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Instant Pot Detox Mashed Fauxtatoes

January 18, 2019
January 18, 2019
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I’m so excited about these mashed fauxtatoes! The CSA box delivered Jerusalem artichokes (also known as sunchokes) and a cauliflower that was wasting away without purpose finally found a home. The result? MAGIC.

Winter’s sunchokes and cauliflower pair together for a subtlety sweet, satisfying replacement for mashed potatoes…PERFECT for when winter has you craving all the carbs.

Sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes) are a root vegetable, similar to yams, sweet potatoes and carrots. At first glance, they look a lot like ginger, as they are much smaller than most root veggies and knobby, just like ginger is. Sunchokes are filled with a special fiber called inulin which feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut (like Lactobacillus species) and contributes to production of short chain fatty acids like butyrate, which also improve the quality and integrity of the gut walls while also providing food for the cells that line the intestinal wall. Increasing your prebiotics can even help you absorb more minerals from the food you eat by supporting a healthy bacterial milieu.  Did you know that the gut is the second most prolific detox organ?? By supporting gut health,  your liver has an easier go of it.
Speaking of detoxification, cauliflower is one of the wonder foods in this area. Like its other cruciferous cousins, it’s rich in sulfurophane which helps the body render toxins like xenoestrogens and BPA harmless enough to leave the body and also breaks down bile acids and some hormones and neurotransmitters.

This excellent side dish supports gut and liver health and is a great addition to any winter detox or post-holiday cleansing diet. I added a little ghee for richness, but olive oil, coconut oil, or flax oil could be incorporated here if you prefer.

Ingredients

1 pound sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes)
1 small head cauliflower
1 cup water
1 steamer basket
sea salt and pepper, to taste
(optional: 1-2 tbsp. ghee, butter, or non-dairy substitute)

Directions:

  1. Scrub sunchokes with a stiff brush under water to remove any soil. Leave the skins on, as they contain fiber and beneficial antioxidants.
    Cut the cauliflower into large chunks.
  2. Pour water into the bottom of the instant pot. Add the steamer basket and then layer the sunchokes in the basket. Add the cauliflower on top.
  3. Turn on the Instant Pot and set to Manual for 8 minutes. Let the InstantPot release pressure naturally.
  4. Remove sunchokes and cauliflower and place in a Vitamix or food processor. Pulse on low to mix, adding hot water if needed to thin the mix. If using butter (or a substitute) add it here, as the solid fat will melt quickly and incorporate into the fautatoes well. Add salt and pepper and pulse once more, then remove and pour into a bowl.

No Instant pot?

Steam sunchokes on the stove for about 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets and continue steaming until cauliflower is very tender. Proceed with Step 4.

Serves 4-6.

 

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Resources:

Abrams S. Griffin I. Abstract number 821:Calcium absorption is increased in adolescent girls receiving enriched inulin. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2000; 31: s210.

De Preter, V., Joossens, M., Ballet, V., Shkedy, Z., Rutgeerts, P., Vermeire, S., & Verbeke, K. (2013). Metabolic profiling of the impact of oligofructose-enriched inulin in Crohn’s disease patients: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Clinical and translational gastroenterology, 4(1), e30.

Van den Heuvel EG; et al.: Nondigestible oligosaccharides do not interfere with calcium and nonheme-iron absorption in young, healthy men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1998 Mar, 67:3, 445-51.

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Lacto-fermented Chard Stems

January 9, 2019
January 9, 2019

I really must thank my friend and colleague, Abra Pappa of Abra’s Kitchen for the idea of pickling chard stems. This recipe is inspired by her, and modified by my desire for fun flavors in my pickled veg.

Save your chard stems and give this a try – given that 2 large bunches of collards cooks down to about 6 cups of greens, this can be a great use for leftover stems after Sunday batch cooking.

  • 16 oz. canning jar, leftover pickle jar or fermentation vessel
  • Stems from 2 bunches of Chard
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 tsp peppercorns
  • 1-2 shakes of red pepper flakes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 grape leaf (optional – the tannins in the grape leaf keep the stems crunchy)
  • 4 cups water
  • 3 tbsp. sea salt
  1. Trim off the tips of the stems and cut stems 3-5 inches long, so that they can be stacked in the jar yet are short enough to be covered with the brine.
  2. Crush the garlic to allow the juices to ooze out. Place peppercorns, bay leaf, and red pepper in the jar. Stack chard stems upright into the jar and then wedge the garlic in between the stems. If using a grape leaf, lay it atop the chard.
    Fill the jar with brine until the chard and grape leaf are fully submerged.
  3. Leftover brine can be stored in the fridge for 7-10 days – if you are unable to use it to pickle another vegetable (radish, cabbage, carrots, green beans) incorporate it into a brine for chicken or pork.
  4. Close the jar tightly, and set aside on a plate in a cool, dark place to ferment for 5-9 days. If you are using a canning or pickle jar, you’ll need to check on it daily to release mounting pressure as it ferments. Top off the jar with brine, if needed.
  5. When ready, these can be stored in the fridge for up to a year. Top them off with brine before storing to ensure freshness.

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Ginger Persimmon Scones (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

December 31, 2018
December 31, 2018

I grew up in Alaska and moved to the PNW for college, so I never knew persimmons until I moved to Southern California. These peculiar pudding-type fruits were a mystery to me – when they were ripe they were amazing, but catch them a day too early and the astringency would have you spitting them out in the trash can!

The persimmons of California are not really reproducible up north, but I was lucky enough to receive some Fuyu persimmons in my CSA. I let them sit on the counter for a couple weeks to ensure they’d be fully ripe, while exploring what to do with them. Historically, I’d have made a persimmon gorgonzola fettucine with them, but I’m pulling way back on dairy per my body’s request, so I wanted something dairy-free.

Scones? How about some scones?
The holidays are definitely a time to cozy up to a mug of tea or coffee and a hearty scone, so I did a little digging and created this recipe, inspired by a persimmon almond scone recipe I found here. By adding ginger, I feel the original recipe was given a nice, seasonal bit of spice that complemented the persimmon, rather than dominated the flavor profile.

I hope you enjoy this scone recipe as much as we have!

Ginger Persimmon Scones (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Vegan)

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 1 /2 cups gluten-free flour
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • ¼ cup sucanat or coconut sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil, cold
  • ¾ cup coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Fuyu persimmons, peeled and chopped (about 2)
  • ⅓ cup crystalized ginger, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (or sucanat/coconut sugar)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl combine the gluten-free flour, almond flour, sweetener of choice, cardamom, ground ginger, baking powder, and salt and stir to combine.
  3. Cut the coconut oil into the bowl and with a pastry cutter or your fingers. Work the coconut oil into the dry ingredients until evenly distributed and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  4. Add the persimmon, ginger, coconut milk, and vanilla extract and stir until just to combine, being mindful not to overwork the dough. Dust the parchment with a little flour and turn the dough out onto the baking sheet. Gently form the dough into a circle about 1-inch thick and flatten the top. Using a dough scraper or sharp knife cut the dough into eight equal triangles, separating the slices about 1-inch apart to decrease overall cooking time. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the top of the scones. Bake the scones for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove the scones from the oven and immediately slide the parchment onto a cooling rack.

Like all scones, these are best the first day but will freeze well. If frozen, re-heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds. For even better texture thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat them in the oven at 350 for 7-8 minutes.

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