summer tomatoes

Tomatoes are super sweet in the valley of California. This is home to some of the best tomatoes grown in the world. Most valley farmers also grow heirloom tomatoes. Heirlooms are featured colorful orbs in the farmers' market throughout all the communities of our Golden state.

When the tomato is in season, it is best eaten simply and plainly. Let the flavor rule the dish! Here is a simple dish for tomato and pasta lovers. With the addition of fresh basil, this dish will seem like a gourmet celebration made at the best restaurant in town! You will never miss "jar tomato sauce."

water
pot
pasta
1 Tbsp of olive oil
skillet
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 head of garlic (or more)
diced 1/2 onion (sautee)
30 cherry tomatoes (yellow heirlooms)
10 basil leaves
1/4 tblsp of chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 tbsp of chopped fresh oregano
salt, pepper to taste
parmesan cheese (optional)

Bring a pot of water w/ 1 Tbsp of oil to a boil to cook the pasta. While waiting for water to boil, place a skillet on medium high heat w/ 1/8th of cup of oil. Add diced onions and sautee. Add garlic and slightly brown. Add cherry tomatoes. Stir until tomatoes are completely wilted and skins are falling off. Stir and add all herbs. The mix will be a light sauce. Meantime, drain the cooked pasta lightly and place all noodles into the skillet to coat the pasta. Because the pasta is not well-drained, the starches will make the light tomato sauce creamy without the addition of cheeses or dairy products. Add the rest of the olive oil. Toss. Add more chopped basil on top before you serve. This is a total vegan dish without the cheese topping.

Variations: add leftover meats or other vegetables. This is also a great accompaniment to a pot luck where it can be served at room temperature... but it is best enjoyed with a group of friends sitting around a campfire and talking about the rafting trip that you just did. Woot!

Thank you Wikipedia for the Heirloom Tomato info and picture!

Camping & Rafting : Tri Tip Roast

The guy is bonkers about food. He's our camp chef on the American River trips in California. Steve can be found squeezing avocados at dawn at the local markets for the best of the squishy delight or gathering melons from the local farmers markets for the best quality flesh. Either way, he is passionate about all things food. (I even heard that he watches the Food Channel for grilling and cooking tips!)

Steve's been beta testing recipes again and all of us at the office have been guinea pigs to his gourmet treats. Here's one that we all loved and hope to see on the next river rafting camping trip on the South Fork American.

TRI-TIP ROAST ::

1 large tri-tip

Marinade to cover tri tip (salad dressing is easiest; add other ingredients)

head of garlic (peeled, cut in half; see below, save a few cloves)

1/4 diced scallions

handful of herbs (use your favorite; rosemary, thyme, etc)

soy sauce (splash or to your taste)*optional

1/2 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup diced onions

whole onions (cut in half)

10 small yukon or red potatoes (cut in half)

splash of wine (*optional)

6 large carrots cut into thirds

2 cups of cleaned brussel sprouts (make a small cut x at the bottom to cook thoroughly)

Marinade the tri tip in a ziplock baggie with your favorite marinade. Add garlic cloves (add a whole head or just part of it), green onions and any herbs to the baggie. Add a splash of soy sauce (*optional). Set aside for at least an hour or overnight in the refrigerator or cooler. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil into a roasting pan or heavy dutch oven. Heat to high. With tongs, add meat and sear on all sides helping to seal in juices. Take meat out and set aside onto a clean plate. Add the rest of the olive oil into pan. Heat to medium high and add diced onions and garlic. Heat until onions are slightly browned. Add halved onions & potatoes. Add meat with all juices. Add a splash of wine*. Roast in 450 degree oven or dutch oven for approximately 30 minutes. Add carrots and brussel sprouts at the end. Continue cooking until done to your liking for approx 10 to 15 more minutes. Serve after letting the meat rest for 10 minutes. Serve with an additional salad or crusty grilled baguette... but the potatoes are already in it so it really is a one pot meal!

Variations: for vegetarians or vegans just separate the meat from the vegetables into two roasting pans. Prepare vegetables and add olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs. Toss well, coating all vegetables. Roast at 450 degrees as instructed before. Serve when potatoes are done. Add a meat substitute like grilled tofu to complete this vegetarian or vegan dish. Groups rafting with us will love this hardy meal!

STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Mushrooms are plentiful at the farmer's market in California. I look for large caps that are still connected to the stems. What I like to do is use leftovers when making this easy dish. Use leftover bread ends, mushrooms and other veggies in your fridge. Keep it simple and you will make this easy recipe at least 3 or 4 times a month. If you are river camping, try this same dish in the dutch oven.

12 large whole mushrooms (button, crimini, etc)

1/4 olive oil (split into two portions)

1 head of garlic chopped and minced

1/2 yellow onion diced

1 cup chopped mushrooms (stems from the whole mushroom)

1/2 cup of spinach (cooked, chopped & drained)

thyme, rosemary, oregano (variety of herbs that you like)

salt, pepper

1/2 cup of dried out bread crumbs

handful of cherry tomatoes

Brush and clean mushrooms. Break off stem carefully leaving cap whole. Chop stems and set to side. In a large skillet, place 1 portion of olive oil into skillet. Add garlic to flavor the oil. Add diced onions and carmelize slowly (translucent w/ dark brown edges). Add chopped mushrooms and saute until all moisture is gone. Add spinach. Add herbs, salt & pepper. Add bread crumbs at the end. Mix well and let cool. Rub each mushroom cap with a little olive oil (use reserved 2nd portion of oil). Place cap side down onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Add a dollop of mixture to each mushroom cap. Add a tiny bit of tomato (I use 1/2 of a cherry tomato to top each cap). Drizzle left over olive oil over the entire platter of stuffed mushrooms. Broil until tomato is totally wilted and mushrooms look cooked (dry and dark). (approx 10 min or less depending on size of mushroom).

Variations for non-vegans or non-vegetarians: add cooked Italian sausage to the mixture prior to the chopped mushrooms. Omit seasonings due to sausage seasoning. Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese before you broil. Another great variation is to add ricotta cheese to the mix and then prepare as outlined above.

Serves 4 to 5 people as an addition to the main course. Stuffed mushrooms are also a great hors d'ouevres at room temperature! Try different mixes and don't be afraid to experiment!

Brussel Sprouts with Yukon Gold Potatoes

Winters in California are highlighted with cruciferous and root vegetables. Brussel sprouts on the stem are at the farmer's market throughout the valley and coastline. Broccoli, so sweet, that just a light steaming will suffice. Yukon gold potatoes, the creamy yellow flesh rivals all potatoes for flavor. All are so good along with the fresh winter onions that look like gigantic fresh green shallots. Here's a great veggie and vegan dish that will have you craving for more on the next camping or rafting trip!

Brussel Sprouts with Yukon gold potato
Dutch oven or large iron skillet
1/4 cup of olive oil (or less)
1 whole large diced yellow onion
1 bunch of chopped shallots or fresh winter onions
3 large diced Yukon gold potatoes
1/4 stem of fresh brussel sprouts
1 cup of cleaned cut broccoli heads
1 Tbsp of oyster sauce (skip this for vegans)
soy sauce to taste (omit if using oyster sauce)
splash of rice wine vinegar
pinch of chili flakes

Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil to a large skillet. Heat until oil is medium. Add diced onions. Saute until edges are carmelized. Add diced shallots. Continue to carmelize both onions. Push to the side of the pan. Add more oil. Add diced potato and cook until translucent. Push to the side of the pan. Add brussel sprouts. (if cut in half, they will cook faster) As brussel sprouts start to wilt, add broccoli heads. Cook until heads are bright green. Add oyster sauce or soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and a pinch of chili flakes. Stir all ingredients gently; try not to smash the potato. Serve immediately.

Variations: add cooked meat; chicken, pork, beef to make this a one-pot meal. Add kale, cabbage or other greens to this dish at the very end of the cooking process for even more of a cruciferous boost!

Creamy Pan Fried Potatoes

Potatoes are a favorite among everyone. Fried, mashed, boiled or baked, the lowly potato can be a featured dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner. On camping and rafting trips, the potato rules. Easy to pack and store, that starchy tubor is king on overnight and wilderness trips. Keep them dry or they will deteriorate. We used to keep them in ammo boxes so they were locked and kept dry on extended trips through the Grand Canyon, Middle Fork Salmon and American river trips. But now, there are so many high-tech containers to keep stuff dry on water, that I highly recommend bringing that potato along. Start with this breakfast hash... the rafters and campers will love it.

Creamy Pan Fried Potatoes

large frying pan or dutch oven

1/4  cup + 2Tbsp olive oil (or your fav oil)

2 med diced yellow onions

1 cup of chopped raw bacon (or vegan substitute)

10 large potatoes diced into 1/2 inch cubes

1 cup of water

pan lid or dutch oven lid

salt and pepper to your liking

1/2 cup of chopped parsley (Italian is good) or lemon thyme

options: cheddar cheese (or vegan sub)

options: eggs (or vegan sub)

Prepare all chopped ingredients first, set aside. Heat pan to medium. Add olive oil. Add onions. Carmelize onions slowly by letting them cook until edges are dark and center is translucent. Push to the side of the pan. Add bacon and cook thoroughly. Mix the onions and bacon together and push to the side of the pan. Add additional oil to the empty side (if real bacon, you won't need the oil). Add potatoes and coat with oil. Mix pan ingredients together. Heat until pan is hot again. Add water and cover immediately. (Be careful, steam will rise when you add the water) Hint: don't open the lid for 5 to 8 min or you will have to add more water. Check potatoes with the tines of the fork for softness. Uncover when potatoes are done. Add salt and pepper. Toss the ingredients. You will notice they are very creamy. (I hate dry potatoes) No fat or dairy, just water will bring out the starches and creamiest to this dish. Add parsley and serve.

Optional eggs: when the potatoes are done, push to the side. Add as many eggs as you like at the empty side of the pan. Add a bit of salt and pepper on top of the eggs. Let set then scramble. When eggs are set, toss the entire pan ingredients together into an egg potato hash. Add parsley. Serve immediately. (should serve approx 8 people... yeah right... rafting guides say about 4-6 hardy eaters Haha!)

Chicken Soup

Brrrrrr! It's cold in Northern California and we just had a blustery winter storm. Donner Summit is blanketed in white and more is coming. Time to think about spring rafting trips! During cold season, even the doctor recommends chicken soup. Hot soup warms the body and spirit. It also loosen the congestion in the head and chest. An old fashion remedy that has been proven time and time again as the cure for the common cold.

QUICK CHICKEN SOUP
large pot
cooked chicken (grab a roasted one from the deli & save time)
water to cover chicken with extra to add as it simmers
2 whole onions cut into halves
1 diced onion
1 bunch of clean and sliced leeks
1/3 cup diced celery
5 cubed potatoes
4 sliced carrots (keep large as they cook quickly)
1/2 cup barley
any vegetable (broccoli is a good one)
salt, pepper & any other flavor (deli chicken is already seasoned; go light)
NOTE: measurements are based on amount of ingredients and your personal taste... this is chicken soup for pete's sake!

Large pot of water. Place cooked chicken in pot with halved onions. Start simmering at medium heat. In a skillet, add diced onion, leeks and celery. Saute slowly until onions and leeks are carmelized. Set aside. Remove bones from chicken and place the meat back into the simmering pot. Add potatoes to chicken and water. When potatoes start to soften, add barley. Barley will puff up around the time the potatoes are almost done. Add the skillet ingredients of onion, leeks and celery. Add carrots. Add vegetables such as broccoli. Simmer slowly until chicken is completely broken up into shreds. Season with salt, pepper and any other seasoning. (keep in mind that deli roasted chicken is already seasoned)

You should be ready for dinner within 2 hours of start. To speed up the cooking time, add only the chicken meat to the pot of water. (I add the whole chicken because of the calcium content in the bones themselves.) Add a salad with a fresh country baguette. Piping hot soup! Now this will chase the virus away!

Side Dish for Thanksgiving

The saucy, gooey, rich foods of the holidays will be presented in the next two days on silver platters decorated with flowers and doo dads of all sorts. Ahhh, the holiday foods. I can feel the waistband growing tighter as we speak...

Here's a great side dish or hors d'ourvres to go with your Thanksgiving menu!
Eat sushi and save the calories for the stuffing and pie! Happy Turkey Day!

SUSHI FOR VEGANS, VEGETARIANS & THE REST OF US
4 cups cooked white or brown rice
2 Tblsp rice wine vinegar
nori sheets (seaweed paper to wrap rice)
washed/cleaned spinach leaves
sliced slivered carrots
sliced avocado
cooked sweet peas
extra nori cut into slivers
optional toasted sesame seeds
wasabi
soy sauce

Cook rice according to direction. Cool rice in large flat bowl (turn gently without breaking grains). Add rice wine vinegar to cooled rice. Mix well without breaking grains. Lay one sheet of nori on plastic wrap. Smear rice over 3/4 of the nori sheet in a thin layer. Add 2 spinach leaves, few slivers of carrots, a slice of avocado, a few peas & nori slivers. Optional: sprinkled toasted seasame seeds. Roll the rice tightly using the plastic wrap to contain items inside roll. Leave tightly wrapped in plastic. Put aside and continue to roll the rest of the ingredients. Place all sushi rolls in their plastic wrap into the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Take out and slice with a wet knife. Serve with soy sauce and wasabi (Japanese mustard). Yummy!

HOT CHOCOLATE

On river trips, after a long day of rafting, fall starts showing colder evenings and hot beverages warm the inner core of your body. Hot soups, coffee, tea and hot chocolate are the best drinks after paddling all day. How can you provide this easily? Especially hot chocolate? On rafting trips during fall and winter, you are probably limited in carrying much gear. This isn't summer rafting where giant gear boats carry everything. No, it's probably just you and a few friends on the river paddling in kayaks and small rafts.

Hot chocolate is a winner. Hot, sweet and everyone loves it. Save the carton of milk and leave it at home. Here's a quick way to provide hot chocolate without the mess and cooking time. Keep paddling & be safe!

HOT CHOCOLATE
large pot of water (make as much as you can to provide hot tea, coffee, soup)
instant hot chocolate mix (yum, Ghirardelli)
pinch of instant expresso (optional; omit if for children)
cinnamon
chocolate chips (think goodies for kids; peppermint candy is a winner)
marshmallows (mini or regular)
mugs and/or large metal container

Bring the water to a boil using the campfire or a propane stove. Be careful that you keep all children from the area. Cordon it off using a barrier; table, coolers, etc. Split the water into several containers for use for coffee, tea or instant soup. In large mugs or a large container (metal is recommended), pour the remaining hot water. Add instant chocolate mix. We like Ghirardelli brand for the taste of homemade hot chocolate. Add cinnamon to your liking, and a pinch of instant expresso (optional).

Pour into mugs. Allow the kids and adults to add their own chocolate chips and marshmallows. You can have a pinch of expresso for the adults to add, too.

Instant, but oh so good! And after paddling all day on the white water rafting trip, believe me... hot chocolate never tasted so good.

Variations: add peppermint candies (place in a ziplock baggie, cover with a towel and pound it once with a rock) & add to the hot chocolate.

Variations: you already have the hot water... add coffee grinds to your specifications (more = very strong coffee!) into a covered coffee pot with the hot water. Let the grinds settle... voila, hot coffee. Add instant hot chocolate to each large mug and add coffee. This little trick will surprise you. Incredibly yummy. Ahhhh... go ahead and add a bit of chocolate chips and marshmallows. Desert on the river!

Figs, Nuts... it's Fall

Figs are all over the driveway covering the walkway with a sticky, jammy mess. Oh, how I love fresh figs! Another few doors down, a neighbor has a magnificent pecan tree kicking out fresh nuts from a very old tree. The combination of figs and nuts is an ancient one with references in biblical times dating back to the Torah and even found and mentioned in the Promise Land. Ficus is the genus of the fig tree and the common fig is grown in mostly temperate or desert climates.

I love figs gently sauteed and then wrapped in prosciutto. It is a treat to die for while you are lamenting the loss of fresh summer peaches. I added nuts to this most well-known dish for the added crunch and protein. Omit the prosciutto and you have a glorious dessert for any vegan.

Proscuitto wrapped Figs w/ Nuts
2 Tblsp of olive oil
California Black Figs
cracked black pepper
nuts (pecans, almonds)
small package of proscuitto

Place olive oil in a low medium skillet. Wash and cut figs into halves. Place cut side down into the skillet. Gently sautee until the edges seem to melt (do not overcook; just warm through). Add cracked black pepper. Take out of pan and set aside. Place half a nut and push into the fig half. Wrap a thin slice of prosciutto around the entire half of fig. Set aside. Then place all wrapped figs back into the skillet to warm the prosciutto (do not brown; just warm). Take out and serve or let cool and serve at room temperature.

I just made this last night. So tasty! For an interesting video on how W.E.T. River Trips makes those awesome dinners on whitewater trips, check out Big Poppa's recent video blog about dinners on rafting and camping trips.

Nuts for Dessert

When you are planning a long extended wilderness rafting trip, the menu becomes a difficult chore of organizing perishable food items. You cook the items that will spoil first. So veggies and herbs go first. That's the easy part. Dessert, on the other hand, is a difficult meal plan.

I had ice cream on the East Fork of the Carson River on day two, but it was seriously cold outside anyway, so we were able to dry ice a small cooler and sit in the hot springs eating gelato and drink champagne. That was easy. But when you are on a Klamath River trip on day 5, in 100 degree heat in August, ice cream is definitely not a choice.

I came up with this very tasty treat on a long extended river rafting trip a few years ago. Pack almonds and cashews in a dry box and don't open it until you are ready to make this. Yummy nuts!

CANDIED SPICY NUTS

2 lbs nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, etc)

butter (enough to coat the nuts)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 pinches of chili flakes (to your liking)

1 small sprig of rosemary (leave whole; easier to take out when done)

salt (optional if salted butter is used)

Heat a dutch oven to medium heat. Throw nuts into the dry dutch oven and slowly toast by stirring. You will smell the nuts toasting. This will take a minute to 3 minutes depending on the size of your nuts. (Don't let the nuts get black on the edges or it will taste burnt) Add butter to cover the nuts. Continue to stir. Add sugar, cinnamon, chili flakes, rosemary and salt. Stir. When the sugar melts, remove rosemary spring and take dutch oven off of heat and continue to stir until it starts to clump. Let cool and break up any large pieces. Serve.

Variations: add toasted oats after the sugar melts. Add raisins or any other dry fruit (cherries, cranberries, prunes). These variations can be saved in ziplock baggies and served throughout the day while on the river. Imagine munching on this vegan treat while riding on the rafts and enjoying the scenery. Add some chocolate chips into the baggies... aahhh, life on the river is grand!

Bruschetta on the River

Since the 15th century, bruschetta has graced the tables of Italian cuisine. I imagine leftover pieces of bread were probably grilled and laced with oils and herbs just so the kitchen would not waste precious food. This recipe is so good that you will look forward to dried out loaves of Italian-style or French breads in your pantry. The crustier, the better. The next rafting trip, try this out on the grill as an hors d'houevre. Your guests may not need dinner after munching on this grilled delight!

BRUSCHETTA

Leftover bread (French, Italian crusty breads are best)
cup of olive oil
5 - 6 large fresh tomato sliced in half (roasted is best!)
4 red peppers (roasted is best!)
10 garlic cloves (cut 5 cloves in half; mince the rest)
fresh basil - save a few leaves for decorative touch (or rosemary)
balsamic vinegar (or your favorite champagne vinegar)
gorgonzola cheese (blue cheese, romano, feta are great substitutes)
parmesan cheese

Slice bread into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside onto a cookie sheet. Oil tomatoes and red peppers generously with olive oil. Set on grill at medium-high heat. Let tomatoes wilt slightly and take off the grill when blackened on cut side. Set aside. Continue to roast peppers until skins are black. Place peppers into a paper bag or covered bowl. Set aside. Peel garlic and cut several in half. Set aside. Take 5 cloves of garlic and mince, then set aside. When peppers have cooled enough to handle, take a slightly wet paper towel and rub the blackened skin off until the roasted red flesh is visible. Chop both tomatoes and peppers into a coarse dice. Place into a glass or stainless steel bowl. Add minced garlic. Chop basil or rosemary or both into a fine dice. Add to the bowl. Add 1/3 cup of olive oil and 3 - 4 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar. Stir. Set aside. (Add more oil for a good spreading mix)

Grill bread last because it will toast within seconds. Take cut garlic and rub each slice top and bottom. Drizzle olive oil generously over the bread. Place onto the medium heat side of the grill and watch carefully. I usually wait until the edges blacken then turn. This only takes a minute to complete, so keep an eye out. Place toasted bread back onto the cookie sheet to cool.

Drizzle more olive oil onto the serving side of the toast. Smear a tsp of gorgonzola onto the toasted bread. Place a dollop of the marinated tomatoes and peppers on top of the cheese. Add finely chopped basil on top (optional). Place onto a nice serving tray and sprinkle a light touch of parmesan cheese over everything. Serve. (Make a double serving, it will be gone in a flash!)

Variations:
Instead of gorgonzola, use mozzarella or bufala cheese. Place cheese on top instead and then after assembling the toasts, broil until bubbling on top. Then serve onto a decorative plate and add slivers of basil.

You can also make this as a vegan dish by omitting or substituting a vegan cheese product. I like it just with the tomato and pepper mixture. Cracked pepper on top with extra slivers of basil... WOW. So deliziosa...

Chopped Salad

It's mid-January and the stomache was extended during the holidays. It's salad time for me. After all the rich and saucy foods, I really need to lean out again on veggies. I had a lot of leftover carrots, peppers, beets in the vegetable bin, so I started making retro chopped salads. How can I apply this method to salads on extended river trips or multiple day rafting trips? Use more root vegetables!

CHOPPED SALAD:
leftovers (chicken, broccoli, celery, ham, etc)
potato
carrots
daikon (asian radish) or radish
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of black beans, rinsed & drained
green onions, diced
salad dressing (bring your favorite)
romaine or ice-berg lettuce (choose a firm lettuce)
beets, shredded or chopped (shred raw if fresh & sweet)

Rinse and wash all raw vegetables. Drain to dry or pat dry with paper towels. Cook potato and beets in water to a boil. Do not overcook; firm but done. Let cool. Start chopping the other vegetables. Chop to small uniform pieces. In a large bowl, place all ingredients except for green onions, lettuce and beets. Toss with salad dressing. Before serving, add the torn lettuce. Add green onions. Toss. Add beets on top (don't add before or everything will be pink!) and serve. Serves 4. Add bread or crackers and a cup of tomato soup for an awesome meal. Omit meat for a vegan dinner.

Hangover Cure for the New Year

Cures for hangovers are common recipes on January 1st. Here's one sure to help based just on nutrition and hopefully, a body that can recover quickly from alcohol poisoning.

When you wake up, the head aches because you are dehydrated and you've lost nutrients essential for your body. Avoiding caeffine helps, too... and replacing potassium. Eat a banana!

Here's a quick fix for all you party animals that just had to drink themselves to oblivion.

SLEEP: best cure folks; sleep it off
FRUIT JUICE and lots of WATER: you're dehydrated
BLOODY MARY: it has alcohol, but lots of goodies too (the hair that bit you)

1 1/2 oz vodka
3 oz tomato juice
1 dash lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 - 3 drops Tabasco® sauce
salt
pepper
1 lime wedge
1 rib of celery

Shake ingredients (except lime wedge) with ice and strain over ice cubes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the wedge of lime, celery and serve.

Ok, now, go back to sleep until Wednesday. Use this cure anytime you're going on a river trip and you did a bit too much the night before.

Thanksgiving: Family and Friends

This year try to introduce a new side dish at your Thanksgiving table. I like to introduce an ethnic dish that goes with the normal stuffing, mash potatoes, yams, grandma's cranberry mold and green beans.

I am adding a Middle Eastern dish called hummus. Hummus is made from garbanza beans or as the Italians call them, ceci beans. You may know them as chickpeas. This is the easiest thing to make as a hors d'ouevre. Light and satisfying, it is a nice counterpoint to all the saucey, cheesy stuff on the appetizer table. You can make this from scratch by cooking dry beans or save the trouble, and open up a can of prepared beans. Just remember that prepared beans are already salted, so adjust accordingly. I don't bother straining the seed case; more rustic and roughage in diet is better for you anyway.

clean glass or stainless steel bowl (aluminum reacts to lemon)
garlic cloves (rubbing the bowl)
2 cans garbonza beans
1/4 olive oil
1 med lemon (juice only, save peel for decorative strips)
chili oil (optional)
paprika
pepper
salt
lemon peel (optional, decorative)
chopped parsley (optional, decorative)
pita bread, crackers (plain crackers are better than flavored)

Take garlic and peel. Cut in half. Rub the cut end all over the bottom of your bowl. Do this liberally. Dump garbonza beans into bowl. On the rafting trips, I take a potato masher and smash all the beans into a pulpy mass. (At home, just do this in a blender or food processor) Add oil, lemon juice, chili oil, paprika, pepper and salt to taste. Stir vigorously until semi-smooth. (Add more oil if it looks dry... the oil seems to be absorbed easily, so add the oil little at a time) Let sit. When ready to serve, take the back of a spoon and form an indentation at the top of the mixture. Pour a small amount of olive oil into the well and sprinkle more paprika on top. Add slivers of lemon peel and chopped parsley as a decorative touch. Serve this with cut pieces of pita bread or just plain crackers. This is also great as a substitute for mayonnaise on a sandwich. You'll be surprised at how much better your sandwich tastes! And your vegetarian and vegan friends will be delighted that you served this on your table this Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to All from the Staff of W.E.T. River Trips

Stone Soup on the River

Weather in California during November can be a mixed bag of extreme weather. One day it can be pouring rain and another, it can be sunny and warm. I'm looking out the window and all I see is blue skies. Country Mike just did an outdoor rafting trip last Sunday. He said it was warm and sunny and his friends had a blast. River trips in the fall demand a piping hot soup to close the day. Here's a really quick soup to do in the great outdoors.

STONE SOUP
1 palm-size river rock (check for cracks or fissures; should be round and solid)
water to add if necessary
3 cans of your favorite minestrone soup (Campbells, Wolfgang Puck, etc)
1 can of red kidney beans
1 can of corn
various vegetables; suggest carrots, peas, broccoli, asparagus, etc
leftover pasta

Heat up the grill or camp fire. Place a large pot on the heat. Have your child add the clean rock. Add cans of soup. Add kidney beans and corn. Add carrots and any hard vegetable like small pieces of potato. Cook until boiling. Add broccoli and aspargus, stir until semi-hard. Add peas and pasta before serving. Serve this hot soup with a crusty toasted grilled bread. Or just open up a bunch of hardy whole wheat crackers. This is an ideal soup for a vegan or vegetarian. For those meat eaters, add cooked meat before the broccoli and asparagus. I like adding leftover roasted chicken to this.

Then read the story of Stone Soup to your children. They will be fascinated by the cooking process outdoors.

Chirashizushi - Confetti Rice

This popular Japanese rice salad is served during most holiday celebrations. I remember eating this during New Year's gatherings. Chirashizushi translates into "scattered sushi" because the ingredients are scattered through the sushi rice instead of rolled. Colorful and flavorful, it would look festive on your camp table. This Labor Day weekend, add this side-dish to your table after a long day of whitewater rafting. The sushi lovers will make this dish disappear in a flash.

CONFETTI RICE
4-cups cooked small grain Japanese pearl rice
prepared vegetables in mirin and soysauce
(shitaki mushrooms, carrot, gourd, fried tofu, potato, daikon)
sushi rice flavoring; mirin
OR (1) 7.58 oz Chirashizushi no Moto (prepared vegetables)
1/4 cup sweet peas
1 Tblsp sliced red pickled ginger
sliced/shaved dry seaweed (decorative and taste)
sweet egg (optional)

Sweet egg: crack 2 eggs into a bowl and wisk until smooth. Add 4 T white sugar and 2 T of water and mix well. In a large skillet, pour a thin layer and cook slowly until top looks firm. Place into oven at 300 degrees until surface of egg mixture is shiny (approx 2 min). Place onto paper towel and let cool. Cut julienne strips and add to your favorite dish or salad.

Flake rice into a large decorative bowl. Slice vegetables thinly and add to bowl or just add one can of the prepared vegetables. Add ginger & mirin (omit mirin if you are using a canned prepared vegetables). Toss thoroughly. Add peas, seaweed, egg and toss lightly. Serve at cool room temperature. Note: if you refrigerate, bring to room temperature; toss before serving.

Tomato, tomahto... as long as its Fresh!

I had the pleasure of meeting a professional chef recently. One thing that he told me about grilling and cooking is that you always try to cook with fresh regional ingredients. Optimum flavors in its prime. A tomato is best coming from California's valley at the peak of freshness. Just adding that single tomato to greens will turn the simplest salad into a gourmet experience. Try to bring regional fresh produce into your rafting camping menu. Tomatoes, basil, peaches are all in peak freshness. Add them to your next recipe.

TOMATO AND BASIL SALAD
10 large fresh tomatoes (heirlooms are recommended)
water
1 bunch fresh basil (picked fresh if possible)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
cracked fresh pepper to taste
1 large peach (optional)

Rinse tomatoes in fresh water. Set aside. Wash basil. Pick leaves off of stem and set aside to dry in small colander. Take care not to bruise the delicate leaves. Slice tomatoes. If large, cut in half and then slice. Arrange on a platter. Stack leaves of basil; one on top of the other. Roll the stack until it forms a tubular cylindar. Slice thinly cross-wise. This will form strings of basil when you unroll them. Sprinkle the thin basil chiffonade over the tomatoes liberally. Splash on the balsalmic vinegar and olive oil. Pepper to taste. Decorate with thin slices of peaches (optional). This is a perfect salad for a vegan.

Variation: add slices of fresh mozzarella or bufalo cheese. Talk about an awesome meal after rafting all day. Just add a crusty sour dough baguette and it's dinner. In the winter, add a minestrone soup to cap off this meal.

Oyster Sauce

Oh yuck, said the kids.... when I mention Oyster Sauce. Oyster sauce is a common ingredient in many Asian dishes. It is a wonderful condiment to add to stir fries and grilled meats. I especially like it on fresh greens such as spinach, bok choy or even just cabbage. It's almost equivalent to ketchup; an all purpose condiment and cooking ingredient! Pack this bottle of flavor on your next camping trip on the river. Believe me, you will find more ways to cook with this or marinate with than any other sauce out of bottle.

BABY BOK CHOY
10 baby bok choy (do not separate leaves; keep whole)
water
2 T olive oil
2-4 cloves of garlic; peeled and sliced
2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
dried chili flakes (to taste)
2 T oyster sauce

Wash baby boy choy heads in cold water and drain upside down. Do not separate leaves. Only peel off older or bruised leaves. Heat pan to medium high. Add olive oil & garlic. Add drained bok choy to oil. Careful as water will cause the oil to spatter. Stir fry quickly and add sesame oil and a pinch of chili flakes. Add oyster sauce to taste. Serve immediately when you see the bok choy translucent and bright green.

Variations: use other greens such as spinach, chard, brussel sprouts, etc. You can also slather a steak with this and grill it. I like to slice a steak into thin strips, stir fry it with veggies and then slather it with a dose of oyster sauce... ok, people, get over the word "oyster." Maybe we can just call it an Azun ketchup...

Barbecue Tofu

All you met eaters keep an open mind. BBQ tofu is one of my favorite things to make on an overnight camping and rafting trip. So easy to do that the kids will even enjoy the snack or meal if you let them help prepare it. Tofu is a great source of protein and can help enhance your diet. Besides, our vegan friends love it...

Barbecue Tofu
4 blocks of extra firm tofu (in water)
extra large zip lock bag
sliced green onions include greens/white (scallions)
1 head of garlic crushed/sliced
2 small bottles of your favorite bbq sauce
hot grill w/catcher below

Rinse blocks of tofu in fresh water. Slice into 1/4 thick strips (cut into a grid, then slice). Place into the zip lock bag. Add green onions, garlic, and bbq sauce to cover all the tofu. Marinate for 2 to 4 hours (or overnight). Place on grill and cook slowly over medium/high heat. Cook until edges are browned and starting to curl. Be patient, tofu is mostly water. You want to cook most of the moisture out leaving a tasty meat-like strip.

Variations: Add the strips to a bowl with a favorite dipping sauce as an hors d'ouevres before dinner. Or place them on a toasty bun and add the fixings of a hamburger. I like to eat them with brown rice and veggies. A truly healthy dish... but don't tell the kids that.

Grandma's Kabobs

This is a funny retro kabob that grandma used to make. You can substitute steak, chicken or shrimp instead of the bologna or salami... though, I love the retro flavor of this dish, it is definitely not one for the calorie counters. The kids love this one. Let the kids prep this for the first night camping on the rafting trip.

JIFFY KABOBS
12 slices of bologna
12 slices of salami
3 dill pickles (cut into strips)
1 medium green pepper (cut into chunks)
cherry tomatoes
tiny pearl onions

Place slices of salami on slices of bologna so that edges slightly overlap. Fold around dill pickle strips. Run skewers through centers of meat & pickle roll and alternate with green pepper, tomatoes and pearl onion. Grill 10 minutes until meats are browned. Makes 4 kabobs.

Remember fried bologna sandwich? This kabob tastes like that sandwich without the bread. The first time I ate this was during a Mother's Day celebration with great-grandma. She put these on the grill. I thought it was weird. But after eating one, I ate another and another. Reminds me of my childhood...