Dish - DIY Sprouts

I started sprouting last month and found it relatively easy so I thought I would share how you can make your own sprouts.

What is Sprouting?
- Trick your dried beans or seeds into sprouting without planting them in dirt.  
- Grow your own food, on your counter top or in a dark enclosed space.

Why Sprouting is Awesome?
- Cheap!!!  Buying dried beans is cheaper than in the can or pre-made.  TDH and I's biggest expense other than rent is groceries.  I'm constantly looking to cut costs without effecting flavor or our well-being.
- Healthy.  (Almost) anything that comes in a can or container is filled with salt and preservatives.  Why work out everyday if you are just going to put those toxins right back in with a pre-made meal?
- Easy.  No need to warm up the oven or stove.
- Texture.  I LOVE crunchy foods and now that I cut back on chips and crackers I miss the sensation of chomping on something light.  Sprouted beans are still a bit hard and give my teeth the crunch they crave.

cover with cheesecloth

You will find a few videos on Sprouting but this by far is my favorite.  The couple is hilarious!  

screw on the top

What you'll need
- Mason jar or similar with a 2 part lid (you won't need the center middle top, just the outer rim)
- Cheese cloth or thin screen
- Dried chickpeas, lentils, seeds, etc
- Water
- Patience

To Do List
- Rinse your beans, seeds or lentils
- Toss in the jar, fill with water 3-4" above the beans
- Cover with cheesecloth or screen and screw on the outer rim top to seal
- Soak overnight, drain and rinse again
- Rinse 2-3 times a day, keeping them moist but not soggy (leave the jar on the counter top if you are forgetful like me, I needed the constant reminder)
- After 2-3 days your sprouts are ready to go
- Add to salads, oatmeal or brown rice or try adding to these 2goplease recipes:
Bell Pepper Boats   /   Avo Kale Sprout Salad   /   LGO Brussel Sprout Salad (just add em' in)

2 days later!

funny looking right?

START FRESH + FINISH HEALTHY

Dig - DIY Bathtub Garden

Our rental in La Jolla came with a giant bathtub that was so unsteady we had to sign off in the lease we wouldn't sue in case it caused any bodily harm.  So after months of it sitting in the corner of our shower (our shower is larger than most NYC apartments) I asked the boys to move it outside.  I had been itching to plant carrots but they need a deep container.  The dogs and chickens eat anything we plant in the ground so a raised bathtub bed was the perfect solution! 

What you will need
- An old bathtub or large deep container.
- Good dirt, go for the organic stuff at your local nursery.  (Remember, you will be eating all this goodness and you wouldn't want to ruin it with cheap soil.)
- Compost from your kitchen and/or neighborhood chickens.
- Seeds.  Think about what you love to eat.  (I planted carrots, 2 types of kale and broccoli.  We feed the dogs carrots and I could eat kale 3 meals a day.)
- Gloves.
- Something to mix the dirt with, a shovel, stick or just your hands if you don't mind dirt under the fingernails.

Fresh picked kale from the bathtub

To do
1.  Find some large rocks or bricks for the bottom to ensure good drainage.

2.  Add a layer of dirt.

3.  Add a layer of chicken manure compost and/or store bought compost. 
4.  Mix it all together.

5.  Add another layer of dirt.
6.  Fill up your container a few inches from the top because the dirt will compress and sink in over the next week.
7.  Using a shovel or your hand create rows for your seeds.  Read the packaging labels for directions on spacing and planting seed depth.
8.  Add the seeds.  Cover with soil and water gently.
9.  Continue to water gently for the first few weeks.  Once the plants are set feel free to use the hose or your leftover pasta water (after it's cooled :).

age: 3 weeks

age: 5 weeks

age: 3 months

Have you planted in any crazy containers?  I would love to hear some ideas.  PS - My favorite seed catalog at the moment is Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

Bell Pepper Boats

I'm headed to Belize in 6 days, which means its bikini season in March!  Yikes.  Here's a little recipe I've been using a lot lately to clean up my eating.  My goal for the week is to be a Lean & Green fighting machine.  It's going to be a busy week before I leave.  We just launched a new website and collection at Borelli and I have a few freelance projects to wrap up.  Happy Monday ya'll.  

Bell Pepper Boats (gluten-free, raw, vegan)

Ingredients
1 bell pepper
hummus
garlic paste
sprouted chickpeas or any other bean or vegan protein
spinach, chopped
green onion, chopped (white and green parts)
sun-dried tomatoes, slivered
sunchoke, chopped
nutritional yeast flakes
first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

- Wash bell pepper, slice down the middle, scrape out seeds.
- Spread hummus and garlic paste inside each bell pepper half.
- Stuff boats with spinach, chickpeas, green onion, sunchoke and sun-dried tomatoes. 
- Sprinkle nutritional yeast flakes, salt and pepper. 
- Drizzle olive oil.
- Serve with a salad of the veggies you have leftover.

Makes 1 bell pepper boat, good for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Video Friday - Beet Cake

Get whisked away this week with a gorgeous video from the husband and wife team behind Tiger in a Jar.

Crushed Red Pepper & Herb Focaccia Bread

I have a confession to make.  My parents didn't cook much growing up.  We grew up on take out.  I used to be AWFUL in the kitchen.  One time I baked cookies for a boyfriend in high school and he unfortunately shared them with his entire math class.  The teacher was horrified while everyone else had to spit them out.  The boyfriend told me later that day we would hire a professional chef if we ever got married.  (In case you are wondering, we didn't get married and TDH and I do not have a personal chef.)

I'm telling you this because I don't want you to be afraid of baking your own bread.  I had no idea what I was doing the first few times.  I tend to stick to focaccia bread because you don't need to knead it or use a special machine.  The trickiest part is getting the dough consistency right.  It should be slightly sticky and damp but not so sticky it clings to your hands.  In order to help you master fresh bread I will answer your dough questions via twitter.  Send pictures, questions or new ideas to @marissaborelli. 

Now, for the recipe.  My aunt's father-in-law passed down this recipe to her and I've tweaked it over the years.  Here's the latest version, incorporating super protein quinoa, brimming with fresh herbs from the backyard and flaked with crushed red pepper.  I didn't mince the herbs much this time around.  We've been watching Jamie Oliver's cooking show lately and in honor of one of his favorite sayings, "not mucking about" I threw whole thyme sprigs in the dough.    

Ingredients

1/4 cup lukewarm water

1 package yeast

pinch of sugar

3/4 c quinoa flour

2 ¼ c whole wheat pastry flour

3 c unbleached white flour

2-3 tsp salt

4 sprigs rosemary

small handful of fresh thyme

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 ¼ c water (add a little more if using whole wheat flour)

first cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil (the good stuff)

Maldon salt

1.  Whisk together yeast, water and sugar. Let yeast expand for 10 minutes.

2.  Mix flours, herbs and spices.  Add water slowly and combine with a mixer, spatula or your hands.  Dough should be slightly sticky.  If it sticks to your hands too much add more flour, if it is cracking add more water. 

3.  Drizzle extra virgin olive oil in a bowl three times the size of your dough ball.  Place dough in bowl and cover with a damp washcloth, secure with a rubberband.  

4.  Let rise until double - 1-6 hours (the bakers in Italy let it rise all morning or overnight but one hour is sufficient in a pinch).

5.  Preheat oven to 425* F

5.  Prepare a large cookie sheet or two 9x13 pans with good olive oil and sea salt on bottom and sides to prevent sticking.

6.  Stretch dough out on prepared pan or cookie sheet.  Punch holes with thumbs in dough, drizzle with olive oil and dust with Maldon salt.

7.  Bake 12-15 minutes.  

Dig - January Images from the garden

rainbow radishes

the chickens destroyed my bok choy, at least they eat healthy

taking a nap against the bean pole

yes we have a bathtub in the backyard, I planted in it, more later

our new blueberry bush

the chickens cuddling

Falling for Anthropologie

It's still 75* in San Diego but I can live vicariously through my East Coast friends.  Here are my favorite looks from Anthro's November lookbook and wish-list worthy items from their new line Terrain. 

 

shop the looks

Burlap Pressed Pot

Vertical Planter

Drop Glass Tillandsia Kit