Break

Friday was the start of my Break. For the first time in quite a while, I will have a month without work obligations. And with school over and done with, I feel like I can breathe.

CK met me a few months before I started graduate school, and we began dating just after my first semester. It occurred to me that he didn’t know how Meals with Morri used to be, how often I used to be in the kitchen creating things. But with graduate school, working, and trying to be active, Meals with Morri went from being an eight or more posts a month phenomenon to maybe one or two.

But last night, after my walk from work, and a number of feral kitties demanding attention and petting along the way, we celebrated the best way we knew how: homemade food and a movie.

First attempt at cauliflower crust pizza, adapting from this recipe.

We ended up using coconut instead of almond, which changed the texture a bit, but still yummy.

Finishing graduate school has been a little anti-climactic for me. It brought a lot of nostalgia and fear of the unknown with it. It brought the realization of how exhausted and frustrated I was. It brought sadness that I really haven’t celebrated finishing, and missing the chance to walk with peers I actually knew because I was abroad. But being abroad also brought experience with how NGOs work, and also getting to spend over two months with a person I love. I was able to spend the summer doing what I set out to do; now it’s a matter of figuring out the next step (or three) of achieving my goals in finding a job and living with my man by 2015. A tall order, but hey, it’s worth it.

The other thing I noticed too was how my energy level and mental stamina increased significantly once I had turned in my last assignment of my last graduate course in early July. At the time, I was too tired to really think up of recipes, but I did completely change the Meals with Morri set-up. I created separate pages for recipe categories, and recreated the overall look of the site. At the moment, I’m working towards linking my creative outlet in recipe making and sharing to what I want to do with a career: combining the conflict analysis and resolution discipline with farmers’ rights and sustainability issues.

August will be the month of really learning how to use my camera to its peak potential, and really enjoying my break with CK in Rome. I have many ideas for future recipes, and what and how I want to continue sharing my as well as other people’s stories through food.

Living in the Mediterranean has been like a pleasant wake-up call to food quality and freshness. In the United States, things like mozzarella cheese and balsamic vinegar are ‘meh’ at best. I’ve seen artisanal mozzarella products sold at farmers markets, but it wasn’t until CK insisted I try one during his visit in December that really changed my mind about this cheese.

To be fair, they do sell the cheap-o kind in the markets, usually in plastic bags with whey for one euro each. And they’re okay. But the stuff you want to get is usually found in the cheese section, and by sight alone you can see how the quality differs. When I first tried it, I experienced something of cheese nirvana. The balls are typically slightly firm on the outside, but when you cut into them, the softness runs onto the cutting board like the yolk of a sunny side up egg. And the taste, goodness me, the taste of these things is not the mild, almost tasteless mozzarella I’ve been having for the majority of my life. Oh, no. This taste is more pungent, salty, with a sour, fermented finish. It melts in your mouth, and you can’t help but savor the work that went into making something of such high quality.

Enter balsamic vinegar. In the United States, what we think of balsamic vinegar is essentially wine vinegar with grape must and caramel coloring. It was my favorite growing up. But when CK took his parents and me to Eataly (a store that resembles the love-child of Whole Foods and Ikea), we were able to taste something a little closer to the real thing. I was blown away by how thick the vinegar was, how flavorful it was, and the depth of those flavors. It was rich and sweet, but not overtly or cloyingly so, and it is the most divine pairing to mozzarella. To be fair, the vinegar we tasted wasn’t what I’d call the Holy Grail of Balsamic Vinegar, but I found that it was just a step below it, and likely the best to find without going to Modena and searching for a finished batch of what ends up being a twelve-year aging process.

Nonetheless, both ingredients made undoubtedly a delicious Insalata Caprese for two, and it was nice to be so mindful and engaged in making what ended up being a wonderful lunch to celebrate break.

Insalata Caprese for Two

2 Large handfuls of Rocket (also known as Arugula)
2 Buffalo Mozzarella balls
1 Large tomato
16 Fresh Basil leaves
2 tsp. Balsamic vinegar*

On two large plates, place an equal amount of rocket in the center of both.
Slice the tomato in half, and into thin strips horizontally, to lie onto the rocket.**
Slice the mozzarella similarly, and place on top of the tomato.**
Add the basil leaves on top, followed by a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Serve immediately, chilled, either as a dish to a multiple course meal, or by itself.

Makes 2 Servings.

*You really don’t need a lot of balsamic vinegar, just enough to splash a little flavoring here and there.
** I did mine a little more artfully. I used a circular biscuit cutter and layered the tomato, cheese, and basil in that to maintain shape.

Caught with my hand in the SunButter® Jar: My First Product Review

I used a long handled beverage spoon to retrieve the last remnants from the bottom of the jar. A little part of me sighed at the realization that there was no more to be had. It's gone? I thought, slightly frowning. Already?

SunButter® (source)

For over a month I had been making my own nut/seed butters. 2 1/2 cups of any nut or seed in the pantry will last me about a week once transformed into a creamy spread. After my sun butter recipe was such a hit, I received this email from SunButter®:

Good morning!
Thanks for your note on your blog. You're wonderful. You know..... in the spirit of blogginess (is that a word), I'm wondering if you'd ever consider authoring a guest post for the SunButter® blog? I'd love to share your story/perspective, and of course a few recipes if you're so inclined...

Let me know?

And take care. Happy weekending!

SunButter® is an amazing product developed by SunGold Foods, Inc., whose parent company Red River Commodities looked for innovative ways to use the sunflower seed after a lower quality (and thus cheaper) kernel was popularized in the market during the 90’s and early 2000s. With help from the USDA, RRC took two years to create the perfect peanut butter substitute in a peanut-free and tree nut-free environment. 

Today this alternative to nut butter can be found in a wide selection of grocery chains and health food stores, as well as being used in school lunch programs that have decided to go peanut/tree nut-free.

And wouldn’t you know it, there was a flavor that I could thoroughly enjoy.

Leftover Smoothie Oatmeal with SunButter® & additional toppings

Elizabeth, the lovely person who sent me the email above, and I messaged back and forth for a couple of days until this shining moment came in my inbox:

Oh I'd love to have you review ours. What's your mailing address and I'll send you a jar!

It took me a couple of seconds to comprehend that this was going to be my first official product review on Meals with Morri, but once I did I was beyond ecstatic to do it. Upon receiving the jar (and the nice note that came with it) in the mail, I relished in knowing there was sun butter on the market that was organic and unsweetened.  

Two of my favorite things in one 16-ounce jar, and perfect for those weeks I'm at the health store and don't have a batch I made at home waiting for me.

Once you open the lid and remove the foil casing, it doesn’t take much effort to fold back in the oil that occurs from natural separation. It is beautifully smooth and silky, like a softer creamy peanut butter that – wait for it – tastes like roasted sunflower seeds.

It’s one of those products that you can literally eat from the jar, one that doesn’t need anything but its sole ingredient to be delicious and nutritious. I put it on my daily apple. I stirred it in my oatmeal. I played around with using it as an ingredient in my vegan cheese sauce (a recipe still in the works). I ate it with raw buckwheat granola and banana and hemp seeds.

I even made salad dressing.*

My only hope for SunButter® is they incorporate more unsweetened and organic products in their line. I’d really like a crunchy version… or a honey/maple syrup sweetened version… or a seasonal flavor version…

It was such a delight to review this product, but if you have any questions regarding anything about the company, where you can buy it, or additional flavors, feel free to contact them. They also have a page with a variety of yummy recipes to try (warning: some recipes contain gluten, soy, and cane sugar). And if you happen to find yourself simply using your fingers when there isn’t a spoon or knife in sight to get a taste, don’t worry about it.

I did it too.

Ginger Lime SunButter® Salad Dressing

96 g Organic Unsweetened SunButter®
Juice of 2 Limes
120 ml Filtered water
1 tsp. Ground ginger
1/4 tsp. Garlic powder
1/4 tsp. Sea salt

Place all of the ingredients into the blender and mix until thoroughly combined.**

Makes around a cup of dressing, or 9 – 12 servings.

*This dressing is also amazing sauce on chicken.
**I used a blender stick and mixed the ingredients in a 2-cup measuring cup, though your commercial blender (or whisk) should work just as well.

The Bento Box Snapshot: A Week of Pareve

Much like my summer internship last year, I really have had to focus on what I am able to eat for my job as the camp’s art specialist. As I mentioned before, the community center I work at is Jewish-oriented, as is the camp, so that meant following their dietary laws as well. In the beginning it was impossible to tell which meats the kids brought to camp were kosher, so all lunches are now required to be either dairy or pareve.

BBS 1: Carrot risotto, fresh veggies, mozzarella, and daily apple

Since I’m not Jewish, I was worried about offending people with the food I brought. Regardless of my food intolerances, I took on the challenge to make a week of bento lunches that:

1. Observed the dairy and/or pareve rule as written in Judaic law
2. Consisted of things I could and would eat
3. Were nutritionally balanced
4. Kept me full until dinner

Let’s just say that all my lunches were total successes.

BBS 2: Homemade hummus, rice, and dipping veggies (not shown)

For one thing, I learned that size does matter for a bento box. The one Daddy-O gave me last Saturday on our way back from the National Harbor is just perfect for my active lifestyle and appetite. It is two-tiered, which gave me the ability to either make two small meals, or one lunch with a variety of ingredients.

Much of what I packed were leftovers from dinners the night before, tons of veggies, and freshly made spreads like guacamole and hummus. Beans and rice were common, though I did enjoy tuna salad spring rolls and salmon cakes immensely. Cottage cheese and blueberries showed up twice on the top tier (the one that is split into two separate compartments) upon finding that I loved the combination.

BBS3: Salmon cakes, quinoa salad, cottage cheese & blueberries

I hope to have another week of Bento Box Snapshots this time next Sunday, along with: other recipes that may or may not end up in my lunch box, food from my family’s July 4th festivities (i.e., a Grill day), and the camp’s field trip picking blueberries.

Goodness, I love summer.

BBS 4: Tuna salad spring rolls, and cottage cheese with blueberries (not shown)

The Basic Salad Dressing Everyone Should Make

There is nothing quite like a salad to make you feel all healthy, especially when a fork is optional and you can eat it with your hands.

Many of my recipes are main courses or starter dishes, and I really want to balance what recipes I blog about. That means more desserts (no complaints here), beverages, and condiments.

And what is a salad, or in this case a tuna salad lettuce wrap, without a dressing?

What I love most about this dressing is that it can be made right before you need it. Shake it, blend it, or emulsify it, you will have a dressing that’s good on just about any salad you can think of. 

French Dressing (inspired by the recipe found in Joy of Cooking)

60 ml Lemon juice (from two lemons)
135 ml Olive oil
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Cracked pepper
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Place all the ingredients in a bowl (or blender), and mix until combined.
Make when needed, as it is best when used immediately.

Makes around 3/4 c.

With this recipe above, you have a base for a plethora of dressings when you want healthy fats that aren’t animal derived. If you have leftover avocado, you can mash it up to make avocado dressing.

Avocado Dressing

1 French dressing recipe, see above
1/2 Avocado, mashed

Look to the instructions for French Dressing.

Makes about 1 c.

This recipe is also best when used immediately, and I found that it tasted a lot like hollandaise sauce, vegan style.

Two Winter Veggie Dishes, Two Different Ways

As mentioned in my “God Jul” post, there were a plethora of vegetable dishes. The two I made were the “Marinated Ruby Red Salad” and the “Dairy Free Creamed Spinach.” The boyfriend was my inspiration for the former, as Eastern Europe is very big on pickled and marinated veggies. The latter was something I replicated from my first ever Julbord when we were in Sweden, only I wanted to have an edge on the dish. Both are wonderful winter side dishes to have when you’re in that veggie rut. Where one is refreshing, the other is comforting. Where one is light, the other is rich and filling. 

Marinated Ruby Red Salad

16 oz./454 g/12 -14 Baby beets, steamed and peeled
1 Medium-sized White onion, finely diced
6 oz. (171 g) English cucumber, gutted and finely diced
20 g or 9 small radishes, coarsely chopped
45 g (1/4 c.) Red wine vinegar
1 Ruby red grapefruit, sectioned and juiced

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and let marinated at least four hours.
Refrigerate to serve later or serve immediately.

Serves 6 – 8.

Dairy Free Creamed Spinach

16 oz. (464 g) Frozen spinach
13.5 oz. (383 g) Canned coconut milk
1 tbsp. Dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Penzeys Spices Balti seasoning, optional
Cracked pepper, to taste
20 g Garbanzo bean flour

Place the spinach and coconut milk in a medium saucepan on medium heat until the mixture is hot, about ten minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients, drop the heat to a medium-low, and it should thicken after three minutes.
Serve hot.

Serves 6 – 8.

My (Almost... Not Really) Wordless Birthday Post

Sweetgreen lunch date with the Daddy-O. A great healthy & gluten free option in D.C.

My Mix-Your-Own salad: mesclun, grape tomatoes, raw peppers, goat chevre, hard-boiled egg crumbles, and balsamic vinegar.

And finally, ostkaka, modified from this recipe, only the sugar was replaced with honey, the bitter almonds was replaced for almond slivers as garnish and, for a grain-free version, I used amaranth flour in place of AP flour. Warning, though, I do not recommend cooking it as high as she recommends (amaranth flour browns very easily). This recipe says to cook it at 400ºF for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350ºF and bake for 1 hour.

Self-Confidence and the Realities of Summer: Chicken Waldorf Salad

“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.” Lao Tzu said that over two millennia ago, but it has only resonated with me this summer. All the same, I say this every year: this is the summer that I am changing the most significantly. It was the summer before college that I said was the most significant in my life. It was the summer after my freshmen year that I said was the most crucial to how I perceived the world. The summers after my sophomore and junior years were the most important in defining family. And what about this summer, the summer before my last semester as an undergrad, the summer that is over one-thirds over?

This is the summer I grow into myself.

I would say that this is the summer I grow up. I would also say this is the summer I become an adult, but that just isn’t true. I have had adult grievances and responsibilities and joys for a while, situational or otherwise throughout my twenty-one odd years of life. Adulthood is just a metaphor, because I don’t think adults even know what it means to be one. But for some reason, children have childhood perfected, until someone comes along and tells them they aren’t doing it right. Then these children are forced to grow into themselves prematurely or a little late in the game into skins too large or too small, because these adults thought it was best, because they believe they are the only ones who know best. Maybe they do know what’s best the majority of the time, maybe all the time, but maybe I do too.

Then again, when everything is happening at once, you have to turn to those who’ve been doing this a lot longer than you. At the same time, you desire balance and compromise. You want to appear competent, responsible, and reliable in all the things you’ve set out to do. You want to be respected as the adult you’re growing into, trusted into doing it your way.

To quote my younger self whenever Mama Dazz asked me why I was crying: “I’m upset because I am not getting my way.” Ah, the honesty of toddlerhood. If only the “adult” me was so honest and insightful.

The universe is a precise and consistent entity. Ask and you shall receive. It doesn’t always give you what you want when you want it, but it can give you what you need when you need it… if you’re observant enough to recognize it and patient enough to wait for it.

I may want to do it all my way, but I also have to trust in others when they’ve had experiences similar to mine. At the same time, a little confidence in me wouldn’t hurt either.

Chicken Waldorf Salad

32 oz Cooked skinless chicken breast meat, cut into manageable chunks
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and finely chopped
30 g (1/4 c.) Raisins
40 g (1/4 c.) Almond slivers
3 Celery stalks, diced
1 Red onion, diced
3 Garlic cloves, diced
1 tbsp. Ginger, crushed or finely chopped
2 tsp. Black sesame seeds
6 oz Lassi (or Kefir)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper

If the chicken has not been cooked already, steam the meat until fully cooked, let it cool, then chop it up and put into a large mixing bowl.
Fold in the chopped apple, raisins, almond slivers, onion, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds to the chicken until thoroughly combined.
In another bowl, blend together the lassi, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, the salt and pepper.
Pour the sauce over the dry ingredients and stir until coated.
Serve on top of lettuce.

Makes 6 – 8 servings.

The Mediterranean Table: Tzatziki

It’s no secret: I love Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food. The only thing I love more than eating it is making it. I love the spices, the aromas, the textures, the colors, the different ways foods are prepared… Oh! I could go on and on. 

My father was born in Morocco on a U.S. Air Base, and maybe the idea that he was there for the first few years of his life had initially sparked my interest of the food around that area. While abroad I made friends with a lovely French-born Moroccan gentleman, who told hilarious stories and made a tagine (without the tagine) dinner I’ll never forget. I love how the majority of that region’s cuisine is naturally gluten free, or easily adapted to whatever your dietary restrictions are.

Tzatziki

8 oz Seedless cucumber, grated
16 oz Greek yogurt
15 Mint leaves, or 2 tsp. when put through the food processor
1/2 Medium white onion, finely chopped

Add the grated veggies and mint into a medium-sized bowl, stirring until completely mixed.
Fold in the yogurt with the vegetables.
Put in the fridge to chill up to an hour or overnight.

Serve as a garnish, a small salad, or a condiment.  

The Mediterranean Table: Tabouli

There was a time that the words "green" and "leafy" were terms I didn't want anything to do with in regards to food. As a kid I’d slather my dinner salad with ketchup or hot sauce, just to avoid the crunchy lettuce green underneath. I didn’t like sliced tomatoes, only in sauces or condiments. I liked raw celery, but only if there was something creamy on top. My parents had to literally hide vegetables in really creative ways just so I'd have a more balanced diet. This went on for years, even the months prior to becoming gluten free.

But I’m a different person; vegetables are Morri’s best friends. In fact, the Burt-man gripes how large the dinner salads I make are. At most, it’s three servings of veggies… maybe.

The best thing about salads is the creative license that comes with making them. You can put anything into it, from vegetables to fruits to nuts to protein to grains. They can be vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, and/or gluten free. They can be a starter to any meal, the meal itself, or a light snack in between. It’s a beautiful concept, really.

Whenever our favorite family friend comes to visit to talk shop about community conflict resolution, we always have a Mediterranean buffet on the dinner table with a smorgasbord of meats, breads, spreads, and veggies. Tabouli (or tabbouleh) was, for some reason or another, one of the few vegetable plates I actually enjoyed during my pre-evolved palate years. It was also one of the dishes I missed after going gluten free. But there’s a way to making it without the bulgur wheat among the parsley. Sure, you can just remove the bulgur wheat, but I think the salad would be lacking.

This is the beauty of quinoa. This South American seed is a wonderful substitution for the gluteny specks. Plus, it’s filled with protein-packed goodness with a mild taste that really enhances the overall flavor.

Quinoa Tabouli

Two bushels Parsley
1/2 Medium white onion, finely diced
2 c. Quinoa, cooked
1 c. Seedless cucumber, finely diced
16 oz Cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tsp. Crushed garlic
13 Mint leaves put through the food processor, roughly 1 1/2 tsp.
1/3 c. Olive oil
1/6 c. Unrefined apple cider vinegar
1 Lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1 – 2 tsp. Black sesame seeds

In a medium pot or rice cooker, cook the two cups of dry quinoa by the instructions on the box.
When the quinoa is done, set aside to cool.
Wash the bushel of parsley and drain of excess water, then pull the leaves off the stems.
Add the remaining ingredients in with the parsley, and fold in the quinoa (this salad is quinoa-heavy, so if you want the focus to be on the veggies, use half of the quinoa).
This can be served immediately or made ahead of time and put it the fridge to chill.

Serves 6 – 8 people as a side salad.

Rainy Day Warm Salad Trinity

Yesterday was a weird day, and weird days call for a combination of comfort and creativity. Cold and rainy, making the earth below an extravagant sight of bold colors, I felt dinner should embody that. I wanted comfort, but I wanted something light. I wanted layers with compatible tastes, but to have something different with each bite.

I don’t know about you, but a warm salad was exactly what the Morri ordered.

I combined three warm salads and layered them into one delish bowl: chicken, potato, and veggies. Next time I plan on making a hollandaise sauce for the top, but the parental units enjoyed a dollop of mayo with tarragon flakes just the same.

Rainy Day Warm Salad Trinity

10 Chicken tenderloin pieces, steamed and cute into bite-sized pieces
2 Russet potatoes, peeled, cubed and boiled until soft
3 c. Frozen French green beans
2 Carrots, peeled and julienned
1 Yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 Leek, cut long ways in half, then into chunks
2 Garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Tahini
3 tbsp. Olive oil
Salt, to taste
Mayonnaise (with tarragon), as garnish (optional)

In a steamer, cook the chicken until fully cooked.
Once cooled to a safe handling temperature, cut them into bite-sized piece and set aside.

In a medium-sized pot, place the potatoes (peeled and cubed) into salted water that just covers the pieces.
Let the water boil until the chunks are cooked through but not mushy.
Drain and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place the frozen green beans, the julienned carrots, the thin pepper pieces, the leek chunks, and the garlic onto a greased baking sheet. (Make sure that the veggies are laid flat and not on top of one another.)
Sprinkle salt on top.
In a small measuring cup, combine the Dijon mustard, the tahini, and the olive oil.
Mix until thoroughly combined and pour the mixture on top.
Place in the oven for 45 minutes, up to an hour, until the carrots are soft and some browning has occurred.
Pull out of the oven, and layer the bowls with the potatoes on the bottom, the veggies in the middle, and the chicken on top.
Dollop some mayonnaise on top of the chicken, with a sprinkle of tarragon for flavor.

Serves 3.