I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve eaten meat this year. One (probably the most memorable) was a beautiful piece of lamb at my wedding, a dish I had chosen to have on the menu just 6 months earlier. Another was a pretty terrible turkey sandwich at a diner in Newport, when I had no other option. Just thinking about that sandwich makes me shudder! And this pretty well sums up how I feel about meat now. I don’t want to eat meat unless I can feel good about where it came from, how it was treated while alive, and if I can rule out other options for the meal. Hence, less than 5 instances of meat-eating in the last 10 months. This comes from a life-long carnivore who ate turkey in all its forms (sliced, ground, bacon) for all meals of the day only a few years ago.

Plant-based diets are a hot topic of conversation, especially recently here in the UK, thanks to a beloved celebrity chef and real food campaigner, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (pictured above). Hugh famously wrote a book called The River Cottage Meat Book in 2004, covering everything from simple carnivorous recipes to outlining ethical and moral standards for choosing meat. He was already ahead of the game then. In the last year, however, he’s taken it further, actively campaigning for food issues such as wasteful fish discarding and now the overconsumption of meat. A new book and tv series, River Cottage Veg, shows Hugh finding exciting and delicious vegetarian recipes through his own knowledge and the help of others. He has gone completely veggie (as well as giving up alcohol and caffeine) for 5 months so far, maybe simply to prove his point and show he’s serious, or maybe for life.

Not only has Hugh brought attention to the plant-based way of eating, there have been a number of documentaries in the last couple of years highlighting this point. Planeat, a small-budget doc that came out earlier this year, follows the same general storyline as another film, Forks Over Knives. Both show how cutting out meat and fish from your diet can help not only your own health, but the health of the planet. A further film, Food Inc, shows the brutal reality of the American meat and dairy industries, how factory farming has hurt the nation’s farmers and their land, and destroyed the health and wellbeing of an entire population.

Veganism is proving more popular than ever as well, with the likes of Alicia Silverstone, Bill Clinton, and other celebrities and ex-presidents (okay, maybe just the one) extolling the diet’s virtues in books, interviews, blogs, and recipes. Vegan bakeries and recipe books keep popping up (however I’d argue that this has less to do with veganism and more to do with food sensitivities to dairy and eggs) and delighting the masses with their sweet treats. Mark Bittman, one of my all-time favorite food writers, used a “vegan before 6″ approach to lose weight and stay healthy while traveling (and eating) for work.

The McCartneys have started a campaign called Meat-Free Monday. Rather than going vegetarian 8 days a week (HA!) like Paul & co, they are encouraging everyone to have just one vegetarian day each week. They outline the reasons why (everything from reducing pollution to animal rights) quite succinctly on the MFM website.

So, it’s on our radar.

And now we’re approaching the festive months of November and December, with two traditional holiday meals that typically center around meat. I’ll be avoiding turkey this Thanksgiving and Christmas, instead preparing some wonderful vegetarian options. It wouldn’t be the first time! Last year, I made an individual stuffed acorn squash (shown above) for Phil on Thanksgiving. I also baked a nut & mushroom loaf for Phil’s family as part of a mini Christmas feast. However, I still ate the turkey. Why? Because of tradition, because of a lifetime of eating turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas, because everyone else was. And this year, those reasons aren’t good enough for me.

It’s a challenge for anyone living in our carnivorous western world. So how can a meat-eating person feel good about their meals without changing their entire diet? Choose wisely, I’d say. Here’s how.

1. Organic. Yes, it costs more. Yes, it’s not as easy to find in the shops. This is because the corn- and soy-based feed, containing all manner of antibiotics and hormones, that is fed to animals in factory farms is much cheaper to produce in mass quantities. By going organic, you’re cutting out the nasty stuff. At the very least, you’re not unknowingly eating chemicals and hormones. That’s surely worth the extra pennies.
2. Grass-Fed. A step further than choosing organic beef is to try and find the grass-fed varieties. “Organic” doesn’t necessarily mean “grass”, so make sure your beef was enjoying its normal stroll through the fields before winding up on your plate.
3. Local. Supporting those huge, scary factory farms keeps them going and puts the little guys out of business. That’s a given. Have a look into the area where you live to find out if there are any smaller farms around that sell their goods direct to the consumer, or via a farmer’s market. This goes for everything from meat to eggs to milk. We have a great stall at our local market in Barnes where Phil has been buying unpasteurized, or raw, milk each week (to find out more about where you can get raw milk in the UK, Natural Food Finder has a fantastic guide).
4. Home Delivery. Living in a city, or miles from an organic farm, can have it’s drawbacks to eating ethical meat. But I’m starting to notice an upswing of home delivery services, not just in the form of fruit and vegetable boxes, but meat and fish too. One such service here in London, Field & Flower, provides grass-fed, free-range meats to the masses throughly a monthly box scheme. You can feel good about the meat you’re eating without ever having to leave your house!

Last weekend, I had a stall at a local Food Fair, my first venture into making and selling healthy treats for the masses. When I first signed up for the stall, I had no idea how great the event would be – hundreds upon hundreds crowded the tent to sample all the wonderful goods on display. My little table was sandwiched in between a fabulous catering company offering fresh oysters and an independent organic olive oil seller. You couldn’t have had a wider variety of stalls – and yet I happened to be the only one with healthy, vegan, wheat-free goodies. The locals loved it!

I spent the week running up to the fair primarily in my kitchen (which was a shame because London experienced quite an unusual heat wave, so the last place I wanted to be was indoors!), making all the components of my menu for the fair. In the end, I made 12 banana breads (8 with coconut, 4 with cacao nibs), 10 bags of granola, 120 raw truffles, 90 raw chocolates (30 plain, 30 dried cherry, 30 rosewater), and 48 everyday cookies (24 orange cinnamon, 24 dried cherry). All in my tiny little apartment kitchen!

My recipes have changed over the years since I started this blog. Where I used to add sugar and flour without a second thought, I now seek substitutes and healthy alternatives. My original “particular” banana bread post shows a recipe that has evolved since then – I no longer use margarine or canola oil in my baking, or egg replacement powder, or agave nectar. Instead, I love coconut oil instead of butter, ground flaxseed mixed with water instead of eggs, and either raw coconut sugar or dates instead of sugar. These ingredients vary depending on the recipe – for instance, if I’m making a raw dessert, dates are almost always involved. If it’s a baked good, flaxseed will most likely make an appearance.

I got some great feedback on my banana bread at the food fair. Kids and adults alike seemed to love it, but most preferred the coconut version to the one baked with cacao nibs. Cacao is tricky because it certainly isn’t chocolate – the bitterness overwhelms any resemblance to what most people recognize as chocolate. I added the nibs for texture more than taste, but realized that maybe it’s not quite right in this recipe.

So here it is, my tried and tested banana bread recipe, which is wheat-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, refined-sugar-free, and contains no artificial flavors or ingredients. Consume to your heart’s content!

Particular Banana Bread

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The particulars:

• 8 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 2 cups spelt flour, sifted
• 1 tsp Himalayan crystal salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
• 1/2 cup raw coconut sugar
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 6 tbsp non-dairy milk or water
• 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

You may have noticed a few changes to The Particular Kitchen in the last week. The main one being that I’ve started a business called Particular Nutrition! I’m so excited to start offering my Holistic Nutrition Services to the masses, both near and far. While I am still studying at Bauman College as I set up shop, the time is now. It doesn’t matter where in the world you live – if you’d like to talk to me about what’s ailing you, I’m here to help.

Need a bit more convincing? Let me show you around!

• You can read a bit more about my background, how life has been for 7 years with my food sensitivities, and a list of the foods I DO eat.
• Of course, The Particular Kitchen remains my blog, updated weekly with recipes, stories, tips, and general ramblings!
• So what exactly do I do? You can find out more on the Services page. Not ready to commit to a consultation package? Email me to schedule a free 20 minute introductory phone call.
• Don’t take my word for it. Read some of my clients’ testimonials!
• If you live in London, why not come along to one of my upcoming events? I’ve got a monthly series of workshops at Nourish Health Foods in East Sheen starting at the end of September, plus I’ll have my very own food stall at the Barnes Food Fair on October 1st!
• My recipes page is better than ever, thanks to an awesome site called Recipage. Search by ingredient, keyword, cooking method, course, dietary restriction, or just browse alphabetically.
• Browse a list of my favorite links, including the ingredients I enjoy using and where to buy them online (in the UK). I’m also keeping a list of restaurants that I’ve visited and loved all over the world.
• Now get in touch! Do you follow me on Twitter? Prefer using Facebook? I’d love to hear from you via any medium

With this exciting and challenging new venture in my midst, I thought I’d get back to juicing. And I suppose I’m old-fashioned and “safe” with my juice of choice, but sometimes you just want a familiar flavor.

In honor of Sober September, I thought I’d have my juice today in a traditional English pint glass. It even has a “head”!

Juicing is a wonderful way of getting extra nutrients into your day, especially when you feel like you need extra support (i.e. in times of stress or busy-ness). And don’t throw away the leftover pulp either! It can be used in all kinds of recipes, such as this yummy-sounding smoothie.

The recipe is so simple, it is barely worth posting. But I am – so you can see just what went into that beautiful orange pint glass!

Carrot, Apple & Ginger juice

Makes 1 pint glass of juice

The particulars:

• 8 carrots, ends chopped off
• 10 small apples, cored
• 1 piece of root ginger, about the size of 1/2 small apple, peeled

1. Push all ingredients through a juicer and drink immediately!

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there seem to be no less than nine hundred different diets out there, each with a different title. but i would like to offer up a bigger number: 7 billion. no two vegans are alike, i promise you this! each person on this planet has a unique body with a very special set of physical and mental attributes. so why should they eat the same as anyone else?

diets with a name are hopefully just there for guidance and not to follow word for word, meal for meal. the world would be so very boring if we were told exactly what to eat every day (babies don’t really have a say in the matter, but they have their own likes and dislikes and will probably let you know in their own way!)

this blog is called the particular kitchen because the way i eat could be viewed as very particular or fussy. there are many reasons for this, the main one being that i have been restricted for many years due to food sensitivities. then there is the vegetarian question: marrying someone who doesn’t eat meat has certainly forced me to think about my own meat eating and inspired lots of research into the current horrors of factory farming. as a result, while i wouldn’t solemnly vow that i’ll never eat meat again, i’ve cut down significantly. the last time meat was in our kitchen was thanksgiving last year, roasting a turkey by myself, a fairly traumatic experience! the last time i ate meat was at our wedding. however, fish still remains firmly on our menu. but it’s not that simple, because i’m careful to choose sustainable fish and avoid farmed and over-fished varieties at all costs. and finally, there’s the healthy eating side of it all – i choose organic over non-organic when it comes to certain fruits and vegetables and most nuts and seeds, i cook with coconut oil instead of olive oil, i avoid refined sugar and choose honey or sweet freedom or coconut sugar instead, brown rice instead of white, you get the idea. this drives a lot of people nuts – it isn’t easy and can make life difficult at restaurants or dinner parties. but this is the path i’ve chosen for myself, both in life and career, and i have to honor that.

another style of eating which has become very popular (at least on the internet) over the last few years is raw vegan. this is controversial at times, since people who eat 100% raw are perhaps the most restricted: nothing heated over 118°f or 48°c. but the benefits of this diet are clear. eating foods in their most raw and natural state retain the most nutrients and enzymes which our bodies need and gladly take in. the most common “gateway” into the raw food world is through desserts, and i’m no exception. you’ve probably noticed the increase in raw desserts lately. what started out as simply a world of sweets that fit both my food sensitivities and healthy eating criteria has now just become an exciting experimental obsession. i can’t deny my sweet tooth, but i can trick it by not having damaging refined sugar. so i satisfy those cravings with healthy alternatives to the real thing. phil doesn’t seem to mind either. the raw chocolate mousse pie is a firm favorite. he’s even gone so far as to come up with his own recipes, which i’ll post here very soon. they are delicious and taste exactly like chocolate cookie dough.

but here is the main point in all of this: a new way of eating can be daunting and sometimes dangerous. in the case of going from omnivore to herbivore, not only is protein a potential issue, but so are b12, iron, zinc, and calcium. while we can definitely get all of these nutrients from other sources or supplements, it is not obvious unless you do the research or speak to someone about it beforehand.

same with eating raw. there are lots of interesting and new ingredients in the raw food world that all come with their own potential pitfalls. i ate some chia pudding the other morning, a little too much, and felt nauseous for the rest of the day (due to its high fiber content and water absorption). if i had done a bit of research into it before diving right in with all of the recipes i had seen on blogs, i may have picked up on the warnings.

so if you’re keen on trying something new, by all means try it, but first do a bit of googling, asking around, reading up, and make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into!

and with that, i give you a new raw dessert recipe that comes from my new friend gabriela aka the picky foodie. she is a wonderful woman with an adorable daughter and lovely husband. after attending her daughter’s first birthday picnic party where she had made two delicious raw treats, we just had to try and recreate them in our own kitchen. the raw carrot cake is righteous while still tasting subtly sweet. thank you for the inspiration, gabriela!

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raw carrot cake

recipe adapted from the picky foodie

for the cake:

• 4 cups carrots (about 1.5 lbs/1 kg)
• 1 cup pitted dates (about 16)
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 tsp vanilla powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground ginger

for the frosting:

• ¾ cup cashews, soaked for at least an hour
• ¾ cup macadamias, soaked for at least an hour
• 1.5 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 6 tbsp water

1. shred the carrots using a fine grater attachment in a food processor and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
2. combine the rest of the cake ingredients in the food processor with a blade attachment and process until well combined and sticky. transfer to the bowl with the carrots and mix by hand. knead until the mixture is well incorporated and sticks together.
3. move the cake mix to a tin, preferably with a removable base, and spread evenly. press down well and refrigerate.
4. drain and rinse the soaked nuts. process or blend with 3 tbsp of the water, and add more if necessary (it was for me).
5. melt the coconut oil in a bain-marie and add to the nuts along with the rest of the frosting ingredients. add more coconut sugar or sweetener if you prefer.
6. remove the cake from the fridge and spread the frosting on top. refrigerate for at least an hour and serve chilled.

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apologies for quite a long period of silence. i was doing this:

and now i’m mrs robson!

i felt like i was floating on a cloud for about 3 weeks and now i’m finally starting to come back down to earth. it was the best day of my life, followed by the best vacation ever in beautiful grenada in the carribbean. i have a post lined up featuring all the wonderful food we ate, don’t worry! hope you don’t get squeamish at the sight of lobster

in the meantime, i’ve got a few random bits and pieces to share with you, unrelated to wedded bliss.

yum factor

i was approached by 888 ladies (an online gaming site) to submit a recipe for a competition they are running called yum factor. my particular plum crumble is on their list of recipes from “head chefs” which is very exciting! but better yet, any of my uk readers and foodies should really enter their competition – there’s a £2000 ikea kitchen up for grabs! simply submit your recipe in one of their categories on the yum factor website. good luck!

better raw giveaways

one of my new favourite london bloggers, tanya at better raw, is hosting a massive giveaway in celebration of her blog’s first birthday. you have ONE DAY to enter (i was away, but better late than never right?). all you need to do is “like” her on facebook and answer the question “if you could just add 1 hour to your day, what would you do with it?” – simple!

and on another note, tanya has created an absolutely brilliant ebook featuring loads of raw chocolate recipes. i have already purchased my copy (only £15) and i have to say, i can’t wait to get cracking on some of these – just in time for easter too! i love that you can create tasty sweet treats without compromising on health. thanks for making your trade secrets available, tanya!

bake at home pizza

and finally, i have to send a massive shout-out to bake at home pizza, a fabulous new company in london with a really unique and special concept. they have a great selection of pizzas to choose from (or create your own) and even have a gluten-free crust option! they deliver you your pizza unbaked, thereby eliminating any of that lukewarm, soggy mess you can sometimes get with pizza delivery. not to mention the fact that their customer service and communication is fantastic – i’d been chatting with them on twitter for ages before actually giving their pizza a go (the day we returned from honeymoon)! it was delivered bang on time by a super friendly guy and was so simple to heat up (they give you foolproof instructions right on the paper bag it arrives in).

while the baking time took a lot longer for us than they recommended (our oven is a bit temperamental), the toppings were delicious and the gluten-free crust was surprisingly tasty. here’s a little photo of my “number eleven” (hold the mozz):

thanks josh! and everyone at bake at home pizza

a delicious pesto pasta recipe coming up as well as lots of grenadian food photos. YUM. it’s good to be home!

today marks day 7 of feeling under the weather – the most epic of illnesses i think i’ve ever had. so i thought instead of prolong the silence on the blog any more, i’d just at least show you some of the meals i managed to muster up (that weren’t soup!) with phil’s help of course.

i was feeling pretty proud of myself for avoiding catching a cold when it seemed like everyone was coming down with something. and then i woke up on thursday last week with a fever, chills, aches & pains. so it turns out i would have been happy to settle for a simple little cold rather than this ferocious flu monster that has decided to overstay its welcome. i’ve been taking plenty of my own advice and drinking gallons of lemon & ginger tea, mixed with raw garlic and cayenne pepper and the occasional drop of honey. soup all day every day. and not a whole lot else. just resting, and watching cooking shows on tv, and wondering when i’ll be better.

i’ve been beating myself up about this, since here i am trying to promote health and how eating properly will prevent illness, and then this happens. but that’s not helpful – everyone gets sick, even the healthiest individuals. especially after traveling (disgusting airplane germs) and spending a couple of days in central london amongst the masses (disgusting train germs) – no one is impervious to that. i’m counting my blessings though – at least i don’t have a fever any more, at least i work from home anyway, at least i didn’t catch this during christmas.

so for now, forgive the silence. when i am back to normal (and my tastebuds have returned) i promise more delicious creations and health-inspired info.

in the meantime – here are the two normal meals i managed to cook this past week:

curried chickpeas with spinach and cherry tomatoes. that was lunch one day – i loaded on the spices and tasted nothing, but it looked nice!

oven-roasted salmon with butternut squash, red onion, and rosemary. very warming and stodgy. good stuff.

so i got a bloody nose after blowing my nose too vigorously. once it subsided (longer than i was comfortable with), i wasn’t hungry but knew i needed to eat something for dinner. feeling a bit lightheaded, i sat back down and phil offered to create some small bites for me. the above plate is what he produced. a goats cheese tasting plate! i had two different kinds of hard goats cheese in the fridge, so he cubed both of them up and made 3 different canapes. the first (at the front) is curried goats cheese on a dried apricot. the second (just behind) is a skewer of goats cheese and a walnut, drizzled with maple syrup. and the third (in the middle) is a cube of goats cheddar wrapped in spinach, with tomato and black pepper. it was epic – certainly made me forget all about my stupid nose! p.s. my favorite was the curried one.

it is very hard to believe how quickly 2010 has flown by. this has certainly been an eventful year, filled with love, travel, and plenty of food!

2011 is proving to already be an amazing year – one in which i get married, go on an amazing honeymoon, and then have another wedding celebration on a different continent a few months later! exciting!

instead of posting another recipe (because, frankly, i don’t have a new one for you – although i did make a delicious carrot/ginger/coriander soup yesterday – pretty much this recipe but some grated ginger root instead of red chili and garlic), i thought i’d just do a bit of a year recap and provide a few quick tips for staying healthy in the final month of 2010.

no one likes getting ill, but especially not in december – so many celebrations, big and small, and usually some traveling is involved, so it’s best to combat illness before it even begins. that’s why it’s vital to make sure you get plenty of rest on the days when you don’t have holiday parties or nights out planned. drink plenty of water (i know it’s cold and you’d probably rather drink a mug of something warm, but staying hydrated will keep germs at bay), eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and try to get exercise as often as possible. if you start to feel that ominous tickle in the back of your throat, or wake up with a stuffy nose, start fighting it immediately with healing foods like ginger and garlic, and spices like cinnamon and cayenne pepper. it may not be the same as your usual cup of coffee or tea, but try drinking the following concoction several times a day (sometimes referred to as “sweat it out tea”):

• several thin slices of ginger root
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon OR 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• optional: 1 tsp honey

put all of these bits into a mug and cover with boiling water. drink a few times a day, and i promise this will make your cold go away much faster! and no need for nyquil or antibiotics… that ginger alone will combat the virus as best it can

and now – onto the photos! here are some that i randomly chose to sum up my highlights of 2010. i hope you had just as much fun as i did, and here’s to another year filled with health and happiness! phil and i are off to sweden tomorrow (weather permitting) for the weekend to do some sightseeing and christmas shopping, so i’ll be back next week with more goodness.

photos, starting at top left: (1) me and my dad on new years eve, (2) hudson valley, ny, in january, (3) charles river in boston, (4) allens boots in austin, texas, (5) and (6) engaged in paris!, (7) sainsbury’s chef for a day, (8) engagement photo shoot in london, (9) learning how to cook fish at jamie oliver’s shop, (10) back to america in april, (11) 4th of july bbq with friends, (12) mykonos, greece, (13) and (14) florence, italy, (15) phil and the beautiful cake he baked for his brother’s wedding, (16) and (17) my raw dessert obsession begins, (18) thanksgiving for 10!

the thanksgiving recap post you knew was coming!

well, i think technically i’m still full from last night’s dinner, so this post may be difficult to write. but all in all, i’m super happy with how it went, and am definitely saving some of these recipes for next year!

after the photos, i’ve written out some of the recipes i used – for the cranberry sauce, wild rice stuffing, stuffed squash, and cheesy dip. bookmark them!

delicious cranberry ginger sauce. so easy to make, with a very special twist!

of course, i couldn’t NOT show a photo of my roast turkey. i made it quite early, let it rest for a while, then carved the meat and stuck it in the fridge. our little oven couldn’t handle more than this beast!

here’s phil’s acorn squash, pre-stuffing. to be honest, i would have been happy to have this instead of turkey on my plate!

and there’s the finished product! i also gave it a little hat and a lot of parsley for garnish

here’s the wild rice stuffing getting all stirred up.

ready to be served to the masses!

and the cheesy dip with crudites as everyone arrived. i’m glad we started out with some fresh veggies

thanksgiving napkins and scented candles courtesy of my mom!

a beautiful dish of candied yams, thanks to our friends nat & al!

roasted butternut squash (above) and roasted carrots & parsnips (below) thanks to our friend john!

our feast on the table last night, including some delicious green beans with almonds and mustardy dressing, from our friends christophe & steph! also – spot the canned cranberry sauce in all its cylindrical glory

particular-kitchen-style cornbread from my friend suzanne! she also made a traditional pumpkin pie and some mini ones!

plus my raw pumpkin pie!

hope you all had a lovely thanksgiving! i’m thankful for my amazing fiance, my spectacular friends near and far, being healthy and happy, my awesome family, and my dishwasher. seriously, that thing is a lifesaver

find the recipes below…

cranberry ginger sauce

makes approx 3 cups

the particulars:

• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/3 cup agave nectar
• 1 thumb-sized piece root ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

1. in a saucepan, combine the cranberries, water, and agave nectar. bring to the boil. lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes. take the cover off, stir, and let simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced by half.
2. remove from the heat, add the ginger, and stir through.
3. leave to cool for about an hour, then stir through the maple syrup.

wild rice stuffing with pecans and apples

serves 8; i doubled the recipe for 10 people and ended up with LOADS of delicious leftovers

the particulars:

• 2/3 cup wild rice
• 2/3 cup long-grain brown rice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
• juice of 1 orange
• 2/3 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 1 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs (i used hale & hearty)
• 4 spring onions, green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1. preheat the oven to 375 f / gas mark 5.
2. in a saucepan, combine the two rices with a hefty pinch of salt and cover with 3 cups of water. bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked and fluffy (about 35 minutes).
3. when the rice is almost done, start cooking the onion and celery with the olive oil in a large casserole dish on the stove. cook until the onion is translucent and starting to color, then add the apple and saute for another 5 minutes. add the spring onions, raisins, herbs, and spices, along with some salt and pepper, and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. take off the heat and stir in the cooked rice mixture. also add the breadcrumbs, pecans, orange juice, and maple syrup. taste and season if necessary.
5. cover the casserole dish with a lid and place in the hot oven for 15-20 minutes. serve hot with a sprinkling of fresh parsley on top.

stuffed acorn squash

makes one portion

the particulars:

• 1 small acorn squash (or other round but flat-bottomed squash)
• one portion of wild rice stuffing with apples & pecans (as above, up to step 4)

1. cut the top off of the squash (set aside for a “hat” if you would like!). scoop out the seeds and discard.
2. while the oven is preheating and the rice is cooking for the stuffing above, place the squash in a shallow baking dish and heat in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the flesh is soft enough to scoop with a spoon.
3. when slightly cooled, begin to scoop out the flesh and mash with the spoon while still inside the shell.
4. add the portion of stuffing to the inside of the squash and mix it together with the flesh. put the hat back on! place the squash in the oven alongside the casserole dish of stuffing and bake for 15-20 minutes.
5. serve hot with a sprinkling of fresh parsley leaves and a generous dollop of cranberry ginger sauce!

cheesy creamy dip

serves 4; recipe from tanya alekseeva

the particulars:

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 1 hour, then drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small red pepper, deseeded and chopped
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp tahini
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped
• 1 tsp himalayan crystal salt

1. blend the cashews with the water first, until smooth and creamy. this base will last in the fridge up to 10 days!
2. in a food processor or powerful blender, add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until creamy and smooth. add more water if necessary.
3. use as a salad dressing or dip with crudites.

only a couple more days, and it’s full-on thanksgiving joy and cheer in our flat once again! eleven of us will somehow find a place to sit in here, along with a plate and a fork and a knife each (not really sure…) but no matter what the minor details look like, it will still be a wonderful day spent with great friends.

(wish my mom could be here again this year, but we’ll be celebrating some nice big events with her very shortly…)

last year, i had my mom here to help with most of the cooking, especially the TURKEY! but this year i’m pretty much going solo, which is nervewracking to say the least. phil is coming home from work as early as he can on thursday to help out in the kitchen, and some of our friends are contributing dishes, which is going to be amazing! but i’m still freaking out about roasting my own huge turkey. luckily, our local whole foods opens at 8am, so i’ll be swinging by there in the morning to pick up the beast and a roasting tin, rather than struggling to find a spot for it in our teeny tiny fridge.

anyway, the point of this post was to give you our 2010 thanksgiving menu, with links for the recipes/inspiration behind each dish. so here it is!

{the 2010 particular thanksgiving menu}

hot apple rum cocktail

cheesy dip with crudites

———-

roasted heritage turkey with gravy

ginger cranberry sauce / cranberry jelly (canned, of course)

wild rice stuffing with apples & pecans

stuffed acorn squash (for phil)

roasted root vegetables

green beans

candied yams

cornbread

———-

classic pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream

raw pumpkin pie

you can be sure that a recap post with photos will adorn this blog just as soon as i put the fork down

side note: while i haven’t been eating meat very much at all lately (in fact, i can’t remember the last time i ate meat!), i have decided to cook and eat some turkey at thanksgiving and christmas this year. i’ve said it before: i don’t think i could ever be completely vegan, but i certainly want to continue the healthy route of enjoying fresh vegetables, whole grains, and legumes more than meat in my diet. so as you can see, most of the other dishes on the menu (with the exception of the candied yams and the traditional pumpkin pie) are healthy and vegan. balance!

similar to my chutney adventures last november, i’ve decided to experiment with more homemade christmas gifts this year. if you’re looking for something special to make your loved ones for the holidays, why not present them with a nice little jar this year? at the risk of ruining the surprise (again – although there will be more than just this under the tree, family…), here’s my latest christmas creation: wholegrain mustard.

of course, i had to do an experimental jar first before unleashing a whole slew of the stuff on my loved ones. but the great news about this mustard? the recipe i based it on contains no sugar or nasty stuff whatsoever. just lots of mustard seeds (clearly), some unsweetened grape juice, and about a million different herbs and spices. the recipe actually suggests straining the mustard to create a dijon variety. however, due to a lack of correct equipment and patience, i’ve rolled with the wholegrain, and i think it tastes pretty damn good. so does phil, judging from that sandwich he photographed the other day.

if you’d like to try making some this year, check out this recipe from the guardian. it seems very complicated and involved… and it is. but the mustard is delicate to taste (although it does sting the nostrils!) i’ve already ordered a huge bag of mustard seeds online to give a second batch a go. sure hope my (and phil’s) family like mustard!

are you making any special presents this year in your kitchen? jams? chutneys? beauty products? i’d love to hear about them!