A Divergence From All Things Food

I don't usually write about anything else on this blog besides my ventures in the kitchen and experiences at restaurants. However, tonight I felt compelled to share some of the inner workings of my mind and heart.

Some of you may be wondering how I have so much free time to cook and bake and try out all these recipes. I wish all my time to cook and grocery shop was due to the fact that I am able to make a living experimenting and creating recipes. Unfortunately, I have so much free time because I am in between jobs right now and in the process taking a deeper look inside to understand what it is I truly want out of my life.

I was watching The Dead Poets Society the other night, ( a fabulous movie that is well worth watching if you haven't seen it already), and I was reminded that in order to be happy in life and feel enriched and full, we must do what makes our hearts fill with so much happiness that they feel like they could burst and fill a dark room with beams of light and joy.  I was also struck by the quote from Henry David Thoreau:

"I went into the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life... to put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

I know that I have heard this piece of literature many times throughout my life, but it wasn't until tonight that the full meaning truly sunk into my body and soul, all the way down to my bones. And do you know why it all suddenly made sense? Because I was doing something that made me so happy and joyful that for 2 full hours I forgot all about my fears, insecurities, worries and anxiety and I was able to let go and just be me. This was possible because as a member of  the F.R.O.G.S. (the Federation for the Renewal Of Group Singing) I was supported and surrounded by a community of genuine, free spirited, loving and giving people who were all there to join our voices in harmony and build a home of music, friendship, acceptance and freedom. And not just freedom from our jobs and duties of every day life and not just freedom from  our normal routine. We found freedom from the fears that strap our feet to the earth, making us afraid to take that first step towards the pursuance of something that even though may be terrifying, in the end turns out to be just what we needed. We found freedom from the fear of experiencing a piece of your life that others may gaze upon with doubt. We found the freedom to be human, to embrace the drumming of our hearts and souls, and to embrace the innate sense of music and community. 

I realize that not everyone thinks of themselves as musically inclined or maybe even passionate about music. But I bet anyone reading this can think of at least one song that triggers a memory or stirs up some kind of emotion inside of you.  Wether it be the memory of your first kiss, or the nostalgic feeling of your childhood or college days, or the memory of  a lost loved one, music is truly inside of us all. It makes us laugh, makes up weep, makes us remember, makes us feel and helps us communicate. 

As a member of the F.R.O.G.S., I am blessed to be surrounded by a group of people who find happiness and joy in singing, in making music, in just being human and absorbing every harmony and melody and note that we sing. And tonight was extra special for me, as I truly entered a trance while singing. We were divided into small groups that each sang a certain melody or harmony and we were all echoing each other. For several minutes I closed my eyes and had such a clear picture in my mind of a sunny meadow filled with bursts of wild flowers and a soothing stream that captured the glistening sunlight. I was so in tune with my body and my vocal piece as well as all the parts being sung around me, I didn't even have to think about what I was doing. The  notes simply flowed from my mouth and became one with music. I have never experienced anything in that realm, but it was beautiful and reassuring and so so peaceful. 

 I walked away, well it was probably more like skipped, (what can I say, I truly was that happy and filled with joy) from my class tonight knowing that my life will never be complete unless I am involved in music. Wether that be partaking in more group singing classes,  playing my piano or my flute or maybe even joining a community band, I know that music is what brings me joy and fills my heart and body and soul with something I can't quite explain. Music is what enables me to "suck out all the marrow of life, " and I fully intend to embrace music and movement and the gift that is song everyday of my life. 

A Mexican Twist

Spicy spanish rice folded among the nutty flavor of garbanzo beans, baked tortilla chips dipped in the savory, sweet and salty veggie delight that is salsa, the cooling, crunch of cucumber, can you taste it yet? 

I was really craving Mexican food last night so I decided to give it a go! I didn't have a good cheese alternative, so I omitted the typical taco loaded with cheese, lettuce, salsa, and other ingredients for a lighter meal of spanish rice with beans, some home baked tortilla chips and a side of cucumber to cool the  meal down.  

Here are my ingredients: 

• 1 box of Near East Rice Pilaf Spanish Rice mix
• 1 jar of salsa ( I like Drew's mild salsa)
• Gluten free corn tortillas
• 1 can of garbanzo beans
• 1 slicing cucumber

The cooking went like this: 

1. Cook the rice according to box directions. 

2. While the rice is cooking, peel and slice the cucumber placing them in a side dish. 

3. Strain and rinse the garbanzo beans and add them to the rice during the last 8 minutes of cooking time, keeping the heat on low. 

4. Stack the tortillas together, ( I used 3 of them) and cut them into triangles. Set the oven to 325. Evenly spread the tortilla triangles out on the cookie sheet and bake for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until they reach your desired crunchiness. 

5. Place the amount of salsa you would like into small side dish. 

6. Serve and enjoy! 

This was a filling, pleasing and very flavorful meal and a great alternative to the usual tacos and Mexican fare. I have lots of rice leftover and plan to enjoy this  meal again. 

Warming Up With A Mug of Vegan Hot "Chocolate"

Mmmmm..hot chocolate, a steaming mug of this rich, sweet and comforting drink is sure to warm the body and soul of anyone on a chilly winter's day. Unless of course you are allergic to chocolate, or like me you can't tolerate chocolate due to the caffeine. Or perhaps you choose to abstain from caffeine, which unfortunately chocolate is full of. So, what's a good substitute for chocolate? The answer is carob. 

Due to a congenital heart defect, I have never been able to eat chocolate without feeling jittery and on fire with an elevated heart rate and an inability to sleep at night. Therefore, I decided to finally try carob because it is completely caffeine free!

Carob powder is made from the ground and roasted pods of the carob tree. The carob tree is a Mediterranean evergreen and I have read that it has been around for about 4000 years now. 

After walking my family's dogs this afternoon in a chilly wind and a slight spitting of snow, I decided it would be a good day to make a cup of vegan hot "chocolate" using carob powder. 

Here are my ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups of Silk original soymilk
• 1 tbsp carob powder
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. Combine all 4 ingredients in a small sauce pan. Mix well, removing all lumps. Heat the liquid slowly until it comes to a rolling boil. 

2. Pour into a happy mug, sip, sit back, relax and enjoy. 

I was really impressed with the carob powder and recommend this to anyone looking for a chocolate substitute! My hot "chocolate" had a rich flavor and smooth texture and it reenergized my body and soul after some brisk walking. I hope you all can give carob a chance!

Shrimpy Pasta

As many of you know, one of my favorite dishes to dine upon in Bozeman is the Pedro's Pasta from Montana Ale Works. This is a pasta dish consisting of gluten free penne, grilled chicken, goat cheese, tomatoes, basil and pine nuts. Having moved back to Missoula now, I was beginning to miss this delicious and filling meal. Therefore, I took it upon myself to recreate it. And I must say, it was quite a success.

Instead of chicken I used shrimp and to replace the very expensive pine nuts (almost $30 a pound!) I bought some dry roasted soy nuts. Which, I must say, were just as good, maybe better than the pine nuts. The soy nuts stayed crunchy and added a hearty and robust flavor to the meal.

Here are my ingredients:

•  Olive oil 
• 1 medium sized organic Roma tomato
• fresh, organic basil (use as much or as little as you like, I love basil so I used many leaves)
• gluten free penne pasta (I used Tinkyada Brown Rice Penne; it has a good texture and the consistency holds up even with all the other ingredients added)
• Dry roasted, no salt added soy nuts
• Goat Cheese ( I always use Almatheia, as it is local cheese from Belgrade, MT)
• Frozen, cooked shrimp 

And the preparation went as so: 

1. Bring the water for the pasta to a boil, I always add olive oil in order to keep the pasta from sticking together

2. While the water is boiling, chop the tomato, remove the basil leaves from the stem and tear them into smaller pieces. The tomato and basil can now be added to a pan with some olive oil. Turn the temperature on a low setting so you can slowly saute. 

3. Place the pasta in the boiling water, keeping the temperature at medium high. You will need to stir frequently to keep the pasta from sticking. Again, this is mostly because this gluten free brown rice pasta has a tendency to get gummy if not separated while it cooks. 

4. Give the tomato and basil a stir. If you find the basil has cooked down too much, add more!

5. Place the amount of shrimp you would like to use in a bowl with cold water. Let them sit for about 5 minutes. Once they have thawed remove the tails. 

 6. Add the thawed shrimp, (tails removed!) to the pan with the tomato and basil. Saute for 7 to 10 minutes on a medium temperature or until the shrimp is cooked through. At this point, I added more basil as the first batch had cooked down quite a lot.

7. Strain and rinse the pasta with cold water, then place it back in the pot off the heat.

8. By this time the shrimp, tomato and basil should be done cooking.

9. Place the pasta in a pasta dish and drizzle olive oil over the top. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp, tomato and basil to the pasta. Top with soy nuts and goat cheese,begin to savor the warming aromas and rich flavors of your meal!

*Note, I did have to reheat the meal in the microwave for a few minutes as the pasta had gone cold and I spent a lot of time trying to get a perfect snap shot of the completed product. It might be helpful to keep the pasta on a very low heat with some olive oil mixed in while you are finishing sauteing the shrimp, basil and pasta.

Can you smell the earthy basil? Can you taste the tart tomatoes? Can you hear the oil sizzling in the pan while you saute? 

This meal was exceptional and it gives me confidence to keep trying new recipes and adventures in the kitchen. It is very satisfying to prepare a meal that tastes wonderful as well as nourishes and satisfies. Shrimpy Pasta is going to be an added bonus to my recipe book. 

Bon Appetit!