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Food 4OREthought:)

Dear Food: 

Will you marry me?  I LOVE YOU!  This blog is dedicated just to you. I celebrate you by sharing my "made from scratch" recipes.
Nutrition Facts. org

I miss'ah my Harissa!  I think I will make some! 

6/25/2014

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Found all over North Africa, this is one of my favorite Moroccan recipes.  Harissa is the master condiment.  It adds heat and flavor and is used like mustard. WARNING! my recipe is very spicy and the green Harissa, especially, can really pack a PUNCH! I like mine to have major, killer, stinging hotness.  Keeps you regular and happy:))))

This recipe makes 16 oz. 

1 preserved lemon chopped (see recipe below)
8 oz small hot green chilis (combination of jalapeno, serrano and thai), stalks removed and roughly chopped
1 bunch coriander (cilantro), including stalks, chopped

1 tsp salt
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
1/2 cup olive oil (more if needed)

WEAR RUBBER GLOVES when handling hot peppers!  Never touch your face or eyes!

Add all ingredients except olive oil to food processor or blender.  While machine is running slowly add olive oil until consistency desired.  Let stand at room temperature for a minimum of 1 hour to infuse flavors.  Transfer to glass jar with a tight lid.  Can be stored indefinitely in the refridge... AWESOME with anything.  I especially love this mixed into cooked basmati rice with thinly cut arugula, goat cheese and a smattering of lemon vinaigrette. Totally delicious!


PRESERVED LEMON
(Recipe courtesy Williams-Sonoma: Entertaining – Inspired Menus for Cooking with Family and Friends)
  • 4 large thin-skinned lemons
  • 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
  • Coarse salt
  • 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
To make the preserved lemons, preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Cut a thin slice off both ends of each lemon. Cut each lemon into 8 wedges, and place the wedges in a non-reactive baking dish (glass or ceramic), just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add the garlic, sugar, coriander seeds, three tablespoons of salt, lemon juice, and olive oil – toss to coat evenly. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil. Bake the lemon wedges for 10 minutes, turn off the oven and leave them in the oven overnight. In the morning, transfer the contents of the dish to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use; they will keep for up to two weeks.

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Fathers Day Brunch: Vegan Hollandaise & Sunflower Pâté

6/13/2014

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It is completely meaningless to put effort into activities that have no essence - Atisha
Sunday breakfast meals bring out the "made-from-scratch" in me and I think with Mother's Day just around the corner we should all make an effort to cook a nice meal for our mums, good friends or just for ourselves!  Vegans and Non Vegans alike will enjoy these great recipes I always use! Below I share two recipes: My vegan Hollandaise and a super tasty Polenta-like pâté made from ground sunflower seeds, cornmeal & potatoes.  And, of course, how can you make Eggs Benedict for your friends without HOMEMADE English Muffins. I made these foods from scratch from tried and true recipes that I love! BUT, of course, I alway give any recipe a bit of my own twist.  You should, too!  Have fun! and celebrate mothers past, present and future on May 11th - they make our wold a better place!
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Vegan and Non-Vegan: On the left my Vegan Sunflower pâté topped with vegan Hollandaise along side Eggs Benedict.
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Mmmmmmmm - Nooks and Crannies!  Home made English Muffins. I use Mark Bittman's recipe for sandwich bread in his book How to Cook Everything. This is a wonderful recipe. It is not vegan as it contains milk- but vegans can substitute with almond milk or other milk alternative.  The recipe is so easy and the ingredients so basic but the end result is so impressive  So, have at it and make these!
Another terrific appetizer, snack or protein main dish on Brunch Day is this wonderfully delicious Sunflower pâté. So flavorful and satisfying!  You will not believe it's vegan. Nutritional Yeast is what gives this pâté a rich, cheesy, nutty flavor. I LOVE this dish for picnics, lunches or parties.  See this and my Mock Arugula Hollandaise recipe below. 
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Sunflower pâté  

This recipe is from one of my favorite vegan cookbooks that I picked up at the bottom of a pile in a thrift sale.  It's called Vegan Delights by Jeanne Marie Martin and was published in 1993.  Wonderful recipes in this book.  

Serves 6-8 people 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Cup Sunflowers seeds, finely ground
  • 1/2 cup corn meal
  • 1//2 cup yellow nutritional yeast  - click here for more information on nutritional yeast
  • 3 tsp. dried parsley flakes (I didn't have any but if you do, great!) 
  • 1.5 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
  • 3/4-1 tsp sea salt 
  • 1/2 tsp dried sage leaves (I didn't have sage on hand and it still tasted great!)
  • 1/4 tsp sea kelp powder

  • 1 Cup finely grated potato (I just used grater on food processor)
  • 1 and 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sunflower oil or other natural oil (you can reduce this amount if you wish)
  • 2 TBS soy sauce or Tamari

Optional: 3-4 tsp prepared horseradish.  I didn't have this on hand either so did not include this. Other things you could add include some finely chopped onions or minced garlic.  Keep the wet veggies to a minimum. 

DIRECTIONS: 
  • Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Grate the potato and rinse it thoroughly to remove excess starch.  Squeeze and drain it after rinsing.  Add the remaining ingredients in the order given above, stirring in the potato last. Mix well. 
  • Preheat over to 375 degrees.  Generously oil a 9" glass pie plate and scoop in the pâté mixture. Put it in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 350 degrees.  Bake 35-45 minutes until well browned. 
  • Let the pâté cool 1-2 hours and then chill it thoroughly before serving to set it completely.  It may be reheated later if desired.  It is tastiest when served at room temperature.  Keeps up to 7 days refrigerated or may be frozen in pie wedges (with reduced oil and no onions or garlic)

Vegan Arugula Hollandaise Sauce

Makes about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 TBS Earth Balance or Butter Alternative.  Or - use Ghee or Butter - whatever suits you!
  • 2 TBS Flour (I use gluten free flour)
  • 1/4  to 1/2 tsp Turmeric (this creates the hollandaise color)
  • 1 Cup Milk Alternative (Soy, Almond, etc) - I use homemade almond (none of the flavored stuff from the store:(
  • 2 TBS Nutritional Yeast 
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 1/2 or 1 TBS Veganaise (Vegan Mayo - I use Wildwood Vegan Aioli) 
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Small handful of baby arugula. 


DIRECTIONS

  • Sizzle "butter" in heavy skillet on stove over med high heat
  • Add flour & turmeric to butter and mix thoroughly to create a paste - (do not burn paste)
  • Whisk in almond milk and keep whisking until smooth
  • Remove from heat and add the nutritional yeast and pinch of cayenne
  • At this point your "hollandaise" should be smooth, colorful and flavorful.  Next step is to the food processor 
  • In a small bowl of your food processor add your hollandaise, handful of arugula and 1/2 TBS or 1 TBS of Veganaise. Blend thoroughly and add water by the TableSpoons to reach the correct consistency you desire.  I thinned mine a bit with water.  It will thicken each time your reheat it - you can add water likewise each time you reheat. 
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.  Reheat when ready to serve.  Taste to your liking and add things you prefer!



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Moroccan Preserved Lemons: Culinary Wizardry! 

6/12/2014

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Moroccan is by far one of my favorite cuisines.  It's exquisite combination of spicy, savory and sweet brings home an ancient past life to me. Moroccan cuisine - especially that of Fez - encompasses a rich history and is a wonderful mixture of Arab, Andalusian, Berber and Jewish culinary influence.  Just incredible! 

One of the most common cooking ingredients in Moroccan cuisine is the preserved lemon.  Pickled in salt, preserved lemons lose their sharpness and acquire a distinct flavor and I use them in everything!  I use them as my lemon base in pesto, I grill them with vegetables (the skin is edible due to the brining) I mix them with olives, use them in salad dressings, mix them with potato salads and more!  They are a culinary form of wizardry!  People always ask why my dishes taste so good and it's usually because of the preserved lemons.   

There are three primary ways to brine lemons and some of these require several weeks of brining or preservation in salt and oil.  I have brined my own lemons for a long time and I must say that the below recipe from William Sonoma is a fantastic way to have preserved lemons in a day!  Can't beat it! ENJOY!
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PRESERVED LEMON
(Recipe courtesy Williams-Sonoma: Entertaining – Inspired Menus for Cooking with Family and Friends)
  • 4 large thin-skinned lemons
  • 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
  • Coarse salt
  • 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
To make the preserved lemons, preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Cut a thin slice off both ends of each lemon. Cut each lemon into 8 wedges, and place the wedges in a non-reactive baking dish (glass or ceramic), just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add the garlic, sugar, coriander seeds, three tablespoons of salt, lemon juice, and olive oil – toss to coat evenly. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil. Bake the lemon wedges for 10 minutes, turn off the oven and leave them in the oven overnight. In the morning, transfer the contents of the dish to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use; they will keep for up to two weeks.

They will be mushy and yummy and they keep well.  Use them in harissa, pesto, salad dressing, on skewers with chicken and olives as well as tons of other stuff!  JUST DO IT! 
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Lemons placed in pan before adding all other ingredients
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Mix all other ingredients with lemons then cover lightly in foil and bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes and then turn off stove and leave over night in the stove covered. MAKE A POST-IT NOTE so you remember to jar them in the morning!
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    ABOUT THIS BLOG!

    I am simply a person with a serious passion for FOOD! I am not a chef, chemist or doctor - I am just a foodie food-head!  The recipes in this blog are things I make for myself, my family and my friends and they have been tested and tried by some of my closest food critics.  This blog has helped me become more aware and appreciative of the food I prepare and share and I am very grateful for this. 

    As for this blog - I have one piece of advice: Food is like our DNA - it is unique and specific to each of us! Add your own flare, energy and pulse and personality to your food.  It is a part of you!  It is who you are.  So, if something doesn't work for you in my recipes then be sure to be fearless and try your own flare... and  share your inspiration with us!  

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  • Home
  • Guided Experiences
    • ALL TOURS & GENERAL INFO
    • THE SEA RANCH ARCHITECTURE & NATURE
    • REDWOODS TO COAST
    • SIGILS WALKSHOP
    • HIKE, WRITE & DESIGN
    • Breath-Body-Mind
    • STORNETTA LANDS NAT'L MONUMENT
    • SEASCAPES AND WILDFLOWERS
    • ELOPEMENTS
    • BREATH WALK & FOREST BATHING
    • YOGA & CORPORATE RETREATS
    • LARGE GROUP OPTIONS
  • THE SEA RANCH
    • THE SEA RANCH
  • Resilience WALKshops
    • ABOUT OUR WALKSHOPS
    • SIGILS WALKSHOP
    • HIKE, WRITE & DESIGN
    • Breath-Body-Mind
  • RETREAT WORK
  • YOGA
    • ABOUT YOUR TEACHER & GENERAL INFO
    • PRIVATE YOGA SESSIONS
    • SOUND BATHING
    • YOGA STREAMS
    • YOGANATUR - HIKE & YOGA
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    • OUR BIO
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  • Buy our Beanie!