To Start the Day

Holy Crap

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It’s Ann alone here today. Andy is resting up for his next blog.

I’m a big fan of Josh Marshall’s Talking Points Memo, so I was both a little surprised and very amused when I saw a post that began “Holy Crap.” Maybe because Easter was just a day away he was thinking holy thoughts? I was even more amused when I searched for that expression and found that there is a cereal maker whose products are named Holy Crap . Wow. I didn’t realize “crap” was such an okay word – especially for food! It’s a Canadian company making those products, so maybe Canadians are more comfortable with crap? (just kiddin’, my Toronto besties, S&D! And…btw…can we come move in with you? 🙂 )

Please note that chia seeds are the main ingredient in this bag of Holy Crap “natural superseed blend.” And I really, really wanted to blog today about both the wonderful nutritional value of chia seeds AND the yummy recipes you can make with them. But I can’t. I just can’t. No matter how hard I try to like chia seeds and how much I appreciate their healthy qualities, I really don’t like them. I won’t write that they’re just crap – but I might think it.

Mind you, I may be in the minority with my lack of enthusiasm for chia seeds. Just do an internet search for Chia Seed Pudding, and you’ll see what I mean. There are recipes and videos everywhere! In fact, if you search for glass food storage (since you’re giving up plastics), you’ll find glass containers labeled specifically for Chia Pudding.

I can’t ignore chia seeds, so I’ve decided to write a little about the plant that provides us with these bags of black and white seeds. There’s so much to appreciate…and even be a little in awe of. Nature is pretty amazing.

Chia seeds come from Salvia hispanica, a member of the Lamiaceae – or mint – family. This particular annual salvia, native to Mexico and Guatemala, grows to about 3′-5′ in height and likes a warm, dry climate. Though in 2019 Mexico was the largest producer of Chia seeds, Bolivian leaders predict that within the next 5 years Bolivia will be the largest exporter, with 25,000 tons of chia seeds being exported annually to China alone. Mmmm…I promise not to digress into tariff-talk.

Salvia hispanica – which produces chia seeds

Research is being done on areas in the U.S. where chia seeds might be grown – if we don’t want to rely on imported chia. The red map indicates where current varieties might be grown (southern CA and Arizona) and the blue map shows where chia might be grown if a new more frost-hardy variety is commercialized. There is even talk of a variety that can be grown still further north.

If my math is correct (never something you’d want to bet on), one acre of land planted with Salvia hispanica produces about 1100 lbs of chia seeds or 1100 one-pound packages as sold at your local grocery store. That’s a lot of acreage needed to keep up with demand!

According to MexicoLore.com, “of Mesoamerican origin, the word chía comes directly from the Nahuatl chien or chian, meaning ‘oily’. The plant is ‘mucilaginous’ – when soaked it produces a thick, gluey substance that helps it store water and food by keeping the seeds moist.” The Aztecs, whose civilization flourished between 1300 and 1500 AD, used chia seeds in their diet for the energy and endurance the seeds gave them. The moisture retention of these seeds is what helps make them good for us – and what makes me find them…well, you know what. You’ll recognize that “thick, gluey substance” the first time you try them. Even Moss, our UC Santa Cruz grandson who makes and eats everything, texted me “I’m not a huge fan of them.”

Even if I can’t over-emote – or even emote – about chia seeds, it’s worth the effort to find ways to use these humble little seeds. After all, HarvardHealth states they will help with all of the following:

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A few caveats:

  • It’s best not to eat dry chia seeds, since that can cause stomach problems. Soak them before eating. For a pudding texture, a ratio of 1/4 c chia seeds to 1 c liquid is often recommended, and for a drink about 1 T chia seeds should be mixed with 1 c of water. Allow the pudding mixture to sit for at least 2 hours in the fridge – and the drink mixture to sit for 10 minutes or so before consuming.
  • You don’t need to grind them to get the nutrients, as you do flax seeds, but grinding chia seeds is good if you want the seeds to act as a binder, such as in vegan burgers.
  • 1 T of chia seeds is about the right amount per person, per day.
  • Chia seeds lose some of their omega-3 fatty acid benefits if they are cooked before eating, so it’s best to add them to cool-ish mixtures.

After many failed attempts, here’s a recipe that Andy and I both agree is not crap. In fact it’s damn tasty – even if you’re on my side of the love/hate relationship with Salvia hispanica and its seeds.

Banana Chocolate Overnight Oatmeal
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It’s a Good Idea to Be Old

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It’s Ann here today. You won’t believe this but Andy is in OurLittleCorner extolling the virtues of gossip.

Andy’s mom used to always tell us that “gettin’ old ain’t for sissies.” She may have gotten the phrase a bit wrong, but it still has made a lasting impact.

The actress, Bette Davis (1908-1989), may have made the expression popular.

Maybe that’s why I was so encouraged when I found this video of the poet Nikki Giovanni speaking at Emory University in February of 2020. Giovanni was almost 78 then. And she maintains “it’s a good idea to be old.” How can I not love that more upbeat approach?

The NYTimes describes Giovanni as “the charismatic and iconoclastic poet, activist, children’s book author and professor who wrote, irresistibly and sensuously, about race, politics, gender, sex and love….”

Giovanni, who passed away this past December, had a challenging life, having been raised by an alcoholic father who abused her mother. Because of that, Giovanni moved from Ohio to live with her Knoxville, Tennessee, grandparents for high school; she started college early at Fisk University and then got expelled her first semester there. She had a son when she was 26 and raised him alone. She dealt with breast cancer and lung cancer. And she was openly gay, married to a white woman who, like Giovanni, was a professor at Virginia Tech.

The video clip below, though only 4 1/2 minutes long, is great, but it may be X-rated. She’s funny, acerbic, and clearly not afraid to say what she thinks. She’s definitely not apolitical. She’s also VERY loquacious!

Excerpt from Nikki Giovanni’s Poetry Reading at Emory University, 2020 (See full YouTube video here). The poem, which she reads at the end, is “It’s Just Love.”

Here’s a humorous quote from a December 2021 NYTimes interview with Giovanni:

You know, with Christmas, I said to my students, I hate the little drummer boy. This girl just had a baby, she’s in a manger, she’s got a bunch of animals, and he’s coming in saying, “Can I play on my drum?”

He probably could’ve read the room better. If that had been the little drummer girl, she would have come to Mary, started to help clean out the manger — done something useful. Instead he’s standing there bitching, I’m poor and all I have is this drum, and we’re supposed to say, “Oh, ain’t that sweet?” No, damn it. Do something worthwhile. [Laughs.] That’s my job: I try my best to get people to think. That’s what I do.

In addition to mentioning grits in her “It’s Just Love” poem which she reads in our video clip, Giovanni wrote a poem devoted just to grits, so, of course, that’s today’s recipe. When Andy and I got married – almost 58 years ago – this recipe for a grits casserole was given to me by a family friend, and it’s the best! You can use Velveeta cheese or update it with cheddar or Monterey Jack. But first read the Nikki Giovanni poem. Be sure to sing while you make the grits. And, if you’re on the older side, smile and remember Giovanni’s words about aging: “Now everything I do is because I want to.”

The Right Way
                                                      
My grandmother's grits
Are so much better than mine

Mine tend to be lumpy
And a bit disorientated
Though that is probably
My fault

I always want
To put 1 cup grits
Into 4 cups cold
Water with 1 teaspoon
Salt
And start them all together

Grandmother did it 
The Right Way

She started with cold water
That she brought 
To a boil

Shifted the grits slowly
Into the bubbles
Then added her salt

She also hummed
While she stirred
With her wooden spoon

I wonder if I 
Should learn
To sing
Cheesy Grits Casserole
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The Search for the Best Un-luxe Holiday Gift

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OurLittleCorner

December 17, 2024 – Ann is in OurLittleCorner today

I know I’m not the only one who read – with concern – the article in Science Direct, saying that we shouldn’t use black plastic or nylon utensils in the kitchen. I know I’m not the only one because I got a text – almost simultaneously – from our son, saying they needed to get rid of their black utensils and they would like non-black utensils for Christmas. Had he read it in The NYTimes? or heard about it on CNN? or seen it on The Food Network?

Needs replacing!?

That sounded like an easy thing to get. I breathed a sigh of holiday-relief, figuring that this gift-idea was not only relatively affordable but easy to find and a fun hunt for someone who blogs about food.

Right.

About 5 hours of Googling later, I still hadn’t found the perfect non-black turner, much less the perfect pasta server.

It’s now days later, and I’m still searching. It’s the little details that keep tripping me up. I want a certain handle length and a certain spatula width – and god forbid that there be any black on it…even if it’s silicone and apparently safe. I don’t want friends and family fretting if they see a black unidentifiable utensil in use in our kids’ kitchen or in my kitchen!

I think it’s worth noting that not everyone agrees with the scary tone of this research. The NYTimes posted a response which indicates that the “findings aren’t clear cut.”

After reading lots on the topic, I’ve decided that I’m going to buy silicone utensils with high heat resistance (up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit) to use when I cook with my ceramic frying pan or Staub Dutch oven. If I’m using a stainless steel or cast iron pan, I’ll continue to use stainless steel utensils.

So what silicone cooking utensils did I finally pick for our kids’ Christmas gift? Clearly, I can’t give that away…yet :). But the Gorilla spatula pictured next to the ceramic pan in the photo below was not one of the chosen. I’ll let you know after Christmas the winner brands and shapes.

Why did I pick a pancake recipe for today’s pre-holiday blog? Well, first of all they’re “fancy” and they’re a breakfast you wouldn’t want to make every day. But the more obvious reason is that flipping these delicate pancakes will require just the right spatula. And if you’re reading these studies and wanting to be as safe health-wise as possible, that spatula will NOT be black plastic or nylon.

PS: If you want to gift more than just utensils for the holidays, here’s a recent article from Food and Wine with their top picks for non-toxic cookware.

Japanese Fluffy Pancakes in our 10 1/2″ GreenPan ceramic skillet (which wasn’t big enough for 6) and using a 11 1/2″ Gorilla silicone spatula (which was too long and wide for easy turning)

Japanese Fluffy Pancakes

  • Servings: 6 pancakes should serve 2-3
  • Print

This fluffy pancake recipe is perfect if you want a special (holiday?) breakfast for just a few folks.The pancakes are a little tricky the first time you try them but easier upon repeat. Serve with maple syrup and butter – or whipped cream and berries.Recipe tweaked from JustOneCookbook.com/recipe-notes]

  • 1/2 c  cake flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • pinch of Diamond kosher salt
  • 4 eggs , whites and yolks separated
  • 3 T  milk 
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 1 T oil for greasing the pan 
  • 2 T  water (for steaming)

In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a medium bowl whisk together egg yolks, milk, and vanilla. Then whisk the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture, being careful not to overmix.

Beat egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form (when you lift your beater straight out of the mixture, the whites should remain stiff, not bend over).

Gently whisk about 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the flour/egg yolk mixture and mix until incorporated. Then fold in the remaining egg white mixture, using a spatula.

Set a stainless steel, cast iron, or ceramic 12″ pan (which has a lid) over low heat and brush entire bottom of pan with oil.

Use a 2 T cookie scoop and scoop 4 scoops of batter onto the pan. Then put another 2 T scoops of batter on top of each of those 4 pancakes. Put 1 T of water in the pan (between the pancakes), cover the pan and cook over very low heat for 2 minutes. Uncover the pan and put another 2 T scoop on each pancakes, so that you now have the equivalent of 3 scoops or about 6 T for each pancake). Cover again and cook another 5-6 minutes. Then check to see if the bottoms of the pancakes are golden brown. If not, increase the heat a little and cook a minute or so more. Then gently flip the pancakes. Pour another 1 T of water into the pan, cover and cook for about 4 minutes more or until the bottoms are golden brown and the sides appear cooked. Serve immediately.

Recipe brought to you by BigLittleMeals.com and Andy and Ann.

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