Ginger-Spiked Persimmon Pudding Bread

Fuyu persimmons have become my cute little, bright orangey-red, pudgy new friends lately.

I was gifted a bag full of them a few days ago... and may I say, I love food gifts.

I've never eaten or cooked with a Fuyu persimmon before, so this was a fun week.  I ate a couple straight up like an apple; made pumpkin and persimmon scones the other day and then today I conjured up what I'm calling Ginger-Spiked Persimmon Pudding Bread.  Ginger-spiked because I saw a few recipes that called for about a 1/2 teaspoon of ginger and I just thought that was poppycock ... I like to use that word when I'm feeling sassy. It's been one of those days.

There are a few things I am not shy with in recipes... garlic being the first one (don't worry, you're safe for this recipe at least)... ginger being the next runner up.  It's far too delicious, spicy, fall-ish, warming and medicinal to be stingy with so I wanted to make sure you get ginger when you take a bite of this subtly, sweet bread.  Pair ginger with persimmons --- which strangely and wonderfully remind me of an apple, a cantaloupe and a pumpkin all at once --- blended into a pulp and mixed into a cakey-bread batter, well, it's just goodness all around.  What really spikes this tasty dish up is by serving it up with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and then sprinkling crushed, crystallized ginger over the top... doesn't that sound like it would be adored on the table during the holidays?

So back to persimmons. Do be sure to get the Fuyu or Hachiya variety since they are non-astringent and definitely sweeter.  Or, get the astringent kind and learn the true meaning of "pucker."  You'll want to make sure they are ripe and then to peel the skin; however, if you get the Fuyu variety like I did, then they stay firm even when they are ripe, so, don't hold your breath.

This bread recipe is infused with several autumn spices to whisk you right into the heart of fall.  In addition to ginger, there is cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and allspice, which just marry so well with persimmons.  Though, don't be intimidated by them or shy with them because persimmons can be enjoyed in so many other ways... even in smoothies, as a pureed fruit topping for pancakes, stirred into oatmeal, in a creamy pudding, into muffins, sliced fresh and added to salads, etc.  Actually, I am about to find out because just as I pulled the bread out of the oven and used up the last of them, I got a knock on my door letting me know, there was another bag full of persimmons on the way.  I have out-of-town friends staying with me this weekend and you can guess what is on the menu!

On the therapeutic food front, when you think of persimmons think of:

• potassium
• vitamin A (eye health, disease fighting)
• vitamin C (building our immune system for the colder months ahead)
• good source of fiber (digestive health)
• their cooling and moistening benefits as they may help dry conditions in the body and when the weather is dry as well
• anti-oxidants, the polyphenolic kind and similar to the properties in green tea... think of cancer fighting, anti-inflammatory and vascular/heart health

Change up your fruit this fall and have a little fun with persimmons.  If you are using them and have any recipes that you especially love, would ya share?

Hulling it first gives you a good handle for grating...

Pureed into a delicious pulp...

All battered up and ready to go...

45 minutes later

...5 minutes later

Click here to view the full recipe on my business website.

Vanilla Chamomile Kudzu Pudding

Ok, admittedly, this recipe seems more like a winter treat.  It’s supposedly July in Seattle, but not really. I mean what the heck is up with summer?  It came late, sort of said hello for a day or two, went away and came back for a second --- all of which is debatable and is subject to change depending on who you talk to.

Anyway, who knows what’s up.  What I do know is, if the season can’t make up its mind, then a bit of a warming dessert in mid July isn’t totally off the mark.   All in all, this pudding is comforting and after a long day, it totally hits the spot. 

So, I have a thing for infusing teas into desserts.  I especially have a thing for chamomile.  By that I mean, I am unendingly impressed with both its flavor and medicinal profiles.  Therapeutically, it:   

·         soothes and comforts

·         relieves insomnia and eases tension in the body

·         calms frazzled nerves and melts away the stress and anxieties of the day

·         strengthens the immune system

·         supports digestive health (including nausea or upset stomach)

·         can be used topically for sunburn

Speaking of which, I got awfully scorched (understatement) by the sun a couple weeks ago while in Montana.  I sort of took a little nap on a lounge chair on the back deck.  To my defense, that bright, glowing thing in the sky had been foreign to me for so long that I kind of forgot that I could get so badly burned by it.  Chamomile is one herb I like to keep in my first aid kit for such times as these because of its super anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. 

And, chamomile tastes just lovely.  Actually, it’s said to be reminiscent of apples.  I found this out last summer while moseying through the culinary herb beds at my local farm.  A very sprightly 10-year-old boy standing next to me gleefully plucked off a fresh chamomile flower and popped it into his mouth.  He turned to me and commanded, “Here, try one.  They taste just like apple pie!”  I’m thinking, who is this confident kid that goes around eating plants persuading strangers to do the same all while making claims that they taste like all-American desserts?  I accepted his offer… mostly because I had a feeling I would have felt terribly uncool if I didn’t.  I closed my eyes and waited for the aroma or something apple, anything apple. I wanted him to be right.  He was!  It did indeed have a unique, sweet flavor that sang a little like a warm apple. 

You get the idea. Chamomile is special --- a must-have herb in the home medicine cabinet and the home pantry.

Cinnamon sticks, dried chamomile flower and vanilla bean

This recipe is soft and mellow, though overflows with the flavors of vanilla, chamomile and cinnamon, all of which are kings in their own right when it comes to the essential oils they bear.  However, the real medicinal superstar of this dish is the kudzu root, pronounced kud– zoo.  Similar to chamomile, kudzu is also extraordinarily therapeutic.  It too relaxes tense muscles and supports digestive health. 

Kudzo root

It’s a highly respected root of a noxious weed and has been appreciated for hundreds of years, most notably in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  It’s also good for hangovers, headaches and is said to help alcoholics with withdrawal.  

In this recipe its other functional role is that of a thickening agent and makes this pudding, well pudding-y.  Look for this chalky root in your natural food markets. You can use it in place of corn starch and arrowroot to thicken sauces, pie filling and soups too. 

Be sure to get the cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean from the bulk spice section of the store.  There is no comparison to fresh, whole spices.  


Actually, when I first made this recipe, I put the whole cinnamon stick in the milk and let it infuse for a little while.  (The recipe below doesn’t include this step and has been shortened to save time.)  I didn’t want to just throw it away when I was done with the dish, so I chewed on the deliciously spicy, milk-soaked cinnamon stick for a little while to savor it just a little longer --- much like a country boy from Virginia would do with a toothpick after a good solid meal from Cracker Barrel.  (Anyone from VA reading this?… you know what I mean!)  Of course, I haven’t perfected the skill of vertically flipping the cinnamon stick with my tongue.  Yet.

Treat yourself and some loved ones to this Vanilla Chamomile Kudzu Pudding as a calming and comforting evening dessert to help unwind from the day and settle in for the night. You can serve it chilled, but I particularly enjoyed it warm.  It’s a pretty simple recipe though make sure you fully dissolve the kudzu first in the cooled tea and whisk constantly once you add the slurry to the warm milk in order to prevent the kudzu from clumping.

Vanilla Chamomile Kudzu Pudding

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Calming and comforting, this pudding is a sweet and lovely evening dessert.  Kudzu root is a fantastic thickening agent, but better yet, it has an extraordinary range of medicinal benefits from acute pain relief to a soothing digestive aid.  Serve warm or chilled, but definitely don’t leave out the freshly ground cinnamon!

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Preparation time: 25 minutes

Makes 4 6-ounce servings or 6 4-ounce servings

2 tablespoons dried chamomile flowers

1½ cups boiling water

3 cups whole milk

3-4 tablespoons sucanat, ground

½ vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise

Pinch of sea salt

1 cinnamon stick, ground

3 heaping tablespoons kudzu root

Make a strong tea by steeping the chamomile in the hot water for 10 minutes.  Cover tea with a small plate so the essential oils do not escape.  Strain out the chamomile flowers and set the tea aside to cool. 

Pour milk into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a gentle simmer.  Add sugar and whisk to dissolve.  Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the pot.  Toss in the vanilla bean shell, the salt and half of the freshly ground cinnamon.  Continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes to infuse the flavors.

Meanwhile, crush the kudzu root using a mortar and pestle or with the back of a spoon.  Combine about 1/3 cup of the cooled chamomile tea with the kudzu root and whisk with a fork to dissolve and create a slurry.  Fish out the vanilla bean from the warm milk.  Add the kudzu slurry and whisk continually for about 5-10 minutes while still cooking over gentle heat.  Do not stop whisking or the kudzu will gel and clump.  Pudding will begin to thicken and will continue to do so as it sits.   Pour warm pudding into 4 6-ounces ramekins (or 6 4-ounce ramekins).  Garnish the tops with the remaining ground cinnamon.  

Copyright 2011, S. Nester, Original recipe

Strawberry Lavender Rhubarb Sauce – All Over My Body

Wait, I  mean, all over my ice cream.  It’s scary how much I like good food.  But doesn’t everybody mix those sorts of things up? 

My husband often picks on me for the odd things that make a home in my purse.  I get it.  There’s usually something herbal, something ginger, a water bottle, a long lost apple, more snacks and some lip gloss to name a few things.  To add to the mix this week, some beautiful stalks of pink rosey, in-season rhubarb.

Wallet. Check. 

Keys. Check.

Rhubarb. Check.

My naturopathic doctor ever so kindly hooked me up with some rhubarb from her garden today.  Freshly cut right out of the ground and into my purse it went as I headed home from my appointment.  I am obsessed with gifts from the garden, handfuls of raw food not neatly packaged; sweet smelling and still delightfully dirty from just being uprooted. 

I used to have a darling little garden plot at my work’s community garden and grew loads of basil and tomatoes.  On the way home from work in the summer, my passenger car seat would be filled with fresh picked basil and romas.  I grinned the whole way home. 

Rhubarb is quite mesmerizing.  When it boldly shoots out of the ground with its proud stalk and one awkward, elephant ear-like leaf, it's a proclamation that spring has arrived.  This firm, pale green, hearty stalk is usually blushing with a delicate pink or cherry red (depending on the variety); it shimmers beautifully in the sun with sort of an iridescent, angelic glow about it.   

Rhubarb has been used medicinally and in culinary concoctions for thousands of years, especially in Chinese medicine.  It's known for balancing digestion and for getting the bowels 'amoving; it's cooling and detoxifying to the liver.  Rhubarb is also rich in vitamin C and potassium.


It makes good sense that it arrives in the spring just in time to offer us a spring cleaning and vibrant transition out of the slump of the winter months. 


Also, rhubarb is most fascinating in that, it’s technically a vegetable --- from the buckwheat family.  I’m getting in vegetables by eating dessert?  SOLD.  It's tart and astringent which is why you often see it paired with something sweet like strawberries. 

I got excited thinking about the myriad of things one could create with rhubarb, but hey, why fix what ain't broke?  The lavender buds add a subtle flare but really this sauce is simple and honors the intrinsic deliciousness of the rhubarb and strawberries.

This simple and tasty recipe for Strawberry Lavender Rhubarb Sauce is below --- enjoy!

Is rhubarb intimidating to cook with?  
What's your favorite way to prepare rhubarb?

Strawberry Lavender Rhubarb Sauce

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The tart and sweet combination of strawberries, rhubarb, lavender and vanilla is irresistible and a fabulous complement atop warm pancakes, yogurt or a creamy vanilla bean ice cream.  Rhubarb is only available in the spring when it’s in season, so be sure to take advantage of this tasty, medicinal and culinary plant when it graces us with its presence in May.

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Preparation time: 25 minutes

Yields 2 cups

1/2 cup sucanat

1 tablespoon dried lavender buds

1/3 cup water

3 cups fresh rhubarb, cleaned and thinly sliced

½ pound fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blend the sugar and lavender together in a spice grinder until finely ground.  In a large, heavy-bottom pot over medium heat, combine the lavender sugar and water.  Stir to dissolve sugar.  Add rhubarb and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the rhubarb is tender.  Add the strawberries and lemon juice.  Simmer for another 10 minutes.  Stir in vanilla and puree using an immersion blender or allow to cool for a few minutes and puree in a food processor. 

Copyright 2011, S. Nester, Original recipe


Note: Because of the oxalic acid content in rhubarb, if you have issues with calcium absorption or are prone to kidney stones, rhubarb should be avoided. 

Popcorn Confessional

So, I’ll start this post off with a confession.

I practically have no self-control when it comes to eating really delicious popcorn.  

And it’s because of this:

My husband and I were making a late night grocery run the other night, for which I don’t get fancied up for.  ...Yes, I am one of those people you see in their PJs in Safeway at 11PM.  I slid on a pair of snow boots, threw on a hoodie and wore a black pair of workout pants I had been bumming around the house in all day.  On the way out the door my husband noticed these white powdered hand print marks on my rear end.  With an intense stare and a proud smurk, he instantly said, “HA!  I know what that’s from!”  I was intrigued because I had no idea… He continues “It’s smoked gouda cheesy popcorn fingers; you must have wiped your hands on your ass!”  

Still puzzled… I thought, how is that so? I usually do a thorough job of licking all of this smoked gouda goodness off every single digit.  Then another thought bubble appeared… Hmm, that must have been when he was coming home and I was quickly and conspicuously trying not to get caught in the act of inhaling half a bag of popcorn by myself (though he knows better, so who am I kidding). He was totally right.

I’ve never really been a big popcorn kind of person.  But this smoked gouda is addictive.  Seriously, I think I eat without blinking or breathing.  Just shoveling …and probably with both hands as evidenced by the trace marks on my booty.  

I know, I know… I am not professing to be a role model here and I realize cheese addictions are feeding my opiate receptors etc. etc., so I figured instead of talking about “balance” and “moderation” I would share 5 different ways to make a tasty, homemade popcorn snack.  We’ll have a group psychotherapy session in a later post. How’s that?

As a rule of thumb, I prefer to make my own snacks and desserts from scratch; this keeps me from buying junk and it ensures if I really want it, then I'll take the time to make it.  Also, I like knowing what ingredients I am eating, especially when it comes to fats and oils which are often cheap, rancid, flavorless and hydrogenated. Yuck, yuck, yuck and yuck.  I want high quality here and making this at home allows us to do just that.  Plus, buying popcorn from the bulk bin is inexpensive and making it is super easy. It's also pretty cool and immediately gratifying to see the little kernels burst into fluffy white clusters right before your eyes. I don't care how old you are... this is magical.   

Here are 5 different ways to spice up homemade popcorn with a basic recipe below.  Try any one of these blends or be inspired to spice up your own batch! 

1. Spicy Mix
• Butter
• Sea salt
• Cayenne Pepper
• White Pepper
• Black Pepper

2. Salty Sea Popcorn

·         Butter

·         Ground kelp or nori seaweed

·         Sea salt (use less)

3. Keeping it Light

• Olive oil (a flavorful finishing oil)
• Sea salt
• Nutritional Yeast

4. For the Italian Inside

• Olive oil (a flavorful finishing oil)
• Asiago
• Parmesan
• Romano
• Ground garlic powder/granules

5. Gouda and Sweet Smoked Paprika (Full recipe below)

• Butter
• Gouda cheese
• Sea Salt
• Sweet Smoked Paprika

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

***The finer the cheese is grated the better.  For soften cheeses, freezing it first may make it more manageable, but it isn't absolutely necessary.

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Gouda & Sweet Smoked Paprika Popcorn!

Gouda & Sweet Smoked Paprika Popcorn

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Why microwave or buy popcorn in the bag when you have fresh, homemade popcorn at your finger tips in just a matter of minutes?  You can purchase kernels in the bulk bins of your natural foods store for around $1 per pound and then season it exactly to your taste.  Popcorn making is also great for kids to join in on the fun and watch those beautiful golden kernels burst into life right before your eyes.

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Preparation time: 5-10 minutes

Serves 2-4 people

2-3 tablespoons safflower oil (high heat oil)

½ cup popcorn kernels

3-4 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

4 tablespoon finely grated gouda cheese

Heat a large skillet with 2-inch sides or a large pot over medium heat.  Add oil and then add a few of the kernels to determine when the temperature is right.  Once the first one pops, go ahead and add the rest of the kernels.  Cover with a lid and remove from the heat for about 30 seconds.  This allows all of the kernels to get coated in the oil and helps the popcorn to pop more evenly.  Place the pan back over the heat with the lid on and wait for the popping sound to begin.  Shake the pan gently and remove from the heat once you hear about 2-3 seconds between pops. 

Pour popcorn into a large bowl.  Place pan back over the heat and melt the butter.  Add the salt and paprika to the butter and stir.  Pour this mixture over the bowl of popcorn while simultaneously tossing to coat the popcorn evenly.  Add the fresh grated cheese to the butter-spiced hot popcorn so it will stick. 

Taste and feel free to add more seasonings to your liking.

Copyright 2011, S. Nester, Original recipe

Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

One of my good friends had a sweet tooth yesterday and specifically put in a request for oatmeal cookies. I whipped up
this recipe for her creating a traditional oatmeal cookie that would satisfy expectations but with a bit of a spin on it by adding in coconut and some winter spices.

In this recipe, I use both chocolate chips and dried cranberries ...truthfully, you can take 'em or leave 'em and it's still a pretty delicious cookie if you ask me.

My friend explicitly said "no chocolate." (And yes we are still friends. She has many other redeeming qualities : )) So I threw in the cranberries for her and did a separate batch with chocolate chips for the chocolate lovers.

Either way, you can make these cookies 3 ways:

• no cranberries/no chips
• split batch (as directed in recipe)
• cranberries and chips together
  

Your call.
Be sure to use rolled oats and not the instant ones. As for the sugar: rapadura, sucanat or raw cane sugar will do. Be sure to use whole wheat PASTRY flour and not just whole wheat flour. It does make a difference. Many of these items can be found in the bulk bins or natural foods section of your market.

These cookies will spread a little bit on the pan and they come out a little crispy around the egdes. They have the quality and flavor that come with using whole ingredients and of course the buttery finish you would expect from a homemade cookie. Well, that's what I expect in a cookie. B U T T E R. Amen to that.

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Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground coriander

2 sticks of butter, at room temperature
2 cups raw cane sugar or other unrefined sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine flour, coconut, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a mixing bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter using a mixer. In a spice/coffee grinder, partially grind the sugar, being careful not to grind it too fine. Add the sugar to the butter and blend for about a minute. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and give it one good final mix. Add in 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix using a fork. Mix in another third and then the final third. The dough will be thick. Split the dough in half and mix cranberries into one bowl and then the chocolate chips into the other half of the dough.

Scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough; with moist hands, roll into a ball and flatten just slightly. Place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.


Preparation time: 45 minutes
Yields 3 dozen cookies

Copyright 2010, S. Nester, Original Recipe