Holidays are coming! Please place orders now!

Hello good people of Crafty Land!


I also posted this over at the new blog realfoodgourmet.blogspot.com but I can't resist posting here too! SPECIAL DELIVERIES for the holidays! Who can resist?

Oh my goodness, Easter and Passover are right around the corner! I've been working on some chocolate treats and other holiday deliciousness, and I'll tell you about them very soon. (It is not too early to start thinking about a plague of chocolate mint frogs for Passover, or raspberry-filled zombie chocolate bunnies for Easter. A variety of chocolate treats will be available both for holidays and regularly, and sold by weight. What, chocolates any time? YES. Email for details.)

But first, Pi Day and St. Patrick's Day! NOW IS THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT ORDERING FOR PI DAY AND ST. PADDY'S DAY! What? Ordering? Yup, I'm reviving orders and deliveries for the holidays, because I love cooking for you and I miss you! Plus I'm always happy to come cook for you and your family for a fantastic holiday or anytime! (I'm already booked for the first night of Passover and for Good Friday, but I have some other dates free. Please email me if you are interested in any menu for any date at all, and we'll talk!)

I'll be doing plenty of gluten free, real food, delicious, homemade awesome food for all those holidays. Most items will be vegan, and others will be non-vegan. All will be made with care and attention to your family's specific needs. As always, I avoid all gluten ingredients, all soy, peanut, GMOs, and weird stuff. Keeping your food delicious and safe is the top priority!

A Vegan Cottage Pie Begins

Gluten Free, Vegan Pot Pie

Sweet Potato and Local Beef Cottage Pie

For Pi Day, which is really soon, on Thursday, 3/14, I'll do a pie theme! I can do a vegan vegetable pot pie or a non-vegan, dairy-free chicken pot pie. Either way, it will be topped with a gluten free crust, similar to the one I did last year. I'll also do variations on shepherd's pie and cottage pie - I'm leaning toward a ground lamb filling with a mashed squash topping, and maybe a turkey one with a sweet potato topping, but we can figure it all out together based on customer interest. I'll pack these savory pies in recyclable foil pans so you can reheat easily - just pop them in the oven.

I will also do some sweet pies, of course! Last year's gluten free vegan pecan pie was amazing, and I'll definitely reprise that. I've also been working on a raw vegan avocado lime pie that I'm pretty excited about, and a banana cream pie with coconut custard. Yum!

This is the best pecan pie ever. Ever!

For St. Patrick's Day, which is next Sunday the 17th, I will make you delicious gluten free, vegan Irish soda bread. Remember how yummy that was last year? I miss it, and I want to make it for you again. It was so darn good. I'll also make colcannon: mashed potatoes with kale and general yumminess (can be made vegan with olive oil, or with dairy butter) AND I'll do a cabbage side - with or without bacon. If there's enough interest, I might do corned beef brisket too. If you're interested, please email me soon so we can plan! Write to me any time at rathercraftymary@gmail.com

Looking forward to cooking for you all soon!

Much love,
Chef Mary

Moving

Hello wonderful people!

It's a new year, and with it I have a new focus. I've started another blog at realfoodgourmet.blogspot.com

It's about methods and recipes for making great food out of real ingredients, as part of a health-promoting lifestyle. It doesn't matter if you are in great health already or if you have a more challenging journey ahead of you. Abundant health is all about the process, and the choices you make every day along the way.

There will be a LOT more recipes and content than I usually post here. There will be some vegan recipes, some meat and egg recipes. Some raw recipes, some cooked recipes, some fermented recipes. All recipes will fit in with a gluten-free, allergy-friendly lifestyle. There will also be discussions about other important aspects of health - exercise, rest, friendship, fresh air, supplements, and what to do when you feel less than wonderful. Comments and lively conversations are encouraged!

A little bit of something for everyone who wants to feel great!

I may check in over here every now and then too, but for now, please do come join us over at realfoodgourmet.blogspot.com

Thank you all so much for your love and support!

Love,
Chef Mary

Just what I needed.

Happy New Year!

Last night, I enjoyed working a fantastic new year's party. This morning, I woke up and had some leftover kale salad for breakfast. I watched some anime then took the Longest Nap Ever. I got up again, did some reading, and had some other leftovers and more fresh salad.

A relaxing and quiet day. Just what I needed!

I hope your new year brings you all the things you need too. Happy (and relaxing) new year to everyone!

This morning at Jamaica Pond

The reports call for snow
They say we should hunker down
I choose to breathe the air
Run fast among the trees
For now, the water is still
The wind is calm
The pond is waiting

Thrift!

Happy End of the World, everyone!

I notice that despite the predictions, it is a sunny, calm day outside and the world has not come to an end. Huzzah! On top of that, the longest night of the year has passed and every day from here on out will get longer, brighter, and a little more hopeful.

I have to share some good fortune with everyone. The other day, I went to a thrift shop to look for some new-to-me work clothes. I love thrift shops, and not just for the thrift. There's also an opportunity to rescue clothes from being thrown away, saving valuable landfill space. I also prefer to choose to support a charity or small business instead of a mega-corporation producing new clothes in sweat shops.

I found some things that fit well enough and looked okay on: three pairs of brown pants, three brown tops, one black sweater, and one cookie cutter shaped like an apatosaurus (formerly known as brontosaurus.) Okay, I really didn't need the cookie cutter, but it's an apatosaurus! How could I say no?

I wasn't sure about the splurge, as it's the end of the year and with vet expenses finances have gotten even tighter than usual. But I decided to treat myself, and took my things up to the register.

You know how sometimes certain colors of price tags are further discounted? Well, every single thing I bought was half price that day! I spent just over $15 for all those things! They're downstairs in the wash now, and I might even wear some of them home for Christmas.

Happy holidays, everyone! I hope you have lots of little magical moments that make your days special too.

Beatiful morning!

Okay, it's actually rainy and dismal. But it is a new day, and a new opportunity to make a positive difference in your life! Just because it's rainy, or because it's the holiday season, or any other reason at all doesn't mean you have to abandon your healthy lifestyle choices!

The best way to stay on track with your healthy food choices is to be prepared. Cookies and candy at work tempting you? Be prepared by eating a homemade breakfast and lunch you find nourishing and filling. This morning, I enjoyed roasted kohlrabi, roasted beets, and sunny side up eggs. I'll be at the kitchen for lunch, but we are always well fed there. Nothing but real food, as far as the eye can see!

Naturally, this morning's eggs were laid by chickens raised by real, local farmers. They had the opportunity to get sunshine, which means more vitamin D in the yolks. They scratched for bugs and seeds outside, eating a healthy, natural diet. That translates to more omega-3 fatty acids in the yolks, and a better nutritional profile overall. And of course, happy animals and happy land means healthier food in all sorts of other ways too!

Happy chickens scratch outdoors!

Tempted by sweets? Get more protein and healthy fat in your diet. Don't think of it as depriving yourself of that treat. Think of it as seizing the opportunity to make a better choice!

Weather keeping you in, when you'd rather take a walk at lunchtime? Do what you can. Squats, lunges, triceps dips, and taking the stairs are all good ways to keep moving, even if you can't get outdoors or to the gym. Have a little extra time tonight? Take a yoga class. You will be so glad you did! I had been away from my favorite yoga studio for way too long, and I took a class last night. I feel better in my body and in clearer and calmer in my mind. At the beginning of class, I was frustrated by a shoulder injury that made it hard to use my full range of motion. By the end, I had a lot more freedom of movement. In fact, this morning it's still feeling a lot better!

Farm visits!

Going to visit two different farms this afternoon! How lucky am I to be a locavore chef, that this is how I get to spend my day?