Archives

Doodles with Bourbon, or a Day in Central Kentucky

February 28, 2011

Whether you drink it or don’t, love it or hate it, welcome it or ban it, there is no denying that bourbon holds a significant part of Kentucky’s history. Much more than fried chicken, despite the fact that when I tell someone I live in Kentucky, fried chicken is the first thing they mention. Even before horses, I might add.

Bourbon is something that truly puts Kentucky on the map and for good reason. The making of this spirit is quite an art that has been passed down for generations.  Ninety-five percent of all bourbon produced comes from right here in central Kentucky.

This weekend we had a birthday to celebrate, my husband’s. When deciding what he would like to do in honor of the big day, he quickly mentioned continuing The Bourbon Trail. Thus far, we have been to Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark, and Buffalo Trace (even though they don’t take part in the actual Bourbon trail promotion). This time we wanted to see Wild Turkey and Four Roses.

I’ll tell you a little about our day as well as sum up the one distillery you shouldn’t miss if you are in central Kentucky. First, however, let me tell you how we started our day.

Yes, let’s get to the food.

Doodles, in addition to its cute name and artistic roosters, resides in a building that was once home to a gas station. This is evident by the restrooms on the outside of the building.

It was then a liquor store and finally became a restaurant focused on serving mostly local, organic food with a slight New Orleans flair.

It’s difficult to find a word to describe Doodles. Unique, cute, original, whimsical, gourmet, old-fashioned yet trendy – they just don’t cut it. This place is all those things and more!

We were greeted by the most helpful hostess I’ve had the pleasure to meet and selected our meal from the menu board. We had studied it online so we knew what we wanted going in. Although the daily specials of a twist on a breakfast Monte Cristo and the French toast casserole were tempting.

For drinks we settled on cups of bottomless fair-trade, organic coffee. It should also be noted you can upgrade to a French press for two with coffee roasted in nearby Paris, Kentucky by Caffé Marco.

First came the beignets, coated in powdered sugar, deep fried to perfection as not to be heavy and greasy, but light and fluffy. I told my husband I could swing in for a couple baskets of these and some coffee on occasion and be a completely happy camper.

Oh, but my taste buds (and my eyes) were in for so much more.

Soon an artistic display of Huevos Rancheros came to the table. Being such a connoisseur of Kentucky farm fresh eggs, if there is such a thing, I had no doubt these were the real thing. Just look at those yolks.

They sat atop a flavorful pile of black beans and crisp corn tortillas. All was topped with red and green salsa, sour cream and a wedge of lime.

My husband went for the Corned Beef Hash with equally beautiful eggs on top. The hash was full of flavor and melted in your mouth. Alongside was a light and fluffy biscuit complete with Kentucky jam.

We left the place smiling contently and planning when we could return. Just remember – breakfast, lunch, brunch in Lexington – Doodles. You won’t be disappointed.

So with full bellies we took a drive out to the Wild Turkey distillery to begin the bourbon tasting.

I loved the sign driving in, but I do have to say that this particular tour was a bit…eh. Our tour guide was great, very knowledgeable which sometimes is not the case on these tours. We watched a video and got to see the storage facilities, but they have just doubled their production and the new facilities are not yet open for tours. In addition, they bottle out of state.

So lots to learn, but not much to see. Well, except for the warehouse. If you have never been inside a bourbon warehouse, put it on your to-do list.

All that goes into rolling the barrels, lifting them to higher rows and aging the barrels all in a piece of history that, let’s be honest, looks like it might tumble due to age, is pretty amazing. Then of course there is that wonderful aroma, deemed the angel’s share.

We saw barrels approaching 12 years of age next to brand new ones rolled into the warehouse the week prior. The whole process is intriguing.

A few interesting things we learned is that 50% of the bourbon Wild Turkey makes is exported outside the US, mostly to Australia and Japan. When we were in Ireland we took the Jameson Whiskey tour and learned their whiskey is aged in bourbon barrels from Kentucky. Our guide told us that they hold a contract with Jameson so the barrels used there are likely from Wild Turkey.

Small world in terms of spirits.

After a tasting, at which we took advantage of trying the single barrel and rare varieties, we headed to our next stop. I might add that being out at the distilleries on a Saturday provides a fun time to eavesdrop. Many people are out just to do the distillery tours in the area and come from all over the US as well as abroad.

Four Roses was our next stop and I was really excited about this one. This bourbon has been around for a while, but when we first moved to Kentucky they didn’t offer tours. We quickly learned the reason for this. For several years the bourbon was only exported to areas such as Europe and Japan. Although it was made in Kentucky, none was to be found in the States until it returned just a few short years ago after the brand had a change in parent companies.

The Spanish mission style buildings are well equipped for a tour and here you will get the real thing. We were able to see the fermenters and smell the mash. The only drawback is no aging of barrels or bottling is done on site, but it was still a great tour nonetheless.

Here we were able to try all three varieties. We really like Four Roses for high end bourbon and picked up a single barrel bottle with a couple glasses with the four roses etched in the bottom.

After our tours my husband and I brought up the fact that one really does have to do almost all the tours along the Bourbon Trail to understand the entire process of bourbon making. Because the distilleries utilize different parts of the state for different processes it is difficult now to see all these steps at one single facility.

That being said, if you do want to see it all in one place, get a good explanation of bourbon history and understand what high quality, small batch bourbon is all about go to Woodford Reserve. We have done this tour twice since living in Kentucky and it is far and away our favorite.

So if you make it to central Kentucky in the near future drop me a note. I’ll meet you at Doodles!

The Complete Kitchen Garden: Asparagus Soup with Coconut Lemon Crème

February 22, 2011

I reviewed the book, The Complete Kitchen Garden, a few years back and this asparagus soup recipe has become a favorite for spring!

Asparagus Soup with Coconut Lemon Crème from The Complete Kitchen Garden | Recipe and Review at FakeFoodFree.com

Every now and then you come across a cookbook and you know by the end of the year the pages will be lovingly spotted with random ingredients due to an extended time of it being open in the kitchen.

I’ve found that cookbook, and the only exception is that the pages of this one will likely be filled with smudges from dirty thumbs as well; dirty thumbs that have been hard at work in the garden.

 

 The Complete Kitchen Garden Cookbook 

I received a copy of The Complete Kitchen Garden by Ellen Ecker Ogden on Friday. Saturday I sat down and read it from cover to cover, all 250 pages. I can’t remember the last time I’ve done that with a book. This cookbook-slash-garden-guide is a beautiful balance of helpful gardening tips and fabulous recipes utilizing fresh, seasonal foods.

In it are plans and tips for 14 distinct gardens from The Salad Lover’s Garden to The Family Garden. What I like about this book is its simplicity. The tips are straightforward which prevent the reader from having to do a lot of searching for information that can be applied.

Last year was our first year of having a large garden, and despite the fact that we had decent success (with much help from my dad), I still find myself confused regarding what I did right and what I could improve on.

Asparagus Soup with Coconut Lemon Crème Recipe

After reading this book, I have a much better grasp of what foods I should plant from seed and which I should start from plants. I also have all kinds of ideas of how to lay out our garden this year to make it more accessible and productive. The pictures and sketched garden plans in this book make everything come to life.

Now, about those recipes. It is impossible to pick a favorite. I cannot wait for garden and farmer’s market season so that I can make them all! Well, okay, except for the ones with beets, but that is just because I don’t like beets.

Rainbow Chard Enchiladas, Lemon Ricotta Fritters with Lavender Honey, Braised Winter Greens with Coconut and Curry, and Arugula and Mint Thai Soup are just a few of the 100 seasonal recipes the book features. And oh, the salad dressings! All kinds of delicious dressings to complement fresh greens can be found. There’s a good chance I’ll be making all of the dressings this summer.

So after reading all this I know you can’t wait to see which recipe I got to try out. How about Asparagus Soup with Coconut Lemon Crème? 

The author describes this soup as:

The first tender spears of asparagus are best enjoyed fresh and whole from the garden, but as the season progresses, the stalks get larger, and the crop more abundant, this is an excellent soup to prepare. Its light, lemony flavors blended with a hint of curry are delicious served warm or chilled, and topped with crème fraiche.

I didn’t have any crème fraiche nor the ingredients to make my own, so I substituted plain Greek yogurt. It too went wonderfully with the soup. As simple as the ingredients are, I found the soup to have such complex flavors between the asparagus, potatoes, coconut milk, curry, and lemon. It is warming and perfect for a cool spring day while also being refreshing.

Ingredients for Asparagus Soup with Coconut Lemon Crème

Be generous with the lemon. I found it really brought out the flavors of both the coconut milk and the asparagus.

Recipe for Asparagus Soup with Coconut Lemon Crème

 

Asparagus Soup with Coconut Lemon Crème
Serves 4 to 6
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  2. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  3. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  4. 12 to 18 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch lengths (2 cups)
  5. 4 medium red-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (2 cups)
  6. 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  7. 1 cup (8-ounce can) coconut milk
  8. Dash salt
  9. ½ teaspoon curry powder
  10. ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  11. Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  12. Garnish
  13. 1 cup crème fraiche
  14. Scallions or chives, finely chopped, to taste
  15. Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and oil. Add the onion and salt and sauté stirring often, until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the curry powder, ginger, and half of the lemon zest and juice. Then add the potatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, to blend the flavors, about 5 minutes.
  3. Slowly add the broth, coconut milk, and asparagus and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover partially and continue to cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
  4. With an immersion blender, or in a food processor, puree the mixture until smooth. In a small bowl, blend the crème fraiche, remaining lemon zest and juice, scallions or chives, and salt and pepper.
  5. Serve the soup warm, garnished with a swirl of the seasoned crème fraiche.
Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/
 

 

 

Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was sent to me by Abram Books. I was under no obligation to write about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Nutritionist, Food Blogger… Author

February 19, 2011

I try to make it a point to celebrate the small things we encounter daily that make life interesting and enjoyable. Every now and then, though, life brings along a big thing and you don’t have to try all that hard to start the celebrations.

Enter The Everything Guide to Food Remedies by Lori Rice, MS.

Yep, my book has arrived!
I received copies last weekend and it was a huge surprise! I knew the book would be published in March, but I didn’t know when I would see my first copy.
It is an interesting feeling to hold a book in your hand and as you flip through it recognize that these are your words, and in this case, your recipes. There is excitement, pride, humility and gratefulness. I’d also be lying if I said there wasn’t a slight bit of sadness since I’ve put freelancing on hold currently to return to work in my field of study.
With this though is also a huge sense of accomplishment.
Just a few short months after we moved to Brazil I was struggling with what I should do with my time and how to take full advantage of no longer being commented to an employer. If you’ve ever lived in another country or been a so-called expat wife, you can probably relate. I was filled with big ideas, but they had gotten lost in the confusion of learning a new culture.
One night as I sat frustrated, my husband told me that I could do anything I wanted to; I just needed to choose something and do it. Due to his advice I decided I wanted to be a freelance writer.
I spent the following months working from scratch and tackling a major learning curve because I knew absolutely nothing about the art. I read blogs, tips, advice, forums and began applying for jobs. Soon I found myself with gigs for small articles and blogs which then led to an ebook project.
I continued writing when we moved back to the US in 2009 and last spring I finally got what I would consider a pretty good gig – this book.
While I would someday love to have a book that tells my story, perhaps about my experiences abroad or with travel and food, the more I think about it, this book tells my story too.

It represents me leaving a secure job where I was well respected to accomplish a dream of surrounding myself by a new culture. It represents me focusing my energy to accomplish the goal of becoming a writer.

On another note, it represents part of my food journey. Four years ago, I might not have been able to write a book like this because at that time I still believed in mainstream diet foods – low fat, low carb and processed. The changes in my food and health views shown here through Fake Food Free, allowed me to write this book from a perspective that it is truly something I believe in.

The Everything Guide to Food Remedies: An A-Z guide to healing with food (Everything Series)

The Everything Guide to Food Remedies: An A-Z guide to healing with food  covers diseases and ailments that plague our society and identifies the whole foods (not pills or isolated nutrients) that help to alleviate those conditions. With each chapter the reader will find five recipes that utilize these nutritious foods.

This blog has been a big part of my food journey and will continue to be for as many years as I keep on blogging. Thank you for reading and sharing it with me!

I have three copies of my book to give away right now and there will likely be more opportunities in the future.

If you’d like one tell me your food philosophy in the comments.
Do you feel that food contains all we need for optimal health?


Thanks in advance for the thoughtful comments. And by the way, please no drive-by comments. Only those who thoughtfully answer my question will be considered.

I’ll select three commenters at random on March 14, 2011!

The book is available via advance order at Amazon and other online bookstores.

Almond Coconut Chocolate Pudding

February 18, 2011

This homemade chocolate pudding combines the flavors of one of my favorite candy bars. The creamy pudding is made from scratch with few ingredients and then topped with crunchy almonds and coconut. 

Almond Coconut Chocolate Pudding | Fake Food Free

Anytime I have a recipe that uses half of an ingredient I must find another recipe that will use of the other half. It took me a little while to get this post up, but do you remember when I made the baked oatmeal?

Well, that recipe used egg whites which meant I had two egg yolks begging to be included in something equally delicious. As much as I love pudding, I rarely make it. I’ve seen some incredible puddings online so I’ve had it on my mind lately. When I found a recipe using 2 egg yolks, a match had been made.

First I decided to use coconut oil instead of butter. That led to all kinds of flavor ideas. I finally settled on coconut almond with chocolate pudding. Not unlike that popular candy bar.

I have to admit that I have not fully perfected my pudding. I need to get it a bit smoother and be careful when adding the hot liquid to the eggs, but all in all this dessert was delicious!

Almond Coconut Chocolate Pudding via @Lori_Rice

Click To Tweet

Almond Coconut Chocolate Pudding
Modified from Vanilla Pudding, Betty Crocker’s Cookbook: Bridal Edition

Makes: 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

¼ cup unsweetened coconut
¼ cup chopped almonds
½ cup Demerara sugar (or any raw sugar)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp of cornstarch (arrowroot would work well too)
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups 2% milk
2 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp virgin coconut oil, melted

Prep

Place the coconut and almonds on a cookie sheet. Toast at 400 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes or until the coconut has slightly browned. Set aside.

In a saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Gently bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.

Place the egg yolks into a small bowl. Gradually add the hot liquid to the yolks about a tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. Once about half of the hot liquid has been added, pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Gently boil and stir 1 minute.

Stir in the coconut oil and almond extract. Pour the pudding into 3 or 4 dessert dishes (depending on the serving size you desire), cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Garnish with the toasted coconut and almonds before serving. 

 
Almond Coconut Chocolate Pudding | Fake Food Free

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Kentucky Bourbon Dogs

February 15, 2011

A favorite in our house, these Kentucky bourbon dogs make the best party appetizers!

  Kentucky Bourbon Dogs | Fake Food Free | Sliced grass-fed hotdogs slow cooked in a sauce spiked with bourbon.

Earlier this week when I bragged…sorry, shared about my access to the wonderful world of local meats that is Marksbury Farm, I mentioned that we recently bought some hot dogs there. I really thought after I began focusing my meat purchases on naturally raised and processed meats that hot dogs would be a distant memory.

Not that I gave them up completely. I had one at a Cubs game last summer and they are difficult to pass up at a summer BBQ. However, I can’t say I felt good about buying or eating them and found myself doing so much less often, if at all.

Then I saw them smiling at me in the smoked meat case at Marksbury Farm Market.

Welcome back, hot dogs.

These dogs are a bit different than your standard grocery store variety. The texture was a bit tougher and the circumference a bit larger, but they still have that same familiar hot dog flavor.

We checked out the label and they are not completely without preservatives, but I doubt that is even possible with a hot dog. They are made with all beef and I feel a lot better knowing the origin and processing of that beef back when it was a cow roaming the grasses of Kentucky.

We found the hot dogs just in time for the Super Bowl so we added one of our favorite game snacks to the menu – Bourbon Dogs. This recipe came from my mother-in-law, but after doing a search there are lots of others out there that are similar.

Kentucky Bourbon Dogs | Fake Food Free | Sliced grass-fed hotdogs slow cooked in a sauce spiked with bourbon.

I’ve switched out a few ingredients such as organic ketchup because it is the only variety that I have easy access to that also does not have HFCS in it. And it must be Kentucky bourbon. Any mixer-friendly brand will do.

The longer these dogs sit in their hot tub of barbeque-like bourbon sauce the better they are. Cook them on high for about an hour to get them bubbling, then on low for another hour or two. After that, turn them to warm and serve.

Football may be over, but these will come in handy if you are planning for a little March Madness!

Kentucky Bourbon Dogs

Makes: 6 to 8 snack servings

Ingredients

1 lb. grass-fed hot dogs 
1 ½ cups organic ketchup
1/3 cup water
½ cup mascavo sugar (or brown sugar)
½ cup Kentucky bourbon
1 tbsp onion, grated

Preparation

Slice your hot dogs into pieces at least a half inch wide. Place in a 5 quart slow cooker. 

In a medium bowl, stir together the ketchup, water, sugar, bourbon and onion. Pour this over the hot dogs and stir so that all pieces are happily coated. 

Cook on high for about 1 hour, then reduce to low for 1 to 2 hours. Serve or allow them to sit with the slow cooker on the warm setting so that they absorb even more flavor.

Kentucky Bourbon Dogs | Fake Food Free | Sliced grass-fed hotdogs slow cooked in a sauce spiked with bourbon.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out. 

 
 

Local Meat: Marksbury Farm Market

February 13, 2011

A little over a year ago, when we had finally found the house and decided we would move to a rural county outside the big city of Lexington, KY, an article in a nearby newspaper caught my eye. The article described a business that would be moving to the area soon, Marksbury Farm.

Considering that this came at a time when I was beginning my commitment to buy only small scale, humanely raised and naturally fed animal products, I could not believe my fortune.

You see, according to that article Marksbury Farm was planned to be a processing facility for just that. Local farmers from around the area could have their animals processed at a local facility where they could then sell these products to consumers in the area. This would eliminate the need to drive hundreds of miles to the nearest USDA facility.

That alone had me thrilled, but I was even more excited about the proposed market that was part of this project. The plan was to have a shop where grass-fed, pastured, humanely raised local meats would be sold to the public. A one-stop shop, a place that would mimic the old-fashioned butcher, but with animal products I could feel good about buying and eating.

Fast forward to last summer.

Our community was hosting a showing of Fresh: The Movie and I was asked to speak about the nutritional benefit of local food. It was here that I first met, Richard McAlister, one of the partners behind bringing Marksbury to the area.

It was a busy a time, as they were undergoing USDA organic certification with plans to open the processing facility within that month. The market was soon to follow. It was at that meeting that I realized this wasn’t just rumor or an idea. Soon I would have access to an incredible resource!

Last Saturday, myself and three other Kentucky Food Bloggers – Mindy from Mindy’s Mouthful, Samantha from A Teenage Gourmet, and Melissa from My McDonald Meal met Richard to tour the facilities. I’ve been frequenting the market since the end of December, but this was my first chance to get an up close look at the facilities.

Richard took us through the empty facility and each step of the process for cattle, pigs and poultry. He explained to us each and every precaution they take to ensure humane handling, during this process that, let’s be honest, we really don’t like to think about.

I was glad to hear him mention Dr. Temple Grandin when we took a look at the outdoor holding area. If you haven’t heard of Temple and her research, or haven’t seen the movie that aired on HBO, I highly recommend it.

I have toured a processing facility one other time. As part of my Food Science course at Purdue we explored the facility on campus, and it was interesting to compare the processes there (about 10 years ago) to what I saw at Marksbury. There were noticeable improvements with this facility compared to what I have seen before in terms of respecting the animal and the fact that they are giving their life to nourish us.

We withheld many pictures inside the facility because I know many don’t wish to see that. Then we entered the smoking room, and the storage room. Let me just say, it was a smoked meat lovers paradise.

To simplify, Marksbury processes animals for local farmers. Their guidelines explain the conditions in which the animals must be raised. This meat can be picked up by consumers from the facility who might be ordering a full or half of beef or pork from a specific farmer. In addition, Markbury purchases animals which they process and sell in their market.

Yes, let’s get to the market. Set in a gorgeous old farmhouse is a Kentucky food paradise. Not just meat, but foods of all kinds.

Okay, first the meat. There is every cut you can imagine and some products you might not, everything from pork tenderloin to beef tongue. They are also offering prepared dishes like steak pie and ready-to-cook meatballs. Did I mention that some of the partners are of Scottish descent? So you can imagine the good meats and sausages in the case.

A few things we’ve purchased include Italian sausage, chicken sausage, ground pork, ground beef, whole chickens, chicken wings, smoked brats, prosciutto, braunschweiger and hot dogs. One of the best parts is that because Marksbury purchases and processes their meats their prices are very competitive and affordable in the market of grass-fed and pastured products.
Each time I visit, there are more foods available that aren’t meat at all. There are Kentucky cheeses, including this delicious Asiago Peppercorn from Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese.
Kentucky milk, cream, yogurt, granola, breads, produce, vanilla, flavored sugars, salts and soy sauce can also be found lining the shelves along with many more items.

There are still some farmers around the area whose relationships I value and I will continue to buy from them directly. However, I feel incredibly fortunate to make a short drive and have such variety at my finger tips.
The Marksbury Farm Market truly encompasses the local butcher. The kind of place where you go with no plans for your dinner menu, and leave with a gourmet meal planned based on fresh, local ingredients.

Several media outlets have published articles on Marksbury, so check out the links below to learn more. This coming week I’ll share what we did with the hotdogs we purchased. And of course, if you find yourself traveling through central Kentucky, don’t miss the opportunity to stop by and see it for yourself!
Marksbury Farm Market
73 Fisher Ford Road
Lancaster, KY 40444

Solving the Meat-to-Market Riddle – Edible Louisville
New Garrard operation provides market for local meat producers and consumers – Lexington Herald Leader

Disclaimer: I received no product or monetary compensation to tour or post about Marksbury Farm.

Hummus with Almond Butter

February 8, 2011

No tahini? No problem. This delicious hummus without tahini uses almond butter for a rich and creamy snack, spread or dip!

Hummus made with peanut butter instead of tahini seems to be all the rage. I was thrilled to see this substitution on food blogs because I have a hard time keeping tahini in the house. I love it, but I find I only end up using it for hummus and a huge can goes to waste.

   Hummus with Almond Butter | Fake Food Free

Over the weekend, I set out to give this crazy new hummus a try. My true mission was to get some type of vegetable into our Super Bowl spread and carrots serve as a great dipper for hummus.

I found Turbo Hummus from Alton Brown and decided it would be the one I would try. I cooked my chickpeas from dried earlier in the week, so I added water to make the hummus creamier. If you use canned chickpeas, the liquid would likely take the place of the added water. It all depends on how thick you like it.

I also made another change.

 

At the last minute I decided to use almond butter instead of peanut butter. Now, I’m not claiming this to be some brilliant creation. I’m sure others have made it the same way, but wow, was it good! I still need to try it with peanut butter, but it may be hard to break away from the almond butter version.

Hummus with Almond Butter | Fake Food Free

 

Hummus with Almond Butter
Adapted from Turbo Hummus by Alton Brown

 

2 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp almond butter
Juice and zest of one lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup water
2 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Place the chickpeas, garlic, almond butter, lemon juice and zest in a food processor. Attach the lid and process until blended to a thick paste. Add the olive oil as you process on low and blend well. Next add water, more or less, depending on how thick you like your hummus.

Finally stir in the parsley, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Hummus with Almond Butter | Fake Food Free

 
 
Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Green Chili with Pork and Chickpeas

February 3, 2011

When you first read this title you might have thought of chilies as in peppers. That wouldn’t be completely off the mark. This dish does contain green chilies, but it is also a twist on the classic that can be found everywhere from Texas to Cincinnati and in between.

I have had this recipe for several years and I make it at least once every winter. It is such a nice break from red chili with its beans and ground beef. Over time, I’ve adjusted it to my tastes. I add canned green chilies along with salsa verde and I use less pork.

I cook my own chickpeas before making it, but the hominy is canned. I was fortunate enough to make hominy from dried when we were in Brazil in the dish Canjica, but I haven’t made it since we’ve been back in the US. Although, I have seen the dried version in our international markets here.

It is a very monochromatic dish, but by topping it with some red salsa, hot sauce or pickled jalapenos you can make it a little more appealing to the eye. Fortunately in this case, appealing to the eye has nothing to do with appealing to the tummy.

It is delicious served alone, but if you want a little extra something try it with rice or homemade corn tortillas!

Green Chili with Pork and Chickpeas
Adapted from Pork & Chickpea Chili, Woman’s Day March 2006

½ to ¾ lb pastured, ground pork
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup cooked hominy
1 – 7 oz. can green chilies
1 cup salsa verde
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

In a medium pot, cook the ground pork with the onion and garlic. Cook until no longer pink and slightly browned. Add the chickpeas, hominy, green chilies, salsa and ¾ cup of water. Stir in the cumin, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer partially covered for 10 to 15 minutes. Serves 3 to 4.

This post has been submitted to Souper Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen. 

January in Food

February 2, 2011

Last year I started off strong with a commitment to a Project 365 of food where I photographed something edible or drinkable that ate or saw each day. Well, almost each day. I went strong through July, dwindled, tried to pick it back up in October, and then gave up completely.

Despite my inability to finish the full project last year I am trying once again in 2011. It’s fun to look back and see what I’ve eaten and more importantly it forces me to practice with my camera.

Not that I don’t want to practice, but knowing I need to take a food shot forces me to make time. I often let other things get in the way even though I’d rather have my camera in hand. It also allows me to do a bit of a post recap for the month which I hope is fun for you.

I’m not expecting to get a shot every single day, but with 22 photos I didn’t do so badly this past January. It will be easier and easier as the days get longer and the fresh foods get more plentiful.

So here you have the January 2011 recap!

Millet in coconut milk with pecans and mascavo sugar
Honey Pecan Baked Brie
Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Buffalo Turkey Sandwiches with Yogurt Celery Spread
70% Dark Chocolate (and the day I got my new lens!)
Roasted Acorn Squash and Garlic Pizza
Pimento Cheese Burger from Boone Tavern Restaurant – Berea, KY
Local, Pastured Prosciutto from Marksbury Farm Market
Fetzer Cabernet in our Alltech FEI WEG souvenir glass
Manner Cookies with some backwards packaging
Traditional Chocolate Chip Cookies
Spinach Dhal
Fiery Peanut Butter Cookies
Steel Cut Oats with Pecans and Maple Syrup
Starbucks Apple Bran Muffin – Road Trip Breakfast
John’s Cocoa-Coffee Brownies
Prosciutto Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup
Kale and Bacon Quiche
Potato Soup
Selection of Local Meats at Marksbury Farm Market
Roasted Pumpkin
Mujadara – Lentils, Rice & Onions

Peach Baked Oatmeal

January 31, 2011

   Peach Baked Oatmeal | Fake Food Free

I’ve hit that point in the winter when the freezer digging begins. I’m about out of tomatoes and chicken stock, and making mental notes to myself that I need to freeze more during this coming summer.

During this process, I also end up uncovering a few things I had forgotten about. For example, this weekend I found a couple white peaches I bought last July from a local orchard. Instead of letting them go bad before I could use them up, I peeled, chopped and froze them thinking I’d add them to a pie or other dessert this winter.

When I found them the first thing I thought of was baked oatmeal. I’ve been seeing it all over blogs lately, but have yet to make it myself. I thought the peach would make a nice variation to the apple, cinnamon and maple varieties I’ve come across.

I used a recent recipe I found at Two Peas and Their Pod and adjusted it so that I could use my peaches and my favorite varieties of cane sugar. I cut the liquid back a bit to account for the peaches, but I may have cut it back a little too much. My baked oatmeal came out almost like a cross between an oatmeal bread and cookie. However, this morning when I poured about 3 tablespoons of milk over it before heating it up in the microwave, it was perfect. Hearty and filling.

Peach Baked Oatmeal | Fake Food Free

 

Peach Baked Oatmeal via @Lori_Rice

Click To Tweet

It’s only slightly sweet so I paired it up with just a dollop of my homemade peach jam. Maple syrup would work well, too. Then, as with most of my breakfasts, it had to be topped with some chopped walnuts.

I’m now a huge fan of baked oatmeal! It’s perfect to have on hand for busy mornings.

Peach Baked Oatmeal

Adapted from Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal by Two Peas and Their Pod

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

Peaches
2 peaches peeled, pitted and chopped (defrosted if frozen)
1/8 cup water
1/8 cup Demerara sugar

Oatmeal
3 cups rolled oats
¼ cup mascavo sugar (or any evaporated cane sugar)
1 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk
½ cup water
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla

Prep
 
In a sauce pan, combine the peaches, sugar and 1/8 cup water. Bring to a low boil and cook, stirring often, until peaches are broken down and sauce is thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
 
Peach Baked Oatmeal | Fake Food Free
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the oats, mascavo sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, ½ cup of water, 2 egg whites and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.
 
Slowly stir in the cooled peach mixture. Spoon the oatmeal into a greased casserole dish and spread evenly. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve warm. To serve leftovers, add 3 tablespoons of milk before reheating in the microwave. 
 
Peach Baked Oatmeal | Fake Food Free
 
 Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out. 
 

Thanks so much for reading!

Thanks so much for reading!

Hello! I'm Lori Rice, food photographer, writer, wanderer, pug-lover, and craft beer fan. This blog is my creative outlet for connecting with wonderful people like you! Have an interest in food styling and photography? Be sure to check out loririce.com

My New Cookbook published in 2020!

My New Cookbook published in 2020!

My new cookbook, Beer Bread, is now available for purchase at major and some independent book retailers!

Want to create beautiful food and product photos that you can't wait to share?!
Discover your style, control the light, and shoot using the tool you know how to use (yes, your phone included). Learn about free resources, Live Q&As with Lori, and online courses you can take from anywhere in the world!
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.