March Food Observances

Posted by Kitchen Shaman | Feb 27, 2015 | Food Observances & Holidays |

Spring is in the air (in some parts of the country), flowers are blooming, the air is getting warmer, and it’s time to look at what foods are celebrated in March.

I've got a few favorite days in this month's mix. I am an avid strawberry lover. Cookies and waffles each have their own day this month. Even frozen foods get a nod this month. So break out those TV dinners from your favorite non-meat meal maker and enjoy these plant-based, Kitchen Shaman-approved national food observances.

Chef Demo: Breakfast in the Afternoon

Posted by Kitchen Shaman | Feb 26, 2015 | Cooking Demos, Videos |

This is my chef demo at the First Annual Arizona Vegetarian Food Festival.

I showed the audience how to make breakfast the vegan way: tofu scramble and breakfast potatoes. It was all very delicious and lots of fun. I really enjoyed meeting the organizers of the event Sarah Gross and Nira Paliwoda.

In Season this Month: Blueberry Jam

Posted by Kitchen Shaman | Feb 19, 2015 | Condiments, Recipes |

This month we are celebrating blueberries. I don’t need to expound on the virtues of this most wonderful berry. It is full of antioxidants and vitamins to help your immune system stay strong. Oh, and they are tasty. One of my favorite ways to use blueberries is to make jam.

Time to Heal; Time to Write

Posted by Kitchen Shaman | Feb 13, 2015 | News |

I rarely take the time to talk about my personal life, but sometimes it does interfere with my ability to run this website and blog. I’ve had lots of things happen over the years: loss of a beloved animal, loss of a parent; loss of a job, job changes, and health issues. Over the last two years I have been healing from shoulder injuries.

Toaster Ovens and Roasted Garlic Puree

Posted by Kitchen Shaman | Feb 11, 2015 | Recipes, Tips & Tricks |

Sometimes I’m just smart about cooking. This last week was one of those times. I use quite a bit of roasted garlic, so why don’t I make puree? I frequently made roasted garlic puree on the job, why not for myself?

Part of the issue is I don’t want to turn on a great big oven for just a little bit of food. Three heads of garlic doesn’t justify using all that energy. Finally I realized that there is a toaster oven in the house that I can use for cooking the small things and thus avoid turning on the big oven. read more

Skill of a Chef: Palate

Posted by Kitchen Shaman | Feb 5, 2015 | Cooking Skills |

As an experienced professional, people always ask me what makes a good chef. There is no simple answer as a good chef possesses numerous skills. This is the second in my series of articles addressing those skills. Part 1 covered knives. Other skills include palate, plating, and managerial ability. Today I’m talking about palate, the flavor you coax out of different combinations of ingredients.

February Food Observances

Posted by Kitchen Shaman | Feb 2, 2015 | Food Observances & Holidays |

It’s that time again where we look at the national food holidays. It’s February, so not quite spring, but there is some freshness coming at you. First let’s look at the month-long celebrations.

Berry Fresh Month, what smoothie loving vegan wouldn’t love this month when the berries burst forth from the bush and provide us with their sweetness and antioxidant goodness? Next up Celebration of Chocolate. As long as it’s dark chocolate, and from fair trade and organic sources, I’m in. Canned goods are popular this month as well as cherries.

A Little Vacation

Posted by Kitchen Shaman | Jan 30, 2015 | Books |

I’ve obviously taken a little vacation.

No, I did not have anything ready to cover the two weeks I decided to disengage. It seems that my capacity for smooth content is about two months. Running a blog isn’t easy; coming up with ideas, writing and editing articles, cooking, and taking photos, cataloging and editing the photos, choosing what goes up when. Yes, many of the food bloggers make it look easy. Most of them started small, like me, then they gained staff. There are two of us that run this little corner of the web and, sometimes, we run out of steam. read more

Magic Jackfruit

Posted by Kitchen Shaman | Jan 14, 2015 | Entree, quinoa, Recipes |

Jackfruit only came onto my radar last year. It’s been touted as the darling of the vegan world because it has the consistency and texture of shredded meat. For someone who has recently converted to a plant based diet, this can be more comforting, then say looking at a block of tofu. Eating is about the visual, as well as scent and taste. I’m not sure why as vegans we need to simulate meat anything, except that it brings comfort to those who are leaving the carnivore life behind.

I’m about flavor, texture, and color. I ask the question: will it provide proper nutritional balance? And what else can I make out of this food. read more

Skill of a Chef: It’s All About the Knives

Posted by Kitchen Shaman | Jan 5, 2015 | Cooking Skills, Knives |

Knives are personal. The way they feel, the way they balance in the hand. How the blade cuts through the food. Personally, I like a lighter knife, one that is easy to grip and that is very, very sharp. Cat Cora of Iron Chef fame uses a 13" chef’s knife, and she’s 4’11”. Intimidating? Yes. Necessary? When you are that short and working in a “man’s” world, wielding a large knife can help intimidate your co-workers.

Author: Kitchen Shaman