Persimmon Pudding -- high in Omega-3s
It's getting close to Christmas so I'm making my family's favorite Christmas dessert.
It is none other than Nancy Reagan's Persimmon Pudding, which my sister-in-law Jenny Howell introduced our family to oh so many years (decades!) ago.
I always make several changes to the recipe to make it high in Omega-3s (and with a good Omega-6 to Omega-3 balance); and nobody, I promise, will know the difference. We're very lucky if we have any left for breakfast the next day. The kids love the flaming part of the pudding -- and the pudding too. Here's Nancy's original recipe with my suggestions. The next time you hear, "Oh, bring us a figgy pudding," think of this and sigh. The only trick to this recipe is buying the persimmons well ahead of time so that they are truly ripe (i.e.,soupy). I steam my pudding in a pressure cooker so it only takes 25 minutes or so to cook. There are so many things that will be different about this Christmas but I hope the persimmon pudding is the same. Merry Christmas to all and to all a steamed pudding!!
• 1/2 cup melted butter (grass-fed butter, of course!)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour, sifted (to make this high in Omega-3s, I use 4/5 cup flour and 1/5 cup flaxmeal)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 cup persimmon pulp (2 to 3 ripe ones)
chopped walnuts about 1/4 cup
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. warm water
• 3 tbsp. brandy
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten (Omega-3 eggs, of course!)
• 1 cup seedless raisins
Stir together the melted butter and sugar. Mix the flour and flax with salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and add to the butter and sugar mixture. Add the persimmon pulp, soda dissolved in warm water, brandy, and vanilla. Add the eggs, mixing thoroughly but lightly. Add the raisins and nuts. Put in a buttered steam-type covered mold and steam two and a half hours or until thoroughly cooked. Flame at the table with 1/4 cup warmed brandy and serve with the Brandy-whipped cream sauce below or a simpler, lighter topping of slightly sweetened whipped cream.
Brandy-Whipped Cream Sauce
• 1 egg (Omega 3 egg, of course!)
• 1/3 cup melted butter (Grass-fed butter, of course!)
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• Dash of salt
• 1 tbsp. brandy flavoring (optional)
• 1 cup whipping cream (Grass-fed if available)
Beat the egg until light and fluffy. Beat in the butter, powdered sugar, salt, and brandy flavoring. Beat the cream until stiff. Gently fold it into the first mixture. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Stir before spooning on the pudding.
St Nicholas Cookies
Dear Friends and Customers,
Because this will be such a strange Christmas for so many of us, I thought I'd share my favorite Xmas cookie recipe. It always brings cheer to my family, and I hope it does the same to yours. The recipe was given to me by my neighbor Georgette Vermeersch, who came from Belgium, but I've modified it, of course, to boost its Omega-3s.
St. Nicholas Cookies
Ingredients:
3 2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup flaxseed meal
2 cup brown sugar (loosely packed)
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
4 TBS Milk
3 TBS molasses
1 package vanilla sugar (I use a packet of Dr. Oetker's Vanilla Sugar but there may be a way to make it yourself)
250 g grass-fed butter (such as Kerry or Anchor or a local option)
100 g slivered almonds, toasted
dash ginger powder (1/2 teaspoon)
lemon zest, grated, from one lemon
Directions:
Lightly toast almonds in a broiler
Combine and mix all ingredients in a mixer
Divide the mixture into thirds and shape each third into individual logs, approximately 2 inches in width.
Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, up to several weeks.
When ready to prepare, remove a log and slice as thinly as possible, a little less than 1/8" inch (see pic; I use a bread knife for this).
Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until very lightly brown. Watch this carefully as the cookies can easily burn. The cookies also darken as they age. BTW, the flavor of these cookies also intensifies as they age. They keep really well in an airtight tin.
Merry Christmas from Susie's Smart Cookie. I hope we can all find ways to safely share the joy of the season.
Susie
A Special Holiday Offering from Susie's Smart Cookie -- 20% off. Sale ends 12/31.
Dear Customers,
We're all looking for ways to stay healthy and well during this crazy Covid holiday season.
So why not send your loved one a box of Susie's Smart Breakfast Cookies to help them through these unprecedented times.
Satisfying and delicious, Susie's Smart Breakfast Cookies are a great breakfast to go -- or to eat at home (where many of us are these days). Plus, they have the added benefit of boosting one's Omega-3s, essential fats that help every tissue in our bodies, but especially our brains, which are mostly fat, and need the Omega-3s to behave optimally.
Because we know how stressful this year has been, we're doubling our usual holiday discount and allowing customers to use the discount multiple times. Please use the Discount Code Holidays2020 to take 20% off all your orders. Our sale ends 12/31; but order by December 16 to guarantee delivery before Christmas. Shipping, as always, is free. Happy Holidays to all of you from Susie's Smart Cookie; and please stay well and sane. 2021 is just around the corner.
Best,
Susie and Michele
Zucchini with Walnuts -- a great way to use this perennially-available vegetable in winter
Hello dear customers and friends,
My grandmother was a great cook and hostess so when I stumbled across this recipe of hers, I had to give it a try. I usually sauté zucchini very quickly and serve it without any sauce, but I was intrigued by the addition of wine and walnuts. It turns out that this is a good way to make a substantial side out of zucchini that would pair well with any hearty chicken or meat dish. The canola oil and walnuts means that it has a healthy balance of Omega-3s and Omega-6s. Thank you Catty! Enjoy.
1 1/2 large zucchini or 4-5 small
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup scallions, sliced or a sliced shallot
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 Tsp lemon juice
Cut zucchini into 1/2 inch slices. Slice scallions or shallot.
Slightly brown on both sides in the canola oil.
Add wine and lemon juice and 1/4 cup water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add walnuts, season with salt, and serve.
Thanksgiving in a Pandemic
Dear Friends and Family,
No matter how small (or large) your turkey is this Thanksgiving, don't forget that there are many ways of adding Omega-3s to it -- and the rest of your dinner.
Here are 5 suggestions that will make your Thanksgiving dinner is as healthy as it is delicious.
1. Use canola oil to rub on your turkey (along with salt and pepper) before roasting.
2. Add flaxseed meal to your stuffing -- about 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal per cup of stuffing.
3. Use Omega-3 eggs to make your pies. Look for eggs that have 250mg of Omega-3s per egg -- or more.
4. Use grass-fed butter, such as Kerry or Anchor butter, in all of your dishes.
5. Add a small amount of flaxseed meal to your pie crusts by replacing 2 tablespoons of flour with flax.
No one will know that you have taken these small steps towards a healthier Thanksgiving but your cells and bodies will thank you!
And Thank you for being a Susie's Smart Cookie customer.
To your health,
Susie and Michele
Carrot and saffron risotto -- as pretty as it is delicious!
When this recipe for Carrot and Saffron risotto popped up on The New York Times Cooking App, I knew I had to try it. I wondered if my grandsons would find the saffron too strong -- or unfamiliar, but they loved it! Comfort food in a time of Covid. I use a pressure cooker to prepare risotto -- and highly recommend it, but you can prepare this dish in whatever way you make your risotto.
Ingredients:
1 small shallot minced
3 - 4 TBS canola oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups Arborio rice
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, ground in a mortar and pestle
2 cups grated carrot
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 TBS half and half
1 TBS butter
2 heaping TBS flaxseed meal (for their Omega-3s)
salt and pepper
Instructions
Add the pulverized saffron threads to the chicken broth and set aside.
Sauté the shallot in canola oil in the pot of the pressure cooker, then add the risotto, coating with oil and seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until it has cooked off.
Add the broth and carrots to the pot and stir to break up the risotto. Close the lid and bring to a boil. When the pot has reached pressure, turn down the heat and continue to cook for 7 minutes. When the risotto is creamy and just cooked, add butter, cream, parmesan, flaxseed meal, and correct seasonings. Serve immediately with a salad. So simple; so good. Be well.
Have you had Success using the Susie's Smart Breakfast Cookie Diet?
Hello Customers,
The editor of Woman's World contacted us to ask if any of our customers would be willing to share their weight-loss experience with their magazine.
I know it is a great deal to ask, but this publicity would be a huge help to our company -- AND it could be an opportunity to promote your favorite organization or charity.
Thanks for considering this request! Woman's World is looking for a woman in her fifties or sixties who has lost 40-50 pounds.
Stay well and thanks again for giving this some thought.
Susie
Mugwort again -- this time in one-pot pasta
Hello Dear Customers,
Every once in a while, culinary inspiration strikes home. I'm sure you know what I mean. Last night, it came in the form of a one-pot pasta -- with artichoke hearts and chopped mugwort leaves.
I had read about using mugwort in an artichoke gratin so I thought this might work. And it did. It was complex and sophisticated and something you could serve to guests (when we're able to have them!) -- or family. Even my four-year-old grandson loved it.
1 pound spaghetti
1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can (13 oz) artichoke hearts or bottoms in water, coarsely chopped
2 lemons zested
1/4 cup plus 3 TBS canola oil
2 Tsp kosher salt
3 heaping TBS chopped mugwort leaves (no stems)
1 bunch kale or spinach, leaves only washed and chopped
black pepper
Parmesan for serving
As always, I balanced the Omega-3s in this recipe by using canola instead of olive oil. By the way, mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is still growing strong in my part of the world. Much of it has gone to seed, but because it spreads by rhizomes, fresh green leaves are usually readily available.
Place spaghetti, tomatoes, artichokes, zest, and salt in a large dry shallow pan. I used a large cast-iron skillet and broke some of the pasta so it all lay flat in the pan.
Carefully pour 1 quart boiling water over the ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and simmer for about 6 minutes, using tongs or some other tool to move the pasta around so it doesn't stick. Add the kale or spinach and the chopped mugwort and cook until the remaining liquid has been reduced to a sauce and the pasta is cooked through. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with Parmesan.
Yum!
.
Staying sane by eating mugwort!
Dear Customers,
Friends and I have been keeping our heads above water -- i.e., staying sane -- by planning small, socially-distanced, outdoors and over-by-sunset dinners celebrating our local edibles and inspired by the publication of Forage, Harvest, Feast by Marie Viljoen. Our first "mugwort" dinner was a huge success with mugwort soup; stuffed pork loin with mugwort and garlic; mugwort cottage fries, and mugwort poached pears.
Mugwort is the very colorful and Dickensian name given to Artemisia vulgaris, a thuggish invasive in my neck of the woods. But who knew it was so delicious and marries so well with pork, potatoes, and eggs? This is less surprising, though, when you learn that it is a relative of that great culinary herb: tarragon or Artemisia dracunculus. The best way I can describe mugwort is that it's a cross between sage and rosemary though unlike sage, it stays bright green during cooking, and unlike rosemary, it is readily available most of the year. One of my favorite mugwort dishes, which I did not serve at the dinner, was a mugwort, corn, and potato crustless quiche.
Mugwort is easy to identify -- look for the silvery underside of the leaves and the herbal scent -- and don't eat anything you're unsure of! And it has the added advantage (or disadvantage when it comes to eradicating this voracious invasive, which is native to Europe and Asia but has now made its home all along our roadways and in our fields) of having a very long growing season and of spreading by rhizomes as well as seeds. Which means that one can always find young, fresh leaves to cook with -- and can easily avoid old fibrous leaves and stems. As always, wash whatever wild plants you harvest and don't pick near roadways or anywhere plants might have been sprayed.
Mugwort, corn, and potato crustless quiche.
6 eggs (Omega-3 eggs of course!)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup grated cheese -- I used a compo of cheddar and parmesan
1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
1 cup added ingredients, including 3 Tablespoons onion sautéed until soft in canola oil and 3 heaping Tablespoons chopped mugwort leaves (no stems) added to the onion at the end of the sautéing
For the rest of the cup of optional ingredients use:
yellow potatoes chopped into bite-size pieces and boiled until cooked
corn or any other vegetable you have on hand and cut into small pieces
Whisk eggs and add milk, cheeses, salt and pepper. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and pour into a pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees until set. Remove from oven and wait ten minutes or so to serve.
Hint: The first time I made this dish, all the mugwort floated to the top of the quiche. It tasted fantastic, but I would have preferred the mugwort to be distributed throughout. The next time I make this quiche, I'm going to roughly chop the cooked potatoes and sautéed mugwort and onions together and hope for a better -- greener -- distribution.
BTW, mugwort -- like all green leaves -- has a good ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6s. Be sure, though, to use Omega-3 eggs and canola oil to make this a dish as healthy as possible. I served it with a green salad and hot bread. Enjoy.
A Wild Blueberry and Huckleberry Crisp -- made healthier with a little Flax Meal
Hello customers and friends of Susie's Smart Cookie,
I was fortunate to spend some time in Deer Isle, Maine this summer with my daughters and grandsons -- and one of the things that we cooked on that beautiful island was a hand-picked huckleberry and blueberry crisp. I have to share the recipe because it is so simple, and can be used with any fruit, and because I replaced some of the flour with flax meal and the crisp turned out even crispier and more delicious than one made with flour alone.
1 1/2 quart of fruit (enough to fill a 8 by 11" dish)
1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 cup minus 3 heaping tablespoons flour (approximately 3/4- 4/5 cup)
3 heaping tablespoons ground flax meal (I.e, replace 3 heaping tablespoons of the flour with flax seed meal)
1/2 cup cold butter (I think you could do a little less and it would be just as delicious)
Combine the flour, flax, and sugar in a bowl and cut in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Use your hands or two knives. Sprinkle over the fruit and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until brown and crispy. Serve slightly warm with cream or a scoop of ice cream. Yum! I just made it again using peaches and blueberries and two abstemious friends and I finished the whole dish in one sitting.
We just Updated Our Website
Hello Customers and Friends of Susie's Smart Cookie,
We just wanted to let you know that we updated our website today. It's just as easy
to use but has a different look and feel to it. If you have time, please let us know
what you think.
Be well. Stay healthy,
Susie and Michele
Make sure your cooking oils are fresh --i.e, NOT rancid
Hello Everyone,
I treated myself to a bottle of Walnut Oil during these crazy, shut-in times.
I guess I wanted to bring memories of summer salads in southern France alive.
What a mistake. I should have been suspicious since it was one of the only bottles of oils on the shelf. But I couldn't/didn't resist.
I opened it at home, anticipating a green salad with a light, nutty dressing.
But my nose immediately told me that this expensive bottle of oil was off...rancid...not fit for consumption. Rancid oils contain free radicals that cause oxidative stress and induce damage at the cellular and molecular level, including damage to our DNA. Polyunsaturated oils (vegetable oils) are more prone to oxidation than saturated fats such as butter and lard. So be sure to keep your oils fresh by buying them in quantities small enough to use in a couple of months and keeping them away from direct heat and light.
Stay well and eat healthy,
Susie