Gluten-Free Pumpkin Scones with Maple Nutmeg Icing

Gluten-free pumpkin scones with maple nutmeg icing.

Take a deep breath. Stop. Sit. I understand. I get it. And I know what you're craving. Because I'm craving it, too. After all the pre-Thanksgiving hubbub, after scouring the Internet for gluten-free recipes, after all the planning, the lists, the shopping at six different markets because one store never has everything you need (that would be too simple), the label reading, the patience (dug from somewhere deep and zen and maybe even vaguely transpersonal) to explain (again) why scraping the pumpkin filling off a wheat pie crust does not a gluten-free dessert make, what you crave (besides alone time with a freshly cracked book and your favorite mug filled to the brim with your beverage of choice) is something indulgent.

But not overly indulgent.

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Roasted Acorn Squash Risotto

A delicious acorn squash risotto that is vegan and gluten-free.

Looking for a perfect fall side dish? Or a vegetarian knock-your-socks-off bowl of creamy goodness? Risotto might fit the bill. This is one of my all-time recipe favorites. In fact, it was the first dish I turned to eight years ago when I discovered I had to live gluten-free.

Way back then (insert hazy slow-mo flashback) I would add freshly grated Parmesan to the cooked risotto. Shaved Reggiano, to be exact. But these casein-free dairy-free days I enjoy this risotto strictly vegan. No cheese. And guess what? I don't feel deprived. Seriously. The flavors hold their own without the whole moo cow cheesy thing.

In fact, this risotto is so creamy-good and comforting I only think one thing as I taste bite after velvety bite: How could anything so simple taste so unbelievably good? Well, that, and, Who the heck needs cheese or butter, anyway?

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Roasted Roots

I received an email from a reader recently, asking for my suggestions on a raw food “trial” diet, since her and a few friends thought that they would like to give the lifestyle a whirl.

Here’s my suggestion: don’t do it!
The reason: it’s cold outside!

Raw food diets are a fabulous idea when the weather is hot, sunny, and what you’re eating is local. Coming into December? Not so much.
You see, the foods we choose to eat, send messages to our bodies internally, about the season and the weather, which in turn allows our bodies to be prepared physically for what we are facing externally. Why do we instinctively turn to soups and stews in winter? Because hot, slow-cooked foods prepare our systems for the cold, and keep us healthy and strong. And just as the foods that are in season in the autumn and winter will warm your body, so will the cooking methods that cold-season foods require. Consider the vegetables that are in season now: sweet potatoes, turnip, squash, onions, beets, and carrots – foods that necessitate long cooking times. Compared that to the warm-season foods, such as leafy greens, tomatoes, peas, asparagus, etc. we can see how these foods require very little, if any cooking at all. A lot of the foods harvested in the spring and summer are even best eaten raw, and the body responds well to that type of diet at that particular time of year.

This demonstrates how eating with the seasons not only benefits the environment, but also our bodies. Cooked food in the winter is easier to digest, and helps the body build up and maintain heat. This lessens the work our bodies must do to keep warm and alleviates stress – and we could all benefit from that!

If you want to get the most warming effects from you food, slow down the cooking process. For example, braising, simmering on the stove top, crock pot cooking, and roasting, are suitable methods that impart a great deal of heat into the food, which you receive back through eating and digesting. The longer and slower foods cook, the more warming effect they will have on your body.
Roasting is a wonderful way to bring out the intense flavours in vegetables that typically get lost in the steaming or boiling process. And as a bonus, the vitamins and minerals will remain intact, as they are typically lost in the cooking water we pour down the drain! The roasting process slightly caramelizes the vegetables bringing out their natural sweetness, without a lot of added fat or calories.

Roasted Roots
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic
3 small beets
4 small sweet potatoes
4 carrots
½ head cauliflower (only if it's local!)
good sea salt

Dierctions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Mince the garlic and add to olive oil. Let sit.
3. Cut the vegetables into similar size pieces (this will ensure that they cook at the same rate). Place on large baking sheet.
4. Pour oil and garlic mixture over vegetables and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with salt.
5. Roast vegetables in the oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour, removing pan from oven every so often to toss. Cook until the vegetables are soft and caramelized.
6. Garnish generously with sea salt and your favorite herb.

Serve the roasted vegetables alone as a side dish, or on top a bed of quinoa or rice with a protein source for a complete meal. You can even cool them down slightly and use them in a salad of rice or cous cous with dried herbs and lemon dressing. No matter how you choose to eat them, you will be doing your body a huge favour by feeding it with heat! It’s one delicious way to keep the cold out this winter, and stay away from those bananas!

Delicious Gluten-Free Bread Recipe - dairy-free and rice-free, too

My best gluten-free bread recipe. Note: The loaf pictured has eggs.

Man shall not live by bread alone, so the famous saying goes. In other words, we need ideas to feed us, too. We need awareness. Conscious action. An expression and celebration of the spirit.

And yet (here's the sticky part, folks) almost every spiritual tradition includes the bread we shall not solely live by, whether it be a hand-torn loaf, a paper thin wafer, a piece of matzoh, a curve of naan, or a sprinkle of cornmeal. Breaking bread and sharing grain is a cherished and beloved symbol for community, celebration and tribal nourishment. From Holy Communion to the Super Bowl gatherings around an elevating principle or a family milestone (from birth to marriage to funerals) include the simple but connecting gesture of sharing food.

Because cooking makes us human.

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Sweet Potato Pie

Gluten-free sweet potato pie- and vegan, too.

The afternoon sun is spinning the seaside air that particular autumn gold, burnished and warm and chilly all at once. Delicious. And gone too soon. The sun will officially set tonight at 4:50. I feel as if I am running out of time. There is so much I want to do- and never get done. I surrender my expectations day after day. The pile of choices snipped free by my dwindling energy is gathering a bulk and momentum akin to the dirty laundry (I’m still waiting for the post-menopausal zest promised by Margaret Mead).

But Santa Monica does not fade after dark. Her charms only deepen. So we walk after dinner to the Third Street Promenade and listen to the brave souls who risk their ego and their artistry (the unkind among us might quip, questionable talent) crooning songs or plucking violins or juggling. Palm readers and skateboarding bulldogs aside, it takes guts to stand in public and offer up a tune or a dance.

I come home inspired.

I am thinking a lot about my life these days. And what I want to do with the rest of it. Moving here is a new beginning (well, yeah, obviously). I am reinventing the woman I used to be. Spinning my own autumn magic from bits of bone and history.

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Masala Chai Tea Time

Who’s cold and cranky? Who’s damp and dreary? I am!
I know that the autumn weather on the Canadian side of the world is not so bad, but across the pond in Denmark, it is endlessly gross. The sun poked its head out for about 45 minutes on Saturday, but save for that scarce glimpse, it’s been over 10 days now. Help!

To pull myself out of this lousy-weather-induced slump, and warm myself up, I have developed a rather brilliant innovation: Chaice-cubes! Like Chai tea and ice put together…chaice! Allow me to explain:
At one of the restaurants where I work, we make a huge pot of chai tea every single day. It starts with boiling all kinds of delicious and aromatic spices, then adding black tea, milk and honey. The first part is essentially creating a concentrate, which got me to thinking: what if I made this amount of concentrate at home and froze it for chai-on-demand! So that’s precisely what I’ve done. This recipe will allow you to have a chai supply for weeks without the waste of tea bags, with optional caffeine, and you can even custom spice it to suit your taste!

Not just for warming up
Chai is a centuries-old beverage originating from India. In fact, the word chai, is the generic word for “tea” in Hindi, where as in the west we are referring to “masala chai” or spiced tea, when we ask for this beverage at a café.
There is no fixed recipe or preparation method for masala chai, so where ever you drink this beverage in the world, chances are it won’t taste the same way twice!

The health benefits of chai are numerous, considering the many spices it is made of. Below is a list of the spices I have included in my personal version of masala chai, and their medicinal qualities.


Ginger: aids digestion; decreases arthritic swelling; destroys bacteria and viruses; lowers blood pressure; aids circulation.

Cardamom: aids digestion and remedies gas, relieves asthma and bronchitis; stimulates the appetite.

Black pepper: aids digestion, remedies gas; has antioxidant and anti-bacterial qualities.

Fennel: aids digestion, and kidney and bladder function; relieves asthma, bronchitis, coughs, nausea; prevents gas; good for treating food poisoning.

Cloves: aids digestion; kills intestinal parasites; relieves abdominal pain; has anti-inflammatory effect on rheumatic diseases.

Cinnamon: aids digestion, relieves nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; has antiseptic properties; beneficial for the heart, lungs, and kidneys; aids insulin’s ability to metabolize blood sugar.

Star anise: aids digestion; relieves cough, bronchitis, and asthma; good for treating rheumatism.

Licorice root: relieves asthma; has many anti-depressant compounds; relieves cold and flu symptoms, coughs; relieves dandruff and psoriasis; aids gingivitis and tooth decay.

Masala Chai Concentrate
(use spices to your own taste, and use what is available to you)
Ingredients:
5-6 inches fresh, grated ginger root
¼ cup whole cardamom pods
1/8 cup whole, black peppercorns
1/8 whole fennel seeds
scant ¼cup whole cloves
8 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
2 sticks licorice root
3 ½ liters fresh water

Directions (and how to make Chaice Cubes!):
1. Place all ingredients together in a large pot.
2. Bring to a boil and then simmer with the lid off until the water level is reduced by a few inches (expect this to take 1 ½ - 2 hours)
3. Separate liquid and solids by straining the pot contents through a sieve into a measuring cup or bowl with a spout.
4. Pour strained liquid into ice cube trays to freeze, or into sterilized jars/bottles for refrigeration (concentrate will last for 2 weeks in the fridge)

To make Chai Tea with Masala Chai Concentrate:
1. Warm milk (dairy, soy, rice, oat, nut) in a saucepan on the stove and toss in a few chaice cubes! Or pour in some of the refrigerated concentrate (use an amount that suits your taste).
2. When mixture is very hot, add a black tea leaves, or a bag of your favorite black tea. Steep for indicated amount of time. Alternatively, you can drink the warmed chai concentrate and milk without tea, as I prefer, since it is caffeine-free (it's just as delicious!)
3. Add honey, maple syrup or agave nectar to sweeten (this is an important step as it brings out the flavours of the spices). Sip slowly, warm up and smile.


Even if the weather forecast looks dreary I can be sure that a cup of spicy warmth awaits me at the end of my day. A sachet of the spices, or a bottle of the concentrate would make a beautiful Christmas or hostess gift during the holidays. Spread the warmth and chai!

info source: Balch, Phyllis A. Prescription for Dietary Wellness.
New York, NY: Penguin, 2003.

Eating Compassionately

I had a rather upsetting experience a couple weeks ago.

I was driving down the highway somewhere outside of Toronto, overtaking a large freight truck, which from behind looked rather unremarkable. However, as I passed the cargo-loaded back end, I realized that the truck was filled with baby pigs. I could clearly see their little faces through the air holes in the metal wall, and there were even ears and snouts poking out, desperately sniffing the fresh air. I was so furious and upset, witnessing how cruelly restricted they were, and undoubtedly heading towards a slaughterhouse – if they would make it there alive.

Fortunately, three prominent Canadian animal welfare groups, Animal Alliance of Canada, the Canadian Coalition for Farm Animals (CCFA) and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) are working to protect farm animals during transport, and they are championing MP Alexandra Mendès’ Private Members’ Bill seeking to improve farm animal transport regulations.
The existing transport regulations, part of the Health of Animals Act, state no limits on how long entire journeys must be, which means that animals are traveling by land, sea and air for days and even weeks. The intervals at which animals being transported must receive food, water and rest are far too long – with devastating consequences for the animals.

“People should be aware of what animals go through from farm to slaughter. It is inhumane to deprive an animal of food, water or rest for 81 hours and to subject them to such unhealthy and stressful conditions. Animals experience terror, pain and suffering. If the Minister of Agriculture can alleviate some of this suffering and make our food safer by reducing farm animal transport times, then this is something he should do. We are grateful to Mrs. Mendes for putting forward a bill that will protect both animals and Canadians.” Karen Levenson, Animal Alliance of Canada

My reasons for being a vegetarian have fluctuated over the past decade or so. I believe I took on the life choice for environmental reasons, then for my health, and I have recently discovered the joys of supporting the welfare of animals through my vegetarian diet, knowing that my choice will help spare the suffering of many lives. But this is not an article about vegetarianism.

My goal for this article was simply to plant a seed of awareness so that you can take action in your own way. I am not asking for you to make a major life change, as becoming a vegetarian is as such. But I am encouraging you to consider where your meat comes from, what it was fed, how it was raised, and brought to you. I realize that there is a great disconnect between the animal itself and the food on your plate, but bear in mind that every time you eat meat you are voting for, and supporting the kinds of conditions that that animal lived, good or bad. Choosing free-range meat that is raised organically is a good start towards standing up for animal rights, but choosing to cutback, or cut out meat consumption is of course, the strongest statement you can make.

After the pig truck experience, I went online to see how I could get involved. I was shocked to discover how many resources, support groups and advocates for animal rights specific to factory farming exist. After hours of research, I have narrowed the field down to what I believe are the most informative and useful links for you to visit!

- Website of The Animal Freedom Foundation: a portal for presenting articles and books about (the basics of) animal rights, healthy food in general and ways to end factory farming in particular.
http://www.animalfreedom.org/english/index.htm

- World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA): to build a global animal welfare movement.
http://www.wspa.ca/default.aspx

- Here is a link to the compassionate shopping guide – it’s free! : http://www.ciwf.org.uk/resources/shopping_guide/download.aspx

- World Animal Net: The world's largest database of animal protection societies, with over 16,000 listings and more than 10,000 links to Web Sites
http://worldanimalnet.org/new.asp

Please have a look, sign a petition or two, or better yet, get involved! The last link is the best way to find animal welfare groups in your very own city. Thanks.

sources: Quebec MP's bill to ease suffering on Canada's highways (2009) viewed Nov. 1 2009 http://www.wspa.ca/latestnews/2009/quebec_mps_bill_to_ease_suffering_on_canadas_highways.aspx
image source:uppompeii1.uppompeii.com