A Sybaritic Solstice Recipe...

                                      "I was feeling nostalgic"

...for Christmas goodies this year, partly in honor of my dad who passed away this summer. He was the son of German immigrants and lover of all things dessert. And Christmas was extra dessert for a whole week. Stollen, pfeffernusse, liebkuchen, gingerbread, honeycake, baumkuchen, etc. served every morning with steaming mugs of black coffee...and later in the afternoon for "a little smackeral of something"...and of course after dinner with more coffee. My mom was an avid baker of traditional cookies and I still have all her recipes.

    But when I got all the ingredients together (thank you Trader Joe's for now carrying organic everything) and laid them all out - flour, sugar brown sugar, confectioner's sugar, baking soda, baking powder, butter, eggs - it all looked GREAT! 

                                                "But...No! Wait!"

     Here I am a "natural chef" helping people heal their gut, banish cravings, reduce inflammation, lose weight, control blood sugar, go raw, gluten free, vegan, whatever. These are all the ingredients I have tried to eliminate, so why would I bring it all back in? Why would I do this to myself? Why would I make all those goodies in the name of tradition, for friends and neighbors? 

I could hear myself: "Happy Holidays! Now,

                                             "please don't eat this!"

    And since my dad had suffered from heart disease, diabetes, stroke and dementia, wouldn't it be more in his honor to carve out some new traditions? So, I started over and started pulling out a different set of recipes - the ones I had lovingly and painstakingly created and tested over the past several years. I decided that if I was going to share treats, I'd rather share something that might make a more positive contribution and more in keeping with what I have come to stand for in the way of whole food nutrition without giving up....

                                             "divine tastes and textures."

     Rather than try to replicate the old standards (that's just sad), how about inviting some "new" traditional foods onto the table that use fresh, whole, unrefined, unprocessed, naturally flavored and seasonal confections? Here's something I've made for parties and food demos based on an Italian dish called "Sybarita" that they eat with a spoon. I soak the ingredients in a little wine and stuff it into pitted dates. You only have to eat 1 or 2 to feel decadent and satisfied! And, not guilty, since it's loaded with with fiber, vitamins and minerals and healthy fats.

                                "Please steal this recipe!"

"SYBARITA"     filled date tidbits                                             makes 24 pieces


12 medjool dates - pitted and split in halves

1/4 C. black raisins
1/4 C. golden raisins
1/4 C. dried cranberries
1/4 C. black figs

1/4 C. pecans
1/4 C. walnuts
1/4 C. chocolate bar

1/4 C. port
1 T. bourbon
1 tsp. vanilla bean
1 tsp. orange zest

Chop dried fruits fine and add to large mixing bowl.
Chop nuts and chocolate fine and add to fruit in bowl.
Add port and other flavorings to bowl and mix well with a large spoon.
Cover and let meld overnight.

Before serving, strain liquid from filling in a sieve over a bowl. When mostly drained, fill the date halves with 1 T. filling each. Garnish and place on platter to serve.

Garnish: 1/2 a toasted pecan, goji berries, drizzle of melted chocolate, fruit slice or berry.

This recipe is very forgiving. You can substitute other fruits, nuts, citrus and flavorings.
The filled dates will keep for up to a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.


Let me know how it turns out and what you think!
Enjoy the night......

SUPER MOON SUNDAY August 10, 2014

Well, I've let the blog lapse in the past few months. Sorry about that. I still don't have that much to say right now, so I thought I'd let some photos speak for me. Here is a collection of pics taken recently of some food jobs, gardens, local environs, and some new art. It's all within the FOOD ART WELLNESS theme ( I think) and should tide me over while my new website gets its final touches. For a sneak preview go to:

JenniferUnaCulinaryArts.com

And for enjoyment purposes only here are the pictures ~~ please leave comments and share!

Gratuitous brag: Liam's graduation. And yes, he wore his kilt. UCLA School of Theatre Film and Television.

When I was in LA, I stayed on an extra day to take a chocolate class at Matthew Kenney. We made fudge and truffles, tempered chocolate and molé.

A summer dinner in the Russian River Wine Country.

saffron for orzo

   black tahini for painting plates

  roasted shiitakes

   parmesan

   chilled avocado soup

    miso glazed black cod

   creme brulee

Some selections from my garden. It's amazing what will grow with so little. The best was what volunteered in the compost box!

    plenty of these                                             giant

    volunteers in compost box                                               volunteers under bird feeder

    pumpkins in June?                                          

A few more food items....

    spring bunny juice

    crepes layered with berries and yogurt creme

    a seasonal snack plate

    shortbread coins

    blackberry cobbler

And here's to you Dad. 

June 23, 1924 - June 12, 2014

the end.

FULL MOON: ECLIPSED

Ponderings for the occasion:

Where is your light being shadowed?

Does your energy wax and wane?

How do you think others perceive your light?

Are you a light reflector, a mirror or a light generator?

Do you relish the darkness, the stillness of night?

When I am in the spiraling cycle of creativity, I'm aware of the duality, the inward and the outward pull of energy. I need to respond to both to feel in balance. I relate it to growth cycles, creativity cycles, life cycles. Whether I'm teaching or studying, cooking or eating, active or at rest, creating or recharging I see that both are necessary and that getting stuck or too attached to one or the other stroke can lead to an imbalance that restricts the flow of energy into new growth and fruition. In my work with people and their healing processes around food and health building I see this again and again. The body, the digestive system, the senses, the appetites of mind, body and soul each provide metaphor and meaning for how we are always in creation.

Recently, I've been designing a course to teach folks how to increase their energy and sense of wellbeing and aliveness by upgrading their relationship to food, eating and nourishment in the physical as well as the spiritual sense. I intend to take students on a spiraling journey, first inward to their core and essence and then return outward again into the world with ease and a new vision of what food is, how the body processes it, how we stay well, where we break down so that there is an increasing sense of freedom, clarity and confidence in self care and wellness that is custom to each individual. I'm really excited about it because it is a chance for me to put all I have learned and practiced and discovered in one place and make it come alive for people step-be-step. It feels like the perfect blend of what I know about creativity and health and human nature. I'll be sharing the particulars in the weeks to come!

                                                                                                  

Roughly, we'll be following a kind of hero's journey as it  relates to the development of the whole person, a culinary adventure if you will, as the palate matures and the consequences of choices throughout our lives require attention and perhaps redirecting to avoid/prevent disease and early aging.

As my centinarian grandmother used to bemoan, "everyone wants to live a long time, but no-one wants to get old!" I've discovered ways to slow down the aging process and alleviate many of the symptoms that seem to be par for the course these days in our busy, soul denying lives. We'll be looking at  the environment we live in, the family myths and patterns, our unique physiology, tastes, quirks and needs. Where the breakdowns are and how to address them through food medicine. We will "grow up" our taste buds and go-to foods, triggers, addictive tendencies and generally find ways of taking more responsibility for our own journey. 

I'm calling it a path of evolutionary eating, which can sound like a mouthful , but perhaps it will reflect our innate tendency to always be seeking improvements, to wake up the forces of nature at play within us and between us. There is an inner kernel, spark, core, heart or something deep inside us. The magic of creativity is when we can access that space and apply it in a very everyday way. It may be in the ways we learn to take care of ourselves, reach out to others who need our support or simply share what we learned on our journey. I can't wait to share it with you. Stay tuned for more details.......

And now for a really great recipe!!

                              SPRING FULL MOON ECLIPSE VEGETABLE PANCAKES

                              gluten/dairy free                                           makes 12  4" pancakes

6 eggs, beaten

1 T. gluten free flour mix

½ red onion, cut in half and sliced thin

4 green onions, sliced very thin

3 small carrots, grated

¼ head nappa cabbage, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thin

1 small zucchini, grated

1 large clove garlic, micro grated

1" ginger root, peeled by scraping with a spoon and micro grated

¼ cup arame seaweed, soaked in water for 10 minutes until soft

1 tsp. wheat free tamari

1 tsp. hot chili oil

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

salt

pepper

grapeseed oil for griddle (can tolerate high heat)

rooster sauce, tamari sauce, toasted sesame oil, hot chili oil - for garnish

In a large bowl, place sliced onions and cover with cold water. Add green onions and toss. Add carrots, cabbage, zucchini and toss again with onions and water. Drain seaweed and toss with other veggies. Drain out water from veggies. Add ginger and garlic, tamari, and oils, salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk eggs, add flour and whisk until fully blended. Add to vegetable mixture and mix to combine thoroughly.

Heat griddle until drops of water sizzle. Pour a 1-2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil on griddle and spread around. Place a handful of egg and veggie mixture (about ½ cup for each pancake) on griddle and repeat leaving 1" between each pancake for egg to spread out a little. Cook until edges are dry and pancake can be lifted with a wide spatula without coming apart. Flip and cook until dry through without letting the eggs get brown.

Transfer from griddle to serving platter and keep warm in oven until ready to serve. Serve with a drizzle of hot sauce, tamari, sesame and/or chili oils. Any pancakes that are not devoured can be stored in the fridge and reheated or eaten cold for breakfast or a snack.

recipe by Jennifer Una CulinaryArts                                                    

all rights reserved ©2014

FEB 2014 FULL MOON + VALENTINES DAY + NUTRITION FOR LOVERS

HOT MACA BROWNIE BITES ~ a recipe for pleasure......
       raw, vegan, gluten free

1 C. walnuts
1 C. pecans
1/2 C. dates, pitted
1/2 C. figs, stems trimmed
1/2 C. cacao powder
1/4 C/ maca powder
2 T. coconut oil, melted
2 T. agave nectar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne
pinch salt

Chop walnuts and pecans in food processor. Add dates and figs and pulse to combine.

Add cacao and maca powder and pulse to combine. Add coconut oil and agave syrup, cinnamon, cayenne and salt and continue to process until all ingredients are fully blended. Add a few drops of water if batter is too dry to form a ball. Turn batter into a 9" x 9" cake pan. Press down evenly in pan. You can sprinkle and press any toppings onto the brownies such as, shredded coconut, cacao nibs, chopped pistachio nuts, hemp seeds, fresh fruit, preserves, etc. The surface is a bit oily and will keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Cut into squares and remove carefully to keep from crumbling.

Dose: 1 square per person before playtime!

Recipe makes 20 - 25 brownies

JANUARY 2014 FULL MOON AND A NEW WORKSHOP

1st Full Moon of 2014!

Do you remember New Year's Eve?

                     sexy servers

Ok, we're two weeks in and I have to say I am getting off to a slooooooow start.It's winter.It's cold.The energy is underground.Even my website is at the designer's and hence in suspension. 

                 lilyhammer


I'm not exactly chomping at the bit to get things going, either. It feels more like the perfect time to take a look back at some high points of the past year. And, while I'm not making the proverbial new year's resolutions I'm at least making peace with some of the evolutions over the past year. Last year I was mostly at the farmer's market, holding raw food meetups, catering distant retreats and teaching in-home classes. All of these were fabulous for doing what I love to do, developing menus and recipes, meeting like minded folks, sharing my knowledge and passion for food and wellness. 

                 less is more

Moving forward, I hope to continue to put my energy into teaching, writing,and coaching as well as developing some on-line courses for folks that are too far away to attend in person. It's very exciting to create something from nothing. Exciting and terrifying! Let's hope I don't get CHOPPED!

                                        colores de vida

So,what could spice things up a bit? What can support and energize my work so I can keep exploring and sharing? The work life always has to blend with the personal life,for me,so I don't want to lose my link to making art, taking pictures,practicing yoga, dancing, being outdoors, collaborating, listening to my dreams.....

                         habibi x2

                 gris-gris

AND, to get the juices going I'm starting to plan one of my favorite workshops!

     NUTRITION FOR LOVERS,
               A Day-Long Retreat of Food, Yoga, Art and Writing
                    Supporting  a Juicy, Balanced and Expressive Love Life for You and Yours.

In this full day of stretching, breathing, collaging, journaling,tasting, and sharing, we will explore some of the foods, herbs and deep nutrition practices that can enhance your sensuality and awareness of the mind-body-soul connections that can make your relationship with your self and other's deeper and more fun! Folklore and science merge in the realm of aphrodisiacs and tonic treatments. DON'T MISS THIS! You can get registered early with Paypal or message me for other methods of payment. Your special day with me and my team is only $97 and covers all instructions, handouts, lunch, snacks and beverages.

     SATURDAY
     FEBRUARY 15
     9am - 4pm

     2180 Francisco Ave.
     Santa Rosa, CA  95403
     707-322-6337

Bring a friend!
If you are coming from out of town and need overnight accommodations, please inquire about my B + B rates.

BUY NOW: I'm leaving my Passion Palate website up while my new site is being built so you can go on there and purchase you ticket. Go to Monthly Page and click the PayPal button to purchase. Sorry about the  extra steps (life in progress....).

Go to www.PassionPalate.com   Monthly Page to sign up.

                                 comfort 101

Hoping to serve you on your culinary adventures in 2014!

The Earthy,Artsy,Sage and Spicy Visionary Chef 
     
Jennifer Una Culinary Arts

                 winter boots

                     outlander