Lemon and Mint Thirst Quencher - بولو

It is getting hot hot hot over here in Syria and there are not many things which can cool me down. My flat feels like a green house and I am on an endless search for cool drinks and cool places. I am hoping I can persuade J to post her ice latte tips....

Polo (pronounced bolo) manages to be tasty, tart and terrifically thirst quenching all at once. I love that you can buy it from a street corner or a smart restaurant and there is never any doubt what you will get - a green flecked drink which feels like a welcome oasis.

I have had endless horrified looks from the juice makers when I ask for no sugar - I really like the tart-factor although there are some days when I wish they had come across agave!

There is lots of room for creativity here - do you like your drinks a little sweeter? Add some honey or agave. Hoping for an icy blast? Blend some ice cubes up with your juice. Not a huge fan of mint? Just enjoy lemon sunshine in your glass. Add as much water to suit your taste buds...leave it in the fridge for extra chilliness or drink swiftly if you are in danger of over heating!

Makes 2 glasses

Health warning: You might get addicted

Ingredients:

8 lemons

One big handful of fresh mint

500ml cool water


Halve the lemons and squeeze the juice out of them using a juicer. Pour lemon juice and mint leaves into a blender and blitz until smooth. Add ice to make a smoothie consistency or dilute with water. Blend.

If you don't have a blender, juice the lemons and mix with water. Add the mint leaves whole and let the juice stew for a while in the sunshine. I like to roughly chop them but the blender gives a smoother drink.

Garnish with whole mint leaves. Best drank in some shade. Enjoy!

Syrian recipes coming soon!

Salaam,

Charlotte xx

Polenta Honey Apricot cake: perfect Summer Birthday treat

I have been experimenting (might I say pretty well) a lot lately. From homemade rye bread (gluten-free of course), to double red quinoa and bean salad, to oatmeal choc-o-cookies to this last fabulous invention. All my other treats have literally disappeared before I have had a chance to snap a pic...and I think they are not quite perfect enough to share yet. Note: I thought (an still kind of do) that xanthum gum has a weird taste, so I try an bake without it. However, I whipped up some fat-free banana - fig muffins this morning and used brown rice flour and a bit of Bob's Red Mills AP mix. Now don't get me wrong I love Bob's stuff, but I think the Garbanzo bean flour in his mix (the others do not seem as offensive: sorghum, tapioca, potato) seems to bake up with a weird after taste. I just cannot get over it! Please anyone else doing GF baking tell me if you agree. I love chickpeas to death, but could it be that bean flours have a weird taste? So far I love brown rice four, teff and amaranth. Of course oat flour is a must (taste good in everything) and still to try quinoa flour. I think I am going to make quinoa bread soon...

But getting to the good stuff...the stuff that needs no adjustment, because it came out so heavenly.

This cake - Polenta Honey Apricot Cake- is just divine. Not too sweet, and delicate but definitely a thing of character with the crunch of the cornmeal and honey jam of the melted apricots. It was my wee brother's birthday on Friday! He is not so wee and did not think a cake with candles was necessary, but I did of course. He is mad for chocolate but he loved this, everyone at the table dipped in for seconds. I think that says something of a cake made with no chocolate. For all summer birthdays this is a beautifully light (and pretty healthy) treat. I love you Jay! Happy Birthday!


Polenta Honey Apricot Cake

prep and cook time: 1 hour +

3/4 cup ground almonds
½ cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup rice flour
3 whites and 2 egg yolks (from large to extra large eggs)
½ cup agave/honey blend
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons fats/fat replacement ( I did (3) coconut oil, (2) olive oil and (2) applesauce)
8-10 apricot halves with honey


Preheat the oven to 350 F. The cake will take 40-45 minutes to bake, and if made into muffins they would take 20 minutes. (NB: I was going to do muffin cakes but I did not know if the apricots would stick to the bottom of the muffin trays, now thinking back you could probably make a parchment paper design/sleeve.)

Cut a circular piece of parchment paper to line the bottom of your 9 inch cake pan. This can be done be tracing the bottom and then cutting the traced circle out. Insert the circular parchment paper in the pan. Then grease the rim and the bottom over the parchment paper.

Mix the flours, baking powder and salt together. In another bowl mix the honey, melted oils, applesauce, two egg yolks and vanilla. Mix the wet slowly into the dry. Whip the three egg whites into peaks and slowly (1/3 at a time) fold them in. The batter should be pretty wet. Arrange the apricot halves "belly" up in the pan. Dollop honey in each belly and then pour the batter over them. Even the batter out. Pop in the oven. Keep in the oven for at least 40 min or until finito. Let the cake cool and garnish with organic powdered sugar. I know I avoided sugar in the recipe (intentionally) but it really made the cake pretty and added a good bite when sprinkled on top. NB: Cake even better next morning for breakfast!

celiac relapse, simplifying my food, wild berry and seed salad

A week or so ago, something triggered what felt like a horrible Celiac relapse. I was in bed for days. I went over everything I could have eaten and nothing seemed to have wheat. I think either my gut needs some detoxing love or there is yet another thing I must steer clear of.

I am trying an elimination diet where I cut out certain foods and then slowly bring them back in on at a time to test what it is. I'll spare you the list (because it seems infinite) of what I cannot eat; however, I'll be posting lots of vegan, soy free, sugar free food without you even noticing ;) Well that's what I hoping, especially with Pete, who has to eat all the recipes, as he goes on a de-facto gluten-free, dairy free lifestyle change with me. He is such a sport.

* * *

Spending, what seems like all, my money at the farmer's market these past months is due to all the new produce that tempts me at each stand. Like the gooseberries and black raspberries that just had to be bought. I swear, like some people spend all their money on clothes without control, I go to the farmers market and cannot resist a beautiful fresh piece of produce, especially when the farmer tells you he or she picked it that dawn!



Wild Berry and Seed Salad

2 handfuls of fresh wild greens (mix of anything you like)
small handful of watercress
fresh slices of cucumber
handful of black raspberries
handful of gooseberries (or any too berries you prefer)
small handful of lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
lemon and olive oil dressing

Keep it simple and raw in the summer, enjoy the unadulterated taste of fresh produce!
JM

p.s sending Charlotte extra love

Farmer's Fresh Summer Zucchini and Herb soup

(picture of soup coming soon, camera acting up again- enjoy the basil)

It is official summer in New York City, for any one that was doubting otherwise! It has been in the 90's and the humidity feels like water just floating in the air. This weather has actually made me kind of lose my appetite. So all day I find myself running around (letting me blood sugar get too low) and then I get home at night and I am starving! This soup is nice and light and hopefully something you can have in the middle of the day. It was inspired by Halfdan, but I have made it summer-y by cooling down, so it has a gazpacho feel (which by the way is my new task to perfect). It is farmer's fresh because all the ingredients can be found at the farmer's market (bar the lemon if are not in California, the Med or North Africa ;)

I have been doing almost all of Pete and my shopping at the Farmer's Market and like Charlotte described in her last post, it totally changes the way you shop (umm, brings some joy into it instead of crowded lines and dread) and it makes you invent your own dishes because frankly you cannot go there knowing you will find everything you need. You have got to roll with the seasons and the produce. People freak out at this prospect, but trust me; take a deep breath, and just shop. You'll never know the wonderful things you could make without a recipe until you try.

This is a rough (estimated recipe), you know I do not like to be too strict about amounts anyway...

Farmer's Fresh Summer Zucchini and Herb Soup

serves plenty: probably 8 comfortably
cooking time: one hour + and chilling time

Ingredients

4 oversized zucchini or 6 medium to smaller ones (give or take)
1 white onion
5-6 cloves of fresh garlic
peperoncino flakes
1 organic vegetable broth cube or homemade vegetable stock
a huge bunch of fresh basil
a huge bunch of fresh Italian parsley
lemon and and sea salt to garnish

* Need a hand-held blender

** Also I think it would fun to experiment with other summer squashes, like yellow.

Procedure

In a nice sturdy (cast iron- Le Crueset I prefer) pot cook down the chopped onion and garlic cloves until they are soft, translucent and golden (approximately 20 minutes). I added the pinch of peperoncino with the onions and garlic, so that the heat cooked off a bit. If you do not prefer any spice just leave it out. Remember it's your recipe.

Then add the chopped zucchini (you can chop them roughly because they will be blended). Salt and pepper the zucchini and then put the lid on the pot. This cooks the zucchini down a bit faster. They will take approximately 30 minutes to cook all the way through. You want them a little golden and not too mushy, so remember to take the cover off and mix them up occasionally.

When you believe they are done, add the vegetable stock and a few cups off water. Blend the mixture up, check the consistency to your liking before you add any more liquid. Wither add more liquid or not depending on preference. Then add chopped herbs. Blend again. Refrigerate to cool ( or have it hot).

Garnish with lemon and sea salt before serving.

Enjoy, of course!

peace and love
JM

Hello from Syria!

If someone had told me a year and a half ago that I would be living in Damascus for 4 months and studying intermediate Arabic, I am not sure whether I would have believed them but here I am, typing in the heat of the day, hoping that I can upload this without too many problems!

One month of my course is now finished and I am moving up in the world to level 5 at the University of Damascus– scary stuff. I have just come back from a much needed getaway to Beirut, Lebanon. Only 3 and a half hours away from Damascus yet poles apart in other ways. Noisy and humid, this glass urban jungle is a hybrid of New York meets Paris meets Dubai yet it has managed to retain its integrity and brought many of the positive aspects of these destinations into reality. Modern skyscrapers juxtapose old shuttered townhouses, local bistros and coffee houses attract the same diverse clientele as the street vendors and 5* restaurants, mosques stand harmoniously with churches, lots of pedestrian areas who promote the cafe atmosphere, roman ruins acting as gardens for government buildings...I heart Beirut.

Some of the highlights include walking around the campus of American University Beirut that stretched down to the Mediterranean, singing away a few hours at a legendary jazz club and bumped into someone who gave us a lecture last year on the Middle East, criss-crossing Beirut’s food and shopping districts and sampling most of what was on offer, eating in the seaside restaurant of a sleepy harbour town who counted Bridget Bardot as a regular in the 60’s, watching Algeria take on England in the World Cup with the Imam from the Mosque chanting the night time call to prayer, and Souq al-Tayeb.

I had not realised that the amount of falafels I can eat is finite – I am in falafel overkill – but Beirut was a foodie dream. Without doubt the best food I have eaten since arriving here this summer – dandelion leaves with almonds and onions, runner beans with tomatoes and garlic, halloumi and apricots.....yum yum yum. Last summer J and I went to the Union Square Farmer’s Market in NYC – local, seasonal and wholesome is what we like! I found a little slice of goodness whilst in Beirut and I will definitely be back for more...

Souq al-Tayeb is a local organic market set up by farmers, cooperatives and small producers who wanted to celebrate Lebanese produce. Every Saturday between 9-2pm, the Saifi district car park hosts this unique venture in the Middle East and transforms itself into a haven of little stalls selling the good and the great. Juice stalls, vegetables, cold soups and bread, cheeses, fruit and wraps, honey and jam and baking. 100% Local Lebanese. Don’t you think you can smell goodness? The tomatoes tasted like what I imagine Italian tomatoes do – sunshine, earth and sweet juicy redness. I want to do my shopping there every week! We treated ourselves to some sugar free jam made from strawberries, grape molasses and a drop of agave. I had no idea that I would stumble across so many like-minded people in Beirut. There is a small but beautiful food revolution coming to the Middle East and I really hope they jump on the bandwagon with as much enthusiasm as we have.

Hooray for getting back to blogging!

Hooray for food!

And the biggest HOORAY for friends!

Salaam, Charlotte xx

P.S....I have spent 2 hours trying to upload some photos but the system keeps shutting down....Sorry! Xx

I don't even what to title this post...maybe that's when I realized I have so much to say, but really nothing to say. Does that make any sense? We have not blogged in forever. I miss writing - A L OT! I miss Charlotte, I actually miss a lot of the life I had been so pining to leave back in Scotland.

I just read read Hannah's post and it was brilliant- you know what- it made me realize that this has been an absolute insane year. The least I could do would reflect on it more. My life feels like it has turned upside down, about 100 different times this year. I miss writing to you -my friends- knowing that you can read about it and feel closer to me. Sometimes staying in touch as best you should is hard.

I got this comment from Aron and Ashley from Hither and Thither on my last post and 1) it was so lovey and kind 2) it made me realize I miss writing to reach out to new people and share recipes, experiences and life.

SCHOOL IS OUT! Officially! As of today...so more posts to come and more time to cook up yummy summer recipes. Also I am running the NYC ING Marathon and training for that. Trying to eat healthy etc...but want to share with you the most amazing gluten-free brownies I have tried yet. (Yes not exactly the best running food, but everyone needs a brownies sometimes.) Let me tell you I have been doing my fair share of tasting gluten- free desserts.

Leila, one of my best friends for almost a decade now, has been leaving little GF treaties on my desk since I got diagnoses (by the way its such a nice thing to do for someone). These brownies started at me from 8am until 1pm until I finally cracked. Then I shared them with Pete and his parents for dinner- needless to say there are not many left now. They are "DA BOMB" even for those of you who would never dream of optionally eating anything gluten free. The trick: they are based in almond flour instead of all these funky, as my friend Allie says, "sandpaper-tasting" flours.

Behold Tate's!

Also in the Fall I start my Masters in Health Education at Teacher's College, Columbia. Besides being really nervous to take out loans, I am very excited. Speak soon! Glad to be back!

Live in Life with Love
JM
xoxo

a new direction...a NEW me...

Hello! I have some news...now it could be looked at as a big bummer but I am going to take it in good stride because we all knew it was coming...

After blood tests, an upper endoscopy, being looped out on drugs, and well suffering from intense digestive and emotional problems for...hmmm...what feels like forever now, I can finally say that I have Celiacs disease. It is an autoimmune disease that stops my from processing gluten. And did you know that untreated it can cause cancer of the bowel, schizophrenia, depression and anxiety, besides the obvious digestives issues? My doctor also believes that I am lactose intolerant, which I kind of figured. So here we go, I am going to do this now, I am going to go gluten and casein free. Once and for all and strictly may I add. Ah-Oh don't get scared, I promise I am still going to whip up amazing masterpieces. Things you would never even realize are gluten and diary free. I have already found a great gluten free pasta that Pete says taste (virtually) the same as durum wheat pasta.

I have to admit I have not decided yet if I will create a new blog to be the sister blog of this cute one. I don't want to change this blog too much and I also want to be true to gluten and casein free readers. However, I am currently internet-less at home (and probably will be until Time Warner sorts its act out) so I thought I should start documenting the healing right here.

But let me just be clear there cannot be any farting around here. I mean, no more dabbling with Spelt! Like gluten-free girl I want people suffering with Celiac or any gluten or dairy intolerance to know they can bake something up that I have suggested and be free of ANY pain. I mean physical and emotional.

I hope I have all your support here. Don't worry I am not down with Tofutti cream cheese and loads of xanthum gum in recipes. I hope to bake up lovely treats much like our Ultimate Feel-Good Cookie- things you forget are gluten and dairy free!

Here goes...join me...you never know you might feel better too...

with peace and love
jacqueline