Norwitz Notions

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Flore Vegan Cuisine (Los Angeles)

March 22nd, 2008 · 1 Comment

On our last night in Los Angeles, we wanted to go out and try a vegan place. I get so sick of having one thing on a menu I can eat (if that) and I was hoping for more choices. After an extensive web search, including posts to Chowhound, my host and I came to […]

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Categories: Food · Restaurant Reviews
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Carrot Cake: Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Delicious

March 10th, 2008 · 1 Comment

Miriam has been planning her birthday party all year. When we would ask what she wanted, all she would say was: “Carrot cake and all my friends to be there!” That would be the same carrot cake we had last year, for her 2nd birthday party. Fortunately, she loves it. When you’re dealing with food […]

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Categories: Desserts · Food · Recipes
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Homemade Corn Tortillas

March 8th, 2008 · 11 Comments

Making tortillas is one of those things that is insanely easy. Only it’s not. Once you know the tricks and have a few batches under your belt, it’s effortless. Until then, it’s an exercise in frustration. I’ve been working on this for a couple of weeks and have made it to the passable stage. I […]

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Categories: Food · Grains · Recipes
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Beans: Plain & Refried, Pinto & Black

March 5th, 2008 · 2 Comments

Making beans from scratch is pretty easy, so you have to wonder why everyone doesn’t do it. Canned beans are okay in a pinch, but many are overcooked and insipid (Whole Foods brand is pretty decent, even the refried ). And dried beans are much cheaper than canned. For anything large, where I have more […]

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Categories: Food · Main Dishes · Recipes · Vegetable Dishes
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Roasted Sweet Peppers

March 4th, 2008 · No Comments

I picked up some beautiful organic sweet peppers on sale at the market and thought they would be lovely for Miriam’s birthday party lunch, as a taco filling. And they were. These are small peppers in vibrant yellow, red, and orange. They are thinner skinned than bells and don’t have quite the same flavor, but […]

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Categories: Food · Recipes · Vegetable Dishes
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Hummus: Basic Recipe from Dried Chickpeas

February 26th, 2008 · 6 Comments

I have many versions of hummus because I make it so often. This one is my basic recipe made with dried chickpeas. Other recipes use canned beans, larger amounts, different flavorings, etc. I even have one made with edamame instead of chickpeas. Recipe: 2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked 1 1/3 cups (10-11 oz) […]

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Categories: Food · Recipes · Spreads & Dips · Vegetable Dishes
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Chopped Salad with Fried Tofu & Mustard-Tomato Dressing

February 23rd, 2008 · 1 Comment

A favorite dinner of mine is a big salad with lots of finely chopped vegetables and warm protein on top. For those of us who want to eat more raw foods but feel better with something both physically warm and solid, this is a great combination. The salad works on its own too, as a […]

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Categories: Food · Main Dishes · Recipes · Vegetable Dishes
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Valentine’s Day Dinner 2008

February 14th, 2008 · 1 Comment

For dinner tonight I made a simple but elegant meal. Each item wasn’t hard to make, though having four of them took more time. The details make a difference too. Nicer plates, eating at the dining room table (something we should do every night, but don’t), using wine glasses. Miriam and I went to Whole […]

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Categories: Family Life · Food · Food Commentary · Main Dishes · Meals & Events · Recipes · Religion & Holidays · Valentine's Day · Vegetable Dishes
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Strawberry Ice Cream

February 14th, 2008 · 1 Comment

Who says you need dairy or sugar to enjoy ice cream? Though I make lots of sorbets and ice milks, this one is full cream. Recipe 3 cups pureed strawberries 1 can coconut milk (lite works better but regular is fine) A couple tsps vanilla extract Squeeze of fresh lemon Pinch salt Stevia to taste […]

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Categories: Desserts · Food · Recipes
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Fish Stock

February 9th, 2008 · 1 Comment

The same day I bought vegetables for two new ferments, I also got some salmon for dinner. It was a halved fish but the Whole Foods fish folks will cut it to order for free. I asked them to make me fillets and to save the tail and spine and other usable parts for stock. […]

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Categories: Food · Recipes · Soups
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Kim Chee

February 7th, 2008 · 2 Comments

Kim Chee (aka kimchi) is a wonderful collection of vegetables and spices brought together to ferment. This was my first attempt at making it. I used the recipe from Wild Fermentation, adapted a bit. Recipe: Napa cabbage (aka Chinese cabbage), 1 head chopped Daikon radish, 3 Leeks, 2 Dried chile pepper, 3 Ginger (I used […]

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Categories: Food · Recipes · Vegetable Dishes
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Turnip Pickles

February 7th, 2008 · 1 Comment

I was inspired by a trip to Han Il Kwan, a Korean restaurant in San Francisco. They had a huge spread of fermented dishes, including glorious crisp and sour turnip pickles. My attempt was simple and only partially successful. I can tell you straight out that I used the wrong kind of turnip. What I […]

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Categories: Food · Recipes · Snacks · Vegetable Dishes
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An Organic Thanksgiving 2007

February 1st, 2008 · 5 Comments

Most of our Thanksgiving dinners are in the community room of Ecology House, an 11-unit government (HUD) complex for people disabled with chemical sensitivity. Every year, with the help of the Environmental Health Network, the residents there host a (supplemented) potluck dinner for the entire chemical sensitivity community. It’s great fun. I share the disability […]

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Categories: Food · Living Spaces · Meals & Events · Places to Go · Religion & Holidays · Thanksgiving
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Lemon Cake with Cherry Sauce

January 28th, 2008 · No Comments

This cake came from a mix: Sylvan Border Farm Gluten-Free Products Lemon Cake Mix 1 lb, 10.7 oz (762.6 g) Mendocino Gluten-Free Products, Inc. P.O. Box 277, Willits, CA 95490 (800) 297-5399; Fax: (707) 459-1834 http://www.sylvanborderfarm.com/ INGREDIENTS: Sugar, Potato Starch, White Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour*, Aluminum-free Baking Powder, Amaranth Flour, Quinoa Flour*, Xanthan Gum, […]

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Categories: Desserts · Food · Food Product Reviews · Recipes · Sweets
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Vegan Fettucini Alfredo

January 26th, 2008 · 9 Comments

A rich alfredo sauce you’ll swear has eggs or dairy…but it doesn’t… Sauce Ingredients: 1 lb tofu (silken (I like Nasoya) is best but even firm is okay–it must be completely bland tasting) 1 cup raw cashews (unsalted–I store them in the freezer and use them without defrosting) 1/2-2/3 cup lemon juice (fresh or in […]

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Categories: Dressings & Sauces · Food · Main Dishes · Recipes
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