In The Small Kitchen Cookbook Giveaway Winners.

Congratulations to L's Journey and Red Door Kitchen.  You are the two winners of the lovely new cookbook, In The Small Kitchen.  Please e-mail me at cafejohnsonia (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing addresses.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Marinated Tofu with Tahini Asparagus and Pearl Oyster Mushrooms

Have you been curious about the fate of the pearl oyster mushrooms from the Back To The Roots kit?  (They were delicious.)

Winner of Back To The Roots Mushroom Kit.

Congrats to Natalie!!! Her name was pulled from the hat by my daughter just moments ago.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for In The Small Kitchen--two winners! I'll announce the winners tomorrow morning.  Click here to leave your comment.

Sunday Night Dinner: Polenta with Smoky Tomato Sauce, Zucchini with Pesto, and Braised Kale

Yesterday afternoon my husband and I went back and forth about what to have for dinner.  After days and days of Thai curry, he was not yet tired of its spicy, seductive ways.  I was craving leafy greens and something tomato-y.  (I won because I'm the one who cooked.  Tonight will be Thai again, and I'm not complaining.  We eat a lot  more Thai since we learned how to make it ourselves.  Mmm.  Stay tuned.)

It's hot.  It's the end of June and I didn't want to turn on the oven or the stove, but the craving would not go away.  (I'm not even pregnant.)  I'm learning to listen to my body and what it needs.  I wanted something comforting and nourishing.  Polenta with a quick-roasted, smoky tomato sauce with a side of braised kale and zucchini with pesto won out.  It was faster to throw together than it sounds.  And it did involve turning on both the stove and oven, but it was worth it.

Polenta

10 cup water
2 1/2 cups stone ground cormeal
2 1/4 tsp. salt

Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot (6qt). Add the salt and cornmeal. Cook on medium, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the polenta is finished cooking, it will start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Pour into a large bowl or 9" by 13" glass baking dish that has been lightly oiled with olive oil. Set aside to cool a bit before serving.


Smoky Tomato Sauce

8-10 organic roma tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
a drizzle of olive oil
smoked sea salt**
ground black pepper

Adjust the oven rack to upper middle position and preheat the broiler to low. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a layer of foil. Drizzle a bit of olive oil and rube the cut side of each tomato half in the oil and turn it over, cut-side up. Sprinkle with ground pepper and a bit of smoked sea salt. Broil the tomatoes for about 10 minutes, then turn the broiler up to high for about 3 minutes, until the tomatoes take on a nice color and some of the juices are released. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet. Puree in a blender or food processor. Add a little more smoked salt just before serving.

**Regular sea salt is fine if you are unable to find smoked sea salt or don't care for the flavor.

Braised Kale

1 large bunch kale
1 small onion, thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
a splash of red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Tear the leaves from the stalks and cut into thin strips crosswise. Rinse in cool water and drain well.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil (maybe 1 tsp.) and add the onion. Cook the onion until it starts to soften and take on a bit of color. Add the kale and a little of the water; only enough so the kale doesn't stick to the bottom of the skillet, not too much. Use tongs to turn the kale over so it evenly wilts in the hot pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until for about 5 more minutes, or longer, until it has softened. Add a splash of red wine vinegar. Serve immediately.

Quick-Roasted Zucchini

1-2 tsp. olive oil
3 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/8-1/4" rounds
2 Tbsp. prepared pesto (I used Jen's recipe, but used some oregano and basil too)

Line a baking sheet with foil (or if you already made the tomato sauce, use the same one and the same foil). Drizzle with a little olive oil. Spread the zucchini over the pan in an even layer, turning the rounds over to coat evenly with oil. Broil on low for about 10 minutes, being careful not to let them overcook. Remove the zucchini from the oven and transfer to a bowl. Spoon the pesto over the zucchini and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

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This makes more than enough polenta for one meal.  We like to saute the leftover polenta in a little olive oil in the morning and serve it with a poached egg on top.  And I'm thinking that if there had been any greens leftover, they would be good with the egg too.

What are you cooking up this week?

My Strawberry Patch.

My favorite thing about June is strawberries from my little patch.  They are so small and juicy.  I take the kids out with me in the morning and we pick the ripest berries.  The first round of berries is finished, so now we'll wait until late summer for another crop.  I've been eating them every morning with raw oats and coconut milk.  I love summer.

In The Small Kitchen (Review and Giveaway)

A few weeks ago I was feeling majorly under the weather.  Downright ill actually..  The mail came and my husband brought me a package with my name on it.  I'd forgotten I was expecting a new cookbook to review.  And I got excited.

Phoebe and Cara, the gals from Big Girls, Small Kitchen  just published their first book and it was in my hot little hands.

I tore open the envelope and spent the rest of the afternoon reading the book, In The Small Kitchen, cover to cover. It's one of those cookbooks that I love to sit and read because it's more than just recipes. There are stories and explanations of how recipes came to be.  That is something I get into.  I love the history behind recipes and how people learn to cook.

Reading their book took me back eleven years ago I was young, single and living carefree with my roomie and cousin in our grandparents' house while they were away for a year.  Those were the days...

Back to the Roots Mushroom Kit (Review and Giveaway)

I swore up and down that I didn't like mushrooms until last month when I took a deep breath and defended my honor as a food blogger and self-proclaimed reformed picky eater and ate some.  If I hadn't had that experience and found out that I do indeed like mushrooms, I might not have said yes when Back To The Roots e-mailed to see if I'd be interested in trying out their grow-your-own mushroom garden kit.  The idea was so intriguing.  Growing your own pearl oyster mushrooms using recycled coffee grounds?  Tell me more.

Pearl Oyster Mushrooms at Day 5.

Mushroom Kit Teaser.

I'm crazy busy this morning, but I'll be back later with a giveaway you'll really love.

Curious?  (I'm so excited, I'm bursting to tell you about it.)

Stay tuned...I will return shortly.  Until then, you can mull over how it's possible to grow your own mushrooms.

Gluten-Free Vegan Coconut-Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies.

C is for coconut, chocolate chip and crack.  All of which these cookies have in them.  Purely addictive.

I saw Jenny and Brooke post their recipes for coconut oil chocolate chippers.  I know I can trust their cookie judgement.  I saw Helene's take on David Leite's chocolate chip cookie recipe.  She used some coconut oil in them.  Jen uses coconut oil in a lot of her baking and cooking.  I thought, well, why not?  Helene's recipe was already gluten-free.  Might as well try to make them vegan too, I thought.  (Back on the wagon again, thankyouverymuch.)  So I tied my apron around my waist, pulled my hair into a bun, and preheated the oven.

A few days earlier, I stopped by my local Indian market and scored some inexpensive GF flours--jowar (sorghum) and amaranth.  I already had some of the other ingredients on hand.  And as I mentioned yesterday, I had some delicious Kelapo coconut oil burning a hole in the cupboard.  C is for cookie.  H is for hurry.

Can you even handle this picture?!

Here's my take on Helene's take.  They are really good.  Phenomenal, in fact.  The use of sorghum and amaranth makes these.  Brown rice flour was not invited to our cookie party this time.  These are as close as I've tasted to wheat flour cookies.

I quote my husband who is not a fan of my gluten-free baking misadventures, "If I couldn't eat wheat flour, I'd eat these."  I'll take that as an endorsement. :)

I had to remind him that they were also dairy and egg-free.  Just to scare him a little more.  But you aren't scared, are you?  You aren't even reading this, you've grabbed your keys and your heading out to your car to run to the store to pick up a few things.  I know.  I totally understand.  Go ahead and make a batch.  And I promise I won't tell if you eat a dozen by yourself.  It'll be our little secret.  (Promise you won't out me for doing the same?  Okay.  Deal.)

Coconut-Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Tartelette and Gluten-Free Goddess (I used her recipe for a GF flour mix.)

1 cup sorghum flour (jowar)**
1 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup amaranth flour (can use millet flour)
2 tsp. xanthan gum
2 tsp. aluminum free baking powder (regular is fine too)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
8 oz. extra virgin coconut oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp. ground flax seed plus 6 Tbsp. water (mix and let sit for 5 minutes)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 package vegan semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup toasted, unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup lightly toasted almonds, roughly chopped

Sift sorghum flour, tapioca starch, amaranth flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the coconut oil and sugars.  Using an electric mixer, beat in the flax mixture.  Add the vanilla extract.  A little at a time, mix in the dry ingredients until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips, coconut, and almonds.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Drop large teaspoonfuls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time.  Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.  Store in an airtight container.  Best eaten within 2 days.  (Read:  They will become a little hard and dry and lose their chewiness, but will still be delicious.)

Makes about 3-4 dozen good-sized cookies.

**If you are using wheat flour, just use 2 1/2 to 3 cups of all-purpose flour and omit the xanthan gum.  You can also use 2 eggs in place of the flax mixture.  And while we're at it, you can use butter instead of coconut oil, or for half of it.  Whatever you do, they'll be tasty.

(Here--I saved you a bite.)

Kelapo Coconut Oil.

The lovely ladies from Kelapo sent me some coconut oil to test out.  Have you tried coconut oil?  It's better than butter.  And yes, I did just write that.

Kelapo supports fair trade practices and is the only coconut oil certified "Fair For Life" by the IMO Fair Trade Program.  In fact, Kelapo is the only Fair Trade coconut oil on the market.  (Click here to learn what fair trade means.)  Kelapo is also 100% organic and vegetarian-friendly.

When you buy coconut oil, you want to make sure it's virgin and cold pressed whenever possible, so that you can receive all of the health benefits.  Heat destroys some of the nutrients and can affect the flavor and quality.  You can find answers to questions you may have about coconut oil on their FAQ page--health benefits, how coconut oil is extracted, etc. 

I've been using coconut oil mostly to replace butter in recipes.  I used to hear that using coconut oil couldn't be healthy because it has so much fat in it, but that's not true.  More and more you'll hear the health benefits of coconut oil.  Yes it's high in fat, but it's the good fat.  And seriously, if I'm not eating fat that comes from animals (butter, I'm looking at you), then I'm not so worried.  Plus it tastes soooo good.  (I may or may not have run my finger around the inside of the empty jar a few times...)

For recipes using Kelapo coconut oil, visit the We're Coconuts blog.

My favorite new way to use it?  Um, that would be these cookies.  You've probably seen other bloggers make coconut oil chocolate chip cookies before.  Jenny and Brooke have made them.  (I know I can trust their cookie judgement.)

And this, my friends, is what they call a "teaser."  You'll have to pop back in tomorrow for the recipe. :)

Interested in buying some Kelapo coconut oil?  Click here.  AND...Kelapo is offering my readers a 20% discount.  Use the code: Johnsonia20 (case sensitive) to receive the discount.

p.s.  Those cookies?  They're vegan and gluten-free.  And they are incredible.

(Disclosure:  Kelapo sent me one 8 oz. jar of coconut oil to review on this blog.  My opinions are my own.)

Herb Flower Arrangements.

Our very wet Spring has left my garden plum full of lush herbs.  They are about to overtake the rest of the garden.  I'll never use them fast enough in my cooking.  One of my favorite ways to take use herbs is in flower arrangements.  I'm no Martha, but this is something I've enjoyed doing for the past few years.  It looks pretty and smells fantastic.  And they last a long time.

The tall purple flowers came from my sage plant.  Their perfume is intoxicating.  I've put them into a jar with tall sprigs of Mediterranean oregano. 

Silvery sage leaves fill this jar.  The are hearty and look sleek in a jar or small vase. 

The roses are from my front flower beds.  I will replace them with fresh flowers in a few days and when the daisies are out, I'll add them in somewhere. 

The oregano is growing (almost) out of control. I've already split it several times since I first planted it. Think of it as you would mint--if not contained, it will take over the garden. That being said, I won't get rid of it because I love the way it tastes and it will soon grow its own lovely purple flowers that when placed in a vase will stay fresh for over a week or more.



I could go out and buy real vases, but I've always loved reusing jars. I think that's something I learned from my paternal grandmother. We share a love of glass jars and both of us often buy food that we may not otherwise eat except it comes in an interesting jar. (It's a sickness.)

If you do this at your house, just be sure to change the water every few days so it doesn't go cloudy or discolor.  You want it to be clean and clear.

Pineapple-Coconut Cereal

I keep hearing that food can't be delicious if it's vegan.  I'm here to tell you that what you see in the bowl in the picture below is both.  No dairy.  Does that scare you a little?  Guess what else?  (Come closer so you can hear me.)  It's also wheat-free.  And if you use GF oats, it's also gluten-free.

Are you with me, or did I scare you away? :)

I love raw oatmeal. I've been eating it that way since last year and it's hard for me to go back to cooking it. I've always been a fan of muesli, so no surprise there.

I posted about my favorite breakfast cereal--Toasted Oats and Coconut--over at Fresh Clean Start last year.  I took it a step further by adding the fresh pineapple and chopped macadamia nuts.  (Did you know I have a secret blog where I pour my heart out about things like emotional eating, depression, and unemployment.  I do.  And now it's not a secret anymore.) 

What's in the bowl?
*A handful each of toasted oats and coconut (technically not raw since they're toasted, just uncooked)
*A bowl full of fresh pineapple (frozen would be fine, canned not as good)
*A small handful of roughly chopped macadamia nuts
*A little drizzle of agave because the pineapple was a little too tart
*A splash of almond milk (of course, whatever you like you'll use)

That's it.  I was over-the-moon in love with this combo.  It will help tide me over until Utah peaches have ripened and I can pick them up by the bushel.

See?  Vegan and gluten-free is not as scary as you thought.

While we're on the subject, I love Sheena's take on raw oatmeal.  And who am I kidding?  I love Sheena's take on just about everything.  Give it a try.
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I hope you all have a marvelous weekend!  We have a family birthday party to attend and strawberries to pick from our garden.   

Here are a few things I've been meaning to tell you...

*My recipe for Thai Coconut Soup is up at Babble.com. (I make it weekly for lunch.)
*You can still sign-up for The Greens Class at Jacob's Cove. 
*Speaking of creativity...I loved this video I saw on the Bad Banana blog this week.  Watch it if you have a few seconds to spare.

Yogurtland.

For our June Utah Bloggers Meetup, we went to the new Yogurtland in Orem. 
 

For you locals, it is located across from the University Mall on University Parkway and State Street.  You can't miss it.  And you don't want to.  It's awesome.

I haven't gotten into the new fro-yo craze so much because we make homemade ice cream and frozen yogurt so often.  And I didn't get the hype.  Now I do.  Now I get it and now I want to join in.

I was really impressed with Yogurtland's selection of flavors.  At any time there are 16 or so flavors, with some that are limited time and some that are always available.  They offer loads of different, fun toppings.  Any place that has lychees and mochi balls to put on your yogurt is a place I can get into.  My other favorite toppings were the pink and orange bubbles pictured below--Strawberry and Mango poppers.  I loved popping them in my mouth.  What a fun texture and flavor combo with the yogurt.

I chose coconut, pineapple guava tart, and acai yogurts and then loaded up on toppings--fresh blackberries, strawberries, mangoes, pineapple, shredded coconut, lychees, mango and strawberry poppers.  It was so refreshing and I can't wait to go back again. 

Yogurtland is based out of California and has over 135 locations in four countries.  Each location is a franchise.  They offer the best prices at $0.33/oz. at ours in Orem.  Other locations range from $0.30-0.39/oz., which is less expensive than the other yogurt places.  They make their own yogurt from all-natural ingredients.  That's pretty awesome.  We all know the benefits of eating yogurt.

You can see more pictures in my Flickr stream.  If you want to keep up-to-date on the latest from Yogurtland in Orem, be sure to follow them on Twitter @YogurtlandOrem.

Are you a Utah blogger?  If you'd like to join the group, click here and request to be added.

Disclosure:  Yogurtland hosted this month's meetup and kindly let us have our pick and choose of yogurt and all the toppings we could handle.  My opinions are my own.

What Sparks My Creativity?

Follow me over to the Spark No. 3 Blog to find out. You won't be sorry.

Fritzy Boy.

This is my little guy, Fritz, last year when he turned 4.  What do you think of the fabulous cake?  (Please note sarcasm.  My vision was not realized.)

Today he turns 5.  It's been a long, productive year for him.  He attended a special ed/speech preschool and finally started talking.  It was a blessing for him (and us) to have his amazing teachers who loved him and wanted him to succeed.

A sweeter boy never walked the earth.  He is a darling, sweet, happy little boy that brings joy into each day.

We're taking him out for lunch to his favorite hamburger joint--the BYU Creamery and to the BYU Bookstore to pick out a little bag of his favorite candy.  And then on to Blickenstaff's to pick out a new train.  If he's really lucky, his mom will get her act together and make him a real cake this afternoon.  He's requested a Green Apple Cake.  I'm still trying to understand exactly what he means--I'm pretty sure it's not an apple spice cake like his dad and I would love.  It probably has more to do with color than anything.  Last year, as I'm sure you noticed, the cake was also green.

Happy Birthday to my darling son.  I'm so thankful God gave him to me 5 years ago.  All 9 lbs. 5 oz. of him.  I've been enamored ever since.

The Green Class at Jacob's Cove.

Jen asked me to fill in for Melissa for this month's cooking class at Jacob's Cove Heritage Farm in Orem. We'd love to see you there.  It's all about greens and we can't wait to show you new delicious ways to eat them.

image via Jen Johnson, Copyright 2011

The Green Class

June 18, 2011 :: 11:30a.m. to 1:30p.m.

classes held at Jacob's Cove Farm

price: $25

the menu:

traditional pesto

malfatti (ricotta and swiss chard dumplings) with a cherry tomato sauce

coconut and kale ice cream

pistachio and white chocolate bark

REGISTER HERE.

 (take note: the menu on the registration page is not updated)

Double Magnum Bars.

Indulge me for a moment as I reminisce about, well, indulging.

The summer after high school graduation, I traveled to Italy for three weeks. It was a whirlwind tour that took in a dozen cities. Before I left on my trip, my AP Art History teacher and leader of this expedition, would casually joke about stopping every few minutes between cathedrals and museums to eat gelato and Double Magnums.

I had no idea what a Double Magnum bar was.  But I sure remember my first bar.  Um, have you ever had one? I bet if you have, you've eaten a dozen. Because you cannot eat just one. They are addictive.  And they are all the rage in Europe when it comes to ice cream cloaked in rich Belgian chocolate on a stick.

I saw some chatter a few weeks ago on Twitter about Magnum ice cream bars coming to the U.S. Just the thought of them took me back 12 years to the 10 lbs. I gained while walking all day long for three weeks around Italy. You do the math. :)

The next time I went shopping, I kept my eye out for them. I didn't tell my husband, but I had a set amount of money to buy groceries for the week and I made sure I left enough to buy a box and brought it home as surprise. He was underwhelmed with the idea of buying ice cream bars when I made such delicious homemade ice cream.

The first bite was actually mine.  It's just a matter of time before his skeptics were squashed.

But after one bite, he was completely smitten as was my oldest daughter.

We had a little bonding moment while we passed the bar around and took turns taking bites. Some bites were bigger than others. (Mine.)

If you're shopping at Target, Walmart, or Walgreens check the frozen novelties section and snag a box.  According to the store locator on the Magnum website, I should also be checking some of my local grocery stores too.  I don't know if this a good or bad thing.  Both probably.

The caramel hadn't softened yet, so forgive the picture.  But you get the idea--creamy caramel sandwiched between layers of delicious chocolate.  Oh, man.

 The Double Caramel Magnum bars are my favorite because I simply love the layer of caramel between the chocolate, but they come in other flavors too--Double Chocolate, Classic, Almond, White Chocolate, and Dark Chocolate.  You can follow Magnum Ice Cream on Twitter and "Like" them on FB and profess your undying love.

 

 

Summer is here at last.  Now get a box.  Or three.

M+T: Passion Fruit Curd Bars.

I'm over at Make and Takes today and I'm pretty sure you want to follow me over there. :)

Can I tempt you with a little taste?