Prepare for Hibernation

Although the weather this week in Chicago is incredible, the cool nights have me thinking about winter’s inevitable descent. The thought is pleasant with all the leaves still firmly attached to the trees, but come January I know I will be looking for cheap Mexico flights.

In the meantime, big batches of hearty sauces and stews are in order. You’ll enjoy them on a fall night and think fondly of fluffy snowflakes and cozy socks.  In a few months, you’ll throw frozen blocks of them in the microwave when you’re getting home from work and it’s already been dark for two hours and the snowpile blocking your parking spot has crusted over from the skin-stinging breath of winter. But you’ll be thankful you made this.

Chunky Tomato Sauce with Olives
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Simmering Nemo

Despite my jokey post title, fish stew really is an elegant dish. Much more so than even the most sophisticated beef stew.  The light flavor of white fish is perfect paired with a multitude of other flavors, many of which would otherwise be lost in the depths of a rich, meaty broth.

This stew is based loosely on the classic fish soup of Provence, la bourride, and prominently features anise seed, orange peel, saffron, thyme, and bay leaf. These delicate flavors are enhanced with a spoonful of rich aioli, a garlic flavored mayonnaise that takes just a few minutes to whip up.

Provençal Fish Stew
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T.C.O.B.

My husband has been blowing my little overcooked mind in the dinner department lately.  Last weekend he suggested braising pork on a Saturday afternoon and then eating it the following week, which is really the best way to enjoy a braise.

Saturday morning we headed out to the Oak Park Farmer’s Market for a change of pace, where we found incredibly fresh peppers, plump tomatillos, and mild, sweet onions. Then we spent the afternoon sipping on Tecate cheladas while the perfume of pork and garlic made its way through the apartment and out into the autumn air.

The stew turned out to be one of my all-time favorites.  The spice of the guajillo chiles and the tang of the tomatillos worked perfectly with the pork. Giving the ingredients some time to mingle made the flavors of the finished dish even more wonderful.

This recipe made enough to feed the two of us for two nights, once served as seen below, and once served over sauteed polenta with cheese. We also froze a full quart of the stew for a rainy day.

Pork and Tomatillo Stew
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Black and Blue Coffeecake

The cooler weather really has me in the mood to bake, and what better item to make on a lazy Saturday afternoon than a coffeecake for tomorrow’s even lazier Sunday.

Blackberries are my favorite berry, and I love them paired with blue cornmeal.  The cornmeal turns the cake a pale purple color and it adds a great texture as well as a little extra fiber.

Black and Blue Coffeecake
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Cooler Weather and New Ingredients

As someone who cooks almost daily, I find the changing of the seasons particularly motivating. Having a bevy of new ingredients to draw from makes coming up with new meal ideas day after day much more enjoyable. Butternut squash is the quintessential fall ingredient, and a simple risotto is a wonderful way to highlight its unique flavor.

Butternut Squash Risotto
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Super Simple, Super Flavorful No.1

It has been subtly pointed out to me by one of my readers that many of the recipes I post here are somewhat complicated.  I know half the fun of reading a blog is in the window it provides into another person’s world, but I really want my recipes to be doable for my readers. That said, I have a new goal of posting more quick and easy recipes on the blog, and this delightfully crunchy and lightly sweet salad is the first.

Pepper and Carrot Slaw with Sweet Walnut Vinaigrette
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