Coming backAs I sit here at my laptop, I think ... "How am I going to do this?" Where do I start? What am I going to talk about? HOW am I going to even begin writing about the journey that I have been on?
Countless times have I started typing and set aside a few words, a paragraph or two, or even a whole page. Though, I never did post. I didn't think I was ready. Thoughts, feelings, insights, etc... entries in my email or journal, in personal texts, on scraps of paper, or swimming in my mind. And I am finally deciding to bring it all together. To share my burdens, my joys, my strengths and weaknesses, my insights, ... my life; this blog is no longer just about food. And if there's an ear out there, I am blessed. And perhaps I can bring truth to your world, as God has brought it to mine. Truth. About our purpose here. Truth. About my struggles. Truth. About my joys. Truth. About health. Truth. About our world. There are so many lies we were born or taught into believing and their manifestations are far beyond UgLy. But when we learn the Truth, we can make the changes we need to be better for our Lord and Savior. The changes that perfect us and make us new. I am becoming new. It is no easy journey and I am certainly not through, but I will no longer let the waiting period dictate the postponement of sharing my story. And so let it begin. This is my story... |
"Food is an infinitely rich subject, and there's always something about it to understand better, something new to discover, a fresh source of interest, ideas, and delight." |
Actually, there's nothing floral about this soup... Flour? No, there's no flour in it either. And not only is it gluten free, but it is also dairy free. What kind of soup is it then? Creamy coco-nutty cauliflower soup. I cannot truly tell you how to make this to the teaspoon, but I can guide you along in assembling this creation... It all starts with roasting cauliflower in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper, at 425 for 30 or so minutes. You want it to get really soft and even a little dark brown, to add extra depth of flavor. While that is cooking away, you will also need to saute half of a medium onion and 4 cloves of garlic, all chopped finely. I sauteed these two allium vegetables (the family in which they reside) in coconut oil and then added my ingredients. And this is where it gets tricky... I added cumin, freshly ground coriander, roasted coriander, tumeric, 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar, a tad bit of ground red pepper, salt, and pepper to the garlic and onions to be sauteed together. I then removed this concoction from the heat and blitzed it in my food processor. It's okay if you still have small pieces; too smooth and it won't give you the texture that this dish so deserves. In the same pan (don't worry about washing it). add coconut milk, your cauliflower (once also processed in the food processor), beef stock, a bay leaf, and the garlic and onion spice mixture. Cook this on a medium heat and taste after 10 minutes to see if you need to add anymore spice. I personally added a small bit of cinnamon and a smaller bit of nutmeg to sweeten the dish and then a bit of lemon juice and pulp to add freshness. The bits of pulp are a nice surprise throughout the soup, so I encourage you to try it. Allow this mixture to simmer for 15-20 minutes while you roast chickpeas in coriander, salt, and olive oil. Allow them to brown a bit so that the exterior is harder and the interior is softer to the tooth. And now you are ready to assemble! Simply ladle the soup into a bowl and drop some chickpeas on the surface. Grab a spoon and eat up! But make sure to savor each bite and realize that a little goes a long way!
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What rhymes with Adobe, is living, and thrives in sugary environments? SCOBY. Looks like Scooby, from Scooby-doo, right? This has absolutely no affiliation. SCOBY is actually an acronym for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast and is the starting culture for making fermented tea, of Kombucha. My culture looks like a disk of a pale, cream-colored jello. In fact, it looks a lot like flan. The disk shape is due to the vessel in which it is growing; it molded to the jar's round shape. I received this SCOBY from a very good friend who makes her own kombucha. I am now on my third batch, but need to lessen the starting amount of liquid, since I've already made too much! I cannot tell you how to make the starting culture, but once you have it, I can tell you what to do with it. First, start with a sterilized large glass jar (I put mine in a large jar with flip-top lid). You can put it in the dishwasher, submerge it in boiled hot water, or do what I did: wash and rinse it several times with very hot water. There has yet to be contamination, as the culture is thriving and even growing too fast! Once you've got your jar ready (no need to dry), add one gallon of hot water along with 4 tea bags and 1/4 cup of sugar. I have added a little extra sugar for the culture, but beware that this will help it grow even more, as yeast feasts off of sugar. As for the tea itself, you can use black, green, herbal, etc. I used a berry hibiscus herbal tea from Lipton and it has turned out really nicely. On average, allow the tea bags to steep at least 10 minutes and then remove from the liquid. The longer the brewing, the stronger the tea, of course. Make sure to use a cleaned plastic or wooden utensil to extract the tea bags (just not metal or your hands!). Give the mixture some time to cool completely and then add 1/2 cup of kombucha and the SCOBY. Then cover the jar with a coffee filter and a rubber band to allow the culture to breathe. Make sure to set it in a dark, temperature-stable environment for 4-6 days. Taste it after 4 days. The tea should be neither too sweet nor too vinegary. Once your tea is of the appropriate fermented quality, transfer all but 1/2 of the liquid and the SCOBY culture to another jar. The best jar would be a grolsch flip top bottle, but I also use jars with tops that twist on and off. Before you cap the bottle and let it sit for another 4-7 days, I recommend that you add fruit (extra sugary sweets). Apples, pineapple, berries, grapes, kiwi, etc... I just would not add banana or plantain. I would rather recommend something juicy. The fruit helps make the brew a bit bubbly and adds a few extra notes of flavor. Once it is fermented to your liking, keep it in the refrigerator and enjoy! Be aware that there may be some SCOBY cultures beginning to grow on your fruit, so careful how you pour the liquid out! When you begin drinking your kombucha, start by drinking a few ounces per day and then increase your intake. Your body needs to acclimate to this new cultured drink and may show some signs of reaction (loose stool, bloating, rash, etc). If that happens, just back off a bit on your intake and slowly increase. Also, eating healthier may help your body better adjust. This new project has really inspired me to get into more DIYs such as making fermented produce and milk (kefir), infused olive oils and vinegars, and whatever else piques my interest. Ingredients
1. 4 tea bags 2. 1/4 cup cane sugar 3. 1 gallon boiling water 4. 1/2 cup kombucha + SCOBY Instructions 1. Brew 4 tea bags in one gallon of boiling hot water in a sterilized glass jar. 2. After about 10 minutes, use a wooden or plastic utensil to remove the tea bags. Do not use a metal utensil. 3. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature. 4. Add 1/2 cup of kombucha and the SCOBY, cover the jar with a coffee filter and rubber band it. Set in a temperature stable, dark place for 4-6 days, or until tea mixture is not too sweet nor too vinegary. 5. Render off all but 1/2 cup of kombucha and SCOBY into another glass jar (one that can handle the pressure of a fermented product) and let sit for 4-7 days. You may add fruit before this second brewing period. If you see bubbles at the end of this period, your kombucha was a great success! If no bubbles appear, still drink the mixture and I encourage you to try again! |
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February 2017
"Food is an infinitely rich subject, and there's always something about it to understand better, something new to discover, a fresh source of interest, ideas, and delight."
From Pennsylvania to France to Washington DC to Florida, I've had myself many an adventure. Now it's time to indulge in the life of a Floridian. With great food, great friends, and great experiences, I offer you stories and pictures to take you away, into my world at Disney. Categories |