ANCHO CHILE MUSHROOM TACOS

I came across this quote from Rob Bell via my friend Stacy's blog :

You and I were raised in a modern world that taught us how to work hard and be productive and show up on time and give it our best...
We learned lots of very valuable skills, but we weren't taught how to be here, how to be fully present in the moment, how to not be distracted or stressed or worried or anxious, but just be here, and nowhere else - wide awake to the infinite depth and dimension of this exact moment.

 As someone whose work and personal life come with an extreme amount of overlap, I have a tough time enjoying things for what they are. My husband is also my work and parenting partner. I feed my family, but testing and writing recipes is also my job. When I am with the kids, I feel like I should be working on something - often irritated because I know I have to hustle for my own living. Or if I am working, I feel like I am missing moments with my kids. I don't know any of us come equip with how to just be here - it's cultural, often generational, the extent of which indicative of ones' personality.  When I feel the most at ease, is when I am simply doing whatever it is I need to be doing. If it is working,  then I just live in that time, cooking or writing, going through the motions of something I understand how to do, being grateful that I have flexibility and generally enjoy what I am doing. Or if I'm corraling my kids at a park or building block towers, that I may see the "depth of that exact moment". How do you practice that in your own life? I have to make those decisions consciously, does it ever become a habit? Asking for a friend ;) 

I figured I would make obligatory tacos this Saturday for Cinco de Mayo. Maybe we'll have some friends come over, do bean and cheese burritos for the kids, make margaritas with fresh grapefruit juice. Having people over, sitting around a table in the backyard, may be the easiest place for me to just be in the moment. It is the place where my mind does not dart around between which bills I need to pay or how dusty the open shelving is or how I may grow my brand or researching Kindergarten options. Even if we can't be savoring every little thing, our angst pulling our brains to other places, I think there is always at least one place that it feels easy to just be there. For me, that is the table. Hope you can name where that is for you, and be in it or doing it, soon. I've found that recognizing it is the biggest step forward. 

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ANCHO CHILE MUSHROOM TACOS

Serves 2

I assume about 1 larger portobello per person, once sliced, it gives you two full tacos with all the garnishes. Multiply as needed for however many you are serving. If you do not stock these spices, your favorite taco seasoning is fine, just be mindful if it includes salt or not.

The Tacos

• 4 medium portobello mushrooms (about 1.5 lbs.)
• 2 Tbsp. avocado oil
• 2 tsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. orange juice (apple cider vinegar will do)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder


• 4 corn tortillas, warmed 

The Garnish

• pickled onions
• fresh lime
• avocado
• cilantro
• shredded cabbage, optional
• queso fresco (or soft goats cheese)

Directions

Stem the mushrooms. In a small bowl, combine the oil, maple, salt, cumin and ancho chile powder. Arrange the mushrooms on parchment and brush the spice mixture on both sides of the mushroom. This can be prepped a few hours in advance.

Preheat the oven to 375'. Roast the mushrooms for about 20 minutes or until they are browned and collapsed down (they should look wet and shrink in size). If the weather permits, you can grill the mushrooms over medium heat for 6 minutes on each side (or until they collapse a bit).

When cool to the touch, cut the mushrooms into slices on a diagonal. Arrange the tacos with some smashed avocado (lightly salted), a pile of mushrooms, pickled onions, cilantro, shredded cabbage (if using), cheese and a squeeze of fresh lime. Enjoy. 

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THAI-ISH CAULIFLOWER RICE SALAD

I saw this recipe on pinterest recently and given I (ironically, it is a long list) had all of these ingredients, I could not stop thinking about it. I strayed really far from the original, but am happy with where I ended up. I could eat this all day long. I am aware it is not a truly authentic Thai list of ingredients, but it tastes delicious at the end so I'm not concerned. I don't like rambling on to sell you a recipe so instead, here are a few podcasts I listened to this past week that I really enjoyed. Not sure how you listen to podcasts, I trust you can search for them. 

Oprah Super Soul Conversations : Brene Brown and Shonda Rhimes
The Liturgists : Body Image
How I Built This : Howard Schultz/Starbucks and Gary Hirshberg/Stonyfield Yogurt

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THAI-ISH CAULIFLOWER RICE SALAD

Serves 4-6

Recipe inspired by The Awesome Green

It is a long list of ingredients, and quite a bit of chopping, but worth the time. I add some grilled chicken or tofu, both of which I marinate in sriracha, sesame oil and a bit of tamari. Salmon would be AMAZING here. Any leftovers will keep for a few days, covered in the fridge.

The Salad

• 1 bell pepper, small dice
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1/2 a red onion, small dice
• 2 Persian cucumbers, small dice
• 1/2 a small head of purple cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 mango (or 2 ataulfo mangos, preferable if you can find them), small dice
• 1 small bunch cilantro
• 1 small bunch mint
• 1 large lime
• sea salt and pepper


• nub of coconut oil
• 1 medium head of cauliflower, riced (about 1 1/2 cups prepared)
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
• 2 avocados, for garnish
• toasted cashews, for garnish

Peanut Sauce

• 1/2 cup creamy, salted peanut butter
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• juice of two large limes
• 2 inch nub of ginger, grated
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• dash of fish sauce, optional
• 1 Tbsp. honey or agave nectar
• 2 tsp. tamari or soy sauce
• sea salt and pepper

Recipe Instructions

Put all the prepared produce in a large mixing bowl. Chop the cilantro and mint, add that too. Squeeze the lime over everything, add a pinch of salt and pepper and toss everything to mix. Set aside, room temperature or in the fridge.

Heat the coconut oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the riced cauliflower, pinch of salt and pepper and saute until it begins to soften. Add the coconut milk and saute another 2-3 minutes until softened. Set aside to cool down.

When the cauliflower cools, make your sauce. In a bowl, combine the peanut butter, water, rice vinegar, juice of both limes, grated ginger, garlic, fish sauce if using, honey or agave and tamari. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and whisk everything together until smooth. Taste for seasoning, if you like some heat, add a dash of sriracha or cayenne. Add water or lime juice to thin if needed. Keep it mind it will firm up in the fridge.

Add the cooled cauliflower to the bowl of vegetables and toss everything together. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve the salad with the peanut sauce, avocado and toasted cashews on top.

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COCONUT + ALMOND FLOUR PANCAKES

I was skimming a goop article last week (I have a love hate with all things goop - I appreciate the health angle, but I don't like that the average advertised clothing article is $480. You had me at hormone balancing but I disconnected with the suggestion of using $50 bath salts). Anyway. I liked the interview in the article and I jotted down this line to remember:

"The goal is to gain greater awareness of yourself on every level: what makes you tick and what makes you sick, what your passion and purpose are, what you want to express in your lifetime, and what makes you most fulfilled" ... "When you wake up to the awareness of who and what you are, you can discover the confidence to live your way, the courage to make choices that serve you best, and the compassion to be kind to yourself along the way—a compassion that inevitably ripples outward to others." - Dr. Frank Lipman

Both Hugh and I are trying to be proactive about growing/changing our businesses this year, and it has begged the question to explore what I actually like doing. I need to make a living, but if I am going to steer my ship towards something, where are we going? I make money in a number of different ways, where can I focus and do better, or perhaps expand? Or do we reroute completely? I think lulls in workflow are good for recalibrating, though honestly, I am mostly just super anxious :)

I listened to a recent One Part Plant podcast with Candice Kumai, and Jessica Murnane, the host, remarked on how confident Candice was, and asked if she came by that naturally. She responded that she believes we all have that in us, that the disclaimers and insecurity are there as masks to cover it up. What are you really good at, and you know it, but you're not making the most of it? How can you pursue those strengths and be a better boss lady, mom, giver, artist, worker, whatever? These questions are tough! But I am asking them. I thought I may find one of you in a similar place, in the midst of a recalibration. 

On food. Maybe you already make your pancakes in a blender, but I swear it makes the thought of making them feel like much less of a project. No clumps, not even a dirty spoon, and I can pour into the pan straight from the blender. These flapjacks (they really are quite thin) below have a decent amount of protein and good fats from the almond meal so they keep me full longer. 

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ALMOND + COCONUT FLOUR PANCAKES

Makes 12 small pancakes

As it goes with gluten free things that don't have any gums in them, these are super tender and delicate. I love them for that, I don't like a heavy baked good first thing in the morning. The trick to getting them to not break on the flip, is letting them cook through more on one side than you would a traditional wheat pancake that goes about 50/50 each side. I cook these about 70% through on the first side, so when I flip, they are pretty strudy and mostly cooked through.  I do not have an egg replacement I can pass on confidently, though I have had decent luck with one medium overripe banana mashed with 2 Tbsp. flaxmeal in their place. However, VERY delicate.

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup almond milk or whatever milk you use
• 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. avocado or melted coconut oil or ghee, plus more for cooking
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt

Into a blender, combine all of the ingredients. Run it until combined, about 30 seconds. This can also be done by hand, mix all the wet ingredients first, then mix in the dry to combine. Let the mixture hydrate for a minute.  Warm a skillet over medium heat. Use ghee or coconut oil to grease the pan. Make small, 3" pancakes. Cook them most of the way on one side, about 2 minutes, flip, and cook for another minute. Transfer to your plate. I like mine with plain coconut yogurt, berries and maple. Garnish as you wish!

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