crEATe is back, now writing from Greensboro, NC!

Hello, friends!  My apologies for the lapse in writing.  I wanted to let you know that I'm now writing from Greensboro, NC (no longer Ann Arbor).  Having been here over a week at this point, Cody and I have been discovering all of the natural food joys Greensboro has to offer.  One of the first new items we purchased after moving is a shiny red barbeque, which produced some fantastic grilled portabella mushrooms (recipe below).  Now that we have a backyard, we've also planted several vegetables and herbs--tomatoes, onions, peppers, basil, rosemary, and dill--which will hopefully be the subject of recipes in posts later this summer.


As for the cooking saga, I'm finally back to work, making new vegan recipes, baking new breads, and continuing the soap-making experiment.  Here's a few recipes to kick things off:

Grilled Portabella Mushroom Sandwiches
Grilled portabella mushrooms are a great entree to serve for friends who may not be vegetarian because they take on a meaty flavor when barbequed.  Seasonings can be altered depending on your preferences.

6 medium-sized portabella mushrooms
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. coriander

12 slices fresh bread (I used my homemade sourdough)
Your choice of condiments: ketchup, mustard, relish, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, vegan cheese, etc.

1. Wash portabella mushrooms and pat dry.  
2. In a small bowl, mix olive oil and seasonings.  Using a pastry brush, rub seasoning mixture into the underside of the mushrooms and on top.  Place mushrooms in an airtight container and refrigerate to marinate for four hours.
3. Heat the grill.  Place mushrooms directly on grill and cook until tender, approximately 10-15 minutes. 
4. Serve on fresh bread with desired condiments.  Enjoy!

 For the sourdough fans, here's a brand new recipe

Whole Grain Sourdough Bread
Using all of the whole grains I had in my pantry.

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 cup rye flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup quinoa
1/4 cup flaxseed
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups distilled water
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1 Tbsp. agave syrup

1. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients.  Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the wet ingredients.  Thoroughly the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, kneading slightly and adding more water if the dough becomes too dry.
3. Cover dough with plastic and allow to proof in a warm place for 18 hours.
4. After 18 hours, place dough on on a floured surface, fold in thirds and then in half on itself.  Place back in the bowl, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 5-6 hours.
5. After five hours, grease a Dutch oven or clay baker and place in the oven.  Preheat at 500 degrees for 30 minutes.  
6. Uncover Dutch oven, place bread inside, recover, and bake for 40 minutes at 500 degrees.
7. After 40 minutes, reduce temperature to 450 degrees, remove lid from the Dutch oven, and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.
8. Remove bread from Dutch oven and let cool.  Enjoy!