Capturing my love of whole foods, combined with the activity of a bustling kitchen. A weekly collection of photos from the center of my home. * * * * * top to bottom: gluten free/dairy free cherry-rhubarb crumble, A modeling a warm winter beverage for me (Tend Magazine, Winter issue), spices in the grinder, vegan marshmallow roasting for my allergy boy (Dandies), dairy free coconut milk lemon-blueberry gelato, tacos, steaks on the grill (a special treat for my husband, as we don't usually have beef in the house with the allergy boy nearby), dry marshmallow root in the grinder for thickening the crumble (cornstarch free that way!), vegan sour cream, rhubarb syrup in the making for "sodas".
This particular vegan sour cream recipe was a new one for me this week. I have made cashew cream and "cheeses" in the past, as I am lactose intolerant myself, but we had removed all peanuts and tree nuts from our home for so long I haven't had anything even remotely like that in ages. While we have not tried bringing any peanut products back in yet (he is scared, I understand, no rush), we have started little bits of almond and cashew. So far so good. The book "Thrive Energy Cookbook" is being pored over this week, and the vegan sour cream is one of many recipes we have tried. The book is written by an athlete who is also head of nutrition for the Garmin-Sharp Pro Cycling Team (we are huge cycling fans in this house, so we know who that is). And he is a vegan. We are not exclusively vegans of course, but having a son with dairy, gelatin, and all red meat allergies (not to mention gluten), means we most often look to vegan and raw recipes for new ideas of tasty things that my son - and the rest of us - can eat which are dense in nutrients but also really tasty and kid friendly and can slot in with the things he knows he likes. The book is oriented towards high performance athletes, and wow, it has a lot of great foods. I can't wait to work through more of the book. The sour cream is made using soaked cashews, and we are on our third batch this week. Yum. I checked the book out from the library, but I'm going to buy a copy. I am enjoying this once a week in my kitchen recap. This time of year is busy busy busy busy. The garden needs planting and tending and weeding, spring veggies are starting to come in and need to be used NOW, there are deadlines to meet, and the kids want to be outside every single second that the weather is cooperative. So while I have a backlog of recipes sitting in my notebook ready to share (once I enter them into my recipe app and edit photos, and, and, and), I still come back to this. What are we doing every day. Here. Now. I can't believe it is almost June!!!! How about you? Be sure to visit Heather at Beauty That Moves to see everyone on the blog hop!
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Capturing my love of whole foods, combined with the activity of a bustling kitchen. A weekly collection of photos from the center of my home. * * * * * top to bottom:: fresh elderberry lemonade on a hot day (and silly boys drinking it), blooming tea, strawberry rhubarb goodness, gift making for Winter 2014 Tend Magazine, GF/DF Rhubarb Upside Down Cake, fresh ramps, eggshell saving for the garden, Blue-Banana Mocha Maca Smoothie, my kitchen, and what I've been doing most of this week.
This week finally warmed up and we have been outside planting planting planting. My kids love our new hammock and will lay in the shade reading and chatting while I work in the garden. I love chatting with them, hearing their stories, all while I dig. They help out when they are in the mood and they squirt me with the hose in between. Ahem. We have been saving eggshells and coffee grounds from the kitchen all week for the garden, and are using them as we go! I wasn't in the kitchen as much this week. So much planting. And the looming deadline for the Winter Edition of Tend Magazine which means wrapping up all of the loose strings and taking photos of holiday gifts and goodies. It has been hard to think WINTER when it is 86ºF outside. But also, my husband has been on a business trip all week. That means I find myself not really wanting to cook anything for myself and craving mostly salads and fresh peas and then cooking fun crazy foods and snacks for the kids all week. They struggle when he is gone, so we focus on fun. Of course we also had to make fresh lemonade this week in this heat, and put some in the ice cream maker for slushies. Yum. The ramps are in, and have been sitting in my fridge all week. I keep changing my mind about what to do with them. I think I'm going to pickle them. We shall see! And my kitchen. Oh, my tiny, tiny, dark kitchen. Every week people show their lovely bustling busy bright shiny sunny kitchens. Ahhhh. I have not shown my kitchen in what, 8 weeks? I have lived in this house 10 years and the kitchen was obviously not designed to be used. Ha. I think a lot of modern homes are designed for freezer to oven/microwave living. No room for people in the kitchen. No room for prep and cooking. No real pantry. My kitchen doesn't have any windows and can only comfortably fit one person at a time. Since we cook and can and make together a lot, much of that is actually done in the next room - the dining room! Of course I do realize that many in the world have smaller kitchens, and I am very grateful to have even the space we have. I do dream of a big bright family hanging around the island kitchen some day (who doesn't) with chef level appliances. But what is the saying? It's not what you've got, but what you do with it? So I am showing you my kitchen - a lot happens in that tiny space! And we have adapted many things to accomodate our lifestyle (hallway "coat" closet is second pantry space, extra freezer in the garage, dehydrator/herb armoire/culinary herb cabinet/hydroponics in the dining room, etc.). I feel good that our house uses less energy/water than average, and has less empty lawn than average. The trade off for a small kitchen. And a smaller kitchen means less to clean, right? What is your favorite part of your kitchen? ** Be sure to visit Heather at Beauty that Moves to link to everyone on the blog hop this week! This is the time of year I most often start in the garden early before it heats up. My boys wake up early and so I start them some breakfast, and then head outside. When I come back in I am often craving something cold. This breakfast smoothie is of course yummy for the whole family, but is a nice adult flavor too. It tastes like a rich chocolate banana milkshake - of course without any dairy. Really good. The cacao and maca also give me a bit of an energy boost for the day, without having a coffee and the chia addition not only adds some nutrients and fiber, but make the smoothie feel even more like a meal. My boys love love love smoothies too, but they usually prefer cherries/peaches/greens/juiced things/coconut yogurt types of sweet fruity flavors, and not seeds or cacao. Crazy boys. Blue-Banana Mocha Maca SmoothiePrint |{wholly rooted}An icy morning smoothie packed with nutrients and antioxidants with a rich wonderful flavor. Forget the coffee - start the day with a cool, filling smoothie. {ingredients}
First soak your dates. I will place them in some kettle water first thing when I am making the boys breakfast. Or, soaking overnight even works. Quite honestly, I rarely if ever eat breakfast. Which is bad for me with how my blood sugar works. I make food for the kids and wander off to work in the garden, clean up, or work on projects for a bit while they eat. Making a smoothie though, is easier for me (for some reason). And after being in the garden something cool encourages me a bit more. As does something that takes just a few minutes to whiz up. This has enough in it that it is a good breakfast, and gets me through to lunch time! Capturing my love of whole foods, combined with the activity of a bustling kitchen. A weekly collection of photos from the center of my home. * * * * * top to bottom: the rhubarb is in (I know what I'm making today), spring radishes, dandelion season (one day of dry to harvest a few before rains set in all week), pea pesto, blueberries and seed crackers going into the dehydrator, spices and seeds for dukka making.
We have had a week of cold, dark, gray, windy, and rainy. We have been inside more than we would usually be for May, but we have been finding plenty to keep us busy, and I am thankful for some days where the boys don't mind being busy inside while I work on some articles that are on deadline! It is easier to have holiday decorations out for props when it is cold and gloomy anyway. It has been c-c-c-old. We might even have some frost coming tonight, so maybe we will leave up these twinkly lights when I'm done for some mood enhancing! The good thing about all of this rain is that my surviving rhubarb (I lost some after that brutal winter) had a massive growth spurt and I was able to pick some this morning. Yay! I have a gluten free rhubarb upside down cake in mind. I get to take pictures of hydroponics systems tonight at the local garden center, so it might be nice to take along some goodies for the guys there who are being wonderful about letting me take photos. Hope you are having a wonderful (warm!?!) week. Be sure to visit Heather at Beauty that Moves to link to everyone on the blog hop this week! I love when the first crisp green vegetables and herbs come up in spring. I have a good month or more where I cannot get enough of peas. I also love pesto - although in a house of various allergies and intolerances, we cannot do the pine nuts or cheese - and I find myself making vegan pesto variations from May to November. This is my favorite spring pesto, and is fantastic as a spread on a crudités platter, over pasta, or smeared on a piece of freshly toasted bread of choice with a sprig of fresh dill and a drizzle of olive oil. I even love it over steamed veggies or fish. This takes everything that we love about peas - their sweet freshness and tender bite - and ramps it up a few notches to an amazing flavor that tastes purely of spring. Vegan Pea PestoPrint |{wholly rooted}This vegan pea pesto tastes like spring. Whether on a crudités plate, spread on warm crostini, or served over fish or steamed vegetables, this pesto adds delicious flavor to your dish. GF/DF/NF {ingredients}
Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer on your stove top. Add your peas to the simmering water, and let cook for only about 2 or so minutes for fresh peas, a short while longer if using frozen. Strain and rinse with cool water. Drain. Pour your peas into a food processor, along with the garlic, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, lemon, spring onion, and fresh herbs. Pulse in your food processor until mostly smooth. Do not over whiz - you want a spreadable pesto with some texture left. Taste, add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in your refrigerator and eat within a few days. Of course I ate the entire platter of crispy veggies and steamed asparagus with that top shot of pea pesto the moment I was done taking photos. Ahem. Lunch. I made myself put away the rest of the pesto to serve with dinner tonight. Of course since this only takes a few minutes to make, I could just make another batch if this one mysteriously disappears. Capturing my love of whole foods, combined with the activity of a bustling kitchen. A weekly collection of photos from the center of my home. * * * * * Top to bottom: grilled lemon miso scallops with spring veggies, vegan pea pesto stuffed portobello mushrooms with asparagus and microgreens, grilling scallops, making pea pesto, dehydrating cocoa coconut balls, steamed spiralized beet/carrot/sweet potato with veggie stock, vanilla glycerite in the making, one of the recipes I developed for the Winter Issue of TEND Magazine (deadline soon! eep! go go go!) , first batch of herbal tulsi hibiscus iced tea of the season.
The past week and a half have been a little rough here. My 11 year old has had repeated additional allergy testing (skin prick, oral test, and blood test) at the allergist plus an electrocardiogram on his heart at the children's hospital (it was fine - woot!). He will have additional testing in a few weeks. I know testing and medical stuff is hard for all kids, but particularly so for him. He has extreme sensory issues and really does not like changing our daily routine. At all. It is extra hard when he has not been feeling that great lately. Put that together with changing seasons, a dad with an intense work schedule, guests in town, and getting some work done on the house that was LOUD and had people in our space for a whole day...wow. That would be a lot for extroverted non-sensory types - and we are all pretty much introverted highly sensitive people here. I am always in awe of his humor and good naturedness while in the thick of it, even if the struggles later at home are epic. He is such an amazing kid and I am crazy about him. One good thing from all of this additional testing is that we found out his tree nut allergies are gone. Poof! Zero skin, zero blood, zero on oral food allergy challenge. Almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc. Yep. I'm still terrified, funny enough. It makes me nervous to even type this here and tell you all. Knock on every type of wood imaginable. I observed him again closely at home after he ate some almond crackers. I can't help but think what if they are wrong? What if he has a reaction? I know some people outgrow certain allergies and not others and we don't yet know exactly why. He can't believe it either. For a boy who follows strict rules and guidelines for every single thing (he likes things to be *just so*), to change his eating habits is scary for him. He asks repeatedly are you SURE I can eat that? We feel like we are letting our guard down. I am afraid to even mention his peanut allergy. We think he might have outgrown that too. His tests were negative on blood and skin and the Doc tested and re-tested on his back after the blood tests were negative. Let's try again to be sure. Let's try one more time to be sure. We have to do a supervised oral allergy challenge to verify verify verify before we know 100% for sure, but he is scared, and I'm not in a rush to make him do it until he is comfortable. Of course this doesn't change a whole lot as his other allergies are still here and are still serious - he still cannot eat any gluten, and he is still severely allergic to all dairy and seemingly all red meat furred mammals (their meat, milk, and dander). We tested some additional animals and meats to see if it was ALL, and yes. Rabbits, pigs, cows, bison, rabbits, sheep, goats, horses, cats, dogs, mice. Yes, yes, yes. His levels were even higher for meat and dairy too, so we need to be extra diligent for all of those pesky hidden/undisclosed animal by-product ingredients and will still need our epi-pens and be on the lookout for severe reactions. But almonds, cashews, and pistachios? OH MY! So with all of this our meals for the past 10 days have been green. A lot of peas and asparagus and microgreens and lettuce and eggs. Quick and simple. I have also been warily dusting off my almond and cashew cracker dehydrator recipes. It is a relief as well as stressful. If that makes any sense. I am afraid of making an error with our changes, and I am excited to be able to add another protein source into his diet (not to mention I have not eaten a single nut myself in ages). We have about 4 weeks before his next round of appointments, so he gets a break for a bit. Time to relax, work in the garden, get out of town to enjoy warmer weather, and make some cashew cream and almond crackers. Gulp! Anyone have a child that has outgrown nut allergies? How did you transition a child from STOP, that can kill you to HERE, have another bite? And for those of you who have children with severe peanut and tree nut allergies. Breathe. Breathe again. I know that feeling. Every time I have read someone saying their child just got back from the allergist and outgrew their nut allergies and I thought - can it be? No way. Will that be us? BIG GIANT HUG to you and your wee one. Now that my sub rambling is over. Ahem. Whew!! I can't wait to pour my iced tea and go visit all of the other blogs on this blog hop. Hope you all have a fantastic week! Be sure to visit Heather at Beauty That Moves for a listing of all the links in the blog hop! Spring for me is garden. Where I live we have about 6 months on/6 months off garden-wise. Even with some late bloomers or early risers, it really is too cold to call it gardening until April or May. This year has been even colder than normal, so even my peas are just now starting to finally sprout - in MAY. I don't usually plant out things like tomatoes or heat loving herbs until the first weekend in June each year anyway, so starting seeds indoors helps give a boost to a short growing season. I have a small garden. Now, I know *some* city dwellers may say mine seems big, but really, in the grand scheme of things I have a much smaller than average American yard. I am here to tell those who say they don't have enough room to grow food - yes you can. If you haven't known me for long, you might not know about our garden. When I say small, it is small. We have a side yard stripe in between two houses. It goes from street to alley. Our front yard is only a few feet to sidewalk (so I don't even call it a yard), and there is no back yard, only carriage lane and a short driveway. And when I say I grow a lot of fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers in a small space, I mean it! And I'm not a big fan of rows. The trick with a small garden is to find plants that tolerate your light, your scale, and your climate, and grow UP if you can. I try to experiment with new varieties every year to tweak our space to get the maximum result from our shady half of the day urban garden. And I know my limits. I plant determinate varieties of tomatoes in pots on my front porch because that is the only place it gets hot and sunny enough. I stick fruit canes and bushes in any extra spots. I grow dwarf or columnar of certain types (I have two dwarf columnar apple trees in pots on my deck). I use every inch I can find. And most importantly, I know that since I have a small space in a neighborhood where my garden is visible to all, that appearance matters. I know I need flowers and color and height and interest and smell and continued blooms - not just square areas with things in a line! Our garden is urban organic permaculture. No chemicals, no pesticides, integrated plantings. My neighborhood is what you would call urban - at the edge of our city. Houses are close together and we have houses and condos and shops and a restaurant and a new grocery store. A city bus passes our house several times a day. But our garden is living. We get frogs, worms, rabbits, dozens of kinds of bees and wasps, ladybugs, birds, you name it. Even a stray hawk or opossum wanders in at times. It is amazing! So. You will find that once garden season begins, I am a bit obsessed. While we have our wonderful CSA share at a local farm for our primary food source during the growing season, I grow things that we want more of or that are not available via our CSA. Things like fruit, favorite veggies, culinary herbs, herbs for tea, and lots of fresh flowers. I also focus on things that can be dried/preserved. No matter how small your space, you can supplement your groceries and have a great place for kids to wander. All of the kids on our block spend time in my garden each summer. Just about every day. They hide in there, they help me water, they pick, they play. It is a good thing. Obviously all of these photos are not from my garden right now. But I need them. They are my inspiration. My reminders. Looking at a spring garden each year is a leap of faith, so to speak, the ultimate in optimism. To see blank and imagine full and dynamic and alive. An organic integrated permaculture garden is a big living thing. It becomes bigger than the gardener. We plant and plan and water and supplement and put it all out there, but the seeds do what they are here to do. As do insects, birds, soil microbes, and weather. The key is getting a good foundation, putting everything out there, and just being an observant caretaker from there. I have found one key to success is diversification. I don't grow a lot of any one thing. We are a family of 4. I don't need 400 pounds of squash. But I like variety. And my garden does better with it. When things are planted so close together, it helps keep the good bugs and pollinators here, and helps to keep the bad ones at bay. And when one plant is done for the season and not looking so lush, everything else is good, and something else can take its place. Also, if any one thing fails miserably in my space, there is no gaping hole. And every single year I tear out more grass. We have a green carpet path in the middle, but other than that, who needs it? What I want to do is post a list of all of my seeds and perennials for this growing season that I have so far (I will add to it throughout the season as well). I like to see what I have. New, tried and true, colors, types. Tracking change from year to year. I also like showing how diverse even a small space can be. Don't be afraid to experiment and combine or plant close together. Find out what works in YOUR space and soil. And don't think you have to use a whole packet to start. Start a few. Save the seeds in a cool dark place to use again later in the season or even next year. Share your leftovers or trade for other varieties with friends! Go in with a group of friends on an order of many types of seeds and split them up between you all! I use all of my greens and radishes each year, but I never plant a whole packet of peppers or tomatoes - I know my space is small, I don't have the heat, and I get plenty from my CSA. So I only grow a few plants of unusual varieties I know I cannot find anywhere. So, 1. Start small. 2. Diversify. 3. Pick plants that work in your climate so you don't have to do much work to be successful. 4. Share your seeds. That is a great way to learn from other local gardeners, try new things, and experiment! Here is my 2014 list so far::
So, there is my ever-evolving and changing list from where I start today. I have a few rounds of peas, radishes, and greens in ground. It is just warming up enough to see those sprouting up. My rhubarb is tiny - but growing finally. I have some lovage, valerian, raspberries, currants, blackberries, clary sage, lemon balm, moldavian dragon head balm, strawberries, and more popping up throughout. And my tulips are just starting to bloom, and lilacs don't have buds yet (latest ever!). Can't wait! Now I have posted too many pictures. I can't get enough! I need green growing things like I need oxygen. Oh, wait.
But seriously. I live somewhere that has extreme winters, so having a green luscious dense fragrant garden full of life and bees and birds and happy kids goes a long way in the summer. My older son says we cannot ever ever ever ever (EVER!!!!!) move or leave this place - who will care for our creatures big and small? What would happen to our sanctuary? Even the smallest garden - whether a few pots or a raised bed - can be a sanctuary. Who will care for our creatures big and small if not us. So go! Plant! Plant things! And if you think you have a black thumb, remember. The sole purpose of these seeds is to live and propagate. If you give them even a somewhat appropriate habitat they will most likely do so. They are fierce warriors, these seeds. They grow through concrete in urban landscapes, in chernobyl where no humans dare to tread. They live. SO don't worry, plant! Do you have a garden? Do you have a deck? An acre? An urban lot? What do you grow where you live? Capturing my love of whole foods, combined with the activity of a bustling kitchen. A weekly collection of photos from the center of my home. * * * * * Top to bottom: spring pea soup, chopping, pickled radishes, chocolate covered strawberries with smoked flake salt, kumquat lime margarita mix in progress, zucchini chips fresh out of the dehydrator, organizing the herb cabinet, spring miso bowl.
While I would love to say all of the spring veg is from my garden, it is not (but for the hydroponic peashoots). We have had such a cold cold spring so far and we don't even have leaves on the trees yet. BUT SOON! I can't wait for garden season! Be sure to visit Heather at Beauty that Moves to see who is participating this week and get a peek into more kitchens! |
denise cusackI am a certified aromatherapist, clinical herbalist, permaculture designer, organic gardener, plant conservationist, photographer, writer, designer, artist, nature lover, health justice activist, whole foods maker, and mother of two young adults in south central Wisconsin. Categories
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©2007-23 Denise Cusack, all photos and text. Feel free to share my posts on FB or Twitter or online media or pin on Pinterest (thank you!), but please keep the links back to my website intact (meaning please do not take or copy my images off of this website and share them unattributed or without linking back here or use them without permission). Thank you! :)
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