Tribeca Yummy Mummy

This weekend under a first wave of nesting power, my sewing closet got an overhaul.  It was in shabby shape before with about fifteen projects that were started but never quite finished and a big mess of fabrics… being an addict is never pretty, is it?

But.  I did it: cleaned out and cleaned up.  I finished five (!) of the projects that had been hanging around in there for an embarrassing amount of time.  Then, just because I wanted to celebrate and have some actual fun, I made a dress.

Let’s call this “The Instant Gratification Dress”.  Technically it’s called the Hopscotch Dress, but it took so little time and effort to whip up that it felt like it needed a fresh new name.  The pleasure of making this little number totally made up for the boring drudgery of the loose ends that had to be tied before I could even locate the fabric and drum up the inspiration.

Mira’s assessment?  “Soft.  Soooooooo soft.  And pretty.  It matches that necklace I made at camp.  [runs to go get said necklace] Can I wear it tomorrow… (pause) with the necklace?”

About this time of year, when the world (at least in New York City) is a bit dark gray and dreary, we start to crave bright, pretty things.  Things that will remind us that Spring and even Summer will come again one day.

This is usually the time I head to the frozen food aisle to visit the berries.  Tangy and luscious, raspberries are favorites among the mini-chefs.  We whipped up little snack muffins and made our favorites the star.

Raspberry Almond Muffins

• 1 1/2 c. slivered almonds (1/2 c. to make almond flour + 1 c. to top the muffins)
• 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• small pinch of salt
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 c. plain yogurt, room temperature
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 c. melted butter
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 t. vanilla (or, for more almond flavor, 1 t. almond extract)
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 c. raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1. Place 1/2 cup of the slivered almonds in the bowl of a food processor with the blade attachment.  Blitz until the almond are completely ground, the texture of a coarser flour.
2. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Line 18 muffins cups with papers.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours (including the almond flour you made), the salt, and the baking powder.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, melted butter, oil, and vanilla.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and gently stir them together, making sure that there are a few lumps and bumps remaining.
7. Add the sugar, and fold in the raspberries.
8. Using an ice cream scoop, fill the 18 muffin cups with the batter.
9. Top each muffin with a sprinkling of the remaining slivered almonds.
10. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when stuck in the middle of the biggest muffin.
11. Cool for a few minutes in the pan; then, remove to a wire rack to cool.

Almost two thirds of the way into this third pregnancy, one thing is clear.  We are in control of so little.  I am in control of so little.  Most days the only thing I can do is sit back and watch the magic unfold and try not to completely hinder the process.

“From wonder into wonder, existence opens.“-Lao Tzu

Stop in and take a peek at the other formless forms.  Nadine’s post, in particular, may enlighten:

Look at who has a wiggly tooth!  Consider these the “Before” shots.

Ok.  Confession: I have been craving Indian food almost since the beginning of this pregnancy and totally bent our cooking class to my whims this week!  Even in the throes of my worst morning sickness, Chicken Tikka Masala with a side of fresh spinach was one of the only things I could even consider eating.  Super weird, I realize, but the same thing happened while I was pregnant with my daughter.  Couldn’t really get down a slice of plain toast, but sign me up for a few bites of curry.

Now that the morning sickness (finally!) began to subside a couple of weeks back, the Indian food cravings still linger.

After begging one of our Indian-Canadian friends for her mama’s melt-in-your-mouth samosa recipe but never receiving (these, of course, grandma made by sight, and no recipe currently exists), it finally became clear that we would have to take matters into our own hands and improvise.  We came up with a very good and, despite the frying, pretty healthful samosa recipe that can be dipped in chutneys or yogurt spiked with a little lemon.  It’s a great way to sneak in some kale without it tasting, well, too much like kale.  The recipe is very mild, with the only heat coming from the ginger and a small pinch of cayenne.  If your mini-chef likes spicy food, then be sure and chop up a jalepeno pepper to add to the filling.

Samosas

For the Dough:

• 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 c. vegetable oil
• 1 c. water (or more if the dough is too dry)

1. Measure the flours and the salt into a large bowl, and whisk them together.
2. Pour in the oil all over the flour mixture, and, using a fork, mix it in.
3. Pour the water all over the the flour-oil mixture and continue to use the fork to mix it in.
4. When the dough begins to hold together enough, take it out of the bowl and knead it till it’s nice and smooth (about 5 minutes).  This is a very fun thing for your mini-chef, but you will probably have to help them get the dough kneaded enough to be really smooth.  If it really isn’t coming together at all, add some more water, a tablespoon at a time.
5. Let the dough rest at least an hour at room temperature.
6. Using your hands, make little balls, about the size of golf balls, out of the dough.

For the Filling:

• 1 lb. small potatoes (new potatoes, La Ratte, etc.), scrubbed
• 2 T. canola oil
• 1 c. red or yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 T. fresh ginger, grated
• 2 kale leaves washed, the middle rib cut out, and the remaining leaf finely chopped
• 1/2 c. green peas (frozen fine)
• 1/4 t. tumeric
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. cumin
• 1/4 t. coriander
• 1/4 nutmeg
• pinch of cardamom
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 T. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Have your mini-chef help prepare the potatoes for the filling.  Place the potatoes in an 8×13-inch baking dish.  Pour enough water over them so that the water level is halfway up the potatoes.  Bake till soft all the way through, about an hour, turning the potatoes over halfway through.
3. When the potatoes are done, place them in a large bowl, and have your mini-chef mush them up with a large fork or potato masher.  Leave a few lumps and bumps to give the filling texture.
4. Warm the canola oil in a medium pan, and cook the onions over medium-low heat till soft and translucent.  Add the dry spices and, stirring, saute another minute.  Add the garlic and ginger and saute one more minute.   Last, add the kale and saute another minute till the kale wilts and become slightly soft.  Remove from the heat and pour the kale-onion mixture over the potatoes.
5. Add the cilantro and the peas to the bowl, and mix everything up till completely incorporated.  Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble and Cook:

1. Flatten one of the dough balls into a pancake and squish it till it becomes about a 3-inch circle.
2. Scoop a tablespoon of filling into the middle of the circle and fold that circle in half, into a half-moon shape.
3. Use your fingers to seal the edges completely, making sure that there are no secret passageways for the filling to escape.
4. Repeat till all the dough balls are filled.
5. Set up a wire cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet.  Layer paper towels on top of the cooling rack to soak up any extra oil from the samosas.
6. Big Person: Into a large, deep pan, pour enough canola oil so that the oil level is about 2 inches deep.
7. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Test that it’s hot enough by dripping a drop of water into the oil.  It should sizzle.  The oil, however, should never be brought to the smoking point.
8. Drop a few samosas into the hot oil and fry, turning them every few seconds with a slotted spoon.  When they are nice and brown, pull them out and place them on the paper towels to cool.
9. Serve with chutney and/or a little yogurt with a squeeze of lemon and a bit of freshly ground black pepper.