Ceci n'est pas une douce

Ceci n'est pas une douce. This is not a dessert, carrots time!

I made a vow for a month not to eat any macrobiotic dessert and no fruit.
Since I'm in London I'm suffering a little for home sickness, I started to consume too many desserts than usual to compensate this emotion. It depends on personal circumstances, but not for all sweets are appropriate; there is who, like me, should definitely limit the consume.

In macrobiotics, the sweet taste is associated with the transformation of the Earth. Emotions related are about tenderness and compassion. The moral and physical nourishment fuels this transformation. Other nourishing foods are: millet, sweet rice cakes and vegetables. If health conditions are excellent also seasonal fruits, malt and rice syrup. Some foods that are harmful to this Transformation are sugar, chocolate, white flour, ...

By removing the dessert for a period long enough, we rediscover the flavors and we appreciate a lot more the food. In addition, when you try something processed, immediately we will perceive the excess sugar and substitutes ingredients.

To balance the diet and break the chain "emotion-food", the alternative is to consume naturally sweet vegetables, pressed salads, leafy vegetables and slow cooking style "nishime".
But sometimes that's not enough, at least not enough for me! I appreciate all about dessert,not just the taste but the presentation, the rite that is around and enjoy it with people I love.
A plate of carrots in the oven as far as worship, has a whole different impact, visually, emotionally and socially.

So my topic this month is find alternatives that satisfy the palate, calm down my emotions and that can be shared with loved ones.

So we said, no fruit. And the vitamins?
The vegetables can contain as many vitamins and less sugar. A cup of carrots (128g) contains 428% DV of Vitamin A, 13%DV of Vitamin C, 21%DV of vitamin K, 6%DV of Folate (essential for cell renewal). Carrots are also mildly anti-inflammatory.
The same amount of apples contain: 1% of the daily ration of vitamin A, 10% vitamin C, vitamin K 3% and 1% of folate and' also slightly inflammatory. (Percent Daily Values %DV are for adults or children aged 4 or older, and are based on a 2.000 calorie reference diet. Source http://nutritiondata.self.com)

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This carrots flan is quite rich due the tahini maybe you want to match it with a lighter supper, if needed.

{ingredients}

 

{Carrot flan 2or3 serving}

  
4 carrots (those for juice)
¼ cup of carrot juice
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1+½ Tbsp almond meal
1 Tbsp chestnut flour
1 Tbsp full of "light" tahini
1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1 pinch of salt or/end a drop of shoyu
few drops of lemon juice

{technique}

Wash and dry the carrots, peel if necessary. Chop coarsely and sprinkle lemon so do not turn dark.
Put in a saucepan carrots, carrot juice, vanilla, and salt or/and shoyu. Cover and simmer 20 minutes over low heat adding a little water, if necessary.
Meanwhile, toasted sunflower seeds.

Try carrots which should have lost the "wild" taste and more acquired a sweet taste.If it is not continue to cook, unfortunately depends on the same carrot. You get to cook them up to an hour and there are always bitter, in which case put them in a soup and try it again with other more sweet. If not available try adding some very fresh pumpkin.
Once cooked, add the tahini, almond meal and the chestnuts, stir well and remove from heat.

{to assemble}

Put your mixture in a simple shaped mould, a little greasy with tahini and bake for 20 minutes at 240'C, in order to make a little crust.
Serve warm or room temperature decorated with flowers and roasted seeds.

Tip1: Before baking, at your discretion, you can add a little raisins previously soaked.
Tip2: When you strictly limit the sweets, however, increase the pressed salads and green leafy vegetables. Basically everything that can help you relax.

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raw&porrige dreamshake

ENGLISH

I'm just back from my Health Adviser course and, WOW, this morning has been delivered to me one of 30th birthday presents, the Vita-mix blender!! From my mother in law, god bless her! So I've to immediately try my new toy!

Is about a couple of weeks that I'm quite yang due the combination of my period, my stiff liver, and the autumn that is a Metal time. I found myself hyper focused and plenty of energy but really imbalanced: pushing others, with a low patience, shoulder blades pain and night grinding teeth. Quite a mess, I know.

So I need some opening food for the liver also I feel like smoothness and fresh flavours together. And of course I wanted to play with  my new tool!

I just invented this breezy and nutritious smoothy milkshake without any milk, (but you can really deem there is some in), to enjoy as a diverse breakfast. I think it can be very good for children as well.

This recipe is really Yin except for the porridge so has to be eaten carefully. The energy of the 5 transformation related with this recipe is Tree, and with a correct diet, can help to release from a transitory stiff(Yang) liver condition.

{ingredients}

 

{dreamshake for 2} 

1 sour green apple
2 purple carrots (purple just for a better color)
1/2 stalk celery
1/2 cup of plain barley porridge
a drop of shoyu
a pick of salt1 teaspoons of rice syrup or apple concentrate if needed

few toasted seeds or 2 almonds (optional, to avoid for serius liver issues)

 

{technique}

Wash and drain the fruit & veggie and cut into chunks. Pulse all ingredients start blending on the low power and than turn on maximum for 3 minutes, or until beautifully smoothed.

-If you are fancy to have a more acidulous flavour maybe drop in some lemon. I cannot for instance, due my kidney issues, because lemon "wash" away the minerals from them. Although, if you have problem to digest apples because acid, you can slightly cook them or replace with blueberries or beetroot if fruit doesn't work at all with you.

Serve room temperature or slightly cold.
And even if is a smoothy remember to chewing well, is really important for a good digestion!

 

nectarine mousse kanten

 

Finally I'm back to Italy for my holidays. Thirty-five degree. A possible murder if I don't have something refreshing. And seems I'm not the only one looking for that!

Here is plenty of melons, every kinds of plums, summer apples and pears, so many different type of peaches... Now all the trees are empty for full tables. The nature is blow up, a rainbow of scents fill up the air all around you. And you feel to be in the heaven, just have to choose.

What to do so? My mother was complaining for too many ripe nectarine for just three of us. Actually, yep, four plateau are quite a lot...

Lets do a peach mousse kanten! But because this hot weather makes me quite nervous maybe a pick of calming herbs like camomile can give us the right touch. Sniffing them, smells seems working very good together.

Peaches are plenty of vitamins, full of sugars, and good source of minerals and quite good source of proteins, nutritive and low cal. They are perfect summer here.

This dessert, is about the Soil transformation. The nature is quite Yin so maybe need to have a balance meal before. And remember to eat less during the hot days.

{ingredients}

{peaches}

 10 small organic nectarine
few pinch of fine unrefined sea salt

 {camomile}

  1/4 cup organic camomile flowers

[possibly no petals]
3/4 cup water

5 g circa Rapunzel agar agar flakes

{technique}

{camomile}

Bring to boil the camomile flowers and the water, let boil for 5 minutes that strain, sprinkle the agar over the infusion, stir well and stand while you prepare the peaches.

Than bring again to boil for 5 min on a medium heat, stirring until agar is dissolved.

{peaches}

Wash and drain the fruits, diced and place in a heavy pan with salt, cook for 6-7 minutes on medium heat and blend with an hand blender or puree mashing them.

{kanten mousse}

Add to the peaches puree the infusion whisking. Test purring some puree on a plate if the agar is working. Leave to set in a big one or individual moulds. Serve room temperature.

raw patisserie in my way: raspberry tartelette

Mid-August, and my breath condensing!!! Is raining so much that I cannot see my roses through the window. The only pleased is the cat allowed to join the sofa since I'm at the computer.

    Well, I need some summer in my kitchen. Clean flavors and colours.
I truly love simple food. Few ingredients and huge imagination. That is something I really do love in macrobiotic, and my digestion too. I'm always impressed from some recipes, I appreciate how the food is kept as it is, no complex condiments or mixtures. Two or three items and some magic.

    This recipe has been inspired from raw patisserie. I made quite a lot changes to make it more balanced. Still, is not easy for people with a slow digestion, like me, and, I do not recommend for people with mood swing or or any extreme Condition/Constitution. But I can suggest as party food to impress your guests.

     Instead time:  Instead of marble or date`I used the rice syrup, a milder option. Instead of cashew I used sunflower seeds. That are plenty of proteins, vitamins, very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Copper and Manganese. This seeds may yield a more complete protein source to balance the nutrients of restrictive diets like vegan. Besides, are very low in fats comparing with any nuts. Instead of the raw-one-hundred-stuff-pulse-together filling, I choose a simple marvelous 10-minute-time-raspberry-jam.

    At Portofino years ago i tried a vegan gelato: Melon and Marjoram. Tones of sugar .. but really chic. So, for our raspberries jam we have nigella seeds. Just perfect. Raspberries are very rich in vitamin C, Manganese, and, good source of fiber. And I love nigella seeds! Beautiful deep black, that will work perfectly with the raspberries red, to nourish also the eyes. Nigella fresh flavor remember me so much the Ligurian coast...

    Finally, sunflower seeds are slightly inflammatory and raspberries are slightly anti- inflammatory. So, we got just the right balance.

    About the transformation, we got the roasted sunflower (Metal cooking style) and a very sour jam (Tree). Plus, the rice syrup (Earth).

{ingredients}

{rice syrup sunflower crust}
1  cups organic sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp. rice syrup
a pinch fine unrefined sea salt

 {raspberries & nigella jam}

  4 cups of organic raspberries
1/2 tsp. of nigella seeds [or more to taste]
1Tbsp. of kuzu 

a pinch of fine unrefined sea salt

{technique}

{crust}

Toast the seeds in an heavy pan until smell a nutty flavor. Blend in a food processor with syrup and salt and pulse until the mixture is combined. In a muffin pan scoop a couple tablespoons per cup. Press firmly so that the seeds mixture is compact and holds together. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hr.

{jam}

Save some raw raspberries for decoration. In an heavy saucepan cook the left raspberries with a pick of salt* until juicy and soft. Wisking with a spoon, filter through a strainer to remove seeds . Place again in the pan with the nigella and quickly reheat. Dissolve the kuzu in some water and add stirring carefully to prevent agglomerates. Stir over low heat until tick. [tip: if you don't like to chewing the nigella seeds, cook together with raspberry from the beginning and filter away, maybe you need more seeds to feel the flavor).

Leave to cool perfectly.

{to assemble}

Take out the crusts from the muffin pan. Scoop carefully 1 tablespoon of jam in each cup.

Decorate and serve.

{*} salt alkalize the food, help the digestion and bring out the sweetness.

 

 

Amasake, the japanese sweetner

It was a cloudy, cold day when i experiment how to make amasake. And I was sunk into the sofa busy with my book. The worlds were flowing under my eyes but nothing got in my mind. I needed to switch off with the study with some action. Since I had the ingredients sticking inside my cabinet from a while I decided to make the amasake. I went down to the kitchen I wear my apron. Took the ingredients from the cabinet. And started putting pieces back together organizing the recipe.

This is my style amasake, I mix 2 kinds of rice to cut down the costs...But sweet rice is quite different from common brown rice. Is plenty of proteins {the amino acid score is 71%} is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Manganese.

Amasake is quite Earth Transformation [sweet] but the cooking method is more Metal. And the fermentation makes it more about Tree. So is quite in the middle of a balance but because we usually use it in desserts I feel more right to place him in the Earth Transformation anyway.

{ingredients}

 1 cup brown rice

1 cup brown sweet rice

½ cup koji

6 cups spring water, plus 5 cups

Pick of unrefined sea salt

{technique} 

Boil the 2 cups of rice with the salt and 6 cups water, until cooked [50/60 min]. Set aside to cool down. When is cold enough to put a finger in the grain, add the koji and set aside in a warm place overnight or under the sun. At least 10 hrs. After that amasake should smell acid and sweet, if not leave to ferment much more.

Bring to boil again in a pressure cooker, with 5 cups of water, for 2 hour over a medium-low flame. Turn off the stove and leave the cooker to loose the pressure naturally. Then if you like to, add a vanilla pod. Leave on the stove until creamy if needed. Store in the fridge in a glass jar.

[if you like it smooth is possible to blend with a blender or mill amasake in a suribaci]  

triple berries cranachan with amasake

    I do love any kind of desserts especially the ones that make the right compromise between smooth and crisp, sweet and tart. I always loved to find something crunchy inside a pudding or a sour fruit in a chocolate or inside a biscuit, so I always look for that. I remember me leaving the ripe fruit on my Nanny's table to run outside and take my own one still green from the tree. Because the skin was so sour an the middle already sweet.  Is like flipping through the sensations, one by one on your tongue. That make me happy.

    I saw Cranachan months ago, in a restaurant named one of the better Scottish in London, and, I've immediately thought that was perfect to turn into a fantastic macrobiotic dessert. I never saw the original recipe so this is my personal interpretation by eyes. For this goody you need Amasake, a cream made with sweet rice and koji. You can make at home or buy in healthy shops.

{ingredients}

 

{triple berries sauce} 

1 cup raspberries (save some)

1 cup strawberries

1 cup blueberries (save some)

3 tablespoon of kuzu

1 tablespoon of agar agar flakes

a pick of unrefined sea salt

{oats}

½ cup of whole oats

3 spoons of barley malt

{cream}

½ cup of amasake 

1 vanilla pod

3 spoons of almond meal

½ spoon of almond butter (optional)

¼ cup of soya yoghurt or silken tofu.

Barley malt or rice syrup (optional) 

{technique} 
{triple berries sauce}

 Wash and drain the fruit then place in a sauce pan with a spoon of water and cook for 10 minutes stirring. Dissolve the kuzu in some water and add to the fruit stirring. Add the Agar flakes and boil until dissolved. Add the rest of the fruit and some malt or rice syrup if necessary stir for 1 min and set in some glasses filling them over ¾ .

{oats}

Place the oats in a pan and cook in the oven for 10 minutes at 150°C or until brown and crunchy. Mix with the barley malt and set aside. [you can add also some oat flakes if you like]

 {cream}

Cook (near to boil)  the amasake with half vanilla pod and some water if needed for 15 minute or until taste enough for you. Take out the vanilla. Mix in a food processor or mill in a suribachi all the {cream} ingredients.

{to assemble}

 When cool spread on the top of the sauce a spoon of the oats and cover with the cream. Assemble just before your meal otherwise the oats lose crispness. 

Enjoy room temperature or a bit chilled.

 

Macha Creamy Kanten

I have to admit it, I got a sweet teeth! In particular for a creamy dessert.

When I go back home in the evening I slightly think about what to cook, I will decide when I see inside the fridge. But I've clear in my mind which dessert I'm going to do! Actually I remember my that with my Nanny was always forbidden the after dinner dessert. Because sweet doesn't let you sleep well. But living in a big city we are always stressed and a macro sweet sometimes can help to calm down. But if you are having tumble in sleeping or so, is maybe better to follow my Nanny suggestion and bring it in your lunch box.

 

{ingredients}

{for kanten}

 

1 Liter of rice milk

6 Table spoon of agar agar flakes (or see package instruction)

3 Tablespoon of almond meal

1 Tablespoon of rice syrup

1 Tablespoon of Chef Macha powder (a less expensive option for cooking)

{for the sauce}

1 Red plum

1/2 Cup of apple juice

2 Tablespoon of beetroot juice

1 Tablespoon of kuzu

{technique}

{kanten}

Heat the milk with almond meal, rice syrup and agar agar. Bring to boil. Simmer 10 minutes or until agar flakes are dissolved.

Dissolve the macha tea in few spoons of rice milk. Add to the milk, simmer for a couple of minutes (don't panic is not important that is completely, perfectly dissolved).

Leave to set in individual moulds.

When ready, run under hot water and tip out.

{plum sauce}

Bring to boil the juices with the plum in half moon slice simmer for 10/15 min to reduce.
Dissolve the kuzu in a couple of spoon of juice and add it whisking constantly for 3 minutes, until thick.

{to serve}

Make a beautiful decoration to satisfy all your senses and serve a bit cold.