what we make most often. We have significantly reduced the sugar for our tastes, but you can certainly adjust it for yours. I enjoy this relish the most on plain yogurt {yum!} with big pieces of walnuts. It is also good to have a spoonful on a green salad, or with any traditional cranberry-friendly foods.
Cranberry Orange Relish
Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish
adapted from Superfoods Rx.: Fourteen Foods that will Change Your Life {Steven Pratt, M.D. and Kathy Matthews}
12 ounces fresh or *frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 unpeeled orange {preferably organic}, washed, cut into eighths and seeded
1/3 cup sugar {the original recipe calls for 3/4 cup}
Put the cranberries, orange slices and sugar into a food processor. Process until everything is evenly chopped. Chill until ready to eat. *If you use frozen cranberries, partially thaw them before processing, or you will end up with a big cranberry orange ice ball.
The relish gets better as it sits and the flavors mingle.
Makes about 3 cups
Kale Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
We enjoyed several kale salads last week, all of them with cranberry vinaigrette. The tart-sweet of the vinaigrette pairs perfectly with kale’s bitterness and the creaminess of fresh goat cheese. A few other ingredients make this salad a winner. Not to mention the fact that the dressing is a gorgeous hue of creamy cranberry pink. It looks kind of like raspberry gelato. I apologize for the lack of photo-we ate all the dressing.
Kale Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette I made several versions of this salad recently, this being the most elaborate with the addition of canned tuna.You can put in whatever you like, but I think the most important additions are the goat cheese {for creaminess} & the toasted walnuts {pair excellently with the goat cheese and cranberries, and for a toasty CRUNCH}.
Kale, enough for 2 salads, washed, dried well & torn into bite-size pieces
Thinly sliced sweet onion {or red}
1 avocado
1 can tuna {we use Wild Planet}; optional Fuyu persimmon, washed and thinly sliced {I don’t peel them, but you can if you like.}
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
Toasted walnuts
Fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Cranberry Vinaigrette {recipe below}
Put the kale into 2 bowls and dribble with enough dressing to moisten. Top with onion, avocado, tuna {if using}, tomatoes, crumbled goat cheese and walnuts. Put a ring of persimmon slices around the edge of the bowl. Add a grind of salt & pepper then top with dressing.
2 servings
Cranberry Vinaigrette 2/3 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (or tangerine juice)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Combine cranberries, sugar, and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook about 5-10 minutes, or until the cranberries pop. Remove from the heat and let cool. Pour cooled cranberry mixture into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add the mustard and orange juice and blend. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
Makes about 2 cups dressing
Did you know that. . .
Fresh cranberries:
* are low in calories {44/cup}
* are high in fiber
* are low in sugar
* aid in the prevention of urinary tract infections {UTIs} by preventing bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract lining
* are high in phenols which are plant chemicals known to be highly protective against many health problems {i.e. toxic to cancer tumor cells}
* helps to prevent bacterial adhesion to teeth and the stomach lining, preventing dental plaque and ulcers, respectively
Information from: The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth {Jonny Bowden, Ph. D., C.N.S.}
“Fermented foods help people stay healthy,” Sandor Katz author of New York Times best-selling book “The Art of Fermentation.”
Before we get to the heart of the matter of cultured foods, here is a photo of yesterday’s sky. I was at the pool and the sky was so beautiful I had to take a picture. The picture doesn’t do it justice, but you get the idea.
My husband and I do a good job of learning about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle in terms of eating and exercise, and then we implement what we have learned to the best of our abilities. Our latest foray into healthy eating is fermented {cultured} foods. Please understand that in no way do I consider myself an expert on cultured foods; I am far from an expert, and know just enough to be dangerous. We have been eating cultured foods for years, because we enjoy them, but have intentionally added more into our diet because of the health benefits. Here are some of our favorite cultured foods, all of which we buy at Mana Foods, for those of you on Maui: ~ Yogurt– Nancy’s Yogurt {contains 11 different culture strains} has been a staple for more than a decade. ~ Sauerkraut and Fermented Pickles- We have recently started purchasing sauerkraut that is raw and unpasteurized, so that the beneficial microbes are available to us. One of our favorite brands is Sonoma Brinery. Farmhouse Culture makes fantastic sauerkraut as well. I LOVE their Smoked Jalapeno Kraut; I don’t find it at all smoky, but perfectly spicy! My husband prefers the Ginger Beet flavor, which I also like, but not as much as the Smoked Jalapeno. Both of these companies offer excellent products that are reasonably priced. If you want sauerkraut, these are a must try! ~ Kombucha– We drink a little kombucha most days. Our kombucha comes from Maui Kombucha. ~ GoodBelly Probiotic Drink– This is a delicious nondairy nectar-like drink. My favorite flavor is Mango. If you sign up for their Goodbelly Challenge, they will email you some coupons! ~ Sour Cream- We often spoon a bit of cultured sour cream on our quesadillas. Sour cream is always a yummy addition to a spicy dish. ~ Tempeh– Tempeh is a fermented soy product from Indonesia. Our current favorite way to eat tempeh is seasoned with freshly ground salt and pepper and sautéed in a bit of coconut oil until golden brown. Eat with ketchup and you have something that resembles French fries. A heavy drizzle of Sriracha Sauce is a great addition, if you like a little mouth burn, like I do. We also make a delicious sandwich that we call a “TLT” meaning Tomato, Lettuce and Tempeh. It is fantastic on toasted ciabatta bread. Our tempeh is in the freezer until we are ready to eat it, and then it thaws very quickly. ~ Miso- I like kale salad with Outstanding Miso Sesame Dressing. There is also miso soup, which is delicious!
Here are a few of the cultured foods we’ve enjoyed in the last few days:
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Tempeh Sautéed in Organic Coconut Oil
Slice tempeh into approximately 1/2 inch slices. Spray skillet {we use cast iron} with pan spray, then melt about 1 tbsp. of coconut oil. When the oil is hot, add the tempeh slices. Season with freshly ground salt and pepper to taste. Sauté, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Serve hot with ketchup and Sriracha Sauce, or whatever you like.
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Yogurt with Pineapple, Peach and Cranberry Preserves
Put some yogurt in a bowl, and top with homemade preserves, and your choice of any or all of the following toppings: unsweetened coconut, maple syrup {the real stuff please, preferably Grade B}, good quality honey, cinnamon, cacao nibs, nuts, hemp seeds, ground flax seeds, Buckwheat Chia Crunch or anything else you’d like.
Pineapple, Peach and Cranberry Preserves
**This is really more of a guideline than a specific recipe. You can adjust everything to your taste, including changing the fruits to what you have available.
1 Maui Gold pineapple
1 quart chunked fresh or frozen peaches
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cinnamon stick
approximately 1 tbsp. good quality honey
Juice of 1/2 a juicy lemon
Grind of salt
Get a Maui Gold pineapple if you can {we buy ours at Costco, maybe Mainland Costco sells them also-I think they do}, otherwise a “regular” fresh pineapple will do. Cut up the pineapple into chunks {see previous pineapple blog post}. Put all of the pineapple chunks into a wide-mouthed saucepan {for better evaporation of the liquid}. Add 1 quart of peach chunks {we used the peaches we froze in August} and 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries. You can certainly use a different berry if you are not a cranberry fan, but you can’t really identify them as cranberries as far as taste goes . Squeeze half a lemon and add the juice, and then throw in a cinnamon stick and a grind of salt. Spoon in some good quality honey to taste. We used about 1 tbsp. Bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat and simmer on low until thickened. The timing will depend on how juicy your fruit is. The preserves will thicken as they cool.
These preserves are meant to be made and eaten within a week or so; they are not preserved, so will not keep.
These preserves also taste great with one of our new favorite breads, from 101 Cookbooks. I have made several of her bread recipes, and we have loved them all.
Photo from 101 Cookbooks
Easy Little Bread from 101 Cookbooks 1 1/4 cups / 300 ml warm water (105-115F)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
1 tablespoon runny honey
1 cup / 4.5 oz / 125 g unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup / 5 oz / 140 g whole wheat flour
1 cup / 3.5 oz / 100 g rolled oats (not instant oats)
1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted, for brushing
In a medium bowl, sprinkle the yeast onto the warm water and stir until the yeast dissolves. Stir in the honey and set aside for a few minutes, until the yeast blooms and swells a bit – 5 – 10 minutes.
In the meantime, mix the flours, oats, and salt in a large bowl. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir very well.
Brush an 8-cup loaf pan {9″x5″} generously with some of the melted butter. Turn the dough into the tin, cover with a clean, slightly damp cloth, and set in a warm place for 30 minutes, to rise.
Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C, with a rack in the middle. When ready, bake the bread for 35-40 minutes, until golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan. I finish things up by leaving the bread under the broiler for just a heartbeat – to give the top a bit deeper color. Remove from oven, and turn the bread out of the pan quickly. Let it cool on a rack so it doesn’t steam in the pan. Serve warm, slathered with butter.
“There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s thoughts on enjoying the perfect pear may be true for raw pears, although I think his window is a little narrow. My new favorite way to enjoy pears is roasting them, which I will tell you about in a moment.
I try to walk most days, and enjoy listening to podcasts on my iPhone while I walk. I subscribe to a number of podcasts, several which have to do with my favorite subject-food. Here are some I highly recommend:
These podcasts are all hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper, who is an American food writer and radio journalist out of Minnesota.
The Splendid Table– hour long program which is “public radio’s culinary, culture and lifestyle program which celebrates food and its ability to touch the lives and feed the souls of everyone.” Key 3– a series of discussions with great cooks about the 3 techniques or recipes that they think everyone should know How to Eat Supper/How to Eat Weekends– short shows {around 10 minutes or less} based upon the 2 books
After I baked a couple batches of Mocha Truffle Cookies Saturday, I turned off the oven and popped in some fruit. “What’s that?,” you say. Putting the fruit in after the oven is turned off? Yes indeed! I popped some pears into the oven for about 50 minutes, and what emerged was tender, juicy fruit ready to eat in a variety of ways. Look at the gorgeous browning that occurred in that short period of time.
The first time I tried this, I roasted Bosc pears and Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced. My husband thought they needed a little something extra, so he drizzled just a bit of local honey over the fruit, and a touch of freshly ground salt. As most of us know, a little salt complements the sweetness of fruit. I sprinkled the fruit with sliced almonds after it came out of the oven, and we enjoyed it with some dark chocolate. Delicious! I have also just put the fruit in with no extras, and that’s good too. Plain yogurt is excellent topped with roasted fruit, nuts, cinnamon and a sprinkle of cacao nibs.
I got the idea for roasting with the oven off from the podcast How to Eat Weekends {episode from 6 October 2011}. If you listen to the podcast, you will hear about many other foods that you can roast, but I haven’t tried anything other than apples and pears {yet!}. The beauty of this method is that it is energy efficient, it is tasty and you can use fruits or vegetables that may not have stellar flavor if eaten raw {think tomatoes, apple or pears that may be a little mushy, etc.}. I hope you will listen to this podcast and then try roasting some of your own fruits and vegetables. It is quick, easy and delicious!
Roasted Pears
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and fill with thinly {about 1/4 inch} sliced pears. Slide into the oven after you’ve turned off the heat and let the fruit “roast” for about 50 minutes. You can drizzle the fruit with honey and sprinkle with a little salt and nuts if you like. I didn’t put the nuts on before roasting, but think I will start doing this. Enjoy plain {warm or cold}, with dark chocolate or over ice cream.
Just for fun-perhaps you will find your city in this list of culinary winners from Saveur Magazine.
Are you one of the regulars at your local farmers market? If not, try to shop directly from your local farmers soon-you won’t be sorry. If you are, good for you!
Here are some scenes from the Upcountry Maui Farmers Market:
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Tips for Shopping Your Farmers Market
The early bird catches the worm, so get there early ! ~ Some vendors sell items that are highly sought after {i.e. fresh fish, asparagus, etc}; they will sell out quickly. If you want something that is a hot seller, you had better get there early, or you just might be out of luck & have to settle for next best.
Bring cash, more than you think you will need {so you don’t need to worry about running out}, in small denominations ~ Vendors aren’t going to have the cash to make change if lots of people give them large bills. Try to have small bills/change as much as possible.
Be friendly!
~ Most of the folks you will encounter at the farmers market are looking for the same things you are looking for-high quality foods for reasonable prices. Just about anything is more fun with a smile.
Take plastic/cloth bags for your produce. ~ Many vendors do not provide bags. Find some big bags & reuse them. For example, Swiss chard does not fit in a gallon bag, so it is nice to have the larger bags. Big beautiful heads of lettuce need a big bag too, so they don’t get crunched up. You can put multiple things in each bag, and separate them when you get home.
You will need something in which to carry your purchases. ~ Some people use bags, while others have cool baskets to carry their market finds home.
Get to know your vendors; develop a relationship with the vendors you like to patronize.
~ When the vendor knows that you are a regular customer, you may get an extra eggplant, or they will select the best head of lettuce for you.
~ You may get a better price.
~ It’s fun to get to know the people who are working hard to provide you with the food you will eat that week.
~ If you see something you don’t recognize, ask your farmer how she likes to eat it. Give it a try, and then report back the following week.
Relax & have fun purchasing healthy foods to nourish your body!
“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” Ernestine Ulmer
I saw some beautiful flowers on my walk today, & couldn’t resist photographing & sharing them with you. My walk was enjoyable as always, and warm, because I didn’t leave until a little after 7:00 am. The sun doesn’t take long to “warm up” in Hawaii; it pretty much makes its appearance & is hot right off the bat. If you want a cool walk, you need to leave before the sun peeks over Haleakala, or after it dips behind the West Maui Mountains.
If you have visited Maui, or live here, you know that there are chickens all over the place. I have seen some beautiful chickens here, but the family I saw on today’s walk are about the homeliest bunch I’ve encountered.
Truth be told, I am more excited about what I made after I returned from my walk.
I made this. . .
This is a fantastic way to end a walk on a hot day!
Oops…I was so anxious to eat my dessert that I forgot to snap a photo until these two bites were left! Side-by-side with ice cream, I could certainly tell the difference. All by itself, I don’t need ice cream. We always have a stash of frozen bananas, so this is a breeze to make {& eat}.
Banana Mocha Peanut Butter Soft Serve
2 frozen bananas, sliced
1 tbsp. crunchy peanut butter
1/2 tsp instant coffee {I use Starbucks Via}
1 tsp cocoa {I use Dagoba unsweetened with bits of unsweetened chocolate}
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of kosher salt
1/8 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
20 dark chocolate chips {or your favorite}
Splash of milk, dairy or otherwise, if you need it for blending
I used my Cuisinart Mini-Prep food processor for this recipe. Put the bananas, peanut butter, coffee, cocoa, vanilla & salt into the processor. Process until the mixture starts to become creamy; you may need a little liquid to get it going. I used a little of my homemade almond milk. Add in the peanuts & chocolate chips & blend until they are somewhat chopped up, but not totally. Eat right away, or freeze. I prefer eating it right away, or freezing for just an hour or 2.
“In 1911, Henry Ginaca invented the Ginaca machine that could peel and core 35 pineapples per minute, making canned pineapple much easier to produce. Before this, each pineapple had to be peeled and cored by hand. Because of this invention, Dole’s pineapple canning business exploded and other pineapple canneries soon adopted the machine.” {Eat This! http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-facts-about-pineapples.html}
If you have ever been perplexed about how to deal with a whole fresh pineapple, just follow the pictures below. You won’t be able to do 35 pineapples per minute, like the Ginaca machine, but in less than 10 minutes, you can have a delicious pineapple cut & ready to eat, or use for smoothies, margaritas, pancakes, yogurt, ice cream topping or whatever you fancy. If you have a dehydrator, fresh pineapple is delicious when cut into pieces & dried. No sugar is required before drying, so it is less sweet than commercially dried pineapple, which I have seen crusted in sugar.
If you can get them, I highly recommend Maui Gold Pineapples, not because I live on Maui, but because they are lower in acid & are tastier. Try pineapple sprinkled with a little sea salt-it complements the sweet-tart flavor of the fruit.
Why eat pineapple? Here are a few reasons, from The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth {Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.}:
* 1 cup cubed fresh fruit has almost 100% of the Daily Value of manganese, which is a trace mineral required for healthy skin.
* Pineapple has a good amount of vitamin C, plus some other vitamins & minerals.
* 1 cup fruit has about 2 grams of fiber
* Pineapple’s glycemic load {the impact of a food on your blood sugar} is relatively low.
* It tastes great!
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” Luciano Pavarotti
Maui Girl Cooks 