Zella's Wild Rice

Occasionally, I feel compelled to make a recipe or project that one of my characters comes up with. It's my way of making sure what I wrote in the text actually works. One day I'll get around to making Arden's tomato pie again so I can take pictures and write it down. It's quite wonderful, kind of a light deep dish pizza.

This is the wild rice dish that Zella Thula makes for the Metavanya family's Imbolc party in my work-in-progress, Arrow of Entropy. It only has six ingredients, because not much fresh food is available in early February (Erany in the Meloran calendar). When I wrote this into the text I needed to make sure that the ingredients she used could be found in the pantry of the northern highlands. The preserved lemon is the extra touch, a little luxury item from Vanora. I think this particular jar of lemons was Faron's little gift to Rassa, a peace offering, perhaps. Rassa keeps fresh herbs growing in in the kitchen windows all year, so Zella would have had plenty of fresh rosemary to snip and add to her dish.

There are two other recipes mentioned in this passage of the book, and I hope to make both at some point so I can write them out. One is a poppyseed bread, and the other is a cranberry relish. Seeds and dried fruit are traditional Imbolc foods, so I'm going to utilize them in all three dishes.

This is a simple recipe, but I am enjoying the results. It's sweet, savory, and a little nutty, an unlikely combination reminiscent of the two characters who inspired it.

I dipped a spoon into the pot on the stovetop and offered it to him. “Here, try this. I feel like it's missing something but I can't figure out what.”

“Wild rice, currants, roasted pumpkin seeds, what else?” Rassa asked before taking a bite.

“Shallots and rosemary,” I replied.

He swallowed and said, “Salt and acid. When you feel like something is missing, it's usually acidity. We have some preserved lemons in the cupboard. Those cover both the salt and the acid so I think if you mince them up and toss them in it will be perfect.”

-- From Arrow of Entropy

Zella's Wild Rice

1 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained

4 cups water

1/2 cup currants (or raisins or cranberries)

1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary

2 Tbsp minced preserved lemon

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

2 shallots, sliced thinly

(all measurements are approximate)

Place the rinsed wild rice and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes, or until rice is tender.

While the rice is cooking, toss the rosemary, lemon, and currants together in a bowl and allow to sit so the flavors mingle.

Caramelize the shallots in a dry skillet, adding a tablespoon of water at a time if the shallots become too dry or stick. When they're soft and browned, remove them from the heat.

Toast the pumpkin seeds until lightly browned.

When the rice is finished cooking, drain the rice in a colander. Dump the cooked rice into a serving bowl or casserole dish. Add the currant mixture, shallots, and pumpkin seeds, and combine.

 

Clockwise -- wild rice, rosemary, preserved lemon, shallot, raisins, raw pumpkin seeds

Minced rosemary and preserved lemon.

Preserved lemon and rosemary mixed with raisins/currants.

Sliced shallots.

Nearly-caramelized shallots.

Toasted pumpkin seeds.

All together one last time before the big mingle.

Everything tossed together. The dish is complete!

Home

(This essential oil recipe was originally posted on my vegan recipe blog.)

While I was waiting for some rice to cook I had the urge to mix an essential oil blend that approximates the smell of the Michigan forest I spent most of my childhood in. Some of the scents I added aren't actually found in those woods, but they balanced the scents that were found there to create something invoking memories of of my little world of forts and wandering. It has inspired a little creativity for me, so I think I'll be using it in a diffuser while I work on Sand into Glass. It summons a bit of my childhood, but it also is how I imagine Bethel's Yolane Forest smelling. This is a sensory piece of both Arden's youth and Bethel's exile.

I often use physical props as inspiration while working on my books. I created a runestone set to help me through Shadows of Absolution. Sand into Glass got a set of divination cards that are used by Counselor Corundum and now I have a second sense to add to the visual. I'll have to create a blend that's a little more fiery for Arrow of Entropy.

"Home" Essential Oil Blend

40 drops lavender
25 drops cedarwood
15 drops clary sage
10 drops fir needle
10 drops frankincense
2 drops pine

Mix all essential oils in a 5ml glass vial. Use with a carrier oil in a diffuser when you want to be transported to a northern forest.

Oat Flour Banana Bread

I'm trying to get into the habit of writing down my recipes so I can transfer them into a little vegan cookbook. This banana bread recipe is soy-free, egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and wheat-free.  It is also flax-free to avoid an allergy in my extended family and almond milk-free because my daughter may have an almond allergy. That's a lot of free, but I assure you it is still tasty.

Oat Flour Banana Bread

1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 ripe bananas
2 cups oat flour (or oatmeal run through a food processor until very fine)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup coconut milk (the beverage kind, not the canned. I used coconut nog that was left over from the holidays)
1 tsp vanilla extract
cinnamon and brown sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a hand-held mixer, cream the coconut oil, sugar, and bananas in a mixing bowl. Mix in the oat flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and then add the coconut milk and vanilla and mix well. Pour batter into an oiled 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 bread pan. Smooth the top of the batter, then sprinkle with a little cinnamon and brown sugar. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.

Coconut-Chia Pudding

I bought a bag of chia seeds at Trader Joes today to experiment with. They are rich in Omega-3s and easier to digest than flax. Other health benefits are explained here. My first test with them is this simple pudding, which turned out great. I'm waiting for Turbotot to get home to see if it's toddler approved. The chia seed creates a gel when it absorbs liquid, which makes it great for making a no-cook pudding.

Coconut-Chia Pudding

1 15oz can of coconut milk (1 1/2 cups)
3/8 cup chia seeds
1/4-3/8 cup agave nectar (or honey if you're into that sort of thing)
1 tsp vanilla

Stir together all ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Variations: add cocoa powder or fruit purees. For a raw pudding, blend together the water and jelly from a young coconut and use it in place of the canned coconut milk.

J is for Jovial

Just a little bit of awesome.  I don't make desserts like this very often because I end up eating too much.  We had a vegan potluck tonight, so my baklava came out to play.


Raspberry Walnut Baklava (vegan)

1 package phyllo dough
1 cup non-dairy buttery spread, melted
1 jar of seedless all-fruit raspberry or black raspberry jelly
1/4 cup water
2 cups chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp agave nectar
1 Tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan.

2. Mix nuts and cinnamon in one bowl and jelly and 1/4 cup of water in another.

3. Place two sheets of phyllo dough in the pan and brush with buttery spread.  Repeat three times so there are eight sheets of phyllo and four layers of butter.

4. Spread half of the jelly on top, and then sprinkle with half of the walnut mixture.  Top with two sheets of phyllo dough and butter.  Then, spread the rest of the jelly and sprinkle with the rest of the walnuts.

5. Layer the remaining sheets of phyllo dough two at a time with butter in between.  Brush remaining butter on the top.

6. Use a sharp knife to cut the baklava into 2-inch squares, cutting all the way to the bottom layer.

7. Bake for 40 minutes until golden and crisp.

8. Meanwhile, make the syrup.  Combine the sugar, water, agave, and vanilla in a saucepan.  Simmer for 20 minutes.

9. Remove baklava from the oven and pour the syrup over it.  It may boil and sputter.  Allow baklava to cool, then serve.

I had to snap a picture before it disappeared.  It was quite popular.

F is for Finicky

Oy, toddlers!

All toddlers go through phases of loving and hating foods and my vegan toddler is no exception.  We made an effort to introduce him to a wide variety of foods as soon as he started solids at six months.  He loved even stranger things like kale and tempeh until he was over a year old, when he decided all he wanted was crackers, rice, and fruit.  It can be a struggle to get him to eat anything but carbs some days, so I've had to be sneaky to get him eating veggies and beans.  Here are some things that work for us.   But, be warned... what works today might not work tomorrow, and what a toddler won't touch today he might devour the next time it's offered.  Keep offering, it might take a while but my son decided he loved snap peas after I put them in front of him at least two dozen times without him even trying them.

1. Soups 
This is a big one for us.  As soon as Turbotot discovered the mechanics of a spoon, he only wanted to eat spoon foods.  There was a catch, though.  The foods had to be smooth.  He refused chunky soups and yogurts, but would eat any flavor if they were pureed smooth.  I made him cream of broccoli soup and he devoured three bowls in one sitting.  I experimented with other veggies and came up with an all-purpose cream soup recipe that has been a hit with my texture-picky toddler.

Cream of Whatever Soup
1 pound vegetable of choice (broccoli, carrot, asparagus, kale, cauliflower, squash, etc.)
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1/4 cup flour Or cornstarch
2 1/2 cups fortified plain non-dairy milk
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons basil, oregano, ginger, or other herb or spice of choice
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Cut the vegetable of choice into chunks. Put the broth or water in a large saucepan and add vegetable, onion, and garlic.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Put the contents of the pot and the flour in a food processor or blender (probably needs to be done in two batches) and process until smooth.  Return to stove and stir in remaining ingredients.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the soup thickens.

This recipe is very forgiving and you can use more than one pound of vegetables or a combination of vegetables.  Cream of carrot soup with ginger is very soothing on upset stomachs.

2. Dips
Toddlers love dips.  Hummus, guacamole, bean dip, and spinach dip are a huge hits in our house.  I serve them with homemade or store-bought pita bread, crackers, or vegetables.  

Simple Bean Dip
1 can of beans, any variety, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup of salsa

Process in blender or food processor.  That's it, super easy and my toddler loves it on toast.  It yields about two cups for far cheaper than the store-bought bean dips, and the texture and taste can be adjusted through using more or less of different kinds of salsa.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

3 1/2 cups flour (a combination of 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat works well.  You can use all whole-wheat, but may need to add more water since whole wheat flour is more absorbent than white)

3 tsp yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup lukewarm water

oil

Stir the yeast and sugar into water and let sit until the yeast bubbles.  Combine the flour and salt, then add the yeast mixture and knead.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, knead the dough.  Divide into 12 portions.  Roll each one out to make a thin bread.

Heat and lightly oil a skillet.  Cook the breads one at a time for 1-2 minutes on a side on medium-high heat.  The breads should fluff up and create center pockets if the heat is adjusted correctly (this can take some trial and error).

3. Smoothies
Add ground flax seed, a quarter of an avocado, and/or a handful of spinach to fruit smoothies for a health boost

4. Pudding
Head to the nearest Asian market for a healthy, toddler-friendly pudding!  Blend the jelly-like meat of a young coconut with strawberries, cocoa, carob, or banana until smooth.  Reserve the coconut water for a quick electrolyte drink or an add-in for smoothies.  My toddler goes nuts over this "pudding" and calls it "pie".  Young coconuts can be found in some regular supermarkets, but I've found them to be cheaper and fresher in Asian markets.

5. Pasta Sauce
Stir pureed vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, or squash into homemade or commercial pasta sauce.  My toddler is a huge fan of pasta, so this is an easy way to get him to eat veggies.  I also like pureeing beans to make cream sauces as instructed in The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook.

I know I have more ideas hiding in my cluttered head, so I'll add to this list if I remember them.  My guy loves whole edamame, mushrooms, snap peas, baked sweet potato fries, and bean sprouts, but we are still trying to convince him to eat other vegetables without having to disguise them.  Do you have any suggestions on how to get toddlers to eat more beans, vegetables, and other healthy foods?

Mommy Cookies

I get so many requests for my vegan lactation cookie recipe, so I figured I'd post it publicly so that all the moms out there can use it.  And hey, it's not just for lactating moms!  My husband and son love these things.  No, they have not lactated as a result.  They are just tasty cookies with lots of stuff in them to help support lactation.  They are dairy-free, egg-free, wheat-free, and can be soy-free depending on what non-dairy options you pick.  They might not work for all women since everyone responds differently to galactagogues, but they work for me.

Vegan No-Bake Lactation Cookies

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I've used soy, rice, and almond successfully)

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup peanut butter (the natural all-peanut kind)

1/2 cup vegan margarine (Earth balance works well and comes in a soy-free variety as well)

1 Tsp vanilla

3 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1/2 cup ground flax seed

2-4 Tbsp brewer's yeast

Combine oatmeal, flax seed, and brewer's yeast in a large bowl.  In a small saucepan, combine non-dairy milk, sugar, cocoa, peanut butter, and margarine.  Stir over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Boil mixture for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add vanilla.  Pour chocolate mixture over oatmeal mixture and stir well to combine.  Drop cookies onto a cookie sheet or wax paper to cool or refrigerate until cookies are firm and no longer sticky.

Edit:
I've played with a couple of variations on this recipe recently that turned out well. Replacing the peanut butter with another nut butter like almond or hazelnut is tasty. I also tried adding a scoop of vegan protein powder to the oatmeal mix before adding in the heated liquid mixture, and that also turned out well.