Sweet Spicy Chai (vegan and dairy versions)

Chai - the word in Hindi for tea - is of course a lot more than just tea. It is the perfect blend of spicy, creamy, sweet liquid goodness; at least in my opinion. And each cook makes it differently.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of teaching some pretty special high school students how to make chai. And while they were very savvy about spices, cardamom had them stumped. It's one of my favorite spices in the world, and most chai recipes include it an essential element. 

This is my take on Chai, including variations for vegan Chai as well. Feel free to adjust it to your own tastes, but I highly recommend keeping in the fennel, peppercorns and cardamom for balance. Even one of the students who was very convinced that black peppercorns had no place in her sweet chai agreed that this blend was one of the best she had tasted.

While a mortar and pestal is not essential for making chai - you can grind the spices in a grinder - I prefer the traditional method that leaves them cracked and slightly whole. I also highly recommend buying a bamboo strainer if you think you might make a habit out of chai making.

The recipe below is for a single serving of 8 ounces of chai (small coffee cup), so double, triple, quadruple, etc. to tailor your needs. But please trust me on the vegan version; boiled non-dairy milks of any kind will NOT be tasty!

Raw Key Lime Pie

Raw, vegan key lime pie... sounds impossible, right? But it's real, it's easy, and oh so delicious!

The secret to most raw desserts is soaking cashews. They plump up like raisins and blend into pure creamy almost cheesey goodness. And while they still have a high calorie count, those aren't empty calories; they're full of fatty acids, several vitamin Bs, and electrolytes like potassium, magnesium and manganese. For myself, anything key lime and I'm sold!

Another benefit of this dessert is it is gluten free, made with a walnut, almond and date crust. You can use all walnuts or all almonds, depending on your preference. And when it comes to the tartness of the pie, add more or less sweetner to taste, keeping in mind that the flavor will mellow over time.

Olive, Sundried Tomato and Artichoke Monte Cristo

I find it so fascinating that I have been cooking for over 25 years and never had a Monte Cristo sandwich until now. I didn't even know what it was! Of course once it was explained to me as French Toast with lots of decadence sandwiched between, I immediately had to give it a try.

This is definitely brunch fare, very rich and delicious, and not for any of you who are dieting or worrying about your cholesterol! However, it's a wonderful treat and I highly recommend playing around with the fillings to suit your tastes.

The authentic Monte Cristo Sandwich is gouda and turkey filled French Toast, but wanting a vegetarian version, here's what I created: Greek yogurt, chevre, olives, sundried tomatoes, basil and marinated artichoke hearts. It's a party in  your mouth!

Raw Chile Rellenos with Spicy Cashew Cheese

I know it's the middle of Summer and there's plenty of heat to go around, but I can't seem to get enough of fiery hot food. Jalapenos in particular are one of my favorites and now that stores are selling them at great prices and the specimens are so plump and juicy looking, I can't resist buying them by the handful. Luckily, this recipe popped into my head and now it's a staple that everyone in my house loves!

If you have a dehydrator, it helps to soften up the raw chilies a bit to dehydrate them for 2 hours after marinating them, but it's not essential. The creamy cashew cheese is such a soothing comfort food that perfectly compliments the crunch of the jalapeno. I will admit to having them for breakfast more than once, just because I love them so!

This blog will be going on hiatus for a while. I'm still getting my business up and running and the blog has become a back burner priority. I have no idea when I will return to it, but thanks for reading folks, I've enjoyed writing to you all so much!

Spicy Corn and Cucumber Salad

Wow! The dog days of summer have hit! Time for some cooling summer salad to accompany whatever you're putting on the grill to stay out of the kitchen.

Cucumber is a super cooling vegetable that makes your body feel good and just seems to cool off my melting brain, even if I've been hiding out in AC all day. Add in some fresh corn and herbs and a bit of chili powder for some zing, and you may forget about your grilled stuff!

When sweet corn is in season you can eat it raw right off the cob, no need to mess with boiling water. Just cut the cob in half and place the flat side down on the cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice off the kernels. Tossing it with lime juice is a traditional Mexican preparation and the citrus I used here since I love it with cucumber as well.

Feel free to add in some bell pepper - colored ones would be pretty - or even some fresh chili peppers. This salad was whipped up with what was in the fridge and I decided it was worth sharing since it was so good!

Apricot Jam and Canning 101

Fruit season is upon us! If you are lucky enough to be blessed by easy access to fruit trees or berry bushes, get out there and start picking! After you've had your fill of eating fresh fruit, channel your inner pioneer woman and make some jam!

Jam or preserves is the easiest of the preserved fruits, at least in my book. It usually does not require dealing with packaged pectin and involves very few ingredients. The basic premise is heating fruit to bring out its natural juices, adding sugar (to aid in the natural jelling process) and cooking until jelling will occur. If canning using a hot water bath canning method makes you nervous, you can skip that part and simply store your preserves in the back of your refrigerator. But honestly, canning is less scary than you think. The key is sterilizing your jars before filling them; if you have a dishwasher, one wash cycle is all you need. Check out this site for more information.

Canning does require some extra equipment, including specific tongs for lifting jars in and out of the hot water bath as well as a metal funnel for filling the jars, and the pot with the canning rack. If you decide to make these investments, your best bet for finding them is your local Ace Hardware store - much more economical than high end cooking stores.

While it seems a bit extravagant to buy new equipment for such a short time of year, trust me when I tell you that once you get the canning bug, you'll be hooked! Since becoming a canning fanatic years ago, I use my canning funnel every day and store all my foods - dry goods, leftovers, prepared lunches - in canning jars large and small. It's a great way to eliminate plastic from your life and know exactly what's in your pantry!