Sophie's Vegan Pesto Pasta--the antidote to your post-BBQ meat-n-greet weekend

Sophie's Vegan Pesto Pasta

Got a blender? 

Then meet your meat-free Monday

We are sending our 18-year-old daughter Sophie to London to visit family tomorrow and she hit us with one last kablammo in the kitchen yesterday. 

"I want to make sure you don't forget me when I'm gone," she smiled at me when my eyes lit up at first bite.

It's a little depressing when you spend your whole adult life cooking to create gastronomic genius, then your vegan kid waltzes in at age 18 and knocks you off your pedestal with a single bite. But hey, I got over it real fast as I slurped down this bowl of heaven.  Was it vegan? I didn't even notice.  Neither did my meat loving son.

I give you Sophie's Vegan Pesto Pasta, and you won't believe how easy it is to dump ingredients in the blender and voila, heaven.

We will definitely NOT forget to pick Sophie up from the airport when her trip is over.  

Into the blender:

1 package of fresh basil or 1 cup (ish, add more to taste) of fresh basil from the garden

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup pine nuts
3T Olive Oil (+/-)

juice of one whole fresh lemon

generous pinch of salt to taste (1/4 tsp)

drizzle of about 1/4 cup of soy milk (organic if trying to avoid GMO)

------------

Goddess-like optional additions: 2 links vegan Italian sausage, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 T olive oil

Blend first six ingredients, then slowly add drizzle of soy milk to get desired consistency.  Should be consistency of thinner cream sauce.

Taste and adjust salt.  

Pour over drained, cooked spaghetti or any other pasta.  

To elevate to Goddess-like status:

Slice a cup of cherry tomatoes in half and toss into a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.

Add 2 chopped Italian vegan sausages and saute until browned, heated through.

(Our favorite vegan sausages are "Field Roast" brand. . http://fieldroast.com/products/) I see them sometimes at Costco, or you can order them online here.)

Pour sausage and tomato mixture over pesto pasta, stir and serve immediately.

Yes, you read this recipe right.  There is no garlic! I can't believe I ate pesto or any pasta without garlic.  But this was just absolutely perfect as it was! If you did want to add garlic, you could do it with the sausage/tomatoes in the olive oil, or you could even blend up a clove (+/-) in the blender.  Let me know what you think if  you do! 

You could easily turn this in to a vegetarian dish by adding 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  

As with any pesto, the possibilities are endless and not just reserved for pasta.  Toss it into simply salted and boiled new potatoes, pour over cooked vegetables, use as a salad dressing, or dip for breads.

Why the best chef in the world is YOU

   

Why the best chef in the world is YOU

 

The big yellow pot that stirs the most delicious memories from my childhood

It surprises people when I tell them I do not watch cooking shows on TV. It’s not a political stance I take or anything, I just never even think to turn them on.  This lack of interest in “Top Chef” or any other sort of “Best in Show” program has roots in my early childhood love of the only cooking show I ever needed.

When I was little, my Italian dad used to take a lunch break from working at the family restaurant and pick me up from morning kindergarten.  At home, he would fix me a simple little omelet for my lunch.  He would then head upstairs and take his afternoon 25 minute nap. 

I loved my time alone. I would lick the olive oil off my lips and head into the TV room to turn on my favorite midday program, Julia Child.  That was, I think, the last time I watched a cooking show. Is it any wonder? That comforting lunch time ritual wraps up the sum total value system of my kitchen consciousness.

I learned from Julia that there is not much need for anything in your kitchen but your own calm voice and a space you call home. This woman was an anchor who could not be rattled.  I loved the lilt of her voice, and what I now realize was a simple ability to be herself and let the rest come naturally. At the end of her meal, she would end up at her peaceful table set for one where she would sometimes pair her lovely plate of food with a glass of wine she felt complemented the food nicely.

When my dad would wake up, he was refreshed; ‘rebooted’ we might say now.  There wasn’t another dad in the school who would take a siesta, and I was sure I was the only kid who wasn’t eating PBJ on white bread for lunch (which is also delicious). I craved that normalcy that I thought the rest of the school was having. 

But now I know that those afternoon omelets came from the same sort of heart that Julia had; one that changed for no one, was true to the beat of his own inner heart. That is what makes a great chef, and the beauty is, each of us has this unique seed just waiting to take root.   The simple fact is that there is only one thing you need to be the best chef on earth—to be yourself.

So those kindergarten afternoons provided me with the nutrients that soaked deep into my cooking roots.  From my dad, I learned that no matter what the rest of the neighborhood is eating, whatever comes from your parent’s own two hands is the best tasting thing on earth. And from Julia I learned that all you need is your own two hands and a curious heart.

“Who makes the best food?” is not a question that can be answered.  In fact, it’s the wrong question.

Your children will remember you standing at the counter chopping garlic, carrots or potatoes and no one will remember that you learned the ‘right way’ to chop. They will see you as their own anchor.  The sounds and smells will soak deep into their subconscious. You are there,  Whether or not it ‘turns out’ actually doesn't matter a bit.

Your children will enter the house after experiencing harrowing challenges at school, work,  with other kids, within your own family. The smell of what your own two hands made will remind them that the best chef is home, and that the best chef is you. 

We may not be able to chop and cook every single night.  There may be many days needed to refuel your energy reserves and take a break from the kitchen.  But improvement is simply not necessary.  No training. No education. No special tools. Come as you are. You are the anchor.

If you are cooking for one, then enjoy the lost art of solitude, and the simple pleasure of taking care of beautiful you.  

But never be put off from heading to your quiet kitchen counter for fear that you aren't doing it right, you haven’t got ‘the best, and you might get it wrong.  If you burn it, you couldn't afford premium ingredients, or your food tastes bland, the fact is that you created it with your two hands is what matters.

So don’t compare yourself to everyone else who is cooking on TV, to other families, or even to my cooking blog. Every one of us is just trying to get by in the world with our own two hands. We were all individually created, so take advantage of the fact that there will never be a hungry heart like yours in the history of time. 

The only question you need to ask yourself when you step into that kitchen is this:

What does your hungry heart want?

My dad's hand made fettuccine boiling in da big yellow pot

Fettuccine with tomato,butter and onion sauce 

Love is all you need

Breaking bread with friends and family

The Local Story from Elmhurst Farmers Market opening this June 4 from 7am-1pm--Jake's Country Meats

Elmhurst Farmer's Market opens this June 4, 2014 from 7am-1pm and runs June through October.

Renata's Kitchen Stories talks with Jake's Country Meats, a local Michigan farm selling pork and other products at the Elmhurst Farmers Market

 http://www.jakescountrymeats.com/

I have been ordering Jake’s Country Meats products ever since I first found them at the Elmhurst Farmers Market. Their pork chops, sausages and pork loin have all tasted fantastic, really much different than any other grocery store purchase I have ever made.

Since I have become more interested in the origin and sources for all of my food, I thought I would write to Jake’s Country Meats and ask them a few questions about their farm.  They were most helpful!

Since I was a little girl, I have only wanted to ever be three things: a writer, a farmer, and a gymnast.  Now, the gymnast fever was only because I loved Nadia Comaneci so much, so that passion has died out!  But the writer and farm lover in me still lives on. 

It was truly a pleasure to get to know a little bit about Jake’s Country Meats and their animal husbandry practice.  They will be coming to the Elmhurst Farmer’s Market this Wednesday for opening day from 7am-1pm.  So if you see them, tell them Renata sent ya! You may even see me and my friend Joy there too.  We can’t wait for opening day and our local food paradise!

I have one small note about any Farmers Market.  Sometimes I hear such phrases as,

“This isn’t as cheap as Jewel!” or

“I can get it cheaper at Costco!”

I do not shop at Farmers Markets in order to get the cheapest food ever.  I shop at these markets in order to support our local farmers.  These are farmers who are doing all they can to stay vital in an industry that is controlled by fewer, enormous companies. The short distance traveled also eases my mind that not as much energy was spent getting the food from farm to fork.

At the Farmer’s Market I also love to see small children staring wide eyed as they hold a freshly picked heirloom tomato, and listen to their father or mother explain why there are so many funny colors and shapes. There is something glorious about seeing a knobby piece of fruit in the chubby pink fingers of a wide eyed toddler that just dazzles my senses.

I also shop at these markets in order to support the choices farmers make to plant organic seeds, non GMO seeds, and to find meats that are sourced from animal husbandry practice I find compatible with my own values.

Mostly, I look forward to the stories I hear under the bright blue skies from farmers who are in neighboring states.  I love looking at the hands of the people who carefully planned and cultivated their small patch of land in the great Midwest.  Somehow, I believe this makes a small difference.

Surely you have your own reasons for shopping at your local Farmer’s Market, and I would love to hear about them! See you under the blue skies this Wednesday, June 4 for the opening day of Elmhurst Farmer’s Market at the corner of Valette and York Road (next to Mindy’s Classic Finds, an adorable resale shop!)

I leave you with my Q and A from Renee at Jake’s Country Meats. 

This week Renata’s Kitchen Stories come straight from the farmer’s heart!

1) Who owns Jake's Country Meats? Can you tell me a little bit about your family/company? How did your company evolve?

Jake's Country Meats is owned by Nate and Lou Ann Robinson. Nate is a 6th generation hog farmer.  He always knew he had something special grazing his land and wanted to find a way to go directly to the customer eating his pork.  So Jake's Country Meats was born in 1998.  This was before "farm to table" or "pasture-raised" pork meant anything to the average consumer. 

This was also before the buzz-words of "all-natural" and "anti-biotic free" were commonly used.  Nate and Lou Ann only sold a handful of hogs from their farm through Jake's Country Meats at their local farmers market and to some neighbors for many years. They then decided to take the next step and saw a need in Chicago, IL. 

Since 2008 the demand continued to increase for high quality pork raised without antibiotics and outside on pasture.  Since the farm was already established, the business needed some TLC from other family members to keep up with demands.  Each year we grew more and more.  We now supply not only your local farmers market, but many different restaurants, stores, co-ops, distributors, etc.    

2) Where is JCM located? How is the local farming in your area? Do you have anything special you would like to share about your geographical location that makes your farm unique? 

We are located in Cassopolis, MI.  Cassopolis is a very small town in Southwest Michigan.  Our county used to be the largest hog producing county in Michigan.  Now we are one of the last standing in outdoor hog production.

3) What do you think makes JCM and your products/methods special? I would love to shine a light on anything that makes you different. This would be a good place to inform us how your pigs roam free (if they all do), what they eat, how they are treated, etc. 

It is a rarity to see pigs roaming hills freely but that is the way we operate at Jake’s Country Meats.  Because of the ambiance throughout our fields, we have hundreds of visitors each year. Some people stop in to buy some pork.  Some visitors just come to take in the sights and learn a little more about what we do and why we do it.   

We are also Animal Welfare Approved and face an audit every year by the organization to keep us updated and completely grounded to our farming practices.  We treat our animals and our land with respect.  Our ultimate goal is to leave the land just as good or in better condition for future generations.  Our family will continue this legacy.

Our unique use of heritage breed pigs is another reason why Jake's Country Meats is a continued success.  We know no matter what farming practices you have, taste and quality wins all when approaching our customers. We have some of the finest tasting pork around.  It is a bonus that we also take optimum care of our animals at the same time ;)

Can you tell me how you are related to the company?

I am Renee Robinson.  I am Nate and Lou Ann's youngest daughter.  After receiving my Bachelor of Business Administration and Majoring in Marketing, I really saw a need at the farm for my skills and created a full-time position for myself working with my parents.  I have a sincere passion for keeping the family farm alive and creating unique ways to touch other people's lives with what we do.    

Absolutely Passionate Skinny Girlfriend Bliss

Absolutely Passionate Skinny Girlfriend Bliss

Cute crimson 80 calorie cocktails for two

I recently had a glass of iced tea at Wok'n Fire in Elmhurst and was blown away by how fruity it was, without being too sweet. The waiter said they brew regular iced tea, then add fruit puree. I was intrigued, and naturally began to hatch a plan for how I could add alcohol, subtract calories, and become a super fruity cocktail hero without too much effort.

Glancing at recipes online, there were ways to make puree, and none of them sounded simple. I mean, if I was relaxed enough to spend 30 minutes in the kitchen, I wouldn't want a cocktail, right? Even simple syrup sounded too much time for me and my BFF.  Then, like a thunderbolt, it hit me. I know what's simple..a cup of tea!

If there is one thing living in England taught me, it's to never underestimate the value of a hot cup of tea. I tip my hat to the UK and give you my beloved new cocktail...the Absolutely Passionate Skinny Girlfriend Bliss.

Why pay a lot of money for someone else's version of a skinny girl drink when you can whip up your own at home and elevate the recipe by using Tazo Passsion tea, Absolut Vodka* a teaspoon of organic sugar, and pouring it all over ice--twice.  Grab a slice of lemon, lime for the garnish, or dip into that bag of frozen berries you keep for smoothies for the kids and toss a couple on top. They will melt by the time you finish your drink and you can eat them for dessert.

80 Calories a drink?  Grab your girlfriend, kick the kids out of the house and kick up your heels! My jeans may actually fit in the morning.

Skinny Slurp!

• pour boiling water onto Tazo Passion Tea bag in a cup
• add 2 tsp sugar and stir
• heap your cutest glass with ice and pour a measure of vodka on top (gin is lovely too)
• ladle tea on top of your ice
• (adjusting when it is full to take a few cubes of ice out, add a little more tea if necessary)
• Top with a couple of cute berries and repeat for your cute BFF

*Absolut vodka is GMO free because it is made in Sweden which is a GMO-free zone

Sneaky Vegan Organic Whole Wheat Pasta with Field Roast "Sausages", Bok Choy and Garlic Roasted Cauliflower

Sneaky Vegan Organic Whole Wheat Pasta with Field Roast "Sausages", Bok Choy and Garlic Roasted Cauliflower

The story behind those sneaky vegan sausages from Seattle

 and how to roast your cauliflower (without losing your head.)

Recipe follows story

This blog took an incredibly long time to write because I had to keep getting up and going in the kitchen to eat more of these sausages. And they aren't even sausages, really. They're vegan. But these sausages were so good, even my strapping teenage carnivore son gobbled these down while grunting,  "erg, good, erg, mmm hmm, good."

I picked these Field Roast Sausages up at Costco and wasn't sure if I would like them. I noticed they were soy free, artisan (food as art!) and from Seattle so I suspected they were worthy of a risk.  The risk paid off! They have a very complex texture that is similar to regular sausage, and doesn't taste like other soy sausage. The wheat, yukon gold potato, herbs and spices combine to create a really wonderful taste sensation. There are three flavors in the Costco pack, for this dish I used the Mexican Spicy Chipotle flavor. These vegan sausages may fool your meat eaters, and at the very least will impress them, which can be quite hard.

As you may know by now, my daughters are vegetarian (one is vegan), my son is a meat lover, and my husband and I like to mix it up.  Therefore, I am a veritable Venn diagram of menu ideas, constantly cooking up meals that will reach beyond borders and straddle the common ground.  No, we aren't talking about international relations here, just the modern family dinner table. How did my life get this complicated?! What can I say, I'm a food enabler.

Truth be told, I love the challenge.

If you are not a food enabler, then today's dish would be quite simple to just 'meat up' with real sausage or even a bit of leftover roast chicken.  You could also omit the sausage completely. If you want extra protein, toss in a handful of beans which will be more cost effective than artisan vegan sausages.  But the Mexican Spicy Chipotle sausage adds a real kick to this dish, so you may want to add a little cayenne,  hot smoked chili pepper,or your favorite chipotle powder to the dish instead.

This is a one dish wonder, filled with hearty fiber rich pasta, spicy and dense sausages, and water laden cauliflower and bok choy to lighten it all up, giving a nice balance to the other strong flavors.

I serve the pasta, sauteed bok choy, cauliflower and sausage separately, and let everyone "dress" their plates at the kitchen table.  Naturally I combined all of my ingredients into one big party. It was so good, I forgot to even think of grated cheese, which of course would be an excellent addition too.

Sneaky vegan slurp!

RECIPE

 Sneaky Vegan Organic Whole Wheat Pasta with Field Roast "Sausages", Bok Choy and Garlic Roasted Cauliflower

• 1 pound pkg Delallo organic Italian pasta (or similar, I used these shells which have 6g fiber/serving) http://www.delallo.com/video/commercials/whole-wheat-pasta
• 1 pkg Field Roast Grain Meat Sausages (I used Hot-n-Spicy Mexican Chipotle flavor, but bundle from Costco comes with other flavors) http://fieldroast.com/products/
• 1 large head of bok choy, chopped
• 1 large wholehead of cauliflower
• 6 cloves (+/-) garlic, chopped 
• As much olive oil as you like so your pants fit comfortably
• A few freshly chopped herbs (optional, such as thyme or parsley)

I have included 'Super Hurry Mama' variations for this recipe

Put your largest pot of water on the stove to boil and preheat your oven to 350F.

(Super Hurry Mama-- you could roast pre-cut cauliflower florets just as easily, or even just microwave bags of cauliflower florets.)

Roasted Cauliflower:  Take your whole head of cauliflower to a cutting board and carefully slice into thick discs, like you are cutting bread.  Some of the pieces will fall off because raw cauliflower is not as easy to slice as bread.  No matter. Those little 'crumbs' will be the best part. You do not need to cut the base out when you roast cauliflower, you can just roast that too, then cut the little florets off when they are soft. 

Place discs and crumbs and any florets onto baking sheet and smear each piece with some of your freshly chopped garlic. Sprinkle a little thyme or parsley on top if you have some, but it's not essential.  Drizzle liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, pop in to the oven and roast for about 35-45 minutes or until all florets soft (I like them browned, mmm.) 

Sauteed Bok Choy:  In a large pan, saute 2 (+/-) cloves garlic and olive oil in pan until fragrant, then add chopped head bok choy and half a glass of water. (about 3 fingers high), sprinkle with a little salt, stir, cover and cook until bok choy is soft, about 5-10 minutes.  

Pasta: Salt your boiling water and boil whole wheat pasta according to time on package, drain and put in large bowl.

Field Roast Grain Meat Company Sausage: Slice each sausage into little discs, then place in a pan and saute until looking browned and gorgeous, about 5 minutes. (The advantage of vegetarian sausage is that it doesn't need to cook as long as regular sausage so good for Super Hurry Mama!)

When roasted cauliflower done, take out of oven and cut all yummy bits up, discarding any hard or leafy pieces.  Pour all juices, garlic oil and cauliflower over pasta.

Add sauteed bok choy. 

Top with browned sausage. 

Toss through and take a picture of your fiber rich, vegetable laden, glorious tasting sneaky 'sausage' dish. 

You are a kitchen hero. Be proud of your creation!

Organic Steel Cuts Oats@15 Cents a Bowl!

Organic Steel Cut Oats at 15 Cents a Bowl

(organic steel cut oats: 4g fiber, 7g protein, gluten-free, GMO-free, low calorie, low glycemic)

It's time to GET HEALTHY! The deep freeze is over, and if you just know your shorts don't fit, weekends are great for pre-prepping your powerful weekday meals.

An hour of preparation in between computer tasks is all you need to keep a batch of low cost, organic, steel cut oats in your fridge for the week. You will be dipping into this powerhouse of nutrition all week!

 Cook 3 parts water to 1 part organic steel cut oats ($1.39/lb from Wholefoods...you can DO this!) for about 45 minutes until soft.  Stir occasionally. I use a non-stick pan because it's easier for clean up.  (Some people think non-stick is toxic. I am still researching this material.)
 
Pour oats into container in fridge. When cold, take out a cup at a time, micro for a minute or so  (+/-)with a handful of frozen blueberries, raspberries, walnuts, a little sugar if you need it. Or cut up into squares and bring to work with add-ins thrown on top.

When oats are hot, frozen blueberries will just melt right in and create a gorgeous work of pink/red/blue art. This breakfast will set your metabolism straight! Get ready to feel HEALTHY!

If you use go with USDA certified organic, you will be GMO free for a whole week of breakfast, at a very reasonable price! I get about 10 servings from $1.52 worth of organic, steel cut oats. If I add a few organic walnuts, organic frozen bluberries, a sprinkle of organic sugar, I am still only up to about 35 cents per breakfast.

Start your day with an affordable, healthy, non-toxic and most importantly--DELICIOUS breakfast!

 This is a rich, satisfying, 'slow burning', go-to breakfast or snack!

1 cup oats: 3 cups water (pinch of salt if ya want)

Put in pot on medium high heat until it comes to boil (10 min or so) then reduce to low for simmer (tiny bubbles)

 Stir occasionally and cook until oats are soft, all water is absorbed. If oats are still too hard for you, add a little extra water and keep cooking until they are as soft as you like them.

 Eat immediately or put in container for a whole week's worth of breafast.  Cuts nicely into squares to take to work in container with frozen or fresh berries added on top in a hurry before you leave.

Additional add ins: Almond slivers, raspberries, raisins, cinnamon, brown sugar, a teensy splash of vanilla, apples, bananas, you name it!

Fexting--The Modern Art of Texting about Food

Fexting—The Modern Art of Texting about Food

(and a ‘text-ipe’ from my mom)

by Renee Gough

“This morning I woke up thinking about the beet, the lovely beet,” my morning text reads from my mom. 

My mom, Nita Tribo, nobody 'beets' her!

Food texts in our family are sometimes glorious works of art; modern day poetry I would even say.  Forget sexting, my family and friends are big on ‘fexting’, the glorious shared appreciation of the flavors of the day.

“Everybody throws out the beautiful green stalks of the beet, instead of rinsing and cooking with garlic in a pan,” she adds.

Ah, my mom, the champion of the underdog! Her wise words are a reminder she may have learned from her Polish or Italian ancestors-- that every bit of this beautiful bounty we are given is worthy.

Apparently the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, or in this case, the stalk doesn't grow far from the bulb. 

My mom and I are like birds flying in tandem, our kitchens 30 miles apart, but our nests filled with similar treats we have plucked and brought back to nourish our families.

(Mom and I were both recently excited when a bird built a nest on my front step.)

I am so grateful that my mom, aged 75, has mastered the technology of her IPhone, because these fexts of hers add serious flavor to my life.  I read on, my empty tummy rumbling.  She then fexted me an alternative way to cook my beet bulbs after I rescue and relish the green stalks.

“Save the beet itself for a different day.  Then boil, peel, slice and make with a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper, and white balsamic vinegar.  Mmmmmm.”  (Mom’s fext is sealed with her signature emoji—the smiley face with two hearts instead of eyeballs.)

Some people admonish serial fexters like us.  But we can’t seem to stop ourselves from sharing wherever technology takes us.  My family and friends have been known to post dinner photos to Facebook and tweet breakfast bowls to the world.  One of us has even decided to build a career out of sharing food, beautiful food!

You will never please all of the people, all of the time.  So I say, if “fexting” makes you happy, do it.  There are certainly other things you could text about.  But this morning, to stir my appetite, nothing ‘beet’ this delicious “text-ipe” from my mom.  

My Mom's Recipe Crusade: 

Nita Tribo's Save the Stalks!

Buy a lovely bunch of beetroot with the long, glorious stalks.  Look for stalks with purple veins bursting with life throughout the gorgeous, deep green leaves. This is an item at Wholefoods that won't cost the whole paycheck! Lots of other places sell them with the luxurious stalks still intact.  Farmer's markets will be here soon!

Rinse the beets and trim the stalks, reserving the beet bulbs for another time.

Cut your stalks in whatever way makes you happy.  Small, medium or large pieces are all OK.  

Sautee 2 (+/-) cloves of garlic in a pan coated with olive oil.  Add chopped stalks and saute until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and devour, knowing you have contributed to my mom's "Save the Stalks" crusade. 

I think she deserves to be awared a " Purple Art"  for this recipe, don't you?

Mom and I enjoying the great city of Chicago