Author: maggie black

maggie’s magical turmeric tea

drinks, superfoods

ingredients

  • 1.5-2 cups water
  • 1 nub fresh turmeric, grated
  • 1 thick slice lemon
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp honey

instructions

  1. Boil the water, add the ingredients, let steep 5-10 min (may reheat after steeping).

notes

  • Black Pepper: Black pepper contains piperine, which significantly enhances the absorption of curcumin (the magical turmeric ingredient) by up to 2000%. Including black pepper with turmeric, therefore, maximizes the health benefits you receive from the curcumin present in the turmeric.
  • Lemon: Lemon is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Vitamin C can enhance iron absorption from other foods and strengthen the immune system. The acidity of lemon may also aid in preserving the antioxidants in turmeric when steeped in tea.
  • Honey: Honey is a natural sweetener that brings its own set of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties (great for Strep!) and can soothe the throat.
  • eat, don’t strain, the grated Turmeric: Consuming the actual grated turmeric root in your tea ensures you’re getting the full spectrum of nutrients, essential oils, and curcumin present in the root. It’s a more holistic approach than using turmeric powder alone, as some of the volatile oils and compounds can be lost during the drying and powdering process.
  • Why fresh Turmeric?

A. Anti-inflammatory Properties: Curcumin is renowned for its potent anti-inflammatory effects, which can help in managing conditions associated with inflammation such as arthritis, certain digestive disorders, and possibly even neurodegenerative diseases.

B. Antioxidant Capacity: Raw turmeric contains antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals, molecules that can cause oxidative stress and damage to cells. This antioxidant action can help protect against chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

C. Immune System Support: The compounds in turmeric, including curcumin, have been shown to support the immune system. Its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties can help protect the body from various pathogens and diseases.

D. Digestive Health: Turmeric stimulates the gallbladder to produce bile, which can improve digestion and reduce symptoms of bloating and gas. Its anti-inflammatory properties can also benefit individuals with digestive issues like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

E. Wound Healing and Skin Health: Applied topically in paste form or consumed orally, turmeric can help in wound healing due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It also benefits the skin by potentially reducing acne, scarring, and inflammation.

F. Detoxification: Turmeric supports liver function and detoxification pathways. The curcumin in turmeric can help increase the production of vital enzymes that detoxify our blood in the liver by breaking down and reducing toxins.

G. Nutritional Content: Beyond curcumin, raw turmeric is also a source of vitamins (such as vitamin C and B vitamins), minerals (including iron, potassium, and calcium), and dietary fiber. These contribute to overall health and help in the proper functioning of the body.

Zucchini + Corn Farro “Pasta”

dinner, mediterranean, pasta/grains

ingredients

  • 4 zucchinis (or as many as you want!), cubed
  • 1-2 cups frozen corn
  • 1-2 onions, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, diced
  • 14oz farro

instructions

  1. Prepare the Onions:
    • Slice the onions thinly.
    • In a large skillet over low heat, add the sliced onions.
    • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • Cook the onions slowly, stirring occasionally, until they turn a deep golden brown and are caramelized. This process may take about 15-20 minutes to ensure the onions are fully caramelized without burning.
    • Add minced garlic to the caramelized onions, stirring for about 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Avoid burning the garlic.
    • Transfer the caramelized onions and garlic mixture to a bowl and set aside.
  2. Cook the Farro:
    • In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Season the water with salt as if you were cooking pasta.
    • Add the farro to the boiling water and cook until it is al dente, following the package’s instructions for exact cooking time, usually about 20-30 minutes.
    • Once cooked, drain the farro and set it aside.
  3. Caramelize the Zucchini:
    • Slice the zucchini into half-moons or rounds, depending on your preference.
    • In the same skillet used for onions (now empty), heat it over medium heat.
    • Add the sliced zucchini to the skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper.
    • Cook the zucchini, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown and caramelize, about 8-10 minutes.
  4. Combine with Corn and Farro:
    • Once the zucchini is caramelized, add corn (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained) to the skillet.
    • Stir in the cooked farro and the set-aside caramelized onions and garlic.
    • Toss everything together over medium heat until well combined and heated through.

peanut shortbread w/honeycomb

dessert, holiday food


ingredients

cookie layer

  • 1 cup/225 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened, plus more for greasing the pan
  • ½ cup/110 grams light brown sugar
  • ½ cup/100 grams granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract, or scrapings from ½ vanilla bean
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2½ cups/320 grams all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
  • 1 cup/140 grams whole salted, roasted peanuts, finely ground, plus about ½ cup/70 grams roughly chopped salted, roasted peanuts

honeycomb layer

  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1½ cups/300 grams granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup/60 milliliters honey

chocolate topping

  • 4 ounces/115 grams dark chocolate, chopped (about ⅔ cup)
  • ½ teaspoon vegetable shortening
  • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

instructions

  1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch metal pan, and line with parchment paper, leaving plenty of overhang on the long sides.
    _
  2. Make the cookie layer: Combine 1 cup butter, the light brown sugar and the granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Add vanilla and salt; beat to combine.
    _
  3. Add 2½ cups flour and all peanuts, and beat until crumbly. Transfer the dough to the pan. Using floured hands, pat out the dough evenly but lightly, without compacting. Prick surface all over with a floured fork, and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes. Bake until firm at the center and golden brown all over, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven, set pan on a wire rack, and cool completely.
    _
  4. Prepare the honeycomb layer: Have a large metal bowl, a whisk, the measured baking soda and the baked peanut cookie layer ready by the stove. In a wide, shallow saucepan, combine granulated sugar, honey and ¼ cup water, and whisk to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil, gently swirling the pan without stirring, and using a wet pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan. Clip on a candy thermometer, and cook the mixture until the thermometer reads 300 degrees, 5 to 6 minutes.
    _
  5. Quickly and carefully pour and scrape the honey mixture into the metal bowl, then immediately whisk in the baking soda. (The mixture will puff up quite a bit.) Briefly whisk to dissolve the baking soda, but don’t overbeat. Immediately pour the hot mixture on top of the peanut cookie layer. Aim to cover the shortbread while pouring, then tip the pan around a little to distribute the honeycomb as much as possible. (Resist the urge to spread it out with a spatula, which will knock the air out of the honeycomb, making it hard instead of airy.) Cool completely. Run a small sharp knife around the edges of the pan to loosen. Using the overhanging parchment, lift and transfer to a work surface.
    _
  6. Use the point of a small, sharp knife to break the cookie into 2- to 3-inch shards and arrange them on a parchment- or wax paper-lined baking sheet.
    _
  7. In a metal bowl set over a small saucepan filled with an inch of simmering water, combine the dark chocolate and the shortening, and stir until smooth and melted. Remove from heat. (You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave instead: Transfer the chocolate and shortening to a microwave-safe glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk to combine, then heat in 20-second increments, whisking between each, until melted.)
    _
  8. Using a small spoon, drizzle the chocolate over the cookie shards. Sprinkle with sea salt. Pop into the freezer to harden the chocolate, about 5 to 10 minutes. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
    _
  9. Frost with chocolate buttercream. To make the buttercream, beat the butter, milk, cocoa powder, and half the powdered sugar on medium for several minutes, until mixture is smooth. Add in more powdered sugar (perhaps all) and more cocoa powder as needed.
    –
  10. Frost the cake at room temperature with frosting at room temperature.

From: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020656-peanut-shortbread-with-honeycomb

ground impossible gryo with naan and tzatziki

dinner

ingredients

FOR THE MEAT

  • 1 pound impossible “ground beef”
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

FOR THE TZATZIKI

  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 1 cup grated cucumber, pressed
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt

FOR THE NAAN

  • t tsp / 4g instant / rapid rise yeast
  • 1 cup / 250ml warm water (105°F)
  • 2 tbsp / 30g sugar
  • 1/4 cup / 60 g milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp / 5g salt
  • 3.5 cups / 540g four
  • 60g / 2 tbsp olive oil

instructions

Make the naan
–
Mix yeast with warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Cover with cling wrap, leave for 10 minutes until foamy
–
Whisk milk and egg together. Sift flour and salt into a separate bowl. Make a well in the flour, add yeast mixture, and butter and egg mixture. Mix
together with a spatula. Once the flour is mostly incorporated, switch to your hands and bring it together into a ball. No kneading is required. Cover the bowl with cling-wrap, then leave in a warm place for 1 – 1.5 hrs until it doubles in size.
–
Weigh the dough and cut into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball by stretching and tucking the dough under. Place balls on a lightly-floured tray or plate. Sprinkle lightly with flour, cover loosely with a lightweight tea towel. Put in a warm place to rise for 15 minutes until it increases in size by about 50%. Place a round on a lightly-floured work surface, flatten with your hand. Roll out to about 6.5″ wide discs.
–
Rub a cast iron skillet with a very light coat of oil using 1/2 tsp oil on a paper towl (unless already well seasoned). Set over high heat until you see wisps of smoke. Place a naan dough in the skillet and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until the underside is deep golden / slightly charred – the surface should get bubbly. Flip then cook the other side for 1 minute until the bubbles become deep golden brown. Serve hot or set aside to cool for later.

Make the tzatziki
–
combine ingredients 😛

Make the meat
– Add the ground beef to a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Add the seasonings and ½ cup of water. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce has thickened around the meat, about 5 minutes.


Adapted from modernfarmhouseeats.com/easy-ground-beef-gyros-with-tzatziki and recipetineats.com/naan-recipe

Enchilada Sauce

basics

 

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons flour (whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and gluten-free flour blends all work!)
    • 1 tablespoon ground chili powder (scale back if you’re sensitive to spice or using particularly spicy chili powder)
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
    • Pinch of cinnamon (optional but recommended)
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
    • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    1. This sauce comes together quickly once you get started, so measure the dry ingredients (the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt and optional cinnamon) into a small bowl and place it near the stove. Place the tomato paste and broth near the stove as well.
    2. In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the oil until it’s hot enough that a light sprinkle of the flour/spice mixture sizzles on contact. This might take a couple of minutes, so be patient and don’t step away from the stove!
    3. Once it’s ready, pour in the flour and spice mixture. While whisking constantly, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.
    4. Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it. (The sauce will thicken some more as it cools.)
    5. Remove from heat, then whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Add more salt, if necessary (I usually add another pinch or two). Go forth and make enchiladas!

    From: https://cookieandkate.com/enchilada-sauce-recipe/

    hummus two ways

    Uncategorized

    Rich and Creamy Hummus

    • 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 3/4 cup lemon juice
    • 3-5 garlic cloves
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 cup tahini
    • 2-4 tbsp cold water
    • 2 tbsp olive oil

    Low-fat Hummus

    • 2 can chickpeas
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1/3 cup lemon juice
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/4 cup tahini
    • 1/3 cup greek yogurt
    • 1 tbsp olive oil

    Directions

    1. Place chickpeas in a medium saucepan with the baking soda. Cover with several inches of water, bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Boil for about 20 min or until chickpeas are bloated and skins falling off. Drain and rinse with cold water.
    2. Combine lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a food processor and process for a few minutes. Add tahini and yogurt. Then the chickpeas and finally the olive oil. Process until smooth. Store in an airtight jar.

    turmeric black pepper chicken & broccoli

    dinner

    ingredients

    • ~1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1″ pieces
    • 1-2 lbs broccoli, cut into small florets
    • 4 tbsp honey
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 3 tbsp flour
    • 2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp soy sauce (optional)

    instructions

    Stir together water, honey, pepper, and salt together. Set aside.
    –
    Stir together flour, turmeric, and 1 tsp salt. Set aside.
    –
    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss broccoli with a little olive oil and roast for 20-30 minutes.
    –
    Add chicken to the flour mixture and stir till well coated. Heat a little oil in a stir fry pan and add the chicken, cooking until chicken is golden brown on both sides (NY Times says 2-3 min per side, for me it was more like 5-7 minutes per side).
    –
    Add the honey mixture and cook, stirring, until chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Add in the roasted broccoli and stir well. Serve with brown rice.

    Adapted from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020970-turmeric-black-pepper-chicken-with-asparagus

    sweet cornbread

    basics, bread

    ingredients

    • 1 cup (120g) fine cornmeal
    • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1/8 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
    • 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
    • 2 tbsp (30ml) honey
    • 1 large egg, at room temperature
    • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk (or greek yogurt & water)

    instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Grease and lightly flour a 9-inch square baking pan. Set aside.
      –
    2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and honey together until completely smooth and thick. Then, whisk in the egg until combined. Finally, whisk in the buttermilk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Avoid over-mixing.
      –
    3. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and the center is cooked through. Use a toothpick to test. Edges should be crispy at this point. Allow to slightly cool before slicing and serving. Serve cornbread with butter, honey, jam, or whatever you like.
      –
    4. Preheat oven to 400. Line a 9×13 baking sheet (or pan!) with parchment paper, lightly grease and set aside.
      –
    5. Bring baking soda and 9 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Drop 1-2 pretzel rolls into the boiling water for 20 seconds on each side (do not overdo this). Using a slotted spatula, lift the pretzel roll out of the water and allow as much of the excess water to drip off. Place pretzel rolls onto prepared baking sheet or close together in the baking pan. Using a sharp knife, score a couple slits into the top of each.
      –
    6. Lightly brush the tops of the buns with the beaten egg white and top with a little sea salt.
      –
    7. Bake for 22-26 minutes or until a deep golden brown on all sides.

    Adapted from https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/easy-pretzel-rolls/

    ham & split pea soup

    dinner

    ingredients

    • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
    • 2 cups chopped onion
    • 1 cup diced carrot
    • 1 cup diced celery
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 lb dried split peas
    • 1 meaty ham bone
    • 1 large bay leaf
    • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
    • 6 cups chicken stock
    • 2 cups water
    • 1 cup diced ham

    instructions

    –
    In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter until foaming subsides. Add onion, carrot, celery, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until vegetables are softened and just beginning to brown, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, until aromatic. Stir in split peas.
    –
    Add ham bone, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Stir in chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until split peas are cooked down and soup is thickened to desired consistency. (Stir more frequently as the soup begins to thicken and add a little additional stock or water if it gets too thick for your tastes.)
    –
    Add diced ham during the last 15 minutes of cooking. When ready to serve, remove and discard ham bone and bay leaf, and stir in remaining 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Season to taste with salt, if needed. Serve hot with croutons and cracked black pepper.
    –

    From https://stripedspatula.com/split-pea-soup-with-ham/