Week 43--Pears

Who doesn't like the sweetness of pears?  They are so reminiscent of Fall and all its bounty.  These days I don't enjoy as much fruit as I once used to (still dealing with blood sugar issues, sadly) but when I do... it tastes sweeter than candy.  This week I once again steal a recipe from my favorite blogger Emily Malone at the Daily Garnish.  To my credit I have made it Gluten Free (the original recipe isn't).  Here is the original: http://www.dailygarnish.com/2012/10/ginger-spiced-pear-bread.html and below is mine.

Ginger Spiced Pear Bread (Gluten Free and Vegan)

Ingredients (changes are noted with an asterisk

• 1 1/2 Bob's Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour*
• 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum*
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses*
• 1/4 cup (loose) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds + 1/4 cup water (or sub 2 eggs)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil (or sub canola/other oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ripe pears, diced small
• 1/3 cup crystallized ginger, minced

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, including the sugar. Set aside.  

2. Select two ripe pears – I used bartlett* variety – and dice into very small pieces. The smaller the better – if the pieces are too big, the bread won’t hold together well. You also want to mince the crystallized ginger.  Ginger is a really strong flavor, so small pieces go a long way!

3. In a small dish, mix the chia seeds and water together and let sit for a few minutes. The chia seeds absorb the water and swell in size, creating a gooey egg-like consistency. If you don’t have chia seeds, you can sub flax seeds or two eggs here. (Insider tip: they sell chia seeds at Trader Joe’s now!)

4. Once the chia-egg has formed, add applesauce, oil, molasses* and vanilla to the small dish, and whisk to combine.  Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, and mix until combined.  Using a spatula, fold in the crystallized ginger (reserve about a tablespoon) and fresh pear.  Pour batter into a greased loaf pan, and sprinkle the remaining crystallized ginger on top of the batter.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown on top and baked through the center.  Allow bread to cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

This is Emily's

And this is mine

Not too bad is it? :)

Week 42--Chayote Squash

Again I'm a little behind in posting these recipes.  Each week I'm finding it more and more difficult to carve out time to cook.  Isaac has completely eliminated his afternoon naps and Andrea seems to be sleeping less and less.  These days my meals consist of something I can throw together in 15 to 20 minutes and it's typically a repeat of something I've already posted here so no need to replicate :)  Plus I really try to bring something unique and different into these recipes so I'm being challenged in multiple ways.  Enough with the pity party.  Here is this week's recipe which features Chayote Squash, but as always, let me give you some information on this vegetable which is very close to my heart.  It may have been one of my very own first foods as a baby.  I remember fondly that my mom used to save me the hearts because she knew I liked them so much.  They are buttery and a nice contrast to the more water dense flesh.

Chayote is originally native to Brazil where it grows abundantly and has little commercial value. It has been introduced as a crop all over Latin America and worldwide.  The main growing regions are Brazil, Costa Rica and Veracruz, Mexico.  Costa Rican chayotes are predominantly exported to the European Union, whereas Veracruz is the main exporter of chayotes to the United States. 

The Chayote fruit is used in mostly cooked forms.  When cooked, chayote is usually handled like summer squash, it is generally cooked to retain the crisp flavor.  Though rare and often regarded as especially unpalatable and touch in texture, raw chayote may be added to salads or salsas, most often marinated with lemon or lime juice.  Whether raw or cooked, chayote is a good source of amino acids and vitamin C. Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chayote

Vegetable "Pad See Yew" with Tofu

Ingredients (remember to choose organic whenever possible)

2 1lb blocks of sprouted tofu, drained and cubed

1 cup of snap peas

1 cup of broccoli florets

1 cup of sliced carrots

1 cup broccoli slaw

2 chayotes, sliced to resemble thick noodles

1/2 cup sliced scallions

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1-inch piece of ginger, minced

1tsp chinese seasoning

1tsp sesame oil

chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Sauce

4TB coconut aminos (or soy sauce)

1TB apple cider vinegar

1TB sugar (or honey)

1TB good quality fish sauce

Juice of 1/2 lime

Mix all together

Directions

1. Heat a wok in very high heat.  Add sesame oil and brown tofu on all sides.  Add chinese seasoning and scallions and cook until these begin to brown.  Set aside.

2. In the same wok stir fry carrots, peas, and broccoli for about 5 to 7 minutes or until they begin to get tenderize (you may add a little more oil if needed.  I didn't). Add garlic and ginger and cook for a minute.  Add sauce, "noodles,"  and stir until well coated.  Add tofu and cook until sauce begins to bubble.  Turn off heat and served immediately.  

Week 41--Acorn Squash

I've already mentioned that Fall is my favorite season of the year.  I just love all the leaves on the ground, the cooler weather, the brisk air on my face, and of course, the food!  Winter squash is one of my favorites.  Acorn squash is just one variety of winter squash and this is actually my first time working with it.  Acorn squash is a good source of dietary fiber and potassium, as well as vitamins B and C, magnesium and manganese..  This week's recipe was created by Emily Malone from Daily Garnish.  You can find it here:  http://www.dailygarnish.com/recipes?recipe_id=6034395.  I have made a few modifications so here is my version.

Quinoa and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash.

Ingredients

2 large Acorn Squash
1/2 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
1 large onion, diced
1 large apple, diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling squash
1 tablespoon earth balance
2 tablespoons orange champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry
1tsp pumpkin spice mix
1/4 tsp cardamon
1 tsp dry basil
1 tsp anise
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper
balsamic glaze (optional for topping)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a tiny slice off the bottom of each squash so that it can stand up on its own--just enough to stay upright.
2. Carefully trim the top of the squash off, which should expose a little pocket of seeds.  Using a spoon, scoop the seeds and scrape the flesh clean.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil and salt into each squash, and then place face down in a baking dish.  Bake for 45 minutes or until fork tender inside.
3. While the squash bakes, prepare the filling.  Rinse and cook quinoa (combined with 1 cup of water or stock).  Set aside.
4. In a large saute pan melt earth balance and cook diced onion on medium heat until brown and softening.  The more color you can develop the better but careful not to burn it.  Once the onion has cooked (~ 10 to 15 minutes) add the diced apple and cook until soft.  Add the cranberries, sliced almonds, garlic, herbs and spices and cook for an additional minute. Add sherry and turn down heat.
5.Carefully fold in the quinoa.  Add olive oil and champagne vinegar and continue to cook on low heat for about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
6. Once the acorn squash has cooked, flip them right side up and fill the squash with the quinoa mixture.  Pack tightly in order to maximize the filling.  Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops of the quinoa is golden and starting to get crispy.
7. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.  Serve immediately.

Race Recap

I did it!  I finished.  It was a breezy day in San Francisco, perfect weather for running.  But to say that I breezed through this marathon would be a huge understatement.  Instead of giving you an elaborate story of how race day went I am going to summarize it in short tidbits or snap shots of what was going in in my head, my body, or both at each hour/mile of my race.  Here it goes.

Warning:  extensive use of graphic language and oversharing of personal information to follow

4:30am alarm sounds. Snooze?  Nope.  Gotta get ready, I've already pushed it out as long as I can.
4:32 hit the bathroom... pause... nothing.  Ugh.  Don't sweat it.  Move on.
4:35am nasal irrigation routine, nothing special
4:45am pumping time, hoping for 2 bottles.  9 oz?  sweet :) Get dressed.  Suncreen (check) lub (check) Take your mind out of the gutter you perb.  Lub is to prevent chafing :)
5am COFFEE time!  While that brews I'll toast my bread and slather on the PB.  Berries?  Sure.  I need the fiber.
5:15am load up the car, plug in the gps, type in address, put on shoes, mental checklist:  Phone (check), wallet (check), bib (check), garmin (check), camera (?)  Fuck it.  I'm already late.
5:30am hit the road.  Put on some Bethoven. I need the inspiration.
6:15am exiting the freeway onto 5th street.  Traffic.  Damn.  I'm glad I'm early.
6:30am park, get on elevator, exit onto street.  Sh.t I didn't make a note of where I parked.  Oh well.  I'll deal with it on the way back.  Bathroom.  Yes!
6:45am Sucess! :)
6:55am reach start line after a 4 block easy warm up and stretch.  I'm ready.  I hear the national anthem.  It must be time.
7:00am shot gun goes off.  Here we go....takes me about 10 minutes to actually cross the start line but who's counting?

Mile 0--Feeling awesome, music playing loud, I'm going to rock this!
Mile 1--Adrenaline is still high, 25 to go.  Woo hoo!
Mile 2--Damn runners, stay on your lane!  I can't get through this shit fast enough. I'm on fire, don't you see it?
Mile 3--Water?  Who needs it?
Mile 4--Long sleeve shirt comes off.  I'm burning here.
Mile 5--Hills, what hills?  Look at me fly right thorugh Potrero.  All that hill training paid off.
Mile 6--More climbing. What?
Mile 7--Ok, I'm feeling this.  I see a sign that reads:  "She didn't give up, will you?" Cry.
Mile 8--Just about the first third of this race.  More hills coming.  I'm slowing down.  Panic hits.
Mile 9--Holy Mary, mother of God.  This hill never ends.  Sh.t.
Mile 10--Enter Golden Gate park.  We will lose the half marathoners in 2 miles.  Yes, finally some room in this b.tch
Mile 11--I want to walk
Mile 12--What if I just do the 1/2.  I still get the t-shirt and necklace
Mile 13--Bring out the tylenol
Mile 14--I'm feeling puky
Mile 15--I start gearing toward right, I'm going to vomit
Mile 16--Walk.  Eat more blocks.  Breath
Mile 17--Finally out of the park, running along the coast.  This is why I love San Francisco
Mile 18--Let the countdown begin.  My body is breaking down, I can feel it.
Mile 19--7 to go!  Who said the second half of this sh.t is flat.  It's a steady fuckin incline.  Ugh.
Mile 20--6 to go!  I can do this, just one more hour.  Is that blood running down my leg?  I'm losing my womb God damn it!  Oh, it's just sweat dripping.  Phew!
Mile 21--5 to go!  I begin to walk and I tell myself I'm going to walk at every mile marker.  I gain motivation
Mile 22--4 to go!  Can someone wheel me in? Whose idea was this?  I'm never doing it again.  This sucks!
Mile 23--3 to go!  Finishing loop around Lake Merced.  One more hill ahead and then they promise a downhill to the finish line.
Mile 24--2 miles to go!  I look at my Garmin and it tells me I've been running for 3:50 which means I can probably finish by 4:10.  I speed up.
Mile 25--1 to go!  I run as fast as I can but it's a mere 10 minute mile pace.  My face feels hot, my legs are stiff, I can't feel the rest of my body.  I must keep going, I must keep going.  Fuck!  I walk.
Mile 26--I see the finish line, I see the finish line, I see the finish line.
Mile 26.1  I did it!  Big sigh. Laugh. Cry.  My necklace, I can't forget that.

Best quote:  "She didn't quit, will you?"
Inspirational quote:  "If you hurt by 10 miles you are in trouble.  If you hurt by 20 you are normal.  If you don't hurt by 26, you are abnormal."
Reciting mantra:  This is my race and my pace.

Join me next year.  It was an amazing race.  Thanks for all the support.   Off to enjoy my celebratory dinner.  Can you guess what it is? :)

The lonely runner

I have always enjoyed running alone, and I'm pretty self motivated to get out and hit the pavement or treadmill whenever I need some time to myself.  In fact, these days its about the only alone time I get.  And I've gotten to enjoy it a lot.  Even when I had to wake up at 5am to get my run in before Dave left for work I still would gladly do it. But of course if I have my choice I would rather do it at a more humane hour of the day.

Last October I ran the Nike Women's half marathon for a dear friend who was injured during training.  It was one of the best and most exhilarating experiences in my life.  It wasn't my first race.  I ran the SF Marathon in 2008, but there was something different about this race.  At the time I didn't know why but I felt much more success running this half marathon than I did my previous full.  I displayed my 13.1 sticker on the bumper with great pride (I never did care to display the previous one).   I believe I now know the reason.

In 2008 I trained with Dave, my husband.  We embarked on the marathon journey with nothing more than a book as our training guide and a whole lot of motivation.   I was the runner; he was not.  Prior to this marathon his longest race was a stroll around the block and he would be out of breath.  He was my inspiration.   We divided the tasks:  he would research the running routes and I would prepare our fuel and hydration.  We went shoe shopping together; we nursed each other's bumps, bruises, and fallen toe nails.  I knew that I could count on him to push me through those last few miles, and even though we often ran in silence, having him next to or nearby me always felt so comforting.

Training for a marathon alone can be very fun, but it comes with many challenges.  For starters,  I am responsible for researching my own routes, and God only knows I'm not good with directions.  I've gotten lost more times than I care to admit.  But I create my own routes, and that brings me confidence.  I never cut a run short because I get lost.  I simply know that if at a half way point I feel lost, I can simply run back the same way.

Running alone also poses many safety issues, especially when I start long runs before sunrise.  Some of the most beauiful routes are also the most dangerous (running through vineyards, farm land, or any kind of dirt trail).  I make it a point to stay within high traffic areas but they are much less scenic.  And then there is the potential risk for injury. Without a running partner one is left to tend to oneself , so a cell phone is always a must!  But you have to make sure there is a person on the other end to answer your call.  In my case I had a wonderful training angel who came to my rescue more than once, something my husband wasn't in a position to do.

Like last year, tomorrow I will be driving myself to the start line and there will not be a cheerful familiar smile waiting for me at the finish line.   But unlike last year,  I will not have a running buddy (last year I teamed up with my cousin on race day and I ran with her the first half of the marathon, she ran the full).   Also, this year my peanut will not be running with me.  I will be running alone but among 24,999 other runners,  so in good company after all.  

More on the race after tomorrow... wish me luck!

Things...

These days I have a lot of admiration for women (mothers) who write coherent sentences.  Let me elaborate:  Lately I have difficulty hearing myself think, so my creative outlet shuts down.  I'm not sure exactly when this happens, if it's at 5:30 am when I'm suddenly awoken by a squirming baby and nagging toddler, at 6:00am when I unwillingly drag myself out of bed,  or at 6:30 when my brain cells are screaming:   "COFFEE!"  But I can't seem to put words together to say what I really want to say.  Fortunately my little ones don't care for elaborate speeches.  They want mommy, now, and they make it very clear.

Believe it or not, despite all that, I love being a mother.  I often catch glimpses of myself, my husband, and various family members in my kids. I love watching their personalities evolve. As much as it tries me, I love that they challenge the rules and they make their voices heard.  I can see they both have fire in their bellies and I just love that.  They sure keep me on my toes.  The biggest challenge for me thus far has been finding myself and my purpose in the midst of all the fire balls that get thrown at me.  It doesn't help that I have so many voices in my head that pull me in different directions.  I'm slowly learning to shut them out and go with my feelings, and that seems to settle better with me, and thus, it reflects on the way I am parenting my children.

Transitions are challenging for me, not surprisingly for my son as well.  When Isaac was born my whole world was upside down but I was too busy to notice.  When Andrea was born it was a whole different story.  We are still working on the kinks but I can already see that this foursome is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  I'm a full time mother by choice.  I never thought I would be and I'm loving this opportunity.  I have had my doubts, but I'm slowly finding my voice (and my thoughts).  I've come to the conclusion that God has gifted me with much and that I have a lot to offer, if I just let go of my anxiety and trust in him, I can be a pretty good mom :)

Week 40--Strawberries

I realize Summer is behind us but our Farmer's Market is still bursting with strawberries all around so I decided to feature them this week.   Yesterday we spent the day at Alba Organics and we had the opportunity to pick super sweet and ripe strawberries.

Here is a description from their website : http://www.albafarmers.org/ALBA%20Organics.htm "The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) creates opportunities for aspiring and limited-resource farmers, including farm workers and others, to start small farm businesses. We are a non-profit organization that provides classroom education, hands-on training, and access to farmland and equipment. These resources are crucial for small-scale, beginning farmers, but selling produce is often the greatest challenge.

In 2002, ALBA established ALBA Organics as a licensed produce distributor to support the sales and sales training needs of ALBA farmers. The on-farm coolers, warehouse, and delivery infrastructure at the ALBA farm near Salinas are major assets for both the farmers and the organization. ALBA Organics connects its customers with the highest-quality product available in season, and offers the opportunity to support small-scale, limited-resource and beginning farmers."

In college, as a final project for an Environmental Justice class our group worked with ALBA.  We learned a lot about small scale farming and what difficult work it is for organic farmers to remain afloat, reach markets, and compete with big agricultural corporations.  It is perhaps for this reason that I don't mind shelling out top dollar for local organic produce because I know that the price reflects the real cost of production because organic produce doesn't get kickbacks from the government like some agricultural commodities such as corn, soy, alfalfa, etc.

So, on with the food.  This week I prepare a Kale, Beet, and Carrot Slaw with Strawberries. 

Ingredients

1 bunch of dino kale, stemmed and sliced thinly

3 medium beets, peeled and shredded

5 carrots (I used purple, orange, and yellow, freshly picked too!) shredded.

1/2 red onion thinly sliced

1 cup of strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Dressing

Juice of one lemon

3TB apple cider vinegar

1TB Olive Oil

1tsp thyme

salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl combine kale, beets, carrots, onion, and strawberries.

2. In a small bowl whisk all dressing ingredients.  Pour into large bowl and combine.  Top with almonds and serve.

3. Enjoy!

Kitchen woes

I've been in a cooking funk this week.   I just don't feel like cooking, and then, I don't like what I cook. Last weekend I did quite a bit of cooking so maybe I'm just feeling a little tired of being in the kitchen. Fortunately most of the food I cooked was eaten, which makes me think my guests enjoyed it.  But Monday came and we had to eat again.  So I was back in the kitchen...

We've been going through a rough patch with our 3 year old boy.  I won't get into gory details but there have been plenty of tears shed, and not just by the children in this house.  Parenting can be very challenging to say the least, and the last few weeks have been a true test of my patience and  faith in my skills as a mother.  Long story short, food issues are are the fore front of many power struggles between Isaac and myself so I have decided to try a different strategy.  In an effort to get him to try the family meal I modify what  I cook to make it more palatable for  him. This makes the task even more challenging since what I love to eat involves lots of vegetables and spices and this is nowhere near what he wants to eat. So the battle begins in my head.  Am I spoiling him? In my household we had one meal and we were expected to eat it.  Period. Should I force feed him the way my mother did with us?  We turned out just fine right?

Finding time to cook with 2 young children in the house is difficult enough, but trying to satisfy everyones needs and wants just adds another dimension.  I'm always looking around for recipes to try even if I don't personally like them because I think maybe, just maybe Isaac will.  But he doesn't.  And I end up with a pot of something completely unedible by anyone.  This sucks!   I've broken down and bought him a few boxes of crap noodles and cheese like substance (mac and cheese).  Sometimes he will eat it, often he will not.  It really isn't about the food, it's about asserting his control.  And I get that.  But we all still have to eat.  And I refuse to be a short order cook.  There is one meal served in the house.  Period.   I no longer expect him to eat. He will eat when he wants.  But the guilt sinks in when I have to send him to bed without eating.  If you are a mother, you know this feeling.  Mothers were created to nourish, not to starve their offspring.

I love food!  A little too much in my opinion.  I enjoy cooking as well, but these days my meals must be concocted in 30 minutes or less which leaves little room for experimentation or say, fun in the kitchen.  I enjoy getting ideas from other bloggers and I get plenty of inspiration from them.    I especially like a blog by Emily Malone (dailygarnish.com), a vegetarian chef and stay at home mother who deals with all too similar issues as I do.  I look forward to her posts not only to get fresh cooking ideas but to relate to someone like myself.  I thank God for the women in my life who inspire me and help me be a better person.  I have a few recipes to try next week and a great new perspective :)

Week 39--Pumpkin

Nothing quite says Fall as does the smell of freshly baked pumpkin bread.  Don't you just love that heart-warming, tummy-soothing, heart-cheering smell?  I do.  It's very comforting.  I can't say our Fall weather this week has been exactly conducive for baking (yesterday it was 102 degrees in Pleasanton!), but I decided that turning on the oven today was worth satisfying a long craving for pumpkin.  But before I get to the food let's learn some facts about pumpkins.

Did you know that most parts of the pumpkin are edible?  Yes, the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers can be eaten. We are all too familiar with pumpkin pulp in pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread but did you know that in many parts of the world pumpkins are eaten in savory dishes?  In China as well as in some parts of Kenya the leaves of the pumpkin are added to soups.  In Mexico the flowers are stuffed with cheese, covered in a batter and deep fried. They are also used in soups. Pumpkin is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber.  Its seeds are a rich source of protein, magnesium, copper, and zinc. I love pumpkin seeds by the way.  I think I need an intervention :)  Something about their crunchy, salty, nutty and earthy taste.  Yum!  I can devour a whole bag in one sitting.

I grew up eating candied pumpkin from a little stand in the corner of our street.  It was one of my favorite things to eat but we rarely had it because it was...a treat.  The next best thing I remember eating were pumpkin empanadas.  Those I could come around more often and I quite enjoyed them as well.   This week's recipe was inspired by one of my best childhood memories.  You can find the recipe here:  http://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/2010/10/pumpkin-turnover-recipereceta-de.html

                      Pumpkin Empanadas

Ingredients

2.5lb pumpkin peeled, seeded and cut into cubes

1 large cone of piloncillo

1/4 cup water
1 cinnamon stick of about one inch ( This will be removed after the pumpkin cooks)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground anis
1/4 tsp. ground clove

For the dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/3 cup warm milk (I used almond milk)
1 tsp dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
½ stick of melted butter (I used earth balance)

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg yolk for brushing empanadas

Directions

1. Place the pumpkin in saucepan with the piloncillo, 1/4 cup of water and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender. Remove the cinnamon stick. 

2. Add the ground cinnamon, ground anis and clove. Keep cooking uncovered for about 20 or more minutes, stirring frequently until the mixture takes the texture of a jam. 

3. To form the dough; Place the yeast in a small bowl add the warm milk and let it proof for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile in a large bowl place the Flour, eggs, melted and cool butter, sugar and salt. 

4. Add the yeast mixture and mix to form a soft a dough. Knead in a floured surface for about 5 minutes adding more flour if needed. Place the dough in an oiled bowl turning to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic and let it rest for about 1 1/2 hour in a warm place. After that period of time knead the dough again for 2-3 minutes and divide in 12 small soft balls to start forming the empanadas. Cover with plastic.

5. Now to form the empanadas: With the help of your rolling pin roll out each of the dough balls in a slightly floured surface into circles of about 7 inches diameter stretching it if necessary. Place about 1/4 cup of filling in center of each; fold dough to enclose filling and form a half moon. Seal edges by crimping with fork.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Arrange empanadas on 2 greased baking sheets, brush with egg wash and dust with some sugar.  Let them rest for about 30-35 minutes until dough raises.  Bake until light brown, 15 to 18 minutes; rotate pans between racks halfway through.  Baking time will vary depending on your oven.
7. Enjoy!