The Functional Foodie Cookbook

The Functional Foodie Cooking Demo and Book Signing with Author Ayn Nix and Chef Andi Phillips
Saturday January 22, 2011 from 12-2pm.

There is a pervasive belief that eating healthfully means bravely stomaching wheatgrass smoothies and suffering through bland plates of cardboard- like offerings.

This cookbook will put an end to this way of thinking once and for all! No longer must one chose to give up the good life of sumptuous sauces, rich desserts and wine or eat healthfully.

From dips to main meals to desserts The Functional Foodie is filled with recipes using the hottest “functional” foods. Each of these healthful powerhouses is packed with documented health benefits and incredibly delicious!

Join author Ayn Nix and Chef Andi Phillips as they prepare recipes from their book and share some of the secrets of these amazing foods.

After the demo the author and chef will be signing copies of the book.

1 – 12 ounce container frozen limeade
1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons versawhip

In a small saucepan, bring drink concentrate to a simmer.  Remove from heat and steep mint leaves in concentrate for 5 minutes. Transfer concentrate and leaves to a food process. Pulse until leaves have been liquefied.  Run mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Retain liquid and discard leaf solids. Combine liquid & remaining ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat first on low to blend. Gradually increase speed until you are able to have the beaters on high. Continue to beat until you have a stiff foam. 

Serving suggestions: Use as a foamy sauce for plated desserts.

Purchase items in BOLD in-store at Surfas or online at Culinary District!

In a large bowl, dissolve the calcium chloride in the water.�
In the jar of a blender combine the Midori & the alginate. Blend on high until alginate is completely dissolved. While mixture is still frothy, transfer it to a squeeze bottle. You will have to work over the calcium chloride bath for the next step. Fill the bowl of a small ladle about half way full with the calcium chloride solution. Squeeze the frothy alginate mixture directly into the liquid in the ladle creating a large pearl with a diameter of about ½”. Allow it to set slightly, then dunk the bowl of the ladle into the calcium chloride solution. Allow the pearl about 2 minutes to set.  Pour bath & pearls into a strainer positioned over the 2nd bowl. Rinse the pearls under a gentle stream of cold running water. Transfer pearls to a 2nd sieve positioned over a 3rd bowl to drain for later use. Repeat jelling process until all of the alginate mixture is used. Discard bath water when jelling process is complete. Place the pearls, about 3 at a time in a glass & fill glass with 7-up. Some pearls will float. 

Purchase items in BOLD in-store at Surfas or online at Culinary District!

1 ½ cups fresh squeezed orange juice
3 ounces palm sugar, chopped
½ cup rice vinegar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 ounces minced ginger
1 ounce minced garlic
1 Tablespoon agar powder
1 Tablespoon glycerin
In a medium saucepan combine orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.   Bring to a boil and stir until palm sugar is completely dissolved.  Reduce heat to low & simmer for 5 minutes. 

Strain solids from liquid & discard solids. Return the liquid to the pan. Add the agar and the glycerin. Bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes. Transfer to a heat safe bowl.  Allow to cool at room temperature, undisturbed for 2 hours. Once product has gelled, transfer in chunks to the jar of a blender. Blend on high until you have a completely smooth sauce.

Serving suggestions:  Use as a plating sauce for seafood &/or chicken. Can be used cold or, heated to 185° F.

Purchase items in BOLD in-store at Surfas or online at Culinary District!

16 oz currant juice
½ cup Monin lavender syrup
1 Tablespoon glycerin
1 T agar powder

In a 2 quart saucepan, bring the juice, lavender syrup, and glycerin to a boil. Reduce flame to low. Whisk in the agar powder. Simmer on low, whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer mixture to a heat safe bowl. Cool to room temperature, undisturbed, 2 hours. When mixture is gelled, transfer it in chunks to the jar of a blender. Blend on high until you have a completely smooth sauce. Use as a sauce for plated desserts. Can be used cold, or heated to 185° F.

Purchase items in BOLD in-store at Surfas or online at Culinary District!

1 sheet gelatin
¼ cup butter
1 medium shallot, finely minced
2 oz shiitake mushroom caps, finely minced
1 cup Gewürztraminer
1T+1t agar powder
½ t each salt & pepper
¼ t cayenne pepper
8 oz sour cream
1 cup whipping cream
5 oz blue cheese, crumbled

Bloom gelatin in a small bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. Strain gelatin out of water and squeeze out excess water. In a medium saucepan, over low heat, melt butter. Add shallots. Sauté until soft & fragrant. Add mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms give up their juice. Add the Gewürztraminer and agar powder. Bring to a boil. Continue to simmer until the agar is completely dissolved. Turn off heat. Add bloomed gelatin and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add salt pepper, cayenne, sour cream & whipping cream. Whisk to combine well.  Stir in blue cheese. Divide evenly among 24 mini muffin cups. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  When ready to serve, preheat oven to 185°F. Remove each panna cotta from the muffin cups.  Place on a cookie sheet, inverted. Heat about 10 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Serving suggestion:  Serve warm panna cottas on a bed of watercress with a crostini & crumbled bacon. Dress with a warm vinaigrette made from the bacon drippings, honey & apple cider vinegar.

Purchase items in BOLD in-store at Surfas or online at Culinary District!

Gel Ingredients:
1 sheet gelatin
1T+1 ½ t  (¼ oz/9grams) agar powder
2 cups strong brewed chai tea
2 cups Korean Citron Tea
2 Tablespoons glycerine
½ – ¾ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

Meringue Ingredients:
1 cup strong brewed chai tea
1 ½ cup sugar
1 t cream of tartar
½ cup dried, pasteurized egg white powder
24 ginger snap cookies

Bloom gelatin in a small bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. Strain gelatin out of water and squeeze out excess water. Set aside for later use.

In a medium saucepan bring the citron tea, 2 cups chai tea, glycerin, and agar to a boil. Simmer on low for about 2 minutes, until agar is completely dissolved. Position a sieve over a 4 cup liquid measuring cup. Pour citron mixture through the sieve.  Press solids to release all liquid.  Discard solids. Add enough of the fresh lemon juice to the citron/agar liquid to bring it up to 4 cups. Stir well. Divide agar mixture evenly among 24 mini-muffin cups. Allow mixture to firm up at room temperature.  Preheat oven to 400°F. 

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in the 1 cup of chai tea. Add the cream of tartar and the egg white powder and beat on high speed until you have stiff peaks. Scrape down sides of bowl to insure complete incorporation. Once citron jell is firm remove each one from the muffin pans. Line a jelly roll pan with a silpat. Evenly space 24 gingersnap cookies on silpat.  Place citron jelly, inverted, in the center of each cookie. Completely cover the gel with the meringue mixture using an offset spatula. Bake for 7 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned.  Serve immediately.

Purchase items in BOLD in-store at Surfas or online at Culinary District!

Bloom gelatin in a large bowl of cold water for 10 minutes.  Strain gelatin out of water and squeeze out excess water. Put chocolate and cardamom in a medium, heat safe, work bowl & set aside for later use.
Spray 8, 6oz ramekins with non stick cooking spray. In a medium saucepan, scald the whipping cream, evaporated milk & the rose syrup. Add the bloomed gelatin to the warm cream mixture. Whisk constantly over low heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved.  Do not allow the mixture to boil. Pour hot rose/cream/gelatin mixture over the chocolate & cardamom in the bowl. Whisk vigorously until the chocolate is melted & completely incorporated. Pour into prepared ramekins. Refrigerate overnight.  To remove run a knife around the edge of the ramekin and invert the ramekin onto dessert plate.

Rose Spheres
1 T calcium chloride
5 cups cold water
1 ½ cups strong brewed black tea
1 cup Monin rose syrup
pinch salt
2 teaspoons sodium alginate

In a large bowl dissolve calcium chloride in cold water.  Set aside for later use. 

In the jar of a blender combine the rose syrup, tea & sodium alginate. Blend on high until alginate is completely dissolved. Mixture will be frothy. It can be used at this time but pearls will be opaque. If you want a more translucent pearl you will need to wait for froth to dissipate. 

Transfer alginate mixture to a squeeze bottle. Drop about 200 pearl sized drops into the calcium chloride bath at a time. Allow the pearls to sit in the bath for 1 minute. In order to strain pearls while retaining bath solution for further use, have another medium bowl at hand. Pour bath & pearls into a strainer positioned over the 2nd bowl. Rinse the pearls under a gentle stream of cold running water. Transfer pearls to a 2nd sieve positioned over a 3rd bowl to drain for later use. Repeat jelling process until all of the alginate mixture is used. Discard bath water when jelling process is complete. 

Cardamom Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 T powdered sugar
Beat all ingredients with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. 

To plate:
Garnish plate with cardamom cream in a desired pattern.  Once panna cotta has been removed from the ramekin place it on top of the cardamom cream.  Garnish panna cotta and plate with rose spheres. 

Purchase items in BOLD in-store at Surfas or online at Culinary District!

3 cups Gewürztraminer
3 large cloves garlic, smashed
2 Tablespoons minced ginger

½ cup orange juice concentrate
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 Tablespoon versawhip
¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice

In a small saucepan, combine the Gewurztraminer, garlic, and ginger. Reduce over a very low flame until you have only ¼ cup of liquid left. Strain out and discard the garlic and ginger. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the wine reduction and the remaining ingredients. Beat first on low to blend. Gradually increase speed until you are able to have the beaters on high. Continue to beat until you have a stiff foam.

Serving suggestion: Pile julienned Black Forrest Ham & Baby Swiss on cocktail size rye bread.  Toast to melt cheese & garnish with orange mustard foam.

Purchase items in BOLD in-store at Surfas or online at Culinary District!

1 – 14 ounce can fat free, sweetened condensed milk
½ cup fat free, evaporated milk
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 Tablespoon Verswhip
3 Tablespoons chicory root powder

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine all ingredients. Beat first on low to blend. Gradually increase speed until you are able to have the beaters on high. Continue to beat until you have a stiff foam. 

Serving suggestions:  Use as a foamy sauce for plated desserts.

Purchase items in BOLD in-store at Surfas or online at Culinary District!