tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72362804571827862452024-03-13T08:09:43.820-05:00lovesmithsFreda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-15288224223026778132016-08-21T11:39:00.000-05:002016-08-21T11:39:03.844-05:00SO LONGLovesmiths saved me from a creative crisis when I started it, four years ago, and I have loved having this outlet to write about seaweed and pie and other obsessions. But Lovesmiths has reached a natural stopping point, at least for now. I don't want to yank it off the internet, so I'll just leave it sitting here in case people need a good recipe for <a href="http://lovesmiths.blogspot.com/2014/12/im-on-fire-chickpeas-and-chorizo.html">Chickpeas and Chorizo</a>, <a href="http://lovesmiths.blogspot.com/2015/09/farro-salad-with-basil-olives-and.html">Farro Salad with Basil, Olives, and Marcona Almonds</a>, or <a href="http://lovesmiths.blogspot.com/2015/03/where-have-you-been-all-my-life-saffron.html">Saffron Risotto Cakes</a>, to name a few of my favorites. Warmest thanks to those who have read and cooked along!<br />
xoxo Freda<br />
(I'm on <a href="https://twitter.com/fredalovesmith">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/freda.love">Facebook</a>)<br />
<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-30789228666313476792016-02-29T16:28:00.003-06:002016-03-10T21:48:00.380-06:00What Would Jimmie Rodgers Eat?: Apple Pie with Lard Crust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a recent interview with Nashville's Paul Burch about his new album, <i>Meridian Rising</i>, an imagined autobiography of Jimmie Rodgers, I asked him to extend his imagination to a 1920's dinner on-the-road for the blue yodeler. Burch described a meal that included fresh-killed chickens, greens, rolls, and a pie with a lard crust. I was inspired, and attempted to recreate the meal for my family.<br />
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Results were mixed. I'd never attempted to fry chicken before, and as a mostly-vegetarian for most of my life I maybe don't have the skill or equipment to make perfect fried chicken. It was just O.K. I know how to cook greens, though, and my version of rolls (drop biscuits) turned out nice and disappeared quickly.<br />
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But the star of the meal was the pie. Or maybe I should say the star of the meal was lard.<br />
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I've baked my fair share of pies, but I'd never tried using lard in the crust (see mostly-vegetarian comment, above) and none of my hippie, vegetarian, macrobiotic cookbooks could help. So I turned to Ree Drummond, "The Pioneer Woman," the blogger/cookbook author/television star with whom I have a complicated love/hate relationship. I'll set aside the hate for now. I knew she'd be able to help with the lard thing and indeed she published <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/pams-pie-tutorial/">this excellent pie-making tutorial</a> a few years ago by baker Pam Regentin. Regentin insists that lard and butter are far superior to manmade fats, and she promises a superior, flakey piecrust using frankly heroic quantities of animal fat. I followed her recipe carefully, including her suggestion to add butter to the filling. Like a lot of butter.<br />
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It was the best pie I've ever made. I want to think that Jimmie would have approved.<br />
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<b>Apple Pie with Lard Crust</b><br />
<br />
8 apples (I like Granny Smith), peeled and thinly sliced<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
zest and juice of one lemon<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
4 tablespoons cornstarch<br />
generous pinch salt<br />
Prepared dough for double-crust pie (try <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/pams-pie-tutorial/">this one</a>, I'm telling you)<br />
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pats<br />
egg wash: one egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water<br />
<br />
In a medium mixing bowl, combine apple slices, sugar, lemon zest and juice, vanilla, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside to macerate while you prepare crust.<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375.<br />
<br />
Refrigerate half the crust while you roll out the bottom crust and transfer bottom crust to a pie plate. Pour apple mixture into crust. Top filling with butter. Roll out remaining crust and transfer to top of filling. Trim edges to about 1/2 of overhang and crimp the edge tightly. Brush with egg wash.<br />
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Bake pie at 375 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350, and bake 55 additional minutes, or until filling is thick and bubbling.<br />
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Cool for two hours before slicing and serving.Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-26900815064183045632016-01-31T18:26:00.000-06:002016-01-31T18:26:17.342-06:00Hot Soup, Cool Music: Will Dailey's Beer and Cheese Soup<br />
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<b>Will Dailey's Beer and Cheese Soup</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter<br />
1 1/2 cups diced carrots<br />
1 1/2 cups diced onion<br />
1 1/2 cups diced celery<br />
1 1/2 cups diced leeks<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 bottle beer, divided (we used a white ale, use whatever you like!)<br />
1 tablespoon dijon mustard<br />
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
Big pinch black pepper<br />
Big pinch cayenne (plus more to garnish, optional)<br />
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
1 cup half & half<br />
4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable or a combination)<br />
4 cups grated cheese (we used a combination of sharp cheddar and gruyere)<br />
Croutons (try 6 slices of rye bread+1/4 cup olive oil+2 teaspoons dried oregano+salt. Toast in 375 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes)<br />
<br />
In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt butter and add carrots, onion, celery and leeks. Add a small pinch of salt, stir well, and cook vegetables 15-20 minutes (do not brown), until onions are sweet and mostly tender. Add garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes.<br />
<br />
Add 1/2 the beer and stir well, scraping up any stuck bits. Add mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and cayenne.<br />
<br />
Add flour gradually, stirring well after each addition to blend well. After flour is fully combined, continue to stir for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast flour.<br />
<br />
Add half & half and broth, gradually, stirring well until base is well-blended and creamy. Bring soup to a low simmer and cover. Cook 20 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender.<br />
<br />
Add grated cheese and stir well until cheese melts (you can increase the heat slightly if necessary). Cover pot and cook at very low heat for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let soup sit a few minutes before serving with an optional dusting of cayenne and a mandatory pile of croutons.<br />
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"PS" (writes Will) "this tastes twice as good the next day."<br />
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<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-23616173823167695912015-12-24T22:52:00.003-06:002015-12-24T22:54:08.566-06:00We Dish You A Merry Fishmas<br />
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For many years, when my kids were little, our family celebrated four Christmases a year, making the rounds to grandparents and friends, and it was a blast. Now, though, my kids are pretty much grown-up and I'm old and tired, and it feels right to dial it all back. To this end, we stopped doing Christmas at home.<br />
<br />
In its place, we celebrate Fishmas.<br />
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For Fishmas we eat fish, that's the main thing. We also exchange a few presents, drink whiskey (some of us) and watch movies (or in the case of this year, lots of Groucho Marx videos). It's a new tradition and may evolve further, but so far Fishmas is working just fine.<br />
<br />
This year, I made Kedgeree, a smoked fish and rice dish. I followed <a href="http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/exotic/american/mixed-smoked-fish-kedgeree-with-a-creme-fraiche-and-parsley-sauce.html">Delia Smith's recipe</a>, poaching the fish lightly in milk seasoned with black pepper and bay leaf and then using the salty poaching milk to make a rich sauce. It's not health food. But Fishmas comes but once a year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I forgot to take a pretty plated photo before tucking in and making a big mess...</td></tr>
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Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-64968089558630955452015-11-27T19:08:00.001-06:002015-11-27T19:08:42.504-06:00The Leftovers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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No, not that grim, joyless eschatology I always wind up enduring the last five minutes of while I'm waiting for Bill Maher to start, I mean LEFTOVERS. Thanksgiving dinner turned out pretty great this year, but I didn't want to just eat all the same stuff again on day two. I felt inspired to transform the mountain of tupperware in my fridge into something new. To this end, I found a recipe for Panko Crusted Mashed Potato Cakes on allrecipes:<br />
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http://allrecipes.com/recipe/216977/panko-crusted-mashed-potato-cakes/<br />
<br />
I followed the recipe closely except I added some cayenne pepper. It was an easy assembly line deal, with multiple dredging steps: flour/egg/bread crumbs.<br />
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Browned in hot oil, about five minutes on each side.<br />
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I had a few leftover green beans, a tiny bit of chicken, and some olives, all of which seemed to want to go together.<br />
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Day one had nothing on day two.<br />
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<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-66084040795822662772015-10-31T19:01:00.002-05:002015-11-27T19:10:33.087-06:00Red Velvet Underground: A rock memoir, with recipes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I wrote a book, a memoir/cookbook about teaching my kids how to cook and about being a drummer and a parent. It's for sale now, where books are sold:<br />
<br />
http://www.powells.com/SearchResults?kw=title:red%20velvet%20underground<br />
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Velvet-Underground-Memoir-Recipes/dp/1572841753<br />
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/red-velvet-underground-freda-love-smith/1121764054<br />
<br />
<br />
I've hosted a few live events to talk about RVU, and I have more coming up, some still in the works and some confirmed:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://mobile.facebook.com/events/182260305445229?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&aref=22">WORD in Brooklyn, NY on November 13.</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1545017775789234/">Eat Your Words in Toronto on December 5.</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/741538102644896/">The Hideout in Chicago with Robbie Fulks on December 14.</a><br />
<br />
Harvard Bookstore in Cambridge on January 8.<br />
<br />
Malaprop's in Asheville, NC on January 15.<br />
<br />
Parnassus in Nashville, TN on January 19.<br />
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<br />
<br />
I made granola on television:<br />
<br />
http://wgntv.com/2015/10/26/midday-fix-freda-love-smith-makes-maple-peanut-cacao-granola/<br />
<br />
And did an interview for one of my favorite podcasts:<br />
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http://indianapublicmedia.org/eartheats/podcasts/<br />
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It's been good fun to talk about my book and I look forward to continuing the conversation in the months ahead. Let me know if you want a signed copy of Red Velvet Underground, want me to come talk to your book club, or want to throw a cupcake/book party with me in your town! I'm game.<br />
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<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-92042698933442914022015-09-26T12:08:00.000-05:002015-10-12T15:48:48.388-05:00Farro Salad with Basil, Olives, and Marcona Almonds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We here at lovesmiths have a bit of a thing for Frank Orrall at the moment. Maybe it's the way Poi Dog Pondering turned all frowns upside down at their concert/dance party in Chicago's Millennium Park this past summer. Maybe it's his thoughtful and charming answers to our recent interview for <i><a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/10/a-qa-with-chef-franc-aka-poi-dog-ponderings-frank.html">Paste Food.</a></i><br />
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Or maybe it's all about the farro.<br />
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In our interview, the Poi Dog frontman, Thievery Corporation singer/percussionist, and chef-for-hire mentioned his affinity for farro, an Italian whole grain. He rattled off a few possible ingredients for a farro salad and the recipe below, (which celebrates the fact that we can still get fresh basil at the market), was the insanely delicious result. Try it (maybe while listening to the beautiful new Poi Dog release, <a href="http://www.poidogpondering.com/">Everybody's Got a Star</a>), and you're bound to fully understand this thing.<br />
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<b>Farro Salad with Basil, Olives, and Marcona Almonds</b><br />
<b>serves 4</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1 cup farro, rinsed and drained<br />
Salt to taste<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil (plus a little extra for drizzling on top)<br />
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar<br />
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped<br />
1/2 cup green olives (I used herb-marinated olives, but any will work here)<br />
1/2 cup Marcona almonds, chopped<br />
4-5 ounces Manchego cheese, grated (or make this salad vegan--eliminate cheese and add more almonds)<br />
2-3 cups baby arugula<br />
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In a medium pot, bring three cups of water to a boil. Add farro and a small pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes, or until farro is mostly tender but still has a little bite and chewiness to it. Drain well and set aside to cool.<br />
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In a large mixing bowl, combine farro, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, and toss well to coat. Add basil, olives, almonds, and cheese and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning.<br />
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Distribute arugula evenly between plates and top with farro mixture. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve.<br />
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<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-44820450826904935202015-08-31T16:36:00.002-05:002015-08-31T16:36:43.356-05:00What I Ate Over My Summer VacationI'm slightly down at the mouth as my one-month summer vacation comes to a close today, already reflecting wistfully on these passing days of leisure which kicked off beautifully with a weird and wonderful adventure: three days solo at Lollapalooza. I saw Paul McCartney, Sturgil Simpson, Father John Misty, The War on Drugs, Alabama Shakes, Strand of Oaks, Bully, The Tallest Man on Earth, and (my 16-year-old son's recommendation) Odesza. Probably other stuff too, I already forget. It was hot and it was grueling, a couple of my blisters are still healing, and there were way way too many people there who didn't know how to manage their highs.<br />
<br />
But I loved Lolla.<br />
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I loved being able to hear so much music in so little time. I loved the zombie apocalypse feel of the festival, thousands of people tromping down wide city streets ordinarily lined with cars. I loved the VIP lounges (thank you dear John Strohm!!) where they had--no kidding--massage tables set up, not to mention all the pineapple coconut water, iced coffee, Red Bull, and mineral water you could drink, gratis. Plus the hottest commodity of all: shade.<br />
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Which brings me to what I maybe loved most of all: the food.<br />
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The food at Lollapalooza, "curated" by Graham Eliot ("can you curate a corn dog?" I asked my friend Neil), was fantastic. Here are a few highlights.<br />
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My first bao bun ever. </div>
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Tamale, black beans, and deconstructed elote.<br />
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"Hey," said the twenty-something girl standing next to me during Paul McCartney's set, "you're drinking magical mystery juice!" I nodded, I couldn't talk, I was basically sobbing during Sir Paul's entire set--a response I hadn't reckoned on at all.<br />
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This lobster corn dog was the most delicious thing I ate all summer. The soundtrack to its consumption (Sturgil Simpson) also lived right up to the hype.<br />
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Frozen Mango Kefir. A really really good idea.</div>
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Cold sesame soba noodles. This was familiar, like eating at home for me. Enjoyed during Bully's set, which also felt very familiar.<br />
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Lolla was intense, All Summer in Three Days. Even in the midst of it all, though, there were secret, quiet spots with no food, drink, music, or people, where a middle-aged woman could recharge for a minute.<br />
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Lollapalooza turned out to be the perfect launch to a month full of Chicago fun: Cubs at Wrigley, Veggie Bingo at The Hideout, and plenty of afternoons on the beach in Evanston. I've lived here for exactly five years, now, and this summer I gave my heart all the way over to this amazing place. There's no place like home. Particularly if home has lobster corn dogs.Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-57249067991809764492015-07-30T20:48:00.000-05:002015-07-30T20:48:22.520-05:00Vegan Punk Chocolate Shake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I just spent a few days in Wisconsin and Michigan where I ate a little more than my fair share of fried cheese and ice cream. Home now and recovering, I have been craving a treat but needing something that might be a bit easier on my body. I thought of the vegan punk chocolate shake that I made for a recent <a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/06/dinner-a-disc-xs-los-angeles-and-punk-night.html">piece I published about punk and food</a> for Paste Food. The shake, from Joshua Ploeg's charming <i><a href="http://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/4421/">This Ain't No Picnic: Your punk rock vegan cookbook</a></i>, was the runaway hit of a vegan dinner I made for my son and partner. I made it again tonight, taking great liberties with the recipe, which I will share here without permission ("because plagiarism is totally punk," writes Ploeg).<br />
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<b>Vegan Chocolate Shake </b><br />
Serves 3-4<br />
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3 bananas<br />
1 cup frozen raspberries or strawberries<br />
6 ounces very dark chocolate (I used 88%), melted and cooled<br />
5.4 ounce can unsweetened coconut cream<br />
12 pitted dates<br />
1 cup coconut milk or almond milk or whatever, plus maybe a little more to get to desired milkshake consistency)<br />
1 tablespoon lemon juice<br />
1 tablespoon vanilla extract<br />
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Blend everything until smooth and creamy. Add more coconut milk if mixture is too thick. Chill well before serving.<br />
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<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-5516780745811151742015-05-31T21:58:00.000-05:002015-07-30T20:23:01.605-05:00Olive Oil Lemon Cake with Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce and Coconut Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a recent <a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/07/tanya-donelly-loves-twiglets-and-noodles.html">interview with Tanya Donelly for Paste Food</a>, she mentioned her love of olive oil lemon cake and included a recipe that I immediately tried and immediately fell in love with. The recipe ended up being edited out of the piece, but many weeks later I am still experimenting with olive oil lemon cake and I'm afraid I'm totally addicted. Here are a couple of recipes I've tested with excellent results:<br />
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<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/lemon-olive-oil-cake-234274">A solid contender from Epicurious</a><br />
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<a href="http://food52.com/recipes/20381-luscious-lemon-almond-flour-and-olive-oil-cake">A fabulous wheat-free version from Food52</a><br />
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I like olive oil lemon cake with a simple strawberry rhubarb sauce and a generous dollop of coconut cream or whipped cream, but lemon glaze would be wonderful too, and it tastes lovely just plain on its own.<br />
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This not-too-sweet cake is especially well-suited for all of you cake-for-breakfast people.<br />
You know who you are.<br />
<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-67969724127818970442015-04-30T22:34:00.000-05:002015-05-19T15:59:12.853-05:00Lentil Soup by Murder by Death<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yes I know it's May and we're supposed to be dancing around the May Pole eating strawberries, but it's forty-five degrees and cloudy in Chicago, and what I really want is a bowl of hot soup and a Friday Night Lights binge.</div>
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I got this recipe from Sarah Balliet, cellist in Murder by Death (<a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/03/qa-murder-by-death.html">I interviewed them for Paste</a>), who got it from her mother, and it's the best lentil soup I've ever had. I balked at Balliet's instructions to dice the vegetables extremely small ("each piece should be roughly the size of a lentil") but I did my best and it was worth the effort. Also I've never before thickened lentil soup with a brothy roux, and now I always will. </div>
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My version below is a vegan take on the recipe, with carnivorous variations in parenthesis.</div>
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<b>Lentil Soup</b></div>
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Serves 8</div>
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1 lb. lentils, rinsed and drained</div>
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8 tablespoons olive oil (or butter), divided (less if you use real bacon)</div>
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4 slices tempeh "bacon" (or regular bacon), diced</div>
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2 medium onions, diced</div>
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2 green peppers, diced</div>
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4 carrots, peeled and diced</div>
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2 medium tomatoes, diced</div>
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6 tablespoons all-purpose flour</div>
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1 quart vegetable broth (or chicken broth)</div>
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salt </div>
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4 tablespoons red wine vinegar</div>
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Minced parsley, optional</div>
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In a large soup pot, bring 2.5 quarts of water to a boil, add lentils, reduce heat, and cook 1 hour at a low boil.</div>
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In a deep skillet over medium heat, warm 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add tempeh bacon and stir often to brown evenly, about 10-15 minutes. (Or cook bacon in skillet sans olive oil until cooked and crispy). Remove "bacon" (or bacon) and set aside. Check the amount of oil (or fat) in the skillet and add a little more oil (or butter) if it looks like less than four tablespoons. Add onions and cook over medium heat, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.</div>
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Add the rest of the vegetables and cook 10 more minutes or so--don't brown.</div>
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After lentils have cooked 1 hour, add vegetables and pretend or real bacon and bring mixture to a slow simmer.</div>
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In the skillet you used to cook the vegetables, over medium heat, add 4 tablespoons olive oil (or butter). Add flour and stir 1-2 minutes until it smells toasty. Add vegetable (or chicken) broth and whisk well until smooth and thick. Add mixture to soup pot along with plenty of salt. Simmer ten minutes. Stir in red wine vinegar, taste and adjust seasoning, garnish with optional parsley, and serve hot.</div>
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Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-45815203700324358462015-03-23T12:16:00.000-05:002015-03-23T12:18:31.045-05:00Where Have You Been All My Life?: Saffron Risotto Cakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have Amanda Shires to thank for introducing me to the concept of saffron risotto, and I have the amazing Nora O'Connor to thank for introducing me to the concept of risotto cakes.<a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/02/that-enchanting-blur-you-saw.html"> I interviewed Nora for Paste Food</a>, and pressed her hard for details on how to make and serve these. She generously shared. I followed Nora's suggestions exactly, down to dishing the cakes up on greens, topped with a fried egg. I can't imagine a better brunch, or a more sufficient consolation for the fact that it's the third day of spring and it's snowing. Don't despair. Make risotto cakes. Spring will come for real before too long.</div>
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<b>Saffron Risotto Cakes </b></div>
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<b>Serves 4</b></div>
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3 cups leftover <a href="http://lovesmiths.blogspot.com/2015/01/it-was-all-yellow-saffron-risotto.html">saffron risotto</a></div>
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2 large eggs</div>
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1/2 cup all-purpose flour</div>
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1/2 cup breadcrumbs, plus more to coat cakes</div>
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Salt and pepper </div>
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Canola oil or coconut oil</div>
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In a large bowl, combine risotto, eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs. Add salt and pepper (season generously) and stir well. Divide into 12 or so portions, flatten into cakes (about 1/4 inch thick or so), and coat with bread crumbs (doesn't have to be perfect), gently pressing crumbs in.</div>
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In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil until it's moving around but not smoking. Cook cakes, 4 at a time, for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags. If you want, you can keep them warm in a 200-degree oven.</div>
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For a wonderful meal, fry up 1-2 eggs per person, sauté a bunch of baby kale in olive oil and season it with balsamic vinegar. Serve risotto cakes on a big bed of greens with eggs on top.</div>
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<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-89827064935639984912015-01-31T20:21:00.003-06:002015-03-23T12:16:36.575-05:00It Was All Yellow: Saffron Risotto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have singer/songwriter/fiddler Amanda Shires, <a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/01/fiddler-amanda-shires-on-harvard-educated-turkeys.html">who I interviewed for Paste Food</a>, to thank for inspiring me to make saffron risotto. I can't believe there was a time in my life when saffron risotto was not in my life, but those dark ages are behind me now. Put them behind you, too.</div>
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<b>Saffron Risotto</b> (A big batch, so you can serve 2 or 3 and have leftovers to make risotto cakes. You <i>do</i> want to make risotto cakes. More on this in the next post).</div>
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5 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil, divided</div>
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1 large shallot, finely minced (you want about 1/2 cup of minced shallot)</div>
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2 cups arborio rice</div>
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1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine</div>
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5-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth</div>
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Generous 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads</div>
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Generous pinch cayenne pepper (not traditional, but very good)</div>
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1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese </div>
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Salt and pepper to taste</div>
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Handful parsley, minced finely</div>
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In a large deep skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter (or warm olive oil) over medium heat. Add shallot with a pinch of salt and stir until it sizzles. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not brown.</div>
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Add arborio rice and stir well to coat with butter (or oil) and shallots. Continue to cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.</div>
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Add sherry or wine, 2 cups of broth, saffron, and cayenne. Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to medium and stir until all liquid is absorbed into rice.</div>
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Add broth, about a 1/2 cup at time, keeping the mixture at a good simmer, stirring frequently, and allowing liquid to absorb before adding more broth. This whole process will take about 20 minutes. Stirring is important to evenly cook the rice and prevent burning. </div>
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After you've added about 5 cups of broth you can start taste-testing the risotto--it should be slightly al dente. I usually end up using about 5 1/2 cups of broth total, but you might use more or less, you have to feel it out, and you have to taste it.</div>
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Once risotto is done and liquid is absorbed, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil and parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. If risotto seems dry, stir in a little more broth, you want it very slightly on the wet side.</div>
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Garnish with parsley and serve hot. Try to have about 3 cups of leftovers for risotto cakes.</div>
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<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-50336042996843938522014-12-22T17:30:00.002-06:002014-12-22T17:30:28.155-06:00This is a Test: Spinach and White Bean Stew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GAQx9mOA_iI/VJioRnMjwUI/AAAAAAAAA6M/1Y8JSE1kW-4/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GAQx9mOA_iI/VJioRnMjwUI/AAAAAAAAA6M/1Y8JSE1kW-4/s1600/photo.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I'm testing recipes for my forthcoming book, <i>Red Velvet Underground: A Memoir with Recipes,</i> and today was the perfect day to test Spinach and White Bean Stew, a garlicky, nourishing meal-in-a-bowl, the perfect lunch at home. Try it! And let me know how it turns out...</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Spinach and White Bean Stew<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
dish is rich and flavorful, as if you worked on it for hours, but it comes
together in 15 minutes thanks to the use of canned beans and pre-washed baby
spinach. This was a great recipe to teach to my teenage son—it’s foolproof and
satisfying! It is one of my favorite winter lunches or quick suppers. Serve
with a good-quality baguette or hunk of bread.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yield: 3-4 Servings<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">4
tablespoons olive oil (plus more, optional, to drizzle on top)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">4
cloves garlic, thinly sliced<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">3
cans small white beans, drained<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">1
scant tablespoon dried thyme<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">2
cups water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">½
lb. bag pre-washed baby spinach or baby kale<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">½
teaspoon salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">¼
teaspoon ground black pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">½
teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (plus more, optional, to sprinkle on top)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.
Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook one minute,
stirring constantly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.
Add beans, thyme and water, bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered
ten minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.
Add spinach in big handfuls, stirring to incorporate and wilt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.
Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust seasoning.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">5.
Let soup sit and cool off for a few minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve
with optional olive oil and red pepper flakes on top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-47231672583572443942014-12-03T21:13:00.001-06:002014-12-03T21:13:31.551-06:00I'm on Fire: Chickpeas and Chorizo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KeQYtLViSAY/VH-B22q9gRI/AAAAAAAAA5w/dmLSr0pk1ZA/s1600/photo%5B5%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KeQYtLViSAY/VH-B22q9gRI/AAAAAAAAA5w/dmLSr0pk1ZA/s1600/photo%5B5%5D.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If it's grey and cloudy in your head AND in the sky, you might want to try this dish, guaranteed to burn those clouds away. The ones in your head, anyway.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Chickpeas and Chorizo is inspired by my recent interview with Chuck Prophet (read it <a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2014/12/chuck-prophet-talks-disco-naps-and-espresso.html">here</a>), in which he shares his version of this Spanish dish. Chuck's recipe is beautifully bare-bones, and totally rock and roll, but I wanted something richer and more complex, and here's what I came up with. The combination of spicy sausage (vegetarian "chorizo" works perfectly, vegetarians), hot paprika, and crushed red pepper is intense, but offset nicely by the creamy mouthfeel of the sauce. We served the leftovers for breakfast with a fried egg on top and it was a revelation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Chickpeas and Chorizo<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Serves 4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">3 tablespoons olive oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1 medium onion, finely diced<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2 stalks celery, finely
diced<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">4 cloves garlic, thinly
sliced<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1 teaspoon crushed red
pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">½ cup dry sherry or dry
white wine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">14.5-ounce can fire roasted
tomatoes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">3 or 4 Spanish chorizo
sausages, cut into large bite-sized pieces (vegetarian chorizo works great, I tried it)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2 15-ounce cans chickpeas,
drained<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">½ teaspoon salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">¼ teaspoon black pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">¼ teaspoon hot smoked
paprika, optional<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Large handful parsley,
coarsely chopped<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Directions<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Warm olive oil in a large,
heavy pot. Add onions and celery, stir until they sizzle, then reduce heat to
medium-low for ten minutes. Add garlic and stir well. Partially cover, and
cook at least ten more minutes, until onions are golden brown and very soft.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Add crushed red pepper,
sherry, and tomatoes and bring up to a strong simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Optional: After simmering, blend
mixture until smooth and return to pot. Skip this if you prefer, but I
recommend it—blending results in a wonderful color and texture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Add chorizo, chickpeas, salt, pepper, and paprika (if using vegetarian sausage, wait and add after 30 minutes). Bring to a low simmer and cook partially covered for 45 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning (maybe a little more paprika?). Stir in parsley and serve. Cry and sweat. It's good for you.</span></div>
Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-53886452990160710052014-10-28T22:18:00.000-05:002014-10-28T22:18:05.567-05:00How Sweet It Is: Apple Butter <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2zuzDR4fCck/VE_0Ai7TZYI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/krdyTCFSnxQ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2zuzDR4fCck/VE_0Ai7TZYI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/krdyTCFSnxQ/s1600/photo.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
OK Autumn, I resisted, but you got me; I am beguiled. You've become a sweet taste in my mouth, now. You wooed me with golden light, blazing trees, and crunchy carpets of leaves, and closed it with apple butter: Honeycrisps cooked for hours and hours with cider and cinnamon, transformed into a spoonful of heaven on earth.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oOFLJ1Rw7WA/VFBXTfwC2jI/AAAAAAAAA4s/7CT6M3_p8VM/s1600/photo%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oOFLJ1Rw7WA/VFBXTfwC2jI/AAAAAAAAA4s/7CT6M3_p8VM/s1600/photo%5B1%5D.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Apple Butter</b><br />
(A grateful nod to Martha Stewart)<br />
<br />
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or unsalted butter)<br />
7 medium apples, peeled, cored, and quartered<br />
2 1/2 cups apple cider<br />
small pinch salt<br />
2 tablespoons ume vinegar (or lemon juice, but ume vinegar is divine!)<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 250.<br />
<br />
Melt coconut oil in a dutch oven or big pot, add apples and stir over medium heat for five minutes.<br />
<br />
Add cider and salt, bring to a boil, simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.<br />
<br />
Allow mixture to cool a little. Add ume vinegar or lemon juice and cinnamon. Blend using handheld blender or regular blender.<br />
<br />
Spread into a large baking dish and bake 4 hours.<br />
<br />
Turn oven off (don't open the door) and let apple butter sit overnight, or at least a few hours. The alchemy will happen; it will darken and thicken and become concentrated and sweet. Wait for it.<br />
<br />
Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for several days, but it will not last that long so don't worry about it.<br />
<br />
Apple butter is amazing with biscuits. I was too slow to take a "before" picture.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nGOwVIB2Tk4/VE_3rz853HI/AAAAAAAAA4c/yksT2BzGMjM/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nGOwVIB2Tk4/VE_3rz853HI/AAAAAAAAA4c/yksT2BzGMjM/s1600/photo.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-6300576864966048652014-09-23T22:12:00.001-05:002014-09-23T22:12:34.080-05:00It's Over: Summer's End Succotash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jfZL7d0gaY0/VCHkS1dQxvI/AAAAAAAAA3E/AWwXjBllqqY/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jfZL7d0gaY0/VCHkS1dQxvI/AAAAAAAAA3E/AWwXjBllqqY/s1600/photo.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Today is the first full day of autumn and the first day of classes at the esteemed institution where I'm lucky enough to work. I usually welcome this back-to-school season and leap right into jacket weather, a box of new pencils in my pocket. But some years I feel autumn for what it really is; a wrackful effing siege. Goodbye sun, farewell beach, hello darkness my old friend.<br />
<br />
But this is a blog about food, not death, and now is a spectacular time of year for food, I'll give you that. I'll give you this too: a recipe perfectly suited for saying goodbye to summer, whether it was the best one of your life or the hardest one of your life, or a particularly exquisite combination of the two.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H4_3uAzvFxs/VCHnu47TQ3I/AAAAAAAAA3Q/GFo8wqPmzH0/s1600/photo%5B2%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H4_3uAzvFxs/VCHnu47TQ3I/AAAAAAAAA3Q/GFo8wqPmzH0/s1600/photo%5B2%5D.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Summer's End Succotash</b><br />
Serves 8<br />
<br />
3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 onion, minced very finely<br />
1 clove garlic, minced<br />
1 or more jalapeño (or other) pepper, minced<br />
1 sweet pepper, chopped<br />
1 cup okra, chopped<br />
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces<br />
1 pound summer squash, cut into 1-inch chunks<br />
1 teaspoon sea salt<br />
2 tablespoons water<br />
2 teaspoons fresh sage, minced<br />
4 ears of corn, kernels cut from cobs<br />
<br />
<br />
Heat oil and cook onion with a tiny pinch of salt over medium-low heat for at least ten minutes.<br />
<br />
Add all the rest of the ingredients except corn, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer covered for ten minutes.<br />
<br />
Add corn, stir well, cook ten minutes more, covered and undisturbed.<br />
<br />
Serve immediately. Garnish with more sage if you want. Maybe the fall will be okay after all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFm7tXNJ7ZQ/VCHpEATbhJI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/4wUA5x-VUio/s1600/photo%5B3%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFm7tXNJ7ZQ/VCHpEATbhJI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/4wUA5x-VUio/s1600/photo%5B3%5D.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-55678495459224915372014-08-28T21:23:00.001-05:002014-08-28T21:23:56.499-05:00Summer Fruit Crisp: When the Living is Lazy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oXLKyNAKKpU/U__d3iO5z7I/AAAAAAAAA2k/uT4MHfvwFyo/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oXLKyNAKKpU/U__d3iO5z7I/AAAAAAAAA2k/uT4MHfvwFyo/s1600/photo.jpg" height="400" width="333" /></a></div>
<br />
When the berries are perfect but you're too lazy to make pie, make berry crisp.<br />
<br />
When you're too lazy to write a real blog post, post an easy recipe for berry crisp that you've tested a bunch of times and always turns out crazy good.<br />
<br />
<b>Berry Crisp (Vegan)</b><br />
Serves 6-8<br />
<br />
Topping:<br />
1 cup oats, divided<br />
1/3 cup flour<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted<br />
<br />
Filling:<br />
8 cups berries<br />
3/4 cup sugar (haven't tried coconut sugar in the filling - would that work?)<br />
2 Tbsp. cornstarch<br />
Grated zest of 1 lemon<br />
2 Tbsp. lemon juice<br />
Big pinch salt<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375.<br />
<br />
Prepare topping: Combine 3/4 cup of oats, flour, sugar, salt, and coconut oil in a medium bowl and stir with a fork to combine. Use your fingers to work in remaining 1/4 cup oats.<br />
<br />
Prepare filling: Mix everything together and spread in a baking dish.<br />
<br />
Scatter topping over fruit mixture and bake until topping is brown, at least 60 minutes. Maybe 70.<br />
<br />
Cool one hour before serving.<br />
<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-10294505196502796232014-08-04T14:14:00.001-05:002014-08-04T14:14:55.719-05:00The Pie Who Loved Me: Perfect Blueberry Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jHySCjqH_eU/U9-nooNgI0I/AAAAAAAAA1s/3yfevGl6oGk/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jHySCjqH_eU/U9-nooNgI0I/AAAAAAAAA1s/3yfevGl6oGk/s1600/photo.JPG" height="400" width="386" /></a></div>
<br />
Sorry about the title of this post. But I have had two intense emotional experiences with this particular blueberry pie and therefore feel entitled to my goofy, grammatically nonsensical pun, okay?<br />
<br />
The first was at its place of origin, The Grit in Athens, Georgia. I was on tour, feeling homesick and fragile, and a slice of this pie moved me to tears. I don't know if it was the crying or the eating that helped, all I know is I cleaned my plate and was happier, and since then I have attributed therapeutic powers to The Grit's blueberry pie. I acquired the recipe years ago, but haven't turned to it until this summer, on a tough weekend when I felt too down to do much of anything. Once again, the pie did not disappoint.<br />
<br />
I guess that any absorbing activity, anything that takes your focus out of your bad brain, can assuage a bout of the blues. The specific advantages of making perfect blueberry pie are: 1) there is a fair amount of booze involved, and 2) the activity concludes with YOU EATING PIE. Which in itself makes everything at least a little bit better.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Perfect Blueberry Pie<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Adapted from a recipe in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Grit Restaurant Cookbook</i><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Pie Crust for double-crust pie (we
use the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cook’s Illustrated</i> recipe for
vodka piecrust and it turns out great every time)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
2 tablespoons cornstarch<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Juice and zest of 1 medium lemon<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
2 teaspoons vanilla<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
2 teaspoons brandy<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
4 -1/2 cups fresh blueberries<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
¾ cup sugar<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
2 tablespoons butter, chopped into
small pieces<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
1 heaping tablespoon sour cream<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
1 tablespoon flour<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
¼ teaspoon cinnamon<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Preheat oven to 450. Line a deep
pie pan with ½ of pie crust.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Combine cornstarch, lemon juice,
lemon zest, vanilla, and brandy and mix well. Add blueberries, sugar, butter,
sour cream, flour and cinnamon and gently stir until combined. Pour into pie
crust and cover with top crust.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Place pie on a large cookie sheet
(Very important! This is a very juicy pie that will explode all over
your oven!).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br />
Bake at 450 for ten minutes, then
reduce heat to 350. Bake an additional 50-55 minutes until golden and bubbling.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Cool completely at room temperature
and then refrigerate until tomorrow, if you can stand to wait. Your patience will be rewarded. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-33382226185131564082014-07-27T13:49:00.000-05:002014-07-27T13:50:06.060-05:00Alone in the Kitchen with Some Okra: Grits with Spicy Greens Gumbo (Vegan)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Today ends a two-week stretch of much alone time and many quiet meals. My partner has been in Germany, my oldest kid wrapped up in his new adult life, my youngest occupied with a summer internship. Nobody has been saying, "what's for dinner?" Have I missed hearing this question? It's complicated.<br />
<br />
Tonight my family will reunite around the dinner table and I am truly looking forward to it. But last night I treated myself to one final solo meal, my dream dinner: grits topped with spicy greens gumbo. Nobody in my family but me could enjoy this dish - Henry hates onions, Jake's not fond of okra, Jonah won't eat grits. But it made me sigh happily and contentedly into my big empty apartment.<br />
<br />
The inspiration for this meal came from the tiny handful of gorgeous okra pictured above, all that remained by the time my lazy ass rolled into the Evanston Farmers Market on Saturday morning. I wouldn't have even bothered buying such a small amount if I'd had a group to feed, but it was just enough for me, just enough to elevate an otherwise plain pot of greens into an indulgent and memorable meal.<br />
<br />
<b>Grits with Spicy Greens Gumbo</b><br />
Serves 1. Very generously. You're worth it.<br />
<br />
1/2 cup grits<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 medium onion, sliced thinly<br />
1 big bunch of greens (kale or whatever - or use a mixture)<br />
Okra (3 or 4, or more if they're tiny like mine)<br />
2 tablespoons flour<br />
1/4 cup or so of greens cooking liquid (see below)<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
Crushed red pepper flakes<br />
<br />
Cook grits in 1.5 cups of water with a big pinch of salt.<br />
<br />
Heat oil in a very big skillet, add onions with a pinch of salt. When onions sizzle, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for as long as you possibly can until onions are incredibly tender and sweet and golden. 15 minutes, minimum. Don't let them brown.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, put washed, un-chopped greens and okra in a big pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, drain but RESERVE COOKING WATER and set vegetables aside to cool a bit.<br />
<br />
Give your onions a stir. Check on your grits. Do whatever you want: drum along to some disco songs really loud, anything, you've got the place to yourself.<br />
<br />
Chop greens and okra very fine. Remove stems from greens only if they are big and tough.<br />
<br />
How are your onions doing? They should taste amazing. If they don't, cook them a bit more. Don't rush. Don't cheat yourself. When they do taste amazing, add the chopped greens and okra and stir well to combine. Add flour and stir until flour is fully incorporated and smells a little nutty, probably a minute or so. Add greens cooking liquid and increase heat to bring mixture to a simmer. Add salt and crushed red pepper.<br />
<br />
Allow gumbo to simmer covered for ten minutes (check and add more greens cooking liquid if you need to) or until greens are very tender and melt in your mouth. Your teeth should meet no resistance here.<br />
<br />
Serve on top of grits, garnished with more red pepper flakes.<br />
<br />
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<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-61464305167168121442014-06-30T22:11:00.004-05:002014-07-02T18:59:28.206-05:00Everything's Coming Up Lemon Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Lemon bars divide people into those who think, 'they're fine, whatever, what's the big deal,' and those who think they're everything in the world. I fall into the latter camp. Big time.<br />
<br />
It is surprising then, that I've never perfected a lemon bar recipe, have never had much luck making them myself. And most bakery versions are deeply disappointing. So I don't eat lemon bars very often. But I always want to.<br />
<br />
This longing of mine filtered into a weird short story I wrote a few years ago, "And the Lemon Bar Stared Back at Me," whose protagonist is seduced, you might say, by an extremely good lemon bar. When it was published by the lovely online magazine <i>Punchnel's</i> last week (you can read it <a href="http://www.punchnels.com/fiction/and-the-lemon-bar-stared-back-at-me/">here</a>), I felt inspired to once and for all make a lemon bar that would satisfy me. I started by gathering together recipes from the most popular and beloved food blogs and websites. I bought a big bag of lemons. A very big bag.<br />
<br />
And it didn't go well at all. Four batches in and I did NOT have what I was looking for: too floury, too sugary, oily crust, not enough filling. Ugh. My house smelled great, but it was depressing to throw out all those inferior bars.<br />
<br />
Fifth time was the charm. I should have started with <i>Cooks Illustrated</i>; in my experience their recipes are not always exciting, but they are almost always sturdy and reliable, and <a href="http://baking.food.com/recipe/susans-perfect-lemon-bars-84183">this lemon bar recipe</a> is completely perfect: worthy of adoration; capable of seduction.<br />
<br />
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Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-60941537865912874282014-06-09T14:52:00.001-05:002015-10-11T13:23:13.213-05:00Kale and Pineapple Smoothie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Maybe you've had just a few nips too many lately.<br />
<br />
For whatever reason.<br />
<br />
Maybe you've been waiting and waiting for news that never will come, or maybe you're pining for some happy day gone by. Maybe you feel like you've been working two jobs (wait, maybe you <i>have</i> been working two jobs) and all-work-no-play is killing your soul. Maybe you wrote the chorus but the verses won't come, maybe your body is exhausted but your brain won't let you sleep, maybe your kid just moved into an apartment and you feel that terrible blend of relieved and shattered.<br />
<br />
The reasons don't matter. What matters, for our purposes here, is this: your liver needs some love. It has to filter every drop of that so-called blood of yours.<br />
<br />
Try this kale and pineapple smoothie for breakfast. According to my friend who mostly eats raw food and looks annoyingly good, pineapple is full of detoxifying agents that help neutralize toxins in the liver, and leafy greens have lots of chlorophyl which supports the liver and cleans the blood.<br />
<br />
By my calculations, one of these smoothies cancels out one of last night's units, so do your own math and figure out how many servings you'll need. Okay I made that up, but I am trying to help.<br />
<br />
<b>Kale and Pineapple Smoothie</b><br />
2 servings<br />
<br />
2 cups kale or other greens, or mixture (I like kale, wheatgrass, and a few sprouts)<br />
2 cups chopped fresh pineapple<br />
1 banana<br />
1 cup coconut milk or other milk<br />
<br />
Blend. Drink. Repeat.<br />
<br />
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<br />Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-75681071035438535662014-05-31T13:11:00.000-05:002014-05-31T13:11:54.631-05:00This is the Smoothie: Strawberry Banana Smoothie <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
This is the smoothie for when you are determined to make unreasonable demands of your smoothie; when you want it to contain a full serving of greens and huge amounts of vitamin c; when you want it to have enough protein to keep you satisfied all morning; when you want it to nudge your brain chemistry towards the sunny side, to open your eyes, to please your tastebuds, to quicken your pulse. It seems like an awful lot to ask from a smoothie, but lovesmiths asked, and many blenders-full later we cried eureka.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Strawberry Banana Smoothie </b><br />
Serves 2<br />
<br />
1 and 1/2 cups strawberries (I like frozen for a milkshake-like texture)<br />
1 banana (frozen if possible, but I always forget and it's fine)<br />
1/2 cup micro-greens or sprouts<br />
2 heaping tablespoons hemp seeds<br />
2-3 tablepsoons raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder, not as delicious but still good)<br />
1 1/2 cup non-dairy beverage (almond, soy, or my favorite - coconut)<br />
<br />
Combine in blender and blend until smooth. Drink immediately. Now go get 'em, tiger.<br />
<br />
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Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-86253345642359326682014-05-20T12:56:00.000-05:002014-05-20T12:58:29.217-05:00The Bob Dylan Story<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
My dad tells me he beat this guy up
at a party because he’d never heard of Bob Dylan. That’s how strong his love
was. He tells me love is always enough of a reason. It was 1966, the year
before I was born, and my dad was a radical civil rights activist living in
Nashville, Tennessee. There is a picture of him and my mother from that year,
each holding acoustic guitars, smiling big smiles and gazing into each other’s
eyes. Playing Dylan songs, I’d guess. Did either of them think: I might hate
you in five years?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
The details of the
beating-up incident are fuzzy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder,
what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> his poison back then. And
what is it now?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
The thing I can’t
figure out is why I love this story so much, why it makes me happy. Why I can
relate to it unquestioningly. It’s not like I go around hitting people. I’ve
never hit anyone.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
The last time I
went to a party, everybody there except me was an evangelical Christian. There
were guitars, but no violence.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I work with this
Welsh philosophy student. He told me he hates Bob Dylan. Thinks he’s overrated.
Listen, I said, my dad once punched a guy for not knowing Bob Dylan. If there’s
a gene for that, I’ve got it. So look out.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236280457182786245.post-88700290850015120402014-04-30T15:49:00.001-05:002014-04-30T15:49:54.103-05:00Me And My Meal Plan: A Photo Essay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Bzi55E8KZk/U2EEFodUUVI/AAAAAAAAAwY/zOfr-Dr983o/s1600/photo%5B7%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Bzi55E8KZk/U2EEFodUUVI/AAAAAAAAAwY/zOfr-Dr983o/s1600/photo%5B7%5D.JPG" height="400" width="371" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">I live in a university dorm as faculty-in-residence, and the position comes with a meal plan. I probably eat four meals a week in the cafeteria, and usually the food is just okay, perfectly fine. But last week, I had these green beans and they were amazing, generously seasoned and slightly crisp, not bland, rubbery and overcooked as they tend to be. I had seconds. I had thirds. I finally approached one of the cafeteria workers and expressed my admiration. Turns out, he was the guy who made the beans. "Butter," he said. "Butter, lots of garlic, salt, and fresh basil." Fresh basil. Damn, Northwestern.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vhMDk7bTv7o/U2EGPMkszhI/AAAAAAAAAwo/Pdzki18gujk/s1600/photo%255B10%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vhMDk7bTv7o/U2EGPMkszhI/AAAAAAAAAwo/Pdzki18gujk/s1600/photo%255B10%255D.jpg" height="400" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">This mostly vegan meal resembled something I'd cook myself; collard greens, rice with lentils, and hush puppies. I am not vegan; I eat a plant-based diet that includes a little dairy, the occasional egg, fish once in a while. I thought it would be hard to find enough to eat in the dorm, but it is usually surprisingly easy. Industrial food has changed since I was first in college.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fPAg5BncbGE/U2EIH3ATnaI/AAAAAAAAAww/-19r52a_YRY/s1600/photo%5B14%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fPAg5BncbGE/U2EIH3ATnaI/AAAAAAAAAww/-19r52a_YRY/s1600/photo%5B14%5D.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Although here was a dinner that could have come straight out of 1986. Remember all those baked potatoes we used to eat? The idea to add the tuna came from my years of living in England. They will put anything on a baked potato over there (they call them "jacket potatoes"), and as it turns out pretty much anything tastes good on one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M6MoN3duD54/U2EJ7mAajdI/AAAAAAAAAw8/VLjt-RnpnjU/s1600/photo%5B16%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M6MoN3duD54/U2EJ7mAajdI/AAAAAAAAAw8/VLjt-RnpnjU/s1600/photo%5B16%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Some things are just not for me. I don't at all get why students freak out over and line up for something called the "hot cookie bar." A tray of hot, gooey, undercooked cookies. That's it. But I do love that the students leap from their seats when this comes out every Friday. I'm surprised by how much I enjoy this aspect of communal living, the group rituals and rhythms of the week. I have always considered myself a very private person, but it is fun to inhabit a bigger and more social world. I never lived in a dorm when I was in college, so it's interesting to have this experience as a middle-aged woman.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C1IcPd73a-w/U2FQ49gu0oI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/WH-rq3V9teA/s1600/photo%255B17%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C1IcPd73a-w/U2FQ49gu0oI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/WH-rq3V9teA/s1600/photo%255B17%255D.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">One thing we can all agree on is this: Sriracha is absolutely essential. I have always been a fan: now I'm an addict. Forever after, when I am squirting Sriracha all over my stir fry, my roasted potatoes, my omelette, my tomato soup (try it!), I will remember these weird and wonderful years.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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No groceries to buy on the way home. No exhausted and uninspired weeknight vegetable chopping. No dishes to wash. What do I care if I end up eating some strange dinners once in a while? The meal plan has brought gender equality to my family - I am writing more, playing music, I even go out to see shows once in a while, maybe because I'm not exhausted from my second shift. It's a big adjustment for me, and a bit of a conundrum - I love food, I love to cook, I am a huge proponent of home cooking, but I have got to admit: my life is better with a meal plan.</td></tr>
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Freda Love Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14770798970864160017noreply@blogger.com