Like countless Americans, I take part in Meatless Monday. (I also eat meatless on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and every other day of the week, but that came after a while.) Though I’m vegan and advocate that others eat a plant-based diet, I know that many people aren’t quite ready to take that step in whole. For those folks, the concept of simply reducing our meat consumption — say, going meat-free every Monday — might be a bit more digestible.

According to the American Meat Institute, about one-fifth of all Americans are now partaking in this weekly holiday from meat. And if they’re anything like me, they get asked “Why?” a lot. Well, for anyone who wants to answer that question on auto-pilot, I highly recommend sharing this new three-minute animated video about Meatless Mondays — share it with your friends, your family, coworkers, neighbors, Twitter followers, your plumber, local crossing guards and anyone else you can think of. The short video, produced by my friends at The Humane Society of the United States, is a fun way to show the people in your lives why you support eating plant-based foods one day (or in my case, seven days) a week.

So who else supports Meatless Monday? Well, it was founded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (as a resource-saving measure during WWI). Today, environmental groups like Environmental Defense Fund and Natural Resources Defense Council, health groups like The National Physicians Alliance and even meat-heavy companies and chefs like Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali, Sodexo and Moe’s Southwest Grill all support the idea of reducing our meat consumption

And this makes sense. As we become more aware of what we’re eating and gravitate toward healthier, sustainable and humane diets, many people are on the lookout for new foods. Plus, a lot of people are starting to simply enjoy food — and preparing it — more. And part of that enjoyment can be found by trying out new, creative ways to prepare meals with things like whole grains, beans, tofu, tempeh, high protein meat alternatives like veggie sausage and non-animal chik’n. And with all the great foods available these days there is no reason why you can’t enjoy all your traditional favorite dishes; you simply opt for better, healthier versions of them.

So if nothing else, think of Meatless Mondays as a culinary adventure. Check out the video. If you like it, pass it around. Then maybe sign up to get a free meatless recipe each week. Reacquaint yourself with the produce aisle. Investigate the vegetarian foods section at your grocery store. Test out new products and veggies you’ve never tried before. It’s your life and your food — love it! Bon appétit!

The 30-Day Vegan Challenge: The Ultimate Guide to Eating Cleaner, Getting Leaner, and Living is a joyful literary chaperone through one month of veganism, covering every topic imaginable; literally no stone is left unturned!  In her characteristic up-beat tone Patrick-Goudreau holds readers’ hands throughout the 30-day period, answering every question and addressing every challenge anyone’s ever made while maintaining a nonjudgmental, encouraging tone and helping readers make the transition joyfully, healthfully, and confidently. The 30-Day Vegan Challenge includes chapters on everything from reading nutrition labels and mapping out a grocery store, eating out and packing lunches, celebrating the holidays, traveling, living with non-vegans to all of the individual nutrients people are concerned about: iron, calcium, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and more.  The recipes are simple and overwhelmingly delicious, with menu ideas for every day of the week.  What’s more, the book itself is visually stunning, with gorgeous photos and a colorful, reader-friendly layout.  It is truly the quintessential vegan lexicon for new vegans and vegan veterans alike; anyone who loves good food and healthy living is guaranteed hold this book near and dear.

Although I am not a Vegan myself, there are a myriad of reasons to adopt a vegan lifestyle – to improve overall health, shed a few pounds, demonstrate compassion for animals, or help the environment for example – and Colleen Patrick-Goudreau has outdone herself with a timely challenge for all earthlings to explore.

Watch the 2-minute trailer video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Reprinted with permission from Experience Life Magazine.

There’s real beauty in choosing a free-range heritage turkey. You’ll get richer flavor, better nutrition — and the satisfaction of supporting a rare breed of poultry farmer, too.

By Karen Olson

On a thousand acres near Ellensburg, Wash., Greg and Laurie Newhall raise cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and — as of this year — turkeys. This place, Windy N Ranch, is a free-range pasture paradise. And the turkeys here aren’t your average supermarket-variety birds, but a heritage breed called Black Spanish, one of 11 breeds (including Bourbon Red, Narragansett and White Holland) that the American Livestock Breeds Association is working to protect from extinction.

The Newhalls are dedicated to providing a healthy environment and good care for their animals. “I want to do the best job we can in terms of husbandry, as well as raising a simple food that doesn’t have commercial contaminants,” says Greg, who before becoming a rancher and farmer was a builder and developer.

We talked with Greg about his decision to raise heritage turkeys, and why you won’t find his birds in the frozen-food aisle.

Q: Why did you start raising heritage birds?

A: So much of commercial turkey breeding today is focused on maximizing protein production. Back when our society was more rural, qualities like flavor were far more valued. As farmers, we prefer that focus, and we want to promote some of the more flavorful, less common traditional breeds, so that we don’t lose contact with our American roots. By raising birds that have substantially diminished in number, we help keep those breeds going.  And when you buy that kind of bird for your holiday meals, you help sustain them, too.

Q: What’s the difference between a typical grocery-store turkey and a heritage turkey? 

A: When you buy a pasture-raised heritage turkey, you’re buying a bird that has been humanely raised. You get a stronger, more complex turkey flavor as opposed to the bland taste one gets with a commercial turkey. It’s akin to tasting a real vine-ripened tomato versus tomatoes grown more for shipping than for eating.

Q: What about the cost difference?

A: Raising healthy birds humanely and responsibly does cost more. The conventional, broad-breasted birds in the freezer section are much less expensive, but they are much less of a bird. They’re bred almost exclusively for breast meat. They can’t reproduce naturally; they’re artificially inseminated. They have difficulty walking and moving because they’re designed for such rapid growth.

In the claustrophobic operations where 50,000 or 100,000 birds are raised at a time, the birds are jammed into barns that have to have the air circulated because of the ammonia stench. It is so strong that if it weren’t removed with huge fans, it would kill the animals.

Q: How much longer do heritage turkeys take to grow than industrially raised turkeys? 

A: Heritage turkeys grow in 25 to 28 weeks versus commercial varieties that mature in 14 to 18 weeks.

Q: You slaughter and process your own turkeys right on the ranch premises. Why?

A: We can have people pick up a bird hours after it’s processed. They know that animal has been treated well its whole life and hasn’t been through some giant factory or injected with anything. Processing is not a happy situation for any of us, but for the turkeys, being processed here on the ranch, where they’ve been since they were two-day-old chicks, is much more humane and less stressful than being thrown into a truck and hauled a couple hundred miles to be processed in a commercial facility.

Q: Why do you think more consumers are seeking them out these days? 

A: Buying a pasture-raised turkey from a small family farm feels good, and supports a way of farming I think more people are starting to care about. It’s better for people, for the environment, and for the birds, too.

Nutrition Know-How

Heritage vs. Factory-Farmed Turkeys

• Pasture-raised heritage turkeys are higher in omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed turkeys raised in factory farms. They are also lower in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids.

• Pasture-raised heritage turkeys do not require the antibiotics and hormones necessary to raise turkeys under stressed, dirty, overcrowded conditions, keeping the meat cleaner and safer for you.

• Because factory-farmed turkeys tend to be dry and tasteless, they’re often injected with saline solution, vegetable oils and additives to enhance their taste — and you’re stuck paying for the extra weight.

• Turkeys processed by the farmer — as opposed to large processing facilities — are much less likely to be exposed to and contaminated with harmful bacteria.

• Turkeys, in general, are a great source of protein. They also contain high levels of vitamin B6, immune-boosting selenium and zinc, and energy-supporting phosphorous.

Kitchen Tricks

• Before cooking a turkey, remove the neck and giblets from the body cavity. Wash the turkey inside and out with cold water.

• Always wash your hands, utensils and cutting boards with warm, soapy water after handling raw turkey.

• If you do use a frozen turkey, never thaw it at room temperature. Instead, thaw it 24 hours for each 5 pounds in its original wrapper in the refrigerator. Or, place it wrapped in the sink, cover with cold water — and remember to keep refreshing the water! — and thaw 30 minutes per pound.

Shopping and Storage Tips

• To find heritage turkeys in your area, search www.localharvest.org and www.heritageturkeyfoundation.org. Pasture-raised turkeys (and other pasture-raised meats) can be found through www.eatwild.com. Whole Foods carries heritage birds, as do other natural food markets.

• If you want a pasture-raised heritage turkey, don’t delay. Many farmers sell out months in advance of Thanksgiving. If you’re thinking about purchasing a turkey directly from a farm, don’t hesitate to call the farmer and ask questions.

• Put fresh turkey in the refrigerator immediately and cook it within one to two days. If you do buy a frozen turkey, it can be frozen for up to a year.

• Once cooked, tturkey, stuffing and gravy can be frozen. Eat within one month.

Quick and Easy

Asian Turkey Slaw: Mix shredded turkey into your favorite slaw mix. Toss with tahini dressing and sesame vinaigrette, then add green onions and toasted slivered almonds for crunch.

Turkey Avocado Wrap: On a sprouted-grain wrap, spread cranberry mustard spread (equal parts Dijon mustard and cranberry sauce) or cranberry Thai chili spread (one part Thai chili sauce to three parts cranberry sauce). Add shredded Napa cabbage, sliced avocado (or try thin slices of cucumber with the Thai chili sauce), shredded turkey meat, and thinly sliced strips of red bell pepper.
Roll up the wrap, and cut it in half diagonally.

Turkey Chili: Mix up your favorite chili. In the last five minutes of cooking or reheating, toss in a hearty helping of chopped cooked turkey meat. Top with a dollop of tangy Greek yogurt and chopped green onion. Add a flourish of cayenne or red chili pepper for extra spice, and some fresh cilantro for color and scent.

Cubed Turkey on Salads: Top salads with leftover turkey and add your favorite seasonal ingredients, such as diced pear or apple, dried cranberries and toasted pecans. Bonus: Use up leftover cranberry sauce by making it into a quick vinaigrette: add 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar to ¼ cup cranberry sauce, whisk in ¼ cup olive oil, then add salt and black pepper to taste.

Recipes!

Classic Roast Turkey 
Start with a pasture-raised heritage turkey. Wash and pat it dry. Season inside and out with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs like rosemary, sage and marjoram. Rub outside skin with butter. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack; cook for 13 minutes per pound. Turn over halfway through roasting. (For a commercial-grocery-store turkey, roast for 20 minutes per pound, half of the time covered, half uncovered.) For safety, all poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Wild Rice Mushroom Stuffing
With earthy ingredients like mushrooms, apples and wild rice, this is a richly flavored, gluten-free alternative to packaged bread-cube stuffing.

Makes 6 cups

• 8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbs. butter
• 1 Granny Smith apple, diced
• ½ yellow onion, diced (about ½ cup)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (about ¾ cup)
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 6 fresh sage leaves, minced
• ½ cup toasted, chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup hot turkey stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté mushrooms in melted butter in a sauté pan until lightly browned. Add apples, onions and celery and sauté until tender. Mix wild rice, sage, walnuts and cranberries in a bowl, and stir in turkey stock to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. If you are planning to stuff the turkey cavity (the traditional approach), cool the stuffing first. To bake the stuffing separately (the current trend), lightly oil a baking dish and fill with stuffing. Lightly cover the stuffing with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes; remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until stuffing is slightly browned and heated through.

Light Turkey Gravy
Serve this delicate yet deeply flavorful gravy warm over sliced turkey, mashed potatoes — and all kinds of Thanksgiving leftovers.

Makes 2 cups

• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tbs. butter
• ¼ tsp. dried rubbed sage
• ¼ tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crushed
• 1 tbs. potato starch
• 2 cups turkey stock and pan drippings
• ¼ cup apple cider or cold water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh sage and rosemary (if desired, to garnish)

In a small saucepan, sauté minced shallot in butter over low heat until caramelized, or light golden brown. Add dried sage and rosemary and sauté one minute. Mix in potato starch, then set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine stock and cider, and bring to a simmer. Stir the potato starch mixture into the simmering stock and stir until gravy is thickened. Season with salt and pepper according to taste. Garnish with fresh sage and rosemary.

Turkey Curry
Leftover turkey makes an excellent curry dish, especially when served with brown rice. If you don’t have all these spices on hand, don’t be shy about buying them (most are available in small quantities in the bulk-spice section of natural markets). See the Web Extra! for a yogurt sauce recipe to serve with this recipe and other curry dishes.

Makes six to eight servings

• 1 tbs. coconut oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 tbs. minced gingerroot
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, minced
• 1 tbs. cumin seeds
• 1 tbs. ground coriander
• 2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• ¼ tsp. ground cardamom
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 4 cups small cauliflower florets 4 cups Savoy cabbage, cut into 1-inch-square pieces
• 2 cups turkey stock
• 1½ cups pulled, cooked turkey meat
• 1½ cups frozen peas
• Salt to taste
• Fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, jalapeños and cumin seeds. Sauté about five minutes, while stirring, and then add the coriander, turmeric, cloves and cardamom. Stir while continuing to cook over low heat, about three to five minutes. Add tomato and stir while cooking over low heat for five to six minutes. Increase heat, add cauliflower and sauté for two to three minutes. Then add cabbage and sauté for one more minute. Add turkey stock and bring to a simmer. Add turkey meat and peas, and continue cooking to heat through. Season with salt to taste and garnish with cilantro.

All of these recipes were created by Betsy Nelson — a.k.a. “That Food Girl” — a Minneapolis-based food stylist and recipe developer.

WEB EXTRA!  More Recipes!

Turkey Barley Soup
Homemade turkey stock is a great base and perhaps the most important part of this wholesome soup. With its whole barley, carrots, celery, onion, kale, and chopped fresh parsley and cubed turkey meat, you have truly nurturing soup.

Makes 8 cups

• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped diced (about 1½ cups)
• 2 cups coarsely chopped celery, about 6 stalks
• 6 carrots, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)0
• ½ cup hulled barley
• 6 cups turkey stock (homemade is best)
• 1½ cups pulled turkey meat
• 2 cups coarsely chopped kale
• ½ cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot, sauté the onion for five minutes, and then add the carrots, celery and barley. Sauté while stirring for about five minutes and then add turkey stock and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and let soup simmer until barley and vegetables are cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the turkey meat, kale and parsley and season the soup with salt and pepper according to taste. Make sure to taste the broth, especially if it has been made from a brined turkey, since it will be a bit saltier than stock made from an unbrined turkey.

Ginger-Carrot Yogurt Sauce
Makes 2 cups

• 2 cups grated carrot
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. coconut oil or ghee/clarified butter
• 1 tsp. black mustard seeds or whole cumin seeds
• 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger root
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Place grated carrots in a bowl and toss with salt. Heat coconut oil in a small sauté pan and add black mustard seeds. Toast while stirring until they begin to “pop.” You may want to cover with a lid so the mustard seeds don’t fly out of the pan. Add seeds to the carrots, and stir in the ginger root and yogurt until mixed well. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Reprinted with permission from Experience Life Magazine.

Experience Life magazine is an award-winning health and fitness publication that aims to empower people to live their best, most authentic lives, and challenges the conventions of hype, gimmicks and superficiality in favor of a discerning, whole-person perspective. Visit www.experiencelife.com to learn more, to sign up for Experience Life newsletters, or to subscribe to the print or digital version.

If you have never heard of quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), you may soon discover a new favorite staple.  Although quinoa looks like a grain and has similar cooking characteristics, it’s actually the seed of a plant that is related to spinach, chard and beets.

Regarded by the ancient Aztecs as the “mother grain”, the seeds are rich in protein, calcium , iron and are a relatively good source of Vitamin E and some of the B vitamins. Since the protein in quinoa includes all 8 essential amino acids, it is considered a complete protein, making it a great choice for vegans who may not have enough protein in their diets.

So how what does this versatile seed taste like and what can you do with it?  Cooked quinoa is fluffy, a little creamy and a tiny bit crunchy. It has a subtle, slightly nutty taste and can be used in so many different ways.  You can enjoy quinoa sweet or savory. As a breakfast cereal, try mixing in fresh or dried fruit, shredded unsweetened coconut and nuts.  Cold quinoa , combined with lentils (or other beans) and nuts can be added to salads and is a great substitute for rice and other grains. Its delicious served with stir-fried vegetables or used to stuff squash.

Quinoa cooks really quickly – about 15 minutes and can be kept cold in the fridge for a few days. I often cook more than I need so that I can have leftovers to use in a hearty salad the next day.

Quinoa flour is also used to make pasta and a variety of baked goodies such as pancakes, breads, muffins and crackers.

Going gluten-free just got a whole lot easier and tastier too!

Enjoy this delicious recipe from www.healthycrush.com.

It’s perfect for a vegetarian  or vegan Thanksgiving.

Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash by Jenny Sansouci

• 1 large acorn squash
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (any variety)
• 1/2 package organic tempeh OR 1/2 cup chickpeas (your choice)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup pine nuts (substitute options: pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds)
• A few splashes of tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
• A sprinkle of cayenne
• A sprinkling of sage on top

Pre-heat oven to 400. Cut your acorn squash in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds.

Brush the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a lightly oiled baking dish and pop into the oven. Bake for 1 hour.

While squash is baking, prepare the stuffing!

Cook quinoa.

Add onions, mushrooms, garlic and tempeh or chickpeas to a pan with either a tiny bit of oil or just a little water and a few splashes of tamari, and a sprinkling of cayenne.

Cook until onions are translucent & all ingredients are starting to brown up a bit.

Add cooked quinoa to onion mixture in pan and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat and put into a large bowl.

Add raisins, basil and pine nuts to the quinoa mixture and stir well.

After 45 minutes, remove the squash from the oven and stuff with the stuffing. Cook another 15 minutes with stuffing inside.

When squash is very soft when pierced with a fork, and starts to turn a little golden brown around the edges, you’re ready to eat! Top with sage.

Everyone wants their kids to eat healthy, right? We have all seen the new food plate instead of pyramid. We all want them to eat a ton of veggies, fruits and whole grains, and no sugar, artificial stuff or white foods. But how exactly do we achieve that?

When I first had my daughter Liv, I truly had no clue. I read SUPER BABY FOODS and was completely overwhelmed. But I was willing to do anything for my babe, so I joined a CSA, started cooking more, experimenting more and here is what I learned:

1. Kids Want to Eat Whatever You Eat

Kids have an insanely awesome truth radar. If you don’t really want to eat it, they won’t either. So the best way to get your kids to eat healthy is start to do it yourself. Start to love your veggies and they will, too. Chomp on celery and they will want to also.

With the heat this summer, I started not being hungry in the morning, but it’s so important to me that Liv sees me have breakfast with her every morning. I want her to see a mom that eats healthy, that walks the walk. So I started doing green protein shakes based on my fabulous doctor’s book REVIVE. (www.drfranklipman.com). Now of course she wants one every morning too!

Now I have to be honest, the first time I made a green one, it was a bit hard to believe it would be good, but I closed my eyes and YUM!  And now it’s something we share each day.  And I will then also give her some other good stuff, a bowl of oatmeal or gluten-free sprouted bread with almond butter or her favorite, a mushroom omelette.  A green smoothie is a great way to start the day with greens and lots of fluids, which is so key for kids.

Now I know this news of KIDS EAT WHAT YOU DO can be a big bummer if you want a cheeseburger with fries, but that is where awesome sites like www.thesneakychef.com comes in.

She teaches you how to sneak the goods into anything!

2. Keep it Light

As HARD as it is, try not to force feed your kids, beg, bargain or bribe about food. I live for the phrase “it’s not what they eat in a day, its what they eat in a week” that matters.

Some days it’s 10 different veggies, some days not so much. Every book I read on parenting reminds me that food should not be a battleground and when you don’t push, you get better results.  I have certainly found it to be true.

3. Get Creative!!!

This is my favorite tip. Let your imagination go wild.

With protein shakes for example, if you call them milkshakes, somehow they get more exciting – for you and the kiddo!
I also make them in all different colors (use different fruits & veggies – tweet me for recipes!) and if you have leftovers,
freeze them in pops and call them ice cream!  I am jonzing to get this set: http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-80-3879-Freezer-Jewel-Pops/dp/B001WAKDMW/ref=pd_sbs_k_6.

Take a mashed sweet potato & make a mountain, then cover it with coconut snow! (Thank you Steve Spielberg & Close Encounters for that idea.)

Make funny faces with veggies – cucumber eyes, cherry tomato nose, corn teeth, you name it.

One snack I love for Liv and she adores that I learned from my childhood is ANTS ON A LOG: take a piece of celery, spread it with almond butter (or peanut butter, hummus, etc) and then sprinkle raisins to look like ants! So much fun.

I have found some super wise women of the web world who are MASTERS at this, momma feeding superheroes like: http://www.todayiatearainbow.com/

4. Keep Talking

Be it at meal time, or in the supermarket, get your kids involved as you shop, cook, and eat – talk to them about their choices.

Liv already knows the word organic & chemicals and she knows if I don’t want her to have something, she will say its because it has chemicals or too much sugar.

Kids love to feel part of choices, and they feel so empowered by knowledge, why do you think they love asking WHY so much?

These tips have helped me a bunch, and hope they help you. I would love to hear from you about any tips you have as well.

The first time I heard of Chia was when Chia pets were popular in the 80’s – remember those “adorable” green leafy creatures that you grew by watering an animal shaped terracotta pot. Who knew then that beyond their ability to grow animals, Chia seeds are actually a dynamo superfood. Turns out that the Aztecs and Mayans in pre-Columbian times did! Chia was an important part of their diet and legend has it that a single tablespoon could sustain Aztec warriors all day. The seeds, which come from a plant called Salvia Hispanica are loaded with many healthy benefits.

They are the richest source of plant based omega-3 fatty acids (higher than flax seeds)  – great news for vegans. Chia seeds provide an excellent source of fiber – both soluble and insoluble which helps you feel full and keeps things moving smoothly.

They are full of anti-oxidants, protein and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, niacin and zinc.

Chia seeds look like tiny poppy seeds, have a crunchy texture and not much taste. You can sprinkle them on salads, oatmeal, yoghurt, add to baked goods, and to my personal favorite, a smoothie. Soaked in liquid and kept in the fridge, chia seeds expand to become almost pudding-like and in fact can be made into a delicious healthy pudding for breakfast or dessert .

Sarma Melngailis from the restaurant, Pure Food and Wine in New York City created this wonderful recipe in her book, Living Raw Food. I have adapted it slightly.

Chocolate Chia Pudding (serves 4 – 6)

1 cup chia seeds
3 cups nut milk, coconut or hemp milk
2 – 4 TBS raw honey or maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla – optional
1 – 2 TBS raw cocoa powder
Pinch of sea salt

Place the chia seeds, milk, honey, cocoa and salt in a bowl (add vanilla if using) and stir well, so that there are no clumps and the chia seeds are coated in milk. Let sit at room temperature for 20 – 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate.

Please note – if you find that the cocoa is not stirring easily into the cold liquid, you may want to blend it into a small bit of the liquid first in a blender. Or, if not, put it in a large bowl and just keep on stirring it very quickly, and it will incorporate nicely.

Enjoy.

One of my favorite places to eat in New York is City Bakery on West 18^th. I love the selection of salads made from fresh mostly local ingredients and so always found a reason to meet friends or hold meetings there. The baked goods are irresistible but it’s the salads that inspired me, always different, seasonal and delicious. City Bakery is not your run- of- the- mill salad bar and I thought there was nothing like it. That was until a friend took me to Ottolenghi in Notting Hill, London a few years ago. Frank and I had first spotted the food shop while walking around the area. We thought it was just a bakery since its windows were filled with huge meringues, cakes and brownies and although the lines out the door were long, we just weren’t curious enough to go in or be tempted to eat something sweet. The next day I was meeting a friend who told me we were going to her favorite place for lunch – Ottolenghi – the very place Frank and I had walked past.

Not visible to the street was a counter groaning with the most unbelievable mouth-watering salads (and desserts) using combinations that I had never tasted before such as roasted butternut squash with burnt aubergine (eggplant) and pomegranate molasses, cauliflower and cumin fritters with lime yoghurt  and Camargue red rice and quinoa with orange and pistachios to name a few.

I naturally had to have the cookbook that was created by the 2 founders of Ottolenghi –  an Israeli , Yottam Ottolenghi and a Palestian, Sami Tamimi. Reading their story was good enough reason to buy the book. Both were born in Jerusalem in 1968, Sami on the Arab east side and Yotam in the Jewish west. Although they lived a few miles from each other, they lived in 2 separate societies and it was not until 1999, that they met by chance in London and after chatting for 30 minutes realized they shared a common history, language and love for food.  They opened Ottolenghi in 2002, creating food that reflected the flavors of their childhood and their unique culinary traditions.

This past May we were in London and our first stop – lunch at Ottolenghi. Please enjoy this recipe from their latest book, Plenty.

Soba Noodles with Aubergine and Mango (Eggplant and Mango)

Serves 6

½ cup rice vinegar
2 ½ TBS caster sugar (superfine sugar) – here I substituted with 1 TBS raw honey
½ tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ fresh red chili, finely chopped
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup sunflower oil – here I substituted with extra virgin olive oil
2 aubergines (eggplant) cut into one inch dice
1 packet soba noodles
1 large mango cut into ½ inch dice or 2 inch thick strips
2 – 3 TBS basil leaves, chopped
2 – 3 TBS cilantro, chopped
½ red onion, very thinly sliced

First make the dressing. In a small saucepan gently warm the vinegar, sugar (or raw honey) and salt for up to 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add the garlic, chili and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.

Heat the oil in a large pan and shallow fry the aubergine in three or four batches . Once golden brown, remove to a colander and sprinkle liberally with salt and leave there to drain.

Cook the noodles in plenty of salted water, stirring occasionally. They should take 5-8 minutes to become tender but still retaining a bit. Drain and rinse well under running cold water. Shake off as much of the excess water as possible, then leave to dry on a tea towel.

In a mixing bowl, toss the noodles with the dressing, mango, aubergine, half the herbs and the onion. You can now leave this aside for 1-2 hours. When ready to serve add the rest of the herbs and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl.

PICO DE GALLO (adapted from Amor y Tacos)

Pico de Gallo

The simplest salsa of all- ripe tomato, seeded and diced, mixed with sweet white onions, cilantro, lime, a pinch of salt and fresh hot chiles. If you prefer, omit the hot chiles; it then becomes salsa fresca. You may also choose to add more onions. Roma tomatoes are a must for this salsa, which is a classic on all types of tacos. Mix the salsa ingredients just before serving, and season with plenty of salt and fresh-squeezed lime juice (from limes, not a bottle) until the flavors jump! Makes about 2 ½ cups.

• 4 large, ripe roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced small (2 cups)
• ½ cup small dice white onion
• ½ medium serrano chile, minced, or more to taste
• ½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or more to taste

SALSA VERDE /TOMATILLO SALSA
(adapted from !Baja! Cooking on the Edge)

Tomatillos are a kind of ground cherry native to Central America. They have a tart, pleasantly acidic flavor that is delicious with grilled meats. Choose firm tomatillos with their papery husks intact. Remove the husk and wash off the sticky film that remains under warm running water; it is bitter. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

• 6 medium (2-inch diameter) tomatillos, about 2 cups
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• ¾ cup white onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large jalapeno or serrano, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 10 sprigs cilantro, stemmed (1/4 cup packed leaves, 2 tablespoons chopped)

1. Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and wash under warm running water. Cut into quarters and place in a 1 1/2 –quart saucepan along with the garlic, onion, jalapeno, and salt.
2. Add just enough water to barely cover the tomatillos and quickly bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the vegetables until the tomatillos have just begun to soften, and the tip of a knife can be inserted, about 5 minutes; do not overcook.
3. Drain and reserve the cooking water, and transfer the contents of the saucepan to a blender, along with the whole cilantro leaves.
4. Pulse the tomatillos until a thick, textured sauce forms, adding some of the cooking water as needed to form a fairly smooth sauce.

CHILE DE ARBOLES HOT SAUCE (adapted from Amor y Tacos

This sauce, made from dagger-shaped chiles de arbol, has a enjoyable sharp heat that quickly dissipates. It is excellent on anything rich or cheesy. If you want a hotter sauce, add the optional habanero chiles. Makes about 2 cups.

• 2 roma tomatoes
• 3 large garlic cloves, un-peeled
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup stemmed and seeded chiles de arbol
• OPTIONAL: 1 or 2 fresh habanero chiles, stemmed and chopped (please wear gloves)
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

The immediacy of a taco, handed to you hot from grill and comal, simply can’t be equaled. You can stand there and eat yourself silly with one taco after another, each made fresh for you and consumed within seconds. A great taco rocks with distinct tastes that roll on and on, like a little party on your tongue, with layers of flavor and textures: juicy, delicious fillings, perfectly seasoned; the taste of the soft corn tortilla; a morsel of salty cheese and finally, best of all, the bright explosion of a freshly-made salsa that suddenly ignites and unites everything on your palate. At the end of your two- or three-bite taco you just want to repeat the experience until you are satiated.

That essential salsa is far more than just a sauce. It completes the taco the way icing completes a cake. It’s about balance again, as you add not only flavor but color and texture as well, carefully chosen to complement the filling. Rich and meaty tacos need an acidic salsa, such as one made with tomatillos and coarse salt. Citrus flavors such as lemon and lime jump out with a the touch of hot salsa. Fresh tomato, onion and cilantro go with almost anything, especially a creamy melted cheese, or a smoky char-roasted chile. Fish and shrimp fairly pop with fresh hot peppers and fruit,  given an herbal edge with cilantro. Throwing on just any salsa, or too many different salsas, misses the point completely.

Choose impeccable ingredients of great character – ripe tomatoes, fragrant mangoes, fierce chilies, vibrant cilantro and lime. Be bold and unafraid! Go a little over the top with your seasoning. Timidity has no place in a salsa.  Remember, each taco will have only a small amount of salsa, and the salsa has to stand up to all the other tastes and unite them. The flavor of acid, salt, sweetness and heat escalate when the salsa is properly, that is to say, assertively seasoned. A perfectly crafted salsa will seem almost too powerful, but each taste will balance the others, and that little taste will make your simple taco exceptional. (from Amory Tacos)

Salsa Basics

• Tomatoes – choose Roma or pear-type tomatoes. You don’t have to peel them, but you do have to seed and core them. Sorry. Check the video for some fast techniques.
• Onion – white or red onions only, please. A really good onion will make you cry. Accept it.
• Tomatillo – green tomatillos are the most common,but a good Mexican market will sometimes have the tiny milpera which is more authentic. Before cooking, remove the papery husks and wash in warm water to remove the sticky, bitter coating.
• Garlic – buy heads of fresh garlic, grown in the USA, and separate cloves as you need them. It’s easy to get the skin off – just tap the clove gently with the side of a knife. Don’t buy peeled garlic. It’s old, has preservatives and often comes from China. Yick.
• Chiles – use a fresh green chile such as a jalapeno or serrano. Serranos are reliably spicy, jalapenos a bit milder. For flavor and less heat, remove the seeds before dicing.
• Cilantro – wash, shake dry and place stems in a cup of water. Cover loosely with a plastic bag, and refrigerate. Pluck stems as needed. Always chop cilantro immediately before you need it. If you hate cilantro, leave it out.
• Lime – you WILL use the juice from fresh limes only, please – no bottled juices. Invest in a little hand juicer, preferably a Mexican esprimador. The best limes are small, thin-skinned limones with a little yellow on the skin; buy them at Latin markets. As an additional benefit, fresh juices also immeasurably improve the quality of your margaritas.
• Salt – kosher or sea salt is best. Iodized (table) salt has a bitter aftertaste.

With the holiday season just around the corner, the sweet temptations are many. Here’s a recipe that is better than most, is gluten free, uses good fats and won’t make you feel too guilty about indulging.

Keren’s Brownies

• Hearty 1/4 cup organic cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 med size organic eggs
• 1/2-3/4 cup palm sugar (I used 1/2 cup depends on how sweet you like it)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of organic / fair trade vanilla extract

You can also add nuts (pecans or walnuts and or organic dark chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease an 8 inch square pan with a little coconut oil

With a mixer:

• Beat eggs until thick … Slowly add sugar (it will clump up be patient with it… Harder to work
  with than regular sugar)
• Slowly mix in cocoa powder
• Add coconut oil and mix until it is smooth
• In a separate bowl combine the rest of the dry ingredients
• Mix all the dry ingredients into the wet mixture
• Lastly add the vanilla. Mix another minute or so with mixer

If you want to add nuts or chocolate chips you can add now but fold them into the batter.

• Bake for 28-32 minutes…

Let cool, cut into squares and enjoy.

nutsonline.com, is a great resource for gluten free baking goods.