Some Excuses, a Soup and Some Cold/Flu Remedies

You must have thought that I'd starved to death. No, I've been eating. And cooking, too. I've just been so insanely busy this semester, already, that I've been neglecting some of my favorite things.

Like Fiddlehead, for example.

A lot has happened in the few months since I moved. There's been some emotional drama with the (non) boyfriend (yeah, it's complicated). And in terms of the kitchen, it's been hard for me to adjust to living with other people, not being the Kitchen Queen anymore, and having to deal with, in no particular order, burners that run hotter than I'm used to, a fridge that's too moist, messy people, and sharing food in a communal kitchen.

And, oh yeah, I have a cold/flu. Stayed home from work today.

On the positive side, I've made some yummy things, like vegan spring rolls, Banjan Bharta, and an AWESOME Tomato and Jalapeño Chilaquiles.

Tomato and Jalapeño Chilaquiles

Ingredients

1-2 fresh jalapeno peppers

2 large cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes

some olive oil for frying

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

3 cups vegetable broth

1/2 - 1 tsp. salt (or Bragg's Amino Acids if you're cleansing)

8 oz. unsalted, whole grain tortilla chips

Directions: Roast the peppers and garlic until blackened and soft on all sides, about 15 min. When cool enough to touch, peel the garlic. Put both garlic and peppers into a blender and coarsely chop. Add the can of tomatoes.

Next, heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and cook until browned, 8-10 min. Add the tomato mixture and cook until darkened and thickened, at least 5 min. Reduce heat and add the broth. Simmer and stir occasionally for 15 min. Add the salt/Bragg's.

Just before serving, bring to a boil and add the chips. Cook until the chips soften, 2-5 min. depending on the thickness of the chip. Serve immediately to happy people (who will soon be your slaves) with cheese, cilantro or sour cream.

The CSA is still going for at least two more weeks, and I still have produce in my garden.

I'm also in week 2 of an autumnal cleanse (I have several "cleanse-friendly" recipes that I'll need to share at some point), which gives me a reason to buy and prepare all my own food (I really missed food shopping, buying the brands that I like and picking up items on a whim or because they are in season or seem special). The purpose of the fall cleanse is to not only bring balance to the body (most cleanses -- real cleanses -- are about that) but also to boost immunity. Since I have a little bit of a bug, I'd like to share a little bit of what I've learned about some of the foods on the cleanse and how they help treat disease.

First, like other cleanses, all seasonal fruits and vegetables are highly favored. This is a great time to cleanse because there is so much abundance that folks won't need to give up their seasonal favorites (of course, we're not talking about sweet potato pie with marshmallows or Halloween candy). I can eat winter squash (pumpkin soup!), sweet potatoes (sans marshmallow and brown sugar) and as many apples as I can fit in my body. Not much beats a good, crisp apple and a dollop of cashew butter.

Other foods that are recommended come from the allium family; in other words, onions, garlic and leeks. These foods contain antioxidants, antibacterial and antifungal agents, as well as ingredients that prevent cancer (See here for more).

In a more "shamanic" sense, this is the time when the sun seems to retreat from our hemisphere; the days grow cooler and darker, making us lose a little bit of our "inner fire." To keep that fire going, foods that stimulate and heat the body are preferred. This is another reason why the allium family is on the list, but other "heaters" include ginger, horseradish (let's hear it for wasabi!), gingseng and most zingy spices that you can think of. Hot peppers are particularly recommended. The capsiacin in the peppers has been used as an anti-inflammatory. Got a sore throat? Stay away from sugary throat drops (sugar is one of the worst things to eat when you have a cold. Ditto caffeine -- reduces your immunity -- and dairy products -- produces even more mucus). Instead, put some hot sauce on it! (Read more here).

So, I spent the day at home taking it easy and eating as much of this stuff as I can get into me, and I feel a whole lot better. I think I'll be able to go to work tomorrow, and I'll be sure to bring some hot tea with ginger and lemon.

I'm off now to go make some arugula pesto (with LOTS of garlic) and some brown rice pasta (can't have wheat) with a nice salad with a zingy, ginger dressing. Tomorrow, I plan on making a cleanse-friendly, Spicy and Smoky Corn Chowder.

Fried Eggplant with "Pepian" Sauce and Peccorino

Let's just say, this was a week for paying attention to mental health. With classes starting this week, I had enough on my proverbial plate to keep me in perpetual motion. But a major, emotional drama on Sunday really pushed me to my limit -- and I found myself eating on the run or eating in that furtive way we do when feelings take over.

I was reminded of much I really need to just settle down into this new kitchen and do some cooking. At least when I'm in it, I need to feel that it's mine.

Last night, one of my housemates made a delicious, spicy eggplant-tomato dish with coconut milk -- sort of like a Thai-inspired Bhangan ka Bhurta. Amazing. She served this with sauteed greens and a quinoa and almond pilaf. It was so good, and it motivated me to start thinking about cooking some more.

Today was another busy day (and I didn't even go to work), but I made some time to get over to the community garden. I picked several Isis Candy Tomatoes, some cayenne peppers, some sweet green peppers, a tiny onion, some herbs and a cute, glossy eggplant. We also have green bell peppers in our house garden, AND we have some from the CSA, so I decided to use them up a bit in a very modified version of a pepian sauce.

Pepian, from what I can gather, is a mole made from pepitas or pumpkin seeds. It often features tomatilloes and green peppers. It's delicious over chicken -- see here.

I didn't have any tomatilloes, so I just made it without them. I also didn't have any cilantro for that distinctive Latin flavor, so I used parsely and basil instead. I figured I could make the dish more Mediterranean than Latin -- it worked well. I just kind of whipped this together for a pretty fast and easy meal.

Fried Eggplant with "Pepian" Sauce and Peccorino

Preheat the oven to 425. Spray or oil a baking pan. Cut up some green peppers (any kind) into large pieces, quarter an onion, peel a couple cloves of garlic. Add some cayenne or jalapeno peppers, if you like. Toss the vegetables in the oil to coat. Bake until well-roasted.

So, I don't want to have to tell you how to fry eggplant . . . you know how, right? A little egg wash, a dredge through some flour and into some hot oil for a few minutes each side. Drain on paper towels. Done.

When the roasting vegetables are done, puree them with a generous handful of pepitas, parsely and basil. Add a little oil if you need to loosen the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

Usually, you pour the pepian into a pan with the chicken and stew it a bit. I just poured the sauce over the fried eggplant slices and topped it off with some shaved parmesan.

Garden Notes: Sudden Growth, Flowerly Anticipation and an Old Poem

I was amazed to see how much the garden has spurted in the couple of days since I went by to water it last. The Isis Candy Tomato, the Brandywine and the Cayenne Pepper plants all have flowers (yeah! But you can't really see one in this picture). 

I wish my plot in the community garden was in my backyard and that I didn't have to drive to it. I'd like to just hang out there, read a book and observe the wildlife all around. When I got there, there was a huge flock of birds (sparrows, likely) in the lower portion of the garden that swooped up into the air as I opened the gate. It's like they know they're not supposed to be there, eating all the seeds/seedlings. Anyway, there were so many of them it was a downright Hitchcock moment. 

Still, it would be nice to just sit there and forget about things -- pretend that this is the way the world really is, full of green growing things, the promise of abundance and life.

Here is a poem by Andrew Marvell. 

The Garden

How vainly men themselves amaze

To win the palm, the oak, or bays;

And their uncessant labors see

Crowned from some single herb or tree,

Whose short and narrow-vergèd shade

Does prudently their toils upbraid;

While all the flowers and trees do close

To weave the garlands of repose.

 

Fair Quiet, have I found thee here,

And Innocence, thy sister dear!

Mistaken long, I sought you then

In busy companies of men:

Your sacred plants, if here below,

Only among the plants will grow;

Society is all but rude,

To this delicious solitude.

 

No white nor red was ever seen

So amorous as this lovely green;

Fond lovers, cruel as their flame,

Cut in these trees their mistress' name.

Little, alas, they know or heed,

How far these beauties hers exceed!

Fair trees! wheresoe'er your barks I wound

No name shall but your own be found.

 

When we have run our passion's heat,

Love hither makes his best retreat:

The gods who mortal beauty chase,

Still in a tree did end their race.

Apollo hunted Daphne so,

Only that she might laurel grow,

And Pan did after Syrinx speed,

Not as a nymph, but for a reed.

 

What wondrous life is this I lead!

Ripe apples drop about my head;

The luscious clusters of the vine

Upon my mouth do crush their wine;

The nectarine and curious peach

Into my hands themselves do reach;

Stumbling on melons as I pass,

Insnared with flowers, I fall on grass.

 

Meanwhile the mind, from pleasure less,

Withdraws into its happiness:

The mind, that ocean where each kind

Does straight its own resemblance find;

Yet it creates, transcending these,

Far other worlds, and other seas;

Annihilating all that's made

To a green thought in a green shade.

 

Here at the fountain's sliding foot,

Or at some fruit-tree's mossy root,

Casting the body's vest aside,

My soul into the boughs does glide:

There like a bird it sits and sings,

Then whets and combs its silver wings;

And, till prepared for longer flight,

Waves in its plumes the various light.

 

Such was that happy garden-state,

While man there walked without a mate:

After a place so pure and sweet,

What other help could yet be meet!

But 'twas beyond a mortal's share

To wander solitary there:

Two paradises 'twere in one

To live in Paradise alone.

 

How well the skillful gard'ner drew

Of flowers and herbs this dial new;

Where from above the milder sun

Does through a fragrant zodiac run;

And, as it works, th' industrious bee

Computes its time as well as we.

How could such sweet and wholesome hours

Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers!

 

Poets.org