Summary

The Blue Heron Ranch Cookbook is a collection of wholesome recipes, accompanied by lively tales of the Natali family's adventure living close to the land, in the wilds of California's Los Padres National Forest. The cookbook has an assortment of delicious recipes, presented in a simple style not found in other cookbooks, where readers can easily follow the sequence of ingredients that correspond to the numbered directions, making for a presentation that is visually effortless. Each chapter opens with a distinctive account of the family's trials and triumphs at Blue Heron Ranch, followed by a particular category of recipes, arranged in seven groupings. Whimsical illustrations adorn the recipes and embellish the poignant tales that include anecdotes about raising a family in the wilderness, running a meditation centre, and facing nature's unending challenges--with the Blue Heron kitchen being the centre around which these events unfold. The book's 126 recipes include Blue Heron Ranch Potato Leek Soup, Saturday Market Quiche, Miso Pine Salmon, Ojai Bouillabaisse, Early Morning Rice Cream, Aunt Ev's Cardamom Bundt Cake, Honey Almond Chai, and many more. This book will resonate with individuals, couples, and families who dream of an alternative to this evermore complex time we live in, and offers a fresh flavour of life for those who are inspired to try something off the beaten path.

Author Biography

Nadia Natali is a mother, a Zen practitioner, and a long-time cook for numerous Zen retreats on Blue Heron Ranch. The stories she tells of the triumphs and tragedies of her family’s life in the wilds of California’s Los Padres National Forest and her profound appreciation for the land are at the heart of her recipes. She has an M.A. in dance therapy and is working on a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She and her husband, photographer Enrico Natali, live in Ojai, CA.

Acknowledgments	p. 8
Preface	p. 9
Introduction	p. 11
Menus for Family Gatherings/Retreats	p. 13
Food and Supply List	p. 16
Our Arrival	p. 19
Vegetarian Dinners	p. 23
My Favorite Tomato Sauce	p. 24
Grandma Elizabeth's Polenta	p. 25
Lasagna from Enrico's Family	p. 26
Lasagna Layering	p. 27
Matilija Manicotti	p. 28
Pizza with Goat Cheese	p. 29
Seasoned Rice	p. 30
Blue Heron Beans	p. 31
Adzuki Beans and Rice	p. 32
Black Bean Enchiladas	p. 33
Ojai Chili	p. 34
Sauteed Vegetables with Rice	p. 35
Special Vegetables with Almonds	p. 36
Vincenzo's Risotto	p. 37
Carrots and Tofu	p. 39
Lentils and Mint	p. 40
Curried Lentils	p. 41
California Split Pea Dahl	p. 42
Pucci's Potato and Egg Curry	p. 43
Sunday Stuffed Potatoes	p. 44
Spinach and Anaheim Chilies	p. 46
Baked Eggplant	p. 47
Saturday Market Quiche	p. 48
Garden Vegetable Quiche	p. 49
Fish and Chicken Dinners	p. 51
Kobun's Rice Balls	p. 53
Miso Pine Salmon	p. 54
Escolar	p. 55
Millennium Paella	p. 56
Chicken with Chard and Noodles	p. 58
Francis's Chicken and Curry	p. 59
Westport Pineapple Chicken	p. 60
Apple-Baked Chicken	p. 61
November Stuffing	p. 63
The Floods65 Soups and Stews	p. 69
-Vegetarian Simply Miso Soup	p. 70
Rainy Day Tofu Soup	p. 71
Blue Heron Ranch Potato Leek Soup	p. 72
Cross-Country Lentil Soup	p. 73
Garbanzo Soup with Tomato	p. 74
Winter Minestrone	p. 75
-Chicken and Fish Southwest Chicken Stew	p. 76
San Francisco Chicken Stew	p. 77
Blue Heron Chicken Stew	p. 78
Rainy Day Chicken Noodle Soup	p. 79
Ojai Bouillabaisse	p. 81
-Chilled Summer Borsch	p. 82
Avocado and Cucumber Soup	p. 83
Marica's Gazpacho	p. 84
Poor Man's Gazpacho	p. 84
Yogurt Soup	p. 86
Our Teepee	p. 89
Salads and Dressings	p. 93
Frankie 's Salad Dressing	p. 94
Blue Heron Salad Dressing	p. 95
Baby Green Salad	p. 96
Sackets Harbor Summer Salad	p. 97
Santa Barbara Salad Variation	p. 97
Cool Cucumber Salad	p. 98
Potato and Bell Pepper Salad	p. 99
Mixed Bean Salad	p. 100
Rice Salad	p. 101
My Roasted Red Bell Peppers	p. 102
Goat Cheese Salad	p. 103
Cloved Fruit Compote	p. 104
Two Fruit Salads	p. 105
Raita Salad	p. 106
Fire	p. 109
Breads and Muffins	p. 113
Whole Wheat Bread	p. 114
Rosemary Corn Bread	p. 117
Garlic Bread	p. 118
Tortillas from South America	p. 119
Naan from India	p. 119
Banana Bread	p. 120
Weiner Sisters' Popovers	p. 122
Golden Scones	p. 123
Marica's Biscuits	p. 124
Quick Ginger Molasses Muffins	p. 125
Breakfast	p. 127
Sunday Pancakes	p. 128
Hearty Breakfast Crepes	p. 129
Delectable French Toast	p. 130
Birthday Waffles	p. 131
Sesshin Oatmeal	p. 132
Early Morning Rice Cream	p. 133
Home-Baked Granola	p. 134
Home Schooling	p. 137
Puddings and Custards	p. 141
Black Bear Apricot Pudding	p. 142
Andrei's Favorite Bread Pudding	p. 144
Brown Rice Custard	p. 145
Coconut Rice Pudding	p. 146
Mexican Rice Pudding	p. 146
Mocha Mousse	p. 147
Zabaglione Cassis	p. 148
Pies	p. 151
Two Delicious Pie Crusts	p. 152
Blue Heron Apple Pie	p. 153
Blueberry Peach Pie	p. 154
Persian Mulberry Peach Pie	p. 155
Genevieve 's Lemon Meringue Pie	p. 157
Mitzi's Chocolate Pecan Pie	p. 158
Autumn Pumpkin Pie	p. 159
Apple Crunch	p. 160
Living Off the Grid163
Cookies	p. 167
Cardamom Cookies	p. 168
Blue Heron Chocolate Chip Cookies	p. 169
Genevieve 's Butter Walnut Cookies	p. 170
Cakes	p. 173
Aunt Ev's Cardamom Bundt Cake	p. 174
Lemon Cranberry Bundt Cake	p. 175
Chocolate Marble Bundt Cake	p. 176
Chocolate Apple Sauce Cake	p. 177
Birthday Coconut Cake	p. 179
Persian Mulberry Cake with Goat Cheese	p. 180
June Apricot Cake	p. 181
Pear Upside-Down Cake	p. 182
Meyer Lemon Half-Pound Cake	p. 183
Carob Coconut Brownies	p. 184
Tiramochamisu or Tiramintmisu Ca
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

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Excerpts

From the Preface:

Ten miles north of Ojai, at the end of a very long road in Matilija (pronounced Ma-til-i-ha) Canyon, lies Blue Heron Ranch. It nestles within the Los Padres National Forest in southern California. Here we, the Natali family, have faced fires, floods, bears, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes. We built a home, raised a family of three children, and have run a modest Zen center and fed a myriad of visitors for twenty-five years. This cookbook was inspired by the many individuals who visited our center and encouraged me to write about the meals prepared for our retreats.

Interspersed with the recipes, I’ve included stories about Blue Heron’s beginnings and how it has evolved. In addition to the recipes and stories, I’ve offered tips on cooking for a crowd and fresh ideas that you can use for weekend visits of friends or family members. Or perhaps you’re starting your own retreat center! You’ll find a good sequence of meals to serve to a small group over a weekend, along with helpful shopping lists.

My daughter Marica has drawn the piquant and charming illustrations, her vision and version of our family and life as she grew up on Blue Heron Ranch.

I cordially invite you to enter our home, by way of this book, and share in our meals and our stories.

Excerpted from The Blue Heron Ranch Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from a Zen Retreat Center by Nadia Natali
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.