CAULIFLOWER

CAULIFLOWER-Sicilian Style
1 medium head of cauliflower, trimmed, cut into small florets (about 3 cups)
2T olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2c thinly sliced celery
1/2c red onion, diced
about 2-3T raisins
2T salted capers
2-5 oil-packed anchovies, torn into pieces (optional)
2T olive oil
zest & juice from one organic, juicy lemon

1/2c flat leaf parsley, chopped
small handful of mint torn into pieces


Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast until edges are dark and caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice.
While cauliflower is roasting, combine the celery, onion, raisins, anchovies and capers in a medium bowl. Add the roasted cauliflower and dress with olive oil, lemon juice and zest and toss together with the herbs. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

RAW VARIATION
To revise for a raw variation. Siply cut the cauliflower into florets and roughly chop or pulse in a food process to desired consistency.  Season with a drizzle of olive oil and a few pinches of Himalayan salt and mix well.  Let stand for about 15-30 minutes, then combine with the remaining ingredients.  Taste and adjust seasoning to your palate.

Three Savory Condiments

When we have the chance to get out of NYC in the summer we often go to our friend Howard’s house in the Springs. The central theme of these weekends is relaxation, food and wine of course. Having spent many weekends over the years being excited by the process of creating meals either based around a particular ingredient or wine, there have also been a fair share of moments when I felt more tethered to the kitchen dreaming up and executing elaborate meals, rather than the relaxation of the sun and the pool. Last summer I finally embraced the essence of this place and the fact that, in this environment, simple is best. So whether our menus involve a vegetable salad of beets, carrots and radishes or tuna tartare or grilled lamb, these simply prepared meals are enhanced, sometimes even transformed by one of the basic condiments I have taken to preparing and having on hand:

Herb Pesto
Aioli
Romesco

Tuna Tartare with Anchovy Aioli

Anchovy Aioli
2 cloves of garlic
2 large egg yolk from cage free chickens
generous pinch of Celtic sea salt
1 fillet of oil packed anchovy
1T lemon juice
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Pound garlic and anchovy with the Celtic salt in a mortar. Place in a clean bowl and whisk in the egg yolk and lemon juice. Begin to add the oil, a few drops at a time, to yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until all oil is incorporated and mixture is emulsified. Chill, covered, until ready to use.



Tuna Tartare
Serves 4
3/4 lb sushi quality tuna or yellow tail
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 T salt packed capers
2 T finely minced shallot
2 T finely chopped chives
1 T coarse ground mustard
juice of one lemon
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
Chop the tuna into very small dice, about 1/4 inch. Mix with the olive oil, capers, shallot, chives, and mustard. Squeeze lemon juice over the tuna and mix well to incorporate. Taste, then season with salt and pepper to your liking.

SPRING NOURISHMENT

Spring has arrived and with it the abundance of natural tonics for the season! Eating what grows in season is not just a statement about committing to local, more sustainable food choices or reducing your carbon footprint. It really is the simplest way to maintain harmony in your body by aligning it with the natural medicines the earth offers for each season.

Dandelion, chickweed and nettles are the greens of spring. They are also natural tonics that help our digestive and lymphatic systems after a long winter of more dense and,often, rich food. These wild greens, or edibles weeds, are packed with minerals and amino acids.

Nettles have long been prized for building bones and nourish the associated tissues hair, nails and teeth as well as the skin. Like nettles, chickweed is a common weed packed with nutrients, including calcium, iron and chlorophyll. The sweet and mild grassy taste of chickweed is a lovely and nutrient-dense addition to any spring salad. As a spring tonic chickweed stimulates the lymphatic system, which can often be sluggish after winter.

For me Dandelion greens , from the French, “dent de lion”, are central to spring salads. Dandelion is a “bitter” green and bitter foods are vital to tone and stimulate the digestive system. Dandelion is also considered a potent liver tonic. Just a few leaves each day contribute to making a smooth transition into springtime.

So celebrate SPRING by going out to gather some wild greens or visit your local farmers market where the farmers have gathered the spring jewels for you. Align to the youthful and potent energy of spring by eating what is offered from the Earth, in her native season.

SPRING TONIC SALAD
6-8 leaves of dandelion, torn
1handful of chickweed or tender chicory leaves
1 handful of watercress, chop larger stems
1 scallion, white part only, thinly sliced
2 cups of young spring greens
a few wild edible flowers, to brighten your spirit

FOR THE DRESSING
2T extra virgin olive oil or hemp seed and flax oil
1-2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice or raw cider vinegar
Pinch of Celtic or Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
Combine the salad greens in a large bowl.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together thoroughly in a small bowl and pour an amount to your taste over salad. Garnish with edible flowers.

JUICING ON THE ROAD

This week we are in Miami, offering the ever-growing RASA Life Cleanse to a whole new group of people. It's an exciting adventure and has certainly already had its moments that have required enterprise and facile response. The highlight being Sunday evening when I (intuitively) thought, "Let me test run the juicer". Well folks spirit was with me because at 10:30p.m. Sunday, on the eve of my largest group cleanse to date, I discovered that the juicer was defective!

Now I must take a moment to explain that most of the "juices", with the primary exception of the High Green, on the RASA Life Cleanse are actually blended in the ever trusty Vita Prep blender. Blending actually retains the nutrients for a longer period of time than traditional juicing (with the exception of juices made in a Norwalk press). Blending also retains some of the fiber content of the food and I find provides more sustained energy throughout the day. So as unsettling as this discovery was that evening, there was nothing left to do but respond and add our much loved High Green juice to the list of blended drinks!

The result? YUMMMM

Blended High Green- for 2
Please choose organic and when possible locally grown produce.

2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
4 hearty leaves of Laciento kale, torn
1 c celery, chopped
1/2 apple, sliced (I really like Gala apples. You could also use pears)
1/2 lemon, peeled
knob of ginger, peeled (you control the kick by how much you use!)

Place all ingredients in your blender, add about 2c filtered or spring water. Blend from low to high for about 30 seconds. You can either drink it as is like a smoothie or strain it for a soother texture.

This recipe is just a platform for endless taste sensations! You can also add watercress, sunflower greens, cilantro, parsley.....Use your imagination and enjoy!

PATIENCE & PRACTICE

Almonds, lentils, buckwheat, quinoa. Rinsing, soaking and sprouting. I am spending a lot more time these days sprouting nuts, seed, grains and the occasional legume. One of the most important parts of this process is rinsing. You can never really tell how long it is going to take for the water to turn from a cloudy hue to clear and sometimes it takes many more rinses than expected for the water to run clear. This is not so unlike asana or meditation practice, as, on any given day it can take longer for the mind to ease and come to reside in a more open and relaxed state. Often I find myself creating a potent brew of frustration because my personal(asana)practice is not as consistent as it once was. Yet when I am practicing and teaching I find myself being more grounded and clear than ever. Where does this come from?

Rinsing. Soaking. Sprouting. This, I am coming to understand, is my practice right now. Patience & Practice



Red Lentil Soup
1c red lentils, rinsed, soaked and drained.
1T ghee
1t cumin seed
1c onion
2T ginger, finely minced
1 green chili, seeded and finely minced
2t coriander
1/2t turmeric
1 -1 ½ qt water
1t sea salt
1-2 lime
2 Scallions, sliced for garnish
Cilantro, leaves for garnish

Heat ghee in a 3 quart pot. Add the cumin seeds, listen for the "pop" and wait for their fragrance to emerge. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Next, add the ginger and chilies, cooking them for and other minute or two so the flavors begin to mingle. Finally put the red lentils, coriander powder, turmeric and water in the pot. Bring to a gentle boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20-30 min. Let cool and blend some of the soup. Return the blended soup to the pot, add the sea salt and season with lime, cilantro and scallions.

TURNIP PICKLES

TURNIP PICKLES
Yields one quart
The ingredient measurements are approximant, and can be adjusted to your taste. I like to eat these with either raw or lightly steamed hearty winter greens and winter squash

1c unpasteurized cider vinegar
2c filtered water
2t coarse Celtic sea salt
2T Nama shoyu or tamari
2T raw honey
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
a few spring of thyme
1 bay leaf
1t each coriander and fennel seeds
1 red chili pepper, if desired
1 generous bunch Hakurei Turnips, unpeeled or 2-3 large pink turnips, cut into wedges (if using the pink turnips, I prefer to peel them)

Combine the water, cider vinegar, shoyu, honey and salt in a bowl, stirring to dissolve the salt. Add the spices, herbs, garlic and option chili pepper. Pack the turnips into a clean glass container and pour the cider mixture over them, to cover. Cover and let sit on the kitchen counter for 7-10 days. After about a week, they will be ready to eat and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months

AUTUMN-TAKING ROOT

This morning’s trip to the market was a bit rushed. I wandered out of the house quickly, only to find the air crisp and, almost too cool for a light, wool sweater. It’s truly autumn now. Although I was rushed, NYC style, to get to the market, once I arrived, my whole rhythm slowed and I was mesmerized by the autumn bounty that seemed to have appeared over night in the market. Brisk air can center the mind and sharpen the senses. This time of year the Union Square Market is teeming with all manner of dark leafy greens, turnips (regular, gold ball, Hakurei), many varieties of winter squash and enormous heads of cauliflower and cabbage beckon; can I just sit home and play with food all day? Oh wait, that’s kind of what’s been happening in my life! Somewhere between the height of the economic tsunami last fall and a fast forward to now, I find myself more and more in both my own kitchen and in the kitchen’s of various clients. This has presented it’s own unique set of circumstances and has been requiring me to recalibrate my perception of the scope of my work. I move and I teach movement; hatha yoga, Gyrotonic and Pilates every day, but more and more the “work” that comes my way is food/holistic nutrition based. It’s requiring that I build a new set of skills, not unlike approaching a new yoga pose or any new situation in life. It goes like this (but not in a linear fashion, more like a spiral): situation arises, pose/ option presented, new set of circumstances observed, toes touch water, writhe at the thought of going to next level, have success dreams and nightmares simultaneously, realize old patterns don’t encompass new requirements. Require lots of sleep & tears. Then suddenly one morning or late evening I wake up in the pose/fully embracing the shift. It takes time but if I stay responsive it happens.

So tonight after a day of preparing food for clients, I come home and realize that it really is a new era. I arrive home to find a sink full of dishes and in my bag a dinner waiting to be constructed. I come back to the feeling and experiences I have had around the practice of being present and the practice of gratitude and I turn to what is basic, grounding and nourishing: ancient wheat (faro), kale & wild mushrooms.
Both recipes can be prepared either raw or consciously cooked.


WILD MUSHROOM “STOCK”



FARRO (or SPROUTED BARLEY) WITH MUSHROOM STOCK AND HEARTY GREENS