A somewhat little known fact, at least to me, is that Julia Child lived in Oslo, Norway for a while during the late fifties. This, before the oil-billions had hit, was not much of a gourmet city, and Child apparently had some issues settling in until she started experimenting with Norwegian seafood. Gravlaks would later become a staple recipe of hers, which might explain why so many Americans think the dish is French.

All of this is really neither here nor there, I suppose, but after watching Julie & Julia the other night (and an entertaining movie it is) the idea came to us to make the classic Norwegian dish, rømmegrøt. “Rømme” means sour cream, grøt “porridge.” Hey, it’s good, and simple to cook:

Ingredients

• 5 dl sour cream (should originally be Seterrømme, though I’ve never seen anything exactly like it in the US. Just use the full-fat stuff.)


• 2 dl sifted flour


• 5 dl milk


• Salt to taste

Put sour cream to a boil for about 5 minutes on medium heat. It will thin out significantly.

 

Add 1 dl flour and stir until smooth.

Simmer. You are supposed to simmer until a layer of butter start forming on top, but I haven’t been able to do that, likely because of the type of sour cream I used. Instead, let it simmer for 20-25 minutes. At this point it will become fairly pasty.

Stir in rest of the flour.

Slowly stir in the milk.

Simmer for five minutes, and stir in a bit of salt to taste.

Serve with cinnamon and sugar on top. If you actually get some butter out of the thing, the spoon that into a container when it appears, and add it to the dish when serving.

 

Now, the second reason we decided to undertake the rømmegrøt was the following video from a Norwegian TV show called Alt for Norge—All for Norway. In it, Americans with Norwegian heritage—you know the type, the ones that will call themselves Norwegians—who have never visited Norway compete to be the most Norwegian of all. In other words, it’s a freakshow.

 

In the video the “Norwegians” get a chance to try rømmegrøt, and… Well… I suppose the producers of the show made sure to pick out a few contestants that were raised on McDonald’s. Two points to anyone who can point out the Seattle competitor.

 

One of the few “personalities” still worth watching on Food Network is, in my opinion, Tyler Florence. His recipes tend to be good and are something one realistically can put together in less than 30 minutes on a weekday. It is also entertaining to watch his weigh fluctuate with each series, but that’s neither here nor there.

A few weeks ago we saw him put together a tomatillo salsa that looked very refreshing and summer-y. And seeing that we’re tired of the cold, it made sense to put something like it together as a reminder of warmer weather. I say “something like it” as I pretty much just put it together by memory after watching the show. It goes a little something like this:

Tyler Florence Tomatillo Salsa Remixed

• 5 tomatillos


• 1 small onion


• 1 jalapeno (more if you want, but this isn’t really meant to be spicy)


• 10 cloves of garlic (originally a lot less, but who doesn’t like garlic?!)


• A couple of handfuls of cilantro


• Salt

Boil water.

Chop the onion into large chunks and remove seeds and stems from jalapeno. Drop them with the tomatillo into the boiling water.

When the tomatillos are getting soft, pull all the vegetables out and run them under cold water. Remove the pot from the burner.

Drop the vegetables alongside the cilantro and garlic into a blender. Ladle in a bit of water from the pot, and salt to taste.

Blend to desired consistency.

Like I mentioned, this is a mild salsa, yet very refreshing and versatile.

For some reason I can’t make no bake cookies with organic ingredients. Does anyone know why? We made the same recipe for these cookies twice. Once with the organic ingredients I had on hand and the second time with the non-organic ingredients my friend had. Both batches of cookies were made in the same kitchen, with the same humidity level, same pots and pans; only a few of the ingredients were different. The organic cookies did not set up and were really gooey. The non-organic cookies were perfect.
No Bake Cookies	Organic	Non-organic
3 cups quick oats	Quaker quick oats	Quaker quick oats
2T cocoa	Ghirardelli	Ghirardelli
1 stick of margarine	Organic	Blue Bonnet
1/2 cup milk	Organic Valley 1%	Dairygold 1%
2 cups sugar	Organic	Western Family
1/2 cup peanut butter	Adams	Jif

 

I adapted this recipe from Recipe Zaar for an Afghan foods potluck. I have also made this dish in Afghanistan but the cooking devices were much different from my kitchen. I did not use the green peppers (because I didn’t have time to run back to the store) and did not deep fry the eggplant. Instead, I heated the eggplant slices (with peel off) in a pan. Then assembled the dish in a baking pan. I placed a layer of the eggplant then covered it with a layer of the tomato and onion sauce and repeated this process. The dish was placed in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. I purchased the yogurt at International Food Store and added garlic.

Once the eggplant is out of the oven, scoop it on a plate and add a tablespoon of the yogurt sauce. This also tastes great cold after a night in the refrigerator.

Bouranee Baunjan tastes great with Kabli Pulao.

Ingredients

• 1 large globe eggplant


• salt


• oil (for frying)


• 2 teaspoons olive oil


• 1 teaspoon butter or ghee


• 1 large onion, sliced thinly


• 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly (optional)


• 1 pinch red pepper flakes, to taste


• 1 (14-15 ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with juice


• 1 cup strained yogurt (also known as yogurt cheese or “chakah”)


• 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic, to taste


• salt, to taste

Directions

1. Clean the peel of the eggplant, then cut the stem off.


2. Cut into 1/2 inch thick slices (leaving the peel on).


3. Spread slices on a flat surface or tray and sprinkle generously with salt; let sit for 30 minutes, then dry well with paper towels.


4. In a skillet or pan melt the olive oil and butter together over medium low heat; sauté the sliced onion (and green pepper, if using) until nicely browned and slightly caramelized, then stir in the red pepper flakes.


5. Pour oil into a separate deep frying pan (one that has a lid) to cover the bottom of pan; over medium high sauté the eggplant slices on both sides until lightly browned.


6. As the eggplant slices are done, gently squeeze them with tongs to remove as much oil out of them as possible; discard extra oil.


7. Remove extra oil from the deep frying pan, then place one layer of eggplant slices on the bottom of the pan.


8. Place a bit of cooked onion on top of each slice; repeat with another layer of eggplant and cooked onion, until you’re out of slices and onion.


9. Pour the chopped tomatoes with their juice over the slices and onion, careful to not dislodge the onion too much.


10. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes, then remove cover and simmer another 5 to reduce the sauce a bit.


11. Combine the strained/drained yogurt, crushed garlic to taste, and salt to taste to make the chakah sauce.


12. When eggplant is done, remove from heat then carefully transfer the slices to serving dish (careful not to dislodge the toppings), then top each with a dollop of the chakah sauce.

This is a raw foods recipe (which is also gluten free and vegan) and is sure to please anyone without a nut allergy. It might sound a bit strange but I encourage you to try this easy recipe during the holidays.

 

Judy’s Raw Foods Cake

adapted from Ani Phyo’s Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake Recipe

Cake:

3 cups walnuts

2/3 cup cacao powder

1 cup dates (pitted)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup raspberries

In a food processor mix walnuts and cocoa powder. Then add dates and salt and blend again. Mush all the ingredients together and break into two sections. Line a pan (any shape about 8×8) with plastic wrap. Place one 1/2 of cake mixture in the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of mushed raspberries. Then take the second layer of cake mixture and form it on top of the raspberries. Set aside to add frosting.

Frosting:

1/3 cup dates (pitted)

1/4 agave syrup

1/3 cup cacoa powder

1 avocado

Mix the dates and agave in a food processor, then add the cocoa power and finally the avocado. Frost your cake with the mixture and add whole raspberries in a decorative pattern to the top of the cake.

Alternatives:

Walnuts can be replaces with pecans or cashews. Raspberries can be replaced with any berry.

Need more instructions, just watch Ani make this cake on The View From the Bay.

My friend @granolamom has tried a variety of gluten free (GF) products.  So, I asked her for some tips on GF baking products.  This is what she had to say.

GF tips. I love Bob’s Red Mill. The mixes are great but his GF baking flour mix can be substituted in many recipes for regular flour. It’s awesome. Lately, I’ve been a fan of Mama’s Mixes especially her coconut blend for sweeter baking like cookies and such. I think the brands Glutino and Kinnikinnick generally make tasty products. I know Namaste is local and I would like to support them but honestly I don’t really care for their GF mixes. Cherrybrook Kitchen has some great sweet treats mixes like sugar cookies and vanilla cake. All that said I have yet to find a decent GF brownie mix. They just don’t measure up. Mostly I’ve had luck with taking a regular recipe and making my own substitute GF flour. Different flours are good for different things. Google is a great tool for this kind of thing. The magazine Living Without also has great ideas.

If you are interested in tips on natural cleaning products, natural hair and skin care products, gluten free lifestyle, breastfeeding, cloth diapers, and anything related to puppies or kids under 3, you might want to look her up on Twitter: @granolamom

Do you have an gluten free baking tips?

My friend posted this great soup recipe. Kohlrabi is definitely an under utilized vegetable so I thought it would be fun to try out this easy recipe.

Bohemian Kohlrabi Soup
Start to Finish: Approximately 30 minutes
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:
1/2 a giant Kohlrabi or 4 medium size Kohlrabi, cubed into 1/2” pieces
4 Tbsp Butter
1 large Yellow Onion, finely chopped
3 medium size Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1/2” pieces
1 quart Vegetable Broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
Flat Leaf Parsley

1. Finely chop the onion and begin to saute it in the butter which you have melted in a large pot over very low heat.
2. Meanwhile, cut off the outside skin of the kohlrabi and dice it into 1/2” cubes. Add the kohlrabi to the onions in the pot with a few dashes of salt and saute them together for just a couple minutes. While they are sauteing, peel and dice the potatoes.
3. Add the entire quart of vegetable broth and the potatoes to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down very low to reduce the boil to a simmer.
4. Add a dash or two of salt and your desired amount of pepper (taste as you go) and cover the pot to let the soup simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes and kohlrabi are soft but not mushy.
5. Add more salt or pepper to your taste and about two handfuls of chopped flat leaf parsley. Stir the soup and let it cook for no more than another two minutes; ladle into bowls and serve.

My favorite way to make tzatziki requires the best yogurt.

1. Go to International Market and buy any container of kefir yogurt they stock.


2. Pour the entire container in a bowl (about 2 cups).


3. Grab a cucumber (about 6” long) and grate it on a standard cheese-grater letting the pieces fall on a towel.


4. Squeeze the juice out of the grated cucumber and add it to the bowl of yogurt.


5. Take 10 cloves of garlic (most people would prefer only 5 cloves) and zest it on a micro-plane.


6. Stir the garlic in to the cucumber and yogurt.


7. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the yogurt mixture.

That’s it. Simple.

To cut the taste of the garlic add more lemon. This might be necessary if you use 10 cloves and your leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

I like to eat my tzatziki in a falafel sandwich (naan, falafel, tomato, tzatziki, hummus, and sometimes fries) or with veggie slices.

Spring rolls: They taste great, are versatile for all diets, and inexpensive to make. Plus, they can be prepared from 90% fresh local products.

Step 1. Buy spring roll wrappers from the Korean Market on Division for about $3 a pack of ~50 sheets. You can also by them from most chain grocery stores. They are made from tapioca flour, salt, and water. All ready you are winning over gluten free and vegan dieters.

Step 2. Pick fresh vegetables or find them at a near by farmers market or produce store. I included shredded carrots, broccoli stems, green onions, and celery.

Step 3. Grill up some Small Planet Extra Firm Tofu. I like mine cut into thin strips about one inch long. I also heat them in a pan until the outside is crispy and brown. You can also use any variety of meat if you don’t have tofu.

Step 4. Soak the spring roll wrapper in boiling water. Use a plate and pour water in it, then soak the wrapper until it is soft. Remove the wrapper from the hot water and place it on a rolling plate.

Step 5. Fill the soft spring roll wrapper with the fresh veggies and grilled tofu. Roll up the wrapper like a burrito.

Step 6. Get creative with dipping sauces. Take soy sauce and mix it with peanut butter and Piri Piri sauce. Or find your own variations.

Alternate Dessert Roll:

Fill the wrappers with fresh cut fruit and honey roll it up and you are ready to go.

This cake may sound a bit odd when you read they ingredients but, it really is a perfect fun Spring recipe. A friend recently tried this Floridan/Ohioan Family’s 1950s recipe for her son’s birthday. It was a hit and quick to make. You might want to give it a try for your Bloomsday BBQ this weekend.

STRAWBERRY POP CAKE RECIPE
-From TL’s Grandma Keener 1950

• One package yellow cake mix


• 2 packages strawberry Jell-O


• 8-9 ounces of strawberry pop


• 1 large package (5.1 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix


• 1 cup milk


• 1 container (12 oz) Cool Whip

CAKE:

Make one yellow cake mix according to directions in 13×9 pan. Cool at least 15 minutes. Poke cake all over with meat fork.

Mix strawberry Jell-O with 1 1/2 cup boiling water. Add 8-9 oz strawberry pop. Pour over cake. Cool over night.

FROSTING:

Mix instant vanilla pudding mix with 1 cup milk. Fold in Cool Whip. Cover cake and keep refrigerated.

Will serve 16- 20 people.