Episode 370: Seeded Cucumbers, Veggie Chili, Vitamix

This week, we’ve got a cucumber tip, a no-recipe chili, and some thoughts on upgrading your blender.

We also talked about the lastest canning scandal: Can canners still trust the Ball Blue Book, cornerstone of the American canning canon?

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Want to help us keep the lights on? Become a member via our Patreon page. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Episode 369: Rice Fritters, Fiber Fueled, Sprouting Stuff

This week, we’ve got a flexible and kid-friendly fritter, a recipe to recommend, and a review of the book, Fiber Fueled.

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Want to help us keep the lights on? Become a member via our Patreon page. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Episode 368: Vegan Mexican, Quick Pasta Sauce, Summer Food Memories

In today’s episode, Joy talks about how to veganize Mexican favorites and shares some resources. Marisa’s got an amazing family-friendly pasta sauce hack (recipe below) and now that’s September, we talk summer food memories.

Yield: Serves 6

Chicken Broccoli Pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 12 ounces pasta
  • 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into small pieces
  • Fresh lemon juice, as needed

Instructions

    Put a large pot of water on to boil.

    Place a large, nonstick skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.

    Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a cup of water to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the onions and garlic are soft.

    Scrape the softened onions and garlic into a blender along with any remaining liquid. Puree. If it’s not moving nicely, add a splash more water. Taste and adjust seasoning.

    Return to the stove and salt the water in the large pot. Add the pasta and stir. When it is three minutes away from being done, add the broccoli.

    While the pasta and broccoli cook, put the remaining oil in the nonstick skillet. Set the heat back to medium-high and once the oil shimmers, add the chicken. Season with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.

    Drain the pasta and broccoli and return it to the pot (make sure to reserve some of the cooking liquid). Add the chicken and the garlic and onion puree. Stir to combine. Add a splash of cooking liquid if it is too thick. Taste and adjust with salt and lemon juice, as needed. Serve immediately.

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Want to help us keep the lights on? Become a member via our Patreon page. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Episode 367: Special Episode Q&A with Dan

This week, we’ve got a special episode. Many of you have written to me over the course of the pandemic to ask about kitchen projects that are really Dan’s. So we asked him to come on and answer them himself.

Dan’s list of online sources for bulk staples:

Sunflower oil

Where to buy: Susquehanna Mills

Rice and Cornmeal

Anson Mills

Legumes, dried beans

Palouse Brand chickpeas and lentils

Soybeans

Where: Laura Soybeans

When researching homemade soymilk, they kept coming up as the best beans to use. Dan had tried some dry from the bulk section at the store, but Laura were noticeable better, less beany.

Peanuts

Where to buy: Wakefield Peanut Co.

They’re the only farm Dan found that sold RAW (not roasted) nuts in bulk and also spin-blanches their nuts (vs cooking)

Bulk food sites

Grains (rye, oats etc.)

Breadtopia, popular with breadmakers so lots of turnover, some rare and heirloom grains

Dried fruit: Raisins, not-raisins (currants, cherries, whatever)

Where to buy: Foodtolive.com (for now)

Dan loves the clear country of origin

Nuts: Cashews, walnuts (or pecans, almonds)

Where to buy: Foodtolive.com (for now)

Sugar

Where to buy: Direct from Wholesome Sweeteners

Salt

Where to buy: Morton’s iodized table salt, from Morton’s or restaurant supply

Dan’s recipes for a few homemade staples. We’ve got ingredients and basic instructions here, but there’s more detailed discussion of how these are made in the episode!

Soy Milk, Makes ½ gal

Soak 200g beans overnight 1-2 days, blend with 2 water, add to 6.5c water, cook 10m, strain, cook 10m

Okara

Peanut Butter, makes 1 qt

More details at: Lifeisnoyoke.com

Fat content of nuts is big. Peanuts have lots, easy to make butter with. Almonds are lower in fat, harder to make into butter. You can add oil, or add peanuts to other nuts.

900g raw nuts, 16-18 min at 350, fridge, blend with ¾ – 1 tsp salt

Muesli

500g flaked grains, 100g seeds, 100g nuts

Toast oats and nuts

Toppings (fruit, chia seeds, etc.)

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Want to help us keep the lights on? Become a member via our Patreon page. Follow us on Instagram and twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Episode 366: Dal, Blender Muffins, and Melon

In food news this week, the Smithsonian is hiring a permanent curator of food and wine history.

In “What’s for Dinner?” Joy is cooking up her favorite dahl.

In “How’d You Make That?” Marisa has a muffin recipe:

Banana Oat Blender Muffins
1 ¼ cups rolled oats
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 overripe bananas
1/3 cup real maple syrup
2 eggs
¼ cup neutral oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. Lightly oil a standard 12 cup muffin tin.
Place the oats in a blender and process until they have transformed into flour. Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and pulse to combine.
Add the bananas, maple syrup, eggs, and oil and process until smooth.
Portion the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the muffins have risen nicely and a cake tester comes out mostly clean. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes in the cups. Run a butter knife around each muffin and remove from the cup, placing on a rack to fully cool. Muffins will keep 2-3 days on the counter, a week in the fridge, or for several months in the freezer.

In our Wildcard segment, we talk all things melon.

And in What We’re Loving, it’s smoked fish for Marisa this week.

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Want to help us keep the lights on? Become a member via our Patreon page. Follow us on Instagram and twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Episode 365: Turkey Burgers, Potato Salad, and All Things Pasta

This week in food news, we discuss Jezebel’s article on the weird world of Costco influencers.

In our What’s for Dinner? segment, Marisa is cooking up streamlined turkey burgers.

In our How’d you Make That? segment, Joy is talking about tweaks she’s made to her potato salad method.

And we have a wide ranging discussion of pasta.

In What We’re Loving, this week it’s The Great Canadian Baking Show

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Want to help us keep the lights on? Become a member via our Patreon page. Follow us on Instagram and twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Episode 364: Salad as Dinner, Skillet Jam, and Summertime Eats

In food news this week: Netflix’s ‘High on the Hog’ is essential food TV via the LA Times

In our “What’s for Dinner?” segment, we’re talking about making salad dinner-worthy.

In our ‘How’d you Make that Segment?” we’ve got skillet jam.

We’re also looking ahead to all the summertime eats in store over the next few months.

And finally, in “What We’re Loving” it’s green garlic.

If you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe! Bonus points if you rate us or leave a review. Want to help us keep the lights on? Become a member via our Patreon page. Follow us on Instagram and twitter @localmouthful and help us spread the word about the show.

Episode 362: Eggplant Parm, Crispy Mushrooms, and the Freezer

This week, in food news: I’ve Been a Waiter for Almost 35 Years and I’m Proud of It

In our “What’s for Dinner?” segment, Marisa’s got baked eggplant parm with tofu ricotta

In our “How’d you Make That?” segment, Joy is making crispy mushrooms.

We talk about all the old and new ways we use our freezer space these days.

And in What We’re Loving, it’s Pizza Plus in South Philly.