shak-shuka

For the Foodie Lovers

I'm off on holiday this week, so I will leave it to the other blog-xperts to tantalize your tastebuds with some exciting new recipes. These are some of my favorite places that I visit online to get inspired, frustrated (that I don't have enough time/energy to cook like that anymore), and just generally pumped about the joy of eating. You will surely be hungry for more....see you next week Monday!

Just amazing photography, and all of her recipes are as delicious as they look, and it's a great resource for those following a veg/gluten-free way of life:  

http://kitchen.goodfoodforwellbeing.com/

I discovered this site one day when I was desperate to find something for my daughter to eat when she was in her "guacamole only" phase. There are a few sure-fire winners in there!

http://weelicious.com/

Yes, I know, I know - Jaime. He's not my favorite (he should really chill-out and get some sleep IMO) but his food is really simple, easy to cook/source, and tastes fab. I usually use the site when I have a random ingredient I don't know what to do with and use the "search" option. 

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes

Hands down my favorite. This cookbook author, and busy-bee bloger creates recipes that are accessible, beautiful, and downright tasty. Almost all are veg or veg friendly. I dare you not to be inspired. 

http://www.101cookbooks.com/

Even though the name is a bit off-putting, don't be, because this Parisian who speaks English better than I do, has some amazing food tips, recipes, and general food amusements. 

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/

Tip-top Maternity Top

On this rather gloomy gray day, I had the pleasure of meeting one amazing woman living right in my neighborhood. I found her by chance, through the LinkedIn network, which I still haven't mastered yet, but I firmly believe that finding her was more than just luck-of-the-draw. This extraordinary woman, Christine, is a mother (to a son born the day before my daughter!) and an eco-preneur as well. She balances both motherhood with her fair trade business which creates a very exciting maternity top called the "Akua-Ba Top". This super-soft top is made to flatter a growing mother's figure, with a sexy low cut top (enjoy that cleavage girls!), fair trade cotton, and a mini Akua-Ba doll to attach to the strings which tie around the back. African legends say that the Akua-Ba doll brings life and good luck. Now who couldn't use that?! Especially a lucky mama-to-be!

As if all of this wasn't enough to satisfy your ethical frenzy, for each top sold, a mosquito net is given to a pregnant woman in Burkina Faso to protect themselves and their children against malaria. I really cannot think of a better gift for one's self while pregnant (I wish I would have gotten one while I was pregnant!) or to someone you know who is expecting a little one. Each top comes beautifully packaged and waiting for one lucky lady, who is, well - a lady in waiting (for a little one)! 

www.akua-ba.com

Soon available (10th May!) at: www.shak-shuka.com

Give a Little Tree

As I've been bragging about the fabulous spring weather that we've been having lately, naturally Mother Nature hears me and slaps us with some more grey skies. Oh goody. So to keep myself in the spring-like mood, I've been focusing my efforts on planting, seeding, and general garden mayhem. Not much success so far, so I'm blaming the soil, compost, etc. Little do the plants know (even though many try to commit plant-a-cide before I even get them home) I have the darkest of brown thumbs even though I try with all my might to create a mini garden utopia! 

One of the strongest survivors in our garden is a tree that I gave my husband last year for his first Father's Day. I didn't want to already bombard him with ties, tacky handmade gifts (made by me, not my artistic daughter) or little tchotchkes, so I decided to give him a gift of life! No, not by giving birth again, but a tree from Geefeenboompje. Cleverly packaged and ready for gift giving, Geefeenboompje has come up with a unique, hip and oxygen-beargin gift! We adopted the hazelnut tree, and I'm still itching for that tree to drop me some nuts to roast. Even if that doesn't happen, I have to say it was one of my top gifts that I've ever given, and seeing as there are lots of holidays coming up (a-hem! Mother's Day!) and babies being born, I think many of my friends will know what they're getting......

www.geefeenboompje.nl

(translation from Dutch: "give a little tree")

Available in the Netherlands, but maybe you can find something equally nice in your neck of the woods? If so, please share with us. 

The Cast Iron Clad Kitchen

Amidst all the concern we as parents have about the utensils, bottles, and bowls that our children use, there is another area that we sometimes forget about: our daily pots and pans. I suppose most people don't really think about what they're cooking their food in, but it is just as important as the things you serve your food in. There was an article that I read many years ago about the growing health concerns surrounding the use of Teflon, so much so that the author of the article said that he threw away all of his Teflon pans as his wife, a lawyer, was involved in too many Teflon-related illness court cases. 

This brings me to one of the loves of my kitchen life: cast iron pans. I have used them for longer than I prefer to say (cuz it gives away my age) and they are even more beautiful as they were years ago (maybe I should say I want to age like cast iron and not fine wine?!!). Cast iron pans are the iron-clad champion in my kitchen, and I find nothing creates a golden crust or saute to perfection like these black beauties. Not to mention the price! I think I bought my entire 5 pan set for about $50. I don't think you can even buy a Teflon pan for that price! 

With cast iron,  you skip the negative health side effects of Teflon - cast iron even have positive health effects, by contributing a small amount of iron to the foods cooked in the pans. My love letter of cast iron's positive attributes goes on and on.....

Of course with all good things there are a *few* minor setbacks: you can't cook acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus in them (they impart a really weird flavor to them), and the old-fashioned (translation: cheap!) cast iron pans don't come "seasoned" so you have to invest a bit of time to have them last a lifetime. The payoffs are well worth it, and I have included here an easy way to season the pans so that you don't have any excuse not to try them. But you can always cheat and buy the pre-seasoned pans!

Ingredients

cast iron pans

paper towels

lard (traditional fat used) or coconut oil, vegetable shortening or margarine

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Wash new cast iron cookware with warm soapy water and promptly towel dry. Generously coat cookware with fat of choice (lard, margarine, oil, etc). Bake in oven for 1 hour.

Remove skillet from oven and rub again to redistribute oil. Place in the oven and bake again for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Wipe excess oil off with paper towels, then allow to cool before storing. Store in a cool, dry place, with paper towels below and on top of skillet to protect shelves and skillet.

Kids Keep It Soleful

Ah spring!!! One of my favorite parts of spring weather is the freedom to wear comfy sneaker and opened toe shoes. Lately I have been brave enough to sport sandals (even though the weather was a wee bit too cold for it), I am really picky about the types of shoes my daughter wears now that she is a toddler running machine. 

Choosing shoes for a child is really difficult: do you go for functionality, style or both? Can they really co-exist? And what about price? All of these factors (along with struggling to contain a child long enough to try shoes on) contribute to one big headache when looking for the right spring kicks for your child. 

Alas, I think that I have found a wonderful solution in Keep shoes. I have been a big fan of the adult Keep shoes (made in the USA, using only vegan materials, most notably the fair trade rubber sole!), as they are the comfiest and stylish sneakers I've ever seen. Imagine my delight when I discovered they come in mini versions of my two favorite styles: the Guerra and the Ramos. Perfect with shorts, pants, and even a cool hip dress/sneaker combo. Could I be shown up by my own daughter in these shoes? I think so.....

The secret is out, you know what me and my mini-me will be running around in this spring!

www.keepcompany.com

Soon available at: www.shak-shuka.com

Celebrate Earth Day with Raw Recipes!

Happy Earth Day!

I'll make this a short posting so that you can get out there, plant a tree, cook (or uncook if you're doing it "raw" with the recipes below) a meal for yourself and your loved ones, or unplug all of your appliances for the day. 

In honor of this great day, I have included some super-clean recipes from a detoxing workshop that I used to do with a stellar woman, Julie Wall. Julie is a Holistic Health Counselor, so she handled the food and health aspect of the workshop, while I did the cooking and blabbing. It was great fun and I think that people really took away some great info and tips on how to live more healthfully and detox (inside and out!). 

I hope the earth appreciates these gentle recipes which use no animal products, and very limited amounts of energy (only yours!). It's our tiny contribution for a brighter future....

For more information about Julie's services:

www.juliewellness.com

Fruity Power Smoothie makes 2 drinks

Spirulina offers 60% all-vegetable protein, essential vitamins and phytonutrients such as the antioxidant beta carotene, the rare essential fatty acid GLA, sulfolipids, glycolipids and polysaccharides. Wheatgerm adds Vitamin E, pineapple has digestive enzymes, banana adds potassium and ginger helps add a powerful punch. This is delicious smoothie that will keep you fueled all day long.

1 kiwis or 1/2 basket of strawberries

1 banana, very ripe

1 cup pineapple

1tbsp spirulina, or 6 small tablets

2c apple juice

1tbsp toasted wheat germ

1/2tsp ginger powder

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Serve as is, or chilled if you prefer.

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Sauerkraut Salad makes 2 salads

This salad is not just delicious, but high in vitamin K thanks to the avocado and spinach, as well as potassium, dietary fiber and folic acid. Sauerkraut offers beneficial bacteria, sprouts adding enzymes and nutrients, while dulse  provides a powerhouse of minerals. Wonderful on its own or tucked in sandwiches or wraps.

1 head of lettuce, leaves torn

1 bunch of watercress, de-stemmed if very thick stems

1 avocado, diced

3 tomatoes, diced

250 g / 8 oz sauerkraut

2 Tbsp dried dulse flakes

30 g / 1 oz alfalfa sprouts

a dash of shoyu or tamari

a dash of sesame oil

Wash and rinse all greens, then tear into bite-sized pieces. Place in a bowl and top with chopped avocado, tomatoes, rinsed sprouts, and sauerkraut. Top with dulse flakes, and sprinkle with a splash of both shoyu/tamari and sesame oil. Serve immediately. 

Scent-sational

A friend and I were trying to figure out when Mother's Day is here in the Netherlands, as it seems to differ in almost every country. The US is different to Argentina (I found that out the hard way with my Argentine husband) and Argentina is different to the Netherlands. Phew! I can barely keep up! Luckily this morning I was bombarded with ads for "Moeder's Dag 2009" which is apparently May 10th. Or at least this year.....

One of the items that they seem to push like crazy for Mother's Day is perfume. Is it because we need a wee bit of sophistication, or is it because we don't remember to put on deodorant so luckily perfume covers both areas: sophistication and masking odors? Whatever the case, the cheap gift sets that they put together just for this holiday make me a bit queasy. I mean: do I really want to smell like Robo-Mom Victoria Beckham? 

Thank goodness I found a natural, organic alternative that I'll be dropping hints like bombs to my husband this Mother's Day: organic perfumes from the brand Patyka. This luxury organic French brand creates drop-dead gorgeous bottles of a few selected scents such as Amber, which just happens to be one of my faves. You won't likely come across these perfumes in your local ads, so I love the idea of having a perfume that won't smell like everybody else, and well, their mother. 

www.patyka.com

Available in the Netherlands at: www.shizo.nl

Wonder Balms

We were blessed with glorious weather this weekend, and instead, my body decided to go on strike and get a throat cold. What was supposed to be a fantastic weekend full of to-do lists, brunches, lunches, etc turned out to be a PJ-athon instead. I don't know how I manage to do it every warm spring season, but my body goes into cold-mode and there's nothing I can do to stop it: until now!

I have been using Badger brand balms for quite a while now, but it's times like these that they really pull me through. Badger makes these cute little tins that you can stash anywhere, and have a variety of uses. I've used the Baby Balm for my daughter, and she gets a kick out of opening and closing the tins (which I have a hard time opening but not for her!) The one that I am slathering myself in right now is the Winter Wonder Balm which is an aromatic chest balm, very reminiscent of the Vicks Vaporub your mother probably doused you with as a child. These balms are 100% natural and mostly organic, and you can actually recognize and pronounce the list of ingredients! The past few days I've been alternating between the Winter Wonder Balm and the Sore Muscle Rub - which is like an icy/hot balm for sore muscles and joints, but for some reason I feel like it's speeding up the detoxifying process in my throat! Truly multitasking products! 

www.badgerbalm.com

In the Netherlands and US available at health food stores (in Rotterdam, at De Groene Passage)

Worry-free Feeding Gear

I don't know about you, but lately I have become increasingly concerned about the things my daughter puts in her mouth. Hormone-altering BPA, lead, melamine (which is in TONS of kids dishes and plates), PVC: the list goes on and on. I'm not normally one of those super-protective-over-the-top-moms, but when it comes to things feeding my child, a ritual that she does (at least, or depending on how she's feeling!) 3 times a day, I want it to be with the safest, most health-supportive gear possible. 

A lot of parents have heard of the negative side effects of BPA, Phthalates and PVC in baby bottles, and have found the alternatives. I did when I had my daughter, and had bottles shipped from the US! These items are becoming a bit more widespread around Europe, but it's not always easy. One of the best brands that I have come across for safe baby and kid feeding gear is ThinkBaby. They have the works: baby bottles, conversion kits to move your baby bottle into a sippy cup, and my personal fave: BPA Free Feeding Sets. The name sounds a bit daunting, but the 4-piece set has all you need to feed your little one at home or on the go. Everything is free of BPA, melamine, PVC, Phthalates, lead, leaving you with only one thing to worry about: how to get food into your little one's mouth!!

www.thinkbabybottles.com

Soon available at: www.shak-shuka.com

For more great information about healthy, safe products for children:

www.zrecommends.com

www.healthychild.org

Carb-loving Seitan

Today is the end of the Jewish holiday Passover, that I mentioned in my last Wednesday recipe post (see the "Matzoh Matter with You"). A lot of people during this holiday abstain from (at least) eating bread, and recently I read a hilarious Passover e-card which said "This is the time of year when I would stab someone for a sandwich". Very funny! I don't think I would take it this far, but after Passover I definitely am jonesing for something uber-carbohydrate-y and utterly filling. 

One of my favorite dishes that I like to make at this time of year (post-Passover-no-bread-eating), is a recipe that I copied out of a magazine ages ago. I think I was about 18 when I copied down this recipe (as seen by my horrible penmanship and use of hearts), but I still find it as delicious as the first time I made it. It's a Seitan Stroganoff, which I think is an ideal way to introduce seitan (the gluten from wheat made into a "meat-like" substance) to those unfamiliar to it. The ingredients couldn't get much simpler, but it's a good way to familiarize yourself with seitan, and also silken tofu (found in a box, really silky, found in health food stores or Asian supermarkets). When I make this for my daughter, I simply omit the white wine and just proceed without it. This Stroganoff will get rave reviews from both big and little ones!

Seitan Stroganoff

1 package of mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/4c. white wine (omit if serving to children)

1 large onion, diced

1 jar of seitan, drained and diced into small pieces (you can also use a food processor)

1/4c. extra virgin olive oil

1 package silken tofu

1tsp lemon juice

1Tbsp tahina paste

small bunch fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

In food processor or blender, put silken tofu, lemon juice, tahina and salt. Process until smooth and creamy. 

Heat olive oil in a large pot or skillet. Add onions and saute until translucent. Then add mushrooms, cooking until the liquid that comes out from the mushrooms evaporates. Add white wine and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, with salt and pepper at the end. Add seitan and cook for another 5 minutes. 

Add tofu mixture (see above) to the seitan in the skillet. Simmer for another 5 minutes to allow flavors to mingle together.

The sauce is now done (unless you are making it for children, then blend it), and you can add this to your favorite pasta - I think that it works best with long, thick pasta, such as tagliatelle. Garnish with fresh parsley.