Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts

Crispy, tender, spicy, sweet, and addictive are just a few of the adjectives that describe these amazing Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts.

Last May, Mr B and I had tickets to see Marc Cohn at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, so we decided to make a night of it. We started out with a light meal at Southpark Seafood (our current Portland happy hour spot!) before the concert.

With a relaxed-chic vibe, this northwest Portland eatery features sustainable seafood and farm-fresh ingredients, and while their happy hour drink menu is just average ($6 house wines and sangria, $5 local brews), Southpark Happy Hour Eats are outstanding in every way.

For our meal, Mr B ordered six Oysters on the Half Shell [$6/3] for himself (I don’t do raw oysters) while I opted for the Spicy Shrimp & Grits [$10]. We also shared a Caesar salad [$6] and an order of their signature Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts [$7], and finished with a board of their amazing Maple Cream Puffs (with maple pastry cream, maple frosting, AND candied pecans) [$5].

The entire four-course meal for two was less than $40… in Portland!!! (Excluding beverages and tip, of course). AND, everything was delicious!

We especially enjoyed the Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts – they were literally the best Brussels sprouts I’ve ever eaten! Crispy, tender, spicy, sweet, and addictive are just a few of the adjectives to describe these amazing oven-roasted sprouts.

I immediately put it on my list of recipes to figure out and blog about (as in, I opened Evernote right there at the restaurant and typed myself a quick reminder). I’ve heard that Southpark will just give you the recipe if you ask, but I was interested in learning more about its mysterious new-to-me ingredient, Gochujang paste, so I decided to take it as a challenge.

Gochujang Paste, or Korean Red Chili Paste, I’ve since learned, is a savory, sweet, spicy fermented condiment made from chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soy bean powder, and salt. It gets its sweetness from the glutinous rice and has about the same consistency as a thick hoisin sauce or tomato paste, but is much stickier.

You can find Gochujang paste at almost any Asian market. If you’re at all worried that the Gochujang paste will make the sprouts too spicy, don’t be. The end result is a savory, sweet, almost mapley Brussels sprout with a subtle but respectable hint of heat.

5 from 6 votes

Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts

Course Side Dish

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 1/2 tablespoons Gochujang paste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Chopped cilantro plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts plus extra whole peanuts for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a heavy sheet pan with a Silpat mat (or with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray) and set aside.
With a paring knife, remove the base off of each Brussels sprout and cut down the middle from stem end to flower.
In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, honey and Gochujang paste. Add in Brussels sprouts and toss to coat.
Spread prepared Brussels sprouts evenly on prepared sheet pan. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Roast Brussels sprouts in preheated oven 25-30 minutes (depending on how large your sprouts are), or until the sprouts are dark golden. (See note.)
Remove from oven. Sprinkle peanuts and cilantro evenly over roasted sprouts and then transfer everything to serving dish. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro and peanuts. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

When spreading Brussels sprouts on the pan to put in the oven, I like to start them all with their cut side down, flipping them with a spatula halfway thru the cooking process.

The sauce in the recipe here (olive oil, vinegar, honey, and paste) has a multitude of uses beyond Brussels sprouts, from chicken marinade to kale chip dressing.

I’m not sure how close this is to the Southpark Seafood recipe, but it sure tastes spot-on. I hope you enjoy these Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cilantro & Peanuts as much as we do!

Additional recipe credit: While the inspiration for this post came from Southpark Seafood, the actual recipe shared here is an adaptation of this recipe by The Garlic Pad.

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this recipe!

P.S. I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

Tilikum Crossing {Bridge of the People}

January 20 By Renée ♥ 8 Comments

Hey Portland, remember that one gloriously bright sunshiny day we had a week or so ago?

You know the one. (Because there really was only one.) Well, Mr. B, Em and I jumped on it and took our first walk across our newest bridge – Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People.

Tilikum Crossing is a car-free pedestrian and transit bridge, making it the first of its kind on the United States.

Our third-mile walk across the bridge was lovely, and included some beautiful views of Mount Hood.

The light, airy structure of Tilikum Crossing stands in bright contrast with its neighbors. To the south is the Ross Island Bridge, with its imperial ironwork towers, and to the north the Marquam and its stark Cold War vibe. (The Marquam is my least favorite bridge ever.) Next to them, Tilikum Crossing rises from the Willamette as fresh and vibrant as a teenage girl at a retirement home dance.

Truly a Bridge of the People, Tilikum Crossing’s name is significant. Historian Chet Orloff, chair of the committee that named the bridge, says the name was selected because it connects our region’s past with the promise of its future.

Tilikum is the Chinook Wawa word for “people” — hence Bridge of the People. [It] symbolizes coming together. It conveys connections, in not only the relationships between people, but in the connections we will make as we ride, walk, run and cycle across this beautiful new bridge.

The bridge is design to safely carry pedestrians and cyclists, as well as light rail and streetcar riders between the South Waterfront, Lair Hill, the Brooklyn neighborhood and the inner Division area.

Generous 14-foot-wide paths, one on each side of the bridge, are designated for cyclists and pedestrians. In addition to the dedicated bike path, there are also several bike-only signals, as well as a electronic cyclist counter that tallies how many cyclist ride across the bridge each day, as well as giving a grand total since the opening last September.

Portland, however, is a town known as much for its readers and writers as its cyclists. This quote – stamped into the sidewalk at the east end of the bridge – evokes Walt Whitman’s famous poem celebrating the glories of existence, the interconnectedness of body and soul, and the oneness of all people.

I sing the body electric,
The armies of those I love engirth me and I engirth them,
They will not let me off till I go with them, respond to them,
And discorrupt them, and charge them full with the charge of the soul…

~ Walt Whitman

Tilikum Crossing, the country’s first car-free pedestrian and transit bridge. | The Good Hearted Woman

Em loves her pink coat. She says it makes her look like a model.

We are really looking forward to taking an evening stroll along the Waterfront when the weather starts to warm up so that we can fully enjoy Tilikum Crossing after dark. That’s when 178 LEDs, controlled by an aesthetic lighting program, illuminate the bridge. The lighting program pulls data from the USGS river monitor and adjusts the lights’ colors according to the water’s height, speed and temperature. How cool is that?!?

Tilikum Crossing Facts & Stats:

Opened September 12, 2015
The first span over the Willamette in the Portland area since the Fremont Bridge in 1973
Four-pier cable-stayed bridge type (two piers on land, two in the water at the towers)
About 1,720 feet in length
Two towers, each 180 feet high
75.5 feet wide (110.5 feet at the towers)
About 3.5 miles of cable
14-foot-wide path for cyclists and pedestrians (one on each side)
25 mph max. speed for buses and trains
For transit, pedestrians and cyclists only

For more information on Tilikum Crossing, visit How We Roll [News for Trimet Riders].

The Trail Less Traveled: Elowah Falls & McCord Creek Falls {Hike}

October 9 By Renée ♥ 8 Comments

Enjoy both sweeping views and relative solitude on this – the Elowah Falls & Upper McCord Falls Hike –the least-traveled trail on Oregon’s “waterfall road.”

It can be so easy to put off exploring your own backyard. Late this summer, Mr. B, Em and I decided to spend a week camping along the Historic Columbia River Highway at Ainsworth State Park, and take the time to explore Gorge trails so close to home that we often overlook them.

We took our trusty copy of Curious Gorge along with us, which lists over 100 Gorge hikes, and found a number of enticing trails to check out, including this one, which I’m almost embarrassed to admit I’ve never hiked before. It seems that I’m not alone though: the book’s author, Scott Cook, says that due to its weirdly hard to find parking lot, “Elowah Falls is the most overlooked major waterfall in the entire Gorge.”

I believe him. If you have ever hiked to the top of Multnamah Falls, you probably had a lot a company along the trail. Not so on the Elowah Falls and McCord Falls Hike. I could count the number of people we encountered the entire time we were on the trail on two hands.

The Elowah Falls hike is actually two hikes in one. About .2 miles in, at the second junction in the trail, you can choose to go up to Upper McCord Creek’s twin waterfalls, or down to Elowah Falls. We took the high road first.

A short way into our hike, we encountered a rusty piece of history – this long cast-iron flume pipe running down the hill.

According to Cook, this flume was built circa 1890 by pioneer Myron Kelly, who used it to deliver pressurized water from McCords Upper Twin Falls to his pulp mill down on the river. The pressurized water turned mill wheels that ground cottonwood trees into pulp, which he sold to Camas’ paper mills.

The mile-long trail to McCord Creek Falls makes several switchbacks for an elevation gain of 260 feet. It also passes a basalt wall blooming with wildflowers, and gives you a beautiful view of the Columbia River and Hamilton Mountain across the river in Washington.

If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler making its way up (or down) river.

We stopped at McCord Creek Twin Falls to eat lunch, and Mr. B and Em did a little exploring while I took pictures of the local flora.

After lunch, we returned down the trail to Elowah Falls. The falls are fed by runoff from Mount Hood and, due to our extremely dry summer weather, the 213-foot high waterfall itself was somewhat anticlimactic, but nonetheless lovely, and the spray was quite refreshing after our hot afternoon hike. We’re hoping to take the hike again in early spring when the water is flowing more.

The canyon created by the falls creates a wind tunnel, and as we got close to the falls basin, the wind became strong enough to push the weak waterfall flow sideways.

If you are looking for a great, easy hike, we highly recommend checking out Elowah Falls. From Portland, it makes for a beautiful day trip, and if you are looking to get a little one-on-one time with the people you love along the way, the trail will be all yours.

Hike to Elowah Falls & Upper McCOrd Creak Twin Falls | The Good Hearted Woman

Proof that I was actually on this hike! (Also: Wind)

Hike Info:

Elowah Falls & Upper McCord Falls Hike

Easy-Moderate Hike
.75 miles to Elowah Falls, 1 mile to Upper McCord Falls, and 3.5 miles to do both.
Trail is very well-maintained, but rocky. Wear good shoes.
Pets are OK. Leashes required.

Getting there:

The parking lot really isn’t that hard to find. It’s just that it is situated east of the place your normally return to the highway from the old Historic Highway, and I think people just don’t know it’s there. (All the better for us solitary hikers then, huh?) The trailhead starts in the parking lot of John B. Yeon State Park, making this the most easterly of the Historic Highway’s waterfall hikes.

From the west (30 minutes from Portland)
From Portland, take Hwy 84 east to Ainsworth exit 35. At the stop, turn left, and then immediately right onto Frontage Road. Follow for 2 miles to Yeon State Park (just before the highway entrance).

From the east (30 minutes from Hood River)
Take I-84 west to Warrendale exit 37, Take the exit and go .3 miles, then turn left under the bridge. Take another left onto Frontage Road and head east for .3 miles to Yeon State Park (just before the highway entrance).

Resources: Curious Gorge [2013 edition], by Scott Cook [←affiliate link]

An InLinkz Link-up

What’s New at {Portland} Saturday Market?

June 16 By Renée ♥ 13 Comments

Portland Saturday Market, now in its 42nd season, is one of our favorite family outings. Every trip to the Market is an adventure of discovery – fresh foods, innovative vendors, creative artisans, and talented musicians.

On our most recent outing, we set out to find out what was new on the Market scene. One of the first booth’s to catch my eye was Antler Adornments, where artisan Lauren Zwar sells unique, hand-carved shed antler adornments – everything from antler hair forks to necklaces and earrings. (To clarify, these are made from “shed” antlers, for which no animal need be harmed to collect.) As a lifetime “long-hair” wearer, I particularly appreciate the lovely, rustic quality of her beautiful hair accessories.

Lauren was a little camera shy at first, but she has a beautiful smile and is passionate about her love of nature art.

Looking for fun, funky and functional hand-made pottery? Look no farther than Kristy Lombard Pottery, currently found in the Ankeny Plaza area of the Market. Kristy is new this year as well, and her pottery is high quality and very creative. I love the 3-D effect of many of her pieces.

You can always find something new, even at the old-timer’s booths. Case in point: Love Lite Precision Tie Dye Apparel, where Em made some new friends. Booth vendor “Tie Dye Eric” has been helping people get their tie-dye for a couple of decades, and there’s always something bright and beautiful to hanging on the racks. Em said her new parrot buddies were the “best thing that happened to [her] all day!”

Perhaps because of Portland’s food cart boom, the availability of food at the Market has taken a noticeable turn downward in the past few years, so I was glad to see a few new food vendors this season. With sunny skies and bright colors everywhere, our favorite food booth this trip was The Tropical Fruit Cocktail stand, located near the Bill Naito Legacy Fountain.

Alaina Sargent, head baker at Sargent’s Sinful Sweets and purveyor of French macarons and other tasty pastries, is another new face on the Market scene. Alaina is a recent graduate of the Oregon Culinary Institute, where she focused on baking, and started selling her sinful sweets. We sampled a couple of macaroons, which were (of course) melt-in-your mouth delicious.

Sargent's Sinful Sweets at Portland Saturday Market - 2015 Season | The Good Hearted Woman

That’s Alaina on the right, with two of her baking buddies.

There are plenty of batik artists and tie-dye apparel booths at the Market, but Barbara Holmes traditionally dyed cotton batiks got my attention on this trip. Turn each item over at Owl House Batik & Design and you are sure to find a surprise on the back!

Combine an intriguing puzzle with Celtic imagery and you cannot lose with me. This booth, shared by Puzzle Rings by Pahos and BanfiliGirl Textiles makes for a captivating stop. (Puzzle Rings are a group of interlocking rings that fit together to form an intricate design. When apart, the rings remain interconnected and pose a challenging puzzle.) Be sure to ask Pahos to share his puzzle ring story with you!

Mr. B and I cannot pass up a good caramel, and the Coffee Rum Horchata caramels from One Fork Farm – made with local spirits from Eastside Distilling – were fantastic! One Fork Farm focuses on traditional methods, local sources, and seasonal flavors. Offerings change seasonally, and include fresh pestos, sauerkraut and other ferments, sauces, and (of course) caramels.

This last booth belongs to artist Renée Staeck. Inspired by the lush beauty of the Pacific Northwest, Renée (who spells her name exactly like me – with methodical attention to the accent) works in a variety of media, but feels most at home with ink and paper.

Finally, I was inspired to write a whole separate piece about events surrounding these next images (to be posted at a future date), but here’s the nutshell: If a Street Performer makes you stop walking, you owe him a buck.

Learn it – Live it.

Morgan & Lundi Knight at Portland Saturday Market - 2015 Season | The Good

Morgan and Lundi Knight are a traveling acoustic folk-duo formerly known as Fools’ Reverie. (The name was apparently abandoned because “reverie” is a difficult word, a fact makes my inner English nerd shudder.)

So what’s best part about the Market this year? That’s one thing that never changes: we always go home from with a few new treasures, some lovely shared memories, and occasionally even a new friend.

Disclosure: No one gave me anything to endorse any of these vendors, just in case you were wondering.

–

Time for Another TOAST! {+ Ticket Giveaway}

February 20 By Mr. B 5 Comments

Notes from the Man Cave

One of the best parts about having a wife who is a Portland blogger is that occasionally I get to attend some really awesome events with her, and when Renée got an invite to attend TOAST 2015, you can bet I jumped right on it!

TOAST 2015, organized by Oregon Distillers Guild, is the signature artisan spirits tasting event of the Pacific Northwest. More than 40 distillers will be on hand serving 100’s of distilled spirits from Oregon and beyond. Whether your preferences run toward whiskey, rum, gin, vodka, tequila, brandy, or liqueurs, there is something wonderful waiting there for you. You can even try something new-to-you or a rare spirit, like absinthe or aquavit.

Distillers and owners will be on hand to pour samples and discuss their craft while you enjoy the fruits of their labor. Local chefs will also be there to provide food prepared to pair with spirits (included with your ticket).

It’s all happening March 7, 2015 from 4pm-10pm at the beautiful Leftbank Annex in NE Portland at 240 N Broadway (across from the Rose Garden). The MAX stop at the convention center is just a short walk away, and the Street Car stops one block away. There is also plenty of space for bikes. If you do drive, there is parking available at the Moda Center parking garages (Marked East/West on map) one block from the Leftbank.

This year’s lineup includes some of my personal favorites, including Bull Run Distillery (have you tried my Whiskey Ginger yet?), House Spirits Distillery and Cascade Alchemy. (Click here for a full list of participating distilleries.) But while I’m looking forward to visiting old favorites, I’m even more excited to try some new-to-me spirits, and sample some of the unique flavors that Oregon Distillers are becoming so renowned for.

Of course, a party isn’t a party without a something savory to soak up all those libations, and TOAST will not disappoint. Small bites will be presented throughout the evening by five local chefs, including:

Elias Cairo of Olympic Provisions
Johanna Ware of Smallwares
Scott Dolich of The Bent Brick
Matthew Fields of Stella Taco
Kevin Schantz of (soon-to-open) RingSide Grill (RingSide East, located on Glendover Golf Course, is currently undergoing major renovations and is set to reopen as RingSide Grill in the spring. I’m looking forward to a round of golf and a good steak with my lovely wife!)

Local supporting organizations will also be featured at TOAST, including Oregon Coffee Guild, Bradley’s Tonic Co., and Raft Botanicals.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU? (This is such a great deal!

TOAST Attendees will receive:

All-inclusive spirit samples from over 40 distillers from Oregon and beyond
Unlimited bites from top local chefs
A commemorative TOAST 2015 tasting glass
The Oregon Distillery Trail Scout book
plus the opportunity to purchase cocktails from the bar and purchase exclusive products from the distilleries at the on-site spirits shop.

VIP Guests also receive:

Two cocktails from the cash bar
Access to the VIP lounge
Entry to the Distillers After-party!!!

TICKETS INFO

General Admission – $45
VIP tickets – $60 (VIP tickets sell out fast – be sure to get yours now!)
Designated Driver – $15 (includes entry, free non-alcoholic beverages)

Tickets are now available for purchase online, but you can also enter to win one General Admission ticket right here! (Be sure to check out the links below the entry form for more chances to win!)

SAFE RIDE

In the spirit of safety first, event organizers have also coordinated with Broadway Taxi to ensure guests have rides available to them after the event. They are also offering a special $15 non-drinking admission for designated drivers and those who do not wish to imbibe but still explore the event.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Enter below to win one General Admission TOAST 2015 ticket. Entrants must be 21+ to enter to win, and able to attend TOAST 2015 on Saturday March 7, 2015 in Portland, Oregon.

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Check out these other PDX blogs for more chances to win tickets:

DISCLOSURE: As always, many thanks to my beautiful wife for all her help making my words into sentences, complete with capitals and periods and such. All images provided courtesy of TOAST 2015 and the Oregon Distillers Guild. Giveaway ticket is being provided by Oregon Distillers Guild and Little Green Pickle.

The Portlandia Cookbook {Review}

January 7 By Renée ♥ 29 Comments

We Portlanders love our food. Big time. And we love to cook. We can fry up a plate of Vietnamese spring rolls and a batch of vegan granola before our urban chickens wake up from their afternoon naps. And now, thanks to Fred Armiston and Carrie Brownstein, along with Jonathon Krisel (the co-creator, co-writer, and series director) you can cook like a Portlandia local too. Even if you are from someplace lame. Like Los Angeles. Or Seattle. (Bwahahaha…)

Beautifully photographed by Evan Sung, The Portlandia Cookbook {Cook Like a Local} is an entertaining blend of humor and recipes, inspired by both the marginally hyperbolic pop TV show and Portland’s very real world-class food culture. The book is divided into five sections: Small Plates, Main Courses, Desserts, Drinks, and (of course, said every Portlander everywhere) Brunch.

A number of things about this book surprised me. First, the content is solid, and despite its humorous slant, it is a real cookbook. Mundane category designations aside, the presentation is both entertaining and surprisingly useful, offering up a collection of genuinely tasty recipes that highlight Portland’s iconic food obsessions, including home-grown >everything<, pickling, brew pubs, coffee, and the three “F’s” – Fresh, Foraged and Fusion. And upscale donuts. (Just in case you missed the memo, those pink boxes are so 2013. It’s all about the Blue Star now.)

Recipes are sourced from all over Portland from both professional chefs and everyday Portlanders, and sections are as diverse as the city’s population. For example, Small Plates jumps from Sautéed Shrimp with Piquillos, Olives and Pork Belly (pork belly is so hot in Portland right now that I’m surprised there isn’t a pork-belly donut) to Baked Manchego-filled dates (I think I may have actually eaten these at an event in Portland last year). Main Courses include entrees like Smokey Bacon Pizza Bianca with Wild Greens, Alexandra’s No-Fuss Lasagna, and Craig’s Crazy Guac Tacs. The construction of the book itself has a high-quality feel, the ingredients used (with a few exceptions) are familiar, and the recipes are easy to follow.

In addition to recipes, you can find advice on such Portlandia eatery etiquette as how to order a chicken, how to get a meal in Portland for a dollar, and how to appropriately eat at a communal table. (“Please do your best to pretend to not be listening to other people’s conversations.”) Intermingled is entertaining information that fans of the show will especially relate to, including Gavin’s “Rules for Drinks at My Recording Studio,” and Portland’s Milk Advisory Board advice on “Alternative Milks and Their Side Effects.” (Did you know {according to PMAB} that zucchini milk can cause delusions of hearing loss? Neither did I!)

Wrapping up, I would definitely recommend The Portlandia Cookbook to anyone who is a fan of either the show or the city.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. This post includes affiliate links.

Giveaway Time!!

Want you very own copy of The Portlandia Cookbook? Sure you do!! Just enter below to win. (US Only)

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Bobs Red Mill Tour

November 10 By Renée ♥ 5 Comments

The first time I visited Bob’s Red Mill, it was on a field trip with my daughter’s Girl Scout troop. From behind big glass windows in the visitors portion of the mill, Christie, our tour guide, talked with the girls about whole grains and healthy eating, and showed them how the grain was processed. She also told us the story of Bob’s Red Mill, and what it was like to work for her boss, Bob Moore. After hearing about the driving philosophy of Bob’s Red Mill and what a privilege it is to work there, I left fighting the urge to print out my resume and hand it in immediately. What an amazing, impressive company! During our tour, Mr. Moore – “Bob” – took the time to come down from his office and spend some time talking with my little group of seven-year olds, leaving them all with smiles a mile wide.

So when I got the invitation to join a group of local bloggers for an inside look at Bob’s Red Mill – beyond the glass – I jumped at the chance.

This time, as before, our tour began with Christie telling us about how wonderful it is to work at Bob’s Red Mill. But then she went on to explain that Bob had intended to give us the tour himself, but his sweetheart had a health concern and, as he later told us, “you don’t keep those OHSU doctors waiting.” Still, he found a few minutes to share his office, and his inspiration, with us.

Bob credits a small book call John Goffe’s Mill as inspiration for his success. “John Goffe’s Mill is the story of George Woodbury,” Bob explained to us. “His mother was a Goffe, and George Woodbury was an archeologist who did archaeological digs in places like Mesopotamia. He got a letter one day that said, “you’ve inherited 400 acres and a mill in Bedford New Hampshire. What would you do?”

“Anyway, when I finished reading this book, two things stood out in my mind: George Woodbury was not a miller and he was not a salesman: he was an archaeologist. And he was successful [as a miller]. He started grinding flour, and people beat a path to his door. When I read that book, I thought, ‘it’s so simple. I bet if I could get some millstones someplace, and just open up anywhere, and if I let people know I was grinding flour and stuff that somebody would be interested.’

“Honestly, it’s that simple.”

Inspiration - Bob's Red Mill |The Good Hearted Woman

Judging from his office, Bob loves three things: his wife Charlee, healthy, whole grain eating, and airplanes. Probably in that order.

As we walked through the hall upstairs on our way to the mill tour, we passed by a little table with two tubs of brownies. I don’t know about anyone else, but I thought it was pretty cool that we got to vote in the gluten-free brownie tests. (Sure, I’ll eat a couple of brownies in the name of Science.)

Bob’s Red Mill does things the old-fashioned way – in an ultra-clean, modern facility. Quartz millstones, much like the ones used during early Roman times, are still the best way to grind grains and ensure that the most nutritious parts of the whole grain remain.

In an effort to offer the best possible product, Bob has formed solid, personal relationships with the farmers from across the country, taking time to visit their farms and ensure best practices are being used every step of the way.

We had an opportunity to tour their on-site testing labs, and I was deeply impressed with the care they took to assure that gluten-free products were indeed, gluten-free. Like some with severe peanut allergies, people with severe Celiac Disease go far beyond having a simple gluten intolerance, and can react to even the slightest trace of gluten. Not only does Bob’s Red Mill have a completely separate gluten-free facility, but every grain shipment they receive is painstakingly tested for gluten cross-contamination before it is ever packaged or sent through the machines.

In a second lab, the same care is being taken to guarantee their products are GMO-free. Bob’s Red Mill uses Heritage Feed, which is non-GMO, and tests all of the corn and soy they receive ensure that it is non- GMO. They are part of the Non-GMO Project and are working toward verification, but it is a lengthy, expensive process, so non-GMO isn’t on all of their labels yet.

At the end of our tour, we drove down the road to the Visitor’s Center and Whole Grain Store to eat lunch and explore the shop. They sent us home with Goodie Bags full of wonderful products, including a brand new one called “Orca Beans” that I am very excited to share with you. (Check back Wednesday for the best veggie chili you’ll ever have. If you don’t tell anyone it’s vegan, I won’t!)

Note: Bloggers who attended this tour received a goodie bag full of free Bob’s Red Mill products, plus a gift card. Bob also bought us lunch at the Red Mill cafe, where I have eaten more than once on my own dime. All opinions are my own.

Hike to Witch’s Castle {Forest Park, Portland}

August 20 By Renée ♥ 22 Comments

Once upon a time, I had visions of hiking through the hills and valleys of the Pacific Northwest with my happy little train of children, traipsing along whilst singing our hearts out all Von Trappified and such. (In my perfect world, it would be totally acceptable to break out into song at any given moment.)

But then… Tweens. Then Teens. Do you know how hard it is to entice the average teenage girl to go on a Hike with her Family? Here’s what worked for us most recently:

“Hey, do you want to go an a super-easy hike to a mysterious, probably haunted, definitely creepy stone Witch’s House hidden in the forest?”

“Yeah. I thought so.”

Before I detail the hike directions, a little history lesson is in order.

Forest Park has always been a hotbed of strange happenings in the Portland area, and Witch’s Castle is at the epicenter of one particularly haunting tale.

It seems that back in 1850, one Danford Balch filed a claim on a parcel of land near the newly settled town of Portland. Danford needed some help clearing the land, so he hired a transient worker named Mortimer Stump. Balch invited Stump to stay with his family, which included his wife Mary Jane and their nine children, while the work was being done.

Unfortunately, Stump ended up staying on a lot longer than was healthy for anyone.

It seems that Stump eventually fell in love with 15-year old Anna Balch and asked for her hand in marriage. When Danford and Mary Jane refused, the couple threatened to elope, and Father Balch retorted that if they did, he would kill Mortimer Stump. Young love being what it is, Mortimer and Anna ran off to Vancouver and were married in the fall of 1858.

Danford Balch would later claim that what happened next was the result of his wife “bewitching” him. The next time he encountered the couple, in Portland with other members of Stump’s family, a drunken Balch shot Mortimer Stump in the head. Balch was arrested, but escaped while awaiting trial.

Finally arrested again six months later on his own property, he was tried, found guilty, and subsequently hanged in October of 1859, making Danford Balch the first (legal) hanging in the Oregon Territory.

Mary Jane Balch, the “Witch” in our story, continued to live on the property. To this day, some attribute the strange occurrences at the Witch’s House to the ghosts of Danford, Mortimer, Anna, and Mary Jane.

If that isn’t enough to intrigue your teen off the couch, I don’t know what is.

Lamentably, the Witch’s House is not the actual Balch home. Over time, the Balch land was passed to various owners, and was eventually given to the City of Portland by Donald Macleay in 1897 to be used as a park.

In the 1950’s, a stone ranger station and restroom was constructed near the old Balch place, but was soon abandoned and quickly deteriorated. It is that stone structure that stands today as the Witch’s House.

How to get there: The Witch’s House is an easy half-mile hike from the Upper Macleay Parking lot near the Portland Audubon Society, or a slightly longer three-quarter mile jaunt starting from the Lower Macleay Parking lot at at NW 30th and Upshur.

If you want to visit the Audubon Society first, as we did, you can pick up the trail just to the right of the Wildlife Care Center, and then the only turn you’ll make is a quick left onto the main trail.

It’s an easy twenty or so minutes walk the hike in from Upper MacLeay, following Balch Creek on the Wildwood Trail.

Strange things are afoot at the Witch’s Castle… (If someone knows how I did this, please tell me – I may want to create the effect again someday! And no, I did not drop the camera.)

Speaking of Strange Things, Mr. B and I pose in front of a seemingly innocent doorway. And yet…

… the doorway above leads to this not so innocent little room/cave under Witches Castle. > >Shivers< <

OK, maybe it’s time for something pretty…

At the end of the day, we all had a great time together, and got to explore a pretty cool little corner of our world. And for the record, I did sing on the trail on the way back – accompanied by the lilting tones of, “Oh my gosh, Mom! You are so weird!”

As a Portland native, I take that as a real compliment.

P.S. About the picture above: I’m pretty sure I’m not really that short. I’m almost positive I was standing in a hole. Or something.

Keep on Chasing That Dream

June 27 By Renée ♥ 4 Comments

Summer is here – time for cut-off jeans, cold beverages, and loud music on the green. Sit back, youngsters. I’m gonna tell you about the good ol’ days.

Boston {My First Concert} | The Good Hearted Woman

(Yes, this is a picture of my original album.)

I went to my first concert back in ’77 – BOSTON – at what was then Portland, Oregon’s premiere venue, The Memorial Coliseum. Back in the final days of festival seating, before that fateful concert in Cincinnati that pushed us all forever into assigned seats. Back when standing in line for hours… even days … before an event was part of the deal.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, we had to get tickets. The “we” being my boyfriend, Carl, and (if I remember right) our friend Frank, a fine-looking boy who wore his Levis so tight that a doctor once told him if he planned to ever have children, he’d better change his wardrobe. (It may have been our other friend, Mark, but Frank sticks in my memory… wonder why?) Anyway, getting tickets wasn’t going to be easy – BOSTON was riding high on the tide of their self-titled debut album, released in August the previous year. (To this day, the record still ranks as the best-selling debut album in U.S. history.) As the hottest band coming to our little town in months, their concert sold out before we even knew the tickets had gone on sale. (Oh, what we would have done for eBay!) Of course, back then, as now, you could get a ticket… if you knew a guy and could pay the service charge. But I was just 14, and Carl was 15 – and we didn’t know any guys yet. So we asked around, but we had pretty much given up on going.

Then just a week or so before the concert, I was standing on the corner of NE 82nd and Siskiyou waiting for a bus when I overheard a girl talking to her friend about how she couldn’t go to this concert the next week because she and her boyfriend had broken up and …blah, blah, blah… honestly, all I really heard was that she had two tickets she needed to get rid of. I tried to act all calm, cool and collected while I made the arrangements with her, but I was jumping out of my skin; I couldn’t get home fast enough to call Carl and tell him!! I met up with her at the bus stop the next day, and paid $32 for both tickets – just a dollar or two over the selling price. Carl and I had decided that we could chance getting another ticket down at the Coliseum – there was sure to be a single that someone wanted to unload, and Frank was OK with paying the price.

Now came the really hard part – convincing my Dad to let me go. Did I mention that I was 14? Two years out from being able to officially date, according to our house rules, and a universe away from going to a “rock concert alone with boys.” OK, so I know that I should have gotten permission “first.” But it was the 70’s. Things were different in the olden days, girls. That’s all I’m gonna say about that. I won’t bore you with the details, but it involved a lot of promising, pleading, tears, and Carl’s mom intervening on my behalf. (Mama S., I still love you – you sweet lovely woman!) Somehow we managed to convince Dad (a man who later did not even let me attend my senior grad party) that I would be safe, protected and well-supervised whilst attending this uplifting musical event.

We arrived early in the day. Frank scored a ticket in the first few minutes – and paid over $20: enough to buy 30 gallons of gas or 42 dozen eggs back then. We stood, we sat, we leaned, and we waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, the gates opened and we made our way to the entrance, where we lifted the hems of our bell-bottoms for security to scan our socks for contraband, and then pushed our way through the turnstiles and into the roar of the crowd.

BOSTON was Awesome.

Like candy from a parade float, that word gets thrown around a lot these days. But in the truest sense of the word, it was an Awesome show. Because while, after 35 years, I may struggle to recall some details of the night – including exactly who went with us – I will never forget the chills I got as the Coliseum pulsed with Tom Scholz and Barry Goudreau’s amazing guitar harmonies backing Brad Delp’s vocals through the most incredible rendition of Long Time that I will ever experience in this life.

So no, Tom, we didn’t forget about you after you were gone (and we are surely glad you’re back). No one forgets their first concert. Yes, the faces and details may be fuzzy, but that first concert – Oh, the way it made you feel! The place that music took you – that stays with you forever.

Lighters high, my friends.

BOSTON is on tour again this year, but doesn’t come close to Oregon. C’mon guys – the PacNW misses you. It’s been such a long time…

Do you remember your first concert?

The Roses Outside Our Window

June 18 By Renée ♥ 5 Comments

We took a trip to Portland’s Rose Garden last weekend. As I wandered through the seemly endless rows of roses, I found myself contemplating this quote by Dale Carnegie:

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.

While I embrace Mr. Carnegie’s sentiment, I wonder if he might have chosen his words differently had he been a native of the Rose City, for it is certain that we Portlanders have magical garden of our own, blooming right outside our city window.

Tucked between the toney homes of NW Portland and the hills of Washington Park, every spring this century-old garden bursts with velvety, buttery blooms for nearly as far as the eye can see. It is nothing short of Magnificent.

The oldest public garden of its kind in the United States, Portland’s Rose Garden can trace its beginnings back to 1915, and Jesse A. Currey, rose lover and Sunday editor of the Oregon Journal. Fearing that European hybrid roses would be destroyed in the bombings during World War I, Currey convinced city officials to institute a city rose test garden as a safe haven for unique varieties from across the Atlantic.

Peace Rose – Photo credit: John Haupt, reproduced under Creative Commons 2.0.
(I didn’t get a good photo of this one.)

Many of the roses in the test garden are named to commemorate people, places and ideals, but my favorite is the Peace Rose. I remember being very young, standing close as my Poppy held a huge bloom full in the palm of his hand, bending it down to me so that I could see its delicate yellow and pink petals come alive in the sunlight. It was his favorite too. Legend has it that this aptly-named hybrid tea-rose was on the last plane out of France before Hitler’s occupation.

Honestly, I could go on and on about Portland and roses and all the entwining history. But I won’t. Because pictures are worth… well, you know.

Enjoy.

Portland Rose Garden | The Good Hearted Woman

“Lagerfeld Grandflora”

“A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them.”
~ Liberty Hyde Bailey

Washington Park International Rose Test Garden

Currently open from 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM daily. Admission is free.
Located in Washington Park in Portland’s West Hills, the garden includes more than 10,000 plantings of over 500 varieties.

[All images are mine unless otherwise noted.]