I originally made this cake in 2005 and have recently been craving it. Here is the adapted recipe for food intolerances. It’s going to be the showpiece for Sunday Night Dinner. I also added crystallized ginger to the batter for an extra bit o’ spiciness. HEAVEN.

FOR THE TOPPING
3 tablespoon palm oil (coconut may be flavorful)
1/2 cup sucanat mixed with 1 tbsp. molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
4 large Bosc Pears
– FOR THE BATTER –
4 ounces palm oil or grapeseed oil
4 ounce Applesauce
3/4 cup sucanat
2 tablespoon Ginger grated
3 Eggs (or Ener-G Egg Replacer as directed)
2/3 cups Molasses
3 cups gluten free baking mix
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
1/3 cup crystallized ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups rice milk
1 1/2 tablespoon Vinegar

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a 9-inch springform pan, and line the bottom with a 10-inch circle of parchment paper.

To make the topping, combine 3 Tbs palm oil, ½ cup sucanat, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Melt the oil over medium heat for about 1 minute; then pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan, completely coating the parchment paper. Place the quartered pears on top of the oil-sugar mixture, lining the pieces up tightly in a decorative circle so that none of the bottom shows through.

To make the batter, cut palm oil into 1-inch pieces, and put them in a large mixing bowl. Add ¾ cup sucanat, and cream the mixture on medium speed for 3-5 minutes, until it is smooth and a pale tan color. Add the grated ginger, and beat 1 minute more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed and making sure that each egg is fully incorporated before adding another. When all the eggs have been added, slowly pour in the molasses and beat to fully mix. The mixture will look as though it is “breaking” or curdling, but don’t worry—it will come together when the dry ingredients are added.

In a separate medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to fully combine.

Alternately add small amounts of flour and rice milk to the batter, stirring and folding with a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are just absorbed. Do not overmix the batter. Pour and scrape the batter into the pear-lined pan, smoothing the top with a rubber surface. The pan will be nearly full.

Carefully transfer the pan to the center rack of the oven, and bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the cake’s center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cover the pan with an upside-down serving plate; then carefully invert them together. Release the sides of the pan, and lift it away. Gently lift the pan’s base off the cake, and peel away the parchment paper. Allow the cake to cool for a half hour or so, and serve warm.

Yield: One big cake, likely serving 10-12 people

There is an abundance of arugula in my yard.

I was originally considering an arugula pesto, but I am well underway on my winter cleanse and am not consuming pasta (rice, quinoa or otherwise). I proposed a salad to go along with dinner on Sunday, and a roommate asked if that salad could be warmed.

I’m not accustomed to making ”warm salads”. Typically my greens are cold and raw or sauteed. In a mood to take on a challenge and get crazy in the kitchen, I set out to find a “warmed salad” using arugula and other ingredients available. The recipe below is the result: a winter salad adapted from a recipe I found on thekitchn.com. It was an incredibly nourishing, yet lighter addition to Sunday dinner than steamed or stir-fried winter greens.

There is still an arugula overgrowth happening outside. I am wondering – what are you favorite recipes for arugula? I’d love to hear your ideas and recipes. Click here or on the comment tab below and share your kitchen magic!

Warm Sweet Potato Arugula Salad
serves 4

1 large sweet potato, cubed into small pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Fresh black pepper
Sea salt
2 small bunches arugula, washed and torn
1 cup walnuts

Dressing
1/4 cup apple cider
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
Salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 500 degrees F. Toss the cubed sweet potato with the oil, spices, salt and pepper. Spread thin on a large cookie sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, or until browned at the edges.

Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron or other teflon-free skillet on medium high heat. Toast walnuts, stirring frequently, until aromatic and lightly browned (about 5 minutes). Whisk dressing ingredients together, or blend at high speed for greater emulsification.

Toss hot sweet potatoes with the arugula and walnuts. Drizzle the dressing over the salad to taste. Salad will wilt slightly, which is desired.

Another gem stumbled upon online: the menu and recipes served at the Inaugural Luncheon on January 20th, 2009. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has posted the recipes, along with a great deal of information on the luncheon itself. A fun visit for the Omabaphile or the Martha Stewart in you.

JCCIC Luncheon page

Inaugural Luncheon Recipes

(Seafood Stew, Roasted Duck with Cherry Confit, Herb-Roasted Pheasant with Wild Rice Stuffing, Winter Vegetables, Molasses Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Cinnamon Apple Sponge Cake)

The Kombucha experiment continues. I now have several offspring that have grown from the original SCOBY obtained in August. I have given 4 or 5 away, and have many more that i will have to post on Craigslist soon.

If you are in San Diego and want a free SCOBY, please let me know!

The following recipe was created with the holidays in mind. The final flavor is sweeter and more complex than the green or black tea variations I have been using. I really enjoyed this batch, and have another of this recipe brewing now. The flavor is reminiscent of mulled cider.

• 20 cups water
• 3 cups sugar
• 4 teabags of Celestial Seasonings Gingerbread Spice Tea
• 5 Ginger Green Tea Bags
• 2-3 Kombucha Mothers

Bring water to boil in a  large stock pot. Once boiling, turn off heat and dissolve sugar completely. Add teabags, steeping for 10-20 minutes, depending on how strong you want the flavor to be.

Let cool completely, and pour into two or three large jars. Cover jar with a cheesecloth or a towel and seal with a rubber band. Allow to ferment for 11 days.

Do you have any favorite kombucha recipes? Has kombucha positively affected your life? Are there any ideas for kombucha you would like me to experiment with and post about here? Comment below and let me know!

I met Peter the day after Christmas at The Market in Anacortes, WA. He was passing out samples of this salsa with a cashew-crusted chicken breast seasoned with his personal spice blend. Chef Peter had a bad experience with a computer once — so bad that he no longer has one, nor a website. So I cannot properly direct you to Chef Peter, his spices, or other recipes of his, but I can share with you a smashing spicy, fruity pico de gallo recipe that would pair well not only with cashew-crusted chicken but grilled whitefish (halibut! mahi-mahi!) or tossed in grilled or steamed shrimp. You may also wish to fold it into a quesadilla or place a spoon of it atop brie and crackers for New Year’s hor d’oeuvres.

• 1 cup dried, unsulfured apricots
• 1 fresh pineapple – slightly unripe (rock hard – no soft spots)
• 2 Braeburn apples, peeled and cored
• 1 red pepper, cored and seeded
• 4 jalapenos, stems, seed, and veins removed (keep veins for a little more heat, seeds for extra heat)
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup honey or agave nectar
• 4 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 pinch salt

Peel and core pineapple. Dice all produce into tiny pieces. Mix with lime, honey and salt. Refrigerate until chilled and stir in cilantro just before serving.

Traditionally, Hoppin’ John uses ham hocks or bacon to add a smoky flavor to nutrient-rich beans. In lieu of this, I’ve used chipotle powder to add spiciness and smokiness to this traditional Southern New Year dish. Eaten annually on the first day of the New Year, Hoppin’ John is supposed to ensure good luck. It certainly worked for me last year!

• • 6 scallions
  • 1 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
  • 1 small bunch collard greens or kale, chopped
  • 1.5 cup dried black eyed peas, cooked (or 2 x 10 oz package frozen black eyed peas, thawed and rinsed or 2-15 oz can, thoroughly rinsed)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1/2 t black pepper
  • 1 tsp. chipotle powder
  • 1 T chopped garlic
  • 12 fl oz vegetarian broth or bean liquid

To cook dried peas, place in a small soup pot and cover with water – about 2″ over bean line. Soak overnight, drain, rinse, and cover with water again. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmering until tender, about 2 hours. Drain.

Trim scallions. Remove the dark green tops and set aside. Cut the white and light green sections into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the carrot and stir well to coat with oil. Add the white and light green sections of the scallions and the celery, reduce heat to low and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the kale and bell peppers and sauté for about 3 minutes or until the carrot begins to brown. Add the black-eyed peas and stir well. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the bay leaf, salt, black pepper, chipotle, garlic and broth. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid is almost completely absorbed – there should still be about 1/3 cup sauce.

Thinly slice the dark green scallion tops while the mixture simmers. Then stir in half the scallion greens. Ladle the hoppin john over a bed of cooked rice and sprinkle with remaining scallion greens.

This pumpkin butter was really easy to make and resulted in a tasty spread that I am donating to a craft fair to benefit Shakti Rising. Who says you have to pay for gourmet?

Some uses for this fabulous spread:

• On toast (with cream cheese – an  absolute favorite in my dairy days)
• Swirl with cream cheese and serve with bread or crackers for a holiday party
• As a topping on vanilla ice cream
• Thin with water or apple juice and drizzle over waffles, french toast, or pancakes
• As a sauce for baked apples
• Stir it in yogurt for breakfast, top with chopped walnuts
• Use instead of pumpkin in pumpkin muffins
• And whatever else your imagination can create (reply below with your ideas!)

Behold — the pumpkin butter:

• 15 oz. canned pumpkin
• 1 cup organic applesauce
• 1/3 cup sucanat
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated ginger
• pinch of cloves (up to 1/8 tsp)
• 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a small pan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Mixture will splatter – be careful! Upon boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally as mixture thickens.

When mixture is very thick, remove from heat and let cool.

While spread is cooling, bring a large pot of water to a boil and boil jars and their lids to sterilize.

Spoon into tight-sealing jars and keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Last night I carved my first turkey. Having emerged back into carnivorism after 15 years meat-free, this was a genuinely novel experience. My inner scientist was reliving memories from the cadaver lab in college, my inquisitive child was exploring the newness of the entire experience, and my 15 year old vegan self was in shock, then likely passed out completely since I heard no word from her.

I clumsily picked apart the bird and was left with the bones. A perfect, perfect excuse for homemade soup stock.

Making soup stock from bones is powerful medicine. The long cooking time in stock allows the heat of the water to penetrate the bone, releasing really potent nutrition into the stock. What is leftover is nothing short of medicine — cures for the common cold, liquid bone-building nutrition, numerous nutrients that can penetrate into our bodies and revitalize, nourish, and rebuild us during these dormant winter months.

Below is a stock recipe which the household turkey is contributing to. Again I have an opportunity to give thanks for its life and maximise its gift to the household. Again I have a chance to be grateful for such nourishment and celebrate its life by going forth and celebrating my own.

Reduced Fat Turkey Stock:

• 1 Organic turkey carcass
• 10 to 12 cups water
• 1/2 cup carrot slices
• 1 celery rib, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 burdock root, scrubbed clean and chopped
• 1/2 large onion, cut into chunks
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 small whole dried red pepper
• 2 sprigs rosemary (or 1 tbsp. dried)
• 1 sprig sage (or 2 tsp. dried)
• 1/2 tbsp. dried oregano
• 4-8 whole peppercorns
• sea salt to taste (or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos if you tolerate soy well)

Place broken bits of turkey in a large soup pot over medium-high heat and cover with water by at least an inch. Add carrots, celery, burdock, onion, garlic and herbs and spices. Cover and bring slowly to a boil; reduce heat to low and skim off any scum on surface. It is important to simmer your stock and do not continue to let it boil. This leads to a richer tasting stock. Furious bubbling breaks up particles and causes clouding also. Cover the pot and simmer approximately 3 to 4 hours.

Remove from heat to strain. To remove smaller bits in the stock pour the liquid through a fine mesh sieve placed over a large pot. Discard turkey bones, meat, and vegetables. Place stock into shallow containers and refrigerate immediately. Refrigerate soup stock overnight and skim any congealed fat from the surface in the morning.

The stock will last for about a week in the fridge. You can freeze the stock and it should maintain taste and quality for about three months. This nutritive stock can be used for turkey soup, as the liquid for boiling brown rice or other whole grains, or as a healing broth for the ill over the winter season.

RECIPE: Vegan Pumpkin Tart with Pecan Crust

Slowly, the pantry is being taken over by kombucha.

Since my original kombucha post, many batches have come and gone. I have not been diligent in scientific record-keeping, but each batch is unique. Some are sweeter, some more vinegary depending on length of fermentation. I have used green tea, black tea, blackberry sage tea (yum!) and am fermenting a batch now with pomegranate green tea. I am going to start recording days brewed, flavor, and differences with different teas used. I am also going to start branching out with utilizing honey, agave, and other sweeteners.

Yesterday I received a call from Terri P. in New Orleans. She had gotten my name and number through the world wide web and knew I brewed kombucha. We talked a bit about SCOBYs, brewing, and the differences she has noted since beginning a regular kombucha consumption in April of this year. She drank two bottles a day before brewing her own. Changes she has noted is an increase in fullness and thickness of her hair. Her daughter recovered from torn ligaments and tendons quickly enough to become a follower, and her friend Glenn, who introduced her to kombucha, eliminated 20+ years of adult acne by drinking it. She also spoke of someone she had spoken to who gives it to his two year old, and the child has had no seasonal illnesses since, despite being in daycare. Now THAT is a miracle!

Her enthusiasm rekindled my own, and now I am set to experiment with more flavors, variations, and options. I have kept to my original recipe, although have not been exact in measurements. My SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast) has not suffered. In fact, I have begun the process of giving away “babies” to interested parties. I typically drink my kombucha with frozen berries because I am all about convenience. The berries add a hint of flavor and I do not get the Vitamix dirty.

Upcoming experiements will be posted here. I am glad to have become part of a nationwide kombucha following. I highly encourage everyone spending more than $20 a month on storebought kombucha to begin brewing your own. It really is quite easy!