the double life of a hot toddy {a cold spell}

Posted on March 2, 2012 by key & bones

I don’t know about you, but I have a winter cold that’s taken hold. I’m not much for anti-histamines or cough suppressants ’cause I like to let the body do it’s healing thing, but I hate it when a runny nose or cough keeps me from falling asleep.

Rest is key to recovery and there is one old-fashioned medicine I love to take: a hot toddy.

Any bartender knows the drink, but I do think it’s fallen out of fashion with the general public. When I mention a hot toddy, usually people know the phrase but not the recipe. So here goes:

1 shot of whiskey
A mug of hot water
1 tsp honey
1 wedge of lemon

Heat up the water for warmth and some semblance of hydration, pour in the whiskey to relax you to sleep, stir in the honey to coat a sore throat, squeeze the lemon for taste and a little vitamin c.

I like to have mine shortly before bed. Don’t have more than 2 or you’ll do more harm than good. Take extra time to rest and I promise, you’ll practically look forward to next year’s winter cold.

{ ginger carrot soup }

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Suzanne Lindgren

Fall has arrived, bringing with it root vegetables and hearty appetites (at least for me). One of my healthiest, insanely tastiest indulgences this time of year is ginger carrot soup. It’s amazing. Ginger’s pro-digestive, anti-inflammatory enzymes team up with carrot’s sight-enhancing, cancer-preventing vitamins. This means that every cell in your body will be as happy as your taste buds. Perhaps luckiest of all, this delicious dish is inexpensive and easy to make.

I first tried the recipe while reading Eight Weeks to Optimum Health (yup, Andrew Weil) almost ten years ago, and I haven’t given it up since. My boyfriend at the time jokingly referred to Dr. Weil as “Jesus” and said I regarded this book as if it were the Bible. Jokes aside, I do love this soup and have been spreading the good news to anyone who will put a spoonful in their mouth. Most people love it as much as I do.

Over the years, I’ve played around with the recipe a little. Below you’ll find my version, but you can read the original recipe here.

What you need:

5-6 cups soup stock (homemade is best, but bouillon will do)
3-4 cups carrots— chopped
1 medium potato or yam — chopped, I don’t peel them.
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion — diced
2 T ginger — grated or finely chopped
2-5 cloves garlic — optional, to taste (can be a substitute for onion)
salt — to taste
blender or food processor

What to do:

Start your stock heating.
Wash and chop carrots and potato. Put them in the stock and bring to boil. Turn down to simmer until tender, 30-45 minutes.
While that’s cooking, chop your onion and ginger. If you’re going to add garlic, chop that too. Sautee over medium (or lower) heat just until onions are translucent.
When the carrots and potato are soft. add sauteed onions and ginger. Bring to a boil again, then turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Blend (with a blender or food processor) until smooth.
Add salt to taste.
If you can, garnish with a green herb — basil, rosemary or cilantro are all good (basil pesto is pictured).
Enjoy!

Fresh Summer Salad

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Suzanne Lindgren

Sometimes it’s just too hot to cook. Here’s a delicious salad for a light, summer lunch or a side when you’re grilling out.

What you need:

1 cabbage, play around with colors
1 onion, ditto on the colors
1T apple cider vinegar
1 pinch of honey if you like
2T olive oil … live a little
sea salt or dried sea vegetables (like wakame) or both if you like
sesame seeds — black seeds, ground in a coffee grinder work well. NAUGHTY but GOOD.
optional: seasonal vegetables or fruit. Rhubarb or whatever is in your CSA box.

What to do:

Chop, mix, stir and enjoy!

{how to make} Sumac Tea

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Suzanne Lindgren

Sumac has something of a dangerous reputation. Turns out, the red berries are just fine for making a tart tea or wild juice. It’s high in vitamin C, so drink up. Just don’t make this with white sumac berries — that’s where the bad rap comes from and trust me, it’s easy enough to tell the difference.

What you need:

6 or so clusters of wild red sumac berries
pitcher or other container
water
thin cloth or coffee filter
optional: maple syrup, honey or sugar

What to do:

Put your berry clusters into the container and cover with cold water.
Crush the berries up a bit.
Let sit until the flavor is right for you (20 minutes to a couple of hours).
Strain.
Add sweetener if you like.
Enjoy!

Thank You Cookies

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Suzanne Lindgren

Sometimes a thank you note just isn’t enough.

I recently had the privilege of playing house guest to an extraordinarily generous family. Though there is really no way I could repay them for a week of delicious food, spectacular shelter and effort spent showing me around their lovely corner of the world, I knew I had to do something. A thank you that could travel from the northern reaches to the southern beaches and keep a little personality intact … hmmm. In a land devoid of carrier pigeons and messenger owls, where could such a thing be found?

Enter Thank You Cookies.Travel by mail? Check. Say thanks? Check. Have a sweet disposition and a little flair? Check. I was ready to get started.

What you need:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour, plus a little for dusting — I like whole wheat pastry flour, but you can use all purpose. For a gluten free recipient, substitute 1/3 cup cornstarch (or potato starch) and 1 2/3 cups rice flour. You might want to discreetly double check and make sure these items are ok, since gluten intolerance might be paired with other sensitivities.
1/2 teaspoon salt
Jam! Your choice on the flavor — strawberry, raspberry, rhubarb or apple butter would all be tasty.

What to do:

Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add flour and salt, stirring just until thoroughly mixed. Cover and refrigerate 2-10 hours.
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick.
Cut out with a cookie cutter (or jar lid or upside-down glass), and transfer to a greased, floured baking sheet. Aim for 20 cookies (in case of mistakes). Place in the freezer to harden for 30 minutes.
Cut out letter shapes from half the cookies and return to freezer for another 15 minutes.
Bake at 325 degrees until cookies begin to brown around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes.
Spread about 1 teaspoon jam on whole cookies and place cut-out cookies on top.
Pack tightly and send as soon as possible.

Now with a thank you note and a trip to the post office, my mission will be complete. Thanks for tuning in!

{Extra dough? No worries. Make birds’ nests — easy even with crumbly dough}

Bread & Chocolate

Posted on April 9, 2011 by key & bones

You don’t always have to save the best for last. This tasty treat can work as lunch and dessert in one! And relax, dark chocolate is good for you (in moderation, of course). Here’s how: In a toaster oven, lightly toast the bread with dark chocolate on top. Then, taste the meaning of sublime. Pictured with walnuts and sliced apple with dulse (sea vegetable) and freshly ground black pepper.

Basil & Tofu Grilled Cheese

Posted on March 31, 2011 by Suzanne Lindgren

This sammy isn’t too complicated, but it’s pretty dang amazing in all its pesto glory. If tofu ain’t yo’ thang, leave it out — this basily beast will still knock your socks off.

Things you need:

bread (your choice, seen here on pumpernickel)
fresh basil (5-10 leaves per sandwich)
cheese: havarti, provolone or mozzarella will all work well
garlic, chopped fine
tofu. We used the pre-baked stuff, but if you’re feeling ambitious you could press, marinate and cook your own. Tomato would also make a great substitute.
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

What to do:

Rub the garlic on the to-be-insides of the bread.
Stack with basil, cheese, tofu/tomato and place bread on top.
Brush butter or olive oil on outsides of bread
Grill in a pan on medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side. You want the cheese to melt, the outsides to brown and crisp slightly, and the center to get nice and warm.
Enjoy! This sammy plays well with others. Pictured above with curried sesame penne salad and yam fries.

Curried Sesame Penne Salad {with chicken &or tempeh}

Posted on March 30, 2011 by key & bones

I’m always scrambling at the last minute to find something to bring to a barbecue or potluck. No longer! With all the pieces of chicken I have after making bone broth, I can whip up a delicious concoction for food-sharing events, from grill nights to picnics. Veggies, vegans or those not trying to use up chicken scraps: this is great with tempeh!

Things you need:

a bag of penne pasta
1-3 cups chicken &or tempeh. Use as much as you have on hand or are tying to use up.
¼ cup sesame oil.
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped finely (adjust to taste).
2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste).
1 tablespoon curry powder or a mix of cumin, tumeric, ginger (freshly grated or powder), cayenne and coriander.
½ – ¾ cup dried fruit. Use what you have on hand. Cranberries, raisins or chopped apricots work well.
¾ cup of a green plant. Basil (coarsely chopped) or blanched broccoli or kale work well.

What to do:

Is your chicken already cooked? If not, cook it.
Boil the pasta (according to directions). Drain and rinse with cool water.
Combine everything.
Stir.
Taste.
Add more of any ingredient to taste. (usually oil, salt or spices).
Enjoy!

{on the run} Raw Waldorf Salad

Posted on March 17, 2011 by key & bones

This is a tasty lunch for spring, whether or not you’re living like Jesse James (on the run … get it?). It’s raw, for enthusiasts of the uncooked. It’s vegan, for those who lean that way (and because it was never really a good idea to pair apples and mayonnaise). It’s balanced, with protein, complex carbs and fiber. Thanks to my inspiring yogi sister, Lori Lindgren-Voit, for the recipe!

What you need:

chopped up apple
a few stalks of celery, chopped
raw almond butter
chili-garlic sauce (or other hot sauce of your choosing)
optional: ground flax seed, apple cider vinegar, dried fruit (small or cut into pieces)

Mix it all up.

Taste it. Add more of what you need.

Enjoy!

{how to make} Kimchi

Posted on March 11, 2011 by key & bones

In case you couldn’t tell by the picture on the right, kimchi is amazing. If you’ve never had it, imagine spicy pickles made of all different kinds of vegetables … crazy ‘kraut.

Besides being fun to eat, it’s rich in vitamins, thanks to the veggies, and good bacteria, thanks to fermentation!

It’s also really expensive to buy in the store. So if you’re a little addicted you might as well make it yourself.

Recently, my sister made a batch based on the recipe in Wild Fermentation, by Sandor Ellix Katz. This is an excellent and empowering book. Katz encourages readers to experiment fearlessly.

In many cases, kimchi is the primary vegetable used. We used beets and other roots (in season during winter) but I fully intend on making a cabbage version soon.

Kimchi!

1. Mix a brine of about 4 cups water and 3 tablespoons salt.

2. Slice cabbage, carrots and other veggies. Roots should be cut as thinly as possible (unless you like your kimchi al dente).

3. Soak veggies in the brine. You can use a plate or other weight to keep the vegetables submerged until soft, a few hours or overnight.

3. Spice it up! Grate the ginger; chop the garlic and onion; remove seeds from the chilies and chop, crush or throw in whole. Mix spices into a paste, adding grated horseradish.

5. Mix spices with veggies and jam it into a crock pot (thanks, Mom!). Vegetables should be completely submerged in brine. Once a day, press vegetables back under the brine. Cover the jar to keep out spores and critters .

6. Ferment in your kitchen. You can taste it every day and it should be ready in about a week.

7. When ready, pack into jars and store in the refrigerator.

8. Great to bring to a last minute pot-luck or use in sushi!

Here are more reflections and another great recipe: “Ultimate Kimchi” from TreeLight.

key & bones

think. make. grow.

Tag Archives: cooking

the double life of a hot toddy {a cold spell}

{ ginger carrot soup }

Fresh Summer Salad

{how to make} Sumac Tea

Thank You Cookies

Bread & Chocolate

Basil & Tofu Grilled Cheese

Curried Sesame Penne Salad {with chicken &or tempeh}

{on the run} Raw Waldorf Salad

{how to make} Kimchi