Summer

Cleanse – Quinoa Veggie Bowl

July 1, 2014

About a year and half ago, I committed myself to a cleanse. I gave up dairy, gluten, alcohol, coffee and sugar. And when I say sugar I mean all sugar. So that includes fruit, most condiments, and natural sweeteners like honey. And since that wasn’t enough I decided to even practice food combinations for better digestion, portion control and incorporate fermented foods. Was I crazy. Maybe. But also just highly motivated and was in an unique time of my life that allowed such a change of lifestyle. To my surprise, the cleanse lasted for 5+ months and I adopted many of the healthy habits into my lifestyle. It was hard, no doubt. But I was seeing major results and was addicted to feeling and looking better everyday.

I have been wanting to cleanse again. I have been carrying a couple extra lbs from the South Africa trip and have also been feeling the need to get a better handle on my sugar intake. I know I won’t last 5+ months so I settled on 30 days. And it still took me 2 months to mentally motivate and prepare myself. This cleanse it is not easy, but definitely doable. I mean who likes giving up rhubarb raspberry swirl bread for breakfast?

So I started this cleanse with weaning myself of processed sugar for one week. This helped me ease into the cleanse. Then a week ago I started the rest. This first week wasn’t too bad until I decided to do some baking over the weekend. I made a batch of chewy gooey brownies for my husband and co-worker. Surprisingly enough I had no problem with the brownies. There was no question that those weren’t on the diet! But I had two bananas in the fridge that needed to be desperately mashed into a baked good. I decided I would make some healthy muffins that I would freeze and eat as a snack when I came off the cleanse. The chocolate coffee peanut butter muffins are delicious and the recipe can be found here. They have no processed sugar (just banana and peanut butter), no gluten, and no dairy. Since these are healthy muffins in my mind, I kept thinking I should eat one. Thank God my husband was around this weekend to monitor. All two dozen are safe in the freezer. But now I know, if I bake in these next 20 days. Load it with refined sugar and gluten!

Today is day 10 of the cleanse and I have lost 4 lbs and feel less of an urge to eat chocolate cake for breakfast. On Instagram, I am posting daily photos that promote clean eating and healthy bright living. In doing this cleanse, I am hoping to inspire others to join #kateschallenge to feel and look their best.

There is nothing original about quinoa and veggies but I promise you this dressing is something special. It’s completely natural with no sugar. And trust me, you can’t buy that in your local grocer. You may have extra dressing when you make this recipe but I found it equally appetizing on a chicken salad. Plus this recipe abides by all the rules of the cleanse.

Quinoa Veggie Bowl / serves 4

2 bell peppers (I used 1 red and 1 yellow)
1 sweet or yellow onion
2 celery ribs
2 carrots
1/4 c each of red and white quinoa
1-2 Tbs. high heat oil

Dressing

3 limes
1-inch piece of ginger
1-2 garlic cloves depending on your taste
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1 Tbs. Bragg’s liquid aminos
1/4 c. olive oil
Salt to taste

Cook quinoa per instructions. I used 1 c. of water for the 1/2 c. of quinoa.

While quinoa is cooking, make dressing. In a bowl, juice limes and grate ginger and garlic. Add curry powder, Braggs, and salt. Give a whisk and then whisk in olive oil.

Wash and slice onion, celery and peppers. Slice all veggies to a similar thickness. Add high heat oil to wok. I used a spicy macadamia nut oil. Heat on high and add veggies. Cook until veggies are tender crisp.

Peel carrots, add quinoa to veggies and pour dressing to taste.

Rhubarb Raspberry Swirl Bread

June 24, 2014

I entered a baking challenge hosted by Joy the Baker and King Arthur Flour. The four part challenge is a way to bring bakers together. Fun right. So all I had to do was bake this Triple Berry Cinnamon Swirl Bread, take photos of the end product and then post them on Instagram using hashtag #bakingbootcamp. You can read more about the challenge here if you want to join in for the next three.

I didn’t have too many berries at home when I decided to make this sweet treat. But I still have, what seems, an endless supply of rhubarb. So I decided to make this a rhubarb raspberry swirl bread. I highly recommend trying this recipe. I can best describe it as a large rhubarb cinnamon roll. And since I love cinnamon rolls and by now you should know how much I love rhubarb, this is probably my favorite sweet treat to date. It basically gives you a reason to wake up in the mornings! You can find the recipe here.

On a side note. Montana is looking stunning. Mother Nature has blessed us with ample moisture. The fields and hills are lush and green. The amount of feed available this year is exciting. The photos below were taken in what we call our dry land pasture. This means we do not irrigate it. Mother Nature does her work and we hope for the best. So far she is doing some of her best work for us.

It has been at least 1o years since I have spent an entire summer in Montana. And I rarely visited in June. I have no idea why not. Like I said it’s a gorgeous time of year and good energy vibes are everywhere with summer finally arriving. I recommend visiting this time of year. Just pack your rain slicker and boots.

Happy Summer Days!

2 in 1 Recipe. Rhubarb Rose Lemonade & Rhubarb Curd Tart

June 15, 2014

One of my best friends, fourth sister really, was visiting from California for a long weekend. She requested I bake a sweet treat. Normally this is not a problem for me. I have endless options when it comes to baking sweet treats. But, she is gluten free. And if you haven’t tried gluten-free baking, let me tell you it is an art in itself. You cannot take any good old recipe, substitute the all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour and think you are going to retrieve a master piece from the oven. It just doesn’t work that way. You really have to spend time in the kitchen experimenting with gluten-free flour combinations or just refer to the experts. And even then, I still think it’s a challenge.

Since time was limited I decided to refer to an expert gluten free baker for a rhubarb cake recipe. Let me just tell you that the entire cake stuck to the bottom of the pan. Feeling defeated but determined, I decided it was nothing raspberries and powdered sugar could not fix. It tasted divine and looked homemade! But for this post, I am sticking to what I know and that’s gluten. I have made this pate sucree dough many times. It’s tried and true. You can find the recipe here posted under the lemony tartlets.

And since rhubarb is in full bounty and I love it so much, I decided to make this a 2 in 1 recipe. I am giving you recipes for Rhubarb-Rose Lemonade and a Rhubarb Curd Tart. You use the rhubarb simple syrup for the lemonade and the strained rhubarb for the curd. It’s perfect really!

Rhubarb-Rose Lemonade

8 rhubarb stalks
1 ½ c. sugar
½ tsp. rose water
3 lemons
1 sparkling water

Remove leaves from rhubarb. Wash and cut into 1 inch pieces. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, bring 3 cups of water, rhubarb, sugar and rose water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer stirring occasionally until sugar has dissolved. Approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow rhubarb to seep for approx 2 hours. Strain before serving.

In a 1 gallon glass jar, zest 2 lemons and juice 3. Add the rhubarb simple syrup and sparkling water and then fill remaining jar with tap water. Refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Rhubarb Curd Tart

Strained rhubarb from above simple syrup
4 egg yolks
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350. Follow pate sucree recipe here. Bake crust for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
Puree rhubarb. I used a food processor. In a glass bowl, whisk together rhubarb puree and egg yolks. Place over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until thickened. About 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and coconut milk. Stir until incorporated.

Spread rhubarb curd into 4″x14″ tart shell. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until curd is set in the middle.

Swiss Meringue / from SF Baking Institute

166 g of sugar
83 g of egg whites

Combine the egg white and sugar in a mixing bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and mix until egg whites and sugar reach 120F. Transfer to a mixer and whip on medium high until full volume and the meringue has cooled to room temperature.

Apply meringue to cooled tart and toast carefully with a blowtorch.

Plethora of Plums

September 27, 2013

I made this little treat for the men on our ranch, more specifically Mr. Leroy Ballard. Leroy’s one of those mountain men/ranchers that knows how to garden and can fix just about anything. He’s an encyclopedia when it comes to sports, geography, trees, birds….you name it. Leroy was raised on a ranch/farm about 2o miles from our place. His mother raised a big garden and made delicious home cooked meals, so he’s no stranger to good food. He’s one of the hardest workers I know and a perfectionist. We’ve been blessed to have his help around our place for nearly 20 years. He’s of those employees that shows up to work and you never have to tell him what to do. It’s safe to say we consider him family and are so thankful to have him as a part of our operation.

Each year, after the calves are weaned, the fences mended, and the hay cut, baled, and stacked, Leroy takes a couple months off before returning as ‘night calver’ in January. He enjoys the outdoors and loves to spend his fall hiking and hunting. His last day of work was last week. However, he and my dad are driving up to northern Montana for a cow sale in Valier. And so, I thought I’d sweeten their morning with this delectable little treat.

Rosemary Scented Plum Cake by Sweet Paul. Equally impressive as is to make.

This cake is a must try, especially if you have a plethora of plums like me!

Quarts and Quarts of Peaches

September 18, 2013

STONE FRUITS. I miss them the most.

More specifically, the juicy, candy-like, yellow peaches I’d purchase at the local farmer’s market and then quickly devour with juice streaming down my forearm. Definitely worth the sticky mess!

September 2, 2013

Zucchini. Zucchini. Zucchini.

If you’ve ever grown this vegetable you know that once it starts, it just keeps coming and coming. I actually find it quite challenging to create enough zucchini dishes to utilize all that is produced. Momma always said, “waste not, want not.” And so I find myself tossing “large” zucchinis into my compost or compiling them in a bin for my mom’s friend’s chickens. We saute up many of the young zucchinis and I try to make as many baked goods with all the in-betweens. Yesterday I whipped up a delicious, moist chocolate zucchini bread. READ MORE

Cantaloupe and Prosciutto

August 15, 2013

Simple, sweet and salty. That is it today.

I know. This is not a recipe. Rather, more of a reminder. Don’t miss out on all the sweet and juicy melons this summer. This salty/sweet combination will hit the spot, noon or night. It may even transport you to street-side cafe in Italy. And who doesn’t want to be transported to Italy, if only for a few minutes.

This simple duo is easy on the eyes and taste buds. Don’t miss it!

Did you know that a cantaloupe does NOT further ripen after it is picked. It will become softer and juicer if not cut, but not necessarily sweeter. So when you pick out your perfect melon. Use your sniffer. It should have a sweet smell. And don’t store it at room temperature for more than 4 days.

….How did it get its name? Cantalupo, Italy. Where it was cultivated in the 1700s
…..Cantaloupe is often available year round, but harvest peaks June through August.
….California and Arizona take the lead in the U.S. for cantaloupe production. China brings home the gold globally.
….Cantaloupe is the most popular melon in the U.S.
….A squirt of lemon or lime juice will enhance or perk up the flavor of a slice of cantaloupe.

Summer Steak Salad

August 4, 2013

This is a great summer salad. The steak and cornbread make for a filling entree and as a salad it is fresh, light, and perfect on a hot summer evening after a day’s worth of work.

July 27, 2013

Summer time…. Hard to believe it is nearing an end. Before long the kids will be back in school, the days will be shorter, and all the juicy stone fruits gone from the markets.

So, before that happens I thought I would share three easy and delicious cherry recipes. READ MORE

National Ice Cream Day!

July 20, 2013

Today is national ice cream day. In fact, July is national ice cream month. That means you may have already passed up twenty days of sheer indulgence. Guess you have no choice but to play catch up. Don’t feel bad. I’m a total ice cream nut and somehow just discovered this nugget of knowledge.

President Reagan created national ice cream month in 1984. His wish was for us to observe it with “appropriate ceremonies and activities”. What better activity than spending a little time outside churning some homemade ice cream. This was my first attempt at a homemade batch. I can remember making it often with my sisters (under the tutelage of mother dearest) during my childhood. However, I’d yet to tackle the task in my “adult” years. I chose something simple – cinnamon vanilla bean. I also chose to make it Philadelphia style, which means it is very simple and only contains cream, milk, and sugar. The only negative is that it does not keep as long in the freezer as a French style custard based ice cream which I hope to attempt in the weeks to come. I’m curious to see which style I prefer and will certainly share the positives and negatives with you. I have a gazillion flavors in mind and am thinking about substituting honey for the sugar in one batch. Getting excited just thinking about it. For now, go grab a cone and enjoy reading over these fun facts.

….First ice cream parlor opened in New York City in 1776
….The first ice cream machine for the home was invented in the 1840s
….Ice cream floats were created when a soda shop owner ran out of regular cream
….Martha Washington use to serve ice cream to her guests at Mount Vernon
….The ice cream cone was popularized at the 1904 St. Louis World Fair
….Approximately 90 percent of the nation’s population consumes ice cream
….After the U.S., New Zealand is the world’s largest ice cream consuming nation
….Approximately 9 percent of all the milk produced by U.S. dairy farmers is used to produce ice cream

Katie Sue Cooper