Thursday, July 26, 2012

The summeriest of summer menus! For delivery to Boston and surroundings, Tuesday, July 31!

Hello wonderful folks! Can you believe it's almost the end of July?

It is definitely high summer here in Crafty Land. Right now is the best time to take advantage of some of the best produce summer has to offer, so let's get right to it!

This colorful new menu features so much local produce it's amazing! In fact, every dish prominently features at least one local fruit or veggie, and some feature six or seven or more! This menu will be ready to deliver on Tuesday, July 31. Please try to place orders by the end of Sunday night, but I do my best to fill orders that come in right through Monday. The earlier the better, though!

Thanks so much, and I look forward to cooking for you soon! (As always, allergy/sensitivity info is below the menu. Please inquire for even more details!)

Much love,
Chef Mary

*********************************

SOUP
Summer Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder! Corn season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate it than with the summeriest of summer soups? Yum! $9

PLATES

Guacamole! It is no secret that I love avocados. They are my favorite fruit! Here they get all happy in the quintessential raw dip, with peppers, cilantro, and lime. Served with plenty of crunchy local veggies to dip. My idea of heaven! $11

The Littlest Carrot
Quinoa Tabbouli! Tabbouli, tabbouleh, delicious any way you spell it! The traditional middle eastern grain salad gets a gluten free update with lovely red quinoa. Fresh parsley, lemon, cucumber, tomato, and quinoa take it to a whole new level. High protein hemp seeds boost the nutrition even more! (Yes, I will make an all-raw, all-hemp-and-veggie version on request.) $12

Fresh Local Produce!
Colcannon! Everyone's favorite mashed potato dish! Lovely new potatoes (yup, they're local too!) are mixed with cashew milk, plenty of fresh dark leafy greens, and a smattering of scallions. Served with roasted mixed squash and topped with toasty pumpkin seeds. $11

Beet and bean pilaf! Long grain brown rice, assorted types of local beets, and nourishing beans come together with fresh herbs and leafy greens for an amazing (and stunning) plate. Yum! $10

BAKERY

Chocolate zucchini muffins! A childhood favorite, rediscovered! $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

Raw Blueberry and Chai Spice Mousse! This rich, fluffy mousse has a secret ingredient: Irish moss, also called carrageen or carrageenan. It's a seaweed that grows wild in the northern Atlantic, from Maine all the way across to Ireland and her neighbors. It is an amazing ingredient that allows raw or cooked foods to set up in a way that is similar to gelatin, but I promise this mousse is 100% cruelty free! $9

******************************

Please let me know before ordering if you have any allergies or sensitivities. I do not use any meat, dairy, or egg ingredients. I do not use any peanut or soy ingredients. I do not use wheat or gluten ingredients. I do use tree nuts, seeds, coconut, non-gluten grains, and lots and lots of fruits and veggies. Some sensitivities I'm aware of in our midst are listed below, but it is not an exhaustive ingredients list. I try to avoid cross contact between nuts and non-nut dishes, but please know that nuts are present in the kitchen. Please remind me of your sensitivities when you order. Thank you!

NUTS and SEEDS: Cashew creme can be eliminated from soup on request. Guac is nut and seed free! Tabbouleh is nut free; if you are sensitive to hemp I can leave it off; if you are sensitive to quinoa I can leave it off too! Colcannon DOES contain cashew; pumpkin seeds can be left off on request. Pilaf is nut free but does contain beans. Muffins are nut free. They do contain flax and cocoa. Oil in muffins may be sunflower or safflower seed oil (always cold pressed, GMO free, and hexane free, of course!) Oil in savory dishes is olive. (I also use coconut flour in baking, and virgin coconut oil occasionally as appropriate; let me know if you are sensitive to it!) Blueberry mousse contains cashews and/or almonds.

GARLIC: Soup contains a small amount. Entrees can all be garlic-free on request. Sweets are naturally garlic free.

SCD/GRAIN FREE: Choose Colcannon, Guacamole, raw version of Tabbouleh, and Blueberry Chai Mousse.

RAW: Choose Guac, raw version of Tabbouleh, and Mousse.

ACD: Guac and raw version of Tabbouleh are the very best ACD choices, but there are many good options! The muffins are the sweetest item, and not suitable for stage 1. If you tolerate fruits and grains, feel free to order anything else!


Thank you all so much for reading and supporting locally grown, freshly made food!

Much love,
Chef Mary


Thursday, July 19, 2012

A rainbow of colors and flavors! Your favorite personal chef brings you a new menu for delivery to Boston and beyond, Tuesday, July 24!



Hello hello!

The time has come! Time, that is, for yet another amazingly wonderful menu full of summer delights!

The farmers' markets are bursting with color this week, and I'm so excited! This week, we have a veritable rainbow of colorful, fresh dishes, chock full of local produce to enjoy!

Please place orders through the end of Sunday night for delivery on Tuesday afternoon.

Thank you so much, and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Much love,
Chef Mary

****************************************

SOUP:

Curried Carrot and Almond Soup! Yum! One of my favorites, featuring a mix of orange and golden carrots from our favorite local farmers. Great hot or cold. (Raw version available.) $9

PLATES:

Baba Ghanouj! Yes! It is here already! I can't believe it either; it feels too early for eggplant. But our friends the Stillmans have taken advantage of the wacky weather and are already harvesting some really gorgeous, deep purple and white eggplants. I am going to roast them up and whirl them with tahini, lemon, and parsley, into the best summer dip ever! With your choice of roasted thick-sliced potatoes or crunchy fresh veggies to dip. (If you don't specify, I will choose your dippers for you!) $10
Local produce!

Pizza! It's pizza season again! This lovely, gluten free, summer rendition will feature a cashew-based creamy white sauce with plenty of herbs, fresh heirloom tomatoes, roasted zucchini, and roasted garlic. (I can skip the garlic and/or the cashew sauce for the sensitive types, and/or do a raw version on a dehydrated chia and flax seed crust!) Heat it up easily, or just kick back with a slice straight from the fridge. Yum! $12

A green pattypan squash, ready to be roasted and put on a pizza!
Raw Sprouted Sunflower Seed Hummus! I know, it's crazy to offer two dips on one menu, but it has been pretty hot lately and dips are really the perfect, easy to pack, convenient lunch! Plenty of protein, lots of vitamins and minerals, the good kind of slow-release carbs to sustain you through the afternoon, and just a splash of good olive oil make this a perfectly balanced meal-to-go! $10

Black Bean and Local Corn Salad! Cool and refreshing, with a solid protein boost! This colorful salad with a Southwestern flair will keep you nourished and cool. $12

BAKERY:

Blueberry muffins! This classic is a favorite with almost everyone! $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

Maple Walnut Granola Balls! Yum! Another popular favorite for all ages, from 2 to 102! $9

***********************************************

Please let me know before ordering if you have any allergies or sensitivities at all!

I do not use any dairy, egg, or meat (including fish) ingredients. I do not use wheat or any other gluten-containing ingredients. I do not use peanut or soy ingredients.

I DO use a lot of nuts and seeds, as well as fresh fruits and veggies and non-gluten grains; organic and/or local whenever possible!

Specific dietary concerns and potential sensitivities:

SOUP contains almonds.
BABA and HUMMUS contain sesame; hummus also contains sunflower seeds.
PIZZA sauce contains cashews, but can be nut free and sauceless with extra veggies on request!
GRANOLA BALLS contain walnuts, almonds, and certified gluten free oats.
MUFFINS contain flax and may contain nut milk; if you are sensitive let me know. I can skip it.
SCD/GRAIN FREE: choose soup, baba, and hummus.
RAW: choose hummus, raw version of the soup, and raw version of the pizza.
ACD: choose just about everything in stage 2 and beyond; stage 1 use your own judgement with the following: Muffins and granola balls are sweet (but not too sweet, and made with reasonable amounts of 100% natural sweeteners.) Hummus and pizza contain nutritional yeast, which is a denatured strain of yeast that is NOT in the candida family. PIzza also uses baker's yeast, but it is obviously cooked thoroughly!
GARLIC: Not present in the muffins or granola balls. Can be eliminated from the baba, hummus, pizza, and the bean and corn salad on request. Cooked thoroughly in the soup (unless you order it raw, and I can skip it entirely in the raw version.)

Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you all soon!

Much Love,
Chef Mary

P.S. UPCOMING SPECIAL APPEARANCES: This Saturday I'll be working at an ice cream workshop with JJ Gonson of Cuisine en Locale, where I lead the Vegevore kitchen and work on special events. I think we have another seat or two available in the class!  This is not a vegan event, but it is gluten free, soy free, and ovo-lacto vegetarian. Three of the four recipes we will demo do contain dairy and/or eggs; the sorbet will be vegan. (While I am vegan, I do work with local, gently produced dairy and eggs in others' kitchens.) Sign up here: http://bcae.org/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=7966&int_category_id=2&int_sub_category_id=5

NEXT WEEKEND, July 28-29, I will be guest chef at my old haunt, Centre Street Cafe at 669 Centre St in JP. In addition to the pretty awesome brunch menu and specials, we do have a few gluten free and vegan options. You can always substitute corn tortillas for toast or flour tortillas on any menu item or special, too! Come early to beat the lines! I think Marc will be on the floor as usual, with Amy filling in for G, who will be away. I'll be back in my old home behind the stove while Felicia is away, gettin' hitched!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

A gorgeous new menu is here! For delivery Tuesday, July 17

Happy Summer, everyone!

It seems like the weather just gets lovelier and lovelier this time of year. And the local produce is amazing! If you can't get to the farmers market, don't worry! I've got you covered with LOTS of fantastic fresh produce. Giving a shout-out to our friends the Stillmans this week, who grow a lot of what we love best here in Crafty Land. I had the opportunity to visit their farms a few weeks ago and see everything getting all ramped up for summer, and it was really amazing!

And a shout-out to my parents, who have been married (to each other!) for 44 years today! Happy anniversary, you crazy kids!

Please place orders through Sunday night for delivery to greater Boston on Tuesday, July 17. Thank you!

And without further ado, here is an amazing, inspired, colorful, fresh, hot-off-the-laptop menu, just for you! Enjoy!

Love,
Chef Mary

************************************************

SOUP:

Early Summer Gazpacho! Here's the greatest thing about this awesome raw soup: it adapts itself so well to all the phases of summer. Right now, there are lots of local cucumbers, and some varieties of tomatoes are already quite ripe and fantastic! Later in the summer, as all the great capsicums come in, we'll go a little heavier on the peppers, and we'll see different tomato varieties come in too. It's all about balancing with the seasons! $9
Gazpacho-to-be (okay, I actually took this picture last year, but isn't it pretty?)


PLATES:

African-inspired Sweet Potato and Cashew Stew! Warmly spicy, but not super hot, Aleppo pepper lends an authentic and lovely note to this stew of veggies and beans, with a touch of smooth cashew butter and crunchy cashews on top to round it all out. Served with millet. $12
African sweet potato and cashew stew


Curried Bean Dip! Everyone loves a good bean dip, and what's not to love? Caramelized onions, warm curry spices, and a side of cool and crunchy veggies for dipping! (A raw, bean-free, cashew version is available for a dollar extra.) $10

Seasonal Antipasti! There are too many amazing things in season right now not to feature a whole lot of them all together! What will appear on this plate? That depends on this week's bountiful harvest, but I might stuff some cucumbers with dried tomatoes, stuff some zucchini with herbs, marinate some green beans, and who knows what else will turn up? All I know is it will be amazing, and inspired by local produce and Mediterranean flavors. (Raw version available.) $12
Antipasti, including baked stuffed zucchini, salad of haricots verts and almond, beet and fresh corn salad, spicy stuffed dates, and lemon cucumbers with a sun dried tomato and cashew stuffing. Topped off with fresh red currants!

Potato and Fennel Salad! The first of the local potatoes are here! I am so excited about this! I'll simmer them up and combine them with some lovely fresh fennel, and dress it all up with a honey mustard vinaigrette made with some amazing local, sustainably harvested, raw honey! Surrounded by fresh greens and topped with protein and nutrient rich almonds, this is the quintessential summer lunch! $11
Local potato and fennel salad


BAKERY:

Zucchini-Walnut Muffins! Oh my goodness the local zucchini are amazing right now, and so versatile! $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

Blueberry Crisp! I know, we just had another crisp not long ago, but the blueberries are too amazing to let another week go by without blueberry crisp! With a dollop of agave-vanilla cashew creme on the side. (Raw version available.) $10

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with Chocolate Chip Scones! Inspired by a recent special birthday request, I got a hankering for some of my famous chocolatey spread and so I'm offering it on the menu this week! (Chocolate free version and raw version both available on request, as are a la carte dip or scones - prices by request.) $10

*********************************************

Please let me know if you have any allergies or sensitivities at all! I do not use any meat or meat-derived ingredients, including fish and shellfish. I do not use dairy or egg ingredients. I do not use soy, peanut, wheat, or any gluten-containing ingredients. When I use honey as an ingredient I like to let you know, as in the dressing for the potato salad; so that people who choose not to use honey (or who have infants who can't yet eat it safely) can make the most informed decisions possible!

I do use as many fresh, local and/or organic ingredients as I possibly can, and I support other small, local businesses!

If you are sensitive to anything, please let me know! Below is a list of a few of the sensitivities I know some of you experience, but it's not an exhaustive ingredient list so please remind me.

RAW: Choose gazpacho, and raw versions of curry dip, antipasti, crisp, and chocolate hazelnut dessert.
GARLIC: Present in the gazpacho. There's a little in the entrees but it's either thoroughly cooked or negotiable; just let me know. There's none in the bakery goods.
NUTS and SEEDS: None in gazpacho. Cashews and beans in the stew. Beans in the dip, but no nuts unless you choose the raw version, which contains cashews but no beans. I can do the potato salad without the nuts, leaving them off altogether or substituting pumpkin seeds. There will be nuts and possibly green beans in the antipasti; it's going to be a semi-improvised dish and nut-sensitive folks may choose to skip it altogether. There are almonds in the crisp, but cashew creme can be omitted. Walnuts and flax in the muffins. Hazelnuts in the hazelnut dip; a bit of cashew in the scones. Chocolate can be omitted from both scones and spread for rich vanilla flavor instead.
SCD/GRAIN FREE: Choose the gazpacho. Choose dip if you tolerate beans, raw version of the dip if you don't. Choose stew, omitting the millet. If you tolerate beans, great, but I can actually leave out beans from a portion of the stew if you avoid them too. I can do a grain-free version of the antipasti easily. Potato salad is great if you tolerate potatoes. If you tolerate buckwheat, you might enjoy the raw version of the crisp which contains no true grains but does contain sprouted buckwheat. You may love the raw cacao cracker with the chocolate dip instead of the scone, or you can get the chocolate dip a la carte and use it with fruit instead!
ACD: Choose the soup and any of the entrees, using your own judgment about how you tolerate potatoes. Let me know if you are following an ACD path so I make sure the only vinegar I use on your dish is the raw apple cider vinegar, and so I can make modifications to the antipasti if necessary.

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

Much love,
Chef Mary


Thursday, July 5, 2012

And we're back! Fantabulous new menu for Tuesday, July 10!

Hello everyone!

I am writing to you from the tail end of my vacation, where I've been relaxing, hanging out with my niece, and running on beautiful trails through the woods. What could be better? I hope you are also enjoying a relaxing week, and if you enjoy fireworks, I hope you got to see an amazing display last night!

I'll be coming home to Boston tomorrow in plenty of time to get settled in, visit my favorite farmers markets, and create a whole bunch of gorgeous dishes just for you!

The weather has been so hot, I want to add a quick note about keeping your food cool and fresh! Most of you are either around when I deliver or leave a cooler on the porch, and for this I am most grateful. Thank you! If you are not able to be home or leave a cooler with ice packs, I can also deliver to most workplaces within Boston/Cambridge/Somerville/Brookline as long as there is somewhere I can park while delivering. If you're not sure, please ask! I want to make it as easy as possible to get great, fresh food to everyone!

Without further ado, here it is! A truly wonderful new menu that I am really excited to bring you! Please order throughout the weekend for delivery on Tuesday, July 10. Thanks so much!

Much love,
Chef Mary

******************************
*****************

SOUP:

Roasted Beet Soup! Fresh and vibrant, and such an amazing shade of fuchsia. $8

PLATES:

Veggie Bounty Lasagna! Gluten free brown rice noodles layer with creamy cashew ricotta, plenty of herbs, and TONS of fresh veggies from the farmers market. This is going to be amazing! $12

Pumpkin and Poppy Seed Rollups! Fresh veggies and sprouts, rolled up in nori with a wonderfully raw spread of pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, and just a touch of lemon. My new favorite! $12





Taza Chocolate Chili! Beans, veggies, fresh and dried chilis, and a bass note of dark chocolate from our favorite local chocolatier, Taza, just up the street in Somerville! Fabulous! Served with brown rice. $11

Sun Dried Tomato and Zucchini Hummus! Yummy, summery, and downright addictive! With crunchy veggies to dip, of course! $10

BAKERY:

Banana Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Muffins! Everyone's favorite! $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

Peach Crisp! With a perfectly crunchy topping of oats and almonds, and a dollop of agave vanilla cashew creme on the side. Delectable! Raw version available with buckwheat-date topping. $9

*************************************************

SPECIAL DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS:

Please inform me before ordering if you are allergic or sensitive to anything at all! Everything is vegan, and therefore free of dairy, egg, and meat (including fish). I do not use any soy, peanut, wheat, or any gluten-containing ingredients. Oats are certified GF. I have tried to compile a list of potential allergens below, but keep in mind that it is not a comprehensive ingredients list and there may be potential allergens not listed (and I may miss something while listing here.) Please ask me if you have any questions at all, no matter how silly they may seem!

NUTS and SEEDS: Soup contains cashews, which can be omitted on request. Lasagna contains cashews and almonds. Rollups contain pumpkin seeds and poppy seeds. Hummus contains sesame. Crisp contains almonds; cashew creme may be omitted. Muffins contain flax; chocolate may be omitted. Chili contains chocolate and beans.
GARLIC: A little in the soup, lasagna, rollups, and a bit more in the chili. May be omitted from hummus.
RAW: Choose the hummus and the rollups, and the raw version of the crisp!
GRAIN-FREE/SCD: Choose the hummus, rollups, and soup. Choose muffins and raw version of crisp if you tolerate buckwheat (not a true grain.)
ACD: Many good choices! Soup, rollups, hummus, and raw version of crisp are probably the very best ACD options.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon!
Much love,
Chef Mary