Hello Craftyland!

It's been so long since we spoke. How are you? I hope you have been well. I've been busy!

As many of you know, I work
full time at Cuisine en Locale. We're an all-local catering and meal delivery service. Recently, we opened up a full-service event hall which is awesome! We took over the old Anthony's Function Hall at 156 Highland Ave in Somerville. We are now officially fully open, and we're cooking up some really exciting new projects that I think you might be interested in!

First, the Vegetarian Share is back! If you have thought you might be interested in our ONCE a Week meal delivery service, but you don't eat meat, this might be just the ticket. We do all the cooking and bring you a nice big bag of awesome food, any Tuesday you like! I am so excited to share that we've revived the Vegetarian version! It now sits in a place of honor, right next to the Omnivore version. It is not entirely gluten free, nor entirely vegan, but we are careful about cross-contact and there will be some items that fit each bill. If there are some folks in your household who are vegan and some who are ovo-lacto or omni, this could work. If there are some folks who eat gluten free and others who don't, this could also be a great choice. If even being cooked in a kitchen where gluten is present gives you difficulty, then unfortunately it might not be the right fit. It's not like the old days when I had a fully gluten free environment to work with, but it is amazing and wonderful food, different every week, and always made from scratch using all local ingredients. If you're interested, email luc@enlocale.com We actually still may have a share left for delivery tomorrow, but please move quickly before it sells out!

Second, we're offering weekly Saturday brunch! We use gorgeous, farm-fresh, local ingredients to make all kinds of brunch favorites. Most items are or can easily be vegetarian, and there are a few great vegan items too. Many menu items are free of gluten ingredients too, or can be made so easily. Again, we do use gluten in some dishes in our kitchen here, but we are careful about cross-contact. My favorite vegetarian and gluten free dishes include the P.O.P. (Pile o' Potatoes) - roasted potatoes, sauteed spinach, cheddar or bleu cheese, and poached eggs (great with a dash of Alex's Ugly Sauce), the Fratine (crustless quiche) of the Week; and the Mess in a Cup - flourless Taza chocolate cake with vanilla marscapone whip and chocolate ganache drizzle. (Just ask to skip the oat biscuit that often garnishes it if you're GF - the cookie isn't GF but the rest of the dessert is.) Vegan sides which can make a great meal all together include roasted potatoes, spinach, kale salad, and most of the tasty beverages. There is definitely a whole lot for omnivores too! If you do eat gluten and dairy, the reviews on our sticky buns have been off the charts. Did I mention we have a full bar? We actually have two full bars. We serve brunch every Saturday from 10 - 3, and there's live music from 11 - 2.

Third, we have some great events coming up, including a monthly comedy show, regular movie nights, and a lot of GREAT rock shows and other concerts. If you want to stay posted about these sorts of events, please email me back and I can add you to our weekly newsletter mailing list. You can also check our newsletters and blog posts at our website.

Finally, I'm teaching a bunch of classes! I've been teaching at the Boston Center for Adult Education and at Brookline Adult and Community Education. I'm teaching a basic vegetarian cooking skills class next Tuesday evening, 3/25. I have a few more baking classes coming up too, both gluten and GF. In Brookline, I'm planning a GF cooking and baking series over the summer. This spring and summer, you'll find me hosting locavore events at Anthony's, teaching classes in Boston and Brookline, and also at lots of farmers markets, both selling and shopping.

Thanks for reading, and have a fantastic afternoon!

Much love,
Mary

Delicious Cherry Smoothie for Joint Support, Immune Support, and Arthritis

Good morning!

Time to yawn, stretch, and prepare for the day.

But what if that morning stretch is hard? What if arthritis means your morning is full of achy soreness, stiffness, and pain?

There are many ways to approach arthritis and other kinds of body pain. Yoga, meditation, and other mindfulness practices can help a lot. Moderate exercise has been shown to help manage the stiffness. I can't currently do some of the things I used to, but I hope to do them all again soon. Even on really tough days, I try to do at least a half hour of yoga. There's a lot of creaking, but it helps.

Acupuntcure is helpful for a lot of people. There are herbs and other supplements you can take to help keep your body moving. There are lots of foods that help. Many people find NSAIDs and steroids helpful, but there are potential side effects to consider, especially with long term use.

I'm not your doctor. I'm not here to judge the combination of treatments you choose. What I do have is a delicious recipe to start your day off well. The ingredients in this smoothie work together to support your joint health, and they're delicious!

CHERRY SMOOTHIE

Cashew milk  or other milk or yogurt of choice
Lemon, peeled with a knife or juiced
Cherries, pitted (frozen or fresh)
Blueberries (frozen or fresh)
Ripe banana (frozen or fresh) or a spoonful or raw, local honey to taste
Romaine or spinach
Water

First, make your cashew milk. It's easy - blend cashews with a little water until smooth. That's it! Save some in a jar for other uses if you like. Using only a tiny bit of water makes a thick creme. More water makes a thin milk. You don't have to strain cashew milk; just blend and go.

Blend your fruits with your cashew milk. Add a little water as necessary. Add greens and blend until completely smooth. If you're not feeling the greens this morning, it's actually okay to skip them. There are no smoothie police to make sure every single one is green. Yes, the leafy veggies are oh-so-good for you, but even without greens, this smoothie will be super nourishing.

Optional but recommended: stir in a spoonful of fish oil, or take some on the side. Alternatively, you may choose to take a vitamin D supplement, preferably D3 suspended in olive oil.

So why these ingredients? Well, cashews are super creamy and delicious, and lend body and good fat to help you absorb all the other good stuff in the smoothie. Cashews make it taste a little more like cherry cheesecake, but you can use coconut milk or a bit of avocado instead if you prefer. Cherries and blueberries are both rich in phytochemicals that decrease inflammation. Blueberries are incredibly rich in antioxidants. Cherries have been shown to help with many kinds of arthritis and pain, especially gouty arthritis. Lemon boosts the smoothie's vitamin C content even higher. Vitamin C supports the health of connective tissue in and around joints, as well as the fascia surrounding muscles. It also helps you absorb the iron and other minerals in the greens.

Spinach and romaine are both excellent greens for overall health, especially for decreasing inflammation. Bananas are delicious and sweeten up your smoothie, countering the tartness of the berries and the bitterness of the greens. They're also rich in vitamins and minerals. Raw local honey is  great for immune support, allergies, and inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D in fish oil have been shown to support joint health and overall health. And again, that little dose of good fat will help you absorb all the goodness that's locked away in the fruits and veggies.

So sip that smoothie, relax, and enjoy. Then go for a walk in the sunshine, take a yoga class, and stretch it out! It may be hard to get started, but your body will thank you afterward.

Simple grain-free waffles!

Good morning!

These waffles got gobbled up completely before I got a picture. Oh noes! Next time I will remember to take out the camera.

But right now, I have to share this with you!

I've been working on this recipe for a little while, and now it is perfect! It's based on the 2 ingredient pancakes you've probably seen floating around the last few years. (No? The basic proportions out there are volumetrically approximately equal amounts of ripe banana and egg - about 1 large banana to 2 eggs, or about 1/2 cup each. There are lots of potential additions and variations out there, and huge flexibility. Directions: Blend egg and banana together. Add optional flavorings and add-ins. Heat and oil griddle. Make pancakes.)

Since we reintroduced eggs into our diet, I've wanted to make this recipe into waffles. Why? Because I have a waffle iron, and I like waffles!

I tried with just banana and egg (plus cinnamon, vanilla, and a pinch of salt). Delicious, but I wanted them to hold together a little better. I tried adding cocoa powder. I tried adding baking powder. I tried adding almond flour. I tried adding arrowroot starch. I tried separating the eggs, and I tried not separating the eggs.

The verdict? Almond flour and arrowroot starch are both excellent additions. Separating the eggs is unnecessary, and maybe even makes the waffles a little dry. Baking powder is unnecessary, at least in a non-Belgian-style waffle iron. Cocoa powder tastes great in the raw batter, but loses something when baked - needs a little more experimentation. I haven't tried arrowroot and cocoa together; that might work really well.

I loved the flavor and light texture with almond flour. They held together better than without it, but they still didn't hold together as well as I'd like. This morning's arrowroot experiment was perfect! Delicious, light, sturdier than the other variations. You guys, the finished waffle even has some stretch to it. Stretch! It comes out of the iron easily, even when lightly baked. It's a win.

Next time, I might try a little almond flour and a little arrowroot starch. Yum! That might be getting a little too far away from the simplicity of the original, though. Still, worth trying.

INGREDIENTS:

1 banana
3 eggs
pinch sea salt
Optional: good shake of cinnamon, splash of vanilla, some pumpkin pie spice, whatever spices you like
1-2 T arrowroot starch, a.k.a. arrowroot powder a.k.a. arrowroot flour (if you don't tolerate starches or you're avoiding them at the moment, try almond flour)
refined coconut oil for your iron

Optional toppings: great plain, or with virgin coconut oil, dark chocolate chips, almond butter, homemade rawtella, fruit, whipped cream, whipped coconut cream, whatever you like! They're slightly sweet, and don't need syrup; but if you love maple, I am not stopping you!

Directions: Oil and preheat your iron. Put banana, egg, and seasonings in food processor. Mix thoroughly, till smooth and light. Add arrowroot starch, and mix again. If you don't have a food processor, whisk eggs thoroughly, until light and fluffy. Separately, mash bananas thoroughly with seasonings. Add bananas and starch or flour to eggs and mix completely.

Bake waffles in iron to desired level of doneness. Re-oil between batches. Enjoy with desired toppings.

That's it!

I encourage playing with the recipe. The only part that I think is not optional is keeping the iron properly oiled. When I went more than two waffles between re-oiling, they stuck and split.

My waffle iron is not Belgian-style, but rather the less-tall sort. I want a Belgian-style iron, and someday when I get one I will try these in it! If you try these in a Belgian-style iron, please leave a comment and let me know how it goes. Did you need to add a pinch of baking soda, or did you separate your eggs?

This recipe is ovo-vegetarian, gluten free, grain free, healthy, real food, paleo, high protein, moderate carb, filling, and delicious!
 
All the ingredients in this recipe are Whole30 compliant, but if waffles and other baked-style breakfast items are a trigger food for you, then waffles in general are not Whole30.