Saturday, June 30, 2012

5th Annual SEMAP Farm to Table event with Cuisine en Locale


Last night I worked a fantastic event with my other job at Cuisine en Locale. (It was neither gluten free nor vegan, but it was an amazing all-local event held on a local farm!)

My team made a beautiful hot pot soup. We filled bowls with bean sprouts, cucumber, cilantro, mint, tiny corn shoots, and colorful nasturtiums, then at the table the servers ladled on a broth I made with the regular veggies and herbs plus pea shells and dashi kombu for an exotic flair. Yes, even the kelp was local, from the south coast of Maine!

Hot Pot Veggies

We also served a pilaf of triticale, yellow eye beans, fresh veggies, and lots of herbs. We served it over massaged young kale with parsley, then it was paired with a brisket made by another team.

Pilaf of Triticale, Yellow Eye Beans, Carrots, and Kohlrabi with the freshest garlic ever and lots of vibrant fresh herbs!

We worked with three other teams of chefs to create a fantastic menu and pull off an amazing event. Another dish that came out really well was Chef Dave's English Pea Ravioli, served with a roasted beet, semi-preserved lemon, and some lightly dressed pea greens.

English Pea Ravioli with Beets and Preserved Lemon

 
A great time was had by all, and we look forward to doing it again next year!

In the meantime, if you missed us (and are able to consume dairy, eggs, and gluten) we are always doing ONCE a week Vegevore shares, delivered to you on Thursdays!

And of course, in my own dedicated vegan, gluten free, allergy-friendly kitchen, I'm always delivering something different every Tuesday. (Except next week, July 3, when I will be on vacation.)

(Now on to the burning question on everyone's minds: But Chef Mary, with all your sensitivities and being a vegan and all, what did YOU eat? Well, I started the day with a big green smoothie to keep me energized throughout the day, then I had a whole bunch of tomatoes and cucumbers with my raw sprouted sunflower seed hummus. Later, I had raw spiralized zucchini "pasta" with spinach and salad greens and a sauce based on this one: http://www.choosingraw.com/broccoli-with-cheesey-sauce-and-blogger-meet-ups/ but I made it without the soy-ful Bragg's Aminos. I also tasted one of the desserts made by one of the other teams - a strawberry soup! I had it without the non-vegan garnish, of course. I also feasted on microgreens and herbs supplied by the farm that hosted the event, Silverbrook Farm in Acushnet, MA. DELICIOUS!)

My zucchini, spinach, cucumbers, and tomatoes were all from our friends at Stillman's Family Farms. I'll be heading out to see them again this afternoon, at the JP farmers' market. You can also find them today in Cambridge, at the Morse School and in various locations during the week too!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Vacation!

Hello hello!

This is a brief note to remind you that I will not be delivering on Tuesday, July 3. I will be taking a short break to visit with family and enjoy the sunshine!

I will be back and refreshed in plenty of time to cook for you the following week.

See you soon!

Much love,
Chef Mary

Thursday, June 21, 2012

A Crafty New Menu to Beat the Heat! Your personal chef delivers the best vegan, gluten free food to Boston and beyond!



Holy heat wave, Batman!

It's a super hot day here in Craftyland, so I've come up with some ideas for beautiful, delicious, and downright awesome foods to cool you down and sustain you through this heat wave and beyond! The heat is supposed to break over the weekend, so I'm also including dishes that will feel just right as temperatures normalize.

Since it is so hot, I would like to remind folks that if you are not at home or at your office when I deliver, please leave a cooler with ice packs! I only have so many insulated bags and ice packs, and I use them to keep everything cold and fresh for deliveries. So if you are at home/work when I deliver, great! If you are not there, please try to put out a cooler, especially on these long, hot days! If you've been receiving your deliveries at home, but are usually at work on Tuesday afternoons (and your work is within a reasonable delivery area) I can often deliver to your workplace instead!

We have much to celebrate this week, not the least of which is that today is the first day of summer! The longest day of the year is a great time to kick back and relax (and let me do the cooking for you!) Those of you who have kids and those who teach are gearing up for summer vacations, summer camp, and trips to visit the relatives! At least one of you is getting married this month. Congratulations! Have a great time, one and all!

Happy together!
An important note: I have the opportunity to spend some time with my wonderful toddler niece the week after next, and I can't help but seize that opportunity! So I will not be delivering on Tuesday, July 3. I will be back and refreshed to deliver again the following week, on July 10. So in the meantime, happy July 4th! And I hope to see you all this coming Tuesday, and then again two weeks later.

Please place orders through the end of Sunday, June 24 for delivery on Tuesday, June 26. I do my best to accommodate orders that come in on Monday too, but I can't guarantee I won't sell out of something if you wait too long!

Happy happy summer!

Much love,
Chef Mary

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SOUP

Potato and Asparagus Vichyssoise! A deliciously creamy chilled soup (it will also be great reheated if you prefer a hot soup) to cool you right down after a hot, sticky day! This may be the last of the local asparagus for the year, so let's enjoy it while we can! $8

PLATES

White bean and millet salad with fresh market veggies - including some gorgeous local zucchini and fantastic sun-dried tomatoes! $11

One of my all-time favorites, raw sprouted sunflower seed hummus! I can not get enough of this dip, with crunchy veggies on the side, of course! $10

Bunny Bento! This rendition will feature bunny-shaped brown rice onigiri (rice balls) filled with a carrot and almond filling, accompanied by colorful, seasonal fruits and veggies. $12
Bunnies!

Hedgehog potatoes! Everyone loves these cute little taters, sliced and roasted in such a way that they kind of resemble little hedgehogs. Served with one of our favorite sauces, Romesco! Romesco is made from roasted red peppers, tomatoes, almonds, homemade gluten free herb focaccia, and plenty of exotic paprika. Yum! $12

BAKERY:

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins! $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

Pomegranate Tapioca Pudding! Cool off with a refreshingly light dessert or snack! $9

Raw cacao chia seed pudding! If you've never tried chia seeds, you'll find that this pudding is a little bit like a tapioca pudding, but with its own distinct personality! (You'll never know it's so rich in antioxidants, protein, and healthy fiber!) $9

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Please let me know before ordering if you are allergic or sensitive to anything at all! I do not use wheat or other gluten-containing grains. I do not use soy or peanut ingredients. Everything is vegan, so there are no dairy, egg, or meat (including fish/shellfish) ingredients. I DO use fresh, whole veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and non-gluten grains; organic and/or local when possible. Below I have tried to give a guide to sensitivities I am aware of, but I might miss something here so do remind me of your sensitivity when you order. Thank you!

GARLIC: Present in the soup, a little in the Romesco, a tiny bit in the Bento, and a little in the Hummus; but I can make a small garlic-free batch of hummus on request.
NUTS: Soup will contain cashews, Hedgies and Bento will contain almond. The bakery items this week will contain almond and/or cashew milks, but if you're interested and sensitive to one nut and not the other, let me know, and we'll figure something safe out!
SEEDS: Hummus will contain sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Bento will contain sesame. Muffins will contain poppy seeds and flax seeds. Chia pudding will contain chia!
CHOCOLATE: Chia pudding will contain raw cacao, but I can do a small batch of an all-vanilla version if you prefer!
RAW: Chia seed pudding and Hummus are raw! I can do a small batch of raw Soup on request too.
SCD/GRAIN FREE: Hummus and Chia pudding are ideal! Choose Soup if you tolerate potatoes, and Tapioca if you tolerate tapioca (a root starch.) I can also do a bread-free mini-batch of the Romesco sauce that accompanies the Hedgies.
ACD/YEAST: Hummus is always a fantastic choice (let me know if you are avoiding nutritional yeast, which is not related to candida, and/or raw, organic apple cider vinegar.) Soup is also a great choice, followed by the other entrees - all pretty reasonable choices too. Chia pudding will be sweetened with lower-glycemic index agave nectar, so is the best choice among the sweets for those on an ACD path, but I don't tend to use much sugar in general, letting natural ingredients shine through on their own merit!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

The yummiest new menu! For delivery to Greater Boston on Tuesday, 6/19

Hello everyone, and happy Flag Day!

It is a gorgeous day outside, and it looks like we'll have a break from the rain for a little while. Next week, it may even get up into the low eighties! This coming Sunday is Father's Day. Happy Father's Day to those of you who are dads!

I've got a fantastic new menu for you to enjoy for next week. I'm so excited, and I hope you are too!

Please try to order by the end of Sunday night, June 17 for delivery on Tuesday, June 19. Thanks so much, and I look forward to cooking for you soon!

Much love,
Chef Mary

P.S. Have you checked out the special dietary needs section below the menu? Those with sensitive family members, or who eat all raw, or who avoid nuts or grains, or just about anything else should check it out! If I have missed your particular sensitivity, do let me know and I'll start to include it too!

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SOUP:

Silky smooth pureed mushroom soup! Just a touch of cashew creme makes it extra amazing (can be omitted for the cashew sensitive.) $8

PLATES:

Primavera Pasta Salad! Featuring an assortment of fresh farmer's market goodies, getting all cozy with gluten free whole grain pasta and a sprinkling of crunchy pine nuts, all in a light and lemony creamy cashew dressing. (Yes, an all-raw variation will be available by request! Nut allergic folks, read below.) $13

Latke
Trio: Carrot Ginger, Beet and Herb, and Traditional Potato Latkes; with a trio of dips to accompany them: curried cashew creme, tzatziki and stewed apples! $12

Red Thai Curry! Oh my goodness! Plenty of fresh veggies in a red Thai curry sauce over brown rice, topped with toasty sunflower seeds. Be warned: this will be a little spicy and super delicious! Earnest is especially excited about this one. $11

Roasted Garlic Bean Dip, with Za'atar spiced cracker breads to dip. A little exotic, not too hot, and full of yum! (I easily can sub crunchy veg instead of crackers on request.) $10

BAKERY:

Strawberry Muffins! Our friends the Stillmans have been growing the most amazing strawberries! I promise not to eat all of them, so they can star in these awesome muffins. Yay! $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

Mint Chocolate Frogs! Harry Potter fans will especially appreciate these peppermint-filled chocolate critters. $9

Pumpkin seed and raisin cookie balls! A chewy, nut-free raw treat. $8

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Whenever possible, ingredients are organic and/or local. If you have a question about a dish or an ingredient, please ask!

All dishes are vegan, so they are naturally free of common allergens fish, shellfish, dairy, and egg. I do not use soy, peanuts, wheat, or other gluten containing grains. I DO use tree nuts and seeds, and naturally gluten free whole grains. I am extremely careful about cross-contamination of potentially allergenic ingredients! If you have any kind of allergy or sensitivity, please let me know before ordering!

SPECIAL DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS:

NUTS AND SEEDS: Cashews can be omitted from the soup on request. Cashews are present in two of the sauces for the latkes; I can leave them off on request. Cashews and pine nuts are present in primavera; I can leave them off and top with pepitas instead on request. Sunflower seeds are present on Thai red curry but I can leave them off and sub pepitas on request. Bean dip and crackers are nut free. I plan to make the Za'atar seasoning with sesame but I can make you some crackers without it OR sub crunchy veggies instead of crackers altogether! Muffins will contain nut milk and coconut flour. Mint frogs are nut free! The filling does contain some coconut, which is a fruit, not a nut! Raisin pepita balls are totally nut free - the only seeds are the pumpkin seeds themselves.

CHOCOLATE: Chocolate mint frogs are the only item to look out for!

GARLIC: Skip the garlic bean dip if you are sensitive to garlic! There's a little garlic in the soup and the curry, and a very tiny bit in two of the dips that accompany the latkes.

RAW: Pumpkin seed raisin balls are raw. Mint frogs can be made all raw on request. Primavera pasta salad can easily be all raw, subbing either veggie ribbons or kelp noodles instead of regular noodles! Two of the sauces for the latkes are raw (the curried cashew cream and the tzatziki) and I can make either one into a salad/slaw easily.

ACD: If you are sensitive to mushrooms, you might skip the soup. Muffins and mint frogs are sweet; use judgement. Raisin pumpkin seed balls are sweetened only with fruit. Everything else is a great choice!

SCD/Grain free: Choose the mushroom soup, mint frogs, and raisin pumpkin seed balls, and modifications of other dishes too! Raw version of pasta salad is an excellent choice. Thai red curry is grain free if you skip the rice and have it over spinach instead. Bean dip is grain free and just as yummy with crunchy veg instead of crackers!

See you soon!

Love,
Chef Mary

Thursday, June 7, 2012

A Wonderful New Allergy-Friendly, Vegan Menu For YOU! Delivery Tuesday, June 12 to Boston and environs.

Happy happy June!

The weather may be a little gloomy today, but it's supposed to clear up a bit in time for the weekend! Saturday morning's downtown Pride parade should go smoothly on a lovely, mild day! We've also got some other fun celebrations coming up: Flag Day is next Thursday the 14th, and Sewing Machine Day is Wednesday the 13th! I bet you didn't even know there was such a thing as Sewing Machine Day! (I didn't.)

This coming week, I have a gorgeous new menu for you! More and more of our veggies are coming from nearby farmers, which is very exciting! Farmers markets are starting back up in our communities, providing the opportunity to get out and meet the people who grow our delicious food! Try a new-to-you vegetable this summer!

Please order by the end of Sunday night, June 10, for delivery on Tuesday, June 12. (I do my best to fulfill orders that come in throughout the day on Monday too, but it helps to have them already collected when I get started Monday morning.)

Thank you all so much for your continued business. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Much love,
Chef Mary

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SOUP:

Chunky White Bean and Vegetable Stew! Fresh veggies and herbs brighten your day, and nutritious beans give you energy for hours! $8

PLATES:

Carrot Ginger Nori Rolls! The original recipe, with plenty of fresh raw veggies, cilantro, and a handful of nuts and seeds to keep your motor running. Rolled up with spinach and nori sea vegetable. My favorite! $12

Muhammara! This middle eastern style walnut dip is traditionally made with roasted red peppers, but I am offering an even-healthier, just as scrumptious, raw version! Kissed by fragrant cumin and a splash of lemon juice. Served with crunchy veggies to dip. $12

Quinoa waldorf salad! A protein-rich, light, and refreshing update on a classic salad - Fruits, nuts, and quinoa in a delicious vinaigrette, over fresh lettuce. (All raw version available by request, with hemp seeds instead of quinoa.) $12

Herbed amaranth, with pecans and veg du jour! Elegant enough for company, simple enough for a weeknight. Rich in iron, protein, and all sorts of good stuff! One of my all-time favorite dishes. $11

BAKERY:

Savory plantain muffins! I usually offer sweet muffins, but this week I thought we would try something a little more savory. Ripe plantains keep them moist, and warming spices keep them fun! $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

Chocolate hazelnut spread with a chocolate chip scone to slather it on! For the chocolate-sensitive, I can make a rich vanilla scented version instead, with a (vegan and gluten free, of course) cream scone. For those who would like to keep it all raw, I can substitute raw buckwheat-cacao crackers as an accompaniment! Options for almost everyone. Please specify if you would like one of the modifications (chocolate-free or all raw) as the default will be chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate! $10

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I do NOT use wheat or other gluten-containing grains in my kitchen. I do NOT use peanuts or soy. Everything is vegan so I do NOT use dairy, egg, or meat (including fish and shellfish.) Please let me know before ordering if you are allergic or sensitive to anything at all. I try to list all the sensitivities I know of below, but this is not an exhaustive list of ingredients so please let me know!

SPECIAL DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS:

NUTS AND SEEDS: Hazelnuts in the hazelnut spread.
Almonds and sunflower seeds in the nori rollups.
Walnuts in the waldorf salad and muhammara.
Cashews in the scones.
No nuts in the soup or muffins. Can easily be eliminated (substituting pepitas) on the amaranth.
CHOCOLATE: Choose chocolate-free version of hazelnut spread and scones. Everything else is chocolate-free!
GARLIC: Garlic in the soup, and a little in the nori rolls, and muhammara. I make the veg broth I cook the amaranth in with a little garlic too, but it's not super-garlicky.
RAW: Muhammara and nori rolls are raw. All-raw variations available on waldorf salad and chocolate hazelnut awesomeness by request!
ACD: choose everything except the hazelnut spread, which is sweetened with agave.
SCD: choose nori rolls, muhammara, raw version of waldorf salad, and the soup if you tolerate beans.

See you soon!

Love,
Mary