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Holiday Meal Planning: Appetizers! by Carolyn K

Weekly Meal Plan: Planning Your Holiday Festivities with Easy Appetizers

There are plenty of reasons to love the holidays–the cool breeze, crunchy leaves, pumpkin pie–but the best part of the season is spending time with close friends and family. Instead of opting for the same old holiday meal in your typical, weekly meal plan, why not throw a little party instead? Here are some ideas for holiday appetizers that everyone will enjoy.

Hummus Dip

Dips are approachable, delicious, and perfect for the New Year’s Eve or holiday party. Hummus is extremely easy to make and chock-full of protein and fiber. All you have to do is blend up some garbanzo beans and add a touch of olive oil, salt, garlic, tahini, and lemon juice. Experiment with your dip. Add sun dried tomatoes or make an herbed hummus with parsley, chives, cilantro and dill. 100% gluten free party dip!

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is another easy-to-prepare appetizer that can appeal to vegans, vegetarians, and carnivores alike. Buy a baguette at your local gluten free bakery, then broil slices (each dabbed with a touch of olive oil) until each side is golden. Rub the side that will be face-up with a head of garlic. Then, add your ingredients! Try spreading a thin layer of avocado on the top of your piece of gluten free bread, then add scallions and celery. You can also try a more traditional gluten free bruschetta, like diced cherry tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Martini

Of course, if you’re entertaining, you’ll need a nice cocktail to kick off the night. After keeping it light with hummus and gluten free bruschetta, indulge your sweet-tooth with a pumpkin spice martini. There are pumpkin flavored liqueurs out there, which could help you achieve that true, pumpkin flavor, but there are alternatives if you can’t get your hands on this commodity. Combine a vanilla flavored vodka, pumpkin puree (if you can’t find pumpkin liqueur), Bailey’s Irish Cream (or vanilla vegan creamer if you have vegan guests). Add a touch of cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg for that extra kick.

This year, instead of overwhelming your palate with heavy honey-based hams and pecan pie, keep it light and simple with scrumptious appetizers, enjoyed with good company. Happy holidays!

Carolyn K

A Day of Gratitude

24 Nov 2011

Today, I am thankful for my family, my friends, my wonderful customers, and one of these turkeys, which is currently in my oven. In September, a couple of my awesome employees and I went to visit the Inspiration Plantation, a farm in Ridgfield, Washington. There we played with the farm dogs and billy goats, chased Charlie the chicken, and stood in awe of the presence of these beautiful heritage turkeys. I ordered a few for Thanksgiving, and as mentioned, one of these guys is in my oven as I type!

Now is a time to reflect on how what we can each be thankful for, which is unique to each of us. My sister Kristy is currently thankful for the frosted gingerbread cake I brought home from last night’s dinner; my niece Enza is currently thankful for the ice dancing on television (such a treat!) and my littlest niece Vera is thankful that her cousin Theo is learning to play nice and not palm her head like a basketball.

Enjoy the ones you spend this day with, and the special, warm moments that this day brings along with all the food. Yay to a gluten free Thanksgiving!

Cheers,

Abby

Thanksgiving Solutions: Order from us!

15 Nov 2011

It’s time for one of the classic family style dinners, shared by families across the country. Since family style is our speciality, let us help you! It may be that you have most all the parts taken care of between you and your relatives, but in case you are yearning for something and don’t have the time, or just want something delicious and easy, take a look at our Thanksgiving menu and place an order today through Sunday, November 20th (order minimum is only $40 total).

If you are searching for a gluten free, dairy free and soy free solution for your Thanksgiving table, we have you covered! Order anything, from pies to cranberry sauce, stuffing and gravy.

Here’s the bonus: during our Thanksgiving pick up times on Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd, Hip Chicks Do Wine will be hosting a FREE wine tasting! Come sip some wine with us, and purchase bottles that perfectly match your holiday menu.

If you have questions regarding your Thanksgiving order, please email us at orders@abbys-table.com or call (503) 828-7662. Thank you!

Wellness Dinner Series! Beginning November 12th

01 Nov 2011

On November 12th The Open Kitchen will be hosting the first dinner in our Wellness Dinner Series at Abby’s Table here in Portland, Oregon!

Dr. Shannon Weeks (Naturopathic Physician) and Dr. Alexis Shields (Naturopathic Physician) have collaborated with the Open Kitchen to highlight local ingredients that aid in the prevention of colds and influenza. We have taken their recommended ingredients and created a fine dining menu that is guaranteed to taste delicious, and will help you stay healthy during the winter months. I am pleased to say that I will be the chef for each of these Wellness Dinners!

About the Series: Wellness dinners are a collaboration of health professionals and culinary professionals to delve into the relationship between the foods we eat and our health. A question and answer period will follow the dinner.

November 12^th Wellness Dinner
100% Gluten and Dairy Free

FIRST
Chicken Consomme with Ginger and Scallions

SECOND
Black Rice Stir Fry with Chantrelle Mushrooms
And Turmeric Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

MAIN
Cinnamon Braised Beef or Black Beans
On a Bed of Wilted Autumn Greens with Balsamic-Date Viniagrette And with Crispy Fried Sweet Potato Cakes

DESSERT
Warm Pumpkin Casserole with a Honey-Coconut “Cream”

If you are Vegan or Vegetarian, we definitely have options for you, please contact: Daniel@theopenkitchenpdx.com ahead of time.

Dinner starts at 7 PM on Saturday November 12 at Abby’s Table. Tickets are $45 per person. Reserve Now!

Halloween Hangover Cures

31 Oct 2011

Happy Halloween!!!

This is one of my favorite holidays, not because of the candy but because it’s an excuse to dress up in costume!

But let’s be honest. Halloween is a day where you get to be someone else, both in costume and in consumption. All those little treats! Candy of all kinds! Temptation and nostalgia loom close.

So in case you decide to eat out of character rather than just wear a wig, here are some remedies to help balance the negative effects of sugar (spaciness, tiredness, bloating, dizziness, anxiety, and the list goes on:)

1. Umeboshi Plums: These powerful alkalizing plums reign from Japan and are a known cure for sugar intoxication (as

well as hangovers). Purchase a bottle of umeboshi plum vinegar or a container of umeboshi plum paste to keep around
for times when you need to reset. Stir a small amount into water, garnish a salad with vinegar, or simply swallow a small amount of paste. Beware! This is super salty/sour in taste! But, enjoy the immediate relief.

2. Lemon: Simply put. Add some juice in hot tea or water, especially the morning after a big sugar dose. Wait 20 minutes to eat breakfast so your body can reset in ph.

3. Kukicha tea: This is a common macrobiotic twig tea that is alkalizing in property. It has a very minute amount of caffeine, so it’s suitable for any time of day.

4. Miso soup: I prefer the chickpea miso myself, but all miso pastes are both alkalizing and good for digestion due to it’s fermented state. Make a small cup of soup with scallions, and relax back into balance.

5. Kudzu: This root starch is great for sugar balance, upset stomachs, and anxiety. Mix 1 Tablespoon in 3 T. water to make a slurry, and stir into 1 cup heating apple juice until it thickens. Now you have a quick fruit pudding that calms the body and aids in rebalancing – it may also help you stop reaching for the candy bowl:)

Keep these items as tools in your kitchen, and you will be armed for any sugar outbreak, holiday or not.

Pie Day!

15 Oct 2011

1 comment

You are picking apples. I am picking apples. Let’s all bake pies together!

On Sunday, October 23rd from 10am-2pm come to Abby’s Table FREE pie making day!

We will provide you the gluten free flour, and you can bring your filling, butter/oil of choice and a pie pan. In case you haven’t gone picking, or just want this to be easy, we will also be selling “Pie Kits” with all the fixings for your pie for just $5 a pop.

We’ll have warm cider and recyclable pie tins in case you forget. Join us, the kitchen will be smelling particularly good!

The Good Fats

12 Oct 2011

Article by Kristy Fammartino, Abby’s Table co-founder, 2009.

Cashews have been a staple of my diet for years for the obvious reasons – they are a convenient, satisfyingly crunchy treat with rich, buttery flavor. Did I mention they come directly from a tree (can I ask for a more perfect, natural and unadulterated snack for my family?)

Well. Many Americans are so scared of the letters “F-A-T” on a nutrition label that they actually avoid nourishing their bodies with the good stuff in an effort to stay “thin” and healthy. What they are missing (besides the delightful spoons of goodness I indulge in every day) is that cashews contain primarily unsaturated fatty acids, 75% of which is oleic acid, the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil. Oleic acid found in cashews promotes good cardiovascular health by reducing high triglyceride levels which are associated with increased risk for heart disease. (Adapted from organiccashewnuts.com).

An excerpt from “The Skinny of Fats” by Mary Enig, PhD and Sally Fallon:

The much-maligned saturated fats – which Americans are trying to avoid – are not the cause of our modern diseases. In fact, they play many important roles in the body chemistry:

Saturated fatty acids constitute at least 50% of the cell membranes. They are what gives our cells necessary stiffness and integrity.
They play a vital role in the health of our bones. For calcium to be effectively incorporated into the skeletal structure, at least 50% of the dietary fats should be saturated.
(Fats) lower Lp(a), a substance in the blood that indicates proneness to heart disease. They protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, such as Tylenol.
They enhance the immune system.
They are needed for the proper utilization of essential fatty acids.
Elongated omega-3 fatty acids are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in saturated fats.
Saturated 18-carbon stearic acid and 16-carbon palmitic acid are the preferred foods for the heart, which is why the fat around the heart muscle is highly saturated.The heart draws on this reserve of fat in times of stress.
Short- and medium-chain saturated fatty acids have important antimicrobial properties. They protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.

Coconut, which is found in both our Nude Pudding (Raw Chocolate Pudding) and Turmeric Coconut Sauce, has so many health supportive properties I can’t even list them all here, but I’ll highlight a few that may convince those of us who have shied away from it due to its “high fat content.” Not only does coconut provide a nutritional source of quick energy, it improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose, it relieves stress on the pancreas and enzyme systems of the body, it improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth, it helps protect against osteoporosis, it reduces inflammation, it is lower in calories than most other fats, it supports thyroid function, and most importantly, it does not deplete the body’s antioxidant reserves like other oils. Need I say more? (If you’d like to see the source of this list in addition to the bounty of other nutritious benefits of eating coconut, click here).

With this, I say, indulge in our sweet, savory and rich sauces and dips knowing that they are chock-full of goodness for your bodies and your immunity – but, as with all things that are too good to be “true,” moderation is key. (This is why we have people like Chef Abby in the world, as people like me would most definitely consume a whole jar of Nude Pudding in one sitting if it weren’t for my constant friendly reminders from the holy goddess of good fats.)

Here’s to eating the food your body loves.

Food For Thought

12 Oct 2011

Food For Thought…or should we say, Food As Art? Photographer Mark Menjivar has a fantastic project called You Are What You Eat. His photos speak to the issues of ”the foods we consume as individuals and the affects they have on us and communities.” Great stuff to chew on….and even more reason why Abby’s Table believes in Food Your Body Loves.

09 Oct 2011