Coconut Flour Pancakes

Okay. You know I have to be pretty excited about a recipe if I am actually posting to my blog. You know, my blog that hasn't seen me since May of this year....and infrequently before that. And I used to blog. Before Kitchen in the Market. It kinda eats up a lot of my time.

Back to the recipe. I have been eating gluten-free for about 3 years now (!), but have had some difficulty finding a pancake recipe I really liked....and that the family liked. This is the one.

gluten-free Coconut Flour Pancakes

Coconut Flour Pancakes
makes about 12 pancakes

1C brown rice flour
1/3C coconut flour
2T tapioca starch
2T baking powder
1T sugar
2T coconut oil, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 3/4C milk


-whisk all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl
-create a well in the center and add the wet ingredients
-stir together until blended (the coconut flour may clump, so try to get them incorporated)
-if the batter is a little too thick add about 1/4C milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency. (coconut flour is high in fiber and will soak up quite a bit of liquid)
-let sit while griddle heats up
-using a 2 oz (#16) scoop, pour batter onto heated griddle 
-cook until golden brown on underside (some bubbles will form on top, but not as much as regular flour pancakes), then flip to cook other side

Enjoy!

recipe: 2 great summer sauces

Recipes from my demo at the Morningside Women's Group today!

The Romesco was served with roasted shrimp, and the Sweet Pea + Mint spread was served on top of bite-sized crostini rounds with chive blossom garnish.

Romesco Sauce
makes about 2C
1 1-inch thick slice of crusty bread, crust removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large tomato
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup almonds
2 medium red bell peppers
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Place almond, garlic,
bread and tomato on baking sheet and place in the oven. Roast almonds until
fragrant and bread is crusty and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove
almonds and bread and continue roasting garlic until soft and tomato until tender,
about 20 minutes more. Remove from oven, let cool slightly and remove skin from
tomato and peel garlic.
• While other ingredients are roasting in the oven, roast peppers over an open flame on
a gas stove or grill until the skins are blackened. Place in a bowl and cover with
plastic wrap and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Remove
charred skin, seeds, and cores.
• Place tomato, almonds, peppers, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, salt, and pepper in the
bowl of a food processor. Purée until smooth. Add bread as needed to thicken, and
process until smooth. Taste and season with additional salt and cayenne pepper as
needed.
• Place in and airtight container and place in the refrigerator until cool. Store
refrigerated up to 5 days.

Sweet Pea + Mint Spread

makes approx. 1 1/2 cups

1 10 oz. bag frozen organic sweet peas, thawed (such as Sno Pac)

1/4c fresh mint leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

Olive oil

Salt + Pepper

Chive Blossoms for garnish (optional)

-Place peas, mint + lemon juice in food processor

-Pulse to incorporate

-With processor on, drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency

-Season with salt + pepper

-Serve atop crostini or crackers + garnish with chive blossoms.

This spread is also outstanding on top of fish or thinned to sauce pasta!

Equipment: Kids' Tools in the Kitchen

I've been getting a lot of questions about how to get kids involved in the kitchen. What's safe? What's fun? What do you do?

Here are some great tools to make meal prep a fun, safe + family friendly affair!

Cutting = scary! However, there are 2 tools that can make it a bit safer for the little ones.

1) Pumpkin Carving Knife: yes, that one from the kit! It has a safety blade that isn't as sharp as a regular knife, and  is just right for little hands. Great for slicing vegetables + fruits.

2) Zyliss Pizza Wheel: I've written about this before, and it's still a great choice. The handheld wheel gives kids more control over their motion, and keeps their little fingers out of the way. Great for cutting pizza (of course), slicing lunchmeat, chopping herbs, cutting hard veggies (carrots)

Of course, always make sure an adult is supervising any cutting by a child. 

A few ways kids can get involved in meal prep:

• cutting
• measuring (AJ loves to measure anything)
• stirring
• shaking (place dry ingredient in a plastic bag, seal and have them shake)
• pushing buttons (on your food processor, mixer, etc.)
• washing (give them a sink full of soapy water and let 'em go...just no breakable items)

Have fun!

Recipe: Slow Cooker Lentil Chili

Fall is finally here! Soups, chili, warm mugs of yumminess. Aaaaaah. 

Here is a quick and easy meal to throw together in the slow cooker and come home to lovely smells and dinner ready......

Slow Cooker Lentil Chili

serves 8
cook time: 6 hours


1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 C dried lentils, rinsed
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
6C water or veggie broth
3T chili powder
2T cumin
1t oregano
salt, pepper & cayenne to taste
1T balsamic vinegar
1T honey
sour cream and green onions, sliced for garnish

-place first 5 ingredients in slow cooker in order listed
-cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until lentils are almost tender
-add dry spices to chili and stir
-continue to cook for 1 more hour or until lentils are tender
-adjust seasoning with salt, pepper & cayenne
-add vinegar and honey and let sit about 10 minutes to incorporate flavors
-garnish with green onions and sour cream, if desired

Meat Eater Versions:

add any of the following proteins and reduce lentils by 1/2
    -1.5# boneless leg of lamb , cut into 1 inch cubes
    -1.5# beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes

Food Find: Lunchbox

Summer is over and school is here! My little guy is starting kindergarten, and he is very excited. Being his mother's son, he is most excited about taking his lunch everyday (it's always about food!).

Since we're new to the whole lunchbox thing, I searched high + low for items that were eco-friendly AND easy for kids to use. Throw in a few über-cute items, and I'd be excited too!

Here's what we found:

Bento Box, über-cute accessories + lunchskins

 pictured: 

Leaflet Bento Box, Animal sauce holders, Bento forks + picks all from Amazon.com.

lunchskins available at Seward Co-Op + online.

Once we got the lunchbox items squared away, we headed to Seward Co-op to let AJ pick out his favorite foods to pack. This is a great way to get your kids involved in making lunches...and making sure they eat it! It's amazing how many healthy foods they'll pick out when left to their own devices. Seward makes it extra fun because they can get their own mini cart to load up.

I'm hoping to feature a great lunchbox meal every now and then to help us all get a little more creative. And I work better under pressure. ;-)

What's your favorite way to pack lunch? Got any great packable meals to share?

Recipe: Watermelon Rosé Granita

I decided that for my first post in 3 months (so sorry! I've been busy.), it had better be a good one. One that addresses the current conditions...mentally + physically. So, for this hot, humid, sultry, mind-numbing week ahead of us, I present Watermelon Rosé Granita. And you don't have to do all that fork scraping business!

photo by amber procaccini

Watermelon Rosé Granita
makes about 12 1/2C servings

1/2 medium watermelon, rind removed and cut into chunks (about 8 cups)
1C dry Rosé wine

3/4 granulated sugar

-In a small saucepan, heat wine + sugar together until sugar is dissolved. Let cool.
-In a blender, puree the watermelon
-Mix wine + fruit together
-Place mixture in a gallon size freezer bag (make sure it has a good seal!)
-Lay bag flat in freezer, and ‘smoosh’ throughout the day to achieve desired consistency.

Serve as a granita or mix with fizzy water or soda for a refreshing beverage.

Recipe: Baked Chickpea Polenta + Ramp Arugula Pesto

We had so much fun at the Blog Pantry event last night, held at Kitchen in the Market. Thanks for coming out and seeing our new space! Here are the recipes from our demo. All ingredients were purchased at Midtown Global market!

Baked Chickpea Polenta
adapted from Robin Asbell’s cookbook, New Vegetarian, Roman Chickpea Gnocchi
Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
3 cups whole milk
2 cups garbanzo flour (or sub 1 C for 1C coarse corn meal)
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a half-size baking sheet with parchment and grease with 1T butter
-Place flours in a large stainless steel bowl and fit over a pan filled with 2” water (forming a double boiler)
-Gradually whisk in milk until smooth
-Bring water to a simmer, place bowl on top, add 1T butter and salt
-Stir occassionaly until thickened (about 5-8 minutes)
-Remove from heat. Whisk in eggs, Parmesan, and parsley
-pour into baking sheet; let cool 30 minutes to 1 hr
-Pre-heat oven to 425˚
-Bake polenta for 20 minutes or until firm, and golden
-allow to cool slightly
-invert and cut desired shapes
-serve warm or cold

Ramp + Arugula Pesto
makes approx 1 1/2C

4 ramps (wild leeks), root end trimmed
2C arugula
1/2C parsley
juice of 1 lemon
1C grated parmesan cheese
1/4C sunflower seeds
salt
olive oil

-place all greens + herbs in bowl of food processor; pulse to chop
-add lemon juice, sunflower seeds + parmesan; pulse to incorporate
-with processor running, gradually add olive oil to desired consistency
-season with salt

Recipe: Strawberry + Cucumber Quinoa Salad

Thanks, KARE 11, for having me on yesterday to talk eco-friendly dishes! Kitchen in the Market will have cooking demos from 1-3PM this Saturday, April 16th in conjunction with Midtown Global Market's Earth Day Celebration. Here's the recipe....

Cucumber + Strawberry Quinoa Salad

serves 6
1 box quinoa, cooked according to directions + cooled
1 pint organic strawberries
1 large cucumber
1/4C feta cheese, crumbled
1/4C fresh mint, chopped + extra for garnish
olive oil
salt + pepper
-rinse strawberries, hull (remove stem) and cut into 1/4s
-peel cucumber + cut in half horizontally; remove seeds + cut into cubes
-combine fruit in a large bowl with mint + feta
-drizzle with olive oil until moist, season with salt + pepper to taste
-serve fruit over quinoa, garnish with fresh mint

Recipe: Savory Cherry Crostatas

Thanks, Fox9, for having me on Saturday morning! We made Savory Cherry Crostatas...and they're really good! The recipe looks long + complicated, but it's really not. I prefer to make my pie crust, but the grocery store kind works just as well!

In the Kitchen: Cherry Crostatas: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

Savory Cherry Crostatas
Servings: 24 appetizers
Pie Crust
Ingredients:

• 4-5 Tbsp. ice water, plus more as needed
• ¾ tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 9 Tbsp. (4 ½ oz.) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Recommended equipment:
food processor

Procedure:

1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt and pulse to blend. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal; there should be no pieces of butter bigger than a large pea.
    
2. With the motor running on dough setting, slowly add the water-vinegar mixture, processing just until the dough forms a ball.
    
3. Turn the dough out onto a wooden board or clean countertop, and gather it, massaging and pressing, until it just holds together. Shape it into a ball, and press it into a disk about 1 ½ inches thick. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and then press it a bit more. Refrigerate the wrapped dough for at least 2 hours
   
   Note: Dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw it in refrigerator overnight before using.
    
4. Before rolling it out, allow the dough to soften slightly at room temperature.

Filling - Cherry Balsamic Reduction
Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried, pitted sour cherries
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar

Procedure:

1. Place all 3 ingredients in a small saucepan over med-high heat
    
2. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer until liquid is reduced to a few tablespoons

Caramelized Onions
Ingredients:

• 1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• 1 T fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 T fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 6 oz quark (German-style cream cheese) or fresh goat cheese

Procedure:

1. In a large sauté pan, coat bottom with olive oil and heat over med-high heat.
    
2. Add onions, and coat in oil
    
3. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally
    
4. Remove cover, and increase heat to med-high
    
5. Cook until liquid has evaporated and onions are browning
    
6. Season with salt, pepper and the fresh herbs

To Assemble Crostatas:

1. Roll out pie dough and cut into 4” circles or desired size with cookie cutter.
    
2. Place 2 teaspoons of cheese in middle of circle
    
3. Add small amount of onion and cherry balsamic reduction directly on top of cheese and press lightly
    
4. Fold edges of dough circle up and just over the edge of the filling, overlapping as needed
    
5. Drizzle with olive oil
    
6. Bake at 400°F for about 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown

Food Find: Kitchen in the Market

And, wow. It has been 3 whole months since my last blog post. Well, it hasn't been an idle 3 months, that's for sure! During my break from blogging, we had a busy catering season, built out a brand new kitchen and started a cooking school. Seriously. And, to toot our own horn, it's really awesome!

Check out Kitchen in the Market. It is a shared commercial kitchen space for caterers, food manufacturers and food trucks. We provide affordable commercial kitchen space, so they can run their delicious businesses. And then we bring some of that deliciousness to you with a grab + go counter, commercial grade kitchen small wares and LOTS of wonderful cooking classes.

So, check us out...and often! There's always something new coming out of our Kitchen (even if we don't always get around to writing about it)!

Recipe: Monkey Business Cocoa

Adult add-ins to cocoa are nothing new, but this version is definitely not your run of the mill cocoa! It's like drinking Chunky Monkey Ice Cream in a cup. Um, yum.

photo courtesy of eDiets.com

+

photo courtesy DeKuyper

_____________________________________________

Monkey Business Hot Cocoa

Happy Holidays!!

Recipe: Black Tea Spiced Pork Tenderloin + Roasted Pears and Carrots

A Gourmet Meal for 4 that's under $20? Yep. Super tasty, too! (if the video is not visible, click here)

Black Tea Spiced Pork Tenderloin

serves 4

2-pound pork tenderloin

5T black tea leaves

1T mild curry powder

2t ground cumin

1/2t ground anise

1t ground cayenne

1T fresh ginger, chopped

-in a spice grinder, add tea, spices and fresh ginger and grind until finely ground; add a little olive oil to thin into a paste

-season pork with salt + pepper

-rub pork with paste on all sides and let rest in refrigerator for 20 minutes

-pre-heat oven to 400˚F

-roast pork until done, about 20-30 minutes

-let rest 10 minutes, then slice and serve over Cumin Rice

Roasted Pears & Carrots 

serves 4

4 carrots, peeled, halved and cut into sticks 

2 pears, halved cored and cut into small wedges 

olive oil 

salt & pepper 

balsamic vinegar

-Pre heat oven to 400F 

-line a baking sheet with aluminum foil 

-place pears & carrots on baking sheet 

-drizzle with olive oil and a splash or two of balsamic vinegar 

-season with salt & pepper -toss to coat thoroughly 

-spread evenly into a single layer on baking sheet 

-roast in oven until carrots are tender and pears are still firm, about 20 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking 

-serve warm or room temp

Note: this dish is easy to make into a more grown-up side or salad for entertaining by adding some crumbled bleu cheese and/or toasted walnuts!

Recipe: Slow Cooker Lentil Chili

Perfect for the cold weather, and a lovely way to reduce cooking before Thanksgiving!

Slow Cooker Lentil Chili

serves 8

cook time: 6 hours

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 C dried lentils, rinsed

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

6C water or veggie broth

3T chili powder

2T cumin

1t oregano

salt, pepper & cayenne to taste

1T balsamic vinegar

1T honey

sour cream and green onions, sliced for garnish

-place first 5 ingredients in slow cooker in order listed

-cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until lentils are almost tender

-add dry spices to chili and stir

-continue to cook for 1 more hour or until lentils are tender

-adjust seasoning with salt, pepper & cayenne

-add vinegar and honey and let sit about 10 minutes to incorporate flavors

-garnish with green onions and sour cream, if desired

Meat Eater Versions:

add any of the following proteins and reduce lentils by 1/2

-1.5# boneless leg of lamb , cut into 1 inch cubes

-1.5# beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes

Recipe: Savory Bread Pudding

I'll be making this yummy Savory Bread Pudding at the Low Carbon Cook-Off today at the Green Gifts Fair! So easy, and perfect for Thanksgiving. You can see what Twin Cities Live had to say about  it here.

Savory Bread Pudding

serves 8

2 bunches Lacinto Kale, stemmed and chopped

8oz. porcini mushrooms, sliced

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 loaf day old bread, cubed (about 6 cups)

2 1/2C half + half (more if as needed to moisten bread)

2T dijon

2T fresh thyme

8 eggs

2T butter (plus more for pan)

2T olive oil

salt + pepper

dash of cayenne (optional)

-preheat oven to 375˚F

-sauté onion in butter + oil until caramelized

-add mushrooms, thyme and cook until liquid begins to release

-add kale and cook until just wilted; remove from heat

-beat eggs with half + half, dijon, salt + pepper and cayenne if using

-toss bread with cooled mushroom mixture in a bowl*

-butter a large oven proof dish (9x13)

-place bread mixture in pan

-pour egg mixture over and distribute evenly

-let sit 20 minutes, allowing bread to soak up mixture (add more half + half if bread is dry)

-cover with foil and bake at 375˚F for 30 minutes

-remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until top is golden and liquid is absorbed

-let sit 10 minutes before serving

*may add cooked bacon or sausage  and cheese when mixing the mushroom mixture with the bread cubes; proceed with recipe

Kitchen in the Market Expansion

Wow. It has been a busy few months, and I am happy to share the reason for my lack of posts and general busyness! After a successful two years at Midtown Global Market, Kitchen in the Market is expanding into a brand new space at the Market! We will be able to accommodate more chefs in a unique space designed to make the most of the Market and allow the public to purchase their goods.

I will be updating with much more info, but if you are a caterer, food manufacturer/distributor or a mobile food vendor and in need of shared commercial kitchen space, please come to one of these informational meetings....

NEW Shared Commercial Kitchen Opportunity | Informational Meeting

Midtown Global Marketʼs “Kitchen In the Market” is expanding! Opening in January 2011, this brand new space will feature a retail outlet and cooking class space.

We are having an informational meeting to share more details about this expansion. Meeting will be held in the northeast corner of Midtown Global Market (10th Avenue side; called NE Meeting/Event Room on MGM map)

Please join us on:

Nov 17th 6:30-7:30pm - or - Nov 29th 2:30-3:30pm

During this one-hour meeting, we will address: 

• Construction plans & timing 

• Availability 

• Lease details

• Tenant requirements

We will answer your questions and applications will be available (there will be a non- refundable application fee of $20 for all). Applicants will be contacted after the informational meetings for interviews.

This space is well suited for food manufacturers, food distributors, caterers and mobile food vendors.

Recipe: Savory Stuffed Apples

Apples + cheese are sometimes all you need! But when you want to add a little flair with seasonal ingredients to your table, give this one a try. It's easy and impressive. Here's a little video from KARE 11...

Savory Stuffed Apples

serves 12

12 tart apples, cored-leaving 1" bottom on apple creating a wide cavity 

1 lb. chorizo

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

1C wild rice, cooked

4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

1T smoked paprika

olive oil

salt + pepper

-season butternut squash with olive, salt + pepper; roast at 400˚F until tender

-sauté onion, chorizo and smoked paprika in small amount of olive oil until chorizo is cooked through; season with salt + pepper to taste

-combine cooked squash with chorizo mixture and cooked wild rice; re-season as needed

-fill cored apples with stuffing mixture and place in oven proof baking dish with 1" water

-cover with foil and bake at 375˚F for about 30 minutes or until apples are just tender

-uncover, top apples with cheddar cheese and return to oven to for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and apples are tender but not falling apart

-serve warm on a bed of additional stuffing

Note: you can core the apples a couple of hours ahead of stuffing, just turn them upside down in the 1" of water and place in fridge until ready to stuff.

Recipe: Cooking the Market Class 9/25

Lots of inventive recipes from this class!
note: these recipes were 'created' in the cooking class and have not been tested for accuracy outside of the class

Stuffed Apples
serves 12


12 tart apples, cored-leaving 1" bottom on apple
1 lb. chorizo
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1C wild rice, cooked
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1T smoked paprika
olive oil
salt + pepper


-season butternut squash with olive, salt + pepper; roast at 400˚F until tender
-sauté onion, chorizo and smoked paprika in small amount of olive oil until chorizo is cooked through; season with salt + pepper to taste
-combine cooked squash with chorizo mixture and cooked wild rice; re-season as needed
-fill cored apples with stuffing mixture and place in oven proof baking dish
-cover with foil and bake at 375˚F for about 30 minutes or until apples are just tender
-uncover, top apples with cheddar cheese and return to oven to for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and apples are tender but not falling apart
-serve warm on a bed of additional stuffing

Almond Stuffed Mushrooms
makes about 24


16 oz. crimini mushrooms caps, cleaned and de-stemmed
2T fresh parsley, chopped
1T fresh thyme, chopped
1/4c roasted almonds
1/4 lb. apple smoked cheddar cheese, finely shredded
salt + pepper
olive oil
cayenne, to taste


-pre-heat oven to 400˚F
-in the bowl of a food processor, add almonds, herbs, salt + pepper
-pulse until mixture is finely chopped, resembling bread crumbs
-place in large bowl and add cheddar cheese until thoroughly combined
-fill each mushroom cap and place on baking sheet
-drizzle olive oil over mushrooms and bake until mushrooms are just soft (about 20-30 minutes)

Apple + Pear Crepes
serves 12 plus crepes


2C all-purpose flour
4 eggs
2C apple cider
2C water
1 apple, sliced
2 pears, sliced
1T unsalted butter
prepared dulce de leche
sweetened whipped cream, for serving
pomegranate seeds + ground cinnamon for garnish


-sauté apples + pears in large saucepan with butter until just tender; set aside to cool
-in a large bowl, mix flour, eggs, cider and water until thoroughly combined. crepe batter will be thin!
-working in 2 slightly oiled small crepe pans, pour a small amount of crepe batter into pans (fill bottom of pan) and cook over med-high heat until crepe appears dry; turn crepe to cook other side and set aside to cool while cooking the remainder
-once crepes are cooled, fill bottom third of crepe with cooked fruit and roll; place seam side down on platter
-drizzle dulce de leche over top and serve with a dollop of whipped cream, cinnamon and pomegranate seeds

Black Tea Pork Tenderloin
serves 8-12


2 2-pound pork tenderloins
5T black tea leaves
1T mild curry powder
2t ground cumin
1/2t ground anise
1t ground cayenne
1T fresh ginger, chopped


-in a spice grinder, add tea, spices and fresh ginger and grind until finely ground; add a little olive oil to thin into a paste
-season pork with salt + pepper
-rub pork with paste on all sides and let rest in refrigerator for 20 minutes
-pre-heat oven to 400˚F
-roast pork until done, about 20-30 minutes
-let rest 10 minutes, then slice and serve over Cumin Rice


Cumin Rice
serves 12


2C long grain white rice
3T whole cumin seeds
2T butter
4C water or vegetable broth


-add all to large pot and bring to a boil
-reduce heat, cover and cook until all water is absorbed (about 20 minutes)
-fluff with a fork and serve