Colorado Dreaming Chowder | Hemp Creamed Spring Onion & Potato Soup

cebollines - mexican spring onions

COLORADO DREAMING CHOWDER

hemp creamed spring onion & potato soup

My body felt blissfully sore, exhausted, yet inspired by a bluebird day spent snowboarding in perfect March powder. I wanted warmth and comfort. I wanted the deep nourishment that only soup can satisfy. It begins with a confetti dotted mirepoix. It ends with shelled hemp seed cream. Yukon golds bring silky body while white miso adds inches of flavor depth. But this soup is really about Cebollines, mexican spring onions. Cebollines (seh-boh-yee-nehs) are the onion of choice in Pacific Mexican cuisine and are found at Mercados (mexican grocers). They come in bunches and look like big green onions. Their character is bright and fresh. Like springtime. Like high altitude sunshine. Like the permagrin after a Colorado dreaming powder day.

COLORADO DREAMING CHOWDER

Hemp Creamed Spring Onion & Yukon Gold Soup

The Hemp Cream

Soak ½ c shelled hemp seeds with 1/2c water. 
Let soak a minimum of 2 hours.

Blend on high with:

2T avocado oil

2T white miso
Set aside

The Mirepoix

Cut the following vegetables into a small dice size and saute in medium pot with 1 tablespoon Avocado or Olive oil until onions are glossy:

1 celery stick,

2 carrots, medium sized

1 parsnip, medium sized

2 Cebollinas or 1 Leek

½ red pepper

½ green pepper

Add:

8c water, spring or reverse osmosis

4 Yukon Golds, medium sized, diced

1-2t dried basil, garden fresh dried if available*

1-2t dried thyme, garden fresh dried if available*

Let simmer for 30 minutes. Take off heat. Puree half of the soup in blender and then return pureed soup to pot. Place a towel over blender top and hold down when blending. This eliminates hot soup explosions! Add hemp cream and stir soup. The hemp cream curdles at high temperatures so it is important that the heat is turned off while adding it. 

Final touches:

1-2t sea salt, to taste

fresh cracked black pepper
onion greens garnish, finely chopped
sliced avocado

*Dry your own herbs for garden fresh flavor to brighten winter/late spring meals. Pick whole stems of herbs such as basil, thyme, tarragon & oregano. Tie into bunches and hang upside down in dark, dry place. Store in glass mason jars after thoroughly dried.

Hemp Buttermilk Biscuits | Perfect Gluten Free Biscuits | Vegan

HEMP BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

I’ve spent decades experimenting on the perfect biscuit. One that’s’ light, moist, and slightly fluffy. A good biscuit can soak up vegetarian gravy or strawberry shortcake fixings without getting soggy. The Hemp Buttermilk proved to be the missing ingredient to earlier trials. If making the Shortcake Biscuit variation, the quick hemp buttermilk recipe can be used. Using our house GF flour blend is the other secret ingredient to perfection. Gluten free flour blends are easy to make and economical. I always double or triple the recipe and save extra for another recipe, another time. This specific gluten free blend uses GF oat flour which is a light, whole grain and naturally binding flour. Going gluten free and vegan can be a great combination in baking. When done right, a light crumb, perfect moistness, and great flavor arises. Trust me on this… like I said, I’ve spent decades.

About Biscuit making: Its’ all about the magic touch in this department. I prefer to use my hands when incorporating the flour with the fat. It is important to NOT overmix the shortening/fat into the flour. Also- make sure the fats are chilled first. The key to a flaky biscuit is for some of the fats to remain solid and not to melt during mixing. Follow the instructions and you’ll be just fine. Biscuit making takes practice. Relax, and enjoy the process.

This recipe is my plant based, gluten free, hemp infused version inspired by the classic biscuit recipe published by the cookbook: The Joy of Cooking.

  

Recipe makes eight 4inch drop biscuits

Chill in freezer for 10 minutes:

3T Organic vegetable shortening (Spectrum a good brand)

3T Vegan Butter (Earth Balance)

In medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients together:

2c   Basic GF Flour blend, link to recipe 

1.5t baking powder

1/2t baking soda

1/2t salt

 Cut chilled fats with knife into 1 inch pieces. Add to flour mixture and cut in with a pastry blender until mixture resembles small pea size pieces . Alternatively, hands can be used. With fingers rub the fats with the flour until pea size pieces occur. Don’t overdo this step. It is important for the fats to not melt and to stay solid.

Add:

½ c   Hemp Buttermilk, link to recipe

1/4c Full fat coconut milk, stirred first

Mix with spoon until everything holds together and is incorporating. Again, it is important NOT to overmix. Just mix together enough to create a batter. The batter will be moist and sticky, but not smooth. Drop large spoonfuls of batter (about 1/3c) onto ungreased cookie sheet 1.5inches apart. Brush with melted vegan butter or coconut oil for lightly browned crust, optional.

Bake 8-10 minutes @ 425. Finished biscuits will have slightly browned peaks on top of biscuit. It is better to err on the side of underbaking. Overbaked Biscuits will be dry, especially if you are baking in high altitude conditions.

VARIATION: STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE BISCUITS                                              Add 1T cane sugar to dry ingredients and follow recipe above.

         Then proceed to our Strawberry Shortcake recipe.

Copyright Disclaimer:  The information provided here is copyright protected and used with written permission. Recipes are for personal use only and may not be used for any other purpose(s) without the written consent of Revolution in the Kitchen, Herban Kitchen, Sarah Gordon and/or Veg Fresh Cookery. Commercial use is not authorized. We offer restaurant menu consultations and food industry consultations. For more information email: revolutioninthekitchen@hotmail.com

Gluten Free Flour Blends

BASIC GLUTEN FREE FLOUR BLEND
makes 5 cups

2c    Oat Flour, certified gluten free
1/2c Brown Rice Flour
1.5c White Rice Flour
1c    Tapioca Starch
2t     Xantham Gum

Mix together in medium bowl

Strawberry Shortcake | Cali Girl Style | Best Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Ever | Gluten Free

CALI GIRL STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE 

Strawberry Shortcake is my favorite dessert and I hold it dear to my heart. I am pretty sure it is the first baked good I ever made, but only my mom knows the answer to that (RIP). I have beautiful memories of visiting the local strawberry fields with her near my childhood home. We'd bring home a flat of strawberries about 3ft x 1.5ft large. Visualize the standard 1lb strawberry package at the grocery store and multiply by 10. These strawberries were incredibly juicy and sweet, soft to the touch, and dark red. And we had about 5 days to eat all of them before they went bad! 
In my family, Strawberry Shortcake is served on top of a from scratch baked biscuit. Juicy strawberries soak into the biscuit and fresh whipped cream graces above. 

Find the juiciest, sweetest, and ripest strawberries possible. Make sure to get Organic. Commercially grown strawberries are on the dirty dozen list for pesticides. They are heavily sprayed and have ZERO flavor. The best strawberries I have found here in Colorado were at Whole Foods. Yeah I spent an extra buck or 2, but dessert shouldn't be toxic.

This recipe has from scratch components. Follow the links for making our house gluten free flour blend, hemp buttermilk, and hemp buttermilk biscuits. You can choose to use the "So Delicious" brand coconut whipped topping or make your own coconut milk whipped cream. Both are equally delicious. 

RECIPE

1 lb strawberries, organic or farm fresh only
1/2c organic cane sugar
1 recipe Hemp Buttermilk Biscuits
1 batch Coconut Milk Whipped Cream *

Prepare strawberries by cutting off all the green tops. Slice about 1/4 inch thick and place in small bowl. Add sugar and stir. Let sit for a minimum of 30 minutes until juicy.

Assembly:
Gently slice open biscuit. Place one biscuit half on dessert plate/bowl. Spoon about 1/4c strawberry mixture on top of biscuit. Dollop generously with whipped cream. Top with other biscuit half. Eat immediately. 

*About Whipped Cream:
I love the So Delicious brand "Coco Whip", see picture. Its' vegan/plant based and one of my favorite products to use in desserts. I also use it as a whipped filling for in between cake layers. And in my Ambrosia fruit salad. Buy the full fat version. Its' at Sprouts, Vitamin Cottage/Natural Grocers, and Whole Foods here in Denver.
There are many recipes on the internet for making fresh Whipped Cream out of Coconut Milk. Its' incredible and worth the effort. 
I have had success with the following recipe:
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2011/09/how-to-make-whipped-coconut-cream-from.html

Copyright Disclaimer:  The information provided here is copyright protected and used with written permission. Recipes are for personal use only and may not be used for any other purpose(s) without the written consent of Revolution in the Kitchen, Herban Kitchen, Sarah Gordon and/or Veg Fresh Cookery. Commercial use is not authorized. We offer restaurant menu consultations and food industry consultations. For more information email: revolutioninthekitchen@hotmail.com

Go Broncos! Hemp Superfood Party Apps

Ok so you have a closet full of Broncos tees and all of your kids wear the latest orange and blue fashions. I get it - you are a huge fan. AND its' going to be quite the party! So when it comes to the food being served lets' take it up a couple notches and showcase another thing that Denver is proud of: Cannabis. 

How about showing your Colorado pride by incorporating hemp foods into the appetizer spread? Take a deep breath, its' federally legal in all 50 states. And your guests are going to flip out and declare your party the best ever. Go Broncos!

Lets' talk about Cannabis, hemp and marijuana for a bit....
Hemp is a superfood and you aren't gonna get high from it and you WILL pass a drug test. Hemp as a food is legal here in 'Merica. However, mass confusion arises because both Hemp and Marijuana (argued as a slang term, referred to here as THC heavy strains) come from the same Cannabis species, although they are genetically distinct and have differences in chemical makeup. Cannabis is an incredible herb that has a 8000 year plus history all over the world. We humans have been eating hemp as a food for a very long time.

I am totally stoked on hemp! The seed is the part of the hemp plant that is used for food. There are NO cannabinoids (i.e. THC or CBD) in the seeds of ANY cannabis plant. It is the seed that humans have used for food for thousands of years. The seed ground up becomes a high protein, intense, flour. A gorgeous green oil results from the cold pressing of the seed. My favorite hemp food to work with in the kitchen is shelled hemp seeds, sold as Hemp Hearts. It is incredibly versatile in the kitchen and has major creds to back it up. Its' a complete protein, meaning it has all of the essential amino acids. Its' also got the perfect balance of healthy Omega fats. Thats' just a few nutritional facts. Its' a major superfood and nourishes us at a deep cellular level. Your DNA knows what cannabis is and rejoices when we consume it in any shape or form. Its' healing energy, straight from Earth Gaian intelligence resurfacing just in time to save humanity and our planet. I mean that.

The recipes...

EDAMAME WITH HEMP SEED GOMASIO

Fresh toasted sesame spotlights this japanese inspired seasoning salt

DEVILED YUKON GOLDS

Tastes like: 2 bites, creamy, yum bomb, and full of good picnic memories

HIGH VIBE CRUDITES w/ HEMP BUTTERMILK RANCH

Cut your own veggies and just say no to sad, pre-fab vegetable trays. And definitely serve it with our house ranch.

]

HEMP BUTTERMILK RANCH, and milk, and buttermilk

I'm stoked on shelled hemp seeds and all their creamy possibilities

SUPERGREENS ARTICHOKE DIP

My version kicks ass and isn't full of gross Mayo and hormoned out dairy products

Copyright Disclaimer:  The information provided here is copyright protected and used with written permission. Recipes are for personal use only and may not be used for any other purpose(s) without the written consent of Revolution in the Kitchen, Sarah Gordon and/or Veg Fresh Cookery. Commercial use is not authorized. We offer restaurant menu consultations and food industry consultations. For more information visit www.revolutioninthe.kitchen

Supergreens Artichoke Dip

SUPERGREENS ARTICHOKE DIP

My version kicks ass and isn't full of nasty salmonella egg based Mayonaise or hormoned out dairy products. This is very popular at my catering events. Serve with Crostini, Gluten free crackers, and/or thickly sliced vegetable 'chips' (see photo). Fresh cannabis fan leaves are a supergreen and can be used in recipe. Keep reading for important details.

Makes 1 Qt.

Plan ahead and get the following soaking for a minimum 2 hours, ASAP!

3/4 cup raw cashews in 1 cup water

1/2c hemp hearts, in 1/2c water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend together on high till very creamy, about 2-3 minutes:

rinsed and soaked cashews, discard soaking water

hemp hearts and their soaking water

3T nutritional yeast

2t  white miso

3/4c Just Mayo, the best vegan mayonaise out there

1/3c water

fresh grated nutmeg

fresh cracked pepper

1T Himalayan salt

opt. 2T + cultured cashew cheese

Saute in medium saucepan:

½ leek or 1 cebollina

2 cloves garlic, minced

2T oil

Add:

1 medium sized head Kale of choice, destemmed & finely chopped

1 pkg frozen spinach, thawed with excess water squeezed out

3c chopped supergreens  OR fresh cannabis fan leaves* 

Cover with lid and cook until kale/hemp/supergreens are soft. Then Add:

15oz drained artichoke hearts, chopped

Add the hemp cream mixture to greens and stir together. Place in 7 inch round iron skillet or an 8x8 baking dish. Pyrex or Pampered Chef makes a great choice. Bake until browned- about 30+ minutes. Alternative: simmer together in saucepan until thickened.

*The following can used in the supergreens blend: beet greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, spinach, kale, chard, asian greens, and even Cannabis fan leaves. The fan leaves of the cannabis plant contain no THC but good levels of CBD's. Google CBD's now and check out how amazing this cannabanoid is. It fights cancer and so much more. The tender inner fan leaves of cannabis, hemp or marijuana, cultivated for medicine or seed is recommended. Check on the organic status of any plant you plan on eating. Not all people grow cannabis the same and pesticides/funky additives are common in the cannabis growing world. Organic outdoor or greenhouse grown is the best. I wouldn't trust hydroponically grown for eating. I live in Denver so I have a major strategic advantage for getting ahold of this RAD supergreen. I also have a romantic weakness for growers LOL. Yeah - growers are hot!

Copyright Disclaimer:  The information provided here is copyright protected and used with written permission. Recipes are for personal use only and may not be used for any other purpose(s) without the written consent of Revolution in the Kitchen, Sarah Gordon and/or Veg Fresh Cookery. Commercial use is not authorized. We offer restaurant menu consultations and food industry consultations. For more information visit www.revolutioninthe.kitchen

Hemp Milk, Hemp Buttermilk, Hemp Buttermilk Ranch

HEMP MILK, HEMP BUTTERMILK, & HEMP BUTTERMILK RANCH

I'm stoked on shelled hemp seeds and all their creamy possibilities

HEMP MILK #1

Recipe makes 1 Quart

This is a great milk to use in smoothies, baking, desserts, or in our hemp buttermilk recipe. The added ingredients help create a nice mouthfeel and balance of flavor, similar to bovine milk. Liquid sunflower lecithin is found in the vitamin/supplements section of health food stores. The lecithin helps to emulsify the milk and reduce separation. Some separation is expected and can be resolved with a simple shake of the milk. I use the Now brand and find it at Natural Grocers/Vitamin Cottage. A blender can be used instead of a vitamix. You may need to blend for a longer period of time.

Soak 2 hours minimum before using:

1c hemp hearts in 4c H20, filtered or Reverse Osmosis preferable

Place hemp hearts/water mixture in vitamix and blend for 1-2 minutes.

Strain through muslin and then put strained milk back in vitamix.

Add and blend on high for 1 minute:

2T safflower or other neutral oil

1T liquid sunflower lecithin

1T agave nectar

1/2t Himalayan salt

HEMP MILK #2

Recipe makes about 2 cups.

This is a quickie hemp milk suitable for the hemp buttermilk recipe. It doesn’t have to be strained, depending on the recipe it is to be used in.

Soak 2 hours minimum before using:

1c hemp hearts in 2.5c H20, filtered or Reverse Osmosis preferable

Place hemp hearts/water mixture in vitamix and blend for 1-2 minutes.

Strain through muslin or cheesecloth, if desired.

HEMP BUTTERMILK

The acidity of the citrus curdles and slightly thickens the hemp milk. Use the buttermilk in our Ranch Dressing recipe. It is important to use a hemp milk that you make yourself from one of our recipes. Commercial hemp milk is either sweetened and/or has vanilla added to it. These are unwanted flavors and make the buttermilk taste weird. Make sure to use fresh lemon juice from a real lemon that you squeeze yourself.

Stir together:

1c hemp milk, see above recipes

1T fresh squeezed lemon juice

Let sit 10 minutes.

HEMP BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING

I catered a lunch for a bunch of hemp cannabis growers last fall, serving up this dressing with a huge platter of mixed salad greens. Boom! I’ve never seen dudes eat so much salad before, ever. They were getting seconds, then thirds. We ran out of salad.

Don’t let making the Hemp Buttermilk scare ya. The quickie hemp milk recipe works fine here and you don’t really have to strain it either.

Recipe makes 2+ cups

Whisk the following ingredients together in small bowl:

1.5c  Vegan Mayonaise, preferably Just Mayo or Veganaise brand

5/8c  Hemp Buttermilk, see recipe

2T    fresh lemon juice, from a real lemon

1.5t   garlic powder

fresh cracked black pepper, a few good turns

.75t   dried oregano or marjoram

1t      onion powder

1/4t   sea salt, Himalayan, or Utah red salt

1/8t   celery seed powder

1T     fresh minced chives, optional

1T     fresh minced parsley, optional

Copyright Disclaimer:  The information provided here is copyright protected and used with written permission. Recipes are for personal use only and may not be used for any other purpose(s) without the written consent of Revolution in the Kitchen, Sarah Gordon and/or Veg Fresh Cookery. Commercial use is not authorized. We offer restaurant menu consultations and food industry consultations. For more information visit www.revolutioninthe.kitchen