Ultimate Comfort Food

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Ann Lovejoy
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Nourishment At The Tail End Of Life

I recently moved my ailing mom into my bedroom suite and created a little bed-sit for myself in the connecting sun room. We both love our new nests, which are bright with southern light and lively with bird call and wind song. Very quickly, Mom’s situation changed yet again and she gratefully accepted the shift to a hospital bed that lifts her head for her without effort. It boasts a rhythmically swooshing mattress that fascinates my cat, Sophie, who spends a lot of time dozing with Mom, during as she rides the gentle waves.

Mom no longer eats more than a few mouthfuls, yet her pleasure in food in undiminished. Research shows that the first bite of anything is the most satisfying, and she seems to be getting maximum enjoyment from minimal input. Even when food is no longer really about nourishing the body, it can still nurture the person, and Mom still takes delight in her favorite comfort foods.

Offering Comfort With Every Bite

When the unwell are not able to eat much or often, every bite counts. Once restrictive diets no longer apply, all that matters is whether a given food is pleasurable or soothing. Happily, this often means offering small meals based on whole foods. Mom’s favorite lunch these days is a deviled egg, the yolk mashed with mayo and salt. It’s messy indeed, but she beams when a plump egg half is tucked into her hand. She also loves mashed potatoes, fresh apple sauce, popcorn, and chocolate ice cream bars, which are now a meal in themselves.

Since she can’t see much anymore, half the fun lies in explaining what she’ll be eating, so her imagination supplies all the savor that her tired tastebuds no longer sense. When chemo or other strong medications reduce the ability to taste food, appetites can retreat fast. To enhance the flavor of savory food, sprinkle a little sea salt or nutritional yeast on top. For sweet or savory liquids, add fresh lemon or lime juice. If sweetness is tolerated best, stir some maple syrup into anything at all.

Small Snacks And Soothers

These tiny not-quite-meals make for blissful mealtimes, and even a few bites can be utterly satisfying. End of life eating may be more about habit and socializing than nourishment in the traditional sense, so try anything that seems tempting and don’t worry about ‘balanced meals’ or what is supposed to be eaten when!

Cinnamon Toast

Fragrant and delicious, this childhood favorite is often a successful appetite tempter.

1 slice whole grain bread
2-3 teaspoons unsalted butter (soft)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

Lightly toast bread. Cream remaining ingredients, spread generously on bread and lightly toast again until bubbly and golden. Cut in quarters and serve. Serves 1-2.

Warm Apple Sauce

Comforting to a sore throat or an unhappy tummy.

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon or coriander
1 tablespoon Grade B maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and warm gently in the microwave (start at 30 seconds). Serve warm. Serves 1-2.

Ginger Tea

Excellent for reducing nausea.

1 tablespoon grated ginger root
2-3 teaspoons maple syrup or honey

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, remove from heat, add remaining ingredients, cover pan and steep for 5 minutes. Strain and serve plain or with honey (if liked). Makes 1 cup.

Chamomile Calmer

Fragrant, calming, and lovely at bedtime.

1 tablespoon chamomile flowers
or 2 chamomile tea bags
3-5 green cardamom pods

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, remove from heat, add remaining ingredients, cover pan and steep for 5 minutes. Strain and serve plain or with honey (if liked). Makes 2 cups.

Sleepytime Soother

For the lactose intolerant, make this comforting treat with rice, soy, almond, hazelnut, or oatmeal milk. If you choose vanilla flavored versions of these milk alternatives, just add a few grains of nutmeg, cinnamon, or cardamom.

4+ ounces milk (nonfat works fine)
1-2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
few drops vanilla or almond extract
few grains freshly grated nutmeg

Combine ingredients in a mug and heat in the microwave until hot (1-2 minutes). To make in a saucepan, combine milk and sweetener over medium low heat until hot (3-4 minutes). Stir in flavoring(s) and serve. Serves 1.

Italian Hot Chocolate

Italians love the combination of chocolate and hazelnuts, which they call ‘gianduia.’ Make your own in minutes with plain or vanilla flavored hazelnut milk.

1 tablespoon water
1-2 teaspoons dark cocoa powder
1-3 teaspoons honey OR sugar
1 cup hazelnut milk

Combine water, cocoa powder, and sweetener in a mug and heat in the microwave until hot (about 30 seconds). Stir well, add hazelnut milk and heat again until hot (1-2 minutes). To make in a saucepan, combine water, cocoa powder and sweetener over medium low heat until hot (1 minute). Stir in milk, heat through and serve. Serves 1.

Restless Night Blues Beaters

When you can’t sleep, nights can seem endless. Here are some suggestions from Harmony Hill Cancer Retreat participants:

Make toast and jam and read Victorian poetry.
Say a ‘blessing alphabet’, working from A-Z with as many examples for each letter as you can find.
A hot bath with lavender oil.
Hot cinnamon toast and chamomile tea!
Take a 3 A.M. mini-vacation with soothing music, a foot rub, or a gentle face massage with scented lotion.
Sing all your favorite hymns or songs.
Read a Russian novel (it will put you out in minutes).
Other reading suggestions include: “Anything by Jane Austen.”
“War and Peace–it’s SO DULL!”  “I swear by Shogun–the best part is, it doesn’t matter where you start or stop!

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Fresh Food With A French Twist

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Ann Lovejoy
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Fabulous French Takes On Gardenly Meals

Recently, I’ve been delightedly cooking from a reprint of a classic cookbook called Simple French Food. While not well known to the general public, the author, Richard Olney, was extremely influential among chefs and cooking gurus in his time (mainly the 60s and 70s). It’s well written, chatty, didactic, and lively with ‘tude, and it’s also reflective of the many years Olney spent in a small village in Provence, where he lived from his mid-twenties on.

Like most classic cookbooks, it’s meat-heavy, but vegetables are treated with loving respect (Olney says that broad beans “provide one of the most heavenly of all vegetable purees,” for instance). I’ve tried a bunch of the recipes and my favorites are water-based soups that have the clean, fresh taste of vegetables, not heavy or greasy with stock or broth. I almost always prefer soups that are made this way, because they let the true garden flavors sing.

Fabulous & Fast French Soup

I’m stuck on this simple version of French potato leek soup, which is totally delicious, fast-cooking, simple, and can easily be made vegan to boot. Nearly all potato leek soup recipes are heavy on the butter, milk, and/or cream, but Olney claims that that would very much surprise French cooks whose home style version is nearly dairyless. He does use a bit of butter to finish his soup, but the vegan version below is equally wonderful and mildly addictive. That may be why it’s served nightly in many working class French homes; it’s exceptionally tasty, cheap, easy to make, and cooks quickly while you enjoy a glass of wine.

Best Ever Potato Leek Soup

Avocado oil gives this vegan dish a rich, buttery flavor that’s especially satisfying, but a fruity olive oil works fine as well. Once you try this, you may never crave the greasy stuff again!

Vegan French Potato Leek Soup

1+ teaspoon sea salt
3 fat leeks, thinly sliced (white and pale green parts only)
3-4 medium potatoes, quartered and sliced
1-2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
few grinds pepper

Combine 2 quarts of water with the salt and bring to a brisk boil. Add leeks and potatoes and cook until potatoes are quite tender but still mostly intact (30-40 minutes). Add oil, taste for salt, and serve, with a bit of freshly ground pepper. Serves 4.

Grape Harvester’s Soup

Another summer’s end recipe is also irresistible in its vegan form, and can be tinkered with to suit your family’s preferences. I first tasted this soup in Provence when I helped harvest grapes with a group of Italian students (many, many years ago). To me, the most enchanting part was dumping my just-picked buckets of grapes into the side baskets of a pale grey donkey that wore its flower-decked straw hat with insouciant elegance.

Vegan Hearty Tomato Soup

1/4 cup fruity olive oil
3 large onions, thinly sliced
1+ teaspoon sea salt
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup
1/2 cup dry white OR red wine
6 cups boiling water
4 slices of crusty bread, toasted

Put oil in a soup pan over medium low heat, add onions and salt and cook until soft and golden (15-20 minutes). Stir in garlic, tomatoes and sugar or maple syrup and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine, increase heat to medium high and cook until wine is reduced by half. Add boiling water, reduce heat to low and simmer for 40-60 minutes. Break a piece of toast into each of four bowls, fill with soup and serve. Serves 4.

French Lentil Soup

Proper cooking makes a big difference here; overcooked lentils make a not-very-nice mush, while perfectly cooked ones are meltingly tender and flavorful. Roasted, lightly caramelized cauliflower adds depth and savory yumminess, as does a little goat cheese (just leave it out if you don’t do dairy).

French Lentil Soup With Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, cut in small florets
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 cups French lentils, rinsed and drained
1 onion, chopped
1 fat carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon stemmed thyme
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup stemmed parsley
1/4 cup fresh goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rub a rimmed baking sheet with oil, add cauliflower and toss gently to coat. Bake at 400 until edges are crispy and lightly caramelized (40-45 minutes), set aside. Meanwhile, put lentils in a soup pot with 6 cups water and the onion, carrot, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf (if using) and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook until tender but intact (40-50 minutes), skim off foam, add salt and paprika to taste. Put a cup of roasted cauliflower in each of 4 soup bowls, add soup and serve, garnished with parsley and goat cheese (if using). Serves 4.

Bon appetite!

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Feasting On Fall Mushrooms

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Ann Lovejoy
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Savoring Woodland Treats

As soon as the refreshing rains return, woodland mushrooms are right behind them. Both white and pale golden, apricot scented chanterelles are inspiring a series of mushroom-centered dishes this week, from yummy breakfast omelets to hearty dinner casseroles. My hot mushroom sandwich has also proven popular in several versions, especially the Hot Brown (my particular favorite, this week, anyway).

However, I’ve also learned that over-indulging in mushrooms can cause digestive disturbance. While mushrooms are high in many healthful nutrients, from vitamins to protein, many fungi are also high in hard-to-digest cellulose and mycochitin. Indeed, most raw mushrooms are all-but-indigestible for humans. Uncooked mycochitin in particular can trigger notable and even dangerous digestive issues for people with IBS and other digestive difficulties.

Cook Them Well

Other biochemicals found in raw mushrooms include hydrazines, which are thought to be carcinogenic. Fortunately, they are heat sensitive, so cooking eliminates them, and also breaks down the mycochitin. Thus, careful cooking is especially important when mushrooms are included in a dish.

If mushrooms give you digestive problems, you may be sensitive to mycochitin and/or other biochemicals. Thorough cooking may resolve that problem, but you may also need to limit your exposure to cooked mushrooms and avoid raw mushrooms entirely. That said, mushrooms are in good company even here, since other foods that also give those with sensitive tummies trouble include broccoli, onions, garlic, cabbage and tomatoes, all super foods with multiple health benefits to balance the possible problems. All these foods are most digestible when cooked, so when in doubt, cook them well or leave them out!

Fresh Pasta With Leeks and Mushrooms

10-12 ounces fresh pasta (any)
1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 leeks, chopped (light green and white parts only)
1 teaspoon stemmed fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups chanterelles or any mushrooms, sliced in ribbons
2 teaspoons drained capers
1/2 cup organic cream
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

In a wide shallow pan, heat oil and butter over medium high heat. Add leeks, sprinkle with thyme and salt and cook until tender (8-10 minutes). While it cooks, cook pasta according to package directions. Add mushrooms and capers to the leeks, reduce heat to medium, cover pan and cook until soft (8-10 minutes). Add cream and season to taste with paprika. Serve hot over pasta. Serves 4.

This next dish features the most insanely delicious carrots I’ve ever eaten, leading to spoon fights amongst those who were intent on hogging all the crispy topping. Perhaps your family will be better behaved…

Mushroom Casserole With Caramelized Carrots

1/2 cup short grain brown rice
2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups sliced white or brown onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup very thinly sliced slim carrots
1 teaspoon fennel seed
2 tablespoons kalamata olives, chopped
4 cups sliced chanterelles or any mushrooms
Kernels cut from 1 ear fresh corn
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour (or any)
1-1/2 cups dry white wine or vegetable broth

Cook rice according to package directions. While it cooks, heat half the oil and half the butter in a saute pan over medium low heat. Add half the onions, half the garlic, and half the salt and cook until tender (10-12 minutes). Stir in carrots, reduce heat to low and cook until caramelized (20-30+ minutes). Meanwhile, combine remaining oil and butter in a larger pan with remaining onion, garlic, salt, fennel seed, and olives over medium high heat and cook until tender (10-12 minutes). Add corn and rosemary, cover pan and cook until heated through. Stir in flour, then slowly stir in wine or broth, stirring often as mixture thickens. Layer rice and vegetable mixture into a casserole dish, ending with a rice layer. Top with caramelized carrots and bake at 350 degrees F. until bubbling (25-30 minutes). Serves 4-6.

Creamy Mushroom Omelet With Pumpkin Seeds

1 teaspoon safflower or avocado oil
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 cups sliced portobello or chanterelle mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup fresh goat cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds

In an omelet or frying pan, heat oil and butter over medium heat.  Add green onions, mushrooms, and salt and cook until soft (6-8 minutes). Pour in egg mixture and swirl to coat pan. Shake pan lightly, then gently pull back cooked eggs with a spatula to allow runny, uncooked portion to run underneath the cooked part. When center of omelet is lightly set (1-2 minutes), sprinkle with goat cheese and pumpkin seeds, reduce heat to low, cover pan and cook for 1 minute. Gently fold omelet in half, slide onto a plate, and serve warm. Serves 2
    
Veggie Hot Brown Sandwich

1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 ripe tomato, thickly sliced
freshly ground pepper
2 slices whole grain bread
2-3 ounces sliced extra sharp cheddar cheese (or any)

In a frying pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and cook until soft (10-12 minutes). Sprinkle tomato slices with salt and pepper, set aside. Toast bread, cover with sliced cheese and toast again until slightly melted. Top each piece of toast with sliced tomatoes and mushroom mixture and serve hot. Serves at least one.

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Roasting The Garden

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Ann Lovejoy
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From Peaches To Tomatoes

Eastern Washington peaches are amazingly delicious this year, and I feel blessed to be gifted with a dozen fat, juicy ones that were utterly ripe and a further dozen that were still on the green side. After making a delectable tart, some conserves, and chutney, I decided to roast the remainder. I know grilled peaches have their fans, but roasting in a rimmed pan keeps all those lush juices in play and the result can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.

Recent rains and wild winds brought me a great tumble of green tomatoes along with a big basketful of ripe ones. The ripe ones went into salads and fresh pasta sauce that freezes beautifully. I also made some green tomato pickles, one of my favorite condiments, and saved the rest for slow roasting, which brings out the latent sweetness in pretty much anything.

Roasted Peaches

1 tablespoon avocado oil
4 skinned, thickly sliced very firm peaches
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
OR
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Gently rub peach slices with oil and place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and bake until slightly caramelized (20-25 minutes), stirring once or twice. Season to taste with either option or serve as is. Makes about 4 cups. Leftovers freeze beautifully.

End Of Summer Chutneys

When ripe mangoes are scarce, I use dried mango “cheeks” instead. Soak the brittle slices in a little hot water until they plump up, then chop them into bite-sized bits before stirring them into the chutney.

Peach & Mango Chutney

1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 large onions, halved and thickly sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups chopped firm peaches
2 cups peeled, chopped fresh or dried mango
2-3 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup apple cider vinegar

In a deep saucepan, heat oil with onions, garlic, pepper flakes and sea salt over medium high heat until barely soft (3-5 minutes). Add remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, until soft and thick (45-60 minutes). Bottle and seal as for jam or use fresh, refrigerating leftovers for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 4-5 cups.

Green Tomato Chutney

1 teaspoon avocado oil
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed
6 green cardamom pods
2 white or yellow onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 cups green tomatoes, coarsely chopped
I cup golden raisins
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar

In a deep pan, heat oil, seeds, and pods over medium high heat to the fragrance point (1-2 minutes).  Add onions, garlic, ginger, and salt and cook for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and raisins and cook until soft (10-15 minutes). Add vinegar and sugar and cook for 20 minutes. Remove green cardamom pods, pour chutney into sterilized jars and seal. Makes about 5 cups.

Preserving Ripe Tomatoes  

Home grown tomatoes often ripen in a rush, leaving the cook with a pantry full of produce that won’t wait. While drying or canning are the usual methods, I’ve had good luck freezing roasted tomatoes for up to three months, especially when prepared without seasonings that can develop off-flavors in the freezer.

Roasted Reds

2 quarts medium red tomatoes, cut in half
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Rub each tomato, (skin side only) with oil, then place them cut-side-down in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees F until soft and edges are lightly caramelized (about an hour). Pack in jars as is and seal or puree first for a smoother sauce. Freeze for up to 3 months (use straight-sided jars and leave an inch of head room). Makes about 4 cups.

A Family Favorite Pasta Sauce

Thawed or just made, pureed Roasted Reds are luscious in Spunky Red Sauce, which tastes like you spent hours making it but cooks up in minutes. Serve over pasta, quinoa, or rice and prepare to receive complements.

Spunky Red Sauce

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small carrot, coarsely grated
2 cups ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 cups pureed roasted tomatoes (thawed if frozen)
2 teaspoons capers, drained

In a sauce pan, heat oil, garlic, onion, salt and paprika over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add olives and cook for 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and cook until barely tender (3-4 minutes). Add chopped tomatoes, bring to a simmer, add roasted tomato puree and capers, bring to a simmer and serve at once over pasta or rice. Serves 4. Some plate licking may be involved…

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