RECIPE: Lovage Mayonnaise

Lovage Mayonnaise

Makes a little more than 1 c.

1/2 c. packed lovage leaves
1/2 c. unrefined safflower oil
2 large egg yolks
1/2 t. himalayan pink salt
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 T. water
 Equipment:
2 pint jars
immersion/stick blender

In one pint jar combine the lovage leaves and the oil and blend until smooth.

In the other pint jar layer the remaining ingredients in the order listed.  Pour the lovage oil on top and wait 15-20 seconds for the contents to settle (oil will rise to the top).

Insert the blender and blend, gently rocking the head to slowly draw in the oil,  until the mixutre has emulsified.  Add water if it's too thick - it should be sauce-like.

Adjust seasoning.

Serve with raw carrots or roasted veggies.  It's also DELICIOUS with grilled steak!

RECIPE: Lovage Cooler

Lovage stems are hollow and can be used as straws!

Ginger Elderflower Cooler with Lovage Straw

Serves : one

2 t. elderflower syrup (you can also make your own)
1/4 - 1/2 c. ginger tea*, depending on how strong you like it (photo on left is 1/4c., on right is 1/2c.)
1" piece of seedless cucumber cut in half and sliced into wedges
2 deep red strawberries hulled and cut into wedges
1-2 ice cubes
club soda
1 stalk lovage with long stem, stripped of leaves

On the lovage stalk, wherever there is a leaf branch attached, the stem will not be hollow.  You may need to (gently) pass a long skewer through these nodes to make sure liquid will pass all the way through.

Mix the syrup and tea in a tall glass.  Add the cucumber, strawberries and ice and fill with club soda.

Insert your lovage 'straw' and enjoy!  Add an ice tea spoon so you can eat the fruit afterwards.


* I make ginger tea by steeping fresh ginger in boiling water.  I like it strong so I use a lot of ginger.

RECIPE: Risotto w Chicken, Asparagus, Lemon and LOVAGE

LOVAGE!

I had planned to make risotto with chicken and asparagus, but while I was chopping the onions I kept smelling something delicious.  When I realized it was the lovage lying on the counter waiting to be cleaned I decided to add it, and it raised the flavor profile of the risotto to a higher level.

(This recipe, without the lovage and lemon, is delicious with Chili Orange Oil.)

If you don't know how to make risotto, there are lots of tutorials on the internet.

Risotto with Chicken, Asparagus, Lemon and LOVAGE   

Serves 4

1 cup short grain rice (I use biodynamic sushi rice)
4-6 cups water or unsalted broth (I used veal broth)
1 t. himalayan pink salt
1 large onion, diced
1 small head (yes, a whole head) garlic, minced
2 stalks of lovage about 8-inches long, washed and dried, leaves separated from stalks**
2 T. ghee
2 bunches thick asparagus, washed, ends trimmed, and stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound cooked chicken, shredded
1/2 c. cream or 1/4 c. shredded parmesan*
1 small lemon

2 T. minced chives

Zest the lemon, then juice it, and reserve both zest and juice.

Measure out 1/3 cup packed lovage leaves.  Slice them into 1/4" strips.  Save the stalks to use as straws!

Steam the asparagus until just barely cooked.  I put the stems in the steamer first, and add the tops after a minute or two so the tops don't overcook.  Set aside.

Melt the ghee in a large saute pan on medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally.  They should not color.  Add the garlic and the rice and saute for 1-2 minutes until the rice is opaque.  It, too, should not color.

Add 1 c. water/stock and raise heat to med-high/high.  Add the lovage leaves and the salt.

Cook stirring constantly and adding water in 1/4 c. increments whenever you can see the bottom of the pan as you stir.

Adjust the heat so that when you add the new liquid, the liquid in the pan immediately comes back to boil.  The water/broth does not have to be hot if your cooktop is powerful enough to maintain this simmer.  If it isn't, you will need to heat the broth.

When the rice is almost done - there should be a speck of white visible in the center of the grain - stir in the chicken.

Cook until rice is done and chicken is heated through.  Don't over cook the rice!  You may not use all the liquid.  If you need more liquid, use water.  It should take *about* 20 minutes but don't freak if it takes longer.

Turn heat off.  Stir in asparagus, lemon juice and cream.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve sprinkled with lemon zest and chives.

* A few years ago I used cream instead of parmesan when I made risotto for a friend who didn't like cheese.  We liked it so much I use cream exclusively now.  I use raw cream so I stir it in last. 

** You will only use the leaves.  Reserve the stalks to use as straws!  

RECIPE: Bok Choy Pac Choi Salad

My girlfriend gave me this recipe years ago.
I don't know where she got it but this one is similar: Bok Choy Salad.

Pac Choi is spicier than bok choy.  Baby bok choy is milder than either.  You can use any of these.

Bok Choy or Pac Choi Salad

Serves 4

FOR THE SALAD:

• 5-6 small bulbs or 3 large bulbs cleaned and sliced 1/2" thick, about 6 cups
• 5 scallions, sliced 1/4" thick
• 1/4 c. sliced almonds
• 1 package rice vermicelli noodles
• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. sesame seeds 

FOR THE DRESSING:

• 1/4 c. light brown sugar (or 2T. dark brown sugar + 2T. turbinado)
  
• 2 T. apple cider vinegar
• 2 T. light sesame oil
• 2 T. dark sesame oil
• 2 T. tamari soy sauce or 2 T. coconut aminos 
• 1 t. salt

Combine dressing ingredients in small bowl and set aside to meld while you make the salad.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  The sweet, sour, and salty elements should be balanced.

Break rice noodles into 1" pieces.  Heat butter in small saute pan and fry rice noodles until the puff up and turn light gold.  DON'T BURN THEM!  Set aside on paper towels.

Add almonds to butter and toss until lightly browned.  Set aside on paper towels.

Toast sesame seeds in remaining butter until lightly browned.  Mix into dressing.

Mix cabbage and green onions with dressing.  Top with remaining ingredients and serve.

NOTE:  The dressing was very good served with baby white Hakurei turnips with their greens.  The turnips are a little spicy and the sweetness of the dressing cuts through them:

RECIPE: VERY green smoothie

I have this for breakfast every morning.  It's very 'green' but loaded with nutrients.  Without the lemon juice it's a bit too green for me but with the lemon I crave it.  It's not sweet; add stevia if you need sweetness.

The addition of Dr. Cowan's powders turn this from a healthy smoothie into a NUTRITIONAL POWERHOUSE.  You'll be getting a full day's worth of vegetables in one serving!  You can make it without the powders, of course, but it won't be as healthy.

You can add sea vegetables (thyroid and bone support) or nori (iron, b6, b12) for even more nutrition but they overpower the taste for me.  I have to take them in a capsule (yes, you can make your own!)

Very GREEN Smoothie

makes 3.5-4 cups

3-4 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 avocado (fat helps the body assimilate the nutrients in the greens) OR 1 ripe banana plus 2T almond butter
1.5 c. packed baby greens (you want a LOT of these - really squish them in!)
1/2 c. packed spinach including stems (stems have more nutrition then the leaves!)
opt: 1/4 c. loosely packed dill sprigs (these make the avocado version taste amazing!)
opt: 2-3" peeled and seeded cucumber
1/2 t. agave inulin feeds good gut bacteria (agave is the most sustainable inulin source)
Dr. Cowan's powders:

• 1/2 t. perennial greens (my favorite Dr.Cowan powder - LOADED with nutrients!)
• 1/2 t. burdock root powder stimulates liver enzymes that promote detoxification
• 1/4 t. ashitaba powder one of the most nutrient dense vegetables on the planet
• 1/4 t. fiddlehead fern powder high in omega 3, niacin, potassium and carotinoids
• 2.5 t. low oxalate greens powder (these smell heavenly)
• 1 t. spinach powder (when I don't have fresh spinach)
• Opt (I add them when I won't be eating these veggies during the day) :
• 1/2 t. three-beet powder liver and gall bladder tonic due due high betaine content
• 1/2 t. carrot powder

1 leaf radicchio - inulin feeds good gut bacteria
1.5 - 2 cups water or tea* depending on how thick you like it

*Instead of all or part of the water, you can use herbal tea.
I use pao d'arco and/or hibiscus-rosehip-lemongrass-oliveleaf

DIRECTIONS

I make one serving in my Nutri-Bullet.  If you don't have a similar machine you can use a blender and make two or three days worth.  Store in a glass container in the fridge.

Load the blending jar in the order listed above.  I pack in as many greens as the jar will hold, sprinkle the powders on top, and put the radicchio leaf in last over the powders to keep them from sticking to the blades. I then pour in water to the 'max fill' line.

Blend until no small bits remain visible.  Transfer to glass and enjoy!

(Rinse blending jar immediately or it will be hard to clean.)

NOTE:  If you make the banana version, it will be thinner than the avocado version.  I alternate them.  The more spinach you use, the greener it will be.  In the photo below I didn't have much spinach so I doubled up on the green powders.  

Green smoothie made with banana and almond butter

RECIPE: Anti-tickbite tea (cistus)

I drink this during the summer (I add it to my Antioxidant Tea glass) to discourage ticks from biting.  I also add a little to our dog's water bowl.

Anti-Tickbite Tea (Cistus)

Makes 1 quart of concentrate ==> 16 pints reconstituted.

1/4 c. cistus tea (it is also available on eBay but I can't vouch for the quality)
1 quart of water.

This tea needs to be brewed 4 times.  Each infusion extracts different components.  I do all four infusions back to back and then combine them in a quart jar.  You can drink it alone - it has a very mild taste - but I put a few tablespoons of the concentrate into my antioxidant tea.

Place 1/4 cup tea into 2-cup french press, pour boiling water over and steep 10 minutes.

Strain into quart jar.

Bring water back to boil, pour over same leaves in french press and steep 10 minutes.  Strain.

Repeat two more times until quart jar is full.  Cool and store in the fridge.

RECIPE: Antioxidant Tea

I sip this tea all day long, 1-3 glasses.  I make it once a week and brew it very strong, then dilute it with water.  I prefer to drink it cold but you could dilute it with hot water if you prefer.   The olive leaves and pau d'arco can be bitter but the acidity of the fruits mitigates that.

Every one of the ingredients has multiple beneficial actions.  Together, they're a powerhouse of nutrients but many of the benefits overlap so you can eliminate those ingredients that don't agree with you (some people don't like ginger) and you'll still have a potent brew.

A word of caution: this tea is slightly diuretic due to the ginger and hibiscus so don't drink too much!

Antioxidant Tea

Makes 2 quarts of concentrate ==> 16 pints of reconstituted tea

I brew the pau d'arco separately because it requires different treatment, and I store the two teas in separate containers so that I can control the amount of pau d'arco in the mix.  You could mix the two together in a half-gallon jar but the pau d'arco will overpower the fruit.  

FOR THE FRUIT-GINGER TEA:
1/4 c. seedless rose hips - very high in vitamin C, and has many other benefits 
1/4 c. hibiscus flowers  -  anti-inflammatory and potent antioxidant
1/4 c. lemongrass  - potent detoxifier good for almost everything
1/4 c. olive leaves  - among other things supports respiratory & cardiovascular systems
1/4 c. dried ginger  - regulates blood sugar, supports brain health, promotes digestion
1 quart boiling water

Combine in a french press, cover with 1 quart of boiling water, and let steep until water is cool.  Strain into a glass jar/pitcher pressing firmly to extract all the liquid.  Raise the press halfway  and add a little more water to 'rinse'  the remaining tea, press that out and combine with the concentrate.  Store in the fridge.  (Shown on the right in the above photo)


FOR THE PAU D'ARCO TEA:
1/4 c. pau d'arco - high in selenium*, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic
1 quart water

Make sure the brand you buy contains only the inner bark.

In a small saucepan cover tea with water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 3 minutes then simmer for 20 minutes.  Strain into a jar/pitcher and store in the fridge.  (Shown on the left in the above photo)

TO SERVE:

This is how I 'serve' it but you can make it stronger or weaker:


Add 2 T fruit tea and 1 T. pau d'arco tea to a large glass and dilute with 1.75 c. water.
If you use RO water, add a few mineral drops.

* selenium helps you eliminate toxins