Holiday Food For Those Who Can’t Partake

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Ann Lovejoy
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Cooking Kindly For the Unwell

Though traditionally a time of convivial gatherings and happy feasting, holidays can be hard on those who can’t fully participate. Dietary restrictions, mobility limitations, depression, accidents and other traumas can occur at any time of year, but inabilities may seem more distressing when they bump into expectations about how life should be. This year our social circle includes a number of folks who are not able to enter into festivities as they might wish and I’ve been asked to help devise food that tastes great while meeting a variety of nutritional and physical needs.

Fortunately, I really enjoy this kind of challenge, perhaps because I too have spent a few encumbered holidays. One year, I fractured my jaw a few weeks before Christmas, so when I learned that a dear friend’s face was damaged by an unproved random attack, I was able to offer to make and supply recipes for very soft and/or liquifiable versions of a wide range of holiday treats.

Make It Pretty & Practical

Those no longer able to eat solids will also enjoy these foods, which can be garnished and presented in attractive small dishes. Getting a plateful of slops is never appealing, but little custard cups and ramekins (hopefully all different), decorated with a sprig of mint. a twist or citrus, a scattering of grated cheese, or toasted bread crumbs can appear tasty and choice.

If handling implements is challenging, almost anything from soups to smoothies can be served in a heavy goblet or a pretty wine glass. Several stroke sufferers I know cheerfully drink from kids’ sippy cups, which come in many sizes and colors these days. There are even pottery coffee cup versions with heat resistant, washable sippy caps that are terrific for hot liquids. I found several good-sized baby spoons with looped handles that are less awkward to use than straight handled flatware for those with uncertain grips or pronounced hand tremors.

Cover All The Bases

It’s easy to focus on main dishes, and many desserts are not difficult  to re-think, but it’s important to keep something fresh in our daily diets, no matter how restricted. When I was on a liquid diet, I soon craved fresh greens above everything else. After being given a sadly icky “salad soup” that was pureed with a heavy dressing, I figured out that I could coarsely puree lettuces, kale, arugula, and other greens with a variety of liquids, from V-8 juice or buttermilk to vegetable broth or plain water. Though some food elements proved too intrusive in flavor when pureed (notably radishes), I could easily add some softer vegetables like tomatoes and green onions as well as sectioned and peeled citrus, fresh basil, or a bit of thyme.

Instead of cooking more solid vegetables to mush, steam them lightly, then chop finely or puree lightly so there is still a bit of texture without being too difficult to chew. You can use a blender or a food processor to puree and liquify, but my own favorite tool is an immersion blender that you can stick right into a pot of hot soup, rather than transferring hot stuff to a machine. They are also very easy to clean (just dip it in hot soapy water and buzz for a few seconds), a serious bonus! Fresh fruit can of course be pureed into a smoothie with any number of liquids, from real dairy to nut- and grain-based “milks”, but so can vegetables. My kids are fond of blending kale, spinach, and/or bok choy with yogurt and frozen blueberries or raspberries, for instance.

Vegan Green Salad Soup

3 cups mixed greens
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/2-1 teaspoon dressing (any kind)
1/4 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1 cup vegetable juice blend

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree to a coarse slush. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes about 12 ounces (1 serving).

Savory Salad Smoothie

2 cups mixed greens
1 cup shredded kale
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1-2 teaspoons chopped walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon shredded Asiago or any hard cheese
1/2-1 teaspoon vinaigrette
2 cups plain yogurt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree to a coarse slush. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes about 2 cups (1-2 servings).

Converting Entrees To Slurry Or Soup

Some folks can’t swallow watery liquids but can easily swallow anything that has enough mouth feel. Others may need thicker slurries, while some can handle coarse purees that have more texture. The consistency you aim for will depend on each person’s ability to swallow, but basically, you can make a soup-like version of almost anything.

True, roast chicken or beef are not easily converted unless you have a baby food grinder, but cooked ground meats are generally easy to puree. When converting a portion of, say, lasagna to puree, avoid an excess of noodles, and add a bit more pasta sauce or bechamel or whatever you used in the casserole to thin the solids appropriately. Often, a little broth will yield a more pleasant effect than thicker sauces, which can make for a gummy result.

Brownie & Cookie Ice Cream

Soft brownies may be workable for some folks, but if not, you can make a delicious ice cream version by gently blending brownie crumbs into softened ice cream, which can then be put back into the freezer to set more firmly before serving. The very tasty gluten free brownie mix made by King Arthur works really well for this, and the brownies freeze beautifully too. Any favorite holiday cookie can be similarly treated as well.

Healthy Holiday Pudding

This recipe is amazingly delicious and if you don’t tell, nobody will ever guess how it’s made. For smoothest results, always use boxed silken tofu (other kinds can have a grainy mouth feel). For more holiday flair, serve with whipped cream and a minced candied cherry (if that qualifies as a treat).

High Protein Chocolate Pudding

12 ounces firm silken tofu
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/3-1/2 cup sugar OR maple syrup to taste
Small pinch sea salt (optional)
whipped cream (optional)
1-2 candied cherries, minced (optional)

Combine in a food processor and puree until smooth.  Adjust flavorings to taste and chill for an hour or overnight. Blend whipped cream with minced cherries if using. Serve cold or at room temperature. Serves 4-6.

Panettone Bread Pudding

This Italian classic treat is best made a day ahead and refrigerated, unbaked, until all the bread is totally soft and saturated with milk. You can use any kind of nut- or grain-based “milk” but egg substitutes don’t really work very well here. The result is a light, puffy pudding that’s crispy on top but moist and very soft on the inside, so serve folks the bits they can handle best.

Italian Christmas Pudding

20 ounces Italian panettone bread, in 1-inch cubes
6 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup (5.25 oz) sugar
1-1/2 cups (12 oz) heavy cream
1-1/2 cups (12 oz) milk
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
powdered XXX sugar

Put cubed panettone in a large baking dish, set aside. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, cream, milk, and vanilla and pour over the bread. Chill for 2-24 hours (overnight is good) then preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake for 30 minutes, rotate pan and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until set and golden. When slightly warm, dust with powdered sugar. Serves 8-12.

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Simple Gifts From The Garden

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Ann Lovejoy
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Take Tender Care Of Skin & Hair

If family and friends complain of winter dry skin, take heart. You can quickly and easily create soothing skin and hair care products that make lovely, welcome gifts for the sufferers. Dry, over-heated air is the usual culprit, especially where heat is provided by forced air. However, those of us who keep gardening despite the weather can also develop chapped faces and hands as well as dry hair. Since our skin is our largest organ and the first line of defense against all manner of environmental challenges, it’s both wise and kind to keep it as healthy as possible.

Fortunately, our gardens and kitchens contain natural ingredients that can ease discomfort and help heal dried out hair and skin. These easily made body care items are pleasant to use and far better for our precious bodies than most commercial products, many of which contain actively harmful elements. (Isn’t that kind of amazing, really?). Package them in squeeze bottles or small canning jar with screw-on tops for ease of use (the tiny quarter- or half-cup ones are great for skin creams and conditioners). These are fun to make with kids as well, and make lovely gifts from a child to a relative or friend.

What’s In That Shampoo and Conditioner?

The distressing truth is that many common ingredients in shampoos and conditioners are genuinely harmful to our health. Since our skin is also our most absorbent organ, whatever we put on our skin and scalp is taken into the body very efficiently. Read a few labels closely (a horrifying experience, sadly) and you’ll quickly see the benefit and value of organic skin and hair care products.

If you still prefer to purchase hair care products rather than make your own, always read the label carefully. Choose products made only with organic ingredients and avoid products that contain known carcinogens such as sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), parabens, formaldehyde, and DEA, MEA or TEA, as well as hazardous materials such as polyethylene glycol.

Healing Kitchen Cupboard Ingredients

The good news is that some of the wholesome, healing ingredients in your pantry work equally well for food and body care. Virgin olive oil is not only anti-inflammatory and cholesterol lowering, it can also do wonders for your skin and hair. After soaking your feet in warm water, massage them with virgin olive oil, then slip on warm socks. Olive oil smoothes rough skin on hands and elbows and makes an enriching conditioner for dry hair.

Rich in antioxidants, virgin coconut oil is similarly healing for skin, melting quickly at body temperature to make a light, easily absorbed oil that can be used on your face and body. Rub some on your hands, then run your fingers through your hair to give it a healthy sheen and combat dryness. Virgin coconut oil can also be used in this paraben-free deodorant that can be lightly scented with essential oils.

Coconut Oil Deodorant

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil (solid)
1/3 cup organic tapioca starch
2 tablespoons baking soda
4-6 drop pure essential oil (optional)

Warm oil in a glass bowl over hot water until it melts, then stir in other ingredients until well blended. Pour into a small jar (I use half-cup canning jars), let cool and cover tightly. To use, lightly massage 1 teaspoonful into each armpit after bathing.

Super Natural Hair Care

Winter dry hair can feel stiff and look dull and brittle. To revitalize it, use this mild, castile-based shampoo and rinse hair well. Wet hair completely before adding shampoo, and rinse for several minutes after shampooing. Gently massage your scalp (fingertips only; no nails) as you wash and rinse your hair. This increases blood circulation and unclogs sebaceous glands, both of which improves hair health and appearance. Gently towel hair dry, then let air dry completely. Use an olive oil conditioner weekly until hair luster is restored, then monthly or as needed.

This super-soft shampoo does wonders for dry hair, eliminating dandruff and itchy scalps. It also adds body to thin hair and is especially helpful during and after chemo treatments.

Lovely Homemade Shampoo

1 cup liquid castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner’s)
1 tablespoon organic cider vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup water

Combine in a bottle with a flip-top or squirt nozzle. Shake gently, apply 1-2 teaspoons to wet hair and work in well; mixture will be rich and very lathery. Rinse thoroughly while massaging scalp. Hair will not be “squeaky clean” because the natural oils will not be stripped out (so you may not need to use conditioner as often). Don’t worry; when toweled dry, hair feels soft and is not at all sticky.

Rosemary & Lavender Shampoo

1/3 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons dried lavender blossoms
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary sprigs
1 cup liquid castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner’s)
1 tablespoon organic cider vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Pour boiling water into a glass bowl with herbs and steep, covered with a plate, until cool. Strain liquid, adding water if needed to make 1/3 cup, and proceed as above.

Olive Oil and Honey Conditioner

2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey

Combine ingredients in a glass bowl and warm gently over hot water, stirring well to blend. Work into through damp hair, gently massaging your scalp. Wrap your head with a hot (old) towel or wear a shower cap  while you relax or take a bath for 20-30 minutes. Wash with gentle shampoo and rinse well.

Olive Oil Conditioner With Lavender and Rosemary

2 tablespoons rosemary, snipped
2 tablespoons lavender (fresh or dried)
1 cup virgin olive oil

In a saucepan, combine rosemary and lavender with 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil, remove from heat and steep for 15-30 minutes. Strain liquid, pressing herbs firmly, combine in a food processor or blender with olive oil and blend well. To use, shake mixture well, then put 1/4 cup of it in a glass bowl over hot water and warm to wrist temperature. Comb through damp hair, wrap head with a hot (old) towel or shower cap and relax for 20-30 minutes. Shampoo hair with gentle shampoo and rinse well.

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Homemade Gnocchi

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Ann Lovejoy
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Italian Potato Dumplings

A millions years ago, I studied cooking in Italy with a fantastic cook called Signora Savino. Her kitchen was extremely simple but she turned out an incredible range of delicacies, including hand rolled pasta you could read through. Her long, narrow work table had a built-in slot for her rolling pin, exactly as wide as the table, and she rolled each blob of pasta into a perfect rectangle before cutting it into shapes with various ancient-looking tools.

One of my favorite Savino dishes is gnocchi, a delectable Italian potato dumpling. Light, fluffy and adorably curly, gnocchi are also the perfect foil for many savory sauces. There are quite a few gnocchi recipes that use flour only, but I find the potato-based kind the most tender and flavorful. To get the texture right, it’s important to use baking potatoes, not waxy fingerlings or little boilers.

Potato Gnocchi

4 pounds Russet or any baking potatoes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3-1/2 cup unbleached white flour

Boil the potatoes whole and unpeeled in salted water until fork tender (about 30 minutes). Drain them, peel them, and mash gently with the salt until smooth. When room temperature, stir in the egg, then add flour 1-2 tablespoons at a time until a soft dough forms. Take pieces the size of a satsuma and roll them into sticks about as wide as your pointer finger. Chop the sticks into inch-long bits, then working on a lightly floured surface, give each one a tiny tug, pressing down while pulling forward with a flick of your finger, which makes them curl just a bit. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and drop in gnocchi a handful at a time. First they sink, then they bob up to the top, when you scoop them out with a slotted spoon and put them into a buttered dish in a warm oven. When all are cooked, serve them with sauce and grated cheese. Bliss! Serves 4.

Pronto Pasta Sauce

Easy and quickly made, this full bodied sauce tastes like it simmered all day. Rich with chopped olives, it’s bold enough to satisfy hearty eaters even when your main dish is meatless. Serve over gnocchi, ravioli, or penne, garnished with fresh parsley and grated Pecorino cheese. To give sauces extra depth and richness, add a spoonful of minced olives to sautéing onions, garlic, shallots or leeks.

Signora Savino also taught me that REAL olives–not the nasty black-dyed ones sold in cans–add immeasurable richness to a zillion dishes. For extra zing, garnish pasta dishes with whole, garlic-stuffed olives. Slice a few brine-cured nicoise olives into mushroom dishes for a delicious flavor boost. Sliver bold kalamatas lengthwise and toss with roasted Brussels sprouts and cranberries…ahhh!

Italian Rich Pasta Sauce

1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seed
6-8 pitted Kalamata or Italian olives, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
5 cups (2 cans) diced fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup dry red wine
4 cups tomato sauce

In a large pan, combine oil, garlic, and fennel seed and cook over medium high heat to the fragrance point (about 1 minute). Add olives and cook for 2 minutes. Add onions and celery and cook until soft (5-7 minutes). Add diced tomatoes, red wine, and tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over ravioli, gnocchi, or spaghetti, with grated cheese on the side. Serves 4-6.

Brilliant Squash Boats

This is an amazing dish for all its simplicity. The hot tangerine sections burst into bright sweetness, offsetting the tart cranberries, along with the lush Delicata squash, so tender, you can eat them skins and all. This makes a perfect counterpoint for savory dishes of almost any kind.

Sweet-Tart Winter Squash

2 Delicata squash
1 cup cranberries
1 cup fennel, finely chopped
1 large tangerine or 2 satsumas, sectioned
pinch smoked Malden sea salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut each squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds. Place squash cut-side-up in a baking pan. Fill each squash cavity with 1/4 cup each of cranberries and fennel. Add tangerine or satsuma sections, sprinkle with salt and bake, uncovered at 350 degrees until soft (40-50 minutes). Serve hot. Serves four.

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Illuminating The Winter Garden

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Ann Lovejoy
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Ice Blossoms & Snow Candles

The recent ice, wind, and snow left many gardens looking battered and worn. I spent several days removing large broken branches from my home garden and at the library gardens, which were both deeply littered with fallen limbs. The good news is that some of what blew down will make wonderful holiday wreaths and swags. Many of the evergreen branches were heavy with cones, which give holiday decor an appealingly natural look.

I also found lots of mossy twigs, some with several kinds of lichens woven in. On my birthday, a small piece fell just in front of my as I was walking in the woods, and it was so beautiful I had to bring it home. About two inches long, it has no fewer than six distinct kinds of lichen and moss, all in soft browns and silvery grey-greens. After a few days, it tarted to dry up, so I put it on my back porch and it bounced back into lushness. I’d love to make a fiber-arts version, and am sorting scraps of fabric and yarn to play with during winter break.

Winter In Willow

I’m also playing with ice flowers, since the cold just keeps on coming. A dear gardening friend who lives in Willow, Alaska is an incredible gardener and garden artist who revels in his plants. In deep winter, In winter, his garden lies under a deep blanket of snow that can reach six or eight or ten feet. Indoors, Les gets ready for spring by covering every available surface with seed trays of delphiniums and hollyhocks and dozens of vivid annuals. By February, he sometimes can’t even find the table top anymore and every meal becomes a picnic.

Outside, Les makes ice flowers. He carves and sculpts slabs of colored ice into floral shapes, some simple, some intricate. Many are tinted with food coloring in vivid or subtle colors. All are lit from within by candles and small flashlights, giving them a soft glow that lit up the dark Alaskan day like stars. The result is sheer magic. Now, Les opens the winter garden to tours to benefit the local library and several organizations that help kids in need. As the days grew darker and longer, more and more people come to see the lovely lights and revel in the transformational experience.

Smoke And Mirrors

It’s rarely cold enough for ice flowers around here, yet the idea of bringing light and reflections into the winter garden is an excellent one. One of my favorite holiday gifts was a set of Mexican red clay lanterns that hold fat, long burning candles. Set about the garden, these provide a soft, flickering illumination that glimmers off the glossy surfaces of glazed pots and containers.

Garden mirrors also bounce light into dark places beautifully. I like to use them in  unexpected places, where they surprise us with a glimpse of light that pierces the winter gloom. In a former garden, a battered old thrift shop mirror hung from a tree in a dim woodland part of the garden, where it shimmered like lost water amid the shadows. Another in a marvelously tacky gilded frame was tastefully tucked under the porch steps, where turned the deep recess into a grotto and illuminated a collection of weird rocks and glass baubles.

Water Of Life

Real water reflects light best of all and has the power of a natural force as well. Hollow stones full of water bring birds for daily bathing and capture the flow of clouds across the ragged sky when not in active use. Water jars do the same thing, of course, but because they are vulnerable to winter frosts, ceramic pots and containers are best saved for summer.

Every garden is livelier for the presence of water. The easiest way to bring water into the garden is to add a winter-proof birdbath. This also attracts the birds, of course, which can make for a lot of exciting action in a previously quiet corner of the yard. If the birds don’t find their new bath right away, try scattering a handful of apples around its base. Many birds love to eat apples and will flock to the food en route to the water. It’s especially important to give birds water in freezing weather, when I often change the water bowl several time a day.

Snow Balls And Glow Balls

My grandson is just learning about Christmas and loves for me to read holiday books. One family favorite is Christmas in Noisy Village, one of several Noisy Village books by Astrid Lindgren. The wonderful illustrations show children putting out fat sheaves of wheat for the birds, and heaping little pyramids of snowballs over candles to shine softly as they sing carols at night. Whenever it snows enough, I make a snowball pyramid on my garden bird table, with a little battery-powered “candle” tucked inside. It remains an enchanting sight to me and I hope Granny’s snowlights will be part of my grandson’s fondly recollections as well.

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