FIRST DAY OF SPRING 2011

The day has finally come---and we are celebrating with clear blue skies and 55 F degrees. This has lasted almost one week so we are confident that the Earth has turned. The pictures of the pruned Red Twig Dogwoods and Shrub Roses shows our work the past 3 days--time to prune back, remove dead wood, and cut away the old rose galls that plagues our shrub roses. They are easy to see before the branches sprout new leaves.

The peonies, of course, are what this spot will look like in about 45 days.

Seed catalogs are arriving daily--so much temptation! I will be planning my herbs soon--those not perennial will be started indoors or purchased from a licensed nursery in our area for setting out mid-May. It's too risky here to be more optimistic about frost. Mother's Day is the traditional date for lilacs and planting in the home garden. Stay tuned!

We will watch the finals of the Indian Wells (Palm Desert, California) Tennis tournament this afternoon and enjoy some quesadillas made with left overs from the week--EASY and delicious.

What you need:

A package of tortillas--I use a low-calorie wheat tortilla, but choose your favorite.

Chopped greens: Leftover spinach, Swiss chard, cilantro, fresh parsley, or whatever you have.
Use frozen if thawed first and squeezed dry. Leftover green beans, asparagus, and corn also work.

Grated cheese: Any grated cheese will do--a great way to use up leftover bits of cheese. If you want the gourmet touch, use goat cheese or feta with spinach and cilantro.

If you don't count calories, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet, add chopped vegetables, and heat for about 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, squeeze of garlic, and a pinch red pepper flakes (optional, but delicious). This mixture may be heated in the microwave without oil.

Choose your method of final cooking:

Skillet on top of the stove (non stick is good). Place tortilla in the pan, spread with the vegetable mixture, sprinkle with grated or crumbled cheese, top with a second tortilla and heat until cheese melts. This goes FAST. Watch carefully for melt, and then flip over to heat second tortilla. Cut into desired serving pieces and eat warm.

Option: For one, just heat it "open face" and fold over. Cut into thirds and enjoy.

Microwave Oven: Place tortilla on a serving plate and follow above method. Cover with vegetable mix, add cheese, nuke about 30 seconds--depending on strength of your microwave. If using a top tortilla, rather than just folding one over, removed, flip over, and give it another 30 seconds.

KGC

SOUP PISTOU FOR YOU (and your guests)

"Pistou" actually means pounded basil. It translates into the more familiar example of pounded basil---our old favorite, pesto.

In the South of France, a luscious white bean soup base with spring vegetables is a very popular dish. The "pistou" or pesto is mounded in the soup bowl first, and the broth with beans is ladled around for an attractive service. At table, each guest mixes the parts together with a soup spoon and enjoys the dish with crusty bread, a simple wine, and perhaps a piece of seasonal fruit for dessert. We offered pears today.

There are resemblances to minestrone--a soup with a million variations, and often differentiated with colored beans (red). Please consider preparing the parts of this soup separately and combining just before service--nothing worse than re-cooked green vegetables.

The beans can be finished well ahead. The "pistou" can be finished well ahead. Your choice of fresh vegetables for color and garnish should be lightly cooked and added just before service.

Traditional pistou often includes bits of pasta (any small shape, or broken bits of spaghetti) or torn pieces of day-old bread. Your choice. Tradition also includes much more olive oil than this recipe, but we're counting calories--you'll never miss it.

Soupe Au Pistou

Bean base preparation: Soak overnight to reduce cooking time:
(Of course you may substitute canned beans if you wish--about 4 cans).

1# dried white broad (lima) or smaller white beans covered with several inches of water
2-3 bay leaves

Next day, drain soaking water, rinse beans well, and cover with fresh water (about 3 inches over the top of the beans). Add 2 teaspoons salt and 2 more Bay leaves and simmer on medium heat, partially covered, for about 1 hour or until beans are tender to bite. Test one. If it "bites" to your liking, remove pot from heat and set aside. A lovely stock forms magically from the beans themselves. You may add some chicken stock if you wish but it isn't necessary.

Pistou Preparation:

Place in a microwave-proof dish:
1 large onion diced
4 cloves garlic, pressed, or minced if you prefer (mince is smaller than dice)
1/4 cup water
Cover with glass lid, or plastic wrap and nuke on high for about 3 minutes. This microwave technique for onions or other aromatics (celery, carrots, leeks) eliminates the need for cooking oils. Drain off any excess water, and dump into a skillet.

Add 2 cans whole Roma style tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes if you have them. Don't buy the pre-seasoned cans of tomatoes--not authentic taste, and often include sugar. Break up whole tomatoes with a spoon.

Add 1-2 teaspoons salt (optional)
Add 1 teaspoon ground pepper

Add 1/4 cup commercial pesto (or make your own)*
Gently combine all ingredients.

Cook this mixture until it is reduced (15 minutes)--all water is evaporated. Ingredients remain recognizable, but more like a paste than a pasta sauce. Set aside until service. It continues to improve in flavor.

Select your additional green vegetables--fresh string beans are excellent, along with some shreds of green cabbage (available all year around). Match stick slices of carrot, zucchini, turnip, leek, even peas, are all good. Use what is in season---the white beans and "pistou" can be made from canned ingredients, but not the accompanying veggies.

See blog post February 14, 2010, for info on microwaving FRESH vegetables--including such delicate greens as asparagus and fresh green beans. Neat and quick.

Assembly for Service Presentation:

Reheat beans and their broth
Reheat the tomato/basil "Pistou"
Drain green beans or asparagus or whatever you are using for contrast garnish

Place a scoop of "Pistou" (about 1/3 cup) in the center of your soup bowl
Place the contrast veggie next to it (green beans today)
Carefully ladle the soup stock around the pistou.
Top with a tablespoon of grated Parmesan or other hard Italian type cheese

Serve with crusty rolls or baguettes.

KGC

*Pesto can be easily made in the processor. When we don't have fresh basil in winter, I buy it prepared at Costco. If all isn't used within about 10 days, divide into portions and freeze. Convenient.

Make your own if you have fresh basil:

Place 4 cups fresh basil leaves (clean, dry,loosely packed) in the food processor
Add 4 gloves peeled garlic and pulse a couple of times.

Add and pulse again:
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1-2 teaspoons salt (optional--cheese may be salty enough) TASTE it.

Now with processor running, add about 1/2 cup olive oil in a thin stream.
It may not be necessary to use it all. Stop when it looks well incorporated and is the nice creamy texture you like.

There are many variations of the proportions of basil = garlic = oil = Parmesan. Experiment for your favorite. "Pesto" is now being made with other herbs such as parsley or cilantro. Delicious, but not really "pesto".

A GLASS OF WINE AND THOU....

There is a hint of spring in the air--at least the temperatures are above freezing and our driveway is clear for the first time in many weeks. The last golf game was played at our neighborhood club on November 17, 2010--a record spell. We rarely have snow on the ground without a thaw for this long.

How to make the time pass? One of the pleasure of life, of course, is a glass of wine with a bite of cheese, a fire, a good book, a good friend. Some of us are still maintaining the post-new year food modification regime, with success I might add. Wine is that little gift of the grape that often is cut out of diets due to calories (about 100 per four (4) ounces or 4 PointsPlus for the same amount if you are a Weight Watcher (who isn't?). This is a scant half glassful for a standard kitchen wine glass.

A solution that works for me is dilution with sparkling water. I can tolerate with grace one (1) ounce of wine and three (3) ounces of sparkling water or club soda with ease. See photo. It looks like you are having something, with some flavor and color, that definitely raises the spirit. If you prefer something non-alcoholic, do the same with cranberry juice or your favorite.

Before you laugh, give it a try. I've long preferred to eat my calories rather than drink them, but this isn't a bad trade off. Especially now since I can't eat so much either.

Make exceptions for rare vintages, your wedding, or other special occasions. But for the routine evening this substitute passes muster for many.

Stay tuned---

Homemade crackers and thin flat breads to follow--mostly made with ground chick-pea flours and meals.

KGC

FLOWERS IN FEBRUARY

Somewhere on Planet Earth flowers are always blooming. Here in the Northern Rockies we will have to wait for our turn, coming soon. Meanwhile, we are happy to have a look at the windward side of the Big Island of Hawaii--a paradise of gardens and landscapes to satisfy every taste. Many plants serve double duty as producers of edibles as well as a feast for the eye.

The Big Island has many square miles of black volcanic flow, which is a dramatic contrast with the blue green ocean and hot colored tropical flowers.

Posted today are a few of them for your winter enjoyment.

Top to bottom:

Palm trees & Bougainvillea
Black Lava Flow at Kona
Bromeliades
Tea House & Koi pond at Hilton Village
Lotus blooms in Koi pond
Heliconia with violet bloom
Orchids in a pool landscape

TROPICAL SMOOTHIES EASY WITH LOCAL FRUITS

We have returned from a magical visit to the Big Island of Hawaii. February in Montana is quite a different scene! How fortunate to have a break from our longest and coldest winter in several years. Some say this year is more "normal." Everyone hopes that prediction is wrong....

At Kona we enjoyed making breakfast smoothies with local fruit. Our host offered bananas from her own garden. The pineapple patch wasn't quite in season, but you can see from the posted picture what a lovely addition to the landscape the plants make. We were satisfied with pineapples and various berries from the local farmer's market to fill out the ingredients.

Smoothies = LIQUID (juice or milk) + a SOLID (fruits in this example) + FLAVORINGS (dash of mint, cinnamon, cardamom). Depending on whether you are drinking one for refreshment, nutrition, or convenience, you can customize with ease to your heart's content. There are no rules!

Kona Smoothie

Plug in the blender and fill with liquids first, then fruits, then ice cubes:

2 cups fruit juice (we used a combo of mango and citrus)
2 small bananas picked in the yard & cut into chunks (see photo)
1/4 medium fresh pineapple, peeled, cored & cut into chunks
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup strawberries
6-8 ice cubes (more if cubes are small)

Pulse in blender until smooth.
Serve in tall glasses with a sprig of mint, slice of citrus on the rim, dash of cinnamon.
Makes approximately 1 quart of drink.

Optional: Add 4 ounces of non-fat yogurt if you like it "creamy". Or ice cream is tasty if you aren't counting calories.

Feel free to experiment with what you have available. This is a great way to use seasonal fruits that may be too ripe to eat out-of-hand. You may also substitute frozen fruits with good success. For Weight Watchers-- fresh fruits are free points, and non-fat Greek yogurt is only 3 points per cup (8 oz).

A Yogurt Smoothie was my instant breakfast for years:

8 ounces Greek non-fat yogurt (1 cup)
1 standard size banana
Handful of frozen mixed berries (about 1/4 cup)
dash cinnamon

Whirl in blender and drink (right out of the blender if you like).

Add 2 tablespoons protein powder for extra nutrition.

What could be easier or more economical?

Keep warm,

KGC

BITE OF SUNSHINE IN A BLIZZARD

It's snowing heavily today. Again. No end in sight to our winter of 2010 - 2011.

Persimmons were mentioned 'way back last spring on the April 30, 2010 post. You can see a picture of the tree in Santa Barbara from whence this gorgeous fruit comes.

We received another box full for Christmas and I left out two to slightly "over ripen" and then freeze whole. Yes, whole. See today's photo. They freeze perfectly and solid right in the freezer without any wrapping. Amazing.

When you want to eat one with a spoon and enjoy the freshest taste of summer possible, let it thaw on the counter for an hour or two (or overnight in the refrigerator, in a dish). Then simply slice off the green stem top, and eat with a spoon. They can be thawed to smooth, or eaten a little icy like a sorbet. Heaven.

It's critical to freeze your persimmon when it is VERY ripe. That's the only time they are sweet enough to eat out of hand. A persimmon ready to freeze should almost feel like a little water balloon in your hand. Try not to break the skin or the juice will leak out.

A persimmon certainly brightened my day today!

KGC

GAME WEEKEND SNACKS

Join the fun at the snack table at all the weekend football game gatherings.
It is easy to have low calorie snacks that are also filling and nutritious!
Bring your own creations if you aren't the host--endless raw veggies without fattening dips you don't want to eat get pretty tiresome.

We remind readers that we have covered the sports snack topic before--please click back on July 5, 2010 for "Poor Man's Caviar", April 7, 2010 for "Oven Roasted Tofu", and February 6, 2010 for Michael's "Gazpacho" served in cocktail glasses. Most of these are fine just as they are, but for those of us watching our points and calories, today's post has some easy modifications. Mostly we omit the fats and oils and add some good seasonings.


Hummous Spread or Dip

Make with sesame oil and no sesame butter (tahini) to create a satisfying raw vegetable dip or crisp celery stuffing. It can be spread on crackers or scooped up with chips or strips if desired.

Place in the food processor (or heavy duty blender):

1 16 oz. can rinsed and drained garbanzo beans or 2 cups cooked ( 3 points per half cup)
2 cloves peeled fresh garlic (more if you love garlic)
2 Tablespoons sesame oil (1 point per teaspoon)
juice of 2 lemons

Pulse until creamy. If a little too coarse, add a tablespoon or two or water, stock or cooking liquid (if you cooked your own garbanzos). Pulse again and taste for salt. I also add ground white pepper and a teaspoon of smoky Paprika OR 1/4 teaspoon Chipotle ground chili or other smoky chili powder. Season to your taste. None add calories. Enjoy on crisp celery.
Yield about 2 cups or 18 points total. 1/4 cup serving = 2.5 points

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Mix salsa in a 1 quart size container that will go right into the refrigerator. Eat a half cup often! It's very satisfying and helps keep us away from the cheesy snacks.

1 16-oz. can sweet corn (6 points)
1 16-oz. can black beans (6 points)
1 16-oz. can green beans (optional)
2 large cloves (or more) fresh garlic, split lengthwise and crushed

Juice of a lime (or substitute lemon)
1 cup good quality tomato juice OR 1/2 cup chopped canned tomatoes OR 2 whole fresh tomatoes, chopped, if they are in season
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional, but very good)
chili powder or red chili flakes if heat is desired (optional)

Yield 4 cups salsa. Serving of 1 cup = 3 points (this is oil free)

Serve with an ounce of baked tortilla chips, or serve in a lettuce cup nestled inside a low cal whole wheat pita.

For those who will want a warm-up on a cold winter day--try this chowder served in a mug:

Manhattan (Red) Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

2 cups drained canned clams (1/2 cup clams = 2 points)
2 cups reserved clam juice
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock (de-fatted by chilling first if necessary)
1/2 cup tomato puree OR a can of tomatoes without seasoning OR fresh

1 large yellow or white onion, diced
3 Yukon gold (or any waxy potato) potatoes, cubed (3 oz. cooked potato = 2 points)
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon dry thyme or 2 sprigs fresh (traditional)
OR 1 teaspoon dry oregano or 2 sprigs fresh (variation)

2 bay leaves
salt, pepper
1 large clove garlic, pressed (optional)
1 teaspoon smoked Paprika (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Chipotle chili powder (optional, but very good)

Procedure:

Bring a quart of stock to a boil with bay leaves and add cubed potatoes. Simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are just cooked. Lift potatoes out with a slotted spoon and set aside (so they don't overcook and fall apart).

Microwave diced onion in a shallow container with dusting of thyme or oregano. Add 2 tablespoons water, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a glass lid, and nuke for 3 minutes. See posting February 14, 2010 for no-fat microwave vegetable prep). When done, add to stock. They should be cooked and transparent, not browned.

Add the chopped celery and tomato puree to the stock. Simmer until celery is soft.

Just before serving, add back the cooked potatoes and bring to a boil. Add chopped clams, cover pot, and immediately turn off the heat. Canned clams are already cooked, so they just need heat. Let them rest with the stock and vegetables for at least 10 minutes, or up to 30 minutes to absorb flavors.

Serve in heated mugs (or bowls if guests have a place to sit) and offer chips or plain crackers or crusty rolls.

Yield about 2 quarts chowder. 1 cup serving = 4 points.

And may the best teams win........

KGC