Vegan Taza Chocolate Chipped Cookies

I apparently am determined to become a better baker. I say I will not bake again but I feel the urge come over me and there I am..mixing chocolate and sugar. Sigh. My execution is still lacking, but the recipes are getting better.   Amazing how I barely think about dinner and I can toss together something very enjoyable. These cookies on the other hand totally stressed me out.  Luckily is all worked out in the end.  At least in my opinion! 

How can you really go wrong when you take a disc of Taza salted almond chocolate and chip it into a cookie? You really can't.....well at least no more than 2 times.  It took the 3rd try to get these right.  The problem was that I was trying to make them vegan, low calorie and low fat all at once.  I had to take it a step at a time.  First, vegan.  I am working one a lower calorie version.  As you can probably tell, they are not the healthiest..but they sure were good!

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup Earth Balance spread (I use the soy free)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package of Taza Salted Almond Chocolate (chopped)

Instead of 2 eggs I used this "formula" to replace them
1 egg= 2 tbsp of water, 1 tsp canola oil and 2 tsp of baking powder. I did this in a separate bowl and added to the mixture later.

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

First, you have to "chip" the chocolate.  I just used a small knives and cut away.  Nothing has to be exact here..

COMBINE flour and baking soda in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add egg replacement..beating well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.   Because of the missing eggs, the batter may be a little dry.  I simply added water a tablespoon at a time (2 did the trick).

You do not have too cook them for too long because there is no egg. If the oven is hot enough I would go with 6-7 minutes...

Be happy and healthy!

~L

Bacon Mushrooms

The first snow storm of the season and it did not disappoint!  Home from work and really should have had some crazy cooking time, but instead I sat around watching Alice and Wonderland and the Jerk.  I really have no regrets about the movie selections...

When I did finally peel myself off the couch I vetoed eating another round of leftovers and instead went with the "almost local: shiitake mushrooms (from PA) that have been sitting in the fridge and in need of some cooking.  A quick google search for a new recipe and that is how you find bacon mushrooms.  No, there is no real bacon here.  Apparently, when you toss shiitake with 1/4 cup of olive oil and sea salt, then bake them for ~40 minutes they taste like bacon.  I had to try it. How could I not??  You have to really cook them until they are dry and crispy, as shown.

The verdict: there is a hint of bacon flavor, but not really.  They were crispy and salty.  This is really what is reminiscent of the bacon, not so much the taste.  They were really good regardless of not delivering on the bacon flavor.  I tossed them with black beans and onions.  A side  of local steamed broccoli (RI) and some quinoa rounded out the dish.

The best part was that it was not too heavy of a dish.  After all the holiday eating,  I am happy to start detoxing asap!

Stay happy and healthy,
L

Did you know you can beans locally?

Well you can!  I have been purchasing Baer's Best Beans, a local company from So. Hamilton MA.  Of course, I am buying them at the local mecca...Sherman's market.   They have a great variety.  For the recipe below I used their mung beans and light red kidney.  I have also bought their black beans.   I stopped buying canned beans years ago due to the high sodium content and the processing that has to happen to get them in the can.  Maybe I am imagining things, but since I took the last of any canned item out of my diet, I  feel much healthier.

Yes, I know that a can is easier when you do not think a head.  What I do is take a mix of dried beans and put them in a container to soak in the refrigerator.  Then they are there when I need them.  It also encourages me to eat more beans as they will go bad after a bit...I pay too much for good food to let it go to waste.

In my constant attempt to include more of the said beans into me meals, the other night I decided to add them to a a simple soup I have been making for the last few weeks.  It has perfected what was already a pretty nice soup.  I first had it in Italy.  One of those classic Italian dishes that contains a few simple ingredients.  It was  cabbage and potatoes with a touch of garlic and olive oil.  Simple and yummy, but missing a protein component.  This was because there was a second course that would contain a meat item.  There is no second course here in my normal life (or meat for that matter!)..so I had to add the protein in the form of beans to the actual soup...I do love that all in one meal.

I used a mixture of mung, kidney, chick peas and lentils.  I boiled them in a small pot to separate from the soup to start.  I chopped 1 small head cabbage and tossed it into a large stock pot.  Potatoes (which can still be found from local farms!) where peels and cubes and added to the cabbage.  I then filled the pot with water to cover the cabbage  (~8 cups).  
Bring to a boil and cook until potato is tender (~20 minutes).

You want to strain the cabbage and potato but reserve water.  I save all the liquid in a large bowl, as shown here.

I then add 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 chopped garlic clove to the pot.  Saute for a few minutes and then add back the cabbage and potato as well as the beans.  Mix all together and let cook for a couple of minutes.  I stir this a lot to mix in the garlic and oil.   Add salt and pepper.

Slowly ladle the liquid back into the pot.  Add all or most or as little as you want.  I end up using almost all of it.

End result is a healthy, complete and wonderfully delicious meal.

Note the change from the boring white bowl that I normally use...this new colorful bowl is hand crafted by a local maker Crissy Ann Ceramics and purchased at the Somerville Snow Mall.  I should have been Christmas shopping but I could not resist this fun little dish.  I now eat all my bowl related meals out of it.  You can visit her blog at http://chrissyannceramics.blogspot.com/.  She also has products on Etsy...

Hope you enjoy this soup and maybe are inspired to buy a similar bowl.

Now I must think about Friday's meal.  Hard to believe that I was put in charge of vegetables for Christmas Eve dinner!

Stay happy and healthy!
~L

...and I am back

I am still here and still living local.  Unfortunately, life sometimes side tracks my postings.  In this last bit of time off it was the loss of a loved one that put the post on hiatus.  If you have been reading my post, you know that I traveled to Italy at the end of the Summer to visit with my wonderful Nonna Ilda, whose health was failing.  She was able to keep the fight going while we were there, but sadly her health declined quickly and passed away two weeks ago.  It is never easy to lose a loved one, but to be so far away makes it all the more difficult.  

She was amazing, funny, sweet and my #1 chef...this meal is dedicated to her.

So tonight's dinner is something that nonna probably never would have made..but I like to think she would have enjoyed it..

As you can imagine, finding local farm fresh vegetables in the Northeast this time of year is a tough assignment, but not an impossible one.  Sherman's Market in Somerville has tons of local root vegetables and dried beans.  Whole Foods has a good selection as well, so hope it not lost.

Today I purchased golden beets from Whole Foods and combined them with a carrot I bought at Sherman's the other day.  Now greens can be tougher so I had to shop outside the local region to buy some kale.  Buy local as much as possible, but don't reduce your consumption of good, nutrient dense foods in the process!  Kale is a wonderfully tasty green loaded with Vitamins K, A, and C.  It is also a great source of fiber, iron and calcium.  I bought a large bunch, so expect it to show up later in the week in soup form.

Now I have written about Dave's Fresh Pasta and Lilly's Pasta in the past.  I have another great, local pasta/pastry place for you to visit.  This is where my parents shop..so you know it has to be authentic Italian.  It is called Il Pastificio in Everett MA.  Their pasta is homemade, fresh and delicious.  They have yummy desserts too..that they wrap in wrapping paper in the style of old Italy...love it.   They have wide variety of pastas..unfortunately they do not have website, so you will have to just go there and check them out.  I used the wild mushroom ravioli tonight.  I do not think that mushroom ravs should be topped with tomato sauce, which is why I went with veggies instead...

Colorful and delish

I sauteed a bit of local onion in a nonstick large pan on medium heat until translucent.  Remove the skin from the carrots and beets.  Slice carrots and cube beets..add to pan.  Cook until tender, but still have a bit.  Nothing can kill a meal like overcooked vegetables.  Add the kale and cook down.  Have water boiling and add ravioli (or any pasta you have).  If it is fresh it will only take a few minutes to cook once the water come back to a boil.   I wanted to keep the meal simple, so did not add a bunch of seasonings.  Instead, I drained the ravioli and added to the pan with the veggies.  I added some sea salt, cracked pepper and a 1/2 tbsp of  Black Truffle Oil (which is olive oil with black truffle..very good!).  I mixed it all together on a low heat for a minute or so.  Oil is a wonderful, flavorful healthy fat..but if you add too much or over heat it...it loses all the health benefits.  What you end up with a healthy, filling plate of local food...I think nonna would have approved.  

Be healthy and happy

~L

Quick baked Pasta...all local of course!

It has been a while since I posted..where have I been?  Working, running, and wandering the streets of Somerville/Cambridge to shop local for Christmas.  On my Plaid Friday shopping trip, I stumbled upon a new old favorite restaurant opening in Porter Square.  Rod Dee.  It is the best Thai take-out in the greater Boston area.  Don't argue with this statement, trust me.  How do I know this?  Well, back when I lived on the Fenway this was my Friday carbo loading spot.  For two marathon training sessions, the carbo loading was fueled by Rod Dee and their fantastic Pad Thai (carbs, protein, sodium..perfect pre-run energy).  True story, I placed my usual call for Pad Thai  and when asked my name and number I said Lisa, 617-oh Lisa yes, no problem.  My order and my name were so common yet they knew me...so you can imagine my extreme sadness when this wonderful local place (along with 5 others) burned down just about 2 years ago.  There was another Rod Dee in Brookline, but it was not the same..then I moved and I have not been able to replace this amazing place in the area..until now.  I am replacing it with itself and it cannot be happening at a better time.  Training for marathon number 3 is about to get underway...I cannot be happier that Rod Dee will be there just like old times!

This brings me to another wonderful, more traditional, carbo loading meal: spaghetti and homemade tomato sauce.  I made this the other night and decided last minute to throw is in the oven for a few minutes to baked and melt the Fiore di Nonno cheese that I topped it with..changed the whole meal!  Very simple. 100% local.

Dave's Fresh Pasta: Whole Wheat cut angel hair
My jarred local tomatoes (or dice canned tomatoes)
Garlic (Sherman's local)
Onion (Sherman's local)
a small chunk of carrot
Fiore di Nonno Mozzarella


I make a very quick sauce.  I remember my parents use to cook a traditional sauce all Sunday morning for our big meal of the day.  No time for that these days!   I just saute garlic and onion in a bit of olive oil in a medium deep pan..few minutes is fine.  My tomatoes already have basil in them..if yours do not, I suggest adding it.  I mix in the tomatoes, some thyme, salt, pepper and the carrot chunk (to eat some of the acid).   Bring to a slight boil and then let it simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes.    Boil a pot of water and cook the fresh pasta just a few moments..,right before the sauce is done.  Drain and mix into the sauce pan to toss and coat the pasta.  I then put a serving size into a small pan that can go into the oven and topped with 1 small mozzarella ball.   I baked it for about 5 minutes..just until the cheese melted and even browned a bit.   It was awesome because the pasta was so hot and the cheese was so melty..mmmm.    That extra 5 minutes of baking made a regular meal into something just a bit more interesting.  Simple but amazingly good!

Brussels Sprouts and Shiitake Mushrooms

Another day and another soup for me.  Why so much soup?  Well, I really like soup.  I also really like to have all in one dishes.  I find soups in a can to be dreadful and never eat them.  Why bother when you can make a fresh pot in a short time with far less sodium and no preservatives.  So in order to get my soup fix, I need to make them myself.

When I found this recipe on fatfreevegan.com..I was all over it.  Brussels sprouts and Shiitake mushrooms are two of my favorite foods..together they are unbelievable!  Unlike the blogger on fatfreevegan, I did not have shiitake mushrooms growing at the base of a tree in my yard and they are not readily available at local markets.  I was, however, able to find the next best thing to local...call it "close enough" food..mushrooms from Pennsylvania (still better than sitting in a truck driving cross country).  The brussels sprouts and leek were from the Central Farmers Market, so overall still a very local dish.

3 main ingredients

The amount of nutrients in the little bowl of soup is rather outstanding...fiber, protein, B vitamins, omega-3s, Vitamins K, C, and A, iron and folate...just to name a few.  It was filling, insanely healthy and fantastically delicious!  Whoever said eating healthy is boring..well clearly is not reading this blog..

Brussels Sprouts and Shiitake Soup
adapted from blog.fatfreevegan.com

~1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms
6-7 brussels sprouts
1 leek
6-7 cups of water
1/2 beans..any will do
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Brown rice medley (or reg old brown rice)
1 tsp dry sage
1 tsp thyme
salt/pepper to taste

I started cooking the rice and the beans separately because they both take a while and I did not want to delay the soup.  I started those and cooked both until they were about 10 minutes from being done.  It would be a super fast recipe if you cook the rice and beans in bulk prior and can just throw them in the pot...preparation is a huge part of healthy eating!

So while those pots were on the burners I collected and chopped the rest of the ingredients.
Add chopped leeks to non-stick pan and saute for a few minutes.  Add chopped brussels sprouts and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.  Add mushrooms and spices.  Blend together and then add water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat letting all the ingredients cook together covered for about 30 minutes.  Add the rice and beans and let cook for another 10 minutes.  Add the salt and pepper to your liking and yummy soup is yours for the taking!

Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Be healthy and happy.
~L

Local cooking with local tunes..

How is it that Sunday night makes an appearance so quickly??  It is time to prep for the week by cooking items such as lentils and beets that I would in no way feel like waiting to cook mid-week.   I was feeling a bit nostalgic tonight so I decided to cook while singing along to some of my favorite local music from back in the day...meaning sometime in the mid-90s when I was in college.  Yes, long before Local Lisa was cooking with farmers market vegetables she was listening to local music and catching local shows at the Paradise.  Today felt like a Tanya Donelly (solo post Belly), Kristin Hersh and Letters to Cleo day.  It used to be so much easier to hear new local sounds when I was a student....now it is an effort and I can only hope to fall into new bands as I did this Summer with the fantastic The Franks and recently with  wonderful singer/song write Abbie Barrett (http://www.facebook.com/abbiebarrettfans)..who will be donating her talents performing for my amazing elders..so "like" and love her!

The question is why am I feeling nostalgic.  I have a feeling that it possibly was instigated by the meal itself.  This may be one of the final meals of the year where I can have so many local items on one dish..it may also be the last time I use beet greens.  Of the actual usable greens, there was more of a bitter bite than I enjoy.  So what was on the menu..squash of course since it is in abundance.  Have you ever cooked and used a spaghetti squash?  If not you have no idea the fun you are missing out on...you cook it and then when it is pulled from the shell it stringy and spaghetti-like.  Since Shermans has been slack on getting any Lily's pasta in..why not use spaghetti squash instead?   Seemed logical...

Easy and healthy...this made for a very filling meal.

Spaghetti Squash with Beets and Greens:

1 spaghetti squash (Kimball Farm)
2 cooked beets (Parker Farm)
beet leaves
2 garlic cloves (Kimball)
Goat Cheese (VT)
1/4 cup walnuts

Place the whole squash into the oven at about 400 degrees and let it cook (30-40 minutes).  When it is done and cool enough to touch cut it in half and clean out the seeds.  Use a fork to scrape out the meat of the squash...it will fall out easily in strands.
In a non-stick pan saute garlic for a few minutes.  Add in greens and let cook for about 2-3 minutes.  I usually blanch the greens, but did not this time.  This late in the season I recommend doing so to take the bitterness out.  Add in cooked beets (I steamed fresh beets earlier) and let them all cook together (5 minutes).  Add walnuts and cook until warm.  Top on "spaghetti" and add goat cheese.

This was really a good dish!  In case you have not noticed..I make a lot of these recipes up and hope for the best..this one worked great!

Be happy and healthy..and shop at the farmers markets while you still can!
~L

Oh and there is a secret ingredient in there...a spice that I have no idea what it is!  I bought it at one point from a bulk bin and only wrote the purchase code on it..I have to made it back to the store and match it up...I will share soon!  It is mild so it will not make much of a difference if it is not used..

Carrot Soup

Weather was rather nasty yesterday, but for a brief few minutes the sky was blue and the sun made an appearance.  It was during this moment I made a dash for the Farmers Market.  I will note how lucky I am to work only a 4 minute drive from the Central Sq. market.   It was not crowded and the once packed market now only had 3 farm stands left.  There was still a good amount of veggies to choose from..remember they will be there until the week of Thanksgiving!

Well the sun is gone and it is chilly.  Yet another great night for a warm bowl of something.  Tonight Yellow Carrot and Red Kuri Squash Soup.  Simple, quick, low fat/calorie and jammed packed with Vitamins A and C, fiber and potassium..this is a dish that cannot go wrong.  I was inspired to make this by the Parker Farm carrots I purchased.  They are huge and far from those striped down versions you find in stores.   Pictured along side it was the leek that was also used in the soup, also purchased at Parker's stand.  I figured it needed something more than just carrots..enter the kuri squash from Kimball Farm that has been sitting on the counter waiting for me to think of something to do with it...they turned out to be a perfect pairing...

Yellow Carrots and lee

Kuri Squash

The soup took about 20 minutes from start to finish... definitely less time than pizza delivery!

The recipe is straight forward.  It made enough for 1 person as dinner..maybe 2 if it is a side dish.

Dice leeks and 2 garlic cloves and add to non-stick large pan or pot.  I used a nice deep pan..worked great.  Add diced carrots and cubed squash.

Cook for a few minutes, then add 2 cups of water, salt, a pinch cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.  Bring to a bowl and reduce heat.  Let simmer until carrots and squash are soft.  Next step is to simply puree them together.  I placed everything into a large bowl and used my hand mixer.  A food processor is great as well.

What you get is a warm, thick, creamy bowl of flavorful soup.   Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Stay healthy and happy...~L

In a state of food confusion..

Did anyone happen to see a small Yaris driving in circles?  A girl confused in the produce section of Whole Foods?  That was me.  For six months I was able to walk/bike/drive to Union Sq Farmers market and buy everything I needed with great ease..veggies, fruit, cheese, bread and chocolate.  Whatever was not there (milk, tofu, pasta), I was able to supplement at Sherman's Market just steps away.  Now this creature of habit was forced into a state of mass confusion.   Do I go to Iggy's store or buy their bread at a grocery store?   Sherman's produce selection is not large enough..do I over pay at Whole Foods?  It was awful.  Luckily, I was able to gain some control.  I did drive to Iggy's store to buy bread and pizza dough..turns out it is minutes from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods..then across town to Sherman's for milk, but forgot Fiori Di Nonno cheese and they were out of pasta...back to the other side of the city to Dave's Fresh Pasta.   I should be able to make this work with some organization...June is only 7ish months away.   There is also still hope for a Winter Market..which hopefully will bring everyone back together again.  For the environmentalist out there..no worries about the driving.  The car is green and to offset the driving yesterday I did not drive it at all today..

The confusion explains my cooking for today.  I was all over the place.  I ended up buying no vegetables so it was a good thing I had over shopped last Saturday, but I needed to cook them soon.   The pizza dough was starting at me calling out to be topped with the fresh cheese sitting in the refrigerator.  Dave's Fresh pasta really cannot sit for too long..it meant to be cooked and eaten quickly.  So I made everything.  Pasta with brussels sprouts and maple caramelized onions for lunch.  Vegetable mix with beans and an eggplant pizza for dinner.  All leftovers will be used for lunch for the next few days...

Lets start with lunch and work our way down..

Maine wild mushroom spaghetti with brussels sprouts, maple caramelized shallots and carrots

The pasta was on special at Dave's and it was a must try.  I did not want to just top it with a tomato sauce and I did not have an mushrooms...so why not brussels sprouts.  They go with everything, right?

Boiled water and cooked pasta as normal.  The fresh pasta cooks up fast, so don't add to boiling water until the last few minutes.  In a pan I add sliced shallots (local farmer!) and a tbsp of maple syrup (from MA).  I just cooked it at a low temp until tender and a nice aroma was wafting through the air...I tossed in quartered brussels sprouts (kimball's farm)  and cooked down.  It was a last minute decision to  add the carrots (dick's farm)..it worked so it was a right thing.  I tossed the cook pasta into the pan and topped it all with a couple of tsp of truffle oil..I know you are suppose to carbo load before a long run..but I like to do it after as well!

Next, the easiest pizza ever.

Eggplant and Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Pizza.

Iggy's rolls out and portion controls your pizza.  The offer traditional and whole wheat...I went with the whole wheat.  I really love the pizza dough...it was not dry like Trader Joe's dough and cooked perfectly.
Opened a jar of my own tomatoes (use any you have on hand) and spread over the dough.  The tomato had basil in it so I made sure to get that on there.  Chopped up some garlic (kimball's farm)  and covered the sauce.  Layered some thinly sliced white eggplant (drumlin farm) and cheese (fiori di nonno)..cooked in a 500 degree oven.  Just to note: Iggy's store sells pizza as well.  I did not buy any yesterday but I will soon.  It looked and smelled soo amazingly delicious..they do everything right there..
Here was my pizza...

Finally, the vegetables.  I did not want to just have pizza for dinner, nor did I want to eat the whole pizza so I cooked up a side dish that did not go with tpizza at all..but still tasted good.   Maybe you would want to make them separate..
Another easy dish...sauteed some onions, added carrots and cauliflower (kimball farm)..let it cook down.  While that was happening I was prepping the pizza.  The extra tomato, went into the pan.  The extra eggplant, went into the pan.  Drizzled some mirin and sprinkled some cayenne pepper and cooked until tender.  In another small pot  I cooked up some kidney beans.  Throw those in and you have a very tasty, very colorful and very hearty vegetable dish.  You can top it on rice, eat it as is or use it as a side dish to the pizza!

Still all local..still all healthy!  Let's see what tomorrow's market will bring... hopefully I can get organized!

~L

 

Sage Rubbed Acorn Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice and Broccolini

As of this past Saturday, the Union Farmers Market is closed for business until next Spring.    It was an amazing season for the growers and for the buyers who reaped the rewards of their hard work.   Central Sq and Davis Sq. so there is time to purchase last minute items, but I was not thinking about this on Saturday morning.   Instead I was trying to collect as many veggies as possible in hopes of holding on to my fun Saturday memories of eating blueberries/raspberries as I wondered around the music filled Square while trying (and failing) to resist Fiori Di Nonno's mouth watering cheese.   What I came home with were 4 different squashes and burrata.

The burrata will be saved for another day...tonight was about the acorn squash and the broccolini that also made its way into my reusable shopping bag.   I find it a fun use food as a vessel for more food..squash is the best for this little adventure.

To start cook rice.  I used Trader Joe's Wild Rice...but any brown rice will do. It would be even better if you did this the night before.  Cooking up a large batch of rice to last the week can be very helpful..

Cut the acorn squash in half.  I used one half but clearly you can use both if needed.  Add a 1/2 tsp of oil (I used sesame) and a pinch of dried sage..salt and pepper.  Roast until tender.

In a pan, I sauteed garlic and onion for a few minutes and then added the broccolini.  Just cook it until it is slightly tender.  I let it cook for a bit then removed them to a cutting board and chopped into smaller pieces.

I then put them back in the pan along with the rice, a handful of chopped walnuts, and handful of golden raisins.  I also took the roasted squash and dished out some of the meaty part and added it to the mixture.  Not all of it, just a few scoops.  This allowed more room for stuff..

I mixed this all together with a dash of cayenne pepper and mirin (sweet cooking wine).
 

Pour the rice into the acorn shell..and enjoy!

It was really tasty....I am thinking this may be my main dish on Thanksgiving..

Be happy and healthy..and stay warm!

L

Rapscallion Beer: The local beer for the local people.

Sunday and the regular ritual of PJs, Dexter and that sinking feeling of knowing another great weekend has ended and a full work week is before me.  We all get this way, right?  Normally, I relax on a Sunday afternoon by preparing local foods and then write about it here. To change things up,  this afternoon was not about the local food but the local beer.   The way to pry me from my brand new oven is with the promise of good beer, fun people and free/discounted stuff..the nonprofit pay check likes that part too!  The guys at Rapscallion promised and delivered!  In fact, if I did not have to ride by my office to get home tonight, the thought of sitting in the chilly office tomorrow may not have even came to mind until the morning...

This afternoon I went with a great friend to Stoddard's on Temple Pl in downtown Boston.  If you have yet to make your way to this fine place, please do so soon.  They are new and could use support!  The  selection of beer on tap is huge..including the wonderful Rapscallion.  Today was the Rapscallion Halloween Party with a special treat of Honey Ale in a cask.  Combine that with a large screen to watch the Pats trample the Vikings and not having to dress up..fun times had by all.   

Now I am the furthest thing from a beer expert, but I know what I like and I like this beer.  You may recall I have blogged about it in the past..and I will happily write about it again.  It is tasty, it is local and now I can confirm that the guys that own it are friendly and fantastic..which only makes me want to support them more and demand that you do they same!  Brothers (and twins!) Cedric and Pete purchased Concord Brewery a few years back and have been getting the new ownership and name out there as much as possible.  They stand by the local model and are currently only distributing (via keg) to bars in MA and RI.  It is rather special to be able to have our own beer in the area...imagine your out of town friends come and you tell them of this elusive beer that can only be found in a few select areas on the North East..they love it and come back to "visit you" but really just for the beer.  It is that good.  I am partial to the Honey Ale, but had a sneak sip of the Premier tonight and found it to be delightful.  They also have a lager, which I will just say it great because I am sure it is... 

Much like the local  fruits and vegetables, why buy the items that are shipped from other states or countries when you can have a fresh and amazing item made in your own back yard?  I have not steered you wrong yet...so next time you are out give Rapscallion a try!  Some places you can fine them..  My favorite local restaurant Pizzeria Posto in Davis Sq., Asgard in Central Sq (where I suggest you eat truffle tater tots with the beer), The Squealing Pig, Mission Hill (one of my old haunts!), Atwoods Tavern in Inman Sq....and many many more places.  

Just check out their website: http://www.drinkrapscallion.com/home.shtml, click on the Taste tab and use the beer finder!  I also suggest Liking them on facebook so that you are up on where they are and any events that are going on.   Their postings will definitely help you find a place to go after work or on the weekends...

OK, by writing this I actually missed Dexter so I am going to watch that while you plan your next outing around supporting Rapscallion..

Think Local, Eat Local, and Drink Local!

~L

Low Fat Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes

It is rare, but today dessert will make an appearance on Local Lisa's page.  There are a few reasons why you will hardly see desserts on here.  1. The are usually not very healthy and should be reserved for special occasions  2. I will always try to make them healthy and the experiment does not always go as planned  3. I strongly dislike following directions exactly.."don't over mix";  "don't under mix"; "level the flour"..who has time for that nonsense.  I say leave it to the pros.  I rather not know how much sugar and butter go into red velvet cake anyway...

I had today off and with sugar pumpkins starting at me every week at the Farmers Market I figured I would dive into the baking world for local foods' sake.  As stated in reason 2, I did make these healthy and it almost went as planned.  The cupcake very tasty, but my attempt at a vegan frosting went straight into the trash.  I searched far and wide on the web to find a vegan frosting that did not call for toffuti cream cheese or margarin, but it is almost unheard of to not use these ingredients.  Why not use these?  Well, have you read the labels of either of these items?  The second ingredient in toffuti is partially hydrogenated palm oil.  Really?  I think it would be healthier to top the cupcake with a piece of steak.
It is always shocking to see vegetarians or vegans eating these items or things like chik'n or soy cheeze.  You would think by making this life-style one would avoid processed nonfoods that taste like they item they choose to avoid.  Even the recipe which I adapted these cupcakes from called for canned pumpkin.  It did not even say, if it is your only option..nope just use the can.  Clearly not written by someone living in New England in the Fall!

The frosting consisted of tofu (the real stuff), sugar (which I had to buy because I never use it!), maple syrup and cinnamon.  No matter how hard I tried, I could not get rid of the tofu after taste.  Adding more flavoring would overpower the cupcake.  The cupcakes are vegan, the frosting does not have to be.  If you are a great baker and can whip up a wonderful frosting, add it  and enjoy.  If I had some Taza chocolate on hand, I may have melted it and put that on top...note for next time!

The cupcake itself is absolutely wonderful.  Surprisingly moist and full of flavor.  There is no way anyone can taste these and know right off they are 100% vegan.   No butter, eggs, milk or honey...it is amazing how much you don't need these items!   There is brown sugar, but not white.  The pumpkin not only adds flavor but also fiber, vitamins A and C and potassium.  Low fat, healthy and great tasting.

Enjoy!

Cupcake Ingredients: Adapted from npr.org
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup while all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground all spice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 medium sugar pumpkin (steamed, pureed to equal 1 cup) (Kimball's Farm)
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce (4 oz snack size is perfect) (Vermont Organic Village)
1 tsp maple syrup (Whately, MA)
1 cup unsweetened original Almond milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Combine flours, baking power and soda,, sugar, salt and spices in bowl.  In separate bowl, combine pumpkin, applesauce, syrup, and almond milk.  Slowly add liquids to dry ingredients, folding until combined.  Add holders to cupcake trays and fill 3/4 with batter.  Place in over for 20-25 minutes..depending on your oven!

Butternut Squash and Coconut Curry

I woke up at 6 AM this morning knowing exactly what I was going to make for dinner tonight and then had to wait 12 hours to get cooking...but it was so worth the wait.  For the second time this week butternut squash was the center of the meal and it did not disappoint.  Although it is not that cold outside, my work office is about -30 degrees and my apartment (with my refusal to use heat in Oct) is no warmer..but at least my sweats are more comfortable than work attire.  Anyway,  as I shivered in my little office, I thought about how warm and scrumptious a bowl of spicy curry would be in my belly..it was a nice distraction.

The recipe was from a fun little blog called Love and Olive Oil.  Instead of Farmers Market, she cooks from her CSA..which is equally wonderful.  She got the recipe from Epicurious.  I did not change much other than adding less cilantro as I felt it would over power the dish and omitting lime juice because I forgot to buy a lime.  

The best thing about this dish was that I had almost all the ingredients in my kitchen, so it was cost effective to boot.  The few Asian items I did need were easy to find at our favorite local store Reliable Market..which is indeed reliable.  Friendly and  filled with aisles and aisle of every Asian product needed..plus SPAM.  I don't understand the SPAM, but if you need it you can get it here.  What I needed was some red curry paste, soba noodles and cilantro.  When I had trouble finding the the curry paste, the workers were more than happy to point me in the right direction..who would have guessed it would be near the SPAM?  Reliable Market is also reliably inexpensive.  Red Curry paste is easily $4-$5 in regular stores, here only $1.19.   I should have known only spending a total of $5 and trying to use a debit card would not fare well here, but the cashier told me "just this once" and slid my card.  How can you not love this place?  

Rumor has it that some people want to destroy this lovely landmark of Union Sq.  Yes, we are all happy that sometime in the next 50 years the Green line will set up shop straight through Somerville right on into Medford, but a cost.  There is talk of using the space on the Reliable Market block as a parking lot for commuters.  Hopefully these are just awful rumors.  My recipe book and the neighborhood needs Reliable Market...so if a good old chaining to the door is needed..count me in.  

Enough talking and more cooking.  Here is the amazing dish that I made tonight.  I highly recommend you try it too.  Union Sq. market is open Saturday for all your squash needs and Reliable Market right there too..to provide the missing ingredients.

Butternut Squash and Coconut Curry

I modified the recipe some to be for 1 person.  Seek out the original for a larger quantity or just guesstimate...the beauty of cooking..

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cups chopped onions

1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces  (Kimball Farm)

1 cup low sodium vegetable broth

1 teaspoon minced seeded jalapeño chili

1 minced garlic clove

1 cup light unsweetened coconut milk

1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste (Reliable Market) (read the label to make sure it is vegetarian if you are!)

Soba noodles (I used buck wheat version) (Reliable Market)

small hand full chopped fresh cilantro (Reliable Market)

Directions:

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Add squash; sauté 4 minutes. Add broth, jalapeño and garlic; bring to boil. Cover; cook until squash is almost tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and curry paste. Simmer uncovered until squash is tender and liquid is slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in large pot of boiling water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain noodles. Return to pot. Add squash mixture and cilantro to noodles; toss to blend. Serve.

Pizza done two ways..

Tonight I may have proved being a little lazy may lead to a great idea.  I have been staring at the butternut squash I bought from Kimball farm over a week ago and thinking I really need to make squash pizza, but did not get around to it until tonight.  The problem:  I did not think ahead and buy the pizza dough from Iggy's at the Market..already rolled out, makes life way easier.  So I had to make a stop at Trader Joes and pick up their whole wheat dough.  It is a great and cheap product, but a pain to roll out!  As I attempted the rollout tonight I decided to cut it in half and make two pizzas.  Easy to maneuver and gives you the option of a possible different topping.  Dare I try and recreate the amazing potato pizza that I had in Italy?  I do have Market potatoes just sitting there...I went for it.  Why not?  I had a salad for lunch, so a treat of a greenless dinner was in order..

The end result..the squash pizza was amazing, the potato pizza was ehh.  I think it was the dough which was just not right for this type of creation.  I also believe that in Italy they are not light on the oil and salt, which makes for an awesome potato pizza!
I have also made the squash pizza many times and have perfected the recipe.  If you had to choose, go with with squash.

Squash Pizza:
Pizza dough (use your favorite or go nuts and make your own)
1/2 butternut squash (Kimball Farm)
goat cheese (Vermont)
leek or scallion sliced (as much as you like) (Drumlin Farm)
sage (dried or fresh)

This is not an original idea, but one I adapted from a pizza place I use to frequent when I lived on the Fenway.   The squash replaces tomato sauce, so cut it in half, peel it and dice into cubes.  Steam the squash until tender and then mash until creamy puree.   Smooth over dough  covering the whole surface. Add sliced leeks, dollops of goat cheese and sage.   Add as much of the toppings as you like.  I have never in my life said a meal would be better with less goat cheese...so have fun and add what you will..

Potato Pizza
pizza dough
1 potato (Kimball Farm)
oil
rosemary

Slice the potato very thin (use a mandolin if you have it) and layer onto dough.  Drill oil, salt and rosemary on top.  This will take longer to cook than the squash pizza..

BEFORE

AFTER

Local and more local

What a week this has been!  Including Saturday, it has been non-stop local going ons.

Saturday:  Union Market to start the day..of course.

Next,  Harvest Fest 2010.  This was one kickass event!  The place had tons of people, but the cap on attendance made it easy to maneuver from station to station picking on the bites of food provided by the 10 local restaurants.   The selection was mostly vegetarian friendly so I was able to taste many of the offerings.  First: Traina's Starlight Lounge's squash tart topped with apple slaw and toasted pecans..amazing!  Probably my favorite of the bunch and far from a bite (it was rather large!)..plus the guy did not even check my card and told me to come back for more..that is good business sense because it makes me want to go and eat a full on meal..good food, nice people.  Next Pizzeria Posto who was offering not 1 but 2 bites!  One was a crostini with fresh local goat cheese and local golden beets topped with balsamic the other a cannoli..both left your mouth watering and you wanting more (see where we went for dinner later!).  My non-veg friend hit up Red Bones and was loving the tenderness and flavor of the ribs they had..the smell was delectable!  She also liked the rice and chicken dish provided by Ronnarong Thai Tapas.  Our final stop for food was The Independent...acorn squash topped with mushroom risotto.  This was by far the least favorite.  Acorn squash was dry and the mushroom risotto was nothing more than cream of mushroom over rice.  You can do better than that guys!  

The food was along the perimeter while the beer was in the center (as was the crowd).  One of my favorite brewers Rapscallion was there so I hit them up twice..the Rapscallion Honey (Extra Pale Ale) was on tap and fantastic.  They are super local by the way, based in Holyoke MA and one of the owners was there filling the cups..really down to earth and friendly guy!

I went to another brewer but my memory is not as good with beer as it is with food so I do not remember the name...I should have hit up more places, but I rather eat than drink my calories!

OK, time to move down to Davis and check out some HONK!  The streets were lined with peeps listening and dancing..perfect Fall weather and a promise of a good time really helped!  We wandered Davis and some my favorite local shops such as Magpie and Davis Squared..Got a hot cocoa from Diesel and a Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon cupcake from Kickass Cupcakes (which was eaten much later as my second dessert of the day!)  We wandered for a long while and built our appetites back up...luckily Pizzeria Posto was right there!  Pumpkin Arrancini, Fresh Mushroom and cheese pizza and  Pumpkin Risotto...all of which we split and loved.  Everything came to us piping hot..the arrancini was crispy on the outside but gooey and filled with ricey/pumpkin goodness on the inside all topped with their delicious tomato sauce.  The mozzarella on the pizza is made in house (can't get more local!) with fresh wild mushrooms...yum!  Finally the pumpkin risotto...seasoned wonderfully and perfectly cooked.  Risotto was not mushy or too hard...perfect creamy bite to it with chucks of pumpkin.  I have yet to have a bad meal here..if you have not tried it..go soon.

Once I got home I enjoyed the cupcake..which was crazy good.  Moist, cinnamon-y and the perfect pumpkin ending to a fun day!

Sunday:  Harvard Square for more HONK! and Oktoberfest...and a lot of walking around to work off the two desserts.  Here is am going to plug my cousin's local artist company Organic Imagination.  They are young and extremely talented.    I bought 2 pieces and got a 3rd free (family discounts are great).  I was really impressed with the sophistication and meaning behind some the works.  Other pieces were just down right beautiful and fun..like the surprised money print I bought..looking at it now and it totally make me smile.  Check them out on facebook and click LIKE to get information on where they will be selling next!

Monday: Went to see the Town..even my movie choices are local!  I loved this film, but for sure there is one scene in the North End that made the whole movie for me..if you just watch this part, it is worth the price of the film.  Affleck's Boston accent has improved greatly since  Good Will Hunting..that was a bonus!

Tuesday: The Foundry on Elm..finally!  Tuesday night and this place was packed at 8 when we showed up.  No wait though, so that was a plus!  The host was unbelievably welcoming..he may have been the owner, but not sure.  Either way he most definitely made me feel like I made the right choice for dinner.. The menu is small but there is something for everyone.  I believe small menu tells one that there is a focus on quality over quantity...with all the fresh local ingredients listed and the yumminess of our pasta I think I am right.

We both got the penne with eggplant, tomato and goat cheese.  The pasta was el dante, which is how I prefer pasta and the flavoring was spot on.  The service was prompt and the waitress knswledgable.  She forgot my friends hush puppies and when asked she quickly returned to tell us that they stayed in the fryer for too long and were burned.  A new dish would be right out and they would be on the house...exactly how it should be.   Sadly, she did not like the spice in the puppies..I was not to crazy about them either, but that had more too do with them being a fried ball of corn than the flavor (which I liked).

Wednesday: Local Lisa took a break from stuffing her face to attend her first meeting with a fantastic group of local community workers.  We are starting a large project that will hopefully benefit many people in Somerville.  More about that as it develops, but good things are happening and I am so happy and proud to be included!  

Curried Cous Cous with acorn squash

If you have not noticed, measuring ingredients is not something I do often.  I will either eye or literally use measurements such as "handful" and "a little bit".  Most times this works out perfectly fine but there is one exception...that is turmeric.  A smidgen too much and the meal is destroyed and I am completely guilty of ruining perfectly good dishes with the measurement of "that seems right".  Well lesson learned.  Tonight I dusted off the measuring spoon and scooped out 1/2 tsp of the delightful yellow powder.
As a note, turmeric has crazy amount of health benefits including being a potential cancer fighting agent, aid in fat metabolism (weight loss agent), antiseptic/antibacterial agent and even a depression treater!

Tonight I went light, easy and vegan.  The result a healthy Israeli cous cous with acorn squash (Drumlin Farm), golden raisins, onion and walnuts.  Quick, flavorful, textured and filling...overall a wonderful Sunday evening meal.  I added a side of broccolini (Kimball Farm) for some greens..

I steamed the broccolini..simple.

Put the acorn squash in the oven at 350 and let it cook until tender.  I took the skin off first this time..once done, cube into bit size pieces.

The lightly coated the bottom of a pan with sesame oil (just enough to barely cover the pan).  Add 1/2 cup of cous cous and cooked over medium heat until the cous cous was lightly browned.  Add some warm water..just enough to cover the cous cous...it will evaporate very fast.  After the water is gone, add about 1 cup of water and let it cook on a low-med heat.
Just before the cous cous is done add onion (not much..1/3 cup) and let it cook together for a few minutes.  Add  more water (less than 1/3 cup), handful of golden raisins (or cranberries!), squash, 1/2 tsp of turmeric and a pinch of salt. Blend together and cook until the water is gone.  Mix in walnuts and serve..

Here you go..

Vegetable Stew or "Clean the fridge" stew

I will admit that sometimes when I go to the Farmers Market I become over excited by the wide variety
of fresh veggies that hit me from all sides. I tend to buy more than needed for a week..after all I am just little me..how much cauliflower can I possible eat a day? This is when veggie stew comes in to save the day. Not only is it tasty, but it cleans out the fridge to make room for the following Saturdays over buying excursion. Since I am often lax in fulfilling my iron needs daily, throwing in beans only makes this dish more healthy.
There a secret ingredient for this stew..it is a berbere spice mix. I found the mixture one of my favorite blogs: blog.fatfreevegan.com. It adds tons of flavor with healthy spices, which means you need less salt to give the dish taste..always a plus. I mistakenly added too much cayenne so my mixture has more of a punch, but it still worked...
Here is what I made, but really you do not have to follow it exactly..any veggies that you have will work well in this dish...

Ingredients for berbere spice mix: (this will make enough to last a very long time!)

1 Tbs. ground cardamom

1 Tbs. ground coriander

1 Tbs. fenugreek

1 Tbs. ground nutmeg

1 Tbs. ground cloves

1 Tbs. ground allspice

1 Tbs. cinnamon

1 Tbs. paprika

1 Tbs. turmeric

1 tsp. cayenne (use more to taste)

1 Tbs. ground black pepper

1 Tbs. ground sea salt (optional)

Stew Ingredients:

Cauliflower (Kimball Farm)

Green Beans (Kimball Farm)

Eggplant ((Kimball Farm)

Red potato (Kimball Farm)

Yellow Dal (Yellow split peas, a handful)

Lentils (a handful)

Mung beans (a handful)

Tomato (I used the freshly jarred ones shown in the previous blog!  If you have not jarred yours yet, use one can of crushed tomatoes.)

2 Garlic cloves (Kimball Farm)

Ginger (about 1 inch in size, chopped)

1/2 tsp oil

1tbs of Berbere mix

Super easy and not to much time needed to put this together.   

If you think ahead, put the beans in a container of water and let them soak over night.   I cooked them separate from the vegetables...I think it helped them to cook up faster..

Dice up veggies and place in a bowl.  Add the spice mix and toss together to coat the vegetables.  In a large stock pot, saute garlic and ginger in oil (few minutes).  Throw in all the veggies, tomato and about roughly 8-10 cups of water.  Let it cook down while the beans are cooking separately (~20 minutes).  Once the beans were soft, I mixed them into the vegetable mix and let them simmer for a few minutes..really simple. 

Look at the steam! Wonderful on a chilly night!

 This was dinner last night...for lunch I heated it up and added fat free plain greek yogurt.  It was a perfect addition and really cut some of the over heat from my cayenne pepper mistake! 

Somerville Local First and Harvest Fest 2010

OK Bostonians the rumor is that today is the last day of rain and Randy Moss.  It is also the end of Wednesday which means the start of making weekend plans...a long weekend for some of us!  

Saturday afternoon will be spent hanging at the Art @ Armory on Highland Ave., Somerville.  Why?  Well as I mentioned in the last blog, festivals are awesome and this is a local festival that is looking to be well worth the wait and donation...it is called Harvest Fest and you should be buying your tickets now.

The fest is an all day event that is broken down into two sessions.  Both promise to be jam packed with food, beer, entertainment and merriment for all.   The first session runs from 1 to 5PM and the second from 6 to 9PM.  The cost of admission gets you in for the local entertainment, 1 bite of food from 10 fantastic Somerville restaurants such as Pizzeria Posto (yum!), Foundry on Elm, Redbones, Eat at Jumbos, Chocolate Tart, Shermans cafe, Highland Kitchen (and more!) and a chance to try local beer (Pretty Things and Rapscallion to name a couple!).   Each session only cost $20 or $35 for both...I believe the second session is sold out for a solo buy, but you can still get in if you buy both together..there will also be tickets at the door but be advised it is not guaranteed. 

If the promise of good times and food is not enough (is that possible?) well know that buying your ticket will be helping out the fabulous organization known as Somerville Local First.  They are part of a large movement that is growing to help build a strong communities by supporting local businesses.  Supporting local helps in job creation, economic growth and giving a large city a sense of small town community.  I have been following them for a while now and they do an amazing job of promoting local businesses and events.  SLF is also a non-profit and grass-roots, which I would imagine means low funds...helping out AND getting to join in on a fantabulous day of fun..seems like the decision has already been made for you!

So log on to facebook, LIKE Somerville Local First and navigate to the Harvest Fest 2010 page...more information about the days plans and how to get tickets can be found there...

See you Saturday!

Squash Risotto with walnuts

It has been one week since I have returned from Italy and I am finally feeling like myself again.  Spent Saturday hitting the local scene at my favorite Farmers Market and then off to the Boston Local Food Festival.  I was astonished at the amount of people that were at the festival!  So many it was hard to move around and make sure you hit all the stands, but I think we did a good job.  At least I hit the most important two..Prana for a small plate of raw vegan food and Batch for salted caramel ice cream.  Both were fantastic!  I also had a bottle of pumpkin soda from Maine Root.  I am not a soda drinker, but it is October and pumpkin soda seemed like a must try.  It was a little too sweet for my taste, but I still enjoyed it!  

I think the massive crowd showed that people in this area love being outside on nice days, festivals and supporting the local scene.   Hopefully there will be many more of this type of event in the future!

Not to let the day over take the night...I was out with a great group in Central Sq. at the Asgard for extremely local brew...Rapscallion and truffle tater tots are a wonderful combination!  Needless to say all the activity lead to a lazy Sunday..which allowed me a lot of time to think about what to do with the carnival squash I bought at the market.

I was going to make soup, but did not think that would be filling enough.  Instead I went the road of a nice warm risotto.  I had some ideas but searched the web for some recipes anyway but nothing screamed "try me!".  I actually found it disturbing that all the recipes called for tons of cheese and butter...why even put the squash in?  All you will taste is fat and butter...not at all appealing.  That squash was just picked and is packed with flavor (and nutrients!).  That is what I wanted to taste, so I went a far healthier route and made up my own recipe.  I omitted butter and used minimal amounts oil and cheese.

From start to finish was about 1 hour and 15 minutes.   Now this seems long but good food sometimes takes time.  I find it relaxing to be in the kitchen after a long day to prepare a nice meal.  This is not always the case, but tonight was one of those nights that I just wanted to create and see what comes from it...what came about was a creamy, hearty and rather delicious meal.  

Ingredients:

1 carnival squash

1 1/2 cups of arborio rice 

4 cups of low sodium vegetable broth (water or chicken broth can sub easily)

fresh sage

2 teaspoons of oil

1/2 cup of walnuts

1/3 cup of parmigiana cheese (optional)

dash of nutmeg

To start, cut and deseed the squash.  The skin was extremely tough so once I cut it in half and took the seeds on, I popped it in the steamer as is.  It was far easier to remove the skin after it had softened.  It took about 15 minutes to steam.  

Once steamed, remove from skin, put in a food processor with a dash of nutmeg and puree.  Set aside until rice is almost done cooking.

While the squash steams, chopped the walnuts, minced sage and grated the cheese..I roasted the walnuts in the oven to bring out a nice flavor.

In a small pot, bring the broth to a simmer.

In a large pot add oil and sage and sauté for a a minute or two.  Add rice and mix to coat with oil and sage.  Let the rice cook for a few minutes until a bit toasted.  

Begin ladling in broth 1 or 2 at a time.   Stir the rice frequently and add more broth as the rice absorbs it. This will take the most time. Once the rice is a nice texture, not hard but not mushy either, add the squash puree, walnuts and cheese.  Stir together and let stand for a few minutes.  I roasted some brussels sprouts as a side dish!

Here is the end result...I really liked it and it was far healthier than any of the recipes I found.  

Stay happy and healthy! 

~L