Tag Archives: flatbread

Good Ju Ju

August 12, 2011

Ju Ju means energy; the experience of positive and negative forces all around us that charge our lives and shape each unique day on this planet. You know Ju Ju. It’s that thing when you enter a space and get that “off” feeling in your gut telling you it’s time to leave, it’s the woman who smiled at you when you were crossing the street yesterday, the long, warm embrace of your loved ones, the sensation of sand between your toes walking on the shore. It’s the powerful stuff that we pick up on everywhere when we let our intuition take the reigns.

We can give it, receive it, create it, share it, leave it behind, pass it on; you can even give Ju Ju a good kneading like homemade yeast bread. We need good Ju Ju. We need bad Ju Ju too though. The polar forces help guide our decisions, steer our relationships, and challenge us to think about life in new, interesting ways. It’s a balancing act; I think the potential for both kinds of ju ju live in us at once and can be used to direct people when we least expect it. Some people call it vibe, at yoga you’ve probably heard it referred to as Prana… but whatever name you give it, you know that it’s some powerful stuff.

Despite the fact that each day I generally rise to the blessings of good health, supportive relationships, and an intentional purpose; my Ju Ju reserves can still get a little low from time to time. Life gets messy, our heads get fuzzy, and the spark within us can grow dim. When I need good Ju Ju, I call my Mom. She shares her wisdom and light and helps re-ignite my own to honor and pass on to others.

This week my Mom was flanked with a host of givers. I received more good Ju Ju than I knew how to process all at once. Surprise coverage from The Kitchn, Food52, FoodieCrush Magazine, Food In Jars, an interview feature with Kaileen Elise, and the positive affirmations from readers and friends have been a needed nudge. Thank you. Thank you for sharing your energy with me this week. If I could bottle it, seal it with wax, and send it right back to each of you ten-fold I would.

Too often we disregard the profound impact that our simple words, actions, and intentions can have on the world and one another. Don’t. Seriously. We carry each other; everyday we take turns by sharing our Ju Ju. Give it away and watch it grow.

 Chickpea Fritters with Tomato Jam 

Slightly adapted from Whole Food by Jude Blearau

Tomato Jam 

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup crushed ginger
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 5-6 large heirloom tomatoes, chopped and most of the seeds removed
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over gentle heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the vinegar and cinnamon sticks and cook until reduced by half. Add tomatoes, sugar, cumin, and cloves. Cover with a lid, and cook for 5 minutes over gentle heat. Remove lid, increase heat, and stir for 5-8 minutes to thicken. Reduce heat again and let simmer until thick.

 

Chickpea Fritters 
  • 1 1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked for at least 8 hours
  • 1 small sweet onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • pepper to taste
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 handful of parsley, chopped
  • 1 handful cilantro, chopped
  • 4 tbsp mint, chopped
  • 2 tbsp chickpea flour
  • olive oil, for frying
Pour soaked chickpeas into a strainer, rinse and drain. Put soaked chickpeas in a food processor with minced garlic. Pulse for about a minute. Add the spices and pulse for another minute until finely ground, then place in a large mixing bowl. Add chopped onion, herbs, and flour and eggs and use your hands to combine. Form the mixture into small patties about 1/2″ thick. I started out thinking these would be chickpea burgers, but with half a loaf of bread on hand and no intention of running to the store, these became open faced sandwiches. Oops.
Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan, just enough to cover the bottom well. Place patties in the pan and cook over medium heat (with a gentle sizzle) for 5-7 minutes on each side. Jude warns “don’t rush the process, the insides take a while to cook.” Serve with grilled olive oil bread and tomato jam.

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Writer’s Block

March 29, 2011

Definition of writer’s block: a usually temporary psychological inability to begin or continue work on a piece of writing. Today I am feeling drained of inspirational essence to finish one, two, nope, three papers on my to do list for school. This lack of inspirational essence is really just a euphemism for the “I really don’t have it in me to do this whole research-regurgitate thing right now,” feeling. I hate it when this happens. The blank cursor pulses, I type something out, and then delete it all. Frustrated, I’ll look at the time in the top right hand corner of the computer screen and calculate how many more minutes I can actually afford to waste before everything goes up in flames (the impending due dates, that is). My stunted productivity cracks a window for all sorts of other thoughts to enter the mind and suddenly it’s as if the whole day has been swallowed in quicksand. Just. Can’t. Move.

Writing a fluid blog post with this state of mind would be sort of like committing an emotional affair. Che Guevara, Apartheid in South Africa, and the Nicaraguan Revolution are patiently awaiting my discourse, and indulging in any further meanderings on life, love, growth, etc. might feel good temporarily but will only leave me worse for the wear. But I digress. Writer’s block. When all else fails, have some gluten-free radicchio and caramelized onion flatbread with fresh parsley and honey. (Recipe Below).

Gluten Free Crust (adapted from Mark Bittman’s Basic Pizza Dough):

  • 1 teaspoon instant or rapid rise yeast
  • 3 cups whole wheat or gluten free flour
  • 2 teaspoons coarse Kosher or sea salt
  • 1 to 1 1/4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus some for greasing the bowl

1. Combine the yeast, flour, and salt in a food processor. As it is mixing, 1 cup of water and 2 T of oil.
2. Mix, adding more water until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few seconds until it forms a smooth round ball. Use a bit of oil to grease a bowl, and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft free area until it doubles in size (1-2 hours). The gluten free flours, if you choose to go that route, will not rise like wheat. Don’t be discouraged it will still taste good.


While the dough is rising, prepare topping:

  • 3-4 medium sized Radicchio, shredded
  • 1 small red or yellow onion, sliced thinly (I used red, but next time I’ll use a sweet Wala Wala variety)
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 large or 2 small fuji apples, chopped
  • olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • handful of fresh flat leaf parsley
  • honey, for drizzling

In a medium pan, saute the onion and garlic with a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar until they wilt and begin to caramelize (5-8 minutes). Toss in the apples and saute on low heat for another 2-3 minute. Set aside. In a large bowl toss shredded radicchio with olive oil and salt and pepper to wilt. With about 30 minutes left on your dough rise, pre-heat the oven to 450′. Did you know woodfire pizza ovens get up to 800 degrees? Crazy, right? When the oven is ready, roll out (or push out if you’re like me, shamefully without a rolling pin) onto a pizza stone or cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven, and spread a THIN layer of onions first, and follow by piling up on the radicchio (now a bit wilted). Send it back to the oven for another 5 minutes, then hit it with the broiler until the edges begin to brown just slightly. Remove from oven to cool and sprinkle with fresh parsley leaves and drizzle your slice with a  healthy helping of local honey.

Enjoy, my friends.

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