That's right, you can now find all sorts of Seasonally Seattle goodness at the:
New and Improved Seasonally Seattle Site
Hope to see you there!
xo
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Coming out of hibernation
It seems that spring is here. The clouds are parting, the sun is struggling to shine through and there are plenty of April Showers. Inspired by a recipe for pickled ramps and asparagus, today we decided to make our way to the Ballard Farmer's Market in between rain showers.
Of course, when we got there, the first farmer we approached shook his head. Ramps won't be making an appearance for two more weeks. But the beauty of the farmer's market is this: just when you think you are going to leave empty handed, another opportunity presents itself.
Our opportunity presented itself in the form of Fiddlehead Ferns. A locally foraged plant, Fiddleheads are only available in early spring, and the next table we approached had baskets of them. In true farmer's market iron-chef fashion, I immediately began brainstorming what I could do with them, even though I've actually never cooked with them before. Isn't that the essence of living locally? Finding something completely new and in-season, and creating interesting things out of it?
In this case, I decided to add half of the fiddleheads to my pickling creation. I bought some spring onions (probably a distant cousin of the ramp, anyhow) and some asparagus also. In the end, I had a pretty little project sitting in my fridge, which we will eat in a few days.
(Fiddleheads)
(Asparagus and Spring Onions)
(My creation. White vinegar, white wine, thyme, mustard seed, crushed red pepper, sugar, salt, bay leaves and the greens, of course.)
Of course, when we got there, the first farmer we approached shook his head. Ramps won't be making an appearance for two more weeks. But the beauty of the farmer's market is this: just when you think you are going to leave empty handed, another opportunity presents itself.
Our opportunity presented itself in the form of Fiddlehead Ferns. A locally foraged plant, Fiddleheads are only available in early spring, and the next table we approached had baskets of them. In true farmer's market iron-chef fashion, I immediately began brainstorming what I could do with them, even though I've actually never cooked with them before. Isn't that the essence of living locally? Finding something completely new and in-season, and creating interesting things out of it?
In this case, I decided to add half of the fiddleheads to my pickling creation. I bought some spring onions (probably a distant cousin of the ramp, anyhow) and some asparagus also. In the end, I had a pretty little project sitting in my fridge, which we will eat in a few days.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Craving Spring.
Tonight, I'm very excited to see a long-lost friend--my friend Val. We've been buddies for years, brought together as we journeyed through Judaism, our circumstances eerily similar as we embarked on such a life changing decision. The ebbs and flows of life brought us together and apart over the years, and tonight we ebb as she is visiting from her city of Chicago.
Despite time apart, Val and I were surprised to see the other parallels in our lives -- most notably in the seasonally living / seasonally baking arena. While I've been toiling away in my kitchen, baking and cooking and creating, she's been doing the same. While I've been at Farmer's Markets purchasing everything for our weekly meals, she's been working at Farmer's Markets, representing farmers and calling first dibs on bright and beautiful fruits and veggies. And this summer, she plans to live on a sustainable farm, to absorb seasonal life from morning to night. Bravo.
So despite my jam packed schedule with fundraising madness, I've decided to get back in the kitchen.
On the menu: pasta from scratch, sauce from my home-canned tomatoes, and a french baguette (rising as I type), baked from local flour. Despite being a nearly 100% "local" meal, no meal in our home is complete without a green. Our go-to green this winter has been Kale, and let me tell you, I think I've uncovered every application Kale can have. I've chopped it and added it to sauces, I've sliced it for salads, I've sauteed it, boiled it, and even baked it into little Kale chips. Honestly, if I eat another bite of Kale, I feel like I'm going to collapse.
So tonight I'm having--gasp--asparagus. Non-local asparagus. With Shallots and a veggie broth sauce. It's going to be delicious.
Despite feeling completely justified in this (and let's be honest, it's not the first time this winter, and won't be the last), I can't help but crave a local version. I am ready for spring - for fresh, small asparagus (asparagi?) that snaps in your mouth and is better raw than cooked. I'm ready for wild artichokes and spring berries, and every other little treasure I never would have thought to buy unless I was at a farmer's market. I'm ready for the season of plenty.
Alas, until then, I succumb to somewhat local produce (California - yes, Chile - no), simply to get a little taste of what's to come.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Beef. Lots of it.
When you imagine buying a beef, a whole beef, it's hard to grasp how much meat you might be getting. Even when we got the call that our meat was ready, and that it was 750 pounds, we knew on a high level that was a lot...but how much freezer space would it take up? How many little packages make up 750 pounds?
First, a little about the cow in question. My brother raises a small (hobby herd) of cattle, selling one or two each year to friends and family. So this summer I committed us to a cow, knowing that we could take a quarter of it, another quarter to some friends and the remaining half would go to another brother and sister-in-law, who have 7 little angels at home.
Even though a quarter cow still sounded like a lot, we had no idea of what to expect. Did we buy too much? Too little? The price was right...$2.75 a pound for everything from top-round to sirloin to ground beef, which is a FAR cry from the prices at the farmer's markets here in Seattle. And while it's not certified "Organic", I've seen first hand the cows grazing grounds, and let me tell you, it's pretty idyllic. They graze on pesticide free grass on rolling hills that look like something out of an Ansel Adams photo.
So on Friday night, we borrowed a pick-up truck from my parents, and drove east, crossing two mountain passes through rain, sleet and just a little snow. We made it in over 6 hours. The next morning, we headed to the butcher to pick up said beef, and after loading it into the back of the pick-up, we realized that it wasn't too much, or too little...a quarter cow seemed about perfect. In total, we had about 2 and a half boxes of fantastic meat...low fat content, good color, and great taste. And the best part? We managed to squeeze it all in our stand up freezer.
All in all, buying local meat is so worth the investment. Beyond being less expensive and tastier, it is really nice knowing that where your food comes from. And it's so easy to find local, fantastic meat here in Washington, that I hope more people reach out and make the effort. It's so worth it.
(a few pics from our drive)
First, a little about the cow in question. My brother raises a small (hobby herd) of cattle, selling one or two each year to friends and family. So this summer I committed us to a cow, knowing that we could take a quarter of it, another quarter to some friends and the remaining half would go to another brother and sister-in-law, who have 7 little angels at home.
Even though a quarter cow still sounded like a lot, we had no idea of what to expect. Did we buy too much? Too little? The price was right...$2.75 a pound for everything from top-round to sirloin to ground beef, which is a FAR cry from the prices at the farmer's markets here in Seattle. And while it's not certified "Organic", I've seen first hand the cows grazing grounds, and let me tell you, it's pretty idyllic. They graze on pesticide free grass on rolling hills that look like something out of an Ansel Adams photo.
So on Friday night, we borrowed a pick-up truck from my parents, and drove east, crossing two mountain passes through rain, sleet and just a little snow. We made it in over 6 hours. The next morning, we headed to the butcher to pick up said beef, and after loading it into the back of the pick-up, we realized that it wasn't too much, or too little...a quarter cow seemed about perfect. In total, we had about 2 and a half boxes of fantastic meat...low fat content, good color, and great taste. And the best part? We managed to squeeze it all in our stand up freezer.
All in all, buying local meat is so worth the investment. Beyond being less expensive and tastier, it is really nice knowing that where your food comes from. And it's so easy to find local, fantastic meat here in Washington, that I hope more people reach out and make the effort. It's so worth it.
(a few pics from our drive)
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Seasonally Seattle...on a diet.
As I have mentioned in posts past, I've gained a little weight.
What really feels like 30 pounds is probably akin to 10 pounds, but nonetheless, I feel roly and poly and everything in between. So I've been focusing on cooking in balance, rather than doing a diet (despite how tempting those "Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days" diet claims are). Oh, and of course, exercising. Lots and lots of exercising.
Back to the food though.
I've been grappling with why it's been so darn hard to lose this extra weight even when I continually exercise. I have blamed it on my aging metabolism. I have blamed it on not lifting enough weight or not pushing hard enough on the elliptical. But the equation is a simple one, according to a slough of health magazines and the folks on The Biggest Loser.
The equation is this: eat less than you burn and you'll lose weight. It's that simple.
Hmmm. Eat less. What a concept. And so, with a trip to Mexico on the horizon, I've been obsessively counting my calories. I've done this in the past, with only so-so results. I would count the first few meals of the day, and when it came to dinner, I would eyeball calorie counts. You see, it's tough to calculate each and every ingredient when you make everything from scratch. Or maybe it's not tough...it just takes a certain level of dedication.
So this time around, I've been better, probably to a fault. Each and every morsel that enters my mouth is calculated and accounted for. And this dedication has been disturbingly eye-opening for me.
You see, I have a certain mentality when it comes to food. In essence, if they are "good" for you, they don't count.
For instance Olive Oil.
The recipe calls for two tablespoons? I'll just eyeball it, and glug-glug-glug it into the pan until it "looks right". Realistically, what I've dumped in is probably something closer to a half cup. It doesn't count, it's good for you! Meanwhile I've added an extra 600 calories or so into a dish. Hmmm. Or Red Wine. Not including the amount I *drink* on a nightly basis, I also just glug-glug-glug it into my sauces. Red Wine is good for you! Same goes for the tons of veggies I dump into sauces, without a second thought. I mean, each veggie is low cal...probably around 34 calories each. But when you add 5 veggies to a sauce for added health benefits, before you know it you've added a ton more calories than needed.
And all of those little calories just keep tinning away into the muffin-top bank, spreading the wealth into my abs, triceps and thighs. Fun.
And so in my recent attempt to really count calories, I've been counting everything, including the veggies I put into a sauce, the onions I chop, even the garlic I pound mercilessly. And when I discovered what 2 teaspoons of Olive Oil REALLY looks like, I was shocked.
This is good though. Rather than simply not cooking my favorite foods, I'm actually finding ways to make all our faves...in moderation. Huh.
So tonight I'm making pasta again (320 calories) with tomato sauce (200 calories), and since I ate fairly light the rest of the day, I'll be under my calorie goal for the day. Not bad.
What really feels like 30 pounds is probably akin to 10 pounds, but nonetheless, I feel roly and poly and everything in between. So I've been focusing on cooking in balance, rather than doing a diet (despite how tempting those "Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days" diet claims are). Oh, and of course, exercising. Lots and lots of exercising.
Back to the food though.
I've been grappling with why it's been so darn hard to lose this extra weight even when I continually exercise. I have blamed it on my aging metabolism. I have blamed it on not lifting enough weight or not pushing hard enough on the elliptical. But the equation is a simple one, according to a slough of health magazines and the folks on The Biggest Loser.
The equation is this: eat less than you burn and you'll lose weight. It's that simple.
Hmmm. Eat less. What a concept. And so, with a trip to Mexico on the horizon, I've been obsessively counting my calories. I've done this in the past, with only so-so results. I would count the first few meals of the day, and when it came to dinner, I would eyeball calorie counts. You see, it's tough to calculate each and every ingredient when you make everything from scratch. Or maybe it's not tough...it just takes a certain level of dedication.
So this time around, I've been better, probably to a fault. Each and every morsel that enters my mouth is calculated and accounted for. And this dedication has been disturbingly eye-opening for me.
You see, I have a certain mentality when it comes to food. In essence, if they are "good" for you, they don't count.
For instance Olive Oil.
The recipe calls for two tablespoons? I'll just eyeball it, and glug-glug-glug it into the pan until it "looks right". Realistically, what I've dumped in is probably something closer to a half cup. It doesn't count, it's good for you! Meanwhile I've added an extra 600 calories or so into a dish. Hmmm. Or Red Wine. Not including the amount I *drink* on a nightly basis, I also just glug-glug-glug it into my sauces. Red Wine is good for you! Same goes for the tons of veggies I dump into sauces, without a second thought. I mean, each veggie is low cal...probably around 34 calories each. But when you add 5 veggies to a sauce for added health benefits, before you know it you've added a ton more calories than needed.
And all of those little calories just keep tinning away into the muffin-top bank, spreading the wealth into my abs, triceps and thighs. Fun.
And so in my recent attempt to really count calories, I've been counting everything, including the veggies I put into a sauce, the onions I chop, even the garlic I pound mercilessly. And when I discovered what 2 teaspoons of Olive Oil REALLY looks like, I was shocked.
This is good though. Rather than simply not cooking my favorite foods, I'm actually finding ways to make all our faves...in moderation. Huh.
So tonight I'm making pasta again (320 calories) with tomato sauce (200 calories), and since I ate fairly light the rest of the day, I'll be under my calorie goal for the day. Not bad.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
MIA.
Whatever happened to that "Seasonally Seattle?" you may be wondering. Did she disappear? Did she lose her computer? Did she...give up?
I'm happy to say that I'm still alive and still in Seattle. And I haven't given up...exactly. But it's been an interesting journey in the last month since our 100% local Turkey Day.
First, I got a job. I'm now working at the American Lung Association, managing two large events...a 5K that happens in May, and a stair climb event that happens in October. I'm so excited to be back in the work force again, but with my weeks filling up with appointments and logistical planning, my blog has suffered...as has Seasonally Seattle, slightly.
We are still locally focused eaters. All of our dairy, meat, eggs and flour are still local. Our tomatoes are still local. I'm still burning through our back stock of dehydrated fruits. And our greens and most of our veggies and fruits are still local. But here's where our journey has taken a turn, and here's why.
Dan and I reached a point where we began questioning the healthiness of this little experiment. While we were eating nearly 100% local, most of our dinners consisted of meat and potatoes. I had originally romanticized the concept of doing this, thinking about how connected I was to my forefathers. The thing is, my forefathers actually worked the land 10 hours a day, affording them a 1500 calorie dinner. Me, not so much. Dan and I both gained even more weight, despite going to the gym or running regularly.
We found that we were missing things like salmon (from Alaska) and tofu (with soybeans from the midwest). Our dinners were so heavy that all we wanted was a little Quinoa (from Bolivia) with veggies. And the fact that I now have a job makes my spare time so much more valuable... and baking bread every weekend, soaking beans and defrosting meat was nearly a full time job. Being able to buy a loaf of whole wheat bread for $2.99 is a God send when you have a jam packed schedule. And we missed cereal, the simplest breakfast ever.
And so here are. About 60% local. Still decent, but not really what I set out to do. Though I will say, the whole point of this experiment was just that--to see if it was a feasible lifestyle change for an urban couple. Here is what I've come up with.
It is feasible, in the spring, summer and fall. While I think it's possible to do 100% local, there are things I must have in my life to feel healthy. I will continue to eat locally, and shop locally, and there are other things I've picked up in the last 6 months that I will continue to do as well.
I'll still can my own tomatoes. I'll still dehydrate fruit for the winter months. And I'll still make pasta from scratch on occasion.
And most importantly, I'll still keep this blog. While I'll be scaling it back from a few times a week to probably once a week, I'll still give recipes and how-to's that I think are important to eating as locally as possible (and logical).
In the mean time, I hope all you Seattleites will come to my 5K on May 1st at Magnuson Park. You can become a fan on Facebook to learn more about it. And I hope you will all stop by once in awhile to read Seasonally Seattle.
I'm happy to say that I'm still alive and still in Seattle. And I haven't given up...exactly. But it's been an interesting journey in the last month since our 100% local Turkey Day.
First, I got a job. I'm now working at the American Lung Association, managing two large events...a 5K that happens in May, and a stair climb event that happens in October. I'm so excited to be back in the work force again, but with my weeks filling up with appointments and logistical planning, my blog has suffered...as has Seasonally Seattle, slightly.
We are still locally focused eaters. All of our dairy, meat, eggs and flour are still local. Our tomatoes are still local. I'm still burning through our back stock of dehydrated fruits. And our greens and most of our veggies and fruits are still local. But here's where our journey has taken a turn, and here's why.
Dan and I reached a point where we began questioning the healthiness of this little experiment. While we were eating nearly 100% local, most of our dinners consisted of meat and potatoes. I had originally romanticized the concept of doing this, thinking about how connected I was to my forefathers. The thing is, my forefathers actually worked the land 10 hours a day, affording them a 1500 calorie dinner. Me, not so much. Dan and I both gained even more weight, despite going to the gym or running regularly.
We found that we were missing things like salmon (from Alaska) and tofu (with soybeans from the midwest). Our dinners were so heavy that all we wanted was a little Quinoa (from Bolivia) with veggies. And the fact that I now have a job makes my spare time so much more valuable... and baking bread every weekend, soaking beans and defrosting meat was nearly a full time job. Being able to buy a loaf of whole wheat bread for $2.99 is a God send when you have a jam packed schedule. And we missed cereal, the simplest breakfast ever.
And so here are. About 60% local. Still decent, but not really what I set out to do. Though I will say, the whole point of this experiment was just that--to see if it was a feasible lifestyle change for an urban couple. Here is what I've come up with.
It is feasible, in the spring, summer and fall. While I think it's possible to do 100% local, there are things I must have in my life to feel healthy. I will continue to eat locally, and shop locally, and there are other things I've picked up in the last 6 months that I will continue to do as well.
I'll still can my own tomatoes. I'll still dehydrate fruit for the winter months. And I'll still make pasta from scratch on occasion.
And most importantly, I'll still keep this blog. While I'll be scaling it back from a few times a week to probably once a week, I'll still give recipes and how-to's that I think are important to eating as locally as possible (and logical).
In the mean time, I hope all you Seattleites will come to my 5K on May 1st at Magnuson Park. You can become a fan on Facebook to learn more about it. And I hope you will all stop by once in awhile to read Seasonally Seattle.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
A Very Local Thanksgiving
This year, we hosted Thanksgiving for 12 people. I tend to go a bit overboard on Thanksgiving, and this year was no exception. Even though the local restriction made it more labor intensive, we managed a completely local dinner, followed by completely local dessert. And despite the extra work, my husband and I agree that this year was the best and most organized yet.
My big work day was on Wednesday, (with the help of many--Dan, Karen and my dad), but really the work began throughout the week before, when I roasted and pureed the pumpkins for the pie filling, baked 2 loaves of bread for stuffing crumbs, and shopped for all of the ingredients. Here was what we had:
Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Rutabaga Puree
Brussel Sprouts
Cannellini Beans with Kale
Salad
Rolls
Local Cheeses
Homemade Crackers
Cranberry Sauce
Gravies - 1 vegetarian, 1 meat
Pies - 2 Apple, 2 Pumpkin
We managed to make everything from local ingredients. Our flour came from Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill, butter from Tillamook, Apples from Eastern Washington, Cranberries from the UW Farmer's Market, milk from Golden Glen Creamery, cheese from Mt. Townsend Creamery, our pumpkins came from Rent's Due Ranch, Cannellini Beans from our stash of beans from Central Bean Company, our wine came from a variety of local wineries (thanks to our guests), and our Turkey came from Crown S Ranch in the Methow Valley. The veggies we served all came from the farmer's market the week before, from a variety of farms that are local.
In the end we had a great local feast, and a great celebration.
The bread crumbs for the stuffing from the french bread I baked...
Pie crusts - 6 in total, all butter, all local
Homemade crackers with rosemary and kosher salt
Parker House rolls for dinner
Local cranberries, which I made with pears, honey, and lemon juice.
Pumpkin Pies
Preparing the crusts for the apple pies
Apple pies with Granny Smith apples from Eastern Washington
Potatoes on the upper left, Cannellini Beans and Kale lower left and Ruttabaga Puree on the lower right.
The table.
The turkey. Sage stuffed and buttered up.
The proud couple.
My big work day was on Wednesday, (with the help of many--Dan, Karen and my dad), but really the work began throughout the week before, when I roasted and pureed the pumpkins for the pie filling, baked 2 loaves of bread for stuffing crumbs, and shopped for all of the ingredients. Here was what we had:
Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Rutabaga Puree
Brussel Sprouts
Cannellini Beans with Kale
Salad
Rolls
Local Cheeses
Homemade Crackers
Cranberry Sauce
Gravies - 1 vegetarian, 1 meat
Pies - 2 Apple, 2 Pumpkin
We managed to make everything from local ingredients. Our flour came from Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill, butter from Tillamook, Apples from Eastern Washington, Cranberries from the UW Farmer's Market, milk from Golden Glen Creamery, cheese from Mt. Townsend Creamery, our pumpkins came from Rent's Due Ranch, Cannellini Beans from our stash of beans from Central Bean Company, our wine came from a variety of local wineries (thanks to our guests), and our Turkey came from Crown S Ranch in the Methow Valley. The veggies we served all came from the farmer's market the week before, from a variety of farms that are local.
In the end we had a great local feast, and a great celebration.
The bread crumbs for the stuffing from the french bread I baked...
Pie crusts - 6 in total, all butter, all local
Homemade crackers with rosemary and kosher salt
Parker House rolls for dinner
Local cranberries, which I made with pears, honey, and lemon juice.
Pumpkin Pies
Preparing the crusts for the apple pies
Apple pies with Granny Smith apples from Eastern Washington
Potatoes on the upper left, Cannellini Beans and Kale lower left and Ruttabaga Puree on the lower right.
The table.
The turkey. Sage stuffed and buttered up.
The proud couple.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Day 64: Thankful on Thanksgiving.
Growing up, many of my favorite childhood memories revolved around my grandma's house in Tacoma. Grandma was quite the entertainer--china, tablecloths, silver, and on Thanksgiving, mini-cornucopias that held a small handful of candy corn for us to nibble on.
My cousins and I would play together until dinner was ready, and after we were called to the table, we would all go around and say one thing we were thankful for. As a kid, I'm sure my thanks revolved around something to do with horses, grades, and on occasion, family. My thanks have evolved with my life, but it's still a tradition I have held on to throughout the years, thanks to grandma.
I've been thinking a lot about what I'm thankful for this year, as I have so much to be grateful for.
For instance, I'm married now, and I'm so thankful for my husband and our growing and evolving marriage. We bought a wonderful old home in Seattle, and for that I'm truly thankful.
And of course, I'm thankful for the many friends and family I have in my life (and truly thankful I have an amazing set of in-laws who constantly inspire me to do more and be better). My life would not be as rich, that is certain, without these folks in my life.
Finally, I'm grateful for you, those readers whom I do not know personally, who follow me on Twitter, keep up with me on Facebook, and engage me through comments and links that I might find useful. You keep me posting even when I'm feeling tapped out, and when I have doubts about continuing on this project, invariably, I will receive a comment or a Tweet that makes me smile and recommits me.
If you are preparing Thanksgiving this year, remember, take a moment to be thankful. Pour yourself a glass of wine, take a deep breath, and enjoy this amazing holiday of warmth and family.
Happy Thanksgiving.
My cousins and I would play together until dinner was ready, and after we were called to the table, we would all go around and say one thing we were thankful for. As a kid, I'm sure my thanks revolved around something to do with horses, grades, and on occasion, family. My thanks have evolved with my life, but it's still a tradition I have held on to throughout the years, thanks to grandma.
I've been thinking a lot about what I'm thankful for this year, as I have so much to be grateful for.
For instance, I'm married now, and I'm so thankful for my husband and our growing and evolving marriage. We bought a wonderful old home in Seattle, and for that I'm truly thankful.
And of course, I'm thankful for the many friends and family I have in my life (and truly thankful I have an amazing set of in-laws who constantly inspire me to do more and be better). My life would not be as rich, that is certain, without these folks in my life.
Finally, I'm grateful for you, those readers whom I do not know personally, who follow me on Twitter, keep up with me on Facebook, and engage me through comments and links that I might find useful. You keep me posting even when I'm feeling tapped out, and when I have doubts about continuing on this project, invariably, I will receive a comment or a Tweet that makes me smile and recommits me.
If you are preparing Thanksgiving this year, remember, take a moment to be thankful. Pour yourself a glass of wine, take a deep breath, and enjoy this amazing holiday of warmth and family.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Recipe : Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins
I found this recipe on Epicurious, and let me tell you--they are DELICIOUS! So easy and quick to make, too, which is such a great bonus. I whipped some up this morning as we have company coming for Thanksgiving and I thought having some snacks around (before Turkey Day arrives) is probably a good idea.
What You'll Need:
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups blueberries (7 1/2 oz)
> Whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, milk and egg
> Add baking powder, flour, cinnamon, and salt - stir until just combined.
> Fold in blueberries. Luckily, I froze a flat from our farmer's market earlier this summer for exactly this purpose!
> Portion into 12 cup lined muffin tin.
> Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
> Result - very delicious muffins!
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups blueberries (7 1/2 oz)
> Whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, milk and egg
> Add baking powder, flour, cinnamon, and salt - stir until just combined.
> Fold in blueberries. Luckily, I froze a flat from our farmer's market earlier this summer for exactly this purpose!
> Portion into 12 cup lined muffin tin.
> Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
> Result - very delicious muffins!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Would you like to know where your food is from?
I think this would encourage companies to become more locally focused, as well. That there is a standard on what is considered "Local". That we CARE. Because if no one knows we care, how will things ever change?
This project has opened my eyes to where everything comes from. I've been surprised to find that nearly everything can be sourced locally - but why isn't it with bakeries and restaurants around the state?
And so I wonder--would you, the consumer, be interested in knowing that the muffin you eat or the bread you buy is at least 85% local? I know I would.
I created this logo, and I'm going to try to encourage "Local" companies to use it. If they use at least 85% of their ingredients from local sources, this little gem will grace their packages.
For free.
I'm not trying to make any money on this. I'm simply trying to create awareness about where our food comes from.
I would like Seattle to set the standard on local foodies nationwide. I would like to create change from the ground up, and show companies that eating locally is important for a healthier future.
But that's me.
What do YOU think?
Recipe: The BEST Tortillas EVER.
Last night I was feeling a bit uninspired. It's been a busy week with work and getting our house back into order from the flurry of travel recently, and I haven't been cooking or baking very much at all. I knew I wanted to make something vegetarian, something light and based on my mood, something quick. I began with what was in my fridge...beets, sweet potatoes, rainbow chard and some beans I had soaked/pre-cooked earlier in the week for a moment just like this. The colors inspired me to season this mixture with a Mexican-esque theme, which then inspired me to make tortillas.
It did a quick search on the internet, and found this recipe. The finished tortillas were amazing! I hope everyone tries them--they are worth the little extra time it takes.
What You'll Need:
Two cups of all-purpose flour (can make them whole wheat by substituting one cup of whole-wheat flour for white flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
3/4 cups of warm milk
What You'll Do:
> Mix together the flour, baking powder,
salt and oil.
> Slowly add the warm milk.
> Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.
> Knead for two minutes on a floured surface.
Dough should be firm and soft.
Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.)
After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. (If you roll out pie crusts you’ll have no problem with this.) Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff.
Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.
In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.
Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.
Makes eight tortillas.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Day 53: Thanksgiving Planning - or, OH CRAP, what day is it?
This last week we found ourselves in Manhattan, after booking a last-minute trip for the launch of the product Dan has been working on (The Boxee Box). It was a whirlwind of shopping, events and museums. While it was on my mind to try to eat locally, I knew the amount of planning and effort (and use of a good kitchen) that goes into eating within a 250 mile radius. And so the decision was quickly made: do what we can.
I'll be the first to admit, it wasn't very locally focused. We ate pizza at Lombardi's (the first pizzaria in the United States). We scarfed soup dumplings. We had Pastrami at Carnegie Deli. While it was all very yummy, I left New York feeling bloated and unhealthy.
Even though we eat heartier foods at home, there is such an overwhelming "clean" feeling to everything we eat. Yes, I use an obscene amount of butter in everything that I bake and cook, but the little processing involved leaves the meal feeling light. And those stews are so filling, I generally eat less. I truly believe that the lack of preservatives in my food leads to feeling fuller longer, eating less in general, and lack in cravings for sweets and salty snacks.
So we were heading back to Seattle full of excitement to get back to eating locally, when I bolted awake from a middle-seat doze, panicked.
What day is it? Is Thanksgiving THIS week? Oh NO!
Thanksgiving normally takes a large amount of planning, but this year, it's even worse. There is no room for mistakes. If we plan on something and forget to pick it up, we run the risk of not having it at all. Not enough potatoes? Well, hopefully PCC still has some that are local.
And if they don't? No mashed potatoes.
I realize that there are 2 weeks before T-Day, but I know that planning begins NOW. With 12 people to feed and entertain, this is no small dinner party for me. And when I began sketching out our menu, I quickly realized there would be unique challenges.
For instance, the Turkey alone, which had to be ordered months ago. We just got an email from the farm we ordered it from, and after reading the fine print, we realized that we missed the pick-up day today. Ouch. One more delivery day next weekend, and if we miss that, we might be in bigger trouble than expected.
Or take the Stuffing.
Oh man, that's a lot of bread crumbs! Where do we get those crumbs from again? That's right. My bread. Which means baking at least two loaves of bread the week before Thanksgiving just for the bread crumb use.
Rolls for dinner? More baking.
Let's not forget about the 2 Apple Pies - more baking, slicing and peeling... I guess do this the day before? And 2 Pumpkin Pies... pre-baking sugar pumpkins for the mixture...and baking the day before... the Rutabaga Puree...assuming the Farmer's Market will have some...sure hope so! Greens - depends on what's in season.
And what about the pre-dinner festivities? Football and snacks? I had originally planned on making a melted cheese dip in a pumpkin, but have since scaled even this back to "cheese and bread". Hope our guests won't be too disappointed.
At least there will be a lot of pie....
I'll be the first to admit, it wasn't very locally focused. We ate pizza at Lombardi's (the first pizzaria in the United States). We scarfed soup dumplings. We had Pastrami at Carnegie Deli. While it was all very yummy, I left New York feeling bloated and unhealthy.
Even though we eat heartier foods at home, there is such an overwhelming "clean" feeling to everything we eat. Yes, I use an obscene amount of butter in everything that I bake and cook, but the little processing involved leaves the meal feeling light. And those stews are so filling, I generally eat less. I truly believe that the lack of preservatives in my food leads to feeling fuller longer, eating less in general, and lack in cravings for sweets and salty snacks.
So we were heading back to Seattle full of excitement to get back to eating locally, when I bolted awake from a middle-seat doze, panicked.
What day is it? Is Thanksgiving THIS week? Oh NO!
Thanksgiving normally takes a large amount of planning, but this year, it's even worse. There is no room for mistakes. If we plan on something and forget to pick it up, we run the risk of not having it at all. Not enough potatoes? Well, hopefully PCC still has some that are local.
And if they don't? No mashed potatoes.
I realize that there are 2 weeks before T-Day, but I know that planning begins NOW. With 12 people to feed and entertain, this is no small dinner party for me. And when I began sketching out our menu, I quickly realized there would be unique challenges.
For instance, the Turkey alone, which had to be ordered months ago. We just got an email from the farm we ordered it from, and after reading the fine print, we realized that we missed the pick-up day today. Ouch. One more delivery day next weekend, and if we miss that, we might be in bigger trouble than expected.
Or take the Stuffing.
Oh man, that's a lot of bread crumbs! Where do we get those crumbs from again? That's right. My bread. Which means baking at least two loaves of bread the week before Thanksgiving just for the bread crumb use.
Rolls for dinner? More baking.
Let's not forget about the 2 Apple Pies - more baking, slicing and peeling... I guess do this the day before? And 2 Pumpkin Pies... pre-baking sugar pumpkins for the mixture...and baking the day before... the Rutabaga Puree...assuming the Farmer's Market will have some...sure hope so! Greens - depends on what's in season.
And what about the pre-dinner festivities? Football and snacks? I had originally planned on making a melted cheese dip in a pumpkin, but have since scaled even this back to "cheese and bread". Hope our guests won't be too disappointed.
At least there will be a lot of pie....
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Recipe: Pizza
Before we started eating locally, our grocery shopping was very routine, as was our weekly meal plans. Stir-fry on Monday. Quinoa and Chicken on Tuesday. Curry on Wednesday. Pizza on Thursday. The days would sometimes vary, and sometimes I would attempt a new recipe, but usually, this was our norm.
This project has taught me to think on my feet, be flexible, and experiment wildly in the kitchen. While our weekly routine has changed considerably, there is one thing we tend to miss: Pizza.
We used to buy the dough from Trader Joe's, spread it out on our pizza stone, and fill it up with cheese and veggies. I thought I might be able to emulate this process from our local flour with local toppings....and boy was I right! We ended up with a delicious pie, fantastic dough and a finished product that left us feeling full but not stuffed.
I found this recipe on allrecipes.com.
Step 1 > After adding yeast mixture to flour, salt, sugar and oil, mix until a stiff dough has been formed. I used our mixer, because it's fast and easy.
Step 2 > Sprinkle work surface with flour.
Step 3 > Pat dough out, flip it so both sides are covered in flour.
Step 4 > Start rolling out the dough, rotating every so often for an even pie.
Step 5 > Once it's the size and thickness you want, slide it onto your stone or pan.
Step 6 > Once you realize you forgot to pre-heat your stone, slide it onto the pan and shape it into a square.
Here's where many pizza purists will disagree, but this is how we like it.
Spread with olive oil, including on the crust. I am liberal with the oil.
Step 7 > Sprinkle ingredients. Here is what we used (all local):
* 3 Cloves of garlic
* Basil
* Spinach
* Anaheim Pepper
* Yellow Bell Pepper
* Extra sharp cheese from Golden Glen Creamery
I like to layer it, finishing with spinach and cheese.
The best part... topping it with little clumps of "Fromage Blanc" - Truffle flavored, ricotta-textured cheese from Mt. Townsend Creamery
Bake in a pre-heated oven (350 degrees) for 20-25 minutes.
This project has taught me to think on my feet, be flexible, and experiment wildly in the kitchen. While our weekly routine has changed considerably, there is one thing we tend to miss: Pizza.
We used to buy the dough from Trader Joe's, spread it out on our pizza stone, and fill it up with cheese and veggies. I thought I might be able to emulate this process from our local flour with local toppings....and boy was I right! We ended up with a delicious pie, fantastic dough and a finished product that left us feeling full but not stuffed.
I found this recipe on allrecipes.com.
Step 2 > Sprinkle work surface with flour.
Step 3 > Pat dough out, flip it so both sides are covered in flour.
Step 4 > Start rolling out the dough, rotating every so often for an even pie.
Step 5 > Once it's the size and thickness you want, slide it onto your stone or pan.
Step 6 > Once you realize you forgot to pre-heat your stone, slide it onto the pan and shape it into a square.
Here's where many pizza purists will disagree, but this is how we like it.
Spread with olive oil, including on the crust. I am liberal with the oil.
Step 7 > Sprinkle ingredients. Here is what we used (all local):
* 3 Cloves of garlic
* Basil
* Spinach
* Anaheim Pepper
* Yellow Bell Pepper
* Extra sharp cheese from Golden Glen Creamery
I like to layer it, finishing with spinach and cheese.
The best part... topping it with little clumps of "Fromage Blanc" - Truffle flavored, ricotta-textured cheese from Mt. Townsend Creamery
Bake in a pre-heated oven (350 degrees) for 20-25 minutes.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Day 43: Rediscovering Pike Place Market
Today my cousin and I attempted to attend the Picasso exhibit in Seattle. There were a few motivating factors for going on a Thursday--more specifically, the First Thursday of the month--as admission dropped by half and we assumed a mid-week day would be less crowded than other days.
When we arrived, the line was insane...snaking in and out of those guidance ropes about three lanes deep. Think airport security with a dash of DMV. As we both live in Seattle, we knew we could come back, so we decided to skip the exhibit all together and instead head to Pike Place Market.
It was rumored by a tipster (thanks, Paula!) that there were local Hazelnuts to be had, and once I checked out the link, I discovered they have a year-round booth at Pike Place.
Now, I've logged my hours at Pike Place. My grandmother, who is 91, used to shop there and my mom has memories of shopping there throughout her life. When I lived in Pioneer Square and SoDo Areas, I did a good bulk of my grocery shopping there. When my husband and I lived in Capitol Hill, we'd come down regularly for fresh produce, and there is nothing more convenient than buying freshly made pasta noodles from the Italian Market "DeLaurenti's".
Despite my knowledge of the in's and out's of this market, I still manage to tune out many vendors. Jams, nuts, honey...they all look nice, but knowing that I can find them cheaper somewhere else usually deterred me from really stopping at one of these booths.
Today I had a fresh perspective, though, suddenly aware that the all of those "expensive" products are actually locally grown and locally made. Our first stop yielded something that has been eluding Dan and I since the start: Oats.
I can probably count on one hand the number of times Dan and I have had oat bars, but since the start of this project, he has talked of nothing else. "I want to make Oat Bars!" "How will we live without Oat Bars!" "If only I can find oats to make Oat Bars!" When I find him researching local companies, usually in his Google search has something to do with "Oats - Seattle - Locally Grown" or something to that effect.
And so when I stumbled on a local booth that I've passed probably 100 times before and saw right there, right on the table, was a bag of rolled oats, I nearly fainted. Turns out, they are technically "Rolled Spelt Flakes", but I knew they would be a good substitute for Rolled Oats. Dan, you are welcome.
Next stop, we thought, would be the nut place, until we passed a large table full of pickles. Local Pickles. Spicy Local Pickles. At this point, it didn't even matter the price, I bought them without a second thought.
Once we finally found Holmquist Hazelnuts, I'll admit, I went a little crazy. Local nuts are hard to find, and getting down to Pike Place is sometimes a challenge. I bought a bag of roasted Hazelnuts, a bag of Lemon Honey, and of course, Hazelnut Butter.
Hooray for Pike Place Market, an ancient local source I had completely forgotten about.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Recipe: Sugar Pumpkin Cookies
Thanksgiving is fast approaching (my favorite holiday), and this year I can no longer rely on quick-and-easy canned pumpkin filling for pie. I have known I would eventually have to tap into the local option: Sugar Pumpkins.
While I have ignored these gems in the past, I decided to pick up a few before Thanksgiving to experiment with. I wasn't sure how much pumpkin pulp would be enough for a pie. I wasn't sure how long they took to bake. I wasn't sure how expensive this whole operation was going to be. So a trial run was definitely in order.
I found this recipe from Natural Papa's website, and thought I'd give it a whirl. I made a few adjustments, as I'm not Vegan and some of the products would prove difficult to find locally. I used real eggs instead of egg replacement, and since coconut's don't grow in Seattle, I opted for butter in lieu of coconut oil.
The result? Very tasty cookies! I will say that the consistency reminds me more of a scone or a muffin. Still tasty! Just not a "cookie" by my estimation.
I've included the link above, but here was my process:
1 > Procure your Pumpkins
While there are plenty of pumpkin patches around, I picked mine up at PCC. For 4 pumpkins, I spent just under $4, which I think is a pretty smokin' deal. One pumpkin equals about 2 cups of pulp, which is enough for 1 pie. This is definitely cheaper than buying the canned variety, no?
2 > Scoop and Save Seeds
Yes, we all know we can save and roast pumpkin seeds. Did you know you could also save and roast other squash seeds, like Acorn, Butternut and Spaghetti? In our crunch and salt deprived world, this has been a treat that has been getting us through the fall months. Very tasty, and very nutritious.
3 > Bake @ 350 for 30-40 minutes
After cutting the pumpkin in half (from stem to stern), place face down on a cookie sheet and bake until soft and a knife easily pierces through the skin.
4 > Scoop the Pulp
Once cool (very important! No burns, please!), scoop the flesh of the sugar pumpkin, and mash it in a bowl. Reserve 1 cup for the recipe.
5 > Add the other Ingredients
Including eggs, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg (I used nutmeg instead of cloves), sugar, butter and baking powder. Mix well.
I didn't let it rest for an hour as suggested, mostly because I was pinched on time. I just put spoonfuls on the greased baking sheet and baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (instead of 8-10...for some reason, mine took longer). I checked on them at 10 minutes, 15 minutes and finally at 20 I took them out.
6 > Enjoy!
While I have ignored these gems in the past, I decided to pick up a few before Thanksgiving to experiment with. I wasn't sure how much pumpkin pulp would be enough for a pie. I wasn't sure how long they took to bake. I wasn't sure how expensive this whole operation was going to be. So a trial run was definitely in order.
I found this recipe from Natural Papa's website, and thought I'd give it a whirl. I made a few adjustments, as I'm not Vegan and some of the products would prove difficult to find locally. I used real eggs instead of egg replacement, and since coconut's don't grow in Seattle, I opted for butter in lieu of coconut oil.
The result? Very tasty cookies! I will say that the consistency reminds me more of a scone or a muffin. Still tasty! Just not a "cookie" by my estimation.
I've included the link above, but here was my process:
1 > Procure your Pumpkins
While there are plenty of pumpkin patches around, I picked mine up at PCC. For 4 pumpkins, I spent just under $4, which I think is a pretty smokin' deal. One pumpkin equals about 2 cups of pulp, which is enough for 1 pie. This is definitely cheaper than buying the canned variety, no?
2 > Scoop and Save Seeds
Yes, we all know we can save and roast pumpkin seeds. Did you know you could also save and roast other squash seeds, like Acorn, Butternut and Spaghetti? In our crunch and salt deprived world, this has been a treat that has been getting us through the fall months. Very tasty, and very nutritious.
3 > Bake @ 350 for 30-40 minutes
After cutting the pumpkin in half (from stem to stern), place face down on a cookie sheet and bake until soft and a knife easily pierces through the skin.
4 > Scoop the Pulp
Once cool (very important! No burns, please!), scoop the flesh of the sugar pumpkin, and mash it in a bowl. Reserve 1 cup for the recipe.
5 > Add the other Ingredients
Including eggs, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg (I used nutmeg instead of cloves), sugar, butter and baking powder. Mix well.
I didn't let it rest for an hour as suggested, mostly because I was pinched on time. I just put spoonfuls on the greased baking sheet and baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (instead of 8-10...for some reason, mine took longer). I checked on them at 10 minutes, 15 minutes and finally at 20 I took them out.
6 > Enjoy!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Day 37: Sheep In Wolves Clothing
Since discovering the wonders of PCC as a viable option for local products, we've been relying more and more on their convenience and hours. You will still find us on a weekly basis at the farmer's markets, but the convenience of popping into PCC is hard to ignore.
Granted, we are pretty dedicated locavores. We keep to our exception list (I am proud to announce that I have not had a single piece of Halloween candy, even though we have plenty awaiting trick-or-treaters), and have completely deleted normal things like Quinoa, Rice, and Chocolate from our diet.
Still, it's starting to feel...too easy.
But isn't that the goal? To show the world that the average urban couple can go local, and that it doesn't suck? Or that it won't bleed your bank account dry? I know I'm only a month in, but I'm surprised to say... it's not as hard as I expected.
Yes, the leg work involved to get us to this point was definitely time consuming. We spent the entire summer canning and planning and getting us ready for this exact moment. Since securing our meat, bean and tomato needs, everything else has actually been pretty easy.
I still bake any bread we consume, and I make all of our meals from scratch. But I've also discovered some shortcuts, so cooking isn't as time consuming as it was before. Lunch is always a challenge, as I'm still hard-pressed to find local shaved meat for sandwiches, but this is more of a hiccup than a road block, and with a little creativity, we're still eating lunch on a daily basis.
Once you add in the big PCC stores, it feels even easier. Now that we've found "local" products from big name companies, it not only feels easy, it feels......... WRONG.
For instance, yogurt and cheese. I love my local dairy farmers, Golden Glen being my favorite for milk and butter. However, I have yet to find a dairy that produces a yogurt that doesn't taste like... the barn.
In that vain, I have contacted nearly a half dozen big name yogurt companies that claim the Pacific Northwest as their stomping ground to find out where their dairy actually comes from. This search has led to some surprising discoveries.
For instance, "Greek Gods" yogurt gets most of their milk from Washington State, but they do get some of it from Wisconsin, and there is no way to tell what batch comes from what. "Cascade Fresh", the yogurt company that brags about being a local "Northwest" company, gets their dairy from a plant in Southern California.
When a savvy tipster (thanks Jen!) left me a comment that Yami was locally based, I was skeptical at first. And so I did what I always do--I called Yami directly. (It amazes me that all of these dairies answer on the first ring and are more than happy to tell you where their stuff comes from). My tipster was RIGHT...it turns out their dairy comes from a co-op, all of which comes from Washington cows. Their dairy is Organic to boot, which is a nice bonus. The best part? It doesn't taste like the farm.
This led me to start researching other big names like Tillamook (230 miles from Seattle!) . Turns out, all of their dairy comes from cows in the Tillamook Valley. In addition to being growth hormone free and getting their milk from small, family owned farms, they have stringent regulations on antibiotics. If a batch of milk shows up and has any trace of antibiotics in it, they will dispose of it, rather than put it into their product. Pretty awesome.
While I'm selfishly happy to have a few more yogurt options, I can't help but be torn. On the one hand, I really want to support big companies doing good things, especially when they are supporting small farmers. On the other hand, I feel like I'm cheating, even though these products fall within our guidelines.
And relying on PCC is both good and bad. We're still shopping at the farmer's market on a weekly basis (supporting the little guy), and getting only a few things at PCC (supporting the bigger guy). And I'm sure that my constant pestering of the PCC employees is having some impact ("where is THIS from? And this?"), because the more we demand local products, the more local products we'll see in our stores.
Even PCC has a ways to go. There are rows and rows of tea on the shelf, and none are from Washington, even though there is a local Green Tea grower here. Thanks to another tipster (thanks, Paula!), turns out there is also local popcorn to be had. It'd be pretty awesome if this was an option at most stores.
PCC is still a great resource, and it's nice to know there are options for those of us who don't have the time or need something in a pinch. It's also pretty nice to know that going local can actually be quite accessible, even for those who haven't made this year long commitment.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Recipe: Pear Bread
I decided to make "Pear Bread", which is something akin to "Zucchini Bread". The experiment yielded more than just heavenly smells throughout our house. The bread is soft and sweet and such a treat! This bread IS sweet, so be prepared!
What You'll Need:
1-2 Large Pears (2 cups grated)
3 eggs
1/2 cup Grapeseed Oil (or other light vegetable oil)
2 cups honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
What You'll Do:
1 > Grate pear
2 > Beat eggs until frothy in large bowl
(Add the oil first, and use the same measuring cup. This will allow the honey to slip out easier.)
4 > Mix well, then add pear mixture, mix again
5 > Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt
6 > Mix well, pour into 2 greased loaf pans
7 > Bake at 300 degrees for 60 - 70 minutes. *Please note the lower temperature - this is because we are baking with honey. If you use sugar, bake 25 degrees hotter.
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