New Menu for Monday, November 26 and an Announcement

Happy Thanksgiving week!

I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to cook for you and your families these last two years. I am very lucky to have gotten to know you!

I have a difficult announcement to make. I will be delivering Monday, November 26 and Monday, December 3, and then I will be putting Rather Crafty's weekly deliveries on indefinite hiatus. This hasn't been an easy decision, but it is what I must do.

I will continue to be available for events and special orders. I will definitely be available to come and cook in your home. I can spend an afternoon cooking for you or with you in your kitchen. When I'm done, there will be plenty of yummy food tailored specifically to your family's needs and preferences. I can put some in the fridge for that week, and some in the freezer for later. I can also teach you some of my recipes! It's fun to gather your friends in the kitchen and learn a new recipe or method. Always wondered how I make the muffins so tender and delicious? Why my soups are so nourishing? Here's a great chance to learn! I can even teach your kids and their friends age-appropriate techniques and recipes. I have years of experience baking with and for kids.

So I hope to remain part of your culinary lives! In the meantime, I'll be working on a cookbook, among other projects. You'll still see me at the farmers' markets. (Our friends the Stillmans will be in JP Saturdays through December, then at the Winter Farmers Market at the Somerville Armory on Saturdays through May. Our friends at Alex's Ugly Sauce will be at the Downtown Crossing Holiday Markets a lot in the next month and a half. Check them out!)

So with a bold look forward, and some sadness too, here is the second to last weekly menu. I will deliver this menu on Monday, November 26.

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

Much love,

Chef Mary

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SOUP:

Roasted Beet Soup! Liven up your chilly evening with this lovely fuschia soup! Great hot or cold. $9

PLATES:

Southwestern black bean dip, with crunchy veggies on the side. Yum! $10

Roasted root veggie medley, with millet and green veggies du jour. Topped with toasted pumpkin seeds. $11

Butternut squash stuffed potatoes! One of my all-time favorites, with green veggies to round it out. Served with a dollop of cultured cashew creme on the side. $12

BAKERY:

Cranberry ginger muffins! $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

Maple walnut granola balls $9

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Please inform me (or remind me) if you have any sensitivities or allergies. Everything is free of dairy, egg, meat, and other animal products. I do not use wheat or other gluten grains. I do not use soy or peanut. I do use fresh fruits and veggies (local and/or organic when possible), tree nuts, seeds, beans, and non-gluten grains.

SOUP: Contains cashews. I can do a small batch without on request. Contains just a little onion and garlic.
BEAN DIP: A little onion and garlic. Slightly spicy, but won't knock your socks off. Safe for most.
ROOTS: I think this one is safe for everyone!
POTATOES: If you're sensitive to cashews, skip the creme. Should be safe for everyone that way. Filling contains nutritional yeast, which is not related to candida. Also contains a tiny splash of apple cider vinegar and just a little garlic.
MUFFINS: Safe for all; ACD use your judgement.
GRANOLA BALLS: Contain almonds and walnuts. ACD use your judgement.

Corn-free: There is no corn in anything this week.
Grain-free: Choose soup, bean dip, and potatoes.
Garlic and onion: a little in the soup and bean dip. Tiny bit of garlic in potatoes.
Nut-free: Choose bean dip, roots, potatoes minus cashew creme, soup minus the cashews, and the muffins.
ACD: Savories are all great choices. Sweets in moderation are reasonably good choices for later stages.

Thanks for reading!

Love,
Your very favorite personal chef, Mary

A Crafty Thanksgiving Menu for Tuesday, 11/20

Happy Thanksgiving!

That's right, next Thursday is Thanksgiving Day!

Some of you will spend it with family, some with friends, and some will choose a quieter evening. I'm told that some folks even watch parades or football games on TV. Holidays bring their own challenges though - sometimes a holiday buffet offers few choices for the sensitive. Some of you are vegetarian or vegan. Some need help finding something that's gluten-free or soy-free. And of course some of you just want a hand with delicious veggie dishes that you could serve as sides or mains!

Well, here in CraftyLand, I've got some great dishes to help you out! All could serve as mains, sides, or food for days other than the holiday itself. Bring a few to a potluck, and save a few for yourself. Some dishes are particularly Thanksgiving-y, and others are versatile enough to enjoy any day of the year.

This week I will be delivering on Tuesday, November 20. Why Tuesday? Well, many of you will be travelling Tuesday or Wednesday, so I want to get your food to you as early as possible. But I also want to make sure it's fresh and awesome for your big meal on Thursday. Tuesday just makes sense this week.

If you have a different location or schedule on Tuesday (for example, you're leaving for the airport at 3 so want to make sure your food is in your hands earlier) let me know and we'll work something out.

Thanks, and I look forward to helping you have a fantastic and relaxed Thanksgiving!

Much love,
Chef Mary

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SOUP:

Broccoli potato soup! A lovely green, this mostly-pureed soup is richly flavored, nutritious, and surprisingly creamy, even without dairy or nuts. $9

PLATES:

Pumpkin salad! Fresh greens topped with roasted sunshine squash and maple-cayenne walnuts. With a balsamic dressing on the side. My favorite! $12

Boston baked beans are the official state bean of Massachusetts! The ever-popular, slow-simmered beans, served with veg du jour and a sweet potato corn muffin. $11

Carnival squash stuffed with mushrooms, wild rice, and local sage. A sophisticated main or side for your festive table. Served with some of my delicious mushroom gravy on the side.  $13

Just groovy mushroom gravy. How often do you get to enjoy a vegan, gluten free gravy that is even better than the traditional kind? 100% homemade, including the veggie-mushroom broth. $9/ pint

BAKERY:

Sweet potato corn muffins! Will they keep well until Thursday? Yes! These muffins stay fresh and the flavors develop for days. So get extra for the Thanksgiving table, and for breakfast the next morning! $10 half dozen, $18 dozen.

Pear and apple crisp, with a crunchy topping of gluten free oats and warming spices. With cinnamon vanilla cashew creme on the side. $9

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Please inform me (or remind me) if you have any allergies or sensitivities. Everything is free of dairy, egg, meat, soy, peanut, wheat, and gluten ingredients. Below is a helpful guide to choosing with sensitivities, but is not a comprehensive ingredients list.

Soup does not contain nuts. It contains a little garlic. Broth also contains some garlic and onion.
Pumpkin salad contains walnuts. I can put them on the side if you like, or substitute pumpkin seeds. Dressing contains balsamic vinegar. No alliums.
Baked beans contain a small amount of fully cooked onion and garlic.
Stuffed squash contains some cooked onion, but not a whole lot. Gravy contains cashews, but it's on the side. Both contain mushrooms.
Muffins contain cornmeal. No nuts.
Crisp contains almonds. Cashew creme contains cashews.

ACD: There's some brown sugar in the baked beans. There's balsamic vinegar and just a splash of maple in the salad dressing. Nuts on salad contain maple. Salad with pumpkin seeds instead of nuts is a great ACD choice, if you tolerate balsamico. Soup is an excellent choice. If you tolerate cooked mushrooms, then the squash is a great choice too. Baked goods are naturally a little sweeter; crisp moreso than muffins.

Grain-free: Choose soup, pumpkin salad, and baked beans without the muffin.

And we're back! A Crafty new menu for Monday, 11/12

Welcome back to autumn. I've missed you!

It's been an exciting season for all of us, with lots of events, challenging weather, suspenseful elections, and plenty more going on. I hope you are all weathering the latest storm comfortably!

I'm writing to you from my family's home in Connecticut, where it is snowing hard. The internet was down all day, but it's finally back up. Huzzah!

I will be back in Boston in time to cook this delicious menu for you. Please place orders through Saturday night. I will deliver to your home or workplace on Monday afternoon, November 12. If you are a teacher or otherwise not planning to be where you usually are on Veterans' Day, let me know and we'll make alternate arrangements.

Thanks so much, and I look forward to cooking for you soon!

Much love,

Chef Mary

SOUP

Curried Carrot Almond Soup. Bring some warm sunshine into this snowy, slushy weekend! $9

PLATES

Autumn Bento featuring black rice onigiri, local veggie kinpira, and delicious farmers market treats! $12

Sweet Potatoes with caramelized onions and homemade dried local apples. (Contains a very small amount of honey.) Served with quinoa and veg du jour, and topped with cashews. $12

Raw sprouted sunflower seed hummus with crunchy veggies to dip.  Yum! $10

BAKERY

Pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips! One of Earnest's favorites. (Chocolate may be omitted on request.) $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

Mint Chocolate Frogs! Harry Potter fans will especially appreciate these peppermint-filled chocolate critters. $10

Please inform me (or remind me) before ordering if you have any allergies or sensitivities. All menu items are free of soy, peanut, wheat, gluten, meat, egg, and dairy ingredients.

The following is not a comprehensive ingredients list. It's simply a summary that I hope will help the most sensitive among us order.

SOUP: Contains almonds, and some cooked garlic and onion. Will be flavorful, but not super spicy.

BENTO: Contains sesame, nuts, beans, and garlic.

SWEET POTATOES: Contains cashews, which can be omitted or switched to pumpkin seeds on request. Contains cooked onions.

HUMMUS: Contains sesame and sunflower seeds. No beans or tree nuts. Contains raw garlic.

MUFFINS: Chocolate may be omitted on request.

FROGS: Contain chocolate and coconut.

Raw: Choose hummus.

Grain-free: Choose soup, hummus, and frogs.

Low sugar: All the savories are good choices. Muffins are not too sweet. Frogs are dark chocolate; use personal judgment.

ACD: As above, all the savories are good choices, depending on tolerance to vinegar. Bento fillings may contain a little rice vinegar, ACV, and coconut aminos (made from naturally fermented coconut sap, this sauce tastes similar to soy sauce, but is 100% GF and soy free too! Sugar free; generally considered safe for ACD.) Hummus contains nutritional yeast (not related to candida) and a tiny bit of raw apple cider vinegar. The dried apples on the sweet potatoes add only a little sweetness, but I can leave them off if you don't tolerate dried fruit. There is only a trace of honey, to keep them from oxidizing while dehydrating.

Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Much love,
Chef Mary

A Short Break

Hello Crafty Land!

I am sorry to tell you that there will be no menu for delivery next week or the following week. I have some extended family matters that I must attend to.

I am so sorry I was not able to give you longer notice!

I hope to see you all and cook for you again soon.

Much love,
Chef Mary

Huzzah! It's a new menu for Monday, October 22!

Hello everyone!

The leaves are turning, the air is crisp, and it all just makes you want to go pumpkin picking!

This week, I have lots of lovely warming dishes to nourish your soul after a gorgeous fall day. IMPORTANT: I'm delivering on Monday, October 22 next week! (I'm working an event with Cuisine en Locale on Tuesday, you see.)

Thank you all so much for your continued love and support, and I look forward to cooking for you soon! Orders may be placed by emailing rathercraftymary at gmail dot com.

Much love,
Chef Mary

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SOUP:

Roasted Beet Soup. Serve it hot or cold, depending on how you feel - it's great either way! Fresh and vibrant, and such an amazing shade of fuchsia. $9

PLATES:

Red Thai Curry! Oh my goodness! Plenty of fresh veggies in a red Thai curry sauce over brown rice, topped with toasty pumpkin seeds. Be warned: this will be a little spicy and super delicious! (If you prefer white rice, I can substitute.) $12

Roasted Garlic and Za'atar Bean Dip, with sliced roasted potatoes to dip. A little exotic, not too hot, and full of yum! (I can sub crunchy veggies instead of the potatoes on request.) $10

Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta! Yum! With roasted local squash, cashew creme, and plenty of colorful veggies to round it all out. $11

BAKERY:

Cinnamon scones with Pumpkin Butter! Oh yum! I love pumpkin so much, and am especially looking forward to this one. $10

Morning Glory Muffins! With a little bit of everything - carrot, apple, raisin, walnut, and a touch of coconut. (The walnuts may be omitted on request.) $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

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Please inform me (or remind me) if you have any food sensitivities or allergies at all. At Rather Crafty, we do not use any meat, dairy, or egg ingredients. We do not use peanut, soy, wheat, or other gluten-containing ingredients.

We do use a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, local and/or organic when possible. We also use tree nuts, seeds, beans, and non-gluten-containing grains; also organic when possible. The following is not a comprehensive list of ingredients, so please do remind me if I have forgotten to include your dietary sensitivity or path.

Soup contains cashews; may be omitted on request. Contains the tiniest splash of balsamic vinegar.
Thai curry contains coconut milk and pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds may be left off on request.
Za'atar seasoning in the dip contains sesame.
Pasta contains cashews. Might contain tomatoes, but I can leave those off yours on request.
Scones contain cashews.
Muffins contain walnuts; may be left out on request.

All the savory dishes may contain a little cooked garlic and onion, but none contain these ingredients raw this week. The dip contains lots of cooked garlic!

ACD/low sugar: All savory dishes are pretty good choices for ACD, but the soup contains just a splash of balsamico, so if you are ultra sensitive to vinegars, then choose differently. Use your judgment with the baked goods, as both contain a little sugar; muffins are a little sweeter from all the fruits baked in.

Grain free: Choose soup, dip, and you can get the curry without the rice.

NUTS: Get soup without the cashew creme, Thai curry if you tolerate coconut, bean dip if you tolerate sesame, and get the muffins without the walnuts if you tolerate coconut.

Thank you all so much, and I'll see you soon!

Love,
Mary

New Menu! To deliver Tuesday, October 16

Happy fall!

There's a chill in the air, and the leaves have suddenly started to turn colors and fall off the trees. It seems like just last week it was summer!

Here's a great new menu to welcome the chilly weather. Warm up some stuffed acorn squash and some local-veggie chili, snuggle up with a good book, and enjoy!

This menu will be ready to deliver on Tuesday, October 16. Yup, I think we'll be moving back to Tuesdays for a bit and see how it works out for everyone.

Thank you all so much, and I look forward to cooking for you soon!

Much love,
Chef Mary

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SOUP:

Chunky White Bean and Local Veggie Stew $9

PLATES

Acorn Squash stuffed with dried fruit, herbs, and quinoa! Is there anything better in the fall than a lovely warm squash, infused with fragrant sage, studded with chewy apples and crunchy pecans? With local greens du jour. Yum! $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

Chili! Hearty beans, lots of local veggies, and rich spices. Delicious, filling, and so good for you! With a nice mound of brown rice to round it all out. $11

BAKERY

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins! With chocolate chips AND chopped walnuts! (Add-ins may be omitted.) Remember when we thought the local zucchini was done for the season? Well thank goodness we were wrong! Back for one last great hurrah! $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

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

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Please inform me before ordering if you have any allergies or sensitivities. At Rather Crafty, we do not use any meat, dairy, or egg ingredients. We do not use peanut, soy, wheat, or other gluten-containing ingredients.

We do use a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, local and/or organic when possible. We also use tree nuts, seeds, beans, and non-gluten-containing grains; also organic when possible. We occasionally use real honey, but because some people choose not to use honey I let you know when I use it (like in the dried apples.) The following is not a comprehensive list of ingredients, so please do remind me if I have forgotten to include your dietary sensitivity or path.

Soup contains some cooked onion and garlic.
Squash contains pecans, which may be omitted on request. When I dry the fruit, I dip it in a little honey diluted with water to prevent oxidation, so there's a tiny bit of honey present.
Muhammara contains lots of walnuts, and a small amount of raw garlic.
Chili contains some cooked onions and garlic, and may be medium-spicy for some.
Muffins contain cocoa. Chocolate chips and/or walnuts may be omitted to make them less chocolatey and free of nuts (but I recommend them with both!)
Granola Balls contain nuts. They also contain certified gluten free oats.

NUTS: I use nuts in the kitchen, so even though I am very careful, the possibility of cross-contact exists. Actual pieces of nuts may be omitted everywhere except muhammara and granola balls, which both rely on nuts to work.
RAW: choose muhammara
ACD/low sugar: Definitely choose soup and chili. Choose squash if you tolerate dried fruit. Muhammara contains nutritional yeast, which is not related to candida. Granola balls are sweetened exclusively with maple syrup. Muffins contain organic brown sugar, so if you are sensitive to cane sugar even in reasonable amounts, then you might choose differently.
GRAIN FREE: Definitely choose muhammara. Choose soup and chili (omitting the rice with the chili) if you tolerate beans. If you tolerate quinoa (a pseudograin, not a true grain) then you might also choose the squash.

Thanks!

Much love,
Chef Mary

Happy October! A new menu for Tuesday, October 9

Happy October!

Next week, I will deliver on Tuesday, October 9. So many among you will have a different schedule because of the Monday holiday, that it just makes sense to go back to Tuesday delivery this time.

Please place orders by the end of the night on Sunday night, for delivery on Tuesday, October 9. Orders may be placed by emailing me at rathercraftymary at gmail dot com.

This week we get to celebrate World Teachers' Day on Friday the 5th. Happy Day to all you teachers out there! In your honor, we've got some delicious local apples on this new menu.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon!

Much love,
Chef Mary

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SOUP:

Mushroom Noodle Soup! Made with homemade shiitake mushroom broth, sauteed crimini mushrooms, and GF brown rice pasta, of course! $9

PLATES:

Three Sisters Platter. Almost every Native American tribe tells a variation of the story of the Three Sisters: Tall Corn reaches for the golden sun, and provides support for Bean. Bean nourishes the soil, feeding her sisters. Squash's broad leaves shade and protect her sisters' roots in the soil. Made from lots of local veggies, of course! $12

Local Potatoes Stuffed with Butternut Squash, with cultured cashew creme to dip. My favorite variation on a seasonal treat: twice-baked potatoes! $11

Southwestern Black Bean Dip with crunchy veggies. Everyone loves this dip! $10

BAKERY:

Banana buckwheat chocolate chip muffins! Everyone's favorite! $10 half dozen, $18 dozen

Cinnamon Maple Almond Butter spread, with dried local apples to dip. All raw except the touch of maple, of course. Apples contain just a touch of honey to help prevent oxidation. $9

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Please inform me before ordering if you have any allergies or sensitivities. At Rather Crafty, we do not use any meat, dairy, or egg ingredients. We do not use peanut, soy, wheat, or other gluten-containing ingredients.

We do use a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, local and/or organic when possible. We also use tree nuts, seeds, beans, and non-gluten-containing grains; also organic when possible. We occasionally use ethically produced honey, but because some people choose not to use honey it is marked on the menu. The following is not a comprehensive list of ingredients, so please do remind me if I have forgotten to include your dietary sensitivity or path.

The Soup, Three Sisters, Stuffed Potatoes, and Bean Dip each contain a small amount of garlic.
Cashew Creme that accompanies the Stuffed Potato plate can be omitted.
Muffins contain chocolate; may be omitted on request.
Almond butter contains nuts, of course! Apples contain a small amount of honey. This dish is 95% raw. Almonds are soaked and dehydrated, of course.
Stuffed Potatoes, Bean Dip, and Almond Butter are all grain-free. Muffins are made with 100% buckwheat flour.

Thank you all so much, and I look forward to cooking for you soon!

Much love,
Chef Mary