Summer, where are you??

I picked up a flat of strawberries for an unbelievable price this week at one of my favorite fruit and vegetable markets, Stanley’s, and was inspired to make something that would smell and taste like summer.   (For anyone not in Chicago, the weather has been less than desirable this week and then today is snowed 5 inches!?!? So I needed some “summer” food…)

For me nothing could scream more summer than a beautiful, juicy, jeweled fruit crisp.  And because I already had one element of the crisp, the strawberries, I had to decide what avenue to take.  Strawberry-peach? Strawberry-blueberry? Oh, no….something even better.  Two flavors that beautifully balance each other out- bright, juicy, sweet strawberries and crispy, tart and tangy rhubarb.  But I wanted to introduce another flavor to help marry these beautiful flavors even more…and what better than fresh ginger?! It is one of my favorite ingredients and in this recipe it adds a brightness to the fruit flavor and lends a push to the flavor of the orange zest. 

 Now, what is everyone’s favorite part of a crisp? The crust, of course! And the topping for this fruit crisp is as delicious as it is healthy, including whole grains such as oats, wheat germ, whole wheat and flax.  In addition to the fiber and lignans from the whole grains and flax, the crust has some omega-3’s and vitamin E from the addition of walnuts. So, enjoy these summer flavors and hopefully the warm weather will be soon to follow!

Ginger Scented Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

 

INGREDIENTS

Filling

• 2 cups hulled and halved strawberries
• 3 cups ½” sliced rhubarb
• ¾ cup organic cane sugar
• 3 T. cornstarch
• 3 T. water
• ½ orange, zested
• 2” piece ginger, run over microplane

Topping

• ¼  cup oats (old fashioned or quick cooking)
• ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
• ¼ cup wheat germ
• 2 T. flaxseed meal (or another 2 T. wheat germ or oats)
• ½ cup organic brown sugar
• 1/3 cup crushed walnuts
• 6 T. chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the filling by mixing all filling ingredients together in a large bowl.  Set aside to rest while preparing the topping.
2. In another bowl mix together all topping ingredients but butter.  Add the butter and using the tines of a fork, smash the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like little pebbles.
3. Grease a large ceramic pie plate or 9x9 baking dish and pour in the strawberry rhubarb filling.  Top with the oat and nut topping and place in a 350 oven for 40-50 minutes.  Bake until filling is bubbling and top is brown.

Tap a Friend....

My good friend, Charlotte, and I woke up at 6:45 on Sunday morning.  Bless her.  She is a great friend who woke up that early to volunteer with me for something called the “Water Walk.”  The Water Walk was a 1 mile walk and kick off event to start World Water Week.  This week is all about bringing awareness to people who have access to clean drinking water about the lack of clean water to many, many people around the world.

This awareness is brought about UNICEF.  A junior project of theirs, begun by the partnership between and incredible ad agency in New York and restaurants in New York, The Tap Project is the focus of this week.  I became aware of The Tap Project after my boyfriend saw some information about it in a marketing newsletter (he’s in the ad world, as well).  And I thought, what a perfect thing for me to volunteer for.  It’s a fantastic charity that uses restaurants to reach people- I’m in!

So, a few months ago Brad and I began reaching out to our contacts in the restaurant world. At the bottom of this blog there is a list of the INCREDIBLE people who decided this was something they wanted their restaurants to be a part of, thank you to all who are participating.  Let me give you an idea of how this all works.  Restaurants sign up to participate.  When you go to those restaurants to dine, the server will ask you to please donate $1.00 for your glass of tap water to provide 40 days of clean drinking water for a child.  At the end of the week the restaurants send their collected money to UNICEF and through that money clean water is provided to villages that are in desperate need.

I hope everyone can understand the impact we can have on peoples lives, specifically children.  Brad and I attended a training for The Tap Project and learned about how much water can affect a child’s life.  In many of the towns that are in need of clean drinking water, families send daughters two or three times a day to walk miles to and from a water source to collect unclean water for the family.  Many times because the children are drinking this dirty, contaminated water they become ill and again because all they have to rehydrate their sick bodies is contaminated water they do not get better and many times die.  These are children who can’t even go to school because they either have to travel too far to get the water for the family and can’t make it back for school or they are too sick to attend.

Waterborne illness is the second largest killer of children under five.  This is a startling and very sad fact.  My hope is that by spreading this knowledge my friends and family will understand the dire need of funds for this amazing organization.  The Tap Project has such a beautiful mission and such a simple one.  Help bring clean water, one of the basic essentials of life, to people who need it.  I hope you will help me support the restaurants this week that all the Tap volunteers worked so hard to commit to the program.  Please visit one of the restaurants I have listed below or log on to www.tapproject.org and search by your zip code to look for other participating restaurants.  And when you go, tell your server that you are there because they are a Tap restaurant! This will help the restaurant understand how the word spreads and will help them commit again next year.  Thank you in advance to everyone who will help support this week and continue to support the effort to bring clean drinking water to the world.

 

Restaurants Brad and I recruited for The Tap Project

-Thank you!!-

• Quartino, 626 N. State Street
• Hotel Sax Bar, 333 N. Dearborn
• Le Colonial, 937 N. Rush
• Hugo’s Frog Bar and Fish House, 1024 N. Rush
• LuxBar, 18 E. Bellevue Pl.
• Perrenial, 1800 N. Lincoln
• The Bristol, 2152 N. Damen
• Tsunami, 1160 N. Dearborn

So, “tap a friend” for dinner or even just drinks this week and please support these incredible restaurants with your business and help us support The Tap Project.  Thank you!!!

I heart organic....

I am currently drinking a glass of wine, after a lovely dinner…..reminiscing about the busy week I had! It’s nice to be with good friends just relaxing (and enjoying a meal someone else prepared!), after cooking for clients this week, catering two 20 person parties and recruiting restaurants for The Tap Project (www.tapproject.org), a UNICEF program I volunteer for.

 I would like to speak a bit to the wine that I am drinking at the moment.  A beautiful glass of Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.  I was introduced to the incredible vinos of the Willamette Valley by one of my favorite people, Diana Hamman of The Wine Goddess (www.winegoddess.com).  If you like pinot noir, the Willamette Valley is the hot spot of the moment. Please go to your local wine shop (my favorite is Sam’s Wine and Spirits in Lincoln Park) and ask for one of these deliciously smooth, low tannic, easy drinkers! (Here’s a tip- one of my favorite labels is Van Duzer-enjoy!)

 And, as promised, here are the recipes that are featured on my 190 North segment.  I know many of you tuned in, thank you! I hope you were inspired by the segment to incorporate more organic, locally grown food into your diet.  

Whole Grain and Nut Pancakes with Strawberry-Rhubarb Chutney and Maple Whipped Greek Yogurt

  

INGREDIENTS

·      6 T. hot water

·      2 T. flaxseed meal

·      1 ½ c. whole wheat pastry flour

·      ½ cup oats, ground finely in food processor

·      1 t. baking powder

·      ½ t. baking soda

·      1/3 c. organic cane sugar

·      ½ t. salt

·      ¼ c. walnut pieces

·      ¼ c. pecan pieces

·      2 ¼ c. buttermilk

·      1 organic egg

·      2 T. organic butter, melted

·      6 oz. container greek yogurt

·      2-3 T. maple syrup

·      Strawberry-Rhubarb Chutney*

 

DIRECTION

1.    Mix together the hot water and flaxseed meal, set aside.

2.    In large bowl combine whole wheat pastry flour, ground oats, baking powder and soda, cane sugar, salt, walnut pieces and pecan pieces.

3.    In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk and egg, add the soaked flaxseed meal and finally the  melted butter.

4.    Preheat griddle over medium heat. 

5.    Combine liquid and dry ingredients and stir with spoon until just combined.

6.    Pour onto greased griddle in ¼ cup portions.  Cook until bubbles begin to appear then flip over and cook 2-3 more minutes.  Serve with maple whipped greek yogurt and strawberry-rhubarb chutney.

*Strawberry-Rhubarb Chutney

INGREDIENTS

·      ½ lb. strawberries, cleaned, hulled and quartered

·      2-3 stalks rhubarb, cleaned and leaves trimmed

·      1” piece ginger, cleaned and peeled and run over a microplane grater

·      zest of ½ orange

·      2 T. organic cane sugar or agave syrup

 

DIRECTIONS

1.    Cut rhubarb into 1” pieces.

2.    Place strawberries, rhubarb, ginger, orange zest and sugar in small heavy saucepan.  Turn heat on to medium.

3.    Cook fruit until it softens, 10-15 minutes, and remove from heat.  If you desire a thicker syrup strain out the fruit and continue cooking the syrup until it is bubbly and thick.

4.    Use as a topping for pancakes, ice cream or anything else you would like!

The Drizzle Kitchen Debut!

I know it has been quite some time since I have written you lovely people.  It’s been an insanely busy week for me.  And with that busy-ness I would like you all to know that Drizzle Kitchen was filmed yesterday for its first TV segment!!

The Chicago TV show, 190 North, is airing a show on being “green” and reached out to me with interest in my private parties that focus on organic, healthy, green cuisine. So be sure to check me out on 190 North on March 15^th , ABC7 Chicago at 10:35pm.

And what food did I prepare for that show? Well, I can’t ruin the surprise! But I will tell you that next Sunday (March 15^th) I will post the recipes so you can have them and make them after you see me on the show!!

In addition to preparing for the show I had a private cooking lesson to prepare for.  The client I had to prepare for has a myriad of allergies.  The most challenging of those are gluten, dairy, eggs and garlic (along with many many more).  This client is 12 years old and should be able to have fun with his food! Remember when you were 12 and you ate pizza and ice cream and donuts and queso dip? Those foods make him extremely sick.

My goal was to make food fun.  So, while he isn’t able to eat boxed pancake mix (with minimal nutritional value, mind you) he is able to eat his “special” pancakes with mini chocolate chips and raspberry maple syrup (all which are gluten and dairy free AND he can now make by himself!).  And while he isn’t able to eat powdered, instant chocolate pudding he is able to eat coconut chocolate pudding with toasted coconut and raspberries on top (again, all gluten free and dairy free AND he can make by himself). 

So, we had fun! He helped me prepare all the recipes and loved everything.  His mother was extremely grateful for turning his food into fun, rather than a difficult task.  And this is the message I hope to pass along to my readers.  Having allergies is certainly challenging.  However, much of your perception of those challenges relates to how you look at it.    Have fun exploring new foods and ingredients! So, you might not be able to eat white pasta and jarred sauce, but you can eat Moroccan tagine chicken with quinoa pilaf.  Get excited about the foods you can eat.  And if you have a friend with celiac, or any other food related disease have fun with them! Make dinner and try some new foods. 

Make it an adventure and not a chore… Here's a fun recipe to get started!

Pasta with bison, spinach and mushrooms

Gluten-free and Dairy-free

 

INGREDIENTS

·      ½ lb. gluten free pasta, penne shape if possible

·      1 ½ lbs. ground bison

·      1 T. fennel seeds

·      1 tsp. dried oregano

·      1 tsp. paprika

·      1 tsp. garlic powder

·      1 onion, medium dice

·      1 lb. mushrooms, sliced

·      2 garlic cloves, sliced

·      3 cups baby spinach

·      1/3 cup nutritional yeast or soy “parmesan” cheese (you may sub traditional parmigiano-reggiano if you can eat dairy)

·      1 T. red pepper flakes, optional

·      6 T. olive oil

·      salt and pepper

 

DIRECTIONS

1.     Cook the pasta according to directions on box, drain and run cool water over noodles to stop cooking.

2.   Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes.  Add 2 T. olive oil and then add the bison pieces. Add salt and pepper, fennel seeds, dried oregano, paprika and garlic powder.

3.    Cook about 7-8 minutes, until beginning to brown, then remove pieces to a separate plate.

4.   Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to the onion to the pan, and cook until softened and browned.  Add the mushrooms and cook 7-8 minutes until browned and caramelized.  Add the garlic slices.

5.    Next, add the spinach and turn with tongs until wilted.  If you are adding the red pepper flakes, do that now.

6.   Put the bison back into the pan, pour the noodles in the pan and stir to combine all.  Add the remaining 4 T. olive oil.  Serve pasta with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, soy parmesan or parmigiano-reggiano on top.