Time for a change. Again....

With the change in seasons come many other changes. My school year is coming to an end. My students are as ready as I am.  The weather has finally turned from rainy and chilly (unseasonably so) to mid 80's and beautiful. My husband is graduating from college and ready for a career. He is graduating with honors in a double major. I am so proud. With all these changes many would take it all in and give time a chance to catch up. Not me, we have finally decided to proceed with IVF (in-vitro fertilization).  Of course we never go the easy route. The dates that were given did not match up with my husbands conference and my reentry to a new school year. So, we are fast tracking the process. We begin IVF the day after my last day of work and two days before I throw my husband his graduating party and he walks the following day.  Nothing like a bit of stress. I hope that I am not too hormonal for the festivities.

With the decision to go forward with IVF I need to make sure I am 100% healthy and doing all I can to maintain my health. Of course this is hard to do especially when you feel so great. I feel great which give less motivation to stay on the SCD diet and not cheat here and there.  For the most part I keep the staples as an ongoing part of my life. I make yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchee, kombucha, and don't eat sugar and wheat. With the exception of sprouted wheat on occasion.  I plan to go into this exception in detail soon.  I have really taken to fermentation of all sorts. I love fermented foods and so do my intestines.  As I ease back into my healthy diet and prepare for hopefully a child I wanted to blog about it to keep me honest. You will see exceptions in my diet. I have not been sick in over four years. I have been medication free for over a year.  I choose to slowly add whole foods to my diet that do not disrupt my system.  

With spring comes my favorite place on earth to go a Saturday morning at 8am, my local Farmers Market.  While strolling the aisles of the market on a sunny warm morning it is excruciating for me to pick and choose what to buy. I WANT EVERYTHING! This week I chose crisp green haricot vet green beans, tiny new potatoes, tiny cream and tan colored crimini mushrooms, half bright pink and white french radishes, thin emerald spears of asparagus, and beautiful dainty squash blossoms. This recipes includes these seemingly fragile squash blossoms. It is true that you need to use them as soon as possible. I used them with in 24 hours. I used female blossoms today. No prep other than to pull out the stigma, which if you gently tear one side of the blossom down evenly you will reveal the style inside the middle of the blossom. It is bright yellow and you can just pop it out.

8 squash blossom with attached baby zucchini

4-5 table spoons of got cheese ( can use ricotta or other cheese of choice)

3-4 mushrooms of choice I used miniature crimini 

pepper to taste

walnut oil or oil of choice (need enough to cover bottom of skillet or frying pan about an inch to two inches)

8 table spoons of garbonzo ( chickpea)  bean flour ( can use gluten free flour, wheat flour, or flour substitute of choice)

1 cup of water, beer, or milk

I mix the garbonzo bean flour and  water with a whisk. I let it sit and thicken but mix again briskly before I dunk my blossoms.

I cut the mushrooms us very small and put into a zip lock bag with the cheese and pepper. I push all the air out of the bag and seal. I snip the end off one bottom corner.  I use this to pipe the filling into the blossoms.  As I mentioned above I tear the blossom on one side all the way down. I hold open the petals and pipe in the filling about one tablespoon worth. I then wrap the petals around and squeeze gently. When you are done with all 8 blossoms you can refrigerate while you get the oil heating.

I fill my skillet with oil and bring it up to temperature.

 You can drop piece of bread or batter in and watch it sizzle without smoking to a golden brown. The oil if kept at medium heat should be good.  I dunk the blossom and squash in the batter and coat. Carefully drop into the skillet.

 Rotate every minute to minute and a half. You want all sides to brown and should take about 3 minutes total. I would do two to three at a time.  Take off and put on a cooling rack and sprinkle with salt.