food for dorks

(DAIRY-FREE) BRAIN FREEZE

This heat wave has been brutal. In New York, you can’t escape the heat. It’s everywhere! On the train you take to work, in the bodega where you buy your gatorade, even the moment you step outside your apartment, you begin to melt. Summers like these require all sorts of rituals : three cold showers a day. Lots and lots of Mo-Town. Popsicles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And at this rate, I’m pretty sure my hair is going to grow in the shape of a sloppy topknot. But there’s one thing missing from my New York summer: Sonic.

Sonic is a Southern summer staple. Maybe it’s one everywhere else but New York City. Unfortunately, the nearest Sonic is in New Jersey. Okay, so apparently not in Brooklyn. Anyways, I grew up drinking those syrupy, snowy slushes every summer. Watermelon, powerade, sour apple. The occasional cream slush. GAH! I get sad just thinking about the big empty hole in my summer life where Sonic used to be.

After wallowing, I realized I could probably recreate these drinks at home.

Duh. (MORE)

Have I died and gone to heaven? I swear, it’s like someone’s been listening to my thoughts and finally did something about it. I can’t believe this. Zero calorie noodles. No soy, no gluten, no nothing. Just…noodles. If I could draw a food pyramid of what I eat, the bottom half would be a lot of tomato sauce, a lot of nutritional yeast, and a whole lotta gluten-free noodles. So, imagine the look on my face when my best friend Laura brought me these. I was in awe.

“This can’t be real life,” I tell her.

“Oh, no, yes it is, girl,” she assures me. (MORE)

Oh, hey y’all! Hope you haven’t been too lonely without me. I’ve missed you guys. Recovery is going on time. Yesterday I got to volunteer at my favorite animal shelter here in Brooklyn, BARC. I got to spend quality time with my favorite quality pooch, Helga the Cairn terrier puppy. I also got to spend time with my friends and enjoy the summer–albeit, a little painfully!

Anyways, I’m working on a big list of summer drink recipes for you guys to enjoy in the heat. Watching plenty of movies, and definitely enjoy all the unparalleled goodness of the internet. Today, when I was checking my e-mail, I finally received the e-mail from AllergicChild.com with my interview in it! I thought I would share with y’all. All your questions answered (HERE)

BRAISED BABY ARTICHOKES WITH DEEP-FRIED POLENTA

We all have it. It’s something we all do, when we’re all alone and just need some time to reflect.

Get your head out of the gutter.

For some people, it’s video games. Others, the spa. For me, it’s produce shopping. I turn off my cell phone, I walk through Whole Foods and begin my quest. Perfect peaches? Succulent strawberries? Gorgeous arugula? Yes, please. I derive sort of weird contentment from inspecting every stalk of asparagus and each bunch of kale.  What can I say? I’m a food dork. So, imagine me, strutting through the grocery store so happily when I stumble upon the most adorable produce I’ve ever seen. (READ MORE)

Like I mentioned before, I’m a big fan of this season. Besides all the babes in the park, the slushiesand getting to wear sundresses every day, I am way into grilling. Hot dogs? Apples? Brussels sprouts? Gluten-free cookies? Doesn’t matter. If it can stay on hot coals, it’s going on the Weber. Besides my affinity for anything on a roof, I’ve got a huge crush on barbecue parties. Which is why I’m cordially inviting all of you to mine. If you’ve never had the chance to try my cooking and would you like to, you will this weekend. (READ MORE)

SUMMER LOVIN’ SUGARBERRY MINT SALAD WITH BALSAMIC CARAMEL

That, in case you’re wondering, is a rather gorgeous and simple fruit salad made with all-organic ingredients. Combined with a scoop of non-dairy ice cream, and a healthy spoonage of balsamic caramel, you’ll have a safe, healthy dessert that everyone will love.

For the salad, you will need….(READ MORE)

Well, we did it. Food for Dorks is now LEGIT! You can still follow us here on Tumblr and on Twitter, but this bad boy will be headquarters from now on.

Go show me some love on the home page. You know I love you.

OH, FUDGE!: VEGAN, SOY-FREE, NUT-FREE CINNAMON SUNBUTTER FUDGE

For as long as I can remember, my mother spends every holiday season creating elaborate tins of cookies and candies for our neighbors, friends and family. And each year, in exchange, we’d receive tins upon tins of fudge, puppy chow (not dog food) and other sweet, sugary treats. The family that lived up the road had this amazing peanut butter fudge. I swear, I gained six pounds every time I had a piece. But, that peanut butter fudge is a long-gone memory.

Why is it long-gone? Besides the fact that I don’t live at home anymore, I also have a  peanut allergy, along with an estimated 3.3 million Americans claiming themselves as peanutards.  So, when the craving strikes for an Elvis sandwich, or even just pad thai, there is the miracle of sunbutter!

Sunbutter, better known as sunflower seed butter, is a delicious nut-free alternative to nut butters. You can easily find sunbutter at any specialty grocery store. It bakes and cooks exactly like peanut or any other tree nut butter, and is a staple in any peanutard or tree-nutard’s kitchen.

In celebration of the awesomeness of sunbutter, and the nostalgia of peanut butter fudge, I bring you….Cinnamon Sunbutter Fudge!

1/2 cup soy-free margarine 
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup sunbutter 
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar

1. In a large saucepan, melt margarine down.

2. Add brown sugar. Stir to incorporate.

3. Add coconut milk.

4. Bring up to boil, keep it there for about a minute. 

5. Add sunbutter, cinnamon and vanilla. Turn heat down to simmer and stir constantly for 2 minutes. 

6. Pour mixture over large mixing bowl with confectioner’s sugar.

7. Stir well until smooth.

8. Dump mixture into lined 8x8 pan. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, cut into 1-inch squares to serve.

• this recipe is vegan. no eggs or milk here!
• absolutely, positively no tree nuts, peanuts or soy here.
• and at that, no mustard or sesame to be found!
• no seafood, no little fishies or shellfishies to be seen.
• of course, gluten-free.
• this recipe is great for bringing to a potluck as a dessert for everyone…or at the very least, a bribe for someone.

GET INTO IT: NUTRITIONAL YEAST

Recently, I decided to cut dairy completely out of my diet. It just wasn’t working for me.

Okay, I sound like a bitter ex-girlfriend.

Truth be told, milk and I had a bad break-up. I got dumped by dairy.  And oh, it was hard, for a while. Accepting that I was a bonafide milktard was devastating to my pasta habits. Parmesan here, parmesan there.  Would my noodle-loving heart ever go on? I felt hopeless.

Until I met nutritional yeast.

Oh, my god, I just cringed reading that. “Nutritional yeast” just sounds awful. But oh, oh, now that I know of the wondrousness of nutritional yeast…I can’t hate on it anymore. I was skeptical, but figured tonight’s dinner would be an excellent opportunity, a first date for nutritional yeast and pasta. I roasted some beets, sliced ‘em real thin. Some sauteed spinach, quinoa shells, white truffle oil and, yup, nutritional yeast. 

I took my first bite with mild trepidation. Chew, chew—suddenly, I was crushin’. Okay, maybe my taste buds were. I think my pasta had found a new boyfriend.

Yeah, so it isn’t quite the same as parmesan. It’s better. Nutritional yeast provides that tangy, nutty taste I so desire with my spelt spirals and rice penne. On top of popcorn, a gluten-free pizza, cheez sauce for nachos, the list goes for days. Besides the taste, there’s no stomachache to be had, and plenty of healthy perks. The possibilities are endless. My heart has gone on. 

At least from parmesan cheese.

You can find nutritional yeast at most organic grocery stores and health food spots for about $5.

GONE FISHIN’

Everyone needs an occasional break, and this week, it’s my turn! I’m headed back to my childhood home in The Ozarks for days of sunshine, old friends, thrifting, hillbilly activities and general relaxation. I’ll be back soon with tons of recipes, pictures and a recap of my time back in the south.

And if you really miss me that much, drop a line at foodfordorks [at] gmail [dot] com.

xoxo,

Food for Dorks

PS: The above photo was taken by my favorite lady with a camera, Lauren Ford. The dish we had was a total freestyle: a light, dairy-free grapefruit-based cream sauce with butternut squash, shitaake mushrooms, rosemary and pancetta, over rice pasta.