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I love spice blends. In addition to adding amazing flavor layers to foods, most spices have medicinal properties and support healthy digestion, immune support, healthy gut microbiome, and other benefits. Most cultures on the planet have some kind of common cultural flavorings, spices, and family recipes passed down generation to generation. I spent many years living in Chicago where there is rich cultural diversity and people from all over the planet bringing their food cultures and traditions with them. In Chicago, whole neighborhoods have formed over the last century, with shops and restaurants spilling out amazing aromas into the street. I spent many weekends wandering small neighborhood grocers, scanning the shelves for those treasured spices for weekend meals. While the prevalence of exotic spices often stemmed from the colonization of countries by Europeans, there is also a lot of proud food culture brought with immigration, spreading the amazing flavors, spices, blends, and ingredients as people bring their traditions with them. While I prefer to grow as much of my own herbs and spices as I can, I still love hunting down those rich and deep flavors such as green and black cardamom, turmeric, ginger, cocoa, coffee, smoked paprika and cumin, peppercorns, cassia, nutmeg, and other amazing flavors.
Garam MasalaPrint |
{lunar hollow farm}Garam Masala is a blend of spices often found in Indian and South Asian cuisines. Each region has their own blend, but the basics are fairly similar. This is a flavorful blend made with spices that can be found in most grocers or spice shops. Everything is listed by tablespoon and teaspoon because it doesn’t have to be exact. Use this as a guide! Garam masala is so good in rice dishes; added to soups and stews, and sprinkled over anything you roast in the oven. {ingredients}
Toast all of the spices together on a medium-high skillet, gently, stirring. Be sure not to burn but just toast to release the aroma. Once the spices are warm and toasted, pour them into your spice blender and whiz until you have a powder. Store in an airtight container!
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I like making a lot of small gifts from the kitchen to create nice gift bags for folks. I give them as stocking stuffers and also love to have a few extras waiting for any last minute gifts needed for guests, teachers, neighbors, etc. While I make a lot of herbal support for gifting - herbal tea, elderberry syrup, boo boo salve - I also like making kitchen spice blends and food blends (spicy reishi cocoa, spiced sugar, chai mix, peppermint bark, etc.). This is super easy to make and put into those little jelly jars with a bow.
Winter Spice Infused SugarPrint |
{wholly rooted}Per 1 cup/200 grams of coconut palm or other sugar add: {ingredients}
Pour your sugar into a canning jar large enough to hold it. Add the spices, sliding them down the sides and into the sugar gently. Tighten the lid, and gently turn and shake the jar to get the spices throughout the sugar. Let the spices sit in the sugar for at least one week, preferably a few weeks, to fully infuse. You can even help it along by gently dry toasting your spices before you place them in the sugar.  Part of a whole foods pantry is kitchen staples, spices, and seasonings. Many pre-made mixes these days contain gluten or starches as fillers, not to mention spices that were ground up who knows how long ago and have lost their oomph. By mixing and grinding your own, you can create flavors and aromas for your foods that take your dishes to a whole new level. Also, buying bulk of individual spices to create your own blends can give significant savings over time, and come in much more affordable than the tiny individual jars at the store. Here are a few seasoning blend recipes to get you started. Make enough for yourself, or double/triple the quantity and make to give. A coffee grinder dedicated to spices is great for creating fine blends from woody herbs and spices. Just use one dedicated to spices. If you don’t have that, a pestle and mortar will work, as will pulsing with a food processor (just might require a combination of both to get it fine). Whether you use these to make a primary flavour or to sprinkle over the top, your dishes will never be the same. Plus, many spices and herbs have other properties that boost nutrition, digestion, and are anti-inflammatory. All a plus. Garam Masala Garam Masala is a blend of spices often found in Indian and South Asian cuisines. Each region has their own blend, but the basics are fairly similar. This is a flavorful blend made with spices that can be found in most grocers or spice shops. Everything is listed by tablespoon and teaspoon because it doesn’t have to be exact. Use this as a guide. Garam masala is so good in rice dishes; added to soups and stews, and sprinkled over anything you roast in the oven. 3 Tbsp coriander seeds 1 ½ Tbsp cumin seeds 1 Tbsp sweet cinnamon chips (or a soft woody cinnamon stick) 2 tsp cloves 3 bay leaves 1 tsp cardamom pods (green) ½ tsp peppercorn (I like a variety of peppercorn types) 1 tsp dried ginger ½ of a nutmeg Optional: 1-2 juniper berries Toast all of the spices together on a medium-high skillet, gently, stirring. Be sure not to burn but just toast to release the aroma. Once the spices are warm and toasted, pour them into your spice blender and whiz until you have a powder. Store in an airtight container. Lemon Pepper This lemon pepper is more than just the generic salt from the store. This is a blend of salt, pepper, rosemary, lemon zest and peppercorns. It is very aromatic and is fantastic over meats before grilling or in a salad dressing. Zest of 3-4 lemons (if tiny, use 4) 1/3 cup/80 mL of various peppercorns 5 large sprigs of fresh rosemary ½ cup/120 mL of celtic sea salt Zest your lemons. Whiz your pepper, rosemary, and lemon zest in a food processor to crack the peppercorns and blend. Spread onto a parchment lined sheet and place into a 225ºF/100C (Gas Mark ¼) oven for 20-30 minutes until dry. Once the lemon zest and rosemary are fully dry, pour into a food processor or spice grinder and blend more finely before stirring into your ½ cup of sea salt. Store in an airtight container. Dukka/Duqqa Dukka is an Egyptian mix of herbs, nuts, and spices. This version is nut free so it is safe for nut-free homes. This uses pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds instead of the nuts, giving the dukka a rich, deep, flavor. It is delicious as a crust for meats, as a dip with bread and olive oil, or simply sprinkled over vegetables, salads, or soups. 1 tsp sunflower seeds ¼ cup/60 mL white toasted sesame seeds ½ cup/120mL pumpkin seeds 2 Tbsp coriander seeds 1 Tbsp cumin seeds 1 tsp black peppercorns 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 bay leaf In a dry skillet on medium-high, toast your coriander, peppercorns, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame, cumin seeds, and bay. Stir often, so they don’t burn. You are toasting to warm to release the aroma and oils. Pulse all of your toasted ingredients in a food processor or spice grinder with the smoked paprika. Pulse until you have the consistency you prefer. Coarse is great for dishes, more fine is wonderful for bread and olive oil appetizers. Store in an airtight container. Making your own spice blends and pantry staples can be very easy and the reward is so much more flavorful than you can find in most grocery stores. 
Everywhere you look in winter there is another recipe for an eggnog or boozy drink. This version is not only alcohol free, but dairy and egg free as well. Not that you couldn't add a swig of something, but it is absolutely delicious and warming all on its own.
Vegan NogPrint |
{wholly rooted}Egg & dairy free nog recipe - using medjool dates, it is even low glycemic. {ingredients}
Pour your coconut milk into a pot along with the pitted dates. We don't do dairy in the house, as my older son has a severe allergy. And quite honestly I don't want any of us in this house to follow down the road of our genetic lottery of diabetes, so I love recipes that are not only dairy free, but also use low glycemic sweeteners. The dates also are what gives the drink that thicker creaminess. If you use rice milk, it will be a little thinner, obviously, but hemp, cashew, coconut and other thicker milks have the perfect thickness! 
I have never been a breakfast person. For years I was more of a cup of coffee and run kind of person. But with the advent of autoimmune disease, I have a schedule for my supplements and medications, and eating before I take anything is critical. We also cannot eat gluten, so that eradicates a whole bunch of possibilities. So what is left is eggs, GF toast, GF oats...meh. I'm not a big sweets or bread person. I'm also not a huge fan of repetition. I spend a lot of time cooking dinners every day, so I don't want to spend a ton of time on breakfast or lunch. Amaranth is a nice alternative for breakfast. It is a seed, not a grain, and it is a complete protein packed with all of the essential amino acids, iron, magnesium, fiber, and even calcium. You can cook it, bake it, boil it, or even pop it. This breakfast is quick and easy and has a lot of flavor. And you can add different toppings to change it up - fresh blueberries, sliced bananas, toasted coconut, hemp seeds, warm apples pan-sautéed with a little maple syrup and molasses...the possibilities are endless! 
Amaranth Breakfast PorridgePrint |
{wholly rooted}This is a healthy warm breakfast - a great GF alternative to creamy hot cereal. This version is dairy-free! {ingredients}
Soak the amaranth grains in 2 cups of water overnight. A bowl of amaranth porridge is perfect for spring mornings - it warms you up, fills you up, and gives you energy to get moving on busy spring days. Kids love it too, and everyone can have their favorite toppings! 
I love baking. Since two of us have had to eliminate all gluten, I tend to bake less, use the dehydrator more, and would generally just prefer to eat other foods rather than "substitute" foods. But my two that are fine with gluten and also love baked goods are so very happy when I bake. My husband also loves to have something for his kaffeeklatsch (he works from home most days). He tends to work non-stop most of the day and leaves half of his lunch untouched on his plate up in his office. He is usually starving by mid afternoon and this helps him get along. Any gluten free goodies that I bake have to be approved and dearly loved by those that COULD eat gluten if it wasn't for us (ahem), as well as by my allergy boy. By having a few base recipes that I can adapt to whatever fruit is seasonal in the garden means that I have something I KNOW everyone likes and that I can make easily with whatever is ready NOW. This cake is a great base. And with strawberries and rhubarb? Over the top. 
Gluten Free/Dairy Free Rhubarb Upside Down CakePrint |
{wholly rooted}A not too sweet gluten free / dairy free cake that is delicious warm or at room temperature. Seasonal goodness! {ingredients}
First prepare your rhubarb. Place your 2 cups of rhubarb in a saucepan with the 1/4 cup honey. Sauté until the rhubarb is soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat. Let sit. 
As I said, the main recipe is a great base. If you don't want to make it using strawberry/rhubarb, make everything as a stand alone cake (skip the rhubarb/strawberry steps, leave out the cinnamon, and no need to invert). My boys love it as a pound cake with a lemon glaze over the top (see above). 
Now, for the GF flour mix. I really like theratio guide over at Gluten Free Girl and the Chef. It is clear and easy to remember and no matter how I mix it, it is a solid ratio and things come out great. I have used this cake recipe with several different blends of my own making as well as a few different store bought GF all purpose blends. Always good. This rich dark amazingly delicious rhubarb upside down cake was made using a blend I made that has several different GF whole grain flours including buckwheat, which is what adds to the lovely color (in addition to coconut palm sugar). So good and moist. 
Now I want to go make another rhubarb upside down cake as the last one disappeared quickly. And in not too long I will have fresh raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries to add to it. Yum.
Don't forget to zip over and leave a comment on my giveaway post for a chance to win the Summer 2014 issue of Tend Magazine! Comments will close at midnight Sunday, I will announce the winner on Monday.
I like meals that can be put together quickly and go into a pot or oven for a bit while I do other things (like wander back to my hot cup of coffee and snuggly boys). This sweet potato egg bake is a great breakfast or brunch meal - or a breakfast for dinner kind of thing, which seems to always be a hit with the younger set. I love the sweet richness of sweet potatoes. They are a good source of fiber, iron, potassium, and vitamins like C, B6, and A - not to mention they have a lower glycemic index than white potatoes and studies have shown they may even be able to help regulate blood sugar. They are a nice replacement for white potatoes in a breakfast dish, and kids love them.
Sweet Potato Egg BakePrint |
{wholly rooted}One pot meal - great for breakfast or brunch - with sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, turmeric, asparagus, eggs, and more. Quick stovetop prep, ready out of the oven! {ingredients}
Start by sautéing 1 diced onion, 1 tsp freshly grated turmeric, and 2 cloves of minced garlic in a drizzle of olive oil in an oven safe pot on your stovetop. 
I love how the miso tastes with the sweet potatoes, and that musky light flavor that the turmeric adds. It is a nice quick one pot wonder, giving me some extra time to enjoy my morning. |
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. 
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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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