Zucchini Breakfast Muffins

IMG_5205 One of the families that we have been cooking for made a special request to repeat last weeks breakfast–– Zucchini Bran Muffins.  I adore muffins but most are too sweet for me.  I tested this recipe repeatedly to get the sugar as low as possible, eliminate all white flour and pack them with zucchini and walnuts... A good way to start the day.

Zucchini Bran Muffin, Makes 12 large muffins or 24 small muffins

1/4 cup ground flax seed mixed with 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/4 cup raw honey, 2 tablespoons vegan sugar, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup stone ground whole wheat flour, 1 cup wheat bran, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, pinch of salt, 3 cups shredded zucchini, 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flax/water, milk, honey sugar and oil and mix until thoroughly combined.  Add the flour, bran, baking soda, baking powder, salt, zucchini and walnuts and mix until thoroughly combined.

Divide batter into muffin tins and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Serve warm or after they cool.

Collaboration with Little Flower School– Saipua and Nicolette Camille

weddings_flyer2 I am a huge fan of Saipua and Nicolette Camille two floral designers in Brooklyn NY and the founders of Little Flower School.  Thrilled at the opportunity to collaborate on an upcoming, Wedding Intensive Workshop they are teaching.  The class will be held outside of DC on the farms of my two favorite local flower growers, LynnVale Studios and Wollam Gardens.

My part–– dinner in the field at LynnVale Studios at the end of the two day class.

Eating Vegetable-Centric in Paris

IMG_0459 Another tip from my friend Catherine who is an editor at Paris By Mouth.

Even omnivore friends visiting Paris often ask me for suggestions for some vegetable-centric meals to include in their eating itineraries.   Catherine recently forwarded me these TIPS from Clotilde Dosoulier a contributor to Paris by Mouth, cookbook author and the founder of the blog Chocolate and Zucchini.

A few of her suggestions are among my favorites and the rest are on my large to do list for my next trip.

Path Valley Apricots, Delicious!

IMG_5572 Eating lots right now– Brief season...  The board they are sitting on was made by the talented Margaret Boozer, it's from Darryl Carter's store on 9th Street, NW in DC.

I will serve them for dessert tonight with frozen coconut and candied almonds.

Frozen Coconut

1 cup young coconut water, 1 cup young coconut meat, 3 cups coconut milk, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut butter, 1/2 cup agave nectar, 1 teaspoon himalyan salt

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a high speed blender.  Adjust sweetness to your liking.
  2. Chill and freeze in an ice cream maker.
Candied Almond
 

1 cup almonds, 2 tablespoons honey, large pinch of sea salt, large pinch of sugar

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine all  ingredients on a baking sheet and place in oven.  Cook stirring often until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Summer Power Breakfast Shake

IMG_5565 This is the breakfast shake that Martin Lane is drinking every morning to start her long days during her ballet summer intensive.  Seems to be working–

Shake

3/4 cup of green tea (I have been using sencha), 1/4 avocado, 1/4 cup raw cashew pieces or 2 tablespoons raw almond butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons hemp seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground flax seeds, 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, 1 small banana, ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  If too thick add a tablespoon or two of cold water.

Middle Kingdom Vases for an August Wedding

IMG_5540 I met Bo and Allison Jia more than a decade ago and learned about their kiln in China where they create Middle Kingdom Porcelain which is the perfect balance of old and new design.  Since then I have used their vases for numerous projects and have had the thrill of collaborating on design for a couple custom vessels.

I am using these mini-vases (yes the metallic ones are porcelain) to decorate a shelf that surrounds a room where an August wedding ceremony will take place. After dinner  we will box them up for take-home gifts.

Drop Off Birthday Dinner, SCD Diet

We cooked a birthday dinner last night for someone who is following the SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which is designed to help heal digestive disease as well as other ailments.  In short the diet is grain free, sugar free, starch free and incorporates only unprocessed foods.  There is a list of "legal" and "illegal" foods that still left us ample ingredients mostly sourced from Path Valley Cooperative and seasoned with herbs from our garden at 1508. Birthday Menu:

Roasted Tomato and Peach with Basil, Peas with Carrots and Leeks, Eggplant and Chives, Cabbage with Beets and Fennel, Summer Squash with Olive and Preserved Lemon, Wood Grilled Chicken, Sorrel Egg Salad, Blueberry Coconut Crumble with Coconut Vanilla Sauce

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Fig Branches

IMG_5329 IMG_5404 Cut these branches this morning from one of our two fig trees to use in flower arrangements.  Can you see what an excellent crop of figs we are going to have this summer?  They should be ripe mid-late August– looking forward to it.

Kale From Our Garden

IMG_5264 Right now we have big kale- both curly and tuscano in the garden.

A favorite preparation:

Slice kale very thin and dress with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, a tiny drop of honey, sea salt, pepper and cayenne.  Mix thoroughly with you hands to make sure all of the kale is coated with the dressing, taste, adjust the seasoning and eat.

Popcorn Granola

IMG_5250 For a drop off dinner last week we were asked to make a granola with no nuts, seeds, coconut or gluten.   We have been enjoying the left overs ever since!

cooked quinoa 2 cups, air popped pop corn 2 cups, rolled oats 2 cups, raw honey 2 tablespoons, sea salt 1 teaspoon, chopped dried figs 1 cup

Combine the quinoa, popcorn, oats, honey and salt on a sheet tray and place in 105 degree oven.  Stir every couple hours until dry, about 6 hours.  Stir in the figs and store in an airtight container.