My sustainable kitchen and a seared ahi tuna, radicchio and white bean salad...

(the above photo shows all the ingredients, purchased packaging free for my seared Ahi Tuna, radicchio and white bean salad)

About a year ago, I gave up packaging and therefore trash in my kitchen.  Meaning I don't buy foods with any packaging... no plastic bags, no plastic cartons, no cans, no boxes.  As a LAST resort we recycle the containers for the items which I cannot buy unpackaged (i.e. milk and wine... two essentials).  And our kitchen scraps go into the composting bin to eventually feed my garden.  

When I first wrote about my packaging free/trash free lifestyle here, I received numerous e-mails from readers wanting to know more. Obviously I hit a cord.  Perhaps some collective trash guilt?  Perhaps some people think I've lost my marbles?  Here is a great short video from Oprah.com about what actually happens to garbage after you throw things away.

My original goal was to fill our trash can only once a month.  Now I'm working on a new goal of only having to take my trash down to the curb twice a year.  And then less, who knows?  It has been like a fun game rethinking the way we shop and live.  

The benefits are amazing.  We started composting our kitchen scraps and now our garden is enjoying the rich organic matter as the fruits of our labor.  We have surprisingly saved lots of money not buying items like prepared packaged foods, paper towels and paper napkins.  I am so much more mindful of my shopping and therefore spending.  And my family has never enjoyed better meals made from fresh local ingredients.  Case in point, Tuesday night's dinner, seared Ahi Tuna salad with radicchio and white beans...

I was surprised to discover how simple it is to live this way.  I changed my shopping habits little by little, one step at a time.  I found packaging free solutions to just about every thing we need.   The key was to NOT make all the changes at once.  It would have been too overwhelming and I would have probably given up after the first week.

For each item that you switch to buying packing free you must come up with three solutions... 1. Find a store or market where you can buy the item without packaging. Farmer's markets are usually a great source.  I also find a large selection at of bulk dried goods at Whole Foods, including my kitchen soap bars... lavender and goat's milk.  2.  In what container or bag will you carry the item home?   3. How will you store it once it is home? 

I've come up with tips to slowly phase packaging out of your kitchen for those who are interested in giving it a try.  Some people may only want to go half way and that is ok.  Just get started and my guess is that you will be hooked too!  

- Bring your own shopping bags and refuse all plastic and paper bags at the checkout.  I have a smaller bag reserved only for raw meats, chicken or fish so there is no chance of cross contamination with produce etc. Remember to always wash or clean your bags.  You have to watch the checkout bagger closely... they often try to bag your food in plastic when you are not paying attention!

- Purchase mesh bags to replace the plastic produce bags. Again, these bags are washable.

- Purchase muslin bags to put your bulk dried goods in such flour, sugar, beans, rice, oatmeal, pasta, cereal, bulk candy, nuts, grains, bulk granola, bulk dried fruit, bulk tea etc.

- Give up paper towels and buy dish cloths.  

- Invest in cute cloth napkins for everyday use.  (And don't worry about ironing them... it is chic to have un-ironed cloth napkins so says Ina Garten.)

- Purchase glass jars to store your bulk goods in, once you get them home.

- Purchase glass storage dishes with lids for your refrigerator for left overs, washed berries etc.  (eliminating plastic wrap)  For the meat counter, fish counter, and deli counter use these plastic covered dishes.  Have the person put your sliced cheese, chicken, or fish etc. directly into the glass dish after zeroing out the weight of the dish on their scale first so that the tare is subtracted. No paper or plastic wrap needed.

- Start a composting bin for all your kitchen scraps.  Collect them on the counter in this cute bin, and take them outside to the composting bin only once a day.  I compost all fruit and vegetable scraps as well as egg shells and even my card board egg cartons.  

- Grow your own herbs.  They will be always fresh and always ready.

Remember, make changes slowly to give yourself plenty of time to find good solutions so that you stick with it. Sustainability is very chic so get on board for your planet's future!

Seared Ahi Tuna, radicchio and white bean salad

Parsley Vinaigrette... pulse the following ingredients in a food processor.  Salt and pepper to taste.

2 cups packed flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (two lemons)

1 clove garlic, crushed

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the rest..

1 medium head radicchio, cored, leaves coarsely torn

1/2 pound dried cannellini (white kidney) beans, cooked

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 pound Ahi Tuna (at room temperature,  salt and pepper and seared two minutes per side on a very hot cast iron skillet)  let cool and then thinly slice

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Place radicchio in a large bowl and drizzle with 4 tablespoons Parsley Vinaigrette and toss to coat.  Season radicchio with salt and pepper to taste.  Spread on a serving platter.  Combine cooked cannellini beans with 3 tablespoons Parsley Vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.  Arrange bean mixture on top of radicchio. Top salad with sliced seared tuna and sprinkle chopped parsley over the salad.  Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.  

For printable recipe click here.

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black and blue galette... blackberries and blueberries that is

My husband affectionately named this tart the "Black and Blue" as it is his favorite one.  Whenever I see fresh organic berries at my market, I buy them up dreaming of this tart and how it will bring smiles to my family. Berries are one of the foods that you should be sure to buy organic because they are in the "dirty dozen" list of foods with high pesticide residue.  Strawberries do not work well in this tart due to the amount of water they give off when baking.  However raspberries are a wonderful addition if you can find organic ones.  

I am often asked, "so, what is your favorite tart?" A "Sophie's Choice" indeed and one that I cannot answer. I'm very fickle and after polishing off the last crumb of this black and blue galette I was certain this was my favorite, knowing full well that next week my mind will change with the next post of a different tart.  

Galettes are so simple to make and no tart pan is needed.  I love its rustic vibe with its no-fuss crust... simply roll and fold.  

I published a different version of this black and blue galette recipe when I first began this blog almost two years ago.  However, chances are you haven't seen it yet unless you were one of my three subscribers!  

Black and Blue Galette

5 cups blackberries and blueberries

4 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon crème de cassis

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 tablespoon semolina or corn meal

1 recipe pâte sucrée - basic sweet pastry dough (see below)

1 egg white, beaten

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a large bowl mix together the blackberries, sugar, cassis and cornstarch until thoroughly combined.  Take care not to break the delicate berries.

Roll the dough out to a 13" circle. Place the flat round dough on a sheet pan and sprinkle the center with the semolina or corn meal leaving about a 2"border (this keeps the bottom from getting too soggy).

Pour the berry mixture onto the center of the dough and spread out leaving about a 2" border. Fold over the edges of the dough (making 5 folds, one fold at a time) and pressing lightly on the corners to gently seal the tart.  Brush the beaten egg white on the 2" dough border and then sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.  

Bake for 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the blackberries are lightly bubbling. 

Serve warm or at room temperature.  I love this tart served with either freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

pate sucrée - basic sweet pastry dough 

(this recipe makes dough for two tarts)

300 grams flour (2 cups) I like to weigh my flour for more accuracy

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar

14 tablespoons unsalted butter - chopped

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons ice water

In a food processor add the flour, sugar and salt and pulse until combined. Add the chopped butter and pulse until the butter is in small pea sized balls. Add the water and pulse until the dough just comes together. 

Put the dough out to a floured surface and make into a large mound and cut in half with a pastry scraper. I like to weigh the halves so that they are equal. Put each half onto a square of wax paper and form into a disk. Wrap with the paper and chill for at least one hour. 

If you are freezing at this time, then wrap again in foil and freeze. Let dough defrost in the refrigerator before use.

For a printable recipe, click here.

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Naturally dyed Easter eggs... colored with beets, red cabbage, and turmeric.

Happy Easter!!  My daughter and I love to dye Easter eggs together every year.  In the past we've purchased the package of Paas dyes and produce the neon colored eggs that 8 year olds adore, complete with a wax pen to etch our family member's names on each egg.  With a little bit of arm twisting, I convinced my daughter to try natural dyed eggs with me this year.  My friend, Toni, from Boulder Locavore, had an inspiring post last Easter about dyeing eggs with foods from the kitchen.  I was intrigued by the rustic marbled beauty of her eggs and vowed to give it a try someday.   

Very interestingly, our eggs came out completely different than, Toni's eggs.  Hers were earthy and rustic (like Colorado) and mine came out slightly more vibrant (like Florida).  Perhaps the light in which they were photographed played some part in the outcome?  I'm sure, however, that every time one dyes eggs this way, they will come out differently each time... and that is the beauty of them!!  

In three separate pans, I boiled water with turmeric to make a lovely golden yellow dye, the beets made a vibrant pink (which faded a bit over time) and the red cabbage made a lovely Robin's egg blue color.  I was baffled how the red cabbage would make blue dye and was skeptical until I saw the results for myself.  The water is purple after boiling the cabbage in it, but sure enough the eggs came out blue!

I used Toni's recipe for dying... she seamed to do lots of research on the matter.  So hop on over to Boulder Locavore for the recipe and many great tips on how to dye eggs naturally!

I'd love to hear your comments on dyed eggs.  Click here to leave a comment.

Mousse au chocolat... with a little orange sunshine

Don't be so quick to turn up your nose at this French 101 dessert cliché.  I know you probably made Mousse au Chocolat in Middle School French Club or if your mother, like mine, signed you up to take a children's French cooking class with the neighbor lady who spent a year in France... you probably made it there too.  Or perhaps you ate it at the first restaurant on the first night of your first visit to Paris (and were surprised when they brought out a big communal bowl from which to serve yourself.)  There is good reason why this dessert is always the introduction to French food... it is just that good!

I don't make this rich and decadent dessert too often but when I do I fall in love with it all over again.  The Grand Marnier gives it a subtle sunny lift of orange.  Celebrate a Thursday night, like we did, with this creamy and delightful French cliché... c'est magnifique!

Mousse au Chocolat 

(adapted from Ina Garten's recipe in Barefoot in Paris)

6 ounces good semisweet chocolate, chopped 

2 ounces good bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup Grand Marnier liqueur

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 eggs at room temperature, separated

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

pinch of kosher salt

1/2 cup cold heavy cream

In a pan over low heat, combine the two chocolates, Grand Marnier, 1/4 cup water and the vanilla.  Watch carefully and stir while melting chocolate.  Let cool a little.  Stir in the butter  until combined.

In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat on high speed the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar for 3 minutes until thick and pale yellow.  With the mixer on low speed, pour in the chocolate mixture.  Transfer to a large bowl.

In a CLEAN bowl of the electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat 1 cup of the egg whites, pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar until firm but not dry. 

Whisk half of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and then carefully fold in the rest with a rubber spatula.

Whip the cream and remaining tablespoon of sugar until firm in the same bowl with the whisk attachment (no need to clean it off first.)  Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.  Spoon into individual dishes or one 8-cup serving bowl.  Cover and chill.  Serve with orange zest and some whipped cream.

Click here for printable recipe.

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tarte aux pommes à la crème... a classic from Normandy

 

Normandy... the land of half-timbered houses, and rolling countryside epitomized by pastures for dairy cattle and apple orchards.  No wonder rich butter, apples and cream have found their way into this typical Norman tart.  "Les Normandes" love their apples, as well they should due to their abundance and beauty.  They make them into cider, apple brandy, and of course, those iconic apples are the star of many desserts found in Normandy. 

The  "trou normand" or literally translated "Norman hole" is the pause in the meal between courses in which the diners drink a glassful of calvados to make room for the next course and improving the appetite by way of a hole being made into the contents of ones stomach by the calvados... a sensible yet lovely tradition, in my opinion, still in practice today.

Most families in Normandy have their own apple tart recipe which has been passed down through the generations. The classic apple tart is spotted in many pastry shop windows throughout France. This simple apple tart is baked in a sweet cream custard, the perfect way to bring together the cream, butter and apples of Normandy.

 

Tarte aux pommes à la crème

4 egg yolks 

1 cup heavy cream

6 table spoons sugar - 4 in custard and 2 sprinkled on top

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into eights 

1 pre-baked pâte sucrée (see below)

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Starting from the outside, arrange the apple slices in concentric circles, overlapping them slightly.  In a large bowl, mix together the egg yolks, cream and 4 tablespoons of the sugar. Pour the custard over the apples. Sprinkle the tart with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the sugar.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the tart is golden brown on top and the apples are soft.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pâte Sucrée - basic sweet pastry dough  

 This dough freezes well so I like to make this dough in a double batch and freeze the other one for later use if I'm not using it right away. I figure if you're going to the effort to make pastry dough then you might as well make two... so this recipe is a double. Remember, the key to a successful and flakey crust is to work quickly and keep the dough cold. You want the butter to remain in little pea sized balls throughout the dough for a flakey crust. 

300 grams flour (2 cups) I like to weigh my flour for more accuracy

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar

14 tablespoons unsalted butter - chopped

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons ice water

In a food processor add the flour, sugar and salt and pulse until combined. Add the chopped butter and pulse until the butter is in small pea sized balls. Add the water and pulse until the dough just comes together.

Put the dough out to a floured surface and make into a large mound and cut in half with a pastry scraper. I like to weigh the halves so that they are equal. Put each half onto a square of wax paper and form into a disk. Wrap with the paper and chill for at least one hour.

If you are freezing at this time, then wrap again in foil and freeze. Let dough defrost in the refrigerator before use.

Roll out dough on a floured surface into a 13" circle. Place dough into a 10" tart pan and fold the overhang inward and press gently into the sides. Do not force or stretch the dough because a thin spot may cause the filling to leak. The dough edges should be a little bit higher than the side of the tart pan to help prevent shrinkage. Prick the bottom of the shell with your fork. Press a piece of foil (12"x13") into the edges of the shell and cover with the foil completely touching and covering the entire shell. Chill for at least a half an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Completely fill the foil covered shell with pie weights or dried beans. Put the shell into the pre heated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Take out of the oven and remove beans and foil. Brush the inside of the shell with a beaten egg white to prevent leakage from small cracks. Return to the oven for about 10 minutes and bake until golden brown. Let cool on wire rack.

The shell is ready to fill!

For printable recipe, click here.

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