Coffee falls into the stomach … ideas begin to move, things remembered arrive at full gallop …

the shafts of wit start up like sharp-shooters, similies arise, the paper is covered with ink …
-Honoré de Balzac

Coffee is my bad boyfriend.  We have an on-again, off-again love affair.  I crave it, I love the taste, then a few hours later I start feeling jittery or stressed, and kick myself.  Then I get tired.  So I go back again for another fix.  I love coffee, but he doesn’t love me back.  Still, I persist.

I remember my first cup… it was in 10th grade French class.  I got the “cool” French teacher that year.  The teacher who we wanted to chaperone our dances.  Who was a human rights activist, a bit eccentric and outspoken.  The teacher who put a poster in the classroom window, so the Principal couldn’t look in as he walked the halls.

And not only was she a bit intimidating, but the other girls in the class seemed to be part of her cool posse.  They couldn’t speak enough French to order a baguette, but they had nicknames and inside jokes, and all drank coffee together in our morning class.

And then there was me (who, in 10th grade, was very obviously not cool.)

We had a coffee maker in class (another reason that poster was blocking the window, I’m sure) and a container of French Vanilla coffee mate creamer – et voila – my love affair with coffee was born.

Sipping coffee with the cool girls, and speaking (really bad) French, I felt so grown up and sophisticated, so far away from my normal high school existence.  Maybe that’s what made me move to Paris years later…but that’s a topic for another time!

Coffee.  Is it so bad?

Coffee always seems to be in the media, with conflicting health reports.  One day it’s good for you (antioxidants! Less risk of Alzheimer’s and liver disease!), the next, it’s the beverage to avoid (Caffeine! High blood pressure! Dehydration!)

The only way to find out if coffee works for YOU is to listen to your body.

I used to drink 3, 4, 5+ cups of coffee per day.  Especially in those years when coffee houses were new and cool, and then later, working at my first job, wanting to be the busy professional clutching a cup of Starbucks.  (Was that me? Really? Cringe.)

But recently I’ve started noticing what I eat, and how it makes me feel … and I’ve realized that coffee isn’t as great for me as I thought. 

I started noticing that on days when I had more than one cup of coffee, I felt more stressed, and more mentally scattered.

I felt a lot of pressure to multi-task and do more, more, more … but was not actually more productive.  Just more stressed and busy.

I also noticed that drinking coffee in the afternoon made it hard for me to sleep at night.

So I’ve cut back.  Way back.  To one cup of decaf per day, with the occasional full-caf on the weekends or when I’m out.

I fall off the wagon sometimes, like when I’m in Italy and can’t resist the little espressos.  But overall I’m getting my relationship with coffee under control.

(Everything, that is, except my undying love for Coffeemate flavored creamer.   I am so embarrassed to admit this.  This stuff is about as un-Vintage Savoir Faire as it comes … AND it contains trans-fat!  And loads of sugar and unpronounceable ingredients!  Aaah!  One step at a time.)

What’s your experience with coffee, and caffeine in general? Love it or hate it? Do you notice any physical effects from it? Have you ever tried to give it up?  Share your experience in the comments!

 ”Anyone who spends a little time learning to find and use wild food will soon understand what I mean:

this is not an aspirational lifestyle choice, but a return to an ancient way of life that is part of who we are.”

~Miles Irving

Donning gloves to pick nettles I can do.  But battling through a forest of Japanese Knotweed, and pulling rushes out of a little swampy lake?  I was a little hesitant about what we’d be eating (and wondering if I should have brought an emergency supply of ‘normal’ food!)  But I was with Britian’s foraging expert, so I decided to stop thinking and just enjoy the journey.

A few weeks ago I went on a wild food weekend in Kent (when I stopped off at The Goods Shed.)

What is wild food?  Wild food is food that you forage from the natural environment – eating wild plants that grow around you.  Although you might imagine this resulting in lots of grassy-tasting salads, in reality, you can cook with wild food just like any storebought vegetable – with delicious results.

Why would you want to eat wild food?  Wild food is organic, seasonal and local.  Our ancestors ate a huge variety of plants because they ate what grew around them… in our modern diets, we eat a much smaller range of foods (do you find yourself buying the same produce every week?  Iceberg lettuce, carrots and tomatoes, anyone?)  Eating wild foods introduces a wide range of nutrients into your diet. 

I also love foraging for wild food because it’s a forgotten skill.  Foraging for food is something that humans were designed to do – our ancestors found food all around them instinctively.  But today, we’re never taught how to identify the edible plants around us, or what to do with them.

And so, when I learned about a wild food weekend with the UK’s foraging expert, Miles Irving, I just had to sign up.

Over the past two years, I’ve written a bit about foraging for food and herbs.  I tend to stick to really common, well-known plants so I can feel confident in identification.  I’ve made nettle soup, nettle tea and nettle pesto.  I’ve also made a cleansing cleavers detox infusion and a big batch of bright pink sloe gin.

This weekend, we got a bit more adventerous.

Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) - Japanese Knotweed is an invasive species here in the UK – there is a whole industry dedicated to destroying this plant!  Miles quipped that if we could just convince everyone to eat it instead, we’d take care of the invasion problem and save money on our grocery bills!

This weekend we cooked down the knotweed shoots with some sugar (like rhubarb), poured it into pastry shells, and had little knotweed tarts with ice cream for dessert.  Yum.

Here’s a little lizard we found along the path.  Much to my relief (and yours…and his!), we did not eat him.

Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) – According to Wikipedia, Alexanders was brought North by the Romans to use as food on their travels.  This plant was along every roadside in Kent!  Huge amounts of it.  We steamed it to eat as a vegetable.  Apparently you can also lacto-ferment it (like super veg!) into an Alexander Pickle.

And of course we picked my very favorite foraged food, nettles.  Here’s a big bag of them waiting to be chopped up.

And a picture of a small part of the feast.  There was So Much Food.  Venison, Alexanders, wild salad, beets & ground ivy (which is this big bowl), shredded carrots with nettles and chopped up rushes, a few more things I’m forgetting, and knotweed tart with ice cream for dessert.

And a lovely jug of sloe blossom cordial to wash it down with.  Yum.

Stay tuned for my report on the second day of the wild food weekend, which was all about the seashore.

If you’re interested in foraging, I definitely recommend Miles’ book The Forager Handbook and his company Forager, who supplies wild food to restaurants across the UK.

And finally, if you want to try wild food yourself, remember these four rules for foraging.

So – do you want to try wild food?  I’m sure half of you are out the door, and half of you are thinking …um… what?!  So what are your questions & concerns about foraging wild food? I’ll answer them in a future post.

Want a quick, easy and nourishing soup for Spring?  Want to eat more greens?  Want to do both of these things while saving money on your grocery bill?  Have I got the soup for you.

This recipe was a last minute light supper for us over the weekend.  I was out picking more clivers for my detox infusion, and came across a massive patch of stinging nettles.  So I picked some, and instead of making nettle tea, I experimented with a soup.  Oh yum.  Even Zak loved this one.  If you want to try eating wild food, this recipe is a great starting point!

Why would I want to eat wild food?

Eating wild, foraged food is becoming more popular.  Actually it’s the ultimate vintage skill, it’s how our ancestors ate for generations – just eating what’s around you!  But even in our modern lives, I think there are benefits to eating wild foods:

• Wild foods are organic
• Wild foods are local
• Wild foods taste good
• And wild foods are free!

What are the benefits of stinging nettles?

Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) are in the top 10 list of useful wild plants for most herbalists.   According to Rosemary Gladstar, nettles are:

• Full of vitamins, iron, calcium, potassium, silicon and magnesium
• An all around tonic herb to strengthen and tone the body
• Reproductive tonic for men and women, even alleviating PMS and menopausal symptoms
• Strengthens kidneys and liver
• Excellent for allergies and hay fever

I like nettles because they grow abundantly everywhere, and they’re really easy to identify.

How do I pick stinging nettles?

First, check out my guidelines for foraging.

Now, make sure you’ve identified the correct plant.  You can find more information on stinging nettles here.

You probably want to wear gloves for this, because as the name implies, stinging nettles sting!

Just pick the tops of the stinging nettles, this is the youngest, softest part of the nettle plant.  Just pull off the top at a leaf-intersection so you have a few leaves and the tops.  Get a few double handfuls of stinging nettle tops for this recipe.

Stinging Nettle Soup

Serves 4

2 big handfuls of stinging nettle tops, rinsed

1 large potato, peeled and cut into half-inch cubes

1 stock cube (or even better, use 1 L or 4 cups homemade chicken stock)

1 onion, sliced.

1 Tb butter (or olive oil)

1 tsp dried thyme or mixed herbs (or 1 TB chopped fresh herbs)

optional: cream or sour cream to serve

Method:

Personally, whenever I make soup, I always add a little less water/stock in the beginning – because you can always add more after blending the soup if it’s too thick.  It’s easy to thin down a thick soup – but a lot harder to thicken up a soup that’s too watery!

• In a soup pan, sautee the sliced onion in the butter/oil until soft.
• Add the potato and sautee for a few minutes
• Crumble in the stock cube, thyme, and 4 cups (1 Liter) water or add the chicken stock.  Bring to a boil.
• Cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork.
• While the water is still bubbling, throw in the nettle tops and stir into the simmering water.  Cover.  The heat will deactivate their sting.  Simmer for at least 5-10 minutes more.
• Now we need to blend the soup to make it smooth.  The best way is to use an immersion (stick) blender.  Remove the soup from the heat, and blend until smooth.  Alternatively you can put the soup in a regular blender, but be careful and never fill the blender more than half-full, the soup is REALLY hot and you don’t want to to splatter!
• Serve with crusty bread and a swirl of yogurt, cream or sour cream if you like!  Enjoy!

Have you ever eaten wild food?  Will you try this stinging nettle recipe? Let us know in the comments!

Remember these delicious, no-bake, maple pecan brownies?

It took me a long time to name that recipe.  Because there is something I didn’t tell you about those brownies.  Do you know what it is?

What’s in a name?

Let’s consider a few different brownie recipe names:

• maple pecan brownies
• maple pecan no-bake brownies
• maple pecan refrigerator brownies
• raw maple pecan brownies
• vegan maple pecan brownies
• healthy maple pecan brownies
• Healthy, Raw, Vegan Maple Pecan Brownies

I’ve always been an avid baker.  I love baking so much that when I get a chocolate craving, I will actually bake something from scratch … waiting for the mixing, baking and cooling before digging in.  It shows my slight obsessiveness for real baked goods (over storebought imitations!)

But I’ve learned:

1) not everyone likes baking nearly as much as I do,

and 2) eating entire batches of brownies and cookies alone is not good for my figure

and 3) sometimes, you just can’t wait.

This is a recipe for those times.

This is not your 70′s no-bake brownie.

The term “no bake dessert” conjures up a 1970s TV commercial for me – just pour some powder out of a box, mix it with hot water and refrigerate.  Et voila! Dessert.  These no bake desserts were usually made with gelatin and had that slightly squidgy, jello-like texture.

But not these brownies.

These brownies are loaded with chewy, moist dates, rich cocoa and pecans.  These brownies are Real Food. 

Let me say that again.  These brownies ARE REAL FOOD!  No mixes, no sketchy ingredients, no refined sugars, nothing to feel guilty about.  Just pure chocolate pleasure!

These are the brownies for chocolate emergencies.  Just a few ingredients, whizzed in your food processor, and ready to eat.

Press them into a pan to make brownies.

Or roll them into balls and roll in more cocoa powder for a kind of truffle.

Or just eat the mix with a spoon straight from the bowl.  (I’ve  done this… several times.)

I’ve made these brownies a few times and am still tweaking the recipe.  But it’s just too good not to share.  So here’s my current version – to be updated as I refine it in the future!

Maple Pecan No-Bake Brownies

makes 10-12 brownies

For the brownies:

1 c. pecans

1 c. dates (these should be moist & chewy dates.  If not, soak them in some hot water for 10 min, then drain before using)

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

For the frosting (optional):

1/4 c. maple syrup

1/8 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ripe avocado

1 Tb. vanilla extract

pinch of salt

dash of cinnamon

Method:

Put the pecans, dates and cocoa powder in a food processor.  Pulse to combine, then process until the mix looks like crumbly pebbles.

Press this mixture into a baking pan to your desired thickness.  (I pressed mine onto a cookie sheet).  You could also roll it into balls, or just eat with a spoon.  That’s it! We’re finished!  These brownies are easier to cut once they’ve been chilled in the fridge…or even frozen!

** Optional – if you want to make frosting.

Put all of the frosting ingredients in the food processor, or a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Spread over the brownies then refrigerate.

I’ve also chilled some of the leftover frosting and eaten it like a chocolate mousse.

I’ve had really good luck storing these frosted brownies in the freezer.  They’ll last longer, and they cut easily.  Perfect for when I just want a little slice of brownie.  I don’t even  defrost them first, but you could let them warm up for 10 min before eating.

I really encourage you to try making the brownie mix (even without the frosting) – it’s amazing, chocolately and easy! Let me know if you do.

Do you ever buy almond milk or other nut milks in the store, but think they’re kind of expensive?

Do you own a blender?

Then you’re  going to love this.

I just love learning new skills to live a greener, cleaner, healthier life.  Usually I discover these things from old books.  But I learned how to make almond milk from two friends who absolutely hate cooking and have no patience in the kitchen – and even they make it several times a week.  If they’re crazy about making almond milk from scratch, it HAS to be easy.

Why almond milk?

Almond milk and other nut milks have grown in popularity the past few years as an alternative to dairy milk.  People avoid dairy for a variety of reasons: lactose intolerance, veganism, avoiding commercially pasteurized milk, or even to avoid GM soy milks.

I like almond milk because of the taste.  I like using it in hot chocolates, coffee drinks and smoothies.  It would also be good over cereal or on oatmeal.  Really anywhere that you would use regular milk!

I find soy milk to have a strong, lingering taste … but almond milk is smooth and sweet.  And don’t stop at almonds, you can use this same technique to make milk from other types of nuts as well like hazelnuts and cashews!

How to make almond milk

What you need:

Blender

Nut bag or cheesecloth

1 c. plain almonds

3 c. water

Vanilla, dates, honey or maple syrup (optional)

How to:

1) Put the almonds in a bowl.  Cover with water.  Let soak overnight or for 8-12 hours.

2) Drain and rinse the almonds.  Put the almonds plus 3 cups of water in a blender. [Optional: if you want sweetened almond milk, add a few seeded dates, some vanilla seeds or a spoonful of maple syrup or honey.]  Blend for 2 minutes until the almonds are in a pulp and the water is milky.

3) Now we need to strain out the almond milk.  Put the nutbag (or cheesecloth and strainer) over a bowl.  Pour in the almond mixture.  The almond milk will drip into the bowl and the almond pulp will stay in the strainer.  SQUEEZE the nutbag to get all of the almond milk out of the pulp.

4) Pour the strained almond milk liquid into a container and store in the refrigerator, covered.  The almond milk should last 3-5 days.

What do I do with the almond pulp?

The easiest solution I’ve found so far is to use a scoop of the almond pulp in smoothies.  Yum.

But if you’re more adventurous in the kitchen, you can also use it in baking.  Here are some raw recipes using almond pulp, and a recipe for chocolate chip cookies.  I haven’t had much time to experiment yet, but stay tuned for ways to adapt your existing baking recipes with almondy goodness!

For the moment, I’m storing my almond pulp in the freezer until I have enough for baking!

Do you drink almond milk? Ever tried to make it yourself? Let us know in the comments.

So when a bunch of big nutrition personalities actually agree with each other, I take notice.

And the nutrition gurus of the day seem to agree on one point – sugar is toxic.

As you know I’m currently at the Integrative Nutrition Mega Conference (and liveblogging it on twitter with #MegaIIN).  After Day 1 the anti-sugar message was clear.

At Vintage Savoir Faire, I’m all about eating real foods, whole foods, foods that your great-grandmother would recognize.

But unfortunately, great-grandma wouldn’t recognize our refined, white sugar.  Or if she did, it was only from fantasies and an occasional taste – because sugar used to be a luxury product, not an everyday part of the diet like today.

 
If you missed it, the sugar debate kicked off earlier this year when doctor Robert Lustig suggested in the science journal Nature that sugar is toxic, addictive and should be regulated like alcohol.  (If you want to learn more, check out his Sugar the Bitter Truth lecture, or this Is Sugar Toxic article.)

 
What surprised me yesterday was that four different speakers, from very diverse food philosophies, came to the same conclusion.

 
First up, Mark Sisson from Primal Blueprint.  He takes vintage to a whole other level!  We’re not talking great-grandma here – we’re talking about our paleolithic ancestors who pre-date modern agriculture!  His concept is to focus on the original whole foods: protein, vegetables and fats.  Refined sugar didn’t exist, and the only occasional sweets were wild fruits or the brave person who fought off bees for their honey.

 
Julia Ross, a well-known nutritional psychologist said that diets don’t work because we’re actually dealing with addiction.   Sugar addiction.  And while we should eat what our body truly craves, we can’t do this while we’re dealing with a sugar addiction.  This sounds dramatic – but have you ever tried to quit sugar?

How did that work out for you?  Headaches, cravings, low energy, crankiness?  Yeah, me too.

Gary Taubes presented tons of scientific evidence that the real reason we’re fat is because of insulin imbalance. And what’s the main cause of this insulin imbalance?  Sugar.  (And refined carbs, but that’s a topic for another day.)  Reducing sugar is the #1 thing he recommends to improve our health, energy, and waistlines.

The day wrapped up with David Wolfe, the iconic raw foodist.  We started the day with a meat and fat primal diet, and ended the day with all raw, cacao, superfood loaded green smoothies.  His conclusion: if you have any kind of medical condition, infection or immune issues, avoid all sugar because it suppresses the immune system and inhibits your body from healing itself.

 
I’ve gotten the message loud and clear.  Cut back on sugar.

Really, I think great-grandma would agree.  Sugar used to be relegated to dessert only.  And on special occasions.
So where does this leave an avid baker and lover of sweet things like me?  I think I’m overdue for some quality time in the kitchen to test out some new recipes…

Photo from nationaalarchief on flickr, early 1930s

“The point is simply to eat,

as opposed to eating and talking, eating and watching TV,

or eating and watching TV and gossiping on the phone while Tweeting and updating one’s Facebook status.”

-Mindful Eating as Food for Thought, NY Times.

Did you catch this article in the NY Times?  I thought it was brilliant.

Personally, I spent years (…YEARS!) eating while reading blogs or books, watching TV, writing in my journal or thinking about … well, anything other than the food I was eating.

And now that I’ve stopped (well, most of the time), the enjoyment I get from eating is so much more.

The biggest change is that I eat slower.  A lot slower.  I’m not just mindlessly shoveling it in and forgetting to chew.  Because I eat slower, my digestion is better (I never would have believed that until I tried it myself.)

Also, I eat less.  Probably because I’m eating slower, and it takes 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that it’s full.  It’s also probably because I am noticing my stomach feeling fuller, instead of racing to finish my plate.

There are a few downsides to mindful eating though.  I eat slower, which can be annoying when I’m with a group and always the last to finish.  Also, when you eat mindfully, you taste your food a lot more!  So cheap, fake, processed food tastes … well, not good!  It makes you a bit pickier about what you’re eating (although this is probably good for your body in the long run!)

Sometimes I catch myself racing through a meal, or lost in thought, or unable to put down my iPad, and I try to remember to stop.  I take a breath, and focus on what I’m eating and who I’m with.

Mindful eating is such a classic bit of wisdom.  Grandma would approve.  Food-centric cultures like the French, Italians and Spanish would approve.  It just makes sense that we should pay attention when fueling our bodies.

And in our jam-packed, overbooked lives, mindful eating makes your lunch break feel, well, like a break.  Which we could all use more of these days.

What do you think about the NY Times article and mindful eating in general?  Have you tried it? How do you remind yourself to stay present?

I wrote last week about food as medicine, and how we should eat for nourishment. The next day, I got a phone call from my mother.

“I love that word, nourish. It’s one of those words that sounds like what it is. You just feel warm and comfortable when you say it.”

She’s right. I’ve been playing with the concept of nourishment myself over the past year, but couldn’t quite clarify what it was that I loved so much about the concept.

Nourish.

It sounds like home. It sounds like healing, like comfort, like warmth. Like a cozy sweater. Like something that makes you feel better – be better – live better – after you do it. Something can nourish your body, nourish your mind, nourish your spirit. Nourishment seems to be the essence of healing.

I love this concept of nourishment, and want to weave it into all the elements of my life this year.

Can you see a difference between eating something “healthy” and eating something “nourishing”? Which seems more appealing?

Are there activities that you do in your daily life which are “healthy”, and others which “nourish” you?

I’m not saying that something has to be either healthy OR nourishing. In fact, most if not all truly nourishing things are healthy for us.

But perhaps everything we do because we think it’s healthy, is not actually nourishing?

Would love to hear your thoughts on this concept. How do you incorporate nourishment into your life?

This is a perfect example of a project that Great Grandma would approve of … in theory.  Because this project is not, in any way, vintage.

I found kiwis on sale in my local market.  I bought a lot of kiwis.  (Yes, I know kiwis aren’t locally grown produce, and they’re not organic – but it was such a good sale! And I love kiwis.)

I’m sure you can relate to the challenge of eating many kiwis before they go off.  It’s pretty much impossible.

So I decided to employ a few Grandma-approved traditional skills:

1) Taking advantage of a good value (kiwis, in good shape and very cheap)

2) Not wasting any food

Walking by our liqueur cabinet, I was hit by a stroke of inspiration.  There was a bottle of Malibu coconut rum languishing on the bottom shelf from some party long ago.  Kiwi and coconut.  Sounds pretty tasty.

And Kiwi Malibu Compote was born.

First let’s talk about compote.

What is compote?

Compote is a French word describing some kind of fruit in sweetened syrup.  Traditionally, this meant pieces of fruit in a sugar syrup, occasionally with liqueur or other spices.  In everyday usage now in France it often means cooked fruits sweetened and pureed – think applesauce.  Only compote de pommes sounds so much fancier.

In my cooking repertoire, compotes are right up there with fruit crisps as a great way to use extra fruit.  They’re simple and flexible to make and to eat.

What fruits can I use?

Whatever fruits you want!  Use ripe to slightly overripe fruit.  I’ve made compote with strawberries, rhubarb, figs, apples, pears, peaches, plums … the list goes on.

Do I have to add alcohol?

No.

But if you tend to collect dusty bottles of unused liqueurs from your travels like we do, this is a great way to use them!

How do I eat compote?

This is the beauty of compote – there are so many options!

• Eat it straight, with a spoon
• Fold it into whipped cream
• Swirl into plain greek yogurt
• Pour some over ice cream (my favorite)
• Make a very English ‘Eton Mess’ by crumbling meringues or biscotti in a bowl, adding compote and top with whipped cream

How do I store compote?

I store it in the fridge for a few days … any longer, and I keep it in the freezer in small, 2 serving containers (adjust based on the size of your family!)  Perfect to reheat for a quick dessert (see above for ideas!)

Kiwi Malibu Compote

6 ripe kiwi (about 400g), peeled and cut in chunks.  Make sure to cut out the tough white bit in the center.

2 Tb. water

2 Tb Malibu Coconut Rum (optional) (Actually, if you like rum, I suggest adding 4Tb Malibu to get a really coconutty flavor.  It’s up to you.  Start with less and add more to taste!)

1/2c. (100g) sugar (adjust to taste, it depends on how tart the kiwis are!)

Method:

- Put the kiwi, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat

- bring to a simmer, let simmer for 20 minutes until the kiwis are soft, stirring occasionally

- Decide how chunky you want your compote.  I smash a few kiwi with a fork and leave the rest in chunks.  You could puree it with an immersion blender if you wanted to make it really smooth.  It’s up to you!

- REMOVE FROM HEAT.  TURN OFF THE BURNER.  Add the malibu rum, if using.

- Cook for a few more minutes.  The kiwi should now be soft, and the liquid getting a little syrupy.  Remove from the heat, and let cool.

- serve warm or cold, either as is, or with a little yogurt or over ice cream.  Bon appetit!

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Baking bread is one of those things that sounds so intimidating at first.  When I mention I’ve been baking bread at the weekend, I inevitably get reactions like “Wow, you know how to do that?” or “You must have a lot of free time.”

Au contraire.

I’m a bit obsessed with baking, and especially with baking bread.  I truly believe that cooking more is the key to good health.  Have you ever looked at the side of a packaged bread wrapper?  There are a whole bunch of ingredients, including lots of unpronounceable chemicals (never a good sign).  You know what’s in my bread?  Flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes olive oil.  That’s it.

Then there’s another element to bread baking, the intangible stuff.  It’s comforting. It’s satisfying. It’s such a sense of accomplishment. It smells amazing.  You can even use breadbaking as meditation.

I believe in healthy living.  I eat kale.  I do yoga.  I make herbal remedies.  I’ve detoxed my beauty routine.  I try to live in a way that will let me live for a long time.

I also love to bake.  I love chocolate.  And food, in general.  I don’t believe in “dieting”.  I don’t believe in low-fat or eating fake sugar.  I think a nice hot toddy will cure many ailments.

The thing is – to me, these two philosophies make perfect sense together.

Being healthy is so much more than what you eat.  It’s having a balanced approach to life where your lifestyle, relationships, career, creativity, exercise, and of course your food, all support you reaching your goals.

And my perfect blend of lifestyle elements includes baking, eating and sharing the occasional indulgent treat.

Enter: the Creme de Menthe bar.  When I’m in need of an intense chocolate hit, this is it.  A rich, dense, fudgy brownie layer topped with cooling, minty buttercream, and a drizzle of bitter chocolate.  Oh, I’m in love.

To be enjoyed in moderation.

Creme de Menthe is that bright green, super sweet and minty liqueur which is used in our house for two things: making these brownies, and for spiking cups of hot chocolate (yum!).  If you prefer not to have alcohol, just use some peppermint extract in the frosting instead.

Pay no attention to the photo for presentation.  I got so carried away wanting to eat a brownie that I rushed through the photo taking process and got sloppy.  I suggest cutting these bars into thin strips because the flavor is so rich.  Also, make sure to wipe off your knife between cuts, to avoid crumbs stuck into the pretty green frosting.  Or just eat the crumbs.  That works too.

Creme de Menthe Bars

9 in x 13 in pan.  Makes approximately 36 brownies.

Brownie:

200 g. (7 oz) bittersweet baking chocolate (70% cocoa)

250 g. (8 oz) salted butter

80 g. (2/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder

65 g. (1/2 c.) plain white flour

1 tsp. baking powder

350 g. (1.5 cups) sugar

4 eggs

Mint Frosting:

1.5 cups (170 g) powdered (icing) sugar, sifted

2.5 Tb. butter, soft

1 Tb. creme de menthe

Drizzle:

1 oz. unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate

1 Tb. butter

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180c / 275F.  Line your baking pan greaseproof paper (or just grease the pan well).

Melt 200g. dark chocolate and 250 g. butter in a double boiler, bain marie, or a bowl over a pot of boiling water.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl, combine cocoa, flour, sugar and baking powder.  Add the 4 eggs and mix well.

Now pour in the melted chocolate mixture, stirring well and scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.  This batter is super glossy and shiny!

Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 25-35 minutes until the center barely jiggles when you shake the pan (a toothpick inserted in the center will still have a moist crumb on it – you want the brownies to be fudgy in the center!)

Let the brownies cool in the pan.

Frosting – In a bowl, combine the icing sugar, creme de menthe and soft butter.  Beat vigorously until it looks smooth and creamy like icing!  Spread onto the cooled brownies.

Drizzle – Again in a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter.  Drizzle in thin lines across the top of the mint icing.

Let the icing harden in the fridge, and then slice with a thin, sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts.

I like to store these brownies in the fridge so the icing remains firm.

What’s your coffee weakness?   I am a sucker for seasonality.  I’m talking about those fancy seasonal drinks at coffee shops, and the limited edition bottles of coffee creamer in the grocery stores.  Especially if that seasonal flavor is Pumpkin Spice (read: pumpkin pie in a glass).

There are a couple of problems with this craving for drinkable pumpkin pie goodness in my coffee:

1.  I prefer homemade coffee.  Mainly because coffee shops are really expensive.  Also, I like to drink coffee while in my PJs.  (And because I don’t know what goes into the drinks … artificially flavored syrups, zillions of calories, and who knows what else.)

2.  Flavored liquid coffee creamer doesn’t exist in the UK!  (I know!  Tragic.)

But even if you can find pumpkin spice coffee creamer in your local store – have you read the ingredients on the bottle?  It’s not made from cream.  Especially in the pumpkin spice version – there are lots of unpronounceable things, artificial flavors and tons of sugar.  It doesn’t really fit my food philosophy.

Fortunately (well, out of desperation), I came up with a solution.  Homemade pumpkin spice coffee creamer.  Made from REAL food – like cream, milk, maple syrup, and of course, pumpkin!  Just try not to drink it straight from the jar – save some for your coffee.

Making coffee creamer is quick and easy.  You could make a double batch on the weekend and it would last throughout the week in the fridge.

While testing this recipe, I wanted to do a side-by-side comparison of store-bought creamer to my homemade version to refine the taste.  Much like the vanilla extract experiment, tasting the storebought coffee creamer was absolutely disgusting!

While it is yummy in coffee, the taste of the creamer alone is so intensely strong and chemical-pumpkin flavored.  It really put me off.

Whereas, when you taste this homemade version, it is like drinking creamy liquid pumpkin pie.  It’s THAT good!

(If you want to drink a whole glass of it, I suggest making it with all milk, and serving it as an alternative to hot chocolate, maybe with whipped cream on the top.  YUM!)

Ready to make some? Here we go!

Note: I usually drink my coffee unsweetened, so I didn’t put very much maple syrup in this version.  You can increase the amount to taste.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

Makes 1 cup

1 cup half and half (or, 1/2 c. whole milk, 1/2 c. single cream)

3 Tb. pumpkin

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

dash of cloves

dash of nutmeg

2 Tb. maple syrup (or more, to taste)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

In a pan on the stove, combine all ingredients.  Heat over medium-low until milk is steaming, whisking frequently.  (You don’t want to boil the milk! Just get it steaming.  If it does accidentally boil it, you can still use it, it just changes the flavor a bit.)

Optional: Pour through a fine mesh strainer into your pouring container, to remove any bits.  This makes your coffee smoother.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

To use:  Just pour into coffee instead of milk!

What’s your favorite coffee creamer flavor? I think I’ll tackle Gingerbread next!

The cult of kale … are you in?  Do you munch on kale chips and extol the virtues of green smoothies for breakfast?

Or do you have no idea what I’m talking about?

Don’t worry, I didn’t until earlier this year.  And then suddenly, kale was everywhere!

For those not in-the-know, kale is a leafy, green vegetable, related to collard greens or a more wild form of cabbage.  Until the end of the Middle Ages, kale was one of the most common vegetables in Europe, and arrived in the USA in the 1800s.

My friend Laurie once requested that I write about some “vintage vegetables”.  And kale fits that profile – a veggie that was used for centuries, then forgotten about until it’s reappearance in recent years (and some good marketing – kale even has its own website!)

This leafy green is worth a try – it’s packed with nutrients, really versatile, and best of all – doesn’t turn into a pile of mush when cooked like spinach!

And get this, I’ve even started eating it… for breakfast!  (Ok, only sometimes.  I’m not that virtuous.)

Why would I want to eat kale?

Kale is absolutely packed with nutrients.  It lasts a long time in the refrigerator (much more than those bags of spinach which seems to go off within 2 days!)  And it’s a wintery vegetable, so you can find it almost year-round at the farmers market (if you’re also into the locavore movement!)

Kale is rich in magnesium, calcium and beta carotene and Vitamins C, K and A.  Apparently it also contains sulforaphane which is purported to have anti-cancer properties.  And it has lots of fiber.

Basically, eat kale, it’s good for you.  If you’re going to eat veggies, make them count!

So how do I find it?

Kale is actually really easy to find, once you know what you’re looking for.  There are tons of varieties, from green to black leaves, smooth to curly.  I commonly see curly kale sold in pre-cut bags, or you can buy individual leafs of kale and tear it up yourself.  Recently I started experimenting with a dark kale called cavolo nero (the one in the picture).  Yum.

How do I use kale?

Steam or boil kale for a few minutes until tender (you want to retain some crunch!).  Serve it sprinkled with some olive oil (and I like to add a bit of tamari soy sauce too).  It’s also great in stir-fries.  You can hide it in pesto.  Or speaking of internet cult recipes, bake it into kale chips (gorgeous tutorial here!)

I’ve even started having it for breakfast with a poached egg on toast.

Greens? For breakfast?

This issue warrants a post in itself, but basically, YES!  If cooked greens aren’t your thing, you could try them in a green smoothie (which doesn’t work for me in wintery, cold England … but maybe next summer.)

After a breakfast of greens, you’ll feel like a smug healthy person.  And you’ll probably find your mood is more stable and you have more energy (especially if you have them with some healthy fat and protein, like an egg.)

So let’s get on with it then.  Here’s my current favorite breakfast.  Poached egg and kale on toast.  Yum.

I could make this recipe a lot more fancy & complicated (sauteeing the kale with onions and garlic or in a broth) – but this is my breakfast.  It needs to be quick.  And I can make this dish in about 5 minutes once the water is boiling.

Poached Egg and Kale on Toast

 You need:

Egg

A slice of bread

Kale

Vinegar

Olive oil, salt, pepper (& soy sauce, optional)

Method:

Short version – blanch the kale, make a piece of toast, poach or fry an egg.  Put the toast on a plate, top with egg and kale, drizzle with oil and season.  Done!

Detailed version:

Boil the kettle.  While that’s boiling, rinse and dry the kale.  Rip it up into bits with your fingers, avoiding the woody stem.  (Or chop the whole thing, as you prefer).  Put it in a pan on the stove.

Once the water is boiling, pour the water over the kale.  Turn on the burner to medium heat and let it cook for about 2 minutes, until the kale goes bright green.

Pour it all into a mixing bowl on the side and let it sit (water & all … the kale still cooks & keeps warm this way).

Fill the pan half-full with boiling water from the kettle.  Add a teaspoon of vinegar.  Bring it back to a boil.

Put the bread in the toaster and start toasting!

Now poach the egg (you can always fry the egg if this is too much trouble!).  Break the egg into a glass or ladle.  With a spoon, swirl the water in the pan to make a little tornado.  Now drop the egg from the glass into the center of the tornado.  Don’t touch it!  Wait 2 min 30 seconds.  Using the spoon, remove the egg from the water.

Put the toast on a plate.  Strain the kale and put it on the plate.  Put the egg on the toast.  Drizzle with a nice glug of olive oil.  Add pepper to taste (and soy sauce on the kale, if you like).  Bon appetit!

Are you in the cult of kale? Have you ever eaten it for breakfast?  I’m in need of some new kale recipes, so share your favorites!

My kitchen just doesn’t feel homey unless I have several edible ‘experiements’ brewing and bubbling on the countertop.

Currently I’m making sloe gin and chocolate liqueur for Christmas gifts (oops, sorry everyone, you know what you’ll be getting this year…), as well as some echinachea tincture for winter colds.  But these are all infused alcohols, so they’re quick to prepare and not much of a culinary challenge.  Speaking of infused alcohols – have you made any of these projects yet?  Really, they are So Easy, and your friends will be impressed!

Projects get more interesting when live bacteria and yeast join the fun.  You might remember making sourdough bread or super veg.  These super traditional projects require catching friendly bacteria or yeast from the air and getting them to do the hard work for you!

This project is in the more advanced category.  Although it’s really easy to make, it might frighten small children when left on the counter.  (Actually, small children will probably think it’s really cool – it’s the other adults you might frighten away!).

Kombucha is one of those specialty drinks you find in health food stores and yoga studios.  It’s based on black tea which is fermented so it becomes fizzy and tart.  It’s really tasty, and some people think it does amazing things for detoxifying the body and improving your digestive system (think: inexpensive, drinkable probiotics.)

But what hooked me was the fact that you need a floating colony of bacteria to start the process (known as a mother, a mushroom or a SCOBY) … it looked so weird I just had to try it myself!

A colony of what?

Kombucha is made by yeast and bacteria consuming sugar and fermenting tea into a delicious, fizzy drink.  To get started, you have to get a colony of the right kind of bacteria and yeasts.  This colony is called either a ‘mother’, a ‘mushroom’ or a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria & yeast!).  It’s like a science experiment in a jar … that actually tastes good!

What does a kombucha mother / mushroom / SCOBY look like?

Kind of like a round piece of chicken, with brown strings hanging off the bottom.  Yeah, it’s not nice.  If you really want to see, there are some pictures here.

Where do I get a kombucha mother / mushroom / SCOBY?

The best place to get one is from a friend!  After every couple of batches of kombucha, you’ll see a new mother growing on the top of the jar.  So you can just give it to a friend to start their own batch (what a gift!)

I bought my kombucha mother over the internet in a starter kit.  Just google for “buy kombucha mushroom” and lots of results will come up.

How does kombucha taste?

It tastes slightly like tea, but also slightly sweet and tart.  It’s really refreshing, especially in hot weather.

Lots of people also mix it with some fruit cordial or fruit syrup to make flavored kombucha.  (Always add the flavorings to the finished kombucha – never while it’s brewing, as you don’t want to interfere with the bacteria.)

How do I make kombucha?

The process of making kombucha is easy.

Brew some regular black tea.  Sweeten with white sugar and let it cool to room temperature.  (Don’t worry, the bacteria eat the sugar so the end product isn’t very sweet.)

Add the kombucha ‘mother’ and some kombucha from a previous batch to get it started.

Let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 days, until it tastes good to you (the longer you let it sit, the less sweet it will taste.)

Remove ‘mother’ and some kombucha (for your next batch!)  Pour kombucha into bottles and refrigerate.

If you’re going to make kombucha I recommend getting detailed instructions online or from one of the books I use: Nourishing Traditions or Wild Fermentation.

What health foods are you curious about?  What product would you love an inexpensive, natural alternative for?  Let me know and I might feature it on the blog! 

PS: have you signed up for The Sleep Experiement yet? It starts next week!