Pear crumble

Like my friend Tina wrote on another post, “Spring?” – the cloudy sky and continuous rain here in Sao Paulo look a lot more like fall.

To warm up these cold days, something delicious and easy: crumble. I used two different recipes from DH mag to create this pear version – one of the original recipes called for apples and looked wonderful, too.



Pear crumble
adapted from Donna Hay magazine

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Butter pecan cookies

I got home from vacation with an urge to bake – will you think I’m a weirdo if I tell you I missed my Kitchen Aid? If you do, please don’t tell me. :DWell, my pantry was pretty empty, so my options were limited – luckily I found a print from Martha’s website and some pecans in the fridge. The recipe didn’t call for eggs, which was great - I had none around.I tried to find the recipe link, but all

Easy sausage bake

I believe that most of you reading me now like cooking and baking, just as I do. But we are all caught up in busy days and tight schedules, so finding time to spend in the kitchen is a difficult mission.This dish is a great choice for a quick meal: it’s put together in a flash – you can chop the veggies while grilling the sausages and boiling the potatoes – and then leave it in the oven for half

Miso Seaweed Broth with Mushrooms and Carrots

Slowly fermented into a thick and robust paste, soybean miso added to soups is an almost ideal protein for tender tummies. And gently cooked seaweed, carrots and fresh beet green tops combine to make a vitamin and mineral packed broth that's as nourishing and easy to go down as it is fast and simple to prepare.

Miso Seaweed Broth with Mushrooms and Carrots

4 - 5 strips wakame seaweed
4 cups water
2 cups vegetable stock
6 oz. fresh white, brown or shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons dulse seaweed, crumbled or cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons dark miso
1 teaspoon tamari sauce, or as desired
4 carrots, grated or julienned
1 bunch fresh beet green tops, trimmed and coarsely chopped

In a small bowl, soak the wakame in 1 cup of warm water for 20 minutes. Drain, while reserving the soaking liquid. Chop the seaweed into 1 to 2 inch pieces.

Bring the reserved soaking liquid, vegetable stock and water to a boil in a large saucepan or soup pot with the mushrooms and ginger. Add the dulse, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the miso in a small bowl with a few tablespoons of warm water and mix with a fork until the miso is dissolved.

Stir the miso into the soup and season with tamari sauce as desired. Add the wakame, carrots and beet greens and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the greens are slightly wilted.

Remove from heat and serve hot or warm. Serves 4 to 6.

If you liked this recipe you may also enjoy:
Split Pea and Vegetable Miso Soup with Seaweed and Dried Mushrooms
Mushroom, Miso and Seaweed Soup
Miso Soup with Wild Mushrooms

On the top of the reading stack: The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945 by Wladyslaw Szpilman

Audio accompaniment: Copia by Eluvium

Midnight chocolate brownies

A few days ago someone gave me a hard ear pull, similar to the ones grandma Frida used to give me when I as a kid – my mom hated when she did that. :DMy friend Lola, the biggest chocoholic I have even known, is the one mad at me: she wants chocolate recipes and chocolate recipes only! :DLola, my dear, this post is especially for you – I hope you like it!I’d love to hear my other readers’ opinions

Cinnamon sugar-coated maple apple cakes

Spring is my favorite season of the year – I’m a not a summery kind of girl – but the minute I saw (then tasted) these cakes it felt like fall: the moist touch of the apples and the caramely aftertaste from the maple syrup reminded me of the beautiful green/red/yellow trees I saw on my vacation. By the way, the photos are posted, in case you are curious. :D

I hope you like these as much as I

Wild Rice Chowder with Fresh Coconut and Mushrooms

Jacqueline put the call out for pantry staples for this month's No Croutons Required. Though I have staples on hand at all times, this did prove to be a challenge, as I often plan meals ahead of time and send my sweetie off to our favorite haunts to pick up requisite ingredients, sometimes at short notice. I appreciate the inspiration, especially when the weather outside is less than inviting.

This cold weather recipe was inspired by a recipe for Wild Rice Chowder found in World Vegetarian Classics: Over 200 Essential International Recipes for the Modern Kitchen by Celia Brooks Brown.

Wild Rice Chowder with Fresh Coconut and Dried Mushrooms

1 cup of wild rice
4 cups of water
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons of olive oil
small bunch of green onions, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 - 3 jalapeno peppers, minced
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
28 grams of dried mushrooms (I used a combination of lobster and chanterelle)
1/3 cup of freshly grated coconut
1 teaspoon of celery seed
2 heaping tablespoons of chickpea flour (or unbleached white flour)
3/4 cup of milk
3/4 cup of yogurt (I used goat milk yogurt)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Rinse the wild rice in a strainer. Transfer to a medium heavy bottom pot, along with the water, bay leaves and sea salt. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer until the rice is tender and begins to fluff up - roughly 50 minutes. Set aside with the cooking liquid.

While the rice is cooking, soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for roughly 20 minutes. Drain, roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside.

Whisk the yogurt, milk and chickpea flour together until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the green onions and shallots to the pan. Stir and fry for a few minutes. Now add the turmeric, jalapenos, mushrooms and fresh coconut. Stir and fry for another minute or so. Pour in the wild rice and it's cooking liquid, add the celery seed and stir and simmer until it thickens a bit. Add the yogurt and milk to the pot, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low, simmering, uncovered for another 5 minutes or so. Add water or more milk or yogurt to reach your desired consistency.

Add lots of freshly cracked black pepper, and more sea salt at the end of the cooking time after testing the seasonings. Remove bay leaves and serve hot.

More ideas for wild rice from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Cranberry Wild Rice Soup
Pine Nut and Orange Wild Rice
Wild Rice and Portobello Mushroom Soup
Wild Rice and Asparagus Salad

On the top of the reading stack: Castle to Castle by Louis-Ferdinand Celine

Audio accompaniment: Miniatures by Matthew Robert Cooper