Spicy Crispy Kale Chips

Kale! One of the most talked about vegetables in the garden this season. With its extraordinarily rich nutritional profile, kale is enjoying a kitchen-renaissance. Delicious cooked in a variety of ways -- boiled, steamed, baked, or sauteed-- it also makes an incredible snack food. These spicy kale chips are a real crowd-pleaser...so easy to prepare, and so tasty, too! They keep really well, staying crispy and flavourful for weeks in an air-tight container (that is, if there are any left to put away). While best made in a dehydrator, these chips can also be prepared in a conventional oven set at a low temperature to protect the integrity of kale's abundant enzymes.

You'll Need: 1 large bunch of kale (any variety); 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds; 1/4 cup water; 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 1/4 cup nutritional yeast; 2 tablespoons tamari; 2 - 4 large cloves of garlic, depending on your taste; 1 teaspoon agave; 10 - 12 fresh chives;  habanero or jalapeno pepper to taste .
Method: Wash kale and pat dry. Trim off stems, and remove thick center vein from each leaf. (Set aside for juicing or soup). Cut leaves into chip-size pieces.

Peel garlic cloves and chop coarsely. Cut chives into smaller pieces. Put in blender with all remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Marinade should be pourable, like a thick cream soup. Add more liquid if necessary, and blend for a few seconds more.

Pour marinade into a very large bowl. If you do not have one big enough to hold liquid and the kale pieces, divide liquid and kale into equal amounts and prepare in smaller batches.

Using both of your impeccably clean hands, massage kale into marinade, coating each piece well.  Although this method works best, if you don't want to use your hands, toss kale pieces into marinade with salad servers or two forks.

Spread kale in a single layer on teflex dehydrator sheets, pouring any remaining marinade over leaves. If using oven, place in a single layer on lightly greased cookie sheets. Dehydrate at 145 degrees for 1/2 hour, then reduce heat to 118 - 120 degrees and continue dehydrating until chips are dry on top. If using oven, bake at lowest temperature possible, keeping a close eye on them.

When dehydrator chips are dry on top, flip them over onto a tray with a mesh screen. Continue to dehydrate at 118 degrees until they are crispy (4 - 6 hours total dehydrating time, depending on kale and weather) In oven bake until crisp, turning chips once if necessary. Watch carefully to be sure they don't burn.

   Remove from dehydrator and enjoy. If you use the oven, let cool for a minute or two (if you can wait that long). Kale chips are a great side-dish, served with soup or a sandwich. They can be crumbled on a salad or casserole for extra zip. We think they taste best placed in a big bowl and eaten as a guilt-free, healthy snack!  Enjoy!

For thoughts about food, and food for thought, visit zen-cuisine

Enjoy the antics of a cute puppy? Check out the adventures of Elsie Mokete Extraordinary Elsie, the Eskie-poo Pup!

Broccoli in Citrus-Avocado Cream with Fresh Sage

This is a great way to eat your broccoli! Lightly-steamed florets are served in a silken orange and avocado cream made with pumpkin seeds and garden fresh sage, garnished with toasted pine nuts. Not only is this dish full of flavour and crunch, but also offers a rich nutritional profile. This recipe is an unusual salad or side dish. Served with rice crackers or crusty bread, it makes a filling meal on its own...and is so easy to prepare!

You'll need: broccoli with stalks; 1 orange; 1 avocado; 12-14 orange cherry tomatoes; 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds; 2 tablespoons raw pine nuts; 2 leaves of fresh sage; 2 tablespoons filtered water; sea salt to taste.

Method: Wash broccoli and shake dry. Cut tops from stalks. Separate florets into bite-size pieces. Lightly steam until just tender. Rinse in cold water, drain. Place in a large bowl.

Wash and quarter orange tomatoes. Add to broccoli florets. Cover and set aside.

Place water, pumpkin seeds and salt in blender. Peel, pit and chop avocado and add to blender. Add peeled and chopped orange  sections, sage leaves, and salt to taste.

Blend at medium speed until a thick smooth cream is formed.

Lightly toast pine nuts over low heat until fragrant and shiny. Add pine nuts to broccoli and tomatoes, reserving 1 teaspoon of pine nuts for garnish.  Add citrus-avocado cream to vegetable mixture, and gently combine. 

Place broccoli mixture in a serving dish, and sprinkle with reserved pine nuts and a sage leaf. Enjoy!

For contemplative thoughts about food, visit zen-cuisine!

To see the Adventures of Extraordinary Elsie the Eskie-poo Pup, click here!

Cauliflower "Popcorn"

The delightful crunch and taste of "cauliflower popcorn" can be enjoyed  as an intriguing side dish or as an awesome evening snack. Cauliflower is composed of tiny  bunches of florets on multi-branched stalks.With the exception of a little prep work to separate the head into pieces, the recipe is quick and easy to make. Roasted until tender and slightly caramelized, this cauliflower's savory flavour compliments any meal. When the dish is oven-baked until crisp and well-done, it's a different, but delicious 'finger food'. We've enjoyed it instead of regular popcorn on 'home movie night'. Cauliflower popcorn is rich in nutrients, especially Vitamins A and C, and is an excellent source of iron, potassium, and zinc. Try this new way to eat a familiar but always interesting vegetable!

You'll Need: 1 large cauliflower; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon turmeric powder; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ; 1/4 additional sea salt (optional).

Method: Break cauliflower florets into small bite-size pieces to resemble popcorn. Place in a large bowl. You can use a small knife to separate the cauliflower, but clean fingers are much faster.

Whisk olive oil, salt, pepper and turmeric together. For flavoured popcorn, add 1 teaspoon of your favorite herbs or spices such as Italian blend seasoning, ground cumin and coriander, curry powder, etc.

Pour olive oil mixture over cauliflower pieces, and mix until florets are thoroughly coated with marinade. (Impeccably clean hands are usually the best 'kitchen tool' for doing this task)

When cauliflower is evenly coated with olive oil mixture, spread on a baking sheet. Roast in a hot oven at 425 degrees for 40 - 60 minutes until done. Using an oven-proof spatula, turn the cauliflower pieces several times while roasting.

For a side dish, bake for 30 - 40 minutes until tender and glossy and cauliflower is just beginning to caramelize. Sprinkle with a little salt and black pepper, and serve hot or cold.

For "cauliflower popcorn" snack food, roast for 50 - 60 minutes or until cauliflower is well-caramelized, slightly browned and crisp. Sprinkle with a little additional sea salt and black pepper. Eat when cool enough to handle with your fingers, or let cool completely. Enjoy!

Thinking about what you think about in the kitchen? Check out zen-cuisine a blog about mindful cooking!

Gluten-Free Vegan Blueberry Pancakes

Sunday morning is always a great time to linger over the breakfast table, savouring a stack of pancakes. Filled with pump fresh blueberries, and drizzled with a generous helping of Canadian maple syrup, these delicious pancakes are gluten-free,dairy-free, and egg-free-- a perfect meal for people with food sensitivities, or for those who have chosen to enjoy a vegan lifestyle. Gluten-free cooking is considered 'tricky' by some, but this recipe and a few simple cooking tips make these pancakes a pleasure to prepare and to eat. My breakfast companion's only comment was "Mmmm..." He was too busy eating to say anything else!

 You'll need: 1 cup almond milk; 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted; 1 tablespoon ground flax seed; 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder; 2 tablespoons agave syrup; 3/4 teaspoon Xanthan Gum; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (optional); 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice; 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries; 2 cups all purpose gluten-free flour (I use a mixture of almond meal, brown rice, sorghum, tapioca and potato flours. Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free Mix is a popular ready-mixed product but contains bean flours which some people find difficult to digest.) For Frying: about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. To Garnish: Maple syrup; blueberries.

 

Method: Combine flours to make 2 cups, sift and mix together in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon ground flax seed, 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon nutmeg or allspice, 3/4 teaspoon Xanthan Gum, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.

Rinse 1 cup of fresh blueberries and pat dry. Set 1 -2 tablespoons aside for garnish. Add berries to flour mix and gently fold in to cover with flour. If using frozen berries, add them directly from freezer without thawing. 

Gently warm 1 cup of almond milk with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, and 2 tablespoons agave syrup. Heat only until oil melts.

 
Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in almond milk-oil mixture. Stir lightly until liquid is incorporated into a thick batter. Add a little more almond milk if necessary. The mixture will be very thick and will not pour like regular pancake batter.

Put about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a saucer for smoothing batter with spatula while cooking pancakes. Place a small amount of coconut oil (about 1/2 teaspoon) in a frying pan over low heat. Scoop out a portion of batter to make the size of pancake you want.

Dip a spatula in coconut oil. Flatten and round-out the batter to desired the size and thickness. Using the underside of the spatula, spread the top of the pancake with a little coconut oil.  

As the pancake is cooking, gently loosen each side a few times to prevent sticking. Make certain none of the pancake adheres to the pan before flipping. (This step is key to successfully cooking gluten-free pancakes)

Turn the pancake over and cook on the second side. The coconut oil on the surface will facilitate even frying. Gluten-free flours take a little longer to cook, and patience is well-rewarded during this process.

Place pancakes in a warm oven until the whole batch is ready to eat.

To Serve: At the table, invite guests to stack pancakes on their plate, drizzling  maple syrup between each layer. Place a handful of fresh berries on the top and finish with a generous pour of syrup. Enjoy!

Good food for the heart and mind... visit zen-cuisine: the art of mindful cooking