Category Archives: Events

Spiced Apple Zucchini Muffins (Cupcakes) w/Chai Buttercream Frosting

07 Friday Nov 2014

Posted by in breakfast, dessert, Events, gluten-free, homemade gifts, seasonal

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DSCN4017Food:

Spiced Apple Zucchini Cupcakes (Muffins) w/Chai Butter Cream Frosting
makes 12-16

(In my picture below I didn’t have cupcake liners when I photographed these muffins, I HIGHLY recommend that you use them!)

2 1/3 c. flour (I use a combo of 1 c. buckwheat flour, 1 c. oat or rye flour and 1/3 c. coconut flour)

2 t. baking soda

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. allspice

1 t. nutmeg

1 inch ginger, peeled and grated

½ t. salt

3 local eggs

1 c. local honey

1 c. coconut oil

1 – 1 1/2c. zucchini grated (you could sub carrots)

1 c. apple, grated

1 ½ c. walnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions:

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees, line a muffin pan with liners. Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan melt the coconut oil and honey together until just melted, to not over heat or bring to a boil. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool just a bit, whisk in eggs one at a time.

3. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, add the fresh ginger and whisk just to combine.

4. Add the grated zucchini and apples, fold into the mixture. Add the walnuts and fold them in until well blended.

5. Scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin tin and place in the warm oven. Bake for 30-35 or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

Chai Butter Cream Frosting

1 c. butter, room temp

¼ c. half and half (I think I used my homemade cashew milk)

2-4 c. powdered sugar (I use less sugar because I like my frosting a little more buttery than sugary, your preference)

½ t. cinnamon and ginger (you can use fresh ginger)

¼ t. cardamom and cloves

pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Using a standing mixer or hand held mixer blend the butter, half and half and spices until mixed.

2. Add the powdered sugar 1 c. at a time until desired frosting consistency is reached.

3. Frost the cupcakes!

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If you can believe it I still have zucchini from my garden! I thought I had planted a cucumber plant but it ended being a zucchini plant, I was overwhelmed with the abundance that just ONE plant yielded. I now know why people gift those tenacious little buggers and just like everyone else I was scrambling to find something to do with them.

Since I had all that zucchini and apples were starting to show up at my Farmers Market, these muffins where my solution to the seasons changing, utilizing what I had and the need to bake something warm and comforting.

Here’s the real deal, these are a muffin recipe that can be tricked out with butter cream frosting and passed off as a cupcake! Sneaky right? They are perfectly delectable on their own, so much so that my friend is making these for her new bakery. They are perfect with tea or coffee, a co-pilot for your green smoothie, and they are totally gluten-free! Equally as impressive frosted and served to your book club or child’s birthday party. ENJOY!

 

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Harvest Zucchini Chile Soup w/ Goat Yogurt and Toum

21 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by in Events, gluten-free, soup

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Each fall, Local First Utah hosts “Celebrate the Bounty” their annual fundraiser and gala event. Featuring some of Utah’s finest fare provided by locally owned, independent restaurants, artisans and food purveyors from across the state, “Celebrate the Bounty” is the party of the year. (Local First Utah)

Okay, truth be told I wrote this post last week but the night before I was going to post it Derek and Moudi of Laziz Foods called to tell me that we had just won “The People’s Choice Award” for our soup at the Local First Celebrate the Bounty (Oct 10). The hard part was keeping quiet until Local First could announce it last Friday (Oct 18). So now, read on!

I was lucky enough to be asked by my friends Moudi Sbiety and Derek Kitchen of Laziz Foods to participate in this years “Celebrate the Bounty”. Derek and Moudi asked me to come up with a soup recipe using zucchini and their very garlicy and very unique condiment Toum. Lucky for them I was just getting ready to test out a zucchini soup I had just seen in Food and Wine Magazine, I used that recipe as a template for ours.

The night before the event the three of us got together at the Laziz kitchen to make our creation. We were all very excited to be apart of this event for the first time and also a little nervous to be surrounded by all of the wonderful foodies and food artisans in the community that we look up to (maybe I’m just speaking for myself!). The feedback about our soup was overwhelming, everyone loved the flavor of the soup and the little “kick” at the end from the chilies. The night was a success. We had so much fun, we got to chat and meet with so many new people and we got to root on our fellow foodies, but the best part was we got to be apart of “Local First” big night. I have had to pinch myself a few times, I’m still taking it all in. ENJOY!

Food:

Harvest Zucchini Chile Soup w/ Goat Yogurt and Cilantro serves 8

3 medium zucchini, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 medium or 1 large leek, tough green ends trimmed, pale ends chopped (make sure to rinse well)

2 poblano chilies, stems,  seeds removed and cut into 1 inch pieces

½ lb roasted hatch green chilies, charred skin, stem and seeds removed, chopped

1 T. heaping ghee or local butter

1 ½ T. Laziz Toum

4 c. veggie stock

1 Parmesan rind

Salt and pepper

1 c. Drake Family goat yogurt

1 bunch cilantro

Cilantro Oil

1 c. cilantro, mint, parsley?

1 c. olive oil

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Directions:

1.       Place your favorite large soup pot on the stove over medium heat, add the ghee to the pan and begin to melt. When the ghee becomes fragrant add the leeks, poblano’s, and roasted chilies to the pan and begin to sauté. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until the leeks become soft and caramelized 8-15 min. Take your time with this step, caramelizing the chilies and leeks will add depth of flavor.

2.       Next add the zucchini and Laziz toum, stir to combine. Continue to cook with the other veggies until zucchini is still bright green but beginning to soften. Season with a bit more salt and pepper.

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3.       Add the broth and Parmesan rind to the zucchini and leek/ chili mixture and bring to a boil, turn heat to a medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered.

4.  After 30 minutes turn heat off, remove rind and in batches begin to puree soup. Adding the yogurt and cilantro to each batch to incorporate. Taste for seasoning.

5.       Soup can be served, hot or cold garnished with herb oil of choice. EAT!

Directions for herb oil:

1.       Puree herb of choice and oil together, strain through fine mesh strainer.

     Here are some photos from the night before the event, I was too busy the night of the event to get photo’s. You can find a few on Instargram @cosmohippiechef

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

27 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by in Events, seasonal, Side dish

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Food:

Stuffed Acorn Squash serves 5-10

5 acorn squash, cut in half seeds removed

1 lb. local grass-fed beef (I buy Lau Family Farms)

1/2- 3/4 lb mushrooms of choice, chopped (I used shiitake)

1 large onion, chopped

1 c. celery, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 bunch of kale or swiss chard, stems removed and leaves chopped

1 T. each rosemary, thyme and sage, chopped

1 c. cooked brown rice, millet, wild rice or non-glutinous grain of choice

3/4 c. parsley, chopped and divided

1/2 c. pecorino or parmesan cheese, grated

2 T. ghee

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees. Place the prepared acorn squash cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the squash in the oven and bake for 30 min. Take baked squash out of the oven and set aside. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.

2. Place a large saute pan on the stove top over medium heat , add the ghee and when melted add the mushrooms and begin to saute. Don’t touch the mushrooms for a minute or so to give them time to brown. Next add the onions, celery and garlic and begin to saute with the mushrooms, salt and pepper the veggies just a bit. Saute for 5-7 minutes.

3. Next add the beef, use a potato masher to incorporate the meat into the veggies, season with a little more salt and pepper. When the beef is just about cooked, another 5-10 minutes add the rosemary, sage and thyme. Stir to combine.

4. Pull the beef and veggie mixture off the heat and add 1/2 c. chopped parsley, cooked brown rice and chopped kale, stir well to combine all the ingredients.

5. Scoop the mixture into the acorn halves, in a separate bowl combine 1/4 c. remaining parsley and cheese, season lightly. Spoon this mixture over the stuffed acorn squash (there will most likely be extra filling, save for a snack). Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and began to brown and the mixture is warmed through. Serve hot with a drizzle of good quality olive oil. ENJOY!

Nutrition:

Grass-fed beef: http://www.laufamilyfarm.com/why-grass-fed/

Shiitake Mushrooms: These meaty flavorful mushrooms contain a substance called eritadenine, which encourages body tissues to utilize cholesterol and lower the amount circulating in the blood. Shiitake also have antiviral and anti-cancer effects.

Acorn Squash: Acorn squash is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and beta-carotene. It is also a very good source of thiamin, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium,and manganese, and a good source of iron. It is a great seasonal choice in place of traditional bell peppers which are a late summer crop.

Love:

I made these bad boys for my Holistic Nutrition class last weekend. I wanted to show my students what eating a more plant-based Holistic diet looked like. We started with Raw Oatmeal made with Homemade Almond Milk and served it with local Drake Family Farm Goat Yogurt, our lunch item was Lentil Stew w/Kabocha squash and for dinner we had these Stuffed Acorn Squash. When people hear the word plant-based they think vegan or vegetarian, but to me it means whole foods in the natural state that are local and seasonal, not processed packaged foods. I live by a 90-10 rule, 90% of my diet consist of plant foods, this includes beans, legumes, grains, rice, nuts and seeds, and lots of fresh fruits and veggies, the other 10% leaves room for local, sustainable QUALITY animal foods, this includes local beef and chicken on occasion, wild fish, yogurt and cheese. It’s not the quantity but the quality of the choices we make, this is what Holistic Nutrition is all about. I hope you enjoy this recipe, my students sure did!

Holistic Nutrition Class

14 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by in Events

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Food - Copy_1This Thursday I will be teaching a Holistic Nutrition Class, ‘Nourish Your Eventful Life’. This time of year we are all motivated to get healthy, come and let me help you do that. In the first session we will be discussing ‘what is holistic nutrition?’, diet direction, and the role of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The second session I will cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner as it applies to eating a more holistic diet, we will also be discussing menu planning and where to find the best ingredients. Hope to see you there! Click the link below for more information on how to sign up!

http://continue.utah.edu/lifelong/food_wine

BAKE SALE

03 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by in cookies, dessert, Events

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We’re Having a BAKE SALE!

Slow Food Utah and Liberty Heights Fresh are hosting a bake sale for me!

                   1290 S. 1100 E., SLC

  • WHEN:      Sunday, Oct. 7, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  • WHAT:       we will be selling baked goods of all kinds, mostly homemade
  • WHY:          this is a mini-fundraiser for our delegate, Brooke Cordray, to attend the International Slow Food Conference – Terra Madre  – in Italy later this month

Come and treat your taste buds to some delicious baked goodness!

P.S. I will be making the gluten-free/ vegan baked goods for our friends with dietary restrictions.

Slow Food Utah-Feast of Five Senses

10 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by in Events, seasonal

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Here’s a look at this years invite for Slow Food Utah’s Feast of Five Senses that will be held at the Alta Club downtown this coming Sunday September 16, 2012. Billy and I had a wonderful time last year enjoying the food, libations and silent auction, the best part is that ALL of the money that is raised goes to fund microgrants for our LOCAL community. I hope you will join us. To find out more about this event and all things happening with Slow Food Utah, check out our new website here.