Prasad owner Karen Pride shares her recipe for a chilled Jamaican Avocado Soup. Yum! Avocados are a warm weather favorite and they’re rich with healthy omega fats, essential for good health, as Kathryn Bruni- Young explains in her article on Summer Nutrition . Enjoy!

Jamaican Avocado Soup

2 oz butter
1 medium onion
2 T fresh ginger
5 really small avocados, or 3 med/large sized
2 T lime juice
2 T orange juice
1 ¾ cup vegetable stock
1 tsp. black pepper
8 chives
handful fresh mint
¾ cup milk of choice
3 T sour cream
1 ½ tsp curry powder

Sauté onion and ginger in butter over medium heat until soft.  Place sautéed onion and ginger in a blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.  Serve soup chilled with a swirl of Lime Crema (recipe follows) and a garnish of fresh chopped chives, chopped mint and fresh ground black pepper.

Lime Crema
¼ cup sour cream
2 tsp fresh lime
¼ tsp garlic
¼ tsp salt

Whisk ingredients in a bowl.

I’m so pleased to introduce Kathryn Bruni- Young, Toronto yoga teacher, nutritionist and new columnist for Feed The Yogi. Kathryn has a lovely understanding of yoga (she’s been practicing since age 16!), as well as nutrition. I hope you enjoy her column as much as I have, and Kathryn I hope you keep them coming!

~Renee

Turn Your Nervous System on and Keep it Shining All Summer Long
by Kathryn Bruni-Young

Summer is an energetic time of the year for many reasons. Plants and parks come back to life, people come out of winter hibernation, and best of all, the sun shines strong. There are many things you can do to tune up your nervous system to get ready for this exciting and exhilarating season.

Step One: Ditch the coffee cup for a few weeks and adopt a new morning beverage.

Let’s begin with reviewing exactly what coffee does in the body by first looking at the general anatomy of a nerve. Nerves have different receptors for different chemicals in the body. Different chemicals bind to nerve receptors and deliver different messages to the nerve. Each nerve has an “on switch” and an “off switch”. These are two receptors that work at different times and by taking turns, they create balance in the nerve.

When caffeine is ingested it begins circulating and it heads straight for one key receptor in each nerve. This is the adenosine receptor, which could also be called the “off switch” receptor. Caffeine takes the place of adenosine and rather than telling the nerve to turn off because its time for a rest, it tells the nerve to keep on rockin’ because the party isn’t over! Basically, this whole process prevents the nerves from attaining balance or rest and like anything else that is overtired, eventually it falls apart. I’m not saying cut it out forever, but its nice to give the nervous system a bit of a break every now and again, even taking 3 weeks off caffeine at the beginning of the summer can be very beneficial to the system.

Taking a caffeine break in the summer might be easier to do than in the winter for a couple reasons. First of all, people tend to be naturally more motivated and more energetic in the summer. Everyone is excited to put their parkas back into the closet and take their flip flops out for a stroll. Also, many beautiful fruits and vegetables come into season, which means more raw, vibrant foods are being consumed. The more raw energy you absorb from your foods, the more raw energy you take with you throughout your day. For an outstanding spring/summer diet try to eat as many fruits, vegetables, whole grains and clean proteins as possible. Raw is great, but for the unseasoned body, it can mean potential temporary discomfort so break it in slowly, eating some raw food with each meal.

But what do I replace me delicious morning beverage with???
Try having a very large glass of water (a pint glass works well) of warm water with ½ a lemon squeezed in. Making sure the water is not freezing cold is important, either warm some up in the morning or leave your bottle out on the counter for the night. When warm water enters the body it spends very minimal time in the stomach and passes straight into the large intestine which can often stimulate a bowel movement (this is essential for proper detoxification). The lemon stimulates the liver and entire digestive system to start working because it is actually considered a “bitter” and it’s a great way to start out the day. Also, although lemon tastes sour and acidic, it actually has an alkalizing effect on the body because of its high mineral content (organic lemons tend to carry more minerals). If you hate really sour drinks, try adding a small amount of stevia or raw honey, making more of a lemonade cocktail.

Step Two: Add a couple healing herbs to the mix.

Herbs can be great for cleansing, stimulating, rebuilding and more. One specific class of herbs that are great for nervous system rebuilding are adaptogens. Adaptogenic herbs are substances that help the body deal with stress. They frequently contain steroidal saponins which mimic corticosteroids secreted by the adrenal glands. Basically, they can be used as a tonic for the adrenal glands and entire nervous system. Herbs can be taken in many different forms, some are foods and some are supplements, please consult your healthcare practitioner before commencing any herbal protocol, especially if you take prescription medications.

A few great adaptogenic herbs and/or foods are…
- Liquorice root (or) Eleutherococcus senticosus
- Borage (or) Borago officinalis
- Reishi mushroom (or) Ganoderma lucidum
- Maca (or) Lepidium meyenii

Step Three: Bring in some good fats for the duration.

Udo Eraumus once said, there are fats that heal and fats that kill!
One specific type of fat that is very important to not only the nervous system, but health in general is the omega 3 essential fatty acid. This fat is essential because the human body does not have the ability to produce it. Omega 3 fat is exceptionally important for proper brain development and function, especially important for pregnant mothers and children. A few foods that contain omega 3 in high doses are walnuts, chia seeds, flax seed and oil and cold water fish such as salmon and mackerel.

Aside from the fact that omega 3 fats are great brain food, they are also growth enhancing. When consumed in higher doses (approx. 15% of daily caloric intake) they can increase the rate of metabolic reactions in the body and increase the rate of oxidization. This means that more fat could be burned into carbon dioxide, water and heat, prompting the body to burn through excess fat stores. Omega 3 fat also has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body and it is slightly alkaline which is important because most fats are acid forming in the body.

Another nervous system promoting fat is lecithin. Lecithin is a fat found mainly in eggs, but it can also be taken in supplement form, made from non-GMO soy. Lecithin supplies the body with choline, which is essential in the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a great nervous system supporter because it helps build up the brain and spinal cord.

Lecithin is an emulsifier and when ingested it begins to put built up cholesterol back into solution. The natural lecithin found in eggs allows the body to properly absorb the cholesterol, both of which are contained in the yolk; cholesterol eaten in moderation and as a whole food (like an egg) is essential for the nervous system and the brain, the strength of cell membranes, and the proper function of the endocrine system and adrenal glands. Lecithin also acts as a detergent in the body and can be supplemented in higher doses to help detoxify and cleanse the liver. Lecithin is somewhat of a miracle fat that should be part of a balanced and supportive diet.

Step Four: get some serious R&R time.

Getting enough rest and relaxation is essential for good health. Yoga, meditation and breathing exercises can be great ways to calm the nervous system and give the body a chance to rebuild. There are many different yoga classes out there and sometimes finding the right one for your own personal likes and dislikes can be challenging, but at the end of the day, there is always going to be something for everyone.

(Kathryn beautifully demonstrating how to best feed a yogini)

Kathryn Bruni-Young is a certified yoga instructor and a committed student to the field of holistic nutrition. At age 16, Kathryn began to explore her passion for yoga/movement and decided to attend an alternative high school so that she could complete the Downward Dog yoga teacher training program. Upon graduation she began teaching at Downward Dog Yoga Center in Toronto under the guidance of Diane Bruni and Ron Reid. She continues to instruct yoga classes at Downward Dog with great enthusiasm and a real love for the practice. Kathryn’s teaching is a reflection of her own personal yoga practice which is best described as challenging, flowing and fun. She is naturally drawn to handstands and arm balances as areas in her practice and teaching to constantly attempt, learn and evolve. Her main yogic influences come from teachers Diane Bruni (Toronto), Richard Freeman (Colorado) and Vinnie Marino (Los Angeles).
Kathryn also has an intense interest in the world of alternative medicine and healing. She will be graduating from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition in January 2011, as a certified holistic nutritionist and hopes to pursue more learning and a career in the field of nutrition and holistic healthcare.
Kathryn can be contacted at kbyfoods@hotmail.com

Photo by Tim Bermingham

Free Rice is an online game that helps you brush up on your vocabulary. For every word you guess correctly the World Food Programme donates 10 grains of rice to a country in need. It might not sound like a lot, but the game is quite addictive. An hour spent here instead of facebook and you’ve just donated a full bowl of rice.

This article is a must read please. For people who eat food.

Whether you eat animal proteins or not, this article has some essential information on preparing vegetable foods and how to get the most out of what you’re eating.

Pressed Salad
fresh spring turnips with greens, separated
dandelion greens
mustard greens
parsley
almonds
lemon zest
1/4 red onion, diced
black olives, pitted and finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Place almonds on a cookie sheet and roast until done, for about 5 minutes, stir, then roast another 2-5 minutes. When the almonds are done, wait for them to cool and then using the flat edge of a knife or a jar, crush them into smaller pieces.

Wash and dry all greens, remove any thick stems and core, chop into 1-inch ribbons. Sprinkle 1/3 teaspoon salt over greens and using your hands, press the greens, massage them, squeeze them until they begin to release water and take on a marinated-like quality. Once greens are quite soft, mix in the chopped olives and set aside.

Combine lemon zest, and red onion, repeat pressing method. Set aside.

Slice turnips (or any other root or decorative vegetable) into thin slices and arrange them artfully onto your serving dish. Place greens on top, then lemon zest mixture, sprinkle with roasted almonds. Serve with fresh cilantro dressing on the side to spoon out on top.

big bunch of fresh cilantro (coriander)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/8-1/4 rice vinegar (to taste)
1/4 cup white miso
1 tablespoon of mustard
2″ fresh ginger root grated
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.

Sprouts are a perfect addition to your springtime menu. They are packed with vitamins and nutrients, protein-rich and easy to digest. They are also delightfully crunchy and delicious, making them the perfect snack!

Get started:

-Organic, raw seeds (Some more common seeds to sprout are sunflower, chia, alfalfa, clover, and mung bean but there are many more possibilities. Pretty much anything that grows from a seed can be sprouted. Some seeds are difficult to find raw, or aren’t actually seeds, so ask your local organic grocer or buy online. Make sure you’re getting organic seeds though, sprouted pesticides and genetically modified organisms are gross.)

-1 glass quart jar
-Cheesecloth and rubber band

Pour some seeds into the jar, you don’t need that many, just enough to cover the bottom of the jar and up about 1/2 inch. Rinse the seeds a few times with cold water, then cover the seeds with cold, filtered water (fill the jar about halfway up), and let them soak overnight. The next day, drain the water and cover the mouth of the jar with a few layers of cheesecloth, secured with a rubber band. Rinse the seeds well with cold water and set the jar upside-down on a cup so that the water can drain out. Rinse the seeds at least three times a day. Pretty soon you’ll see them starting to sprout. Different seeds have different sprouting times, but most of them will be done within a few days. Check the seed sprouting time-guidelines.

When the seeds are sprouted to your taste, rinse them once more and then store them in a clean container with a paper towel at the bottom to absorb excess moisture. The sprouts will be good to eat for about a week. Add them to any salad, stir-fry, sandwich, or just enjoy them on their own!

Thanks to my friend Robert for bringing this recent New York Times article to my attention, it was sincerely one of the most entertaining 15-minute reads I’ve had in a while.

It seems to me that the point of both yoga and food get lost a lot. The practice of yoga is one that has so much potential to help those of afflicted with the human condition (otherwise known as extremism), to find some kind of gentle place in between; appreciating what’s here (like the home of this body which needs nutritious sustenance to live) without getting too carried away with the impermanence of what’s here (like this body eating any particular meal). And how lucky we are to have a meals to eat at all, whether they’re vegan, meaty, served on china or eaten with hands.

I’d be very interested in hearing your feedback and opinions. Comments please!

Pangea Organics founder Joshua Onysko is not only a groundbreaking entrepreneur who’s organic, sustainable body products line is changing the way many companies are thinking about the future of business, he’s also a chef who knows how to cook on a budget.

After starting a Facebook challenge to cook meals for one week that were organic, local, sustainable and cost less than $75 for groceries Joshua and friends have made these great how-to videos that are full of information about how to shop and cook on a budget while maintaining a healthy, sustainable and clean diet. Thanks Joshua!

Watch The Whole Foods $75 Challenge, part 1 and part 2.

I have a not-so-secret shortbread obsession. While I don’t see anything particularly wrong with occasional binges on organic, humane, free-range butter… It’s also nice to know that there are alternatives. This month’s ingredient is Butternut Squash and due to my penchant for purees I’ve also been experimenting with squash-based baked goods.

Squash (or sweet potato) puree makes an excellent egg replacement. It brings the dry ingredients together nicely and contributes a delicious moistness and density along with flavor. There are certain combinations that may not seem obvious at first that I would highly encourage you to try: squash and chocolate, squash and coconut, squash and almond.

These cookies are the result of one such experiment with vegan shortbread. They’re not particularly shortbread-y, as I’m still not convinced it’s possible sans buerre. But, they do make an excellent biscuit! If you cut them thinner they come out crunchy like biscotti, a bit thicker and they remain moist and chewy on the inside. Serve with tea or coffee and very possibly a side of whipped cream. For the vegans, keep an eye out and I’ll post my dairy-free whipped cream variations soon.

Butternut Biscuits

2 cups pastry flour
1 cup organic unrefined coconut oil (cold)
1/2 cup plus one tablespoon natural cane sugar (florida crystals)
sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pureed butternut squash
zest and juice of one lemon
1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spices

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a cuisinart or a mixer (hand or stand), whip the coconut oil until creamy.
Add sugar, a pinch of salt and continue whipping until totally dispersed.
Add flour and lemon zest and mix until incorporated.
Add the squash puree, pumpkin pie spice, salt and vanilla extract and continue to mix until a sticky dough is formed.
Pour out the dough into a piece of parchment paper and wrapping the paper around the dough, roll it into a log. Secure the log on both ends with rubber bands or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, but not more than two.
Take out the dough and using a sharp, non-serrated knife, slice the dough into dics 1/8-1/4 inch thick (cut them thinner for crunchier biscuits).
Place the biscuits on the parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Using a brush coat each biscuit with lemon juice and sprinkle with a light covering of sugar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned. Remove from oven and place the biscuits on a wire rack to cool.

This variation is reminiscent of pumpkin pie and is excellent served with a good sourdough or rye bread.

Renee’s Favorite Butternut Soup

pureed butternut squash
1 can coconut milk
2 tablespoons of grated ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon brown sugar
sea salt

In a soup pot heat pureed squash (directions on how to make that here) with one can of coconut milk. Grate fresh ginger root and taking the grated pulp in your hand squeeze out the juice into the soup pot with squash and coconut milk. Stir well and allow to cook together until the soup is quite hot. Salt to taste.

In a small bowl combine nutmeg, chili powder and brown sugar and mix together.

Top with some roasted pumpkin seeds. (Follow the direction for roasting but try adding the nutmeg and brown sugar in with the tamari!)

One of the many nice things about winter squash is that you can easily roast them and then use them in a variety of different ways. Depending on where you live, fresh and local winter produce is often scare, making squash the ideal winter veggie; it will keep for a long time and there are so many things that you can do with it that hopefully you’ll keep enjoying it until the variety of spring arrives.

Simply oven-roasting squash is a delicious way to prepare a simple and satisfying dish. Following are directions to oven roast a butternut squash, make squash purée and to how make the butternut seeds into a tasty little snack. (These directions will work with other varieties of squash though cooking times may vary.)

Butternut is the longest keeper of the winter squash family and they tend towards a sweet flavor. They have dark orange flesh and a light-colored skin. The skin is thin and soft enough that if it is roasted or cooked with the squash it can be eaten as well and increases the nutritional value.

Start with the following:

1 butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon tamari (soy sauce)

Preheat oven to 350F

Cut butternut squash in half, remove seeds and set aside. Coat the flesh in olive oil and salt. Place cut side down in a roasting dish and bake until soft, 30-60 minutes depending on size.

To make puree:
When the squash is done and cool enough to handle, remove the skin and set aside.  Place the squash in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

To make squash stock:
Place the skin of the roasted squash, the seeds and any pulp or fibers into a soup pot with star anise, cinnamon stick and bay leaf and add 4.5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 1 hour.

To make roasted squash seeds:
Clean the pulp and fibers from the seeds and rinse them well. Dry with a towel and spread evenly on a cookie sheet. Bake in the oven at 350F until they are golden brown (about 10 minutes) stirring once or twice to cook evenly on all sides. Remove the tray from the oven and while it is very hot drizzle the tamari over the seeds and stir to coat them evenly. The tamari liquid will evaporate and the salt will dry crystalized onto the seeds. Let them cool completely and then enjoy as a healthy and delicious snack or topping on your favorite salad or soup.

If, by chance, you don’t take me up on my bet to ward off cold and flu season by regular administrations of Superhero Miso Soup, and you do fall prey to a wintertime bug. Never fear. The ultimate sick-fighting tonic is here.

Ultimate Sick Fighting Tonic

To make one cup:
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
4 cloves raw garlic, mashed well
juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon raw honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1 dropperfull (or 1/2 teaspoon) of echinacea tincture

Mash all ingredients together in a cup. Boil 1 cup of water and pour into the same cup. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Drink the liquid and eat the remaining ginger and garlic. (Add more raw honey to taste)

Potent, powerful and oddly delicious this little cocktail can be consumed on its own… OR if you really want to kick your cold goodbye, boil another 1/2 cup of ginger with 5 cups of water, simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Then add the hot ginger-water to a hot bath, sit in the bath and drink the tonic. Get out, wrap yourself in as many blankets as you have and sweat out all the last hopes of your sickness. ‘Nuff said,

The best part of it all is that it tastes great. Rich in flavour and full of texture this soup makes a deeply satisfying winter dish.

Superhero Immune Boosting Miso Soup
Makes 4 cups

one handful of dried seaweed (I used kombu, dulse and sea kelp. You don’t have to use all of them, just one would be sufficient. Kombu is the least ‘seaweed-y tasting’ of the three)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, mashed and finely chopped
2 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
any seasonal veggies, chopped (I used celery root, carrots, and rapini. In the winter it’s good to use roots and crucifers.)
dark miso paste (miso comes in many varieties, the darker it is the less sweet it is and tends to be slightly higher in probiotics)

Sauté
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 cup cabbage, shredded (green or red)
your choice, either: 2 eggs whisked, 1/2 cup precooked beans, 1/2 cup tofu, or 1/2 cup animal protein
1/2 teaspoon tamari

In a medium soup pot add 5 cups of water with dried seaweed, onion, garlic and ginger. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 45 minutes.

Add vegetables in order of longest cooking times (i.e. root vegetables and squash should be added first, allowed to cook in for a few minutes, then vine vegetables (peppers, nightshades), last added are leafy vegetables which should be cooked just for a few minutes to preserve their texture and bright color). Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl add a few tablespoons of hot soup broth to the miso and stir to dissolve. Portion the miso between bowls and add soup on top. (Miso is a traditional food of fermented soy and grain. It’s incredible healthy and contains living enzymes and probiotics that won’t survive if they are cooked or heated above certain temperatures or for too long. For this reason you never want to actually cook it into what you’re making. Just add warm liquid to dissolve the paste and then add it to your dish.)

Adding a sauté brings a variety of texture and added flavour to the soup.

Heat a sauté pan and add oil or butter. Add cabbage and stir so that it’s completely coated with oil. Sauté on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the cabbage has softened sufficiently. Add protein and sauté until it’s cooked to your liking. Mix into soup and serve immediately.

Excerpt from their site:

That sounds good to me. Check out their site for podcast archives, great links, a bibliography and even a movie. Grow your own!

“Slow Food was founded in 1989 to promote the pleasures of the table and regional food cultures and to protect them from the homogenization of industrial food production. With gastronomy bound inextricably to agriculture, the environment and the health of communities, Slow Food has naturally broadened its focus over the years to actively support producers who demonstrate a small-scale, sustainable and local food production model.

In 1999, Slow Food launched the Presidia project which has since involved thousands of small producers across the world, strengthening local economies and saving cheeses, breads, vegetable varieties and breeds from extinction. The worldwide Terra Madre network was launched in 2004 to give a voice and visibility to these farmers, breeders, fishers and artisan producers, and to bring them together with cooks, academics, youth and consumers to discuss how to improve the food system and strengthen local economies. Today the Terra Made network is made up of more than 2,000 food communities.

Slow Food has chosen to celebrate its first 20 years with Terra Madre Day in recognition of these communities’ remarkable achievements and their crucial role. Terra Madre Day will be celebrated by food communities and Slow Food’s network of more than 100,000 members across 150 countries, grouped in 1,300 convivia – local chapters – who are working to defend their local culinary culture. The convivia have always formed the backbone of Slow Food, spreading the philosophy far and wide by organizing events and activities.

Slow Food develops countless activities, projects and events all around the world, at the local, national and international levels. Most of these actions revolve around four key themes: food biodiversity, food and taste education, connecting producers and co-producers (shortening the food supply chain)and developing networks.”

What’s that you say? You live in a concrete jungle, your only green space is mold growing on last week’s left-overs..? Be not dissuaded my friends! Of course it’s great if you have an abundance of backyard and open space to grow your goods, but urban gardens are not only fun and creative, they can also contribute to a number of social, economic and environmental benefits. Socially, planting and growing your city garden will not only expand your social network to include local farmers and seed distributers, but once you start growing your edibles you’ll probably be so excited that meals shared with friends and neighbors (who will undoubtably be inspired to grow their own as well) will become the norm. If you have kids, you can count on their increased enthusiasm for eating food that they helped grow, and eating produce that is grown locally and organically, not to mention with great enthusiasm, is much healthier for your body and brain than eating imported or chemically sprayed products.

Urban landscapes offer many possibilities for garden construction, container gardens can be set up on rooftops, balconies, vacant lots and stairwells and there are lots of resources out there to get you started. Even if you live in a tiny apartment with no easy access to the outside, you can still have a window sill garden, get space in a community garden, or team up with a friend who has some outdoor space to share. In some ways restricted space might even be more fun because of the creative solutions that you will have to come up with.

Do you have ideas or resources to add for aspiring city gardeners? Post them in comments or email them to me. I’ll be keeping up with this train of thought and maybe even designing a challenge or two for you!

Anyway. I digress, and I apologize for my lack of thrilling or more complete meal recipes. This vegan chocolate cake is real winner though and easy to make. The last two posts are both super simple, fabulous, fresh side dishes. For my friends back in Canada where Thanksgiving has already passed… give thanks anyway and eat good food! In the meantime remember… The best stuffing always includes toasted nuts AND dried fruit, you can’t really go wrong with cardamom, stuffed squash is easier than stuffed turkey and also less expensive and you can toast the seeds instead of scooping out the innards. And… Give thanks EVERY DAY!

Thank God For Chocolate Cake

Cake
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup maple syrup
1 ripe banana, mushed
1/3 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Frosting

1/2 cup raw cashews
1  1/2 cups water
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
juice of 1/2 orange
tamari
sea salt
nutmeg

For the cake:

Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl combine coconut oil and maple syrup and cream together with a hand blender until even, add banana, apple sauce, vanilla and mix until smooth. Stir the “liquid” mixture into the flour mixture and fold in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

To prepare the frosting:

Place raw cashews in a blender with a tiny pinch of salt and blend until the cashews have become a powder (but before they become cashew butter). Add water and blend on high for 3 minutes. Pour mixture into a medium sized pot and heat on high while whisking constantly for 3-4 minutes. Turn heat down to medium low, don’t allow the mixture to burn at the edges of the pot. Once the liquid begins to thicken add cocoa powder and mix in evenly, then add maple syrup and orange juice, stirring constantly. Add a pinch of salt and 1/8 teaspoon tamari. Cook until the mixture is quite thick and will hold an edge. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Using a spatula spread the frosting over the cooled cake, and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Before serving sprinkle with freshly ground nutmeg and a few orange peel spirals as garnish.

Vegetables

root vegetables
at least one onion
at least  5 cloves of garlic
olive oil
sea salt

Glaze

1/3 stick unsalted butter
fresh nutmeg
1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350F.
Choose your root vegetables and chop them and the onion into roughly similar sized pieces. Keep the garlic cloves whole, inside their peel. Their should be enough vegetables to make at least one thick layer filling a roasting tray. A layer or a layer and a half is the best amount. Much more and the veggies will take forever to cook, much less and they’ll dry out. Mix the veggies, drizzle liberally with olive oil and a pinch or two of sea salt. Toss it all together. Roast uncovered for about half an hour, stir, roast for another 20-40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and well cooked and your kitchen smells amazing.

For the glaze, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Grate about 1/4 of a teaspoon fresh nutmeg into the melting butter and add a pinch of salt and the juice of one half lemon. Stir well and allow the mixture to cook for about a minute. Drizzle the glaze over the roasted vegetables while they’re still hot. Allow to cool for just about a minute or so and then serve immediately.

Enjoy.

Serves 8

-1 pound of fresh green beans, washed, remove any dry stems or tips and cut on a slant into 1-inch pieces
-1/2 medium head of red cabbage, sliced in 1/4 inch ribbons
-2/3 cup fresh dill, chopped
-2-3 shallots, finely sliced
- 1 cup blanched almond slivers or slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon
- sea salt, black pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread out almonds on a baking sheet and place on the middle rack. Allow the almonds to bake for a few minutes and stir once. Remove them from the oven when they become a light golden brown color. 5-7 minutes.

In a large pot boil 6 cups of water with a pinch of salt. Once the water boils add the green beans and stir for about 1-minute or until the beans are tender and bright green. Drain the beans once they have cooked to your liking (keep them fresh and brightly colored, try not to overcook them) and run cold water over them to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Heat a large sauté pan on medium high, add oil, add shallots and stir, allow to cook for about 1 minute. Add red cabbage and stir well so that all the pieces are coated in oil. Add a pinch of salt and continue to stir and sauté for 4-5 minutes until the cabbage becomes somewhat soft but is still vibrant in color.

In a large mixing bowl combine green beans, almonds, cabbage, dill and the juice of one lemon. Mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or cold.