The Dirty Dozen

Michael and I recently went to a cooking demonstration with Chef Tanya at Native Foods.  She's an awesome, fun, and well educated woman who has created a STELLAR menu and this AMAZING restaurant in Westwood (also a few other locations).  While she was cooking, she mentioned the "dirty dozen."  Michael and I have switched to organic unless we can't find an organic option, but we had no idea about this dirty dozen, and have definitely bought a few of these when they were on sale. According to CNN, the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit group focused on public health, determined that these fruits and vegetables have between 47 and 67 pesticides per serving! GROSS!!!  It's believed that they are more susceptible to the absorption of  the chemicals due to their soft skin.  So here they are:
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach, kale and collard greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported grapes
Lettuce

On the flip side, organic is more expensive, and if you're on a tight budget, there's the "Clean 15." These fruits and vegetables have a tougher skin and showed little to no pesticides.  So if you can't go completely organic, you can get away with these.  But please, for the love of - don't poison yourself with that dirty dozen.

Clean 15:
Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions


To read the whole article from CNN and to learn more about pesticides click here.

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY PEDOR!!!

Cuteness

Can you stand it?!

Mexican Feast!

I had some friends over last night and we had a big Mexican feast!  It was soooo yummy!  I didn't get a picture of it, but it wouldn't have done it justice anyway.  With some help from Michael, it took us a little over an hour.  Worth the effort though.  Worth. The. Effort. :)
Serves 6-8

The Menu

Seasoned mixed vegetables with pinto beans (recipe below)

Refried black beans

Spring mix greens

Spicy rice (recipe below)

Guacamole  (recipe below)

Citris Sour Cream (recipe below)

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped cilantro

Salsa

Blue Corn hard taco shells

Whole wheat soft taco shells

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

I wanted to find a healthier alternative to Bisquick - no offense Bisquick, I enjoyed you throughout my childhood.  This recipe took me quite some time to perfect and comes from combining/veganizing a few different recipes.  It's hearty but fluffy at the same time, and with the maple cinnamon butter Michael made, it's a little bite of heaven in your mouth!

Makes about 15-18 medium pancakes

Ingredients:
2 cups milk of your choice (we use almond)
2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
3 1⁄2 tsp Enger-G egg replacer
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
about 3/4 cup frozen blueberries, thawed

Directions:
1. Heat a griddle or pan to medium-low
2. Combine apple cider vinegar and milk and set aside to curdle (this is your buttermilk)
4. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, egg replacer, salt and sugar
4.  In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk and vanilla
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until there are no lumps.  Fold in melted butter.  Do not over-mix as your pancakes won't be as fluffy.
6. Turn up the heat on your pan to medium
7. *Allow batter to sit for 3-4 minutes* This is an important step as I and a lot of other pancake makers believe it makes fluffier pancakes.  Something about the leavening setting in....
8. If using a non-stick griddle, you don't need cooking spray or oil, otherwise, this is the time to spray or oil your pan.
9. TEST EM'! make a small tester pancake.  See if you have enough heat/too much heat/enough oil, too much oil, etc...
10.  Using a 1⁄4 cup measuring cup, pour batter onto griddle.  Spoon the blueberries on each pancake.  It's fine to mix the blueberries into the batter but your batter will be blue and the blueberries might get smushed - I prefer to sprinkle them on when the batter is on the griddle.
11. Allow pancakes to sit about 1 1⁄2 to 2 minutes depending on how hot your pan is.  They are ready to be flipped when the outer ring isn't gooey anymore and there are bubbles forming in the center.  Like this:

12. Flip and cook for another 40 seconds to a minute until cooked all the way through.  I keep cooked pancakes stacked on a plate with a towel draped over them to keep them warm.  The towel allows some steam to escape so they don't get soggy.

Serve these guys right away with maple syrup and maple cinnamon butter.  They're best when they're hot and fluffy!

Maple Cinnamon Butter (this recipe can be played around with to your liking)
4 Tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp honey or agave
couple dashes of cinnamon