recipes Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Practical Wisdom and Wellness

February 20, 2020March 9, 2020

Vegan Tom Kha Gai Soup

Author: Nina Kauder
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 cups (4 servings) 1x
Category: Soup, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Paleo, Vegan, Pegan, (Omnivore if you add chicken)
Method: Stove top, pressure cooker, instant pot,
Cuisine: Thai

1 Onion (ok to sub shallot), sliced
1/4 Cup Ginger, sliced into ⅛ inch thick slices, skins ok (start with a 2 inch piece – or use 2 Tbs ginger paste)
1 –2 cups veggie broth
8 ounces sliced mushrooms (button, shiitake, cremini) or sub other favorite veggies like bell pepper, carrot, zucchini, snow peas, etc.
1 pound crispy Tofu, optional
8 Kefir lime leaves, or Cilantro, optional
2 cans coconut milk (full fat)
2–4 fresh Thai Chilies, or add chili paste to taste at the end
3 tablespoons fish sauce (or sub vegan fish sauce)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
tablespoons lime juice (1–2 limes)
2 teaspoons palm, coconut or brown sugar

Serve this on its own, over jasmine rice, rice noodles, or even shirataki noodles, made from konjac yam, which are worthy of their own recipe and blog post on their own rights!

February 20, 2020Edit

What the Heck is Nutritional Yeast?

Nutritional yeast is a highly nutritious vegan food product with various potential health benefits. It tends to be a stellar “transition food” that vegans and no-vegans adore passionately as it helps bridge the gap when giving up cheeses made from animal sources (cow, sheep, goat, etc)!

It can not only be used to add extra protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to meals, but studies suggest that nutritional yeast may help protect against oxidative damage, lower cholesterol and boost immunity.

Best of all, as seen by polling 50+ vegan and vegetarians, it tastes great!

See what people had to say about it, and their favorite uses of this easy ingredient:

1. 1. I usually sprinkle nutritional yeast into chili or pastas
  2. I wouldn’t say nutritional yeast isn’t exactly “important”, but the sh** just tastes good and you can put it on everything!
  3. nutritional yeast delicious with a cheesy, savory flavor. it has good nutritional value it’s like franks hot sauce you put that sh** on everything.
  4. It tastes awesome, and a lot like cheese- flavor wise! Downfall: nutritional yeast smells like feet…..
  5. Nutritional yeast is amazing as cheese alternative.
  6. I use nutritional yeast a lot for making vegan mac ’n cheese, or in a cheesy sauce.
  7. Mix it into refried beans.
  8. I had some nutritional yeast this morning on my potatoes with breakfast. So good!
  9. I put nutritional yeast on my tofu along with soy sauce, and then I bake it.
  10. I add nutritional yeast into my couscous and it’s so good.
  11. Delicious sprinkling nutritional yeast on buttery toast.
  12. I add nutritional yeast to mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice to add that golden yumm-factor!
  13. Top fresh popcorn with nutritional yeast and sriracha sauce. Then stay in, netflix & chill!
  14. Mix nutritional yeast with sprouted lentils and a few turns of freshly cracked black peppercorns.
  15. Sprinkle nutritional yeast on dog food as a topper..its so good for fur baby’s nerves. I use nutritional yeast for my diabetic furbaby.

Nutritional yeast has a good source of b12, much needed in vegetarian vegan diet. Also it imparts that “cheese” fermented aged flavor tones.

Nutritional yeast has B12, is high in folic acid and fiber.

I absolutely loved cheese, missed it terribly and nutritional yeast helped to curb those cravings! Though nutritional yeast doesn’t quite taste like cheese, it does have a delicious savoriness that adds depth to flavor!

Nutritional yeast is a fantastic source of B vitamins, and is amazing at flavoring soups, stews and makes a great gravy with shiitake mushrooms.

It is also great sprinkled onto stir fries. etc as a flavor enhancer.

BTW, nutritional yeast is ideal for those with high blood pressure because nutritional yeast can be your go-to salt swap, especially when turned into a ‘Parmesan” – recipe below. Nutritional yeast has zero sodium in it but plenty of flavor, so you can sprinkle it onto foods you’d normally salt, such as potato, pizza, eggs (vegan or chicken) or broccoli.

For a great vegan Parmesan head here!

Nutritional yeast is made from the yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Research suggests this yeast strain may be able to support your immune system, reduce inflammation, and help ward off intestinal ailments. Indeed, one study found that nutritional yeast has a probiotic-like effect on the intestines so it can support the immune system and reduce inflammation.

However, here are 4 potential side effects of nutritional yeast.

- - Though nutritional yeast is low in calories, it’s packed with fiber so it may cause unpleasant digestive side effects if introduced too quickly, especially if you’re not used to much fiber
  - May Trigger Headaches or Migraine Attacks. …
  - May Cause Facial Flushing. …
  - Yeast Intolerance and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Have you made Tom Kha Gai before? Let me know in the comments below, be sure to connect with my CommUNITY on Facebook!

Click here to read more articles and recipes

DISCLAIMER

This site is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice, legal advice, or professional services. If you feel that you have a medical problem, you should seek the advice of your health care practitioner.

February 12, 2020February 12, 2020

Spirulina Scallion Vinaigrette

What a blast it was creating a 5 course menu for 100 lucky visitors to Kai Kai farms in Indiantown last week.

I’m just now starting to recover my energy and will be posting photos over on Facebook of some of the dishes and lovely people who were on my team, as well as you, the guests it was such a joy to cook for!!

This was the recipe that more of you asked for than any other, so here it is in “home-sizes”. You didn’t want it for 100 people did you?! 😉

Printer Friendly Version

Author: Nina Kauder

Prep Time:15 minutes, no cook time 😉
Yield:2 cups (12 servings as dressing, 6 as marinade)
Method: Oven & Blender
Cuisine:Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free

Ingredients:

4 Scallions, grilled, or oven-roasted till caramelized

1 Cup Spirulina Kombucha (can substitute with plain Apple Cider Vinegar)

½ Cup Maple Syrup

½ Cup Liquid Turmeric Extract – ask your local juice bar to juice some fresh turmeric root

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

S&P to taste (optional)

Health Benefits:

Scallions are rich in Vitamin K, which helps your blood clot and keeps your bones strong.

Turmeric cleanses deep toxins from the liver.

Maple Syrup (the real kind) fuels liver cells.

Spirulina is a high protein green, helps prevent heart disease and has positive implications in managing diabetes, too.

Kombucha contains anti-oxidants and can kill bacteria.

Dijon Mustard is rich in Selenium, which plays a key role in healthy thyroid function.

Method:

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees. Trim scallions, removing an inch of root end and place long scallions in a high heat oven (425 degrees) or use a BBQ grill, dry cast iron pan or griddle. Cook 5 minutes undisturbed, then turn and cook another 5 minutes till crisp. Remove from heat and set aside to cool down while proceeding with next steps.

In high speed blender, briefly blend together the kombucha (or vinegar and optional spirulina), maple syrup, and liquid turmeric on low speeds. Add in the cooked scallions, and puree till all ingredients blend together and taste for any salt or pepper you might still want to add.

Pour into a glass jar or bottle. Dress, then toss your salad greens with a light coating, or serve alongside lightly steamed vegetables.

Notes:

This recipe is a NO Oil recipe. To learn why I no longer cook with oil, click here:
Kept refrigerated, this dressing will keep up to two weeks
Alternatively, this could make a great marinade for pressed, cubed tofu, marinated and baked.

February 11, 2020March 9, 2020

Raw Chocolate Mousse – Aztec Style!

This Valentine’s day, I return to my Raw-Vegan roots to re-create a classic, that now honors our current wellness paths, skating through Keto, Paleo as well as Vegan. Either way, it’s a classic, this time with an Aztec twist!

Enjoy the healing & aphrodisiac qualities and if you do try it out, please tag us at #practicalwisandwellwithnina so we can enjoy your experience too!

Raw Chocolate Mousse – Aztec Style!

Author: Nina Kauder

Prep Time:10 minutes, no cook time 😉
Yield:2 cups (8 “shot-glass” servings or 4 desserts)
Method: Food Processor or Blender
Cuisine:Keto, Vegan, Paleo, Pegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free

Printer Friendly Version

Ingredients:

-8 Dates, Soaked, with pits removed – see instructions below to make “date paste”

-1 Haas-style Avocado, pit removed

-1 Cup UNSWEETENED Non-Dairy Nut Milk, or Grain Milk if not concerned with Paleo/Keto

-½ Cup Coconut Butter, aka “coconut manna”

-½ Cup Cacao, Cocoa, or Carob Powder

-1 tsp Vanilla Extract

-½ tsp Cinnamon, to taste

-Chili Powder, to taste (try Ethiopian Berbere spice, for more floral notes with your heat!)

Health Benefits:

Cacao – Highest Plant-Based Source of iron, with 40 times the antioxidant power of blueberries, and more calcium than cow’s milk

Avocado – More potassium than bananas, loaded with beneficial fiber, can lower cholesterol and triglycerides

Dates – Reduce your blood pressure, help maintain bone mass and blood sugar balance

Coconut – A good source of

Cinnamon – Anti-diabetic with impressive anti-inflammatory properties

Berbere – Improves circulation, heart health and helps fight ulcers and prostate cancer.

Method:

Soak dates overnight in just enough water to cover. Once plumped, discard pits and puree the hydrated “flesh” of the dates using your blender or food processor, along with the soaking water to make your date paste.

Combine the date paste and all the rest of the ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and blend till silky smooth. Remove and place in fridge or freezer as it can be served as a pudding or rich “nice cream”, full of pleasure and medicinal benefits! Cheers!!

Notes:

Kept frozen, this dessert makes a great “nice cream”!
Once refrigerated, this will keep up to a week.
This recipe is a NO Oil recipe. To learn why I no longer cook with oil, click here
Carob, as a substitute, is a star with its own merits: It’s a fine source of calcium and antioxidants, without any oxalates, is high in fiber, virtually NO-fat AND relieves diarrhea (amazing #amiright?!)
If you like your dark chocolate just a little sweeter, you can add stevia, though I much prefer using 4 more soaked dates or another teaspoon(s) to taste, of Maple Syrup if desired. Stevia will keep it Paleo/Keto if that’s important to you. The addition of chili powder and cinnamon should keep this from needing to be any sweeter, though!

January 1, 2020January 1, 2020

Spice it Up: DIY Spice Blends that Double as Gifts!

Many store-bought spice blends include additives, have MSG and higher sodium than I want, and even in some cases gluten is unnecessarily added. Then, to add insult to injury, a small bottle can run up to $6! Making your own spice blends is a great way to control your sodium intake, create a cherished “signature” flavor, send as a thoughtful one-of-a-kind-gift and even save lots of $$!

Elevate pedestrian ingredients and turn them into DISHES. Plus, it’s a super creative outlet, from turning almost any vegetable into a taco-worthy fiesta, or instant flatbreads to share, and long-simmering stews to perfume the whole house with! Most of all, I especially love the convenience of having pre-mixed blends on hand, saving time and hassle of measuring out individual spices for each recipe. Stir before using, as spices will settle.

Get playful, spice up generic roasted veggies or “plain-Jane” baked tofu so they can taste differently exotic each time! Mason jars in different sizes are my favorite, add labels as desired, with cute ribbons, and you have a great homemade gift.

See below for some medicinal properties of select spices, just a teaser to show you the amazing power of common seasonings we use every day!

Mediterranean Blend:
2 Tablespoons each of oregano, basil, kosher salt, and 1 Tablespoon each of parsley flakes, dried minced onion and black pepper.Greek:
1 tablespoon each of oregano, dill, onion, garlic, dried parsley, basil, kosher salt and 1 teaspoon each of thyme, marjoram, black pepper. Great with crispy potato wedges or roasted veggies!

Italian Blend:
4 teaspoons each of oregano, basil, rosemary, marjoram, thyme and sage , and 2 teaspoons of garlic powder.

Salt-Free, All-Purpose Blend:
2 Tablespoons each of garlic and onion powders, 1 Tablespoon each of paprika, chili powder, parsley and black pepper.

VEGAN Ranch Blend:
2 ½ Tablespoons dried parsley, 2 teaspoons dried dill, 2 ½ teaspoons each of garlic and onion powders and 1 teaspoon each of dried minced onion and black pepper and sea salt.

Southwestern Stews, Tex-Mex Casseroles & Cajun Seasoning Blends:
Chili, Taco and “Blackened” seasonings contain many of the same spices, just in different ratios. They have slightly different flavor profiles, but can be substituted for one another, in a pinch!

CHILI:
5 Tablespoons chili powder, 2 tablespoons each ground cumin, garlic powder, smoked or regular paprika, 1 tablespoon each oregano and onion powder, 1 teaspoon each Salt & Pepper

TACO & FAJITA:
2 Tablespoons chili powder, 4 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons each coriander and sea salt, 1 teaspoon each onion, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon each black pepper and chipotle chili powder

BLACKENED:
2 Tablespoons paprika, 1 T each garlic and onion powders, sea salt and black pepper, 1 tsp each of cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme.

CAJUN:
2 1/2 Tablespoons Sea salt, 1 T each oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, 1 tsp each of onion and garlic powders.

JERK:
3 Tablespoons dried, minced onion, 1 Tablespoon each of thyme, allspice, black pepper, 1 tsp each of garlic powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.

TANDOORI:
2 Tablespoons each of ground ginger, paprika, cumin, coriander, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon each of cayenne, sea salt, mustard powder. Combine all to season up exotic Indian eggplant tacos – serve with a fennel slaw, thank you very much!

“Spuds-to-Studs Blend”, for All Things Potato:
3 Tablespoons Coarse Sea Salt, 2 Tablespoons each of dill weed, chervil, lemon pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, granulated garlic, and 1 tsp each of ginger, fenugreek, peppercorns and 1 tsp each of cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, curry, jalapeno, and cinnamon.

CHAI Tea blend:
Play “chai wallah” (a tea vendor) and add unique bits of spices to teas to create your own signature blend of chai flavors and enjoy a taste of India in your own home with the flavors of star anise, whole cardamom pods, whole cloves, ground Ceylon cinnamon, ginger black peppercorns, and teas (Ceylon pekoe, or earl grey).

Pumpkin Pie Spice:
2 Tablespoons cinnamon, 1 Tablespoon ginger, ½ teaspoon each of nutmeg, allspice, ground cloves and fine sea salt.
BONUS: Mix with ⅔ Cup of coconut sugar to create a Spiced NUT blend, and instead of coating with egg whites, coat first with whipped aquafaba (chick pea “juice”), toss in sweetened spice blend mix and bake conventionally on a parchment lined baking sheet at 300degrees for 45 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes.

Chili Lime RUB:
1 tablespoon chipotle powder, ¼ teaspoon each ground cumin, coriander, cayenne, fine salt, garlic and onion powders, 1/8 teaspoon coconut sugar, and 1 teaspoon lime zest (approximately 1/2 lime*)
*Try variations using zest from different citrus fruits, alternate cayenne, chipotle, chili, paprika for different levels of heat.

Shichimi Togarashi (aka Japanese 7 spice):
1T black peppercorns, 1 T ground red chiles, 1T orange peel, 2 t poppy seeds, 2t minced garlic, 2t black sesame seeds, 2 t nori flakes, and salt. Grind together to a chunky consistency. Store refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 month. Use on everything!

Istanbul Blend Pides (a pita pizza): Gather 1 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp cinnamon,½ tsp chili flakes or cayenne,½ tsp sea salt, pinch sumac. Add to 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, both finely chopped, lightly sautéed in 1 tbsp olive oil, and finish with a big handful mint roughly chopped. You can store this refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week. Then add to 1 medium eggplant cut into small cubes, 3 tomatoes chopped and bake topping on pizza dough, or pita layer if you’re not into making your own dough!
OR
Za’atar: thyme, sesame, sea salt, and sumac for a Lebanese Falafel pizza.

Oil Dipping Blends, best packaged with a nice EVOO, a loaf of crusty bread, and a treasured recipe or two, to make a complete gift!

Mediterranean: Dried garlic, air-dried tomatoes, basil, marjoram, sage, rosemary, sea salt.

Moroccan: Za’atar (thyme, sea salt, sumac), garlic powder, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, sesame seeds.

Spanish: Oregano and crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of smoked paprika.

Cinnamon: Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties. Helps fight infections and repair tissue damage.

Paprika: Anti-Inflammatory Properties; Prevents Hair loss and helps maintain hair color. Decreases the Risk of Heart attack. Supports Healthy Digestion. Induces Sleep.

Garlic: Improves Cholesterol Levels, Reduces Blood Pressure & Heart Disease Risks!

Onion: Anti-Bacterial Properties. Bone density booster, Improve blood sugar levels.

Chili Peppers: Relieves Joint Pain. Promotes a healthy heart. Mitigates Migraines. Improves Metabolism / Promotes Weight Loss. Fights the Flu, Colds and Fungal Infections. Benefits the Digestive Tract. Quells Psoriasis. Reduces Cancer Risk.

Oregano: Rich in Anti-Oxidants, Anti-Inflammatory, Antiseptic & Anti-Bacterial Properties. Reduces Viral Infections, Anti-Cancer.

October 27, 2018

Enjoy a Delcious Om-Let

Introducing the Quick, easy vegan Om-Let

Nutritional Information:

1 serving 23 grams/3 TBS

Calories 120

Calories from Fat 0

Total Fat 3% 2.0 grams

Sodium 7% 160 mg

Total Carbs 6% 17 grams

Dietary Fiber 17% 4.5 grams

Protein 18% 9.0 grams

Directions:

Just add water ratio of 1:1, to whisk together with dry Omelet mix, till all the lumps disappear.

Pour om–let “batter” into a medium-hot pan, oiled, or non-stick/ceramic, and watch for bubbles to appear, much like pancake batter. Reduce heat to medium.

Lay your already cooked, drained veggie toppings over the surface of the batter, and fold over in half to finish cooking till your preferred stage of doneness. Optional, add a slice of non-dairy cheez before folding in half. Residual heat will continue to heat the cheez till melted. Serve with a garden salad for a complete lunch or dinner.

For scrambled eggs: Pour om–let “batter” into a medium-hot pan, oiled, or non-stick/ceramic, and stir continuously to break up the pieces into egg-like clusters. Season with freshly chopped chives, or dill, or enjoy plain, or topped with your favorite cheez.

Serving suggestions:

Open-face Toppings:

Sautéed mushrooms

Sautéed leafy greens: spinach, Swiss chards, mustard greens, collard greens or kale

Shaved Brussels sprouts

Sautéed tricolor peppers mix

Traditional, folded over, filled omelette:

Any of the above, plain, or with your preferred Cheez or cheese. And hey, if you haven’t already tried current Top quality non-dairy cheezes, well, cheezus, yer missing’ out on melty, cheesey deliciousness!

Give some of these tried, tested and true favorites a try: anything shredded or sliced by @followyourheart, @chao, @violife and for a few splurges, @miyokos and @kitehill. On a personal note, all I can say is the Parmesan substitutes are game changers and many of the above can be eaten raw on a cheezeboard, or who are we kidding, right out of the pack!

June 10, 2018

Delicious Sesame-Hemp Mylk w/ Orange Zest

Our Mylk & Cookie class was such a great success, we truly had a wonderful array of learners from young to old and of all different backgrounds. That’s is WHY we do what we do to create commUNITY, for Vegans and non-vegans to learn share and grow together! After taste testing 16 different MYLKS the Seasame-Hemp was not only the crowd favorite but hands down a no contest winner! Naturally, we had to publish our recipe for everyone else to enjoy!

Chef Nina Shaking Up her latest batch of Mylk

Before we share the recipe below, lets talk about the nutritional components of this amazing recipe:

Sesame

Native to Africa and India, the seeds of the sesame contain more cholesterol-lowering phytosterols than any other seed and are rich in minerals, such as iron, calcium, copper, selenium and magnesium. They provide fiber that lowers cholesterol and protects the heart.

Hemp

Offers a mega-dose of magnesium to regulate muscle/nerve functions, blood sugar and blood pressure, and has a nice ratio of omega 3 fatty acids to omega 6 fatty acids, which assists in good heart health. Although they come from the same Cannabis species as marijuana, they’re bred with much lower levels of the psychoactive chemical THC and loads of digestible, high quality healthy protein, boasting a balance of all the essential amino acids (nutritional building blocks that help form proteins and muscle). They’re also loaded with fiber and packed with other nutrients, such as omega-3 and omega-6, vitamin E, the B vitamins and folic acid. *Fun fact many green leafy vegetables contain Cannabinoids that your brain uses for fuel, not all Cannabinoids have THC*

Not ONLY can you make a mean non-dairy milk from this recipe but it also blends well in smoothies! DOUBLE WIN!!

Sesame-Hemp Mylk w Orange Essence

A delicious dairy milk alternative, a favorite from the Mylk & Cookie class.

Ingredient List

1 C sesame seeds
And 2 C hot water for 1 hour soaking
12-18 dried dates
1 C hemp seeds
Zest of one citrus fruit in the orange family i.e., navels, tangelo (mandarin or tangerine.)
Himalayan Salt
*Optional Spiced Rum addition*

Night Before:

Add 6-8 dried dates, depending on desired sweetness level to boiling water. Refrigerate once cooled and store overnight.
In a separate pot, add 6-8 dried PITTED dates, depending on desired sweetness level, **I can’t stress enough your dates must be a pitted variety.** to boiling water. Refrigerate once cooled and store overnight in separate container from first set of dates.

1 hour before:

Soak 1 C sesame seeds in 1 C hot water and 1 C of hemp seeds in 1 C hot water f in separate bowls for 1 hour
(Or 2 C of either seed with 2 cups hot soaking water)

Remaining Directions

Zest of one citrus fruit in the orange family ie tangelo, mandarin or tangerine.
Drain the seeds, and rinse till clear. Replenish clear water in separate container. Proportions for newly soaked, hydrated seeds is 1c seed to ½-1cup clear water. You’ll decide as you’re blending, according to results if you want to use the partial or full quantity of clear Water. It’s not a formula, it’s according to your personal preferred Mylk thickness.
Do NOT drain soaked dates. You will use all that delicious soaking Water.
A few pinches of Himalayan salt. One good pinch per cup of seeds. Taste / adjust as you go.
Use any high speed, high powered blender. I’m still in love with my 30 year old vitamix, fwiw, and definitely recommend my model the 5000 if you can find one secondhand. I’ve Zero complaints!
Start with all the dates and all the soaking date water in the blender.
blend the dates to purée stage and the scrape in all the soaked seeds. Use the clear water to rinse the last of the seeds out and blend. Add in the zest and whip up again till emulsified, and frothy.

When complete your frothy Mylk will likely be warm, and oh so comforting and satisfying. Makes a lovely pre bedtime treat or ideal on a cold, dank day. BTW, For the adults, i’m sure a touch of a spiced rum would be an outrageous addition, too!
While the orange zest is just an enjoyable, Fragrant addition, it’s purpose is to cut the residual bitterness the sesame seeds bring. But sesame is so powerful, you’re going to do whatever it takes to make it work. Here’s just some of the benefits of this “super seed”:

April 10, 2018

Freezer Friendly Caponata

Credit: Dreamlight Studios, Palm Beach Gardens

During the Kai Kai Dinner we also shared a savory dish with you called Caponata. This recipe best captures what the essence of a Caponata is. I also especially like that it is almost a no-oil recipe and comes the closest to how I like to cook these days. Eggplant is a sponge that unnecessarily soaks up a ton of oil, taking a healthy dish right into unhealthy territory.

Grill it dry instead, then add it to all the other stew ingredients. Let it soak up the juices of those other glorious vegetables. Anything sautéed in oil can be sautéed in vegetable stock instead. That’s a technique called “braising”. It’s a thing, yes.

If your tomatoes are sweet enough, you won’t need any sugar, not even a pinch, and most traditional recipes will add in a few water-soaked raisins towards the last stage of cooking. They’re missing here, but feel free to add those and some fresh lemon zest too. Try golden or green colored raisins, aka “sultanas” for a pop of flavor, and color.

Once it’s made, consider having this with salad greens, and it can also accompany cooked pasta and/or cooked garbanzo beans for a complete meal.

A most authentic garnish is a few toasted pignoli nuts and make this at least a day in advance, giving all the ingredients’ flavors time to meld and marry.

**BONUS TIP**Since this freezes and reheats so well, make a double batch and enjoy in many different ways, some now, some later. Enjoy!

Our recipe is similar to the one below however, we gathered our inspiration and then took creative liberties but we would like to give credit where credit is do so please enjoy the recipe and feel free to share how yours turned out below!

Caponata

by MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Time: 1 hour, plus 1 hour’s optional refrigeration

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016445-caponata

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds eggplant (1 large), roasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, from the inner, tender stalks (the heart), diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 red bell peppers, diced
Salt to taste
1 pound ripe tomatoes, preferably romas, peeled, seeded and finely chopped, or 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes (in puree)
3 heaped tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted green olives
2 tablespoons plus a pinch of sugar
3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar (more to taste)
freshly ground pepper to taste

We would love to know below what you did differently or if you enjoyed this dish!

Make sure you connect with us online on Facebook, and Instagram

April 10, 2018

Our Muse Behind the Kai Kai Farm Dinner

Credit: (Left) Leah Christians, (Right) Dreamlight Studios, Palm Beach Gardens

Our Dinner at Kai Kai Farm drew much inspiration from various places. In the Mediterranean south of France, “Socca” is street food, much like a crepe is in Paris. It’s taken a few decades, but crepes are now easily found at street fairs and festivals, even little shops across America. Perhaps we can make this Socca, or “farinata” equally ubiquitous in the USA, in the near future. It’s delicious, keeps well and overall, is hard to screw up.

It’s a simple garbanzo bean flour batter, spiked with olive oil, herbs or spices, and salt. The key is that it’s baked in a very hot pan, or oven. I used a smoking hot cast iron pan, poured the batter in a thin layer, swirled the pan to roll the batter evenly, making an ideal crepe, complete with crispy edges. These are golden, savory, gluten free-goodness, worthy of any bread eater!

Credit: Dreamlight Studios, Palm Beach Gardens

Try stuffing a full size pancake with sautéed veggies, quinoa and fresh Avocado for a delish treat! You can make the batter ahead of time and store it, refrigerated in a glass jar. The Socca, once made, also stores, keeps and reheats well.

If you’d prefer a thicker version, more like a flatbread, try this Ligurian based recipe.
**Bonus**: it comes with nutritional information, too!

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014757-socca-farinata

Either way, you’re In for a very earthy, comforting, and satisfying treat.

The Main Course during our Dinner at Kai Kai Farm was a Caponata made with Eggplant, tomatoes and other vegetables similar to a Ratatouille! Head on over to that post for the recipe for Caponata!