Lentil nostalgia

OneMoreBite received an email a few days ago from the entertaining reporter of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.  Not sure how she found me, but my instincts tell me that learning how to use google keywords payed off. 

She is running an article on summer entertaining and was looking for some delicious recipes to share.  I submitted an ol' standby, and struggled to quantify the ingredients as I so often throw things together. I call these recipes "fridge clean-outs."  This combination was taught to me by a dear friend who introduced me to the wonders of lentils.  To top it off, you can buy Montana grown lentils around town.  Woot woot!

None the less, this is a great summer salad.  It can introduce lentils to your bean-fearing friends, and is a light, healthy addition to those delicious (yet meaty) patties that come off the grill. 

Summer Lentil Salad
2 1/4 cups (1 lb) Timeless brand black beluga lentils (Montana grown)
1 medium red onion, diced
1 large tomato, seeded and diced (Three Hearts Farm grows amazing tomatoes)
1/2 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
8 oz. Amalthelia goat feta, crumbled.

Dressing:
2 T. dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Rinse lentils well and drain. Place lentils in pot and cover with at least 3 inches of water.  Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.  Check lentils after 15 minutes, and cook until just tender.  Do not overcook. Rinse lentils under cold water to stop the cooking process and drain well.

While lentils are simmering, place ingredients for the dressing in a small glass jar and shake to combine.     Combine cooked lentils with the remaining ingredients. Tastes best when cooled in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Smitten with Rhubarb

Lots and lots of things happened in my kitchen last weekend.  It all started with finally catching up with one of my favorite blogs.  I met (virtually) the blogs author through an email reference for a nanny gig in Costa Rica. I took the job, and a year later moved to her hometown.  During that year abroad, I also met her father, but never her!  Someday we'll meet in non-digital terms, I just know it. 

So she has mentioned the food blog Smitten Kitchen a few times.  I had heard of it before, but like I really need another food blog to obsesses over?  Apparently so.    Late Friday afternoon, I decided that picking wild rhubarb from my friend's yard would count as working out.  3 hours of chopping and washing later, I had a severe case of knife hand.

I started out with the rhubarb snaking cake late Friday night.  It turned out to be so well written you can even make it after a few Friday night beers with friends.  I ate 25% of the cake before deciding to give the rest away... wouldn't want to ruin that Friday afternoon workout.  The rhubarb harvest also produced 5 jars of chutney, 17 pounds of frozen chunks, and 4 cups of stewed fruit with cherries.  So yum over ice cream.

Yesterday I went to town with the broccoli fritters and pizza crust.  I CANT STOP. 
So E.B... thanks.  Let your Dad know that my rhubarb chutney would go great with some Montana game.

Three Hearts Goodness!

Our first CSA started last Tuesday.  For those of you new to this jargon, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  Basically, you invest in a local farmer and in exchange receive a bounty of fresh product every week.  You can find one in your area here.  Not only do you enjoy the tasty and fresh produce, participating in a CSA keeps money in your community and support farmers who grow FOOD (not commodities or mono-crops) without the use of chemicals.  We chose Three Hearts Farm because their tomatoes are the best in the valley, and because I can pick it up each week at the Bogert Farmer's Market.

Although a neighborhood bunny has already been enjoying our chard, we hope for another bountiful harvest from our own garden this year. So, in order to not overload our fridge with greens, we decided to split our CSA with friends.

This week's basket included a pound of arugula and braising greens, mustard greens, radishes, kale, and Chinese cabbage.  Farmer Dylan suggesting using the cabbage leaves as wraps.  Combining Wednesday night culinary forces, Suzanne and I assembled a hodgepodge of baked tofu, grilled teryaki chicken, grated carrots, avocado, buckwheat noodles, sprouts, cucumber and sauces.  Yum yum, and oh so fresh.  And, like Suzanne commented, CSA's open up your food eyes to new and exciting possibilities.

Girls, girls, GIRLS.

School is over, and finally I've gotten back into my favorite summer happenings.  Gardening, deep cleaning, farmers marketing, and girl time have all crept back into my life... horray!

Last Sunday I had a lovely brunch with my lovely friend Susie.  After, we spend the rainy afternoon digesting the giant plates of lamb and prosciutto omelets and watching episodes of Portlandia (fun but creepy). If you look at her fabulous website, you can see the posh BonTon Loft where she lives.  Such a perfect spot for girl time.

 Monday evening was spent sipping basil-muddled vodka cocktails on the green lawn of my friend Shelbadawn.  Fresh spring rolls followed, along with our usual idealistic plans of building compost bins and planting fruit trees.  

Oh, and I also spent a killer weekend post-Thailand "cleanse" with my lady Jonna in San Fran.  So much good produce there I could have exploded.  Also ate some amazing Lavender Shortbread, summer project!

So, girl reference number 3, no food involved.  Have you seen or heard of this new HBO show GIRLS?  Some say its the new, younger version of "Sex and the City"... and I say it's the more realistic and clever version without the heavy emphasis on heels and blow jobs.  I've really been enjoying its realistic portrayal of life in your late 20's.  They've tackled real issues such as HPV, awkward texting, and real friendship drama.  It's also written and directed by the shows star, Lena Dunham.    I give it 3 spatulas up.

Cookbooks galore

Shockingly, I finished my first non-academic book and have opened number two.  Ok ok, so it's my fourth book on food waste and garbage but who's counting?  My time abroad has taught me to live with less, and now that I'm doing my thesis work on composting and food waste, I've gotten a bit out of control with my obsession.  Our friends are having a garage sale next weekend and although it appears we have little to sell, we do.  If we don't use it, it's going.  An unused desk lamp, plastic mixing bowls, and non-functional dinner plates will all meet their fate.  However, I've met my match.

The cookbook shelf in our kitchen is packed full of my collection.  I've received some wonderful books as gifts and have acquired some amazing church cookbooks from my late Grandmother Hazel.  Last month at an end of the semester potluck I won a first edition 1961 New York Times cookbook.  There is something go great about them and they all tell an interesting story.  This one in particular falls open to certain pages that have been well used.  What did this cook like in particular on page 438? Was is the green mayonnaise or the mona lisa dressing?  Other books from my Grandmother have notes written in the margins which I adore.  Mine have also begun to tell stories themselves, like the spinach splattered pages of my Indian cookbook when a blender mishap caused a sprinkler-like affect of green.  Oops.

None the less, I can't part with them.  Even if I did, I'd try and compost the pages.

.... the photo above is our first tray of finished worm compost, the product of months of hard labor by our hundreds of little red worm children. Nice work guys, into the garden you go!

Thailand amoeba 1, Lizz 0

I am back in the States.  After being released from the hospital, I spent the next 4 days laying in a hotel/motel room trying to recover.  A rainstorm took out the electricity and plumbing one day and I spent the afternoon at our guide's home.  I tried to test the waters of the 116 degree heat index but was unable to brush off the nauseous and sick feeling.  Knowing my group was working in a school was not air conditioned and dealing with my unruly spleen (again), I made the very very difficult decision to come home to recover.  I have so much respect for all Peace Corps volunteers that have served in Asia... not only because of the heat, but also due to the lack of American cuisine that I longed for even after 10 days.  Not to say I didn't love the food and I didn't eat some amazing things.  I do not, however, want to see a side of white rice anytime soon. 

Amazing basil wrapped ginger slaw

Delicious, but so hot it made me cry

Chinese style dumplings

Thai hospital food

And this is what my breakfast looks like today.  I've spent yesterday afternoon and last night in the Chaing Mai hospital after an interesting night of stomach issues.  Enough said.  Most of yesterday was spent enjoying the cool tile floor of my bathroom at the Green Palace Hotel, but soon I realized that would not be enough to combat whatever demon had entered my body.

Our group was off visiting a National Park, so TukTuk arranged for a hospital car to come pick me up.  Can't say I smelled great.  I checked in and was wheeled into my room.  As soon as that IV was started I knew it was exactly what I needed.  The doctor (and my blood test) stated that I had picked up a bacterial infection from something.  Further tests of other bodily fluids will help reveal its origins.

The hospital culture in Thailand is interesting.  I've told 4 or 5 nurses my story and if I am allergic to medicine, etc.  When I was awoken at 6 am this morning for the same routine questions, I told the nurse I'd been asked them before.  She responded "Nurse not good at remembering details."  Fabulous.  Another pleasant surprise in the night was all the lights being turned on to take my blood pressure.  They were left on when the nurse was finished.  Awesome.

None the less, I am about ready to rock on out of here.  Luckily, no one else in our group is sick and they have all been incredibly supportive.  And, thanks to modern day wireless and skype, I've been able to connect with family at home.    The doc will come back in an hour to let me know my fate.  Fingers crossed I will be released today.  Thank goodness for travel insurance!

You like strong or soft?

Day One in Thailand is coming to a close.  I’ve already seen half of my colleagues naked, eaten my own weight in white rice, and made some new friends.  I am here with a group of Educators from Montana State who are hoping to set up a study abroad program for undergraduate education majors here in Naikon Sawan.  Our group consists of 3 faculty members, 1 Doctoral student, 2 graduate students, and an undergraduate music technology major.  Why they’ve asked a Sustainable Food Systems graduate (that’s me) to come along is still a mystery, but nonetheless I am happy to be in “the land of smiles.”

After 18 hours on 3 different airplanes, we arrived in Bangkok a bit after midnight.  No visa needed here.  In fact, forget to fill out the second sheet of your entry form?  No problem, head on in!    We hopped into a van with our driver named Tuk tuk and started the 4 hour journey north to Naikon Sawan.  We all crashed hard and met up this morning, using the “point and smile” menu technique to order our breakfast.  (Most of the menu was in Thai but included some stunning photos.) Some fared better than others. I was jealous I didn’t get the French fries with my fried rice and eggs.  Maybe tomorrow.

The head of this trip has been working with educators in Thailand for over 7 years.  Not surprisingly, he knows the good stuff. Like where to buy 3 kilos of delicious lychee fruit and the pleasures of Thai massage.  A sassy Thai woman named Kitty scheduled our group massages for the afternoon.  We arrived at the hotel and headed upstairs to the “spa”. Much to my surprise, we were rounded into a single room, which housed 8 different Thai massage mattresses.   The 7 of us were handed Thai style fishermen pants and a loose fitting button up shirt.  We looked around in confusion as to where we were meant to change.  The staff took this confusion as ignorance and began to show us how to wear the garments.  Sorry ladies, not the problem. 

The men left the room and in spite of the numerous mirrors overhead and being surrounded by strangers, I began to strip down.    A colleague Christine commented that without her advanced skills in sleeping bag changing, her quick and discreet change would not have been possible.  A few awkward minutes later, we began to relax.   The Thai women giving us the massages, however, enjoyed the horrendous Thai pop music being played on the flat screen in the corner and some of them loved to giggle.  They giggled a lot.  They giggled when we winced in pain and at Susan’s hairy legs.   They giggled at my tattoos and they giggled when I didn’t understand which way they wanted me to roll over. It sort of felt like an 8 year old girl’s slumber party.  Comfy clothes and lots of giggles.  All that was missing was a bowl of popcorn and a VHS cassette tape of The Little Mermaid.  Would I have guessed that seeing my professor’s middle aged bellies would happen on Day 1?  Don’t get my wrong, I loved it (the massage).  So relaxing.  And, it was an authentic Thai experience.  I think the end of the massage had 2 different paths the men could have chosen.  Luckily, we changed back into our "American" clothes and headed back into the crazy heat.

We are now in northern part of the country in a city called Chaing Mai.  More to come soon on riding elephants and street food.

Wait, it's May?

Oh blog.  You are still here, waiting patiently for me to finally have a moment to write.  Thanks for waiting!  I've just finished my first year of graduate school. At the moment, I'm sitting in the Seattle airport awaiting a flight to Thailand.  Ahh, a moment to breathe.   Before I begin to record my next adventure (fingers crossed), I thought I'd recap the past few months.

Meat.  Ate lots and lots of grilled meat in Australia.  Here I am having some kangaroo.  We marinated it in some dijon mustard, olive oil, and spices before giving it a quick bbq.  A bit tough, but good flavor.  Made me want to jump around, weird.

George's lovely friends Anna and Rick made us this fantastic homemade pizza in Brisbane one night.  Crispy thin sliced potatoes on top made it our favorite.  Plus, I've got the crust recipe to boot.

Chickens!  Our friends Brett and Morgan are renting a fabulous apartment in Brisbane and we had the pleasure of staying our last night with them. Their host family/landlords were gone on vacation so Brett and I were in charge of putting the chickens back in their cage.  We looked all over the yard, and began to worry until we realized they were in the cage the entire time.  Video of this is too embarrassing to share.



We removed our first tray on finished worm compost in April after our little worms worked hard all winter long.  This tray is about 18"x18" and produced about 5 lbs of fresh, delicious smelling castings.


I'm off.  Bring on the street food!

Pavlova

We've just arrived in Brisbane, or "Brissy" as they like to say.  It's a bit more humid here, but we are looking forward to seeing friends and enjoying more city life.

We had a great time at Bawley Beach, a quick 3 hour drive south from Sydney.   Ironically, I've been consuming more sugar here than I ever eat at home.  Australia doesn't produce the dreaded "HFCS" (high fructose corn syrup) that is found in many processed foods in the states.  Since they produce cane sugar in country, that is what is used in most candies and sugared products.  Somehow I've convinced myself that gorging myself on skittles, gummies, and even Coca-cola is "healthier" because of the pure sugar.  Hey, I am on vacation.

None the less, we've also had some lovely Australian treats, including a light meringue like desert called Pavlova.  Named after a Russian ballerina in the 1920's, it is usually topped with cream and fruit.  I had the pleasure of making it with George's sweet niece Rose, who reminds me a lot of my niece Hailey.  Here is a video of her, and George's sister Liz in beach house's kitchen.

Sydney

Greetings from Sydney Australia!

After a bit of a dramatic start and an important "life lesson" learned, I finally made it.  FYI, Americans need pre-approved travel visas before coming to Australia.  Good to know, ridiculous to forget.

The 14.5 hour flight from LA went smoother than expected.  Although my inflating neck pillow went to travel accessory heaven, I managed to sleep a good 8 hours, arriving in Sydney ready for the day.  Driving on the other side of the road is exciting, and what's even more entertaining is watching your Australian boyfriend repeatedly try and use the windshield wipers instead of his turn signal.

Coffee, a quick change, and we were off to Bronte Beach, a lovely spot nestled between chic restaurants and modern houses boasting huge windows overlooking the Pacific.  Our beach side lunch consisted of fried calamari the size of onion rings, and pan fried barramundi from the Northern territory.  And chips.  I enjoyed several invigorating dips in the chilly water, and tried to study George's surfing techniques for future reference.   Thanks to some fantastic sunscreen, this northern whitey isn't one bit red!

George is still wearing his board shorts putting together his mother's new BBQ (what a guy) while I enjoy the late afternoon sun.  More to come soon, hugs from down under!

Water water everywhere

I had a skype date with a dear friend last week, and as usual, we discussed food.  I told her about some of the things I've been learning in my Sustainable Foods class, including the water system and how it affects our food system.  A few days later, I received this email from her:

I am completely distraught about food after our conversation about your lessons in the sustainable food class. Ok, so dairy sounds like an environmental disaster. What to do?! Soy yogurt is over processed... soy milk doesn't really actually seem that healthy for you either. What to do?! Also, as I TRY to have my veggie/vegan meals I was thinking that tofu would be the lesser of the evils (tofu vs chicken vs meat vs fish...). But seems like it is all bad. Tofu is over processed soy and supposedly filled with things we don't need except protein and isoflavins. I am so confused. I need help. I feel like I don't have any idea about what is healthy anymore. Are you finding some answers? I don't really think I can live on veggies, fruit, nuts, and beans - ALONE. 

This is an excellent example of how so many of us feel: wanting to make smart decisions, yet overwhelmed with information.  From confusing food labels to news articles to conversations with friends, we are bombarded with so many choices it's confusing.  Soy or not? Low fat?  Free range? Hormone free? GMO?

I'd like us all to take a deep breath. Enjoy a piece of cheese.  Any perhaps enjoy the few simple guidelines I recommend about sustainable eating.

1.  Loco for local.

Many of the issues we worry about today: global warming, water, fossil fuels, hormones, freshness, taste, and price can be solved by simply focusing on supporting your local food system.  Most likely your farmers are using very few or zero chemicals when growing food.  It takes less fuel and energy to get these foods to you.  It also takes less time to get to you, preserving freshness, taste and nutrient levels.  Buying organic may be an important part of your lifestyle, but it isn't the answer to thinking globally.  Invest in a CSA, read more labels to learn where products are coming from, and visit your farmers markets in the summer.  Check which dry goods are available all year round, and stock up! Focus on buying whole foods, those that have been minimally processed.  They take less water and energy to produce, and are most likely filled with things you can't pronounce.

 Local Harvest

Vote with your fork!

2.  Less moo, more moola.

The average American household used 2,000 gallons of water a day.  95% of this water consumption comes from the goods and services we consume, not from that 70 gallon bath you took after skiing last weekend. (cough)  By eating vegan, you are saving 600 gallons of water a day!  Pick a day, or 2, and give it a shot.  Not only it is better for the globe, it's pretty darn great for your insides.  I've been attempting to eat vegan Monday-Thursday, but it is tough.  It takes discipline, but it is also great having those cheese and meat weekends to look forward to.  If you are worried about protein, remember everything has protein, even vegetables.  We need far less than our food system has brain washed up to believe.  For more information, read this.

3. Teach

I am overwhelmed with anxiety when I visit the average American grocery store.  We have so far to go when it comes to changing the broken American food system.  With so much passion, it's hard for me not to sound like a crazy fanatic.   But, sharing simple information with others is an effective and important way to start this change.  Have a dinner party focusing on local ingredients.  Ask your waitstaff at a local restaurant where their products come from.  Involve children in the kitchen. 

These are guidelines, and things to think about. Many of us are aware of these issues, which is a fantastic start.  None of us have all the answers, or the perfect solution.  Try not to feel lost, or alone in this journey... I'm still optimistic.  I may not have answered all of the issues in my friend's email, but I hope this gives her another perspective.

For more depressing information on the water system, visit this website.   Yes, it does take 1,008 gallons of water to produce one bottle of wine.  And 880 for 1 lb. of coffee.  Not sure for whiskey.

Sassy Granny

When I was home for Christmas last December, my Grandma Violet and I attempted to make her traditional German Rye Bread.  She often makes it around New Years, to dip into the broye (juices) of her famous New Years meat.  This consists of stewed pork, veal (ick), beef and lamb.  This is to be eaten before you head out for the night, apparently so "you have a good base".  Love her.

Unfortunately, we failed. Hard crust and dry consistency. We blame the stone ground rye flour, the only variety we could find.  So, I recently gave it another crack using some light rye I found here in Bozeman.  Below is a video where I attempt to document Violet making the bread in Oshkosh.  If I make it until 91, let's hope I'm also one Sassy Granny!

Economic botany tingles

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine went to India.  She brought me back a beautiful array of spices, most of which I had no idea how to use.  Thanks to an Indian cookbook, and lots of devoted hours, I've gotten the hang of it.  A bit necessary as well, as an entire drawer of our kitchen is devoted to housing them.  I thought about alphabetizing, but I'd never do that.

I've got the "begin of the semester" tingles.  I'm not sure if it's the double espresso or the cold walks to campus, but my "History of Food in America" course is something else.  Something gooooood.  And last week, we learned about spices.

Do you know that the spice trade basically started all overseas exploration?  That the 3 most commonly desired spices were cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves?  That the Portuguese were the first to inflict violence on the Middle Eastern tradesman who believed in fair and peaceful interactions?  Do you realize that economic botany is thought to be the first "real science" and has influenced the entire realm of scientific methodology?

Me neither.  So tingley, like a nice tumeric.

Crumbs in bed

So I've developed a bad habit recently: eating in bed.  This goes against all of my beliefs about eating being a social ritual and my hypocritical approach to table etiquette... but sometimes, when you've got the bed to yourself and the 2nd season of Thirty Rock, eating (and sometimes drinking) in bed seems like the best idea ever.

My favorite restaurant in town, The Blackbird Kitchen, just started their new cafe hours.  The picture above was posted on their facebook account (copyright infringement?) and I found myself day dreaming about the magic of butter.  When my beau brought me home a fresh, flaky croissant after my loooong Saturday morning nanny session with a sick little lady, it was on.  Even though I had a plate, things got messy quick.  Tiny buttery flakes were EVERYWHERE and even merited a shirt change. I was almost embarrassed about the speed of my consumption (almost).  And those new sheets from Santa?  Showered with pastry.

Worth it?  Absolutely.  Motivation to sweet and mop on a Sunday? Possibly.

Luxury Item

I just returned from a fabulous weekend in Red Lodge, Montana.  This quaint little mountain town not only boasted lovely buildings and shops, but is just a short drive from some decent skiing.  Turns out it's much more enjoyable when you've got battery heated boots.

A friend recommended a stop in Babcock and Miles, a fantastic specialty food store who's contents could have easily resulted in late payment of my student fees for the spring semester.  After some deep breathing, I settled on some Pomegranate Molasses, a product I've been searching months for.  Which brings me to another question about sustainability, how often can luxury trump local? 

This molasses, produced in Lebanon, is one of many products I enjoy that will never be produced in Montana.  Coffee, french bucheron, soy sauce, and raw nuts are just a few of the essential products I will never find local.  Even when sustainability is an important part of your consumer conscious, I believe it's okay to let loose.  Sometimes the health benefits outweigh the carbon footprint.  Sometimes you just can't be that fanatical of a locavore.  And sometimes, it just tastes soooo gooooood.

Like Pomegranate molasses, right?