Garam Masala.

1/1/2021

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 Masala

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{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}

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!

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Winter Spice Sugar

1/1/2021

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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 Sugar

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{wholly rooted}

Per 1 cup/200 grams of coconut palm or other sugar add:

{ingredients}

3 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
10 cracked cardamom pods
15 whole cloves
½ nutmeg
1 Tbsp or more of dried orange peel

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.

Keep it all for yourself and use as you go, or pour into smaller gift containers. Jelly jars or canning jars work great. You can take out the spices before packaging the sugar, but leaving in a cinnamon stick or star anise on top is a nice touch.

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easy spice blends.

4/23/2020

0 Comments

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.

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Vegan Nog - dairy free!

11/13/2017

2 Comments

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 Nog

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{wholly rooted}

Egg & dairy free nog recipe - using medjool dates, it is even low glycemic.

The dates give a rich creamy sweetness and a thicker texture similar to eggnog, without the eggs!

No egg, no dairy, no alcohol, but still the flavour of the holidays!

{ingredients}

3 medjool dates, pitted
4 cups *unsweetened* dairy-free milk of choice (coconut, cashew, hemp, rice, etc.)
5 whole cloves
4 whole cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp dried or a slice of fresh ginger
4 allspice
1/2 a vanilla bean, split
optional: orange zest or dried peel

Pour your coconut milk into a pot along with the pitted dates.

You can use a teabag or strainer for the rest of your ingredients to steep in, so they are easy to remove (or just use a strainer later).

First gently crack your spices to get the most flavor from them – you can do this via pestle and mortar, or place in a bag and gently whack a few times with a rolling pin. Place all of your cracked spices into a strainer or teabag, and place in the pot.

Heat. Don’t boil, but heat enough to infuse the spices. Warm on a low-med stove for at least 10-20 minutes.

Remove the spice bag or strain out the spices (keep the dates in there though), and blend the milk and now softened dates in a blender until creamy and smooth.

Grate some fresh nutmeg over the top to serve and drink while warm!
_____

To make a larger batch for a party, use a slow cooker. Calculate how many dates you need based on how much coconut/almond/hemp milk you pour into your slow cooker. Remove a few cups of the milk and bring it to a low simmer in a pot with your dates. Blend that in a blender, and then pour and stir the blend into the master batch of milk in your slow cooker. Next, put the spices in a teabag or muslin bag & toss the whole bag into the crockpot to infuse. Heat on low-medium, and serve on your buffet table!

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!

2 Comments

Amaranth Breakfast Porridge. {gf/df}

3/21/2016

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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 Porridge

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{wholly rooted}

This is a healthy warm breakfast - a great GF alternative to creamy hot cereal. This version is dairy-free!

{ingredients}

1 cup amaranth grains, soaked overnight
2 cups of water
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped - or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
1/2 cup fresh fruit of choice (blueberries, strawberries, banana, etc.)
2 cups coconut milk
Maple syrup to taste.

Soak the amaranth grains in 2 cups of water overnight.

In the morning, drain and rinse in a fine strainer.

Combine rinsed amaranth with the 2 cups of coconut milk and a pinch of sea salt in a pot.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes with the lid on. Peek in to stir every few minutes.

Add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and stir.

Remove from heat and let sit for 10-15 minutes with the lid on.

Spoon into bowls, add any fresh fruit you like on top, and drizzle with maple syrup to taste.

Enjoy while still warm.

Mix it up: Try sprinkling toasted coconut on top with warm banana slices and maple syrup! Yum.

Makes 2 servings.

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!

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GF/DF Rhubarb Upside Down Cake.

6/7/2014

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Gluten Free/Dairy Free Rhubarb Upside Down Cake {wholly rooted}

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 Cake

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{wholly rooted}

A not too sweet gluten free / dairy free cake that is delicious warm or at room temperature. Seasonal goodness!

{ingredients}

1 cup coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup softened dairy free butter (I used vegan Earth Balance)
6 whole eggs, room temp
1 cup melted coconut oil
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
2 tsp vanilla flavoring/extract
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups AP gluten free flour
2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb
1/4 cup honey
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

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.

Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Grease 1 large or 2 small loaf pans with coconut oil.

In your mixer, combine butter, eggs, and sugar. Beat on medium until combined, 1-2 minutes.

Turn your mixer to low, and add the coconut oil, vanilla, and lemon juice and mix until thoroughly combined.

In another bowl mix your salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and all purpose GF flour and mix with a fork.

Now add your flour mixture about a cup at a time into your mixer on low until the batter is combined. Scrape the sides as you go along as needed.

Take your now cooled rhubarb and strain it (save the liquid). Spread the rhubarb evenly across the bottom of your loaf pan(s).

Place your fresh slices of strawberries over the rhubarb in a single layer.

Gently pour your batter into your pan(s), covering the strawberries and rhubarb.

Put into your preheated oven and bake for about 30-45 minutes (depending on 1 or 2 loaves/your pans). When a toothpick inserted comes out clean it is ready.

Let cool for 15 minutes. Gently run a knife or spatula around the edge of the pan to be sure it is loose. Place a serving tray or large enough plate upside down over the top of your loaf pan - be sure it is big enough. Holding both the loaf and the dish tightly, gently flip over (like any upside down cake). Carefully remove your pan to reveal the rhubarb strawberry now on top.

To serve, drizzle some of the saved rhubarb liquid over the cake along with some whipped coconut milk cream.

DF/GF Cake with Lemon Glaze {wholly rooted}

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).

Whole Grain GF Flour Blend {wholly rooted}

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.

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Sweet Potato Egg Bake

4/15/2014

7 Comments

One pot wonder breakfast. Sweet Potato Egg Bake. {wholly rooted}

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 Bake

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{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}

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled & diced
1 red onion, diced
1 tsp grated fresh turmeric
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 bunch of fresh asparagus, tough ends removed (14 - 16 stems)
1 tsp dried marjoram or thyme
4-6 eggs
1 Tbsp shiro miso

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.

As that sautés peel and small dice 2 sweet potatoes (or one, if you have a monster).

Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

Add the potatoes, dry herbs, salt, pepper, and miso paste to the pot, add another drizzle of olive oil if it is too dry, and stir frequently for 7-10 minutes on medium high.

Cut asparagus into 1" long pieces.

Smooth the mixture in the pot flat, add the asparagus over the top.

Place an oven safe lid on your pot, and put into the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.

Carefully remove the pot, crack 4-6 eggs over the top of the vegetables, spacing them so they do not touch. Put the lid back on, and continue to cook in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes or so, until the eggs have set. You can bake the eggs however you like - from soft to hard set.

Remove from oven, take off the lid, and let sit for a few minutes to cool.

Gently scoop out the eggs with a nice portion of the sweet potato/asparagus mix into a bowl. Top with some fresh herbs, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve!

NOTE: Shiro Miso is a thinner miso paste and will easily spread by stirring throughout. If you use a different type of miso which might be a very thick paste, you may need to stir it into a tablespoon or two of hot kettle water to dissolve before adding.

I used a 4 1/2 quart cast iron french oven - you can use anything that is both stovetop and oven safe. If you use a much larger pot your cooking time may vary a tad, based on how thick/thin your veggies are in the pot, so keep an eye on it!

Optional:: Make a version using bacon or sausage. My son is allergic to pork, but we sometimes use turkey bacon.

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.

7 Comments

Garam Masala.

Garam Masala

{lunar hollow farm}

Winter Spice Sugar

Winter Spice Infused Sugar

{wholly rooted}

easy spice blends.

Vegan Nog - dairy free!

Vegan Nog

{wholly rooted}

Amaranth Breakfast Porridge. {gf/df}

Amaranth Breakfast Porridge

{wholly rooted}

GF/DF Rhubarb Upside Down Cake.

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

{wholly rooted}

Sweet Potato Egg Bake

Sweet Potato Egg Bake

{wholly rooted}

denise cusack

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Garam Masala.

Garam Masala

{lunar hollow farm}

Winter Spice Sugar

Winter Spice Infused Sugar

{wholly rooted}

easy spice blends.

Vegan Nog - dairy free!

Vegan Nog

{wholly rooted}

Amaranth Breakfast Porridge. {gf/df}

Amaranth Breakfast Porridge

{wholly rooted}

GF/DF Rhubarb Upside Down Cake.

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

{wholly rooted}

Sweet Potato Egg Bake

Sweet Potato Egg Bake

{wholly rooted}

denise cusack

​Categories

BLOG/Journal

Work With Denise

Who We Are

Resources

What We Do

Media

Categories