Senin, 31 Oktober 2011

New Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars Recipe

Freshly frosted gluten-free pumpkin bars with a secret ingredient.

Tuning in to the particular (and fleeting) pleasures of each changing season as we ride the wheel of the year may be my favorite spiritual practice. A practice that requires one simple thing. Attention. Which turns out to be not so simple, inevitably. Because life is anything but simple, with its whitewater rush of mind numbing distractions that demand less and less of our soul and more and more of our mental focus on exterior minutia. Micro decisions. Cleaning out our email in-box. Catching up with Facebook feeds and Twitter streams and Google+. Texting about grocery lists. Scanning streaming video options for one decent romantic comedy (I have- on too many occasions to count- spent a full hour gaping, borderline comatose, at an LCD screen, scrolling title after title, only to arrive at the sane conclusion that you know what? I'd rather read a book). Thousands (millions?) of choices may glitter and ooze their high definition glow but I find I am not feeling the abundance. I am less and less enamored with more.

I know. It's showing. My age.

My childhood brain was wired for mud and bird calls, blackberry thickets and butterscotch pine. Hours spent reading in a grove of birch trees dug their neural groove. The wild luxuries of inner connection, rather than social networking. And TIME. That plastic, misunderstood, precious commodity that shape-shifts experience from an endless afternoon of liquid daylight into a heart clutching warp speed tumble of confusion. Decades become tiny sandwiches of memory you can barely taste anymore.

Weeks blink by with alarming velocity.

And here we are again.

In pumpkin season.


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Jumat, 28 Oktober 2011

Runtime's DiskExplorer 4.25 for FAT-NTFS-Linux




Windows based Disk Editor for Windows and Linux File Systems without installation.

Download Portable DiskExplorer from RapidShare (3.7 MB)


Extract and run DiskExplorerPortable (for FAT), NTExplorerPortable (for NTFS) or LinuxExplorerPortable.

Settings of installed DiskExplorer should be preserved.

Runtime's GetDataBack 4.25 for FAT-NTFS En-Fr-De-Ru




Recover your data without installation.

Download Portable GetDataBack from RapidShare (4.1 MB)


Extract and run GetDataBackPortable (for FAT) or GetDataBackNTPortable (for NTFS).

For Russian, read RUS-Readme.txt in App\GetDataBack.

Settings of installed GetDataBack should be preserved.

Rabu, 26 Oktober 2011

Heart Beet Rawvioli with Pesto Oil



I don’t often get personal here on the blog, at least when it comes to talking about my private life, but something has happened that I simply can’t avoid mentioning.

My wonderful, thrill-seeking husband had a bad hang gliding accident and broke not one, but both of his arms. Walking into the hospital a week and a half ago and seeing him in casts from wrists to shoulders was a bit of a shock, and then learning of the extremely lengthy rehabilitation process that I will be such a huge part of, was intimidating. The man is literally a baby again. He can’t feed himself or drink on his own, he can’t put on his clothes or tie his shoes, he can’t pick up the phone, write an email, take a shower, or brush his teeth.

Between shifts at the restaurant, I’ve been living at the hospital, feeding, bathing, and dressing him. Despite the emotionally trying week it’s been for him, and myself, we’re just so grateful that he is okay. Nothing is permanent. He will be back to his old motorcycle racing, hang gliding self in a few months’ time (I’m trying to convince him to at least stay out of the air for a while, anyway). We are laughing through the challenges and experiencing our partnership expanding into new territory – nothing like a good sponge bath to bring you closer to your loved one! I am overwhelmed with tenderness and devotion to this man, which is why this week I was compelled to create something just for him. Call it an early valentine, a declaration of love, a just-because-you-mean-the-world-to-me edible gift. My heart beats with so much passion for him, so of course, Heart Beet Rawvioli it is.

Raw beetroot ravioli is not my original idea, and I’m sure many of you have seen it done before. But it’s been on my to-make and to-eat list for months now and I felt that this was my window of opportunity. Lucky you, now it's yours too.

Beet it!
Beetroots have been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. They have a cleansing effect on the liver and can be used to treat liver maladies, kidney stones, and disorders of the gallbladder, stomach, and intestines. Beets aid digestion and the lymphatic system. They combat anemia, tone the blood and help build red blood cells. [1]

Beets also contain special types of pigments, called betalins. These pigments have been shown to support the body’s detoxification process (specifically, in Phase 2) by stimulating specific enzymes to “hook-up” with unwanted toxic substances to be neutralized and excreted. If you are exposed to toxins in your daily life (pesticides from non-organic food, pollution, body care products etc.), or simply looking for extra detox support, add a couple servings of beets to your diet every week. [2]
I know that with all the pain killers, antiemetics, sleep aids, and general anesthetics my husband is being pumped full of, (let's not even mention the hospital food) he certainly needs all the detox help he can get!



As gimmicky as it may seem, this dish totally won me over. I’ve never tried any version of raw “pasta” and “cheese” before, as I can be slightly cynical when it comes to taking a really delicious food and giving it a raw makeover. But, somehow this just worked for me; I found brilliance in the balance. The earthiness of the beet contrasts extremely well against the sweet pine nut filling. Their respective textures are also complimentary, as the rich, creaminess of the “cheese” absolutely needs to be cut with something light and crispy. The beets manage to do just that. With the drizzle of Pesto Oil to finish things off, the meal as a whole, lacks for nothing.

Since Copenhagen is drowning in beautiful beets at the moment, I chose the candy-striped beet route – who can resist a face like that? If you’ve never sliced into one of these varieties before, be prepared for an epic, aesthetic mind trip. They are the true psychedelics of the vegetable kingdom.
If you cannot find candy-striped beets, use the good ol’ red variety – they work just as well.


Heart Beet Rawvioli

Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 – 4 large beetroots (red, golden, or candy stripe beets)
juice of ½ lemon
1 ½ Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
Pine Nut “Cheese”
Pesto Oil
extra virgin olive oil, smoked sea salt, and chives for garnish

Directions:
1. Begin by cutting the ends of the beets, then peel them. Using a mandolin slicer or a very sharp knife, slice the beets as thinly as possible (this can be fiddly, so take your time.) When you have a bunch of slices, use a cookie cutter to make heart shapes. Alternatively, stack the beet slices and cut the rounded edges off to turn them into squares.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the juice of half a lemon, one and a half tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt. Add the prepared beet slices and toss to coat. Marinate for 1-2 hours.
3. Place about a teaspoon of Pine Nut “Cheese” on one beet slice, then top with another. Repeat until you have the amount of Rawviolis you desire.
4. Drizzle some Green Pesto Oil and extra virgin olive oil over top. Garnish with chives and smoked sea salt.  Serve immediately.



Pine Nut “Cheese”

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:
1 cup pine nuts, soaked
1 Tbsp. minced shallot
2 Tbsp. minced chives
2 tsp.  nutritional yeast
zest of one lemon
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
a couple pinches of smoked salt, to taste (regular sea salt is fine)

Directions:
1. Soak pine nuts in water for at least 1 hour. Drain and rinse well.
2. In a food processor, place all ingredients and blend on high to mix. The consistency should be somewhat grainy and thick – like a heavy paste similar to goat cheese. 

Pesto Oil
Ingredients:
1 large clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. minced chives
1/3 cup packed basil leaves
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. water
½ tsp. agave or raw liquid honey
pinch of sea salt

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend on high to mix. The pesto oil should be quite fluid and runny.

When I brought these to the hospital the other day, even through the morphine-induced brain fog, my darling man coherently praised the Rawviolis. Yes, he thought they were made out of cabbage, but we’ll forgive him for that and blame the drugs.
If you have someone special in your life that needs a fresh, delicious, nourishing meal, put your heart on a plate and serve these up. After all, food is love.

Sources: [1] Balch, Phyllis A. Prescription for Dietary Wellness. New York, NY: Penguin, 2003.
               [2] whfoods.com

Selasa, 25 Oktober 2011

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Bread

Tender, delicious tea bread that tastes like pumpkin pie.


I'm feeling a tad, shall we say, under the weather, lately. Nothing serious. Just an autumnal cold that has knocked the stuffing out of me. I feel like a rag doll. An achy, cranky, ratty old rag doll with matted squirrelly hair and baggy sweatpants. It ain't pretty is all I'm sayin'. So forgive my delay in sharing the promised new pumpkin bars recipe. Soon, Babycakes. Soon.

In the meantime, here's an easy gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe from the archives- a moist, gluten-free pumpkin bread you can bake in a bread machine.

Or in your oven, if you prefer.

***

From 2009: This is a big week. Huge. Never mind The Canyon premiere. Forget the post screening parties at Cafe Was, and the Palihouse (where the valet parked the only Honda Fit of the night- I'm guessing). Forget hanging out in Hollywood with Yvonne Strahovski. We're talking major excitement. Glamour with a u. Dreams come true. That's right.

We're unpacking our relocation cube.

But wait. There is more to the story, truth be told. There is a subplot with a third act twist. There is, um. Titillation. Desire. Longing. By your intrepid Goddess. No, Babycakes. Not longing for fame. Or glitz. Or girly-girl anything. I'm not that kind of Goddess (Botox and bling isn't on my radar). Nope.

So what is this obscure object of desire?

Continue reading

Sabtu, 22 Oktober 2011

7-Zip 32-64 bit 9.25 alpha & 9.22 beta & 9.20 Final Multilingual




File archiver with a high compression ratio without installation.

Download Portable 7-Zip Alpha from RapidShare (1.9 MB)

Download Portable 7-Zip Beta from RapidShare (2.0 MB)

Download Portable 7-Zip Final from RapidShare (1.9 MB)


Extract and run 7-ZipPortable.

32 or 64 bit files selected by launcher.

Drive letter of editor's path updated (if you plug USB key in another computer).

You can Add Parameters in 7-ZipPortable.ini

If you have Notepad++Portable or UltraEditPortable in the same foder as 7-ZipPortable you can choose one of them as editor (F4) by changing one (not two) false to true in 7-ZipPortable.ini.

Settings of installed 7-Zip should be preserved.

Jumat, 21 Oktober 2011

Ontrack EasyRecovery 6.22.02 Multilingual




Recover deleted files and restore files that are lost or damaged without installation.

Download Portable EasyRecovery en-fr-de-it-es from RapidShare (26.5 MB)

(md5: c5a43a505bff6cb1e62371e8037e050e)


Extract and run EasyRecoveryPortable.

Repaired files in App\EasyRecovery\Repaired (drive letter updated).

Settings of installed EasyRecovery should be preserved.

Selasa, 18 Oktober 2011

WinMount 3.5.1018 32 bit & 3.4.1020 64 bit




Mount rar, zip, DVD, CD, HDD images quickly without installation.

Download Portable WinMount 32 bit from RapidShare (3.4 MB)

Download Portable WinMount 64 bit from RapidShare (3.7 MB)


Extract and run WinMountPortable or WinMountPortable_64.

Don't forget to unmount drives before leaving.

Settings of installed WinMount should be preserved.

Minggu, 16 Oktober 2011

Pumpkin Quinoa Cookies

Pumpkin cookies made with quinoa flakes
Pumpkin cookies with quinoa flakes. Like oatmeal- but better.


Dear Reader (yes, Babycakes, I'm talking to you)- you know how I feel about you, right? I'm crazy about you. I read your kind and thoughtful comments. I smile at your Twitters (or is the correct nomenclature tweets?). I'm thrilled you follow the blog on Facebook. I am humbled by your generous,  warm and giving e-mails (I save them). 

Your feedback and support keeps me going and inspires me.

Continue reading

Raw Salted Caramel Apple Dip



Is it just me, or is salted caramel the new chipotle mayo? Although I would like to think I stay away from food fads, this Raw Salted Caramel Apple Dip would qualify as trendy. After seeing recipes pop up on so many food blogs, and restaurants featuring salted caramel in all kinds of desserts, I suppose I have been slowly brainwashed into believing this sauce is more than just a condiment, but a totally obsession-worthy miracle food.    

I gave up, or I gave in. But trying to get to the heart of the hooplah did not lead me down the path of refined sugar, butter, and cream. Of course not. In fact, the inherently unhealthy nature of salted caramel sauce inspired me to create something that is in fact, a wholesome indulgence. My Salted Caramel is totally raw, made of little more than fruit and nuts, and tastes so sinfully good you may find your fingers a suitable substitute for apples slices.

Now, don’t let the name fool you: Raw Salted Caramel Apple Dip is so much more than it suggests. For breakfast, this is a delicious spread on toast topped with bananas, it makes an incredible cake frosting, and can even be used to sweeten up a smoothie. However, the very best alternative purpose I’ve found for Raw Salted Caramel is to use it as a raw tart filling. Simply make this crust recipe, fill the tart shells with Raw Salted Caramel and top with thinly sliced apples and a dusting of cinnamon. This was a brain wave at work recently, and the tarts were enormously popular. Such a simple, yet elegant autumn dessert that really takes advantage of the beautiful fruits in season. Pears would also be lovely.

If you have kids, this is a great thing to have on hand in the fridge for snack time. For one, all the ingredients are pronounceable, it isn’t full of processed sugars, and it will actually get them to eat more fruit. Or try veggies – Raw Salted Caramel is even good on celery, seriously!


Raw Salted Caramel Apple Dip

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:
2 cups pitted Medjool dates
¼ cup raw nut or seed butter (almond, cashew, sesame tahini, sunflower)
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. sea salt (or more to taste)
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
soaking water as needed

Directions:
1. Soak dates for at least 4 hours in water.
2. Drain dates, reserving the soak water.
3. Add dates to a food processor along with all other ingredients, except for soaking water. Blend on high until dates are smooth. Add soaking water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached (for a sauce to pour or drizzle, add more water).
4. Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a week.


Senin, 10 Oktober 2011

Meatless Mondays with Martha Stewart - Lemony Leeks with Chickpeas and Feta



Hey friends,
Guess what happens when you put a bunch of leeks in a pan with some veggie broth? Surprisingly, a totally mind-blowing flavour fest. Then guess what happens when you add lemon zest, dill, garlic, olive oil, goat feta, chickpeas, and lots of cracked black pepper? I'm not even gonna go there - use your imagination.

This was one of those last-minute throw together kind of lunches that honestly, I didn't expect much from. I mean, how awesome can leeks possibly taste?
Apparently, really awesome.
Please give these Lemony Leeks a try and find your bliss too.
Check out the recipe at Whole Living.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Love and Leeks,
Sarah B.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

A new gluten-free dairy-free pumpkin cupcake recipe for Fall.

Before I get to my new cupcake recipe, I need to wander off a bit. Just briefly. Because it's who I am. A person who wanders. Ponders. Finds solace in books. I've been like this since girlhood. Curious. Serious. No good at catching balls. Or dressing dolls. I am beyond inept with hair. And eyeliner.

I get anxious and non-verbal if I have to wear anything that isn't a pair of jeans.

It might be because I'm a child of The Sixties, that starstruck Age of Aquarius, when kindred souls united for peace, beauty, and rock and roll. As Hunter S. Thompson wrote, "You could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right," and there was that "...sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn’t need that. Our energy would simply prevail. There was no point in fighting—on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave."

I've been remembering the beautiful wave lately. The idealism. The hope. The belief that there is more to life than collapsing in front of the television and microwaving hot dogs.

The belief that beauty- as Steve Jobs believed- is important, has value. That we are deeply interconnected. That life on Earth is precious- from the house sparrow to the living sea. That we are part of a vast and mysterious collective- not merely of our absurd egos (who natter inside our heads and squander our attention on drama, conflict, acquisition and the need to control)- but of a newly unfolding awareness of astonishing inner space and outer space. Infinity in every direction. The Universe is far more capacious than we ever dreamed. Perhaps even multi-dimensional. A Multiverse.

Which begs the question.

Continue reading

Minggu, 09 Oktober 2011

Exact Audio Copy 1.0 beta 3 Multilingual




Audio grabber for audio CDs (more infos) without installation.

Download Portable EAC from RapidShare (5.3 MB)


Extract and run EACPortable.


Edit EACPortable.ini to set External Encoder with Default Settings:

ExternalEncoder=FLAC (1.2.1)

ExternalEncoder=LAME (3.98.4)

ExternalEncoder=Ogg (2.87)

ExternalEncoder=APE (4.10)

ExternalEncoder=Custom to keep personal settings for encoder


Settings of installed EAC should be preserved.

Jumat, 07 Oktober 2011

Kamis, 06 Oktober 2011

Spicy Roasted Broccoli with Almonds



I just got back from a week in London, and the first thing I need to mention is how rad it is. Besides being one of the most culturally diverse and historically rich places I’ve ever visited, it has one mean food scene. Even as a discerning vegetarian you can get a tasty, non-compromising meal on almost every corner. And their take-out situation is a whole other ballgame with salad bars, healthy sandwich joints, and juice and smoothie stands all over the place. Why can’t the rest of the world get on board with this idea of wholesome “fast food”? It takes longer to stand in line at a burger joint waiting to get your nuggets deep fried, than it does to scoop organic quinoa pilaf into a to-go box. Am I right?

Enter Ottolenghi, my newfound obsession. This past summer I compulsively forked over $40 for the extremely sexy cookbook, Plenty by Yottam Ottolenghi because the pictures were hot. Thank goodness the recipes actually live up to their visuals. Ottolenghi is the creator of four London-based eateries, the majority of which are take-out restaurants (there is only one sit-down place). He wrote the book after his vegetarian column in the Guardian, and because a great deal of enthused customers began requesting the recipes.  Knowing how much this cookbook rocks my world, I couldn’t wait to get into the place to actually experience the food first hand. Thank goodness it actually lives up to the pedestal I’ve put it upon. And the concept is brilliant: fresh, delicious, healthy take-out where the menu changes with the seasons and the items are always adventurous. He’s mixing up tahini with lime juice and chilies, throwing pomegranate and roasted pistachios onto eggplant, grilling sweet potatoes like steaks with earthy spices and bright citrus. Ottolenghi is a culinary poet elevating take-out to a level of luscious sophistication, and my heart is stolen. The book, the cafés, the food, it’s all divine. Now all we have to do is convince him to go global.



This simple broccoli dish was inspired by one of many delights I tried at Ottolenghi, and although it is not in the cookbook, I’ve tried to recreate as best I could for you. Yes, I realize that I posted a roasted carrot recipe just a couple weeks ago, but this was a revelation. Roasted broccoli is a revelation. If you’re like me and in a broccoli rut, not really digging on steaming or eating it raw, get on board and rejoice in the nuttiness, the tender-crisp sensation, the glory of tasting broccoli again for the first time!



Spicy Roasted Broccoli with Almonds
serves 2
Ingredients:
1 large head broccoli (organic if you can get it)
¼ cup whole almonds

Dressing:
6 cloves garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. fresh, hot chili, sliced (more or less, to suit your taste)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. tamari
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash broccoli well, then remove the very end of the stem. Slice the entire head of broccoli and remaining stem in half down the center lengthwise, then cut each half in half again. Repeat until you have relatively small slices of broccoli tops with long stems. Place in a large bowl.
2. Prepare dressing and pour over broccoli. Using your hands, massage the dressing into the broccoli making sure it is well coated. Place broccoli on a baking sheet and set in the oven.
3. On a separate baking sheet, place almonds and set in the oven below the broccoli.
4. Roast broccoli and almonds for 15-20 minutes (the almonds will probably need less time), until the broccoli is just turning golden brown on the edges.
5. Remove everything from oven. Roughly chop almonds on a cutting board. Plate broccoli, season to taste. Sprinkle with chopped almonds. Serve.

This would make a fabulous side dish for any meal, especially Thanksgiving dinner. Even though I am not in Canada, I will be celebrating over here in Denmark this weekend with plenty of Plenty, and of course, Spicy Roasted Broccoli with Almonds.

Minggu, 02 Oktober 2011

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie with Praline and Coconut-Pecan Crust

Gluten free pumpkin pie with praline and coconut pecan crust
A slice of vegan pumpkin pie heaven. Chill overnight for best texture.

Happy October! Good Goddess, I've been busy. Making a delicious mess in my tiny kitchen. Developing new gluten-free dairy-free dessert recipes for the Winter Food Issue of Allergic Living magazine. So I thought I'd dust the cocoa powder off my hands and take a quick break to share two inspirational things today. The first relates to Fall- my updated Favorite Gluten-Free Autumn Recipes index. Peruse at your leisure, ideally with a big mug of spiced hot cider close by.

The second offering had to be something pumpkin. I mean, it's October. And around here October baking means a certain voluptuous curcurbit is queen. So I did what any gluten-free goddess would do. I dug into the GFG recipe archives. And found a luxurious, creamy vegan pumpkin pie with sweet praline topping and a coconut-pecan crust. Just to keep you occupied until I return with a new gluten-free vegan muffin recipe you're going to love.

Let the pumpkin recipe frenzy begin!

Continue reading