• 30May

    I love fish cakes and been into Thai flavors lately so here is the lastest to come out of my kitchen – I’d be happy with this and a candle in it for my birthday… 😉

    Thai Fish and Shrimp Cakes

    Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
    ——– ———— ——————————–
    1 pound sea bass — halibut or tilapia work well too.
    1 pound raw shrimp — peeled and deveined
    4 each green onions — thinly sliced
    3 cloves garlic — grate with a microplane or mince very fine
    2 tsp fresh ginger — grate with a microplane or mince very fine
    1/3 cup red bell pepper or for some bite use red fresno chiles — diced fine
    1/3 cup cilantro — chopped fine
    1 tablespoon thai basil leaves (in a pinch you can use regular basil) — chopped fine
    1 tbsp Thai fish sauce — 3 Crabs brand
    1/2 each lime — zested
    1 tbsp lime juice
    1 tablespoon tapioca starch
    1 each egg
    1 tbsp Thai red curry paste — homemade or Mae Ploy Brand
    salt and pepper — to taste

    Prepare green onions, garlic, ginger, red bell pepper, cilantro and basil. Put into a medium mixing bowl. Add lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, tapioca starch, egg and red curry paste.

    Hand chop the fish and shrimp -or- cut fish and shrimp into smaller pieces (1″ or less cubes) and put in a food processor (in batches) and pulse until chunky. Add to bowl of other ingredients. Mix well.

    Test for seasoning by cooking a teaspoon in a saute pan or use the toaster oven. Adjust seasoning as needed.

    Form into 12 fish cakes (3 to 3 1/4 oz ea). Heat a saute pan and add oil. Saute the fish cakes in hot oil until browned on both sides.

    I like to serve these on a bed of cabbage slaw dressed in a spicy sweet lime vinaigrette with plenty of cilantro tossed in.

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  • 29May

    It’s gluten free, egg free, dairy free…

    The ‘there’s no there there’ Carrot Cake

    Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
    ——– ———— ——————————–
    8 ounces crushed pineapple — drained, reserve liquid
    4 tablespoons flax seed — ground
    3/4 cup water
    2 cups carrots — shredded
    1 cup walnuts — chopped (optional)
    1 cup brown rice flour
    2/3 cup almond meal
    1/3 cup glutinous rice flour — ‘Mochiko’
    2 teaspoons cinnamon — ground
    1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    3/4 teaspoon sea salt
    1 1/2 ounces coconut oil
    2/3 cup sucanat or rapadura — (dehydrated sugar cane juice)

    Preheat oven to 350. Grease and rice flour a 13″ x 9″ baking pan.

    Drain pineapple well (squeeze), reserving juice.

    In a small bowl, make a slurry with the ground flax and reserved pineapple juice.

    Grate carrots and chop walnuts. In a medium bowl, mix rice flours, almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

    In large bowl, beat coconut oil and sucanat on medium until well mixed. Add flax slurry. Beat some more. Fold in dry half dry ingredients. Stir in water then fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Stir in walnuts, pineapple and carrots by hand. Try not to over mix – it will not rise as much if you do. Immediately pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake in the botton third of the oven at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until done – check by inserting a toothpick in the center. The toothpick should come out clean.

    The texture is definitely different than your typical cake – a bit chewy. I like it best the next day 🙂 -the flavor seems to mellow out.

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  • 27May

    What are some other foods that are calcium rich?

    almonds, asparagus, burdock root, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collards, dandeloin greens, dulse, figs, filberts (aka hazelnuts), green leafy vegetables, kale!, kelp, mustard greens, oats, parsley, peppermint, prunes, sesame seeds, turnip greens, watercress

    …and while we’re at it you’ll also need…

    magnesium…almonds, apples, avocados, bananas, blackstrap molasses, brewer’s yeast, brown rice, canteloupe, cod, dulse, figs, flounder, garlic, grapefruit, green leafy vegetables, kelp, lemons, lima beans, halibut, millet, nuts, peaches, black-eyed peas, salmon, sesame seeds, shrimp, watercress, whole grains

    and phosphorus…asparagus, brewer’s yeast, burdock root, corn, dried fruits, fish, garlic, beans, nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, meats, whole grains

    and vanadium…dill, fish, green beans, olives, meats, radishes, whole grains

    and vitamin D…dandeloin greens, sweet potatoes, egg yolks from chickens raised in the sunshine, fish, cod liver oil (yummy), pasture raised animals and sunshine

    and vitamin K…asparagus, blackstrap molasses, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, green leafy veggies!, liver, oatmeal, oats, rye, wheat

    SHORT LIST – eat lots of veggies – especially the green leafy variety, colorful fruits, some nuts and seeds, vary the proteins from land and sea – spice things up with some herbs and get out into the sunshine!

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  • 22May

    sea…where else?

    I recently discovered that I am allergic to milk – more specifically, the milk protein called casein. The reaction from most people is “How will you get your calcium?”

    I have to chuckle because contrary to what the Milk Council of America has pounded into people’s heads…milk is not necessarily the best and certainly not the only source of calcium. Don’t get me started on how the milk today is far from the healthy beverage folks drank before factory farming – that’s another post.

    So what do folks across the globe, who don’t eat dairy products, do to keep from looking like Gumby. Green leafy vegetables come to mind as does my fav – bok choy and broccoli. Nettles – lots around these days are full of calcium. And what about broths made from chicken or beef or other animal bones – long simmered with some acid like wine and the resultant liquid is a pure nutritional gold mine…or shall I say calcium mine 😉

    Hey, and canned salmon and sardines. The canning process makes the bones very soft so you can eat them.

    In fact, the calcium in all these sources are better absorbed by our bodies than the calcium in milk.

    So here is my little fish recipe – one of my sources of calcium. My SIL’s mother made a big batch for little S as she has taked to eating this Korean anchovy condiment. I’m not sure what it’s called but I love them too. I searched around for a recipe and after a little experimenting and making the house smell a bit fishy (sorry P!) here it is…

    * Exported from MasterCook *

    Anchovy Condiment – Korean Style

    Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
    ——– ———— ——————————–
    1 tablespoon oil — grape seed or rice bran
    1 clove garlic — minced
    1/2 teaspoon ginger — minced
    2 tablespoons maple syrup — or agave syrup
    1 teaspoon sesame oil
    1 cup dried anchovy — Korean style, smallest are best
    1/4 teaspoon chili flakes — Korean w/o seeds; more or less to taste
    1 tablespoon sesame seeds — toasted

    Heat wok over medium heat. Add oil and heat. Add garlic and ginger. Stir and fry until golden. Add maple syrup and sesame oil. Stir and let sizzle for 15 seconds. Add anchovies and stir, coating the anchovies with the sauce. Continue stirring over medium heat until anchovies are translucent and just beginning to color. Stir in the chili flakes and sesame seeds. Mix well. Remove from heat and cool.

    Serve as a condiment with rice – wrap with a piece of nori seaweed and you are in mineral rich heaven!

    Refrigerate in an air tight container. Will keep for 2-3 weeks

    Also nice in fried rice or as a side with congee.

    Enjoy!

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  • 17May

    Hello.

    My, it’s been awhile since my last post. I’m still here and have been itching to tap out a post but it’s down to the wire on my final project for school. I hope to have the written part totally done by the 31st and then I have a few weeks to prepare my oral presentation along with power point. I’d be totally stressed out by now but for the zen-like opportunity to pull weeds out in the garden and …making coconut pudding. I’ll be making this for a dinner party I’m catering this week. Accompanied by a mango sauce, slices of mango and strawberries.

    * Exported from MasterCook *

    Coconut Pudding

    Serving Size : 5

    Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
    ——– ———— ——————————–
    2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon sugar
    1 teaspoon tapioca starch
    1 pinch sea salt
    1/2 teaspoon agar powder (if using flakes use 1 teaspoon)
    1 14 oz can coconut milk (Thai Kitchen brand has no preservatives)
    1/2 cup water or cream
    1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Mix dry ingredients together in a sauce pot. Add coconut milk and water. Whisk to dissolve and let sit 10-15 minutes.

    While constantly stirring, bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add vanilla. Cook another 10-15 seconds. Remove from heat.

    Immediately strain into a 2 cup measuring cup (with pour spout). Pour into 5 – 4 oz ramekins or cups. Chill for at least 1-2 hours before serving. You can make this the day before.

    Serve in the cups as is or unmold by running a sharp pointed knife along edge – invert onto a plate. Garnish with fruits such as mango, pineapple, kiwi or strawberries.

    Variations: Use almond or pistachio flavoring -or rose water.

    Enjoy!

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