Homeopath and pet specialist Susie Killian and I pair up to share the very latest information on Gemmo extracts for your furry friends.  Learn to harmonize your pet’s nervous system, support healthy elimination, and address chronic symptoms naturally with Gemmo plant bud extracts. Your pets will thank you.

One of my favorite kitchen challenges is to capture the essence of a dish with only my memory of the flavors as a guide. While I may not have captured the exquisite visual appeal, the taste of these creamy white beans over polenta was spot on. 

This recipe was inspired by a delightful farm to table experience at Toddy Pond Farm just outside Belfast.

Polenta Base

• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup polenta — note whether you have quick cooking polenta or not and adjust the cooking time.
• 4 cups of water
• Vegan Butter (I love Miyokos brand)

Beans

• Olive Oil
• 1 large or 2 small shallots peeled and chopped fine
• 1 large carrot diced
• A handful of fresh sage and thyme 
• 2-3  cups of prepared veggie broth
• 1 can of Cannellini beans washed and drained (or other firm white beans)
• ½ cup of store bought or prepare your own cashew cream
• 1 T Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Basket of garden fresh cherry tomatoes, about 24

Directions

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium-size heavy saucepan over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Pour cornmeal slowly into water, stirring with a wire whisk or wooden spoon. Continue stirring as mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Cover, reduce heat and allow to simmer until thickened and corn grits are swollen and soft, not gritty.  The cooking time can be 5-10 mins for quick cooking versions of 30-40 mins minutes for traditional.  Stir every 5 minutes.
3. Prepare a baking sheet or pan with a bit of olive oil or vegan butter.  Choose a pan that will allow the polenta to be no thicker than one inch.  
4. Pour cooked polenta into the pan, score into rectangles, and set aside to cool while you prepare the beans.
5. Coat a heavy skillet with olive oil and adjust heat to medium.  When oil is hot add chopped shallots, reduce heat and saute until soft, careful not to burn the edges.  Add carrots, allowing to brown slightly, then add sage leaves and fresh thyme.  Pour enough prepared veggie broth to cover and simmer until carrots are tender, adding broth as needed.  
6. In the meantime prepare cashew cream and drain white beans.
7. When carrots are tender, adjust liquid so that veggies remain completely covered. Add drained beans and cashew cream, allowing to simmer just long enough to meld the flavors but not break down the shape of the beans. Add balsamic vinegar and set aside, warming gently just before serving.
8. Heat another skillet with a splash of olive oil and saute cherry tomatoes with a handful of sage leaves until they pop and just begin to collapse.  Remove to a dish and set aside.
9. The final step is giving the polenta a crispy exterior. This can be done in a frying pan, heating long enough to slightly brown each side or on a baking sheet, brushing with oil first and browning in an oven set to 450 degrees. 
10. Once the polenta is ready it’s time to assemble the dish on one serving plate or individually. Polenta layer first, topped with beans and then cherry tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Enjoy!

Listen in and discover what Sweet Chestnut can offer you and your family now. Enjoy this balanced conversation with a splash Materia Medica and an Asian Medicine lens as Maegan and Lauren explore the potential of Sweet Chestnut Gemmotherapy.

Discover more about Lauren and Maegan’s work here:

Lauren Hubele

Maegan Lemp

These gorgeous purple cabbage heads called me by name at the Damariscotta Maine Coop.  Locally grown with sweet, crisp leaves they produced a crunchy slaw packed with texture and flavor that didn’t disappoint. The pomegranate molasses added the perfect tang to create a bowlful of deliciousness. Preparing this an hour before serving will provide the best results. 

Ingredients

1 Small Asian Cabbage

1 Small Purple Cabbage

1 Yellow Sweet Pepper

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3 TBL apple cider or white balsamic vinegar

1-2 TBL Maple Syrup

3 TBL Pomegranate Molasses

⅔ Cup Olive Oil 

Handful of Basil

Salt and Pepper to taste

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Dried Cherries

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Slice cabbages and sweet pepper into fine strips, cutting in half if needed. Blend dressing ingredients in a small processor or with an immersion blender, adjust as needed for a tart-sweet flavor. Pour just enough dressing over veggies to coat well.  Add dried cherries and pumpkin seeds. 

Enjoy!

These bites are just the best for travel, mid meal snacks, and hikes. You”ll see this is more of an ingredient list than a recipe. The only trick here is to adjust the amount of wet ingredients to dry so that the mixture comes together and can easily hold it’s shape. Enjoy the versatility of these yummy treats and improvise with whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of medjool dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for 10-15 mins
• 3/4 of a cup of any nut butter or tahini
• 3/4 of a cup of walnuts, pecans or any other nut ground (cashews and or sunflower seeds are excellent)
• ½ cup of ground seeds ( I like a mix of pumpkin and sunflower) and/or desiccated coconut 
• ½ cup or handful of dried fruits ( apricot, fig, cherries, golden raisins are all delicious)
• 2 Tbs of chia seeds
• 1-2 Tbs of coconut oil
• 2 Tbs of hemp seeds
• 2 Tbs of 1 raw cacao powder or crushed cacao nibs
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• A splash or two of maple syrup if needed for moisture or sweetening

Prep all ingredients and then add to the bowl of your food processor. Pulsing until you reach a desired consistency. Taste and adjust sweetenings.

You might consider using a mini ice cream scoop for quick portioning.

These bites can be portioned and stored in the freezer or fridge to be ready when needed. 

Enjoy!

Here’s a stew inspired by Yotom Ottolenghi to carry you into fall and it is a much deserved helping of pure comfort in a bowl. 

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 Red onion, peeled and finely chopped
• Fresh thyme leaves removed from stems
• 1 large or 2 small eggplants cut in chunks
• 24 cherry tomatoes halved or 2 large tomatoes chopped
• 180 g or 1 cup of Green French Lentils (Puy)
• Fresh baby spinach or frozen chopped spinach
• Water to cover
• 1-2 cubes of vegetable bouillon 
• Vegan sour cream
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Fresh oregano sprigs

Directions

1. Place chopped eggplant and halved cherry tomatoes in a large bowl.  Generously season with salt and pepper and allow to sit.
2. Add olive oil to a large heavy, lidded skillet on medium heat.  Add onion and saute until soft.  Remove onion with a slotted spoon, leaving oil in the pan.  Return to heat and add thyme, with eggplant and tomatoes, in batches if necessary.  Saute until eggplant has softened and tomatoes have collapsed.  
3. Add lentils and stir well to incorporate.  Cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Add water if necessary.  Adjust seasonings as needed, adding bouillon cubes one at a time. Fold in spinach before serving.
4. Serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream, pinch of red pepper flakes and a sprig of oregano.