The May Issue

I wanted to start this blog because, after five years of avoiding gluten, I can finally say that I eat well.

I know good food isn't the most pressing issue in the world. Sometimes I am embarrassed about how much I think about food, because it is not THAT big of a deal. Love, politics, work, survival - I would be much more proud of having a wealth of knowledge about any of those topics. If I had to eat rice, plain fish, and some greens everyday, I'd still be a very satisfied human (and better off than many people, nutritionally speaking). But food isn't nothing either. And when you can't eat good food it can really get a person down in the dumps. So that's what this is all about - sharing how I eat well to help others in my situation.

Almost everything I do is motivated by my dislike for anyone having to be down in the dumps, or down in the dumps alone.

But I get insecure when it comes time to sit down and write. I mean, I don't really know that much about food. I just read lots of cooking magazines and cookbooks and make dinner every night. That's it. So the mocking audio track in my head says, "what can you possibly say that will be helpful to anybody?" Very Eeyore, if you know what I mean.

But screw it. I have eaten something almost every night for three weeks that makes my mouth sing and makes me feel proud. I need to share this. Surely someone can benefit from it, right?

So here's what I've been really into:

1) Fattoush
The May issue of Bon Appetit is slammin'! That's my new, hip, young word for 'very good.' One of the articles included a recipe for fattoush, which is a Lebanese salad. Here is the recipe as it appeared in the magazine. Here's what I changed:
- I used the foccaccia from Schoolhouse Gluten Free Gourmet instead of pita; I cut it into one inch squares, tossed in the olive oil, put it on a pan, and put it under the broiler until it was a little toasty; I tried using rice tortillas once, they were too sharp and hard, blech
- I didn't use sumac in the dressing, because I didn't have it; I did have something called Za'atar, which is a Lebanese spice blend that includes sumac; I bought it from Costas Halavrezos, aka The Spiceman, in the atrium of the Brewery Market; if you love the manoush at the Lebanese Festival, what you love is za'atar
- I used to think you couldn't buy pomegranate molasses in Halifax, but I was wrong; the Mid East Food Centre on North has it (and I think Pete's does too), but it's called "pomegranate concentrate"
- I don't know where to find purslane (Riverview Herbs didn't have any) so I left that out
- I added chickpeas, cause this nursing mom needs her protein, for real!
- I had a bunch of the dressing leftover so I used it in the next item

2) Roasted Spring Veggies
Also from the May issue of Bon Appetit is an exhortation to ROAST YOUR VEGGIES! Here is the recipe, which isn't even a recipe, but a very basic technique. Here's what I did:
- I bought radishes, asparagus, and leeks from the seaport market; Elmridge started coming last week, so I bought spring carrots from them too and did exactly what the recipe told me to do
- meanwhile I made a pot of quinoa with half-a-lemon's-worth of juice and a bunch of salt added to the cooking water
- when the two were done I put the gorgeous veggies on top of a steaming little pile of quinoa and poured the dressing from my fattoush all over it - I think this would work with any vinaigrette
- just a warning: Alex didn't like roasted radishes- he said they tasted like hot cucumber; I loved them; if you don't like the idea of hot radish, stick to carrots, leeks, asparagus and peas (if the ever make it to the market!)

3) Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza
Again, the May issue of Bon Appetit. Again, I did exactly what the recipe told me to do with one or two minor changes. Here is the recipe. Here's what I did differently:
- I used an onion instead of a shallot, because those things are expensive ($6 for a bag of organic shallots at Pete's) and I used white wine, because I didn't have Marsala just laying around
- I put prosciutto on it, because I love salty meats (I put it on part way through the baking so that it didn't get too crispy)


Of course, I also put that pizza on a gluten free crust. Not just any crust, but the best gluten free pizza crust I have ever tasted. I made it myself and it was so easy. How? Well I would tell you, but I have a sweet little baby waiting for me and I'm pooched. I promise, next time, I will talk about pizza. I will tell you all my secrets.

I guess I do have something to share, after all.