Spring 2005

Thea's Organic Cowgirl Chili 3 lbs. organic beef; ground or cubed 6 pieces (8 oz.) applewood smoked, uncured, organic bacon; diced 2 large Spanish onions; chopped 1 head of garlic; peeled, minced or pressed 1 green pepper; chopped 4 jalapeños; diced 1/8 tsp. ground cloves 4 Tbs. chili powder 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper 1 Tbs. Celtic sea salt 1 tsp. cumin 1/2 tsp. corriander 1 tsp. oregano 1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 2 Tbs. cornmeal 1 tsp. brown sugar 4, 12 oz. cans crushed organic tomatoes 1, 4 oz. can chopped green chilies 1, 12 oz. beer, and 1 Cup water 1 can pinto beans, 1 can red beans add salt to taste Cook bacon until just crisp in a large skillet. Add onions, garlic and green pepper and cook ‘til tender. Transfer with slotted spoon to large Dutch oven. Brown ground beef in same large skillet. Transfer with fat to Dutch oven. Add tomatoes, beer, water, salt, spices, cornmeal, sugar, jalapeños and green chilies, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Add beans and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve with sour cream, grated cheddar cheese and chopped onions.

Here in Western North Carolina we are very fortunate to have easy access to *locally grown organic produce. This produce is far superior in nutritional content and taste. Thanks to the demand for organic, you can now find a wide array of organic foods at your local supermarket. Don’t be afraid of the fat in this chili. Organic meats tend to be lean because the animals are not fattened with hormones and inactivity. The fat contains the fat soluble, anti-aging vitamins. The cornmeal will abosrb the fat which makes for a smooth chili. Organic meat is also free of antibiotics, and the pesticides and herbicides used on feed crops. Organic is well worth the extra cost. To your health!
Namaste ~
Thea

Summer 2005

This past summer while visiting with my old buddy and former band mate, Stuart Munro, in Victoria, BC, he made us this fabulous fennel salad. Stu and the GreenMan drank dark home brew while the women drank local sweet white wine of the Gewurztraminer variety. We were on our way back from Alaska and had a blast eating, drinking and jamming with Stuart and friends in Penelope's back yard. I made a couple of minor adjustment to this straight forward recipe which is made to taste. Even friends who would never consider eating raw beets have been raving about this salad. Thanks Stu!

Fabulous Fennel Salad

1 fennel grated
1 apple grated
1 beet grated
fresh mint chopped
2 cloves fresh minced garlic
pecans*
maple syrup
stilton cheese
celtic sea salt

toss in olive oil, and balsamic vinegar

*Bake the pecans covered lightly with maple syrup @ 350 degrees for 15-20 mins....or till crisp.

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Autumn 05

Goddess Scones 1 1/2 C whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 C oats 1/8 tsp salt 2 tsp vanilla 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1 TBSP baking powder 1/4 C sugar or 1/3 C brown sugar 1/4 C chocolate chips and/or candied ginger 1 1/4 C whipping cream 1/2 stick organic buter  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients except cream in a bowl. Add cream until a loose ball forms being careful not to add too much liquid or you get a sticky ball… too little and you have flakes. Don't over mix. Knead 4 times on floured surface. Flatten into a circle approx 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick, then cut into 8 pie shaped slices. Place on cookie sheet.  Melt 2 TBSP butter and brush each scone  Bake approx. 18 - 22 minutes until bottom and edges are golden brown   Serve hot with butter!!

OK, I admit it. I am a sucker for scones. Perhaps it's my European ancestry. However, while visiting in Albuquerque recently, my friend Nissa's fiancé, Ernest, cooked up these scones one night after dinner and I was hooked. Chocolate and cream are this Goddess' dream. Some minor adjustments to his original quick and easy recipe -- and there you have it. Thanks Ernest!

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Winter 2005/06

One day while the GreenMan and I were exploring themes for the cover of our upcoming musical CD entitled “Serve Love,” a photographer friend suggested that we check out this heart shaped waffle iron he found on the internet. Well we are all about hearts and flowers, and good things to eat, of course, so I went ahead and ordered it. Naturally, I had to find a good old fashioned “All-American” waffle recipe to go with it. And what better time than Valentines Day to “Serve Love,” in the form of heart shaped waffles. For a fine line of Classic Italian Kitchenware including heart shaped waffle irons, do a search for VillaWare on line.

All-American Whole Wheat Waffles

2 free range eggs, separated
1-3/4 cups organic milk
1/4 cup cold pressed vegetable oil
1-3/4 cups whole wheat or spelt flour, or a combination of both
2 Tbs. raw sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh or frozen organic strawberries ( I collect the tiny wild strawberries that grow all over our mountains in season, starting around Memorial Day, and freeze them for use throughout the rest of the year in recipes like this one. They are absolutely loaded with flavor and just the right size.)

Beat egg yolks ‘til smooth, whisk in milk and oil. Add flour(s), sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir until large lumps disappear. Beat egg whites stiff and gently fold eggs whites and strawberries into batter. Bake in waffle iron til done. Top with real maple syrup.

Waffles can be flash frozen on cookie sheets and stored for later use. They toast up great just like store bought frozen waffles only much healthier for all the obvious reasons (whole wheat flour, “real” eggs, etc.) but the one thing that is too frequently overlooked is that store bought waffles contain aluminum in the baking powders used. Aluminum is a heavy metal that is stored in brain tissue and is believed to contribute to Alzheimer's. The other ingredient too frequently overlooked even in “healthy” store bought frozen waffles is corn syrup. Corn syrup is one of the top known allergens to man. And to add insult to injury most pancake syrups are nothing but pure corn syrup. Do yourself a favor and eliminate corn syrup from your diet and stop suffering from seasonal allergies. Bon Appetite!

To learn more visit http://www.theaskitchen.com

To your health!
Namaste ~
Thea

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