The Cook Awakening

Archive for the ‘Just for Fun!’ Category


Italian “Sushi”

May 22, 2012
Posted in: Food Sensitivities, Just for Fun!, Recipes, The Simple Kitchen

In an earlier life I did corporate catering in downtown San Francisco. Lately, I’ve been revisiting a lot of our standard recipes from those days. And revamping.

One of my favorites was Aram sandwiches – lavash bread moistened until it was pliable, spread with a cream cheese and herbed feta spread, topped with sliced meats, fresh tomato slices, and lettuce leaves, then rolled tightly and sliced to make beautiful pinwheel sandwiches.

Thing is, lavash is made with wheat. So, I haven’t had an Aram sandwich in quite awhile.

I’ve tried making them with coconut flour crepes, and they’re beautiful and tasty. But very fragile and a lot of work! First you have to make the crepes, then you still have to make the sandwiches. More work than I want to do on most days.

A few months back a friend was visiting. She slapped together a quick snack for herself and her son while they were here – a sheet of nori seaweed spread with some nut butter, quickly rolled up and munched.

Hmmmm… I thought. That’s a wrap. Damn. That’s a really quick and easy wrap! It’s gluten-free, and low carb to boot.
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Poached Pears

May 7, 2012
Posted in: Just for Fun!, Recipes, The Simple Kitchen

This was my youngest’s idea. It’s not really the kind of dessert I gravitate to, sweeter than is good for my body. There’s not much about it that’s in season. But he was reading my newest cookbook, Paleo Comfort Foods, and how could I say no? My seven year old boy was reading a cookbook! And wanted to make something. And, it’s GAPS/SCD compliant, so at least HE could have it guilt free!

Getting ready.

So, here’s the recipe we made, somewhat adapted from the Mayfield’s version:
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Pomegranate Pear Pork

November 5, 2011
Posted in: Just for Fun!, Recipes, The Simple Kitchen

We were going to have roasted pork tenderloin. Really, we were.

Problem is, it was still partially frozen at 6 pm. You can’t really roast frozen meat – just doesn’t come out right.

So…. I sliced it up and found a few things lying around that sounded good.

Pork tenderloin, fresh sage, pomegranate juice and pear butter
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Comfort Food

October 21, 2011
Posted in: Integrating Lifestyle Changes, Just for Fun!, Living with Health Challenges, Recipes

Just a quickie – seems to be what I have time for these days.

I designed the following recipe for a client who needs to eat a grain-free diet to support her in healing from some severe gastrointestinal difficulties. She’s missing her comfort foods, in particular a rice casserole dish. I tested it out on some friends, and there were no leftovers 馃槈

Let me know if you try it!

In My Own Backyard

June 4, 2011
Posted in: Just for Fun!, Recipes, Seasonal Change

Recipe: Edible Face Scrub

Amazing magic today – we’ve had a swarm of bees in our backyard pear tree for a week. Thought it was a hive that we’d never noticed (clueless about bees here, except knowing they are vital to the health of the earth).

A visiting friend explained the swarming behavior this morning. She explained that when a suitable hive spot was found the swarm would take off with the queen all at once, and abandon the tree. What we thought was a hive, a mass about 10 inches across and 18 inches from top to bottom, was actually a cluster of bees. Holy moly! That’s a lot of bees.

Here's what they left behind!

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