Cauliflower Rice

 I am in love with my new Vitamix blender. 2 horsepower of serious business.
While out to dinner with friends last week, we had Cauliflower Rice. So, so, easy to make.
Especially with the Vitamix. Bob - our cook - no - our chef,  served it as a side dish with fresh pineapple.

I'll write my 'recipe' at the bottom of this post if you are interested.

 I had this last week off and my little sis came out from Minnesota to sort out some family interventions. I'd love to write well about depression and aging parents but cannot come up with words that would describe the problems without getting too much into family politics.

My older sister has sunk into a deep depression and our daily visits seemed to help but she would not leave her house. Her son who lives with her is very worried. An unintended success was finding out the nephew needed a business casual suit for interviews he is involved in. So the aunties took him suit shopping.

This sister gets to her doctors appointments and grocery shopping but does nothing non-essential.

My mom and dad are in their 80's and downsized 2 1/2 years ago to a single story home in the same town. With my older sister and brother not available (they live local), I feel this burden on my shoulders. They are about 35 minutes away from me with good traffic. With my long work hours, we feel they are increasingly isolated.

Our third and recent snowstorm brought this home when my little sister and I arrived to find no one had come over to shovel off their driveway or check that they were okay (seven days). They had plenty of food (old school preparedness) but still... one of their new neighbors has boys in their 20's... This wouldn't happen in my neighborhood.

The plow blade came down their street and left ice boulders blocking their driveway. If they had needed to get out, they couldn't.

I cleared their drive and  created a walkway that melted off in the sun. It was a pretty thick layer of ice covered by snow.

My sis and I came up with some suggestions to finalize the week and thoroughly piss off those family members.
At least we can rely on our Oregon weather to be finished with snow for the winter. (knock on wood)

We spent eight days working these family problems.
That's when I discovered the amazing fluffy ice the vitamix makes. OMG - best Margarita's ever.
The vitamix didn't even change sounds fluffing up that ice.

If you look again at the photo of my sis above, she fell while out running in the snow & ice in Minnesota three days before she came. It's a broken ankle. She came out with a knee scooter, an immobilizing boot and we also had crutches.

In our Oregon snow & ice.

You really can't kick her to the curb for trying to get stubborn family members to improve their lot. We played the sympathy card for all  it was worth.

 I did manage one fun morning that week meeting up with Pencil Girl at Fabric Depot. We had tried to meet up a few days previously but Portland was pretty bad with ice compared to where we live. On one day, meeting a nephew for lunch, we turned off the bare interstate onto five lanes of rutted ice. Pencil Girl and I met up later once the ice had melted.

She was looking to improve her niece's prom dress which was already awesome, so we solved the world's problems in the lace and bridal section.

Cuddle airplanes and look at the red chevron cuddle. Very soft.

After dropping my sister off at the airport, I decided to drive to a couple of estate sales south of my town and found some treasures. Garage sale therapy.

My Creative Friend went to one of them before me. It was the estate of one of the Keil's. Their ancestors founded the Aurora Colony.

She bought a large box of old photographs and found some that she will need to donate to the Aurora Museum. Including a child's handwritten history in a composition book from the 20's.

This magazine page fell out and she almost gave it to me - look at the silly airplane. This is just the right-hand corner of the illustration. "Drawn, ever so Roughly by Michelson Hollywood" is inscribed at the bottom corner. Looks like vintage satire magazine advertising from the 40's.  It gave me a huge smile to read all the little captions.


Cauliflower Rice

1 head of Cauliflower
Small can of Coconut Milk (1/2 cup)
Seasoning
Walnut Oil or Olive oil
Fresh Pineapple, diced fine.
Sausages

Chop cauliflower up roughly, discarding the leaves and stem areas. 

Toss into vitamix and Pulse until like grains of rice.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in skillet. Transfer 'rice' to pan and cook on Medium high for 5 - 8 minutes with lid over rice to help steam it.

Add seasonings (I used a cajun seasoning and a seasoned salt shaker)

Add Coconut milk and heat through.

I added chopped sausages and topped it with the pineapple for a main dish.

I will have leftovers for a few days too. Yum.

Lemon Sorbet Sunday

I made Lemon Sorbet this morning.
 
 I've posted about it before here and here.
I think I have the recipe down now. 

I have tried three methods to freeze it and I like the one I used today the best;

When I first made it, I did not own a ice cream churn. So I poured it into a 13 x 9  baking pan and stirred it every 15 minutes in the freezer. Lots of ice crystals.
The second time, I had found an electric  ice cream maker at one of my sales and it churned out a decent sorbet. Still some ice crystals.
I tried that method a couple of times before getting rid of it. Can you say giant box to haul out 1 -2 times a year?

Actually, it's because I read online about the ziploc within a ziploc method. You pour your ice cream mixture inside the smaller ziploc. Place inside the bigger ziploc along with ice cubes. Shake it continuously until ice cream mixture starts to thicken. Then leave in freezer and shake every 15 minutes or so to keep the ice crystals from happening.

I also made a sugar syrup to add to the coconut milk along with plenty of lemon juice from 7 Meyers lemons.
I used a box pack of coconut milk, 7 meyers lemons (zest and juice), the rest of my star anise (pulverised) and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar.

It took much longer than the one hour I originally read online. But, it's got very little ice crystals because of the constant shaking/stirring. Nummies.

I made another rope bowl today. I sold my orange one within a day of listing it on etsy.
However, the USPS decided to "deliver" it to a shared walkway/hallway of apartments in Brooklyn. My customer now has a 'neighbor' who has a very similar bowl. :-(

I made her a replica - or as close as I could. Re-sending it with a signature required. 

These are so fast and so gratifying to make. I am not done with these yet.

Hangar - straight ahead with runway off to the right. Room for table and chairs, swing, potted plants. I also have ten hanging baskets out here. The hummingbirds dive bomb us trying to get to the flowers first.

 I was sitting outside on the patio drinking my coffee this morning, planning my day.
I didn't get everything done but it has been so pleasant in the mornings out here.

We have had a mild summer so far with temps mostly below 80'. This next week, we might get to 90 --- but it is the end of July.

Tonight, once I figure out dinner, I have Lemon Sorbet to look forward to.

A Pint Of Green Juice

I was a good girl this morning. I made a huge batch of green juice for a healthier May. 

The last time I drank my green juice was early in April. I had not been feeling well with my auto-immune and I have a horrible habit of thinking, if I feel so crummy, then I can eat whatever, as I can't possibly feel any worse.

Logically - that doesn't work. I do feel worse -- not being vigilant eating well for my auto-immune. It's funny where internal beliefs drive us.

Then I saw a beautiful bouquet of Mock-Orange in my Instagram feed and when I was all finished cleaning up the juicing operation, I went out and cut myself a bouquet. Right next to these fragrant Mock Orange blooms were these luscious Iris's. Love the deep purple against the white.

 Cleaning out the fridge for juicing, I came across this Cauliflower moldering in the vegetable drawer. I turned it into a quick soup.

Cream of Cauliflower Soup
Non-dairy, non-soy.

Head of cauliflower cut up into chunks, trim off the icky bits.
Steamed in beef stock (or whatever liquid you have lurking in your fridge).
If you use water, you'll need to adjust herbs.
2 tsp. dried Thyme
dash salt

When tender - about 20 minutes, turn off heat and let sit while you finish your juicing clean-up.

Use your stick blender to blend and mush the cauliflower, slowly adding coconut milk until you feel it is the right amount. Between 2 -3 cups. Blend until smooth.


easy peasy dinner for tonight.

 My green juice always seems to taste better in cool glasses.
Thank you dear daughter.

Today's Green Juice.
In your juicer:
3 granny smith apples
1 1/2 bunches of celery

In your blender:
Use juice from apples and celery to blend:
1 giant bag of fresh spring greens - spinach, kale, arugula, etc.
5 baby bok choy's ('cuz baby veggies taste better?)
4 zucchini

and today I added:
Stalk rhubarb
2 tbsps sea kelp
1 cup Hemp hearts

I have heard Rhubarb is  anti-parasitic. My doc thinks my fatigue and depression this spring might spring from a parasite I picked up during my January trip to Hawaii when I was so tired after the Christmas work (63 hrs/wk!).

I grew up with rhubarb and seriously dislike the texture - stewed rhubarb anyone? But I'm willing to try anything and oftentimes, veggies taste better as juice.
The hemp hearts were something new at my store and I thought I'd try them. The sea kelp was bought a while ago and forgotten about.

The only other weird thing about juicing is I prefer the green. If you add blueberries - it's brown. as in - eeuuwhw. If you add beets for the sweetener instead of apples, it's red, which is slightly better than brown.

I prefer green. I can't tolerate too much fruit, so my juice is mostly veggies.

And hubby has asked, "what's that taste like?"  me: "like drinking your veggies". I wouldn't do it if I weren't so sick. I try to use organic as much as possible. It's like 30 minutes to clean up, so I make enough for the week.

My sweet SIL gave me this little garden ornament for my birthday.

Happy Memorial Day

We had BBQ baby back ribs and watermelon out on the patio today.
Happy Memorial Day

 

This is one of the recipes I can do in my sleep. (Yes, I took a nap today)
Slow cook your baby back ribs in a foil cocoon at 300'f for a few hours until the meat starts falling off the bone. I usually cut up my baby back ribs into three rib sections.
I might throw a dry rub on, or not.

Fire up the BBQ. Turn heat down to medium. Place ribs on the rack and start slathering on BBQ sauce. I look for a sauce without corn syrup or wheat in it. I could make my own but that takes too much time for a holiday. Turn every 5 or 10 minutes and slather some more BBQ sauce on. Keep slathering as sides 'dry'. I try to get three complete turns of BBQ sauce to cook on before serving but that doesn't always happen.

We don't have kids home so we have leftovers. mmmm....mmmmm.

 

Next up, my second attempt to re-create Fifty Licks Lemon Sorbet.

My daughter found this 'ice cream' for me. It has coconut milk, sugar, lemon juice, star anise & saffron.
Fifty-Licks was distributing through Whole Foods but then drew back to their Portland Food Cart on Clinton. To my dismay.


I'm not a huge ice cream lover but to someone with multiple & devastating food sensitivities, this discontinuation of my lemon sorbet was sad. Sad.

So I tried to make some last summer.
 I did a great job re-creating the flavor but I didn't have an ice cream freezer. I dutifully stuck my concoction into the freezer and whipped it good every 15 minutes.

Yummy but it had Ice Crystals.

I found this ice cream freezer at a garage sale two weeks ago and tried out my 'recipe' again. Less ice crystals but creamier.

Need to test  more batches.

LEMON SORBET
Recipe - so far....

2 cans Coconut milk
3/4 cup Sugar
6 Meyer Lemons (The smaller, juicier lemons), skins grated and then cut up and juiced.
2 -3 Star Anise (pulverised in herb grinder)

1 - 2 sacks of ice - depending on the size of your ice cream freezer.
Rock salt (and no, regular salt does not help)

Throw your metal container part of the ice cream freezer into the freezer to get cold

Grate the skin of your lemons with your smallest grater.
Then juice those lemons.
{I saw one recipe where they just quartered the lemons and threw everything into a food chopper/blender.}

You can get Star Anise at my Thriftway or some place with a good bulk foods spice area.

If you can find Saffron there, good - buy the tiniest amount. I can't find it and you will only use it for this recipe so it became 'not necessary'.

Open your cans of coconut milk and pour/scrape everything into a pan.
Add your 1/2 - 3/4 cup Sugar
Your star anise
Your lemon zest and juice.

At this point you can throw this mixture into the fridge to get nice and cold or just go with it.
Pour into your cold metal can.

Attach your churn thingy and the lid. Pour your ice around the perimeter, layering rock salt occasionally.
Turn it on.

Check after 15 minutes, scrape down sides.

Mine took 30 minutes.

A good finish to the day.

Clam Chowder, non-dairy

I have had a gigantic craving for clam chowder the last two weeks. It occurred to me that I could make some - with coconut milk.
I have used coconut milk with great success with cream of broccoli soup but, frankly, how much green soup can a person eat in their lifetime? (rhetorical)

I haven't had as much creative clutter up in my head lately. Working full-time with overtime and zero time for breaks, I am always about two steps behind at work. My head, in a huge sudoku game, has been puzzling how to get two more things done AND take a break (damn it!). Which doesn't make good blog posting as who really wants to hear about the janitorial contract and attachment five in triplicate and getting the payroll and the eflash numbers by lunchtime.

I'm only thinking about my readers.
Pencil Girl and I and Theatre Girl went to a Hat show (grand opening) and Josephine's Dry Goods a week ago and there is plenty of good bloggy material to post. In reality, 50 pounds of tomatoes to freeze, shorts to sew, Japanese hand-sewn gifties to sew, and the aforesaid w-o-r-k and I might need a break.

Anyway --- back to the chowder. As many of you know, I endure amazing food sensitivities, resulting in boring menus (salad? Yes, please. Let's just have salad the rest of my life). Occasionally, I suffer from epiphanies and thought that I could possibly make clam chowder - using coconut milk instead of the dairy.

I have to say, while the coconut 'taste' is nearly non-existent  with broccoli, it's a little more pronounced with the clams. So I added twice the usual amount of thyme and hot sauce and it has  turned out interesting, as in tasty. My husband slurped down two bowls.  The real test is tomorrow when the flavors have had time to meld.

Kathy's Clam Chowder, non-dairy

2 cans Snow's Chopped Clams, drain and reserve the clam juice.
5-6 Potatoes  -- from my garden - mix of red and yellow
Sea Salt, White Pepper
5 slices of Bacon fried (non-nitrate - Voget's in Hubbard)
1  13.5 oz can Coconut Milk
2 tsps.Thyme - dried from my garden
20 drops Hot Sauce
Brown Rice Flour to thicken.
Dollop of real butter

Peel potatoes and cut into 3/4" chunks. Barely cover with salted water. Add white pepper if you have it.  Boil until nearly tender.
I dumped about 1/2 cup of the water and then added the reserved Clam Juice.

Add the Coconut Milk (turn down heat to medium - once you add any milk - you don't want it to boil again)
Now start adding the flavorings. If you didn't add salt to the potatoes, add some here.
I typically use white pepper in my clam chowder.
I usually use about a teaspoon of Thyme but I felt the coconut flavor needed to be damped down - so add two tsps.
Add some Hot Sauce. Taste, Add more, Taste. Maybe two more drops.
Now add the clams.
Break up your bacon into bite-size or smaller pieces and add.

Stir.    Taste.    Might be thin.
To about 1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour (your choice of thickener), stir in water to mix, add to chowder to thicken.
Dollop of real butter.

Yum. Totally satisfied the craving.
And I minimized the allergen response.

• I typically can handle butter way better than milk, cream or cheeses.
•  I try to wash off the starch from the potatoes and this helps me. 
• Alternative flours in small bits are better than regular flours for me. But I typically do not eat any grains or legumes. This has helped to minimize my joint pain.
• Pork products tend to bother me but I don't have much problem with Voget's bacon - theorizing it's the nitrates/chemicals.
• Canned coconut milk is cheaper than the cardboard cartons in the refrigerated section which often have odd things added to keep the milk in suspension. Yes - I know that the cans leach a small amount of some plastic chemical but I haven't found a better solution other than moving to a fresh-coconut populated place.
• Seafood - some gives me problems -- so far, clams are still in.
• WORK is a four letter word.
• This was a really good recipe.