With its bright, sprightly flavors, this is a wonderful springtime dish. But there’s nothing to say you can’t serve it with a green salad in summer or roasted vegetables in winter. To make the sunflower seeds more easily digestible, soak them overnight beforehand.
3 3/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
1 cup raw sunflower seeds, presoaked if you like
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Add the quinoa, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, toast the sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes, until they are aromatic and start to pop. Add the sunflower seeds to the quinoa, along with the lemon juice and oil, and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired.
Variations
Quinoa with Herbs and Toasted Sunflower Seeds: Increase the amount of sunflower seeds to 1 1/4 cups. Omit the lemon juice and increase the amount of olive oil to 7 tablespoons. Add 1/2 cup of chopped marjoram or oregano leaves when you stir everything together. Taste and adjust the seasonings; you may want more salt.
Quinoa Tabouli: Add 1 cup of chopped parsley and 1 cup of chopped scallions when you stir everything together.
Swap pumpkin seeds for the sunflower seeds.
Forgo toasting the sunflower seeds; instead, add them to the saucepan when you add the quinoa.
Anti-oxidant rich and tasty, this smoothie is quick and easy to make. Try it for a snack or breakfast. Feel free to swap your favorite (pasture raised cow or sheep yogurt are also good choices. Other flavors of juice would also be fine. Feel free to use other berries: raspberries, and strawberries are great, too.
Serves 1 for a very hearty breakfast
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries ¾ cup plain goat yogurt ¾ cup tart cherry juice 2 Tablespoons Navitas Naturals Palm Sugar 1 Tablespoon Navitas Naturals Acai Powder 1 Tablespoon Navitas Naturals Maqui Powder 1 teaspoon Simply Organic vanilla extract
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Taste, and if desired, add additional palm sugar for a sweeter flavor.
For 15% off all Navitasnatural.com products, please enter the code leslie15 at navitasnaturals.com
Published by Editor in Chief of Modern Hippie Mag on May 9, 2012
Interest in gluten-free foods has surged as an increasing number of people have been diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten and other proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye, or have discovered that they have a wheat allergy or sensitivity.
Those facing dietary restrictions due to a gluten allergy or sensitivity, take heart! Organic Gourmet Leslie Cerier presents gluten-free, vegetarian recipes the whole family can enjoy! In her new cookbook, Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook (New Harbinger, $17.95), Leslie includes recipes for a wide variety of whole-grain foods including pancakes & waffles, casseroles, pasta dishes, and pastries! Within the pages of her cookbook you will find a wealth information about gluten-free whole grain flours and rice that can be used to create flavorful and delicious appetizers, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and desserts.
As a pioneer organic chef, Leslie is a national authority on wheat-free baking. In addition to innovative recipes, her cookbook offers fun and easy tips for:
shopping green and using seasonal ingredients
understanding nutrition basics
incorporating fiber in your diet
creating food combinations for complete proteins
More about Leslie:
Leslie teaches exciting “garden to table” hands-on cooking classes in some of the most prestigious centers of holistic evolution and organic lifestyle worldwide. Her New England based business includes custom culinary work for private clients, as well as private and group cooking instruction and coaching. Cerier is a pioneer and national authority on gluten-free cooking and baking, the entire spectrum of whole grains, and cooking with wild foods. Her specialty in culinary nutrition has led to her being much sought after by health professionals and private clients to help them translate challenging dietary allergy issues into culinary success and meal satisfaction.
Everyone can benefit from eating a wide range of gluten-free whole grains. Gluten-free cooking and baking goes beyond just replacing the few popular gluten grains wheat, barley, triticale, and rye in favorite recipes. It is a celebration of the earth’s bounty.
There are more whole grains that do not have gluten. This means more choices, more whole grains and whole grain flours to mix and match with local, seasonal produce for an endless variety of daily meals. Doing so isn’t as hard as it seems if you follow some basic tips:
Create Gluten-Free Makeovers.
You can make pasta dishes, pastries—just about everything that can be made with gluten—into delicious, nutritious, gorgeous dishes with a wide gluten-free whole grains and flours.
Go Beyond Toast.
Start your day with nutritional powerhouses: gluten-free grains such as millet, rolled oats, teff, quinoa, and amaranth make tasty porridges cooked in water or coconut milk with a variety spices like ginger and cinnamon, and dried fruits. Top with your favorite yogurt, milk, fruit, or maple syrup for a great breakfast.
Pancakes and waffles are delicious and super nutritious made with one or a combination of gluten-free flours: teff, sorghum, quinoa, brown rice, corn, buckwheat, maca, and coconut flour.
It is easy to make grain loaves, polenta, and croquettes with corn grits, millet, and teff. Once cooked and cooled, you can cut them like a brownie. Slice and serve or refry; the possibilities are endless.
Cook Like An Artist.
You can make beautiful dishes mixing and matching grains with nuts, seeds, and colorful vegetables. Decorate finished dishes with edible flowers, springs of herbs, and sauces.
It is rare for whole grains to be complete proteins; however quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and oats are complete proteins making them ideal for main course entrees, and side dishes.
Employ a Variety of Textures.
You can create dishes with many different textures: running the gamut from dense, smooth dishes like polenta to chewy wild rice to crispy granola. In the realm of desserts alone, grains and their flours can be used to create textures ranging from creamy rice pudding, to dense and chewy hazelnut brownies, to crispy cookies made with teff flour.
Create Great Pastries Everyone will Love.
Bake delicious cookies, piecrusts, fruit crisps, muffins, and brownies with a great variety of gluten-free flours: teff, oat, brown rice, quinoa, coconut, ground nut and seed flours (hazelnut, almond, and flax seeds, etc).
Photo: Tracey Eller
Roll Some Sushi.
Vegetarian sushi, also known as nori rice rolls, are delicious and easy to prepare with a wide variety of rice: Bhutanese Red Rice, Forbidden Rice, brown rice, Jade Pearl Rice, sweet brown rice, among others. Mix and match fresh and sautéed seasonal vegetables (cucumbers, carrots, beets, salad greens, etc) with avocado, pickles, sprouts, seasoned tofu and ginger tempeh, and more.
Stake Out a Variety of Shapes.
Gluten-free pasta comes in many shapes and sizes and made from a variety of grains: rice, quinoa, corn, amaranth, and buckwheat. All are great topped with savory sauces: tomato, peanut, pesto, mushroom, among others.
Expand your Repertoire.
Say yes to abundance of choices: enhance your nutrition by including high fiber, whole grains in your diet. You can make pilafs, soups, stews, porridge, and marinated salads and more with gluten-free grains.
Enjoy Being Environmentally Friendly.
Going gluten-free can help you decrease your carbon footprint. Huge monocultures of wheat and other common grains have damaging impacts on the earth, especially when grown commercially using petroleum-based fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.
Because many varieties of gluten-free grains are more closely related to their wild cousins than the hybrids we’ve come to rely on, they can often be grown more easily, using less intensive methods. Some gluten-free grains are drought resistant, requiring less land and less water to produce high yields. Others grow in harsh conditions, arid uplands to moist tropical settings.
As a bonus, many of them offer superior nutrition and higher-quality protein than wheat and other common grains. That means more net nutrition from the same amount of land. And best of all, this approach to easing our impact on the planet offers a delicious culinary adventure.
Worldwide, gluten-Free whole grains truly are the foundation of a healthful diet—healthful not just for us humans, but also for our planet.
You’ve probably heard about the devastation of rainforests to create grazing land, water pollution from feedlots, and the problems with methane from cattle. And chances are, at some point you’ve read or heard that eating lower on the food chain is more sustainable, so I’ll just offer the reminder that it’s far more efficient to eat grain than to feed it to animals and then use those animals for food. As food resources grow scarce for an ever-increasing human population, it becomes more important to eat less meat, or avoid it altogether.
All of that said, I do believe that there’s a place for organic eggs and dairy products, especially when the animals that produce them are allowed to range freely and fed a diet that’s more natural for them (for dairy cows, that means grass-fed).
Leslie Cerier, “The Organic Gourmet,” is a national authority on gluten-free cooking and baking specializing in local, seasonal, whole foods and organic cuisine with 20 + years experience: Chef, Educator, and Author of 5 cookbooks including Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook (2010), and Going Wild in the Kitchen (2005). Leslie teaches exciting “hands-on” vegetarian cooking classes in some of the most prestigious centers of holistic evolution and organic lifestyle. She will be co-teaching a special workshop with 10.5 CEC; Thriving Gluten-Free July 6-8 2012 with Celiac Expert and Dietician Melinda Dennis at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. Check out more at http://lesliecerier.com/blog/class-schedule/.
Celebrated cookbook authors Leslie Cerier and Robin Asbell suggest great ways to cook with cornmeal
BY Mary Margaret Chappell
Yellow, White, and Blue
Regional preferences for white versus yellow cornmeal can be as intensely debated as politics or sports—but it really boils down to a matter of taste, says Robin Asbell, author of The New Whole Grains Cookbook. Raised north of the Mason-Dixon Line, Asbell confesses to a preference for yellow cornmeal, and enjoys making pancakes (sweet or savory), cornbread, and certain cookies and biscuits with it. “The taste and texture are familiar,” she explains.
White cornmeal is traditionally used in authentic Southern-style cornbread, so Asbell uses it in all kinds of Southern-influenced dishes. For instance, in a red beans and rice pie, she’ll opt for a white cornmeal crust. By the same token, she’d make Southern biscuits and spoon bread from white cornmeal. And she’d top off a Southern-style meal with a coconut cake made with white cornmeal.
Leslie Cerier, author of Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook: A Seasonal, Vegetarian Cookbook, believes that everything goes with either yellow or white cornmeal and cooks and bakes with both interchangeably. That said, Cerier does confess to relying on visual appeal to help her choose one over the other. For instance, if she has kale and leeks or onions on hand, she’ll make cornmeal fritters with yellow cornmeal because of the ingredients’ contrasting colors. “It’s about novelty, versatility, and being playful,” she says.
Cerier recommends making corn fritters with white cornmeal, carrots, and butternut squash, and savory pancakes with white cornmeal and quinoa or brown teff flour because of the way the colors play off the white meal. She also especially enjoys sweet pancakes and waffles made with corn flour.
Blue corn is a traditional Hopi Indian food, so Asbell recommends incorporating it into dishes that have a native American influence, including “three sisters”–inspired dishes such as squash-and-bean soup with blue cornmeal croutons and a casserole or tamale pie with squash, pinto beans, and blue cornmeal. Blue cornmeal’s heartier and cornier (than white and yellow cornmeal) taste is also great in savory muffins with chiles and sun-dried tomatoes as well as with apples and blueberries in sweet muffins, she adds.
Match the Grind to the Menu
Corn flour or fine cornmeal sops up excess moisture so batters stick. Make a batter with yellow corn flour and egg, then use it to coat and bake tofu, tempeh, or firmer vegetables, such as cauliflower and potato sticks, suggests Asbell. If you make pancakes or waffles with cornmeal it will have a crunchy texture; for smoother-textured corn pancakes, waffles, or muffins, corn flour is the way to go, says Cerier.
According to Asbell, medium-grind yellow cornmeal is key to hush puppies with just the right amount of crunch: a fine grind would make a mushy or hard fritter, and the coarse-grind’s little bits would probably be too hard, she says. Cerier likes to make cornbread with organic medium-grind cornmeal.
Coarse-grind cornmeal doubles as a release agent that adds a satisfying crunch to pizza and bread, she Asbell. To get the effect, dust the pan/stone with coarse cornmeal before getting to work. She also suggests a coarse-grind if making a piecrust and quiche because of the pleasing contrast to the soft, melted cheese and sautéed veggies.
Teff, peanut butter, and cookies, oh my! Teff adds a subtle hazelnut/chocolate flavor to these peanut butter cookies, and just so happens to be gluten free and high in dietary fiber, protein, iron, and calcium. With this easy six ingredient recipe starring the super nutritious teff flour, you can almost convince yourself that you are eating these cookies for health, and not pleasure! Almost…
We found this recipe conveniently located on the back of our bag of teff flour from Bob’s Red Mill. It is by Leslie Cerier, who just so happens to be the author of one of our favorite cookbooks: Going Wild in the Kitchen.
1 1/2 cups Teff Flour 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup canola oil 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup peanut butter
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients together in a big bowl. In your favorite food processor blend the maple syrup, canola oil, vanilla, and peanut butter well. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, incorporating well. Form little balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheat. To get that classic criss-cross look that peanut butter cookies are famous for, get your criss-cross action going with a fork. Bake for about thirteen to fifteen minutes. Allow them to cool all of the way, and then gobble them up!
Leslie Cerier, who calls herself “The Organic Gourmet,” combines a holistic lifestyle with hands-on vegetarian cooking for health and vitality, as well as writing cookbooks and articles focusing on eating local, seasonal, organic foods. As Leslie will tell you, gluten-free cooking is not just for celiacs or people with wheat-allergies, but can inspire beneficial mood and health changes.
I recently had the opportunity to chat with Leslie about her newest cookbook, “Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook” and the benefits of a gluten-free diet, and the importance of eating sustainably for both the mind and body.
Alyssa Berkowitz: Did you always want to be a chef? Any stories of cooking as a child?
Leslie Cerier: I didn’t plan to be a chef. I always loved to cook. In high school I asked my grandmother Ethel how to make her strudel dough. She said, “You take some flour and water and it should look like this.” And I said, “Grandma, how much?” She showed me again and repeated that you take some flour and water and it should look like this. She knew what texture she was looking for. Now when I teach hands-on cooking classes, I encourage people to follow their senses: taste, touch, smell, see, listen, and make it a total sensory experience.
How do you derive influences for your recipes? How does your Jewish background shape your recipes?
I get my inspiration from the local, organic harvest: the fruits, vegetables and herbs of the season; then mix and match a variety of whole foods: grains, beans, grass raised dairy and eggs, nuts and seeds to create globally inspired meals. My Jewish roots inspire me to create healthy twists on classic recipes. For example in my “Kasha Varnishkes” recipe in “Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook,” I swapped Quinoa Corn spiral pasta for the classic white wheat bowties; also added sunflower seeds and even collard greens for a colorful and nutrient dense gourmet dish. Top it off with pesto for a yummy meal.
My Jewish influences are more about how to be creative and think out of the box. I guess thinking out of the box is a Jewish thing.
How do you see the relationship between a holistic lifestyle and the eating of whole grains and organic food?
I see it all as one really. I sleep on organic sateen sheets, use natural and organic soaps and cleaning products. I don’t use a microwave. I prefer to cook in cast iron, stainless steel, lead-free enamel and glass. I tune into the natural rhythms and the changing seasons. In cold weather, I cook long simmering soups and bake; in hot weather I make quick sautés and marinated salads I look at the interconnectedness of everything. Years ago, I gave up a promising career as a photographer to avoid toxic, chemicals in the dark room. I now print my photos on 100% cotton canvas. Even my artwork is about sustainability. My latest series, “Photographing the Jewels in the Water” is about sunlight on shallow streams that create natural jewel like patterns, like impressionistic paintings. I’m trying to connect all the dots, inside and out with my deep love of nature.
For some, gluten-free might seem like the next big health-fad. Why do you think eating a gluten-free diet should be something everyone is doing?
Gluten-free whole grains have been around for centuries — they’re not fad foods. They are delicious, loaded with vitamins and minerals, great for energy and stamina. I’m not gluten-free myself, but often prefer to eat gluten-free grains and flours for their taste and nutrition. Also since there is genetically modified wheat on the market, it might be that folks are really intolerant of the petrochemicals used to grow common wheat, which contributes to health problems. A diet rich in gluten-free whole grains can enhance everyone’s health and vitality; expand your cooking repertoire and celebrate the earth’s bounty.
Some people think that gluten-free dishes don’t taste as good. What would you say in response?
When I teach, I introduce people to many tasty gluten-free grains like teff, amaranth, rice, and quinoa. My recipes are simple, and when you use fresh seasonal and organic ingredients, they’re going to taste great. It’s like any kind of cooking: you have to understand how to use herbs and spices to create tasty dishes. My daughters aren’t gluten free either, but they prefer the Cinnamon Banana Pancakes made with teff flour instead of wheat. This isn’t about depravation. I’m using real foods, not processed food. Gluten-free grains are full of life and flavor.
While reading through your cookbook, I was surprised at how many ingredients seemed new or unusual to me, which makes gluten-free cooking seem like a challenge. What advice can you give to people looking to start cooking gluten-free who might be scared by the ingredients?
My suggestion: stay out of the supermarket. For the more rare ingredients in the cookbook, there is a mail-order section in the back of “Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook.” Also, my mother taught me to ask for what you want. Ask stores to stock the ingredients you want. Make the products available. Start the real food revolution.
I taught my sorghum salad (one of the lesser known grains) in a recent class. I cooked it like a Mediterranean couscous salad, and everyone was like, “Wow.” I’m introducing people to different textures, flavors, and the fun of eating really well. Yeah it’s challenging if you’re just thinking of the challah you normally eat every Friday night, but if you’re thinking of variety you’re really going to have fun and thrive.
In addition to writing cookbooks and catering, you also teach classes. Do you have any exciting classes coming up?
I’m teaching a “Thriving Gluten-Free” class at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY July 6-8. The class includes continuing education credits and I’ll be co-teaching with celiac expert, dietician and author, Melinda Dennis. In addition to culinary nutrition and hands-on cooking classes, I offer telephone consultations. I also have an online course, “Wraps and Rolls.”
What’s an ingredient you think everyone should have in his or her pantry? Why?
Flexibility. But aside from that, I think everyone should stock a variety of whole grains. At least four to six different whole grains and most whole grains are gluten-free.
Any last things you want our readers to know?
Whether you’re gluten free or not, including a wide variety of gluten-free grains in your diet is good for you and good for the planet. Ecologically, gluten-free grains could be part of the solution for our changing climate: some can grow in drier climates; others in flooded areas; some use less seed for higher yields and all offer great nutrition. Eating gluten-free isn’t just about personal health; it could be part of the solution for feeding the masses during climate change.
Quinoa and Shiitake Pilaf Serves 6 to 8
Leeks, celery, and mushrooms enliven this pilaf and give it a flavor reminiscent of a Thanksgiving stuffing. If you like, you can substitute other types of mushrooms for the shiitakes. White button mushrooms, criminis, or portobellos would all be great choices.
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 cups chopped leeks (white and tender green parts)
2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups stemmed and sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 3/4 cups quinoa, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 1/2 cups boiling water
Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan or skillet (one with a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, and mushrooms and sauté, stirring continuously for about 5 minutes, until vegetables become fragrant and their colors brighten. Stir in the quinoa and salt. Lower the heat, then slowly pour in the water. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed.
Many of Leslie’s recipes can be adapted for Passover, but most of the gluten-free grains are considered kitnyot so those of Ashkenazic background may choose not to eat them.
Alyssa Berkowitz is a senior in the Joint Program between Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary. She is currently the Food Programs Intern at Hazon.
If you’re adhering to a gluten-free diet because you have celiac disease or other health conditions that benefit from avoiding gluten, this is one cookbook you’ll want on your cookbook shelf. But be sure to take a look at it if you’re interested in exploring a variety of whole grains, too — regardless of what else you eat!
Leslie tells us all we need to know about this dietary choice, even if we’re new to the topic. She explains what gluten is, she looks at the health issues that prompt people to adopt a gluten-free diet, and she introduces us to ancient and exotic gluten-free grains: amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, sorghum, teff, and wild rice. A chapter is devoted to basic grain cookery, including everything from cookware to modifications to change texture or enhance flavor (such as including seasonings and toasting grains before adding the cooking liquid).
The Bountiful Breakfast chapter includes directions for making nut and seed milks, smoothies and shakes, granola (Vanilla Hazelnut Granola, no less!), porridges, muffins, scrambled tofu, pancakes, and waffles. There’s even a breakfast soup!
You’ll find a handful of savory stews in the chapter on Main course sensations, along with loaves, pasta dishes, a quinoa casserole, and much more. You’ve come to the right book to dispel any lingering doubts about gluten-free recipes being boring. In this chapter alone you’ll find Shiitake and Kale Lasagna with Marinated Dried Tomatoes and Chevre as well as Red Lentil and Teff Loaf with Red Wine and Porcini Sauce.
There’s a chapter devoted to Sushi, and another on Savory Sauces and Tempting Toppings. For readers who want to experiment a bit without committing to an entire gluten-free meal, the Super Sides chapter is a great place to start. How about a Lemony Quinoa Salad with Toasted Sunflower Seeds or Spiced Yams with Pecans? Sweet indulgences include an array of cookies, puddings, pies, crisps, and bars. (I’ve put Mocha Coconut Rice Pudding and Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies on my dessert menus for next week!)
This unassuming paperback includes over 100 intriguing recipes, with straightforward directions that put most of them in the easy-to-prepare category. A glossary of ingredients and a section of resources are helpful, too.
Leslie encourages the reader to cook “like an artist designing a meal, composing with gluten-free whole grains, flours, and pastas complemented by a rainbow of local, seasonal fruits and vegetables.” To get you started right away, we’re happy to be able to include on our recipe site three recipes from Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook for you to try. (You’ll also find some recipes from a couple of Leslie’s other cookbooks.) Let us know what you think!
Zoe Helene interviews The Organic Gourmet, Leslie Cerier
Photos by Tracey Eller
There’s a reason Leslie Cerier teaches at some of the finest spas and retreats, and there’s a reason her classes are so popular. Twenty plus years of wisdom and amassed expertise, authenticity, warmth and passion certainly help. Leslie’s classes are informative and fun Leslie specializes in whole foods and organic cuisine. Her cookbooks are packed with information about how to eat local, seasonal and organic foods that are delicious, good for you, and good for the planet. She’s the author of five cookbooks, including Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook, Going Wild in the Kitchen, and The Quick and Easy Organic Gourmet. She has earned the trust of wellness professionals and students alike, especially for her expertise in healing foods, grains and gluten-free cooking, and transforming potentially dull special diets without sacrificing flavor and satisfaction.
What exactly is ‘seed-to-table’? Seed-to-table cooking is a celebration of the earth’s bounty. It’s about adapting to fit what’s fresh. It’s about creating recipes from what you just picked from the garden or what the farmer just harvested. It’s about composing a dish by walking through the organic farm or garden and letting the beauty and the bounty inspire you, then taking that happy feeling into the kitchen and cooking up something luscious. I love baking pies with fillings that reflect the bounty of the season. I just posted a blog about that.
What are some of the benefits? You know your food. You follow the chain of the food from the ground to your mouth. You understand its origin, its quality, and its potency. I want to know what’s going into my body.
Then what would be the ideal food scenario? The ideal is local, seasonal and organically grown.
OK. Let’s break that down. Why local? Local is the most fresh you can get, and there’s nothing tastier. Plus, fresh is more nutritious. Also (and this is important) buying local supports local farms and people who love putting their hands in the soil. The heart and soul of the gardener goes into the food that goes into your body. And of course local also means you don’t truck it across the country, so next-to-no carbon footprint. The goal is to be part of the solution and respect the environment by making the lightest footprint while still feasting.
Feasting sounds great. OK, so why seasonal? Seasons are different everywhere. In certain places in California you can harvest most of the year. I live in New England where seasons are distinct and often extreme. We’re seeing fascinating innovation in local greenhouses to prolong seasons, especially now we’re already experiencing climate change and weather is getting more and more unpredictable. There are some foods that store well, like root vegetables from autumn harvest and some things like parsnips and carrots that can be ‘over wintered’.
What’s that mean, ‘over wintered’? That’s new to me. It means leaving ripe vegetables stored in the ground over the winter, because they do well there if you know what you’re doing. When the ground softens in April you pull them up and the ones I’ve had are super sweet and juicy.
And why organic? Organic is essential when you’re looking at the highest good and the bigger picture. If you poison the soil you poison the planet and you poison yourself. That’s common sense. There’s plenty of scientific research proving that organic is better for you, let alone the planet and the other life forms living on it. If you’re interested in the science of organics, The Organic Center is a great resource.
So does it taste so darned good? Because of the love and devotion that went into growing and cooking the food. The produce is coming from the heart of the Earth and the heart of the farmer. Then you put your heart into it when you make a meal and then the person who gets to eat it does so with love – so it is combined love, and you can taste that. There’s a lot of gratitude too. So its love and grace you’re taking into your body and that’s healthy.
I love the idea of urban gardens and kitchen gardens.
Sprouts, mushrooms, and herbs you can easily grow in your apartment. You can start from seedlings or seeds. Some like sun, some like partial sun, but you find that spot in your home. That’s an easy, inexpensive, incredibly abundant way to have fresh food right at your fingertips.
Your cooking class credits read like a wish list of eco-luxury spas and retreats. What is it about these places? They’re about expansion and supporting authentic self. And they’re just so exquisitely beautiful that you just feel well. You get to that place of exhale—like coming home to yourself.
How do you see your role as teacher? I show people that it’s easy and simple and they can do it. That it doesn’t have to be super complicated to put healing, healthy, delicious food in your mouth. It just requires being stocked with some great essentials and knowing how to work with those essentials. And people have fun in my classes.
And do you eat the food you make in class? Of course! We make this amazing food in class and then we eat it together. At Esalen we eat outside on a deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean. How much better does it get?
I have to say, Esalen really calls to me. My friend Charlie (who used to be head chef) calls Esalen an acupuncture point on the planet. And it’s true.
You’ll be teaching at Rancho La Puerta this month (March 10 – 17). Is it as beautiful as it looks? Yes. Yes, it is. Everything is first class without being pretentious and in my mind that’s because it is earth-based. Same with Esalen and Kripalu and Omega. Your whole heart opens. It’s very special.
And Kripalu is more about yoga? They’re a center for yoga and wellness. The yoga is gentle and deep. They’re renowned for their yoga. I’ve been practicing since I was a teenager so I love that. Yoga is about unity and wholeness and about being present. My way of teaching and cooking and eating is like that. Cooking and eating is a lot like yoga. It’s all about the Yum.
And Omega is more focused on integrating mind/body/spirit? Omega was co-founded by a medical doctor who is a pioneer in the field of holistic medicine, so my classes there are geared towards working with health practitioners. For instance, I’m going to teach with a celiac nutrition expert, Melinda Dennis. Celiacs are people who can’t digest gluten so we help them learn to live gluten free without sacrificing flavor, satisfaction, energy, or overall health—that’s the sort of classes I tend to teach at Omega. My approach is about plenty. How can we find substitutions that work in place of what the person shouldn’t eat. So even if you have serious restrictions with diet, there’s still plenty.
You’ve got quite a lifestyle, Leslie. I’m blessed. It’s true. I’m blessed and I’m grateful.
So how do we find all this glorious, locally grown organic food? If not from your own garden, look for farmers markets. If you can’t get to farmer’s market it’s great that you can go to Whole Foods or Natural Retailers to get organic food. But the small scale, the artisan heart-to-heart connection is where it’s at, and buying direct supports your local economy.
Tell me about community supported agriculture.
CSA’s all work a little differently. With most, you commit to a fee so they can focus on growing the food and so they know what to grow. Some of them deliver, some don’t. I like to go to the markets and the farms myself, but whatever it takes to make sure you get the right food, do it. If that means you have it delivered, go for it.
Going to these places is fun for you—they’re destination points? Absolutely! I love going out to the CSAs and chatting it up with the farmers and whoever else shows and just being in the scene. It’s a community, and they have community events around harvests like strawberry pick potlucks or potato dig potlucks. Ways to bring people together around food. This is true grassroots as in we’re going to make it our own.
Leslie’s Essentials
Stainless steel cookware is light and versatile. Stainless steel ladles, tongs, pancake turners, measuring spoons and whisks are preferable to silicone- or plastic- coated kitchen tools.
Cast-iron is the original non-stick cookware. Griddles, pots and pans, and Dutch ovens cook food slowly and evenly while releasing small amounts of iron into the food, making it more nutritious.
Glass cookware retains heat for a long time and allows you to watch foods cook inside.
Wooden cutting boards are preferable. Keep them in good condition with a fine mineral oil.
Glass jars are great for storing grains, beans, salt crystals and leftovers.
Leslie’s Pantry
Leslie’s favorite staples are made with wild-harvested and organic ingredients.
Bob’s Red Mill offers a wide variety of whole grains, whole grain flours and nut flours, including gluten-free products. bobsredmill.com
Frontier Natural ProductsCoop has a full line of Fair Trade, certified organic dried herbs, spices, vanilla and other extracts, flax seeds, sea vegetables and more. frontiercoop.com
Lotus Foods focuses on exquisite, exotic heirloom varieties of organic certified rice. lotusfoods.com
Maine Coast Sea Vegetables has certified organic sea vegetables such as dulse, kombu, kelp, wild nori, alaria, sea vegetable snacks and seasonings. seaveg.com
Navitas Naturals is a reliable source for gourmet organic cacao butter, cacao paste, cacao powder, cacao nibs, goji berries, maca powder, coconut oil, hempseeds and more. navitasnaturals.com
Grated beets and carrots combine with tofu, rice, and nori to create a beautiful mosaic pattern in every slice of this delicious roll.
4 cups Exotic Rice Blend (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon light sesame oil
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
14 ounces extra-firm tofu, sliced into long rectangles about 1/2 inch thick
2 cups grated beets
1 cup grated carrots
8 sheets toasted nori
2 to 3 tablespoons umeboshi paste
2 tablespoons wasabi powder, or more as needed
2 tablespoons water
Tamari
Make Exotic Rice Blend. While rice cools, heat oil, tamari and ginger in a medium-size skillet over medium heat. Add tofu and fry for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown on both sides. (You may need to fry the tofu in a couple rounds.) Slice tofu slabs into thirds to make long strips.
Mix beets and carrots in a bowl.
Lay a sushi mat on a clean work surface with bamboo strips running horizontally. Place a nori piece on the mat, shiny side down. Spread about 1/2 cup rice on the nori, leaving the top 1 1/2 inches bare. Lay 2 or 3 tofu strips across the rice, horizontally, followed by some carrot-beet mixture. Gently press filling into rice. Spread some umeboshi paste over the top inch of the nori.
Starting at the end closest to you and using even pressure, use the sushi mat to roll the nori tightly and evenly around the rice and fillings. Be sure to pull the leading edge of the mat back so it doesn’t get incorporated into the roll. Once complete, give the mat a gentle squeeze along its entire length, then let the nori roll sit inside the mat for a minute to ensure a tight roll. Gently unroll the mat and use a very sharp serrated knife to slice the roll into 8 rounds. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Put wasabi powder and water in a small bowl and stir to form a paste. For a thinner, less pungent dip, add a little more water.
To serve, place wasabi bowl in the center of a platter and surround it with the sushi rounds. Provide small bowls for tamari.
Reprinted with permission from Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook by Leslie Cerier (New Harbinger Publications).
Exotic Rice Blend
Makes enough for at least 8 nori rolls
Cooking with black forbidden rice or Bhutanese red rice adds color to nori rolls, making them a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.
1 1/2 cups black forbidden rice or Bhutanese red rice
1/2 cup sweet brown rice, rinsed
4 cups cold water
Pinch of sea salt
Combine rice, water and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; lower heat, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until all water is absorbed. Uncover rice and let stand for about 1 hour, until cool enough to handle, before making nori rolls.
Lemony Quinoa Salad with Toasted Sunflower Seeds
Serves 6 to 8
With its bright, sprightly flavors, this is a wonderful springtime dish. To make the sunflower seeds more easily digestible, soak them overnight.
3 3/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Add quinoa, lower heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until all water is absorbed. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, toast sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes, until they are aromatic and start to pop. Add sunflower seeds, lemon juice and oil to quinoa and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.
Reprinted with permission from Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook by Leslie Cerier (New Harbinger Publications).
Lemon-Parsley Dressing
Makes about 1 1/4 cups
This light, refreshing dressing is great on green salads, coleslaw, steamed vegetables and cooked grains.
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups parsley leaves
2 scallions (white and green parts)
1 tablespoon chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.
Reprinted with permission from Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook by Leslie Cerier (New Harbinger Publications).
Online Resources
Leslie Cerier lesliecerier.com
Tracey Eller ellerimages.com
The Organic Center organic-center.org
Rancho La Puerta, Mexico rancholapuerta.com
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Western MA kripalu.org
Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA esalen.org
Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY eomega.org
Melinda Dennis, RD Nutrition Coordinator of the Celiac Center at Beth Israel deletethewheat.com
Interest in gluten-free foods has surged as an increasing number of people have been diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten and other proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye, or have discovered that they have a wheat allergy or sensitivity.
