july newsletter - a breath of fresh air!

Hey Y’all!

It’s very officially summertime and my ‘theme’ for the past couple of months has been “Fresh Air”. This is inspired by the organization of the same name (The Fresh Air Fund) that I have been doing fundraising for as a member of their team for next week’s NYC Half Marathon. Yesterday, I visited their summer camps where thousands of low-income NYC kids go on free vacations ever year, and had a blast walking around the woods, checking out the camps’ farm, singing with the campers, and watching them play carefree in the fields and lake. …And there’s no reason we can’t take that same spirit and apply it to our own summer fun!

Have a Picnic!
Picnics are one of my absolute favorite things about the warm weather. I like to invite a few friends to meet in a public park, everyone brings something to share, a blanket to sit on, their own fork from home, and it’s an instant and easy party! (Not to mention you don’t have to prepare your house for guests or do any major clean up after). Or, you can make an ordinary meal a bit more “ooh la la” special by dining by candlelight in the backyard or on the roof. (If you need some picnicspiration, try my Greenmarket Potato Salad recipe or Mark Bittman’s 101 Picnic Dishes.)

Go Raw Together!
A couple of the things I love about camp is the opportunity to try new things, make new friends, and work together. With the abundance of beautiful and delicious fresh produce in season right now, it’s a great time to experiment with new recipes. But no one wants to slave over a hot stove when it’s hot out, so try some raw or mostly raw dishes. You’ll get to play up the lovely flavors of summer produce with a minimum of sweat-inducing effort! Have a raw foods potluck, encouraging each invitee to bring a friend you haven’t met. (If you feel like getting fancy, check out recipes from Raw Food Real World).

Ride a Bicycle Made for Two!
Or, do something else you haven’t tried that can get you out and about. If you live near a lake or a river, you can probably rent or borrow a canoe, kayak, or tube and go out on the water. If you live near hills or mountains, go camping or for an early morning bird-watching hike. If it’s too hot where you live, go out for some late-night stargazing, run through the sprinkler at sunset, find an indoor ice rink, or check out a museum in town you’ve been meaning to go to. Or, if you’re stuck in the city, spend a day exploring a new neighborhood—try new foods and learn more about your neighbors! (Try TravelSkoot for ideas.)


NEWS FROM AJA
I'm Running the Half-Marathon! NEXT WEEK!!
Continuing with my running streak, I'm competing in the Nike NYC Half-Marathon next week for charity. I'm on The Fresh Air Fund’s team and I’m looking for sponsorship-- anything you can give will help to send 10,000 low-income NYC kids on summer vacations in the country.

I'm hoping to raise $1,310. Or, $100 per mile of the 13.1 mile race!
Though I think it would be great to raise a bit more- $1,600, which is the cost of sending one child on vacation. I would be really grateful for absolutely any contributions you are able to make.

You can donate online: http://freshair.kintera.org/ajamarsh
(There are also instructions there for how to donate by mail)


ANNOUNCEMENTS, etc.
In Season: It’s Wild Salmon season! It wasn’t really until last year that I realized I liked salmon. I always thought it was too fishy tasting and the texture didn’t appeal to me. Last summer, I had some really nice, slightly rare wild salmon, and oh my, what a world of difference. So if you think you don’t like salmon, I implore you to give it a try. Here’s a recipe for my Wild Salmon Burgers.

Cool Recent Blog Posts: Read about the highlights of my trip to Summer Camp, get some Green Cleaning Tips, and make some Vegan Brownies this weekend!

Guest Blogger Opportunities: I’m always looking for interested individuals to write guest blogs for Stem+Leaf about green and healthy-lifestyle related subjects, from your own perspective. No need to be an experienced writer-- just enthusiastic with something to say! Please contact me for more information.

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The day is yours—soak it up!
Aja

recipe: low-fat vegan brownies!

In the past few weeks, I've made these a few times for clients and events.

This recipe is inspired by one I found on VegWebI've found one of the most important ingredients is a high-quality cocoa powder. The ones that came out best used Ghirardelli Chocolate. Use what you like!

If you're not interested in making them low-fat, sub half of the applesauce for additional oil, this will help to make them a bit richer and gooier.



Recipe: Low-Fat Vegan Brownies
2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, or a mix of the two
1 cup Water
1 cup organic brown sugar
1 cup organic cane sugar or turbinado
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups high-quality cocoa powder
1/3 cup organic canola or melted coconut oil (you could also use melted vegan margarine)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 to 2/3 cup nuts or chocolate chips (optional)


1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. In a small pot, heat 1/2 cup of the flour and the water, stirring frequently with a whisk. You'll do this until it begins to become pasty. Remove from heat and allow to cool while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

3. In a large bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients. Mix in the wet ingredients and the flour-water mixture until thoroughly combined.

4. Fold in the nuts or chocolate chips if using.

5. Oil a square or rectangular baking dish (the smaller the dish the thicker the brownies. I wouldn't use anything larger than 9x13).

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool for 20-25 minutes, if you can stand to wait.

spicy chipotle vegan brownies

There's something about that combination of heat and sweet, and I love these brownies for that. They hit your tongue soft, sweet, and chocolately, but finish off with a kick. Sweetened with agave, these brownies aren't overly sweet, but you could add a bit more if you like. I made these for a family friend's birthday party and they were a hit! I imagine they would go very well crumbled into some vanilla ice cream.


Spicy Chipotle Vegan Brownies
5 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon water
1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
pinch ground allspice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cup agave nectar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup vegan margarine, melted (I use Earth Balance) or canola oil
4 oz. dark chocolate, melted and cooled (equals about 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Lightly grease a 9" square baking dish.

2.In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseeds and water, and mix well. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, spices, baking soda, baking powder, salt. Then, add in all of the wet ingredients and the flaxseed mixture and fold well to combine. Fold in chopped nuts, if using.

4. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes:This makes for a pretty spicy brownie, so decrease the amount of chipotle powder if you want it less hot. If you can't find the chipotle powder, you can substitute 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper. Alternatively, you could omit the chipotle, cinnamon, and allspice altogether for a more traditional brownie.