hello lovelies! today i’m starting a new column called the forgotten ingredient. so often i find myself not only discovering new ingredients, but also discovering the health benefits to some more common ingredients that i just never knew about. are you with me? sound interesting? feel free to share you thoughts in the comment section, add any knowledge you may have or even suggest ingredients for future posts!

on today’s menu? turmeric.

{organic ground turmeric} (on etsy!)

wh foods describes turmeric as has having a peppery, warm and bitter flavor and a mild fragrance slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger. to me, turmeric has a very light and agreeable flavor, one that you might be surprised at given the intensity of it’s color. you’ll often find it in indian dishes and curries, as the ingredient that gives them that vibrant yellow color. turmeric has quite a long list of health benefits, among them are an immense amount of anti-cancer properties and anti-alzheimers preventers. in fact, over a billion people eat turmeric in india every day, and they have one of the lowest rates of alzheimers in the world!

turmeric and its active component, curcumin, are useful for treating indigestion, ulcerative colitis, stomach ulcers, osteoarthritis, atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, uveitis, and bacterial and viral infections. it is a natural liver detoxifier, anti-inflammatory agent, pain killer and may aid in helping fat metabolism. click through the following articles to find even more of turmeric’s benefits and read the details of each:

- university of maryland medical center on turmeric

- 20 health benefits of turmeric

- wh foods on turmeric

so the next question is, just how much should we be eating a day? the recommendation for adults are:

- cut root: 1.5 – 3 g per day
- dried, powdered root: 1 – 3 g per day
- standardized powder (curcumin): 400 – 600 mg, 3 times per day
- fluid extract (1:1) 30 – 90 drops a day
- tincture (1:2): 15 – 30 drops, 4 times per day

that’s roughly about 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric a day (anyone have some turmeric and a gram scale??)

so the next question might be, what do you do it with it?

- add it to curries, stir fries and any indian dishes
- toss it with vegetables before roasting
- make turmeric tea (and read about the benefits)
- add 1 tsp (or more) to rice, quinoa, bulgar or any rice-y dish
- add it to potato or egg salad
- add it to soups

any other ways in which you use turmeric? please share!

wrap up: {alzheimers} {cancer} {cooking} {forgotten ingredients} {health benefits} {spice} {turmeric}

hello lovelies! a few weeks ago i got a great question pop up in my inbox from ashley of gilded house. i thought you all might be interested in my answer, so i’m turning our inbox covo into a post for you all. let’s call it an inbox inquiry!
 

fork, spoon

ashley’s question:

“I love your blog and read it everyday so when I had questions in regards to simple, healthy eating I thought about you. I’m kind of ignorant when it comes to food…I can follow a recipe but I’m not creative in the kitchen. So, when it comes to healthy eating…I feel overwhelmed. Do you recommend any recipe books/blogs/websites that speak to easy, organic, healthy eating? I would appreciate any help with this!“

my answer:

hi ashley! thanks for the great question, i would love to share my go-to resources with you! here they are:

blogs:
the kitchenist: written by a lovely gal named ele, this blog has a fresh from the farmers market feel and one beautifully photographed recipe after another.
roost blog: another blog full of eye candy and delicious recipes, one you’re sure to love!
the pioneer woman: a truly extensive library of online recipes from ree drummond.
kath eats: kath logs everything she eats and several recipes. i use her meals as inspiration when i need a quick idea for a health dinner.

cookbooks:
simple vegetarian pleasures: with stained pages and doggie-eared corners, this is definitely my favorite cookbook. at first i was disappointed at the lack of pictures, but everything i’ve ever made from it has been absolutely amazing.
simply in season: with meals categorized by which veggies are in season, i find this the most helpful cookbook i own. it makes the task of buying and cooking seasonally a cinch!
everyday food: i also subscribe to martha stewart’s everyday food. i always find several new recipes to try every month, and also find most of them easy to adapt to a vegetarian diet.

xox, bonnie

so this is where you come in! do you have any advice? what are you favorite cookbooks, blogs and/or websites for easy, organic cooking? please share with us in the comment section!

wrap up: {cookbooks} {cooking} {eating} {healthy} {inbox inquiry} {reader questions} {recipes}

i’m going to step away from the handmade world, just for a moment. well, actually all these thing help me make things by hand to eat and drink, so that counts- right?

with gift giving season in full swing, i’ve been thinking about my favorite things a lot.  what things do i enjoy greatly, and who else might enjoy them as well?  well in my kitchen, there are four easy winners for my favorite gadgets. they are:

1. the cuisinart smart stick hand blender. it’s amazing. it makes life so much easier and so many dishes a complete cinch! during the summer, i used it to make fresh smoothies almost every day, as all you have to do is fill your glass with goodies and zap it with the blender.  this fall and winter i’ve been using it to puree soups, right in the pot. no need to pour the hot soup into a blender and back into the pot anymore!

2. coffee dispenser by metari. i’ve had this coffee canister/dispenser for years and it’s still one of my favorite gadgets. one squeeze of the handle = one scoop of coffee. making 6 cups of coffee? just give her 6 squeezes. no need to measure your the coffee ever again!

3. my bodum french press. we discovered the french press about a year and a half ago and have since given our regular coffee maker away. it makes the most rich and smooth coffee- never burnt or too strong. it even adds a little froth. :)

4. the prepara oil mister. everyone has to have this! you can forget the pam, as this refillable oil mister does the trick and never runs out (as long as you have olive oil on hand to refill). it’s BPA free and has no CFCs or volatile chemical propellants- you just pump and spray. it’s the perfect eco-alternative to disposable aerosol cans!

what are some of your absolute favorite things? will you be giving any of them for christmas this year?

wrap up: {blender} {coffee} {cooking} {favorite things} {french press} {gadgets} {gifts} {kitchen} {oil mister}

just a quick announcement to say that the going home to roost etsy shops are back in business {yeah}!  the boxes are all finally unpacked and after a few months hiatus, you can now visit the kitchen roost to see bunches and bunches of new aprons, including a brand new design that i’m really excited about- the new reversible half apron!

the home to roost shop is also back open with lots of love and new pillow designs. i think my favorite is the new bunting design. :)

thanks for letting me have a ‘show and tell’ moment! xox, bonnie

wrap up: {aprons} {cooking} {etsy} {handmade} {home to roost} {pillows} {the kitchen roost} {wool felt}

lucile is a french artist who has just opened her inspiring little space on etsy- lucile’s kitchen. she’s been drawing and painting since she was a small child, and now finds herself living in her kitchen.  can’t we all relate?  the kitchen is my favorite room in the whole house.  i find myself getting inspired there as well, and lucile translates all those inspirations onto paper.  how beautiful!

elsewhere :: {shop} {site} {blog}

wrap up: {art} {cooking} {food} {kitchen} {print} {watercolor}

la bonne femme is a place to find beautiful vintage and new supplies for crafts, gardening, cooking and more.  she says, “Bonne Femme literally means “good wife” or “good woman”, it encompasses the style of taking what you have on hand and making it spectacular, be it the perfect roast chicken, a new dress, a gift for someone special, or a pretty country French garden. Simple and Honest.“  what beautiful imagery to accompany this lovely shop!

elsewhere :: {shop1} {shop2} {blog}

wrap up: {cooking} {craft} {gardening} {sewing} {supplies} {vintage}

I’m pretty much a from scratch kind of girl, so breakfasts around here are almost always home made.  But when we got a puppy… well, I just don’t have much time anymore!  The morning routine that gave us some time to make pancakes or scones (at least on the weekend) has gone out the window and been replaced with one that shoves our meal to the side in favour of walks and kibble.  And that extra time for baking bread in the afternoon?  That’s disappeared too.  Thank goodness for granola!  One batch lasts us almost 2 weeks and it takes almost no time at all to make.  It would take even less time if my oven had more than one rack!

Feel free to play around with the ingredients, adding different nuts and seeds to suit your taste.  I love adding sesame seeds and pistachios, and hemp or flax are great, healthy additions.  And while this granola is great with milk, my favorite way to eat it is with yogurt and fresh berries.

Granola

8 cups rolled oats (not instant!)
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, either works)
1/4 cup butter
1 cup honey, agave, or maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups dried fruit

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a big bowl mix together the oats, nuts, seeds, and coconut.

In a small saucepan melt the butter with the honey.  Add the cinnamon and vanilla then pour over the oat mixture.  Mix well.  Spread out on 3 parchment lined baking sheets.

If you can fit them, put all of your sheets of granola in the oven at once.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Rotate trays back to front and swap racks if you’re baking more than one sheet at a time.  Bake for another 8 minutes.  Check the granola.  It should be golden brown and smell amazing!  I don’t like to stir it while it’s baking so that I get nice big clumps.  If it needs more time let it bake longer, but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.  Mine is normally done in 2o minutes but I have a 60 year old oven with only one oven rack!  Baking with more than one sheet at a time might take a bit longer.

Chelsea Rogers has been cooking and crafting… and not cleaning up for as long as she can remember.  When she’s not making a mess, you can find her on Pretty Lulu and An Abundance of Apricots.

wrap up: {baking} {cooking} {granola} {home} {recipe}

Asparagus

Early spring can be a little depressing when you’re grocery shopping.  By March and early April I’ve had enough of potatoes, kale, and cabbage.  All the apples I stored in the fall have been eaten, and the ones at the green grocer’s are about as appealing as a trip to the dentist!  So the first day I spot asparagus, it’s like Christmas, Easter, and Halloween all rolled into one!  I cram my basket with more than I can eat, dreaming of grilled asparagus tossed with olive oil and balsamic, a flaky tart crust with asparagus and goat cheese, asparagus ice cream (ok, had that once.  Not so good).

One of my favourite dishes on a warm spring day is homemade sushi, and what better inside than asparagus!  Making it at home is surprisingly easy, and the results are so tasty!  And while white sushi rice is good, I prefer to use either all brown rice or a mixture of brown and white rice and quinoa.  The quinoa adds a dose of protein to what can be a low protein meal, and even my husband, a quinoa hater, never notices it!

Sushi rice

1 cup white sushi rice

½ cup quinoa

1 cup short grain brown rice

Water

The white and brown rice take different lengths of time to cook so you’ll need a rice cooker and a small pot or 2 pots for cooking your different batches of rice.

In one pot or rice cooker combine the brown rice and 2 cups of water.  If you’re using a rice cooker, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on cooking the rice.  If you’re using a pot, bring the brown rice and water to a boil over high heat, keeping it covered.  Once it has come to a boil, keep the lid on the pot, reduce the heat to low and cook for 40 minutes.  After 40 minutes turn the heat off and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes.

In another pot (or rice cooker) combine the white rice, quinoa, and 1 ½ cups of water.  If you’re using a rice cooker, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on cooking the rice.  If you’re using a pot, bring the rice, quinoa,  and water to a boil over high heat, keeping it covered.  Once it has come to a boil, keep the lid on the pot, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes turn the heat off and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes.

When the 2 types of rice and the quinoa have finished resting, mix them together in one pot, stirring gently so you don’t mush the rice. Stir in:

3 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Spread the rice out on a cookie tray, cover it with a tea towel and let it cool to room temperature.Your browser may not support display of this image.

For the sushi:

Your rice/quinoa mixture

Nori sheets (seaweed sushi wrappers)

Assorted cooked or raw vegetables (my favourites are steamed asparagus, roasted red peppers, very finely julienned (or grated) carrots, daikon, and jicama, steamed sweet potato, cucumber, avocado, radish sprouts, arugula, and sliced mango)

Assorted protein bits (thinly sliced sushi grade raw fish if you eat it, tofu, inari wrappers, scrambled egg,)

Sesame seeds

Place a nori sheet on your sushi matt or a clean tea towel.  Wet your hands with a little water so the rice doesn’t stick to them.  Add an even, thin layer of rice over almost all of the nori, leaving a strip about 1” wide along one side with no rice.  Add your filling ingredients in the middle of the rice strip, making sure they’re evenly distributed across the width of the rice.  Don’t use too much or you’ll never be able to roll up your sushi!  Wet the part of the nori that didn’t get any rice lightly with a little cool water (this will make it stick when you roll), then roll up your nori towards the part with no rice.  Wrap the roll in you matt or tea towel, then roll it back and forth a few times to make sure the seam holds and that you have a nice, cylindrical roll.  Set the roll aside for a couple of minutes, or until all your rolls are finished, then cut, using a sharp knife, into 8 pieces.

sushi

Your browser may not support display of this image.

For dinner I normally plan on 2 to 3 rolls per person. This should give you enough for dinner and lunch the next day for 2 people (or dinner for 4).

wrap up: {cooking} {home} {recipe} {sushi}