No Pasta for Penguins

Lessons from Andrew Zimmerman :: When it comes to crab cakes, simple is best

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 20:04:00 +0000

Having crab meat at home always feels like a little bit of a splurge to me, even though in reality it makes so much more sense to make it at home if you consider the cost benefit. And if you make these crabcakes, your everyday dinner will turn into something a little bit more special :) Because Andrew Zimmerman, you are right, this is the best crab cake recipe hands down. Frankly better than what I've had at some fancy restaurants. When it comes to crabcakes, simple really is best. There is no need for all the creams, the parsleys, and other such extra fillers. Just binding ingredients with simple flavors so that the crab takes the main stage, squeeze a little lemon on top with a little bit of tartar sauce and you're set.

The meal was easy to make, delicious to eat - what more could you need? Served it with rosemary roasted potatoes and some fresh veggies bagna cauda style - Cy was a happy person that day.

{Baltimore Crab Cakes}
from Andrew Zimmerman

:: Ingredients ::

1/2c mayo*
1egg beaten
1tbsp dijon mustard
1tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/2tsp hot sauce**
1lb lump crab meat
20 saltine crackers finely crushed***
lemon wedges

*I used Japanese Mayo which may taste a little bit different from your standard american mayo
**I used tabasco sauce
***I didn't have any saltine crackers on hand so went with Panko instead which worked great- just don't forget to add some salt to your mixture

:: Directions ::

1. In a bowl, mix together the mayo, egg, mustard, worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.
2. In a separate bowl, toss together the crackers (or panko + salt) and crab meat. Mix in the mayo mixture and let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour. (you can stop at this stage and leave overnight if you are prepping ahead)
3. Scoop out the the mixture in to 1/3cup mounds. You should be able to make about 8-10 depending on your crabcake size.
4. In a large skillet, heat some oil, and pan fry the crab cakes for about 3 min each side, until they are
heated through and golden brown. Serve with a wedge of lemon and optional tartar sauce.

The Three Ingredient Salad :: Roasted Fennel & Orange Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 07:01:00 +0000

We finally got some much needed rain in Los Angeles this weekend. Even though it was only for a measly two days, it wreaked some havoc in my neighborhood with the power going out for a bit, and some trees getting knocked over from the winds. I saw people decked out in their down coats and boots...I may have heard some snickers from east coasters...

I know spring is around the corner and the sun is already coming back out here, but when I saw this recipe from Molly Steven's cookbook All About Roasting introduced on Food52, I knew that I had to make it. It only requires three ingredients that I happened to have all on hand, and I love the combination of fruit in savory dishes. The citrus is a perfect complement to the red onion and fennel and when everything is roasted together, it creates a perfect harmony of flavor that makes me think of warm meals by the fire on cold nights. And the best part - it's so easy!

{Roasted Fennel, Red Onion & Orange Salad}

from All About Roasting by Molly Steven

1 large fennel

1 orange

1 red onion

olive oil

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375degreesF

1. Chop off the stems and leaves of the fennel until you just have the bulb. Chop it down vertically all the way to the base. Core the two halves and place them cut side down. Then cut 1/4inch pieces.

2. Chop about an inch off the top and bottom of the orange putting those aside to squeeze later. Cut side down, cut the middle section of the orange into quarters. Then cutside down again, cut into 1/4inch wedges.

3. Chop the red onion into halve and cutside down, chop the onion into 1/4inch pieces.

4. Place all ingredients into a bowl and toss with a generous amount of olive oil.

5. Spread out as evenly as you can over a pan lined with parchment. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper and put in the oven.

6. After 15min, check and stir the vegetables around so that they don't burn. After that keep stirring every 10min until orange peels look somewhat caramelized - takes about half an hour. Take out of the oven, plate, and squeeze the left over orange segments over the veggies. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Easy & Delicious Cookies :: Butter & Eggs NOT required

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 08:41:00 +0000

I really really love this cookie. I'm a big fan of oatmeal cookies to begin with, except this one is taken to different level with the addition of carrots and a kick of ginger. Neither Cy nor I are vegan, but the fact that it's so easy to make with absolutely no eggs and no butter only makes it that much better. I am always amazed at the perfect consistency - the somewhat crispy outside with the super moist inside. I love this cookie with the currants and ginger, but really you can do any combination of flavors. White chocolate chips, cinnamon instead of ginger, the possibilities are endless. I used a combination of almond and whole wheat flour here, but you can also use regular flour, or whatever flour that floats your boat.

It's a perfect snack for when Cy and I are craving that sweet bite :)

{Currants & Carrot Ginger Oatmeal Cookie}

inspired by 101cookbooks

1/2cup almond flour

1/2cup wheat flour

2tbsp ground flax

1tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1cup shredded carrots

2/3cup walnuts

1/3cup dried currants

1/2cup maple syrup

1/2cup unrefined coconut oil (warm, just melted)

1tbsp grated fresh ginger

Preheat oven to 375F

1. Mix together the flours, flax, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Add in the carrots, walnuts, and currants.
3. Whisk together the maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger - and then mix into the rest of the ingredients.
4. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out small rounds onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
5. Bake at 375F for about 10-15min or until browned on the bottom.

A Cruciferous Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 18:19:00 +0000

To be honest, I've always seen and been curious about this salad at the Whole Foods Deli, but I have never actually tried it. When I saw that there were a plethora of homemade versions out there on the interweb (the one that particularly inspired me was this one), I figured it would be a good opportunity to try making it for myself. This is a great salad for those days you feel like "detoxing" after not eating so great ( Like me, at work...) or just a great side dish to have on hand.

I've talked about the benefits of eating raw cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc. with all of their vitamins, fiber, and disease fighting phytochemicals before on a post. In fact, Cy's Broccoli Salad is still one of my favorite salads, but this one is a good one to have in the arsenal.

If you notice, this recipe uses Kelp granules - a new ingredient for me. I've always known that sea vegetables have amazing nutritional value, and they are a major part of Japanese cooking, but I didn't realize that they offer kelp in granule form - kind of like a healthier version of salt I guess, almost like furikake. You can find them in most grocery stores and read more about them here. I think it's great that they make this so that benefits of sea veggies can be incorporated into western dishes. I will definitely be doing more posts on Japanese dishes that feature sea vegetables in the future :)

In the meantime, eat more cruciferous veggies!

{Whole Foods Detox Salad}
makes about 4cups of salad

1bunch broccoli
1/2head cauliflower
2-3medium carrots
1/2cup dried currants
1/2cup sunflower seeds (or any nut)
a few tbsp of kelp granules
1/2cup chopped fresh parsley
juice of 1small lemon
4-5tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
salt & pepper to taste

1. Chop vegetables in a food processor until you get small pieces.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combined and that's it!

Note: I chopped my vegetables a little bit too fine than I meant to...I wanted somewhat larger chunks - but it still worked *shrug*

Chia Seed & Coconut Pudding with Raspberry Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 16:17:00 +0000

Chia seeds are so interesting. It's hard to imagine that something so tiny has so much energy and goodness packed into it. There's actually a long list of benefits to consuming chia seeds, including omega-3 fatty acids, manganese, and protein just to name a few.

I'm especially interested in the fact that chia seeds have been shown to improve blood pressure in diabetics, and that they are currently being studied as a natural treatment for diabetes. Because of its nature of turning gelatinous when mixed with fluids, they have the ability to slow down digestion helping to prevent sugar spikes in your blood, and this in turn can help fight insulin resistance as well as help lower LDL and TGL cholesterols!

Needless to say, I'm always looking for ways to incorporate these little seeds into our diet. Sometimes I'll sprinkle it in our morning yogurt, or throw it into whatever I happen to be baking. I've also made the Mint Cocoa Bars with Chia seeds in the past. This particular panna cotta like dish, is one I discovered over at Le Pain Quotidien. It tasted so creamy and delicious I knew I had to try to recreate it. It was a happy day when I discovered that the recipe is actually incredibly simple with really only 3 ingredients, and requires almost no sugar :) This makes for a perfect snack or dessert when you want a little something indulgent without it actually being too indulgent, or even for breakfast!

{Chia Seed & Coconut Pudding with Raspberry Sauce}

from Le Pain Quotidien

makes 4 servings

1 14oz can coconut milk (I used light)

5-6 tbsp chia seeds

for the sauce

1sm package of fresh raspberries (you can use frozen)

2tbsp of coconut sugar (or stevia, or maple syrup or any alternative sugar)

1/4cup water

pinch of salt

1. Mix the coconut milk and chia seeds in a bowl for a couple of minutes, and pour into individual ramekins or cups. Chill them in the fridge for a few hours.

2. In a small pot, cook together the the sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves and raspberries have broken down. Pour into a bowl and let cool.

3. When the pudding is ready, you can either pop them out of the ramekins onto a plate and pour the sauce over or simply pour the sauce into the cups and serve as is.

Green Juice: Mojito style

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 08:00:00 +0000

Juicing is a trend that I think has now become a mainstay in the busy and health-conscious culture of metropolitan cities. There's a nice convenience to knowing that if I feel like I'm not getting enough servings of veggies, I can just run to the nearest cold-pressed juicery (I think there are at least 4-5 in my neighborhood alone) and drink down my daily servings worth. I haven't bought into the idea that the average person needs to go through a juice diet to in order to "detoxify" our bodies, but I do think that the occasional, if not daily veggie juice helps me feel like I'm doing something good for my body.

When we first bought our Omega Juicer, we were so excited we juiced pretty much every morning, but nowadays we make green juice only occasionally - when we feel like our fruit and veggie intake could use a boost. I've posted about making homemade Honey and Vanilla Almond milk with it before, but I've been meaning to put up our green juice recipe. We usually like to make something that's inspired by the Greenest #3 over at Juice Crafters, and I'll post that sometime in the near future, but this one which is reminiscent of a mojito with the fresh mint and lime, is another version we enjoy.

{Green Juice: The Mojito}
Makes about 20-30oz

3/4bag baby spinach
2-3 medium sized cucumbers
2-3 green apples
1/2 bulb of fennel
4-5sprigs fresh mint
1 lime
1/2inch piece of ginger (optional)

Just chop up into a size that will fit your juicer and juice away!
*With the Omega juicer, I do notice that I have to alternate leafy things with the more solid fruit or veggie to help avoid getting a jam.

Happy Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 08:01:00 +0000

Happy ♥ Day!

V-day is interesting - it seems to bring a wide range of emotional response from people. Anything from, "Omg I'm going to be so upset if he/she doesn't plan something for me!" to "V-day must die because it's something the commercial card industry cooked up to trying to make more moola off of me", to "I could care less". Me, I probably lean toward the latter but would not be opposed if someone wanted to shower me with sweets and gifts ;) In either case, I've said this before but I don't think you need a specific day to show your love and appreciation for someone you care about...that being said, I always enjoy having an excuse to make something sweet. And the excuse to make something with penguins and hearts? Even better.

Last year I made these penguin cookies for Cy, but this year I really wanted to challenge myself to the French macaron. Definitely NOT a health food, but it's a holiday, and they're so sweet and rich, even just having one can satisfy any sweet tooth - in theory of course. There are tons of amazing food bloggers out there who seem to have perfected this finicky cookie and I am determined to get there some day. In the meantime, despite some bumps along the way, these came out relatively well. A shout out to miss S, my helper that day :)

I saw them on this beautiful blog and just had to recreate them, though I didn't use her recipe for the macaron. I did plan for them to be black, but realized I bought the wrong color a little too late...oh well, at least it was still a color associated with penguins. Remember Tuxedo Sam!? As for the filling, I decided to go with passionfruit, because I love how the tart creaminess cuts through some of the sweetness and I had found some dehydrated passionfruit powder. The fruit also seemed somehow appropriate for a day that's supposed to be about love.

{Passion Fruit Macaron}

I like the recipe from Joy of Baking

adapted to make penguin shapes

For the Macaron shell

100 grams ground blanched almonds or almond meal/flour*
180 grams confectioner (powdered or icing) sugar
100 grams "aged" egg whites, at room temperature**
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)
35 grams superfine or castor white sugar***
2-3drops of black or blue food coloring
Orange colored sprinkles
Black edible ink pen

* I use Bob's Red Mill finely ground almond meal/flour. You can find it in grocery stores, specialty food stores, health food stores, or on line.

** Separate eggs at least 24 hours before using (or up to five days). Cover with paper towel and place in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using. OR you can put the eggs in some warm water for about 5 min to "age" them.

***Make superfine sugar by processing regular granulated white sugar in your food processor for about 30 seconds or until sugar is ground very fine OR you can buy baker's sugar.

Have ready three baking sheets (make sure they have flat bottoms (no warping)) lined with parchment paper.To make all the Macarons the same size, make a template. Take a piece of parchment paper and draw 20 - 1 1/2 inch (3-4 cm) circles, spacing the circles about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Place the template under your parchment paper so you can use it as a guide. Or you can be a little crazy like me and actually buy a silicone baking sheet specifically made for the macaron - it makes life so much easier if you're not an expert piper.

1. Sift together the almond flour and the powdered sugar making sure there are no lumps or large pieces.

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment (can use a hand mixer), beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, if using, on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar, and continue to beat, on medium-high speed, until the meringue just holds stiff peaks(when you slowly raise the whisk the meringue is straight up, no drooping, called a 'beak') (but do not over mix the meringue or it will 'break').

3. In three additions, add the ground almond/sugar mixture over the meringue. When folding, cut through the meringue and then fold up and over, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Once the almond mixture is completely folded (called macaronage) into the meringue (the batter will fall back into the bowl in a thick ribbon) it is time to pipe the Macarons.
*This is a very critical step and there are tons of you tube videos out there to help you see what a "Macronage" should look like.
*If you want to do the penguins shapes, when you think you're close to reaching the consistency of batter you want, you can split the batter and take 1/3 of it into another bowl. Add a few drops of food coloring to the main bowl and finish your macronage. I left the other 1/3 its natural color and finished the macronage there too.

4. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with 1/2 inch tip, with about half the batter. Pipe about 1 - 1 1/2 inch (3 - 4 cm) rounds onto the parchment paper, using the template as a guide. In the case of the penguin shapes, pipe a more oval shape first with the colored batter. And then go over and pipe the white mixture in a V-shape over the ovals. The batter should settle in together, making the heart shapes in the macaron.

5. Tap the baking sheet on the counter to break any air bubbles (can also break air bubbles with the end of a toothpick). At this point, I carefully dropped the orange sprinkles onto the macaron to create the beak and feet. Let the Macarons sit at room temperature for about30-60 minutes(depending on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen) or until the tops of the Macarons are no longer tacky.
Meanwhile preheat your oven to 325 degree F (160 degree C) with the oven racks in the top and bottom third of the oven.

6. Bake the cookies (two sheets at a time) for about 14 -16 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom, front to back, about halfway through baking.The Macarons are done when you can just barely separate the cookies from the parchment paper (there will be some browning of the cookies). (If you find that the bottoms of the cookies brown too much, double sheet your baking pans.) Remove from oven and let the Macarons cool completely on the baking sheet placed on a wire rack. After they cooled, I drew in the eyes with the edible ink (You can also just use a small brush with black food coloring).

7. To assemble the Macarons, take two cookies and sandwich them together with your filling (place filling on flat side of cookie).

And here is the catch with these cookies - although you can eat them right away, they won't have the same consistency as what you would buy at the nice boutique stores. For them to reach their full potential they have to be matured in the fridge for 2-3 days. This gives the shells a chance to absorb moisture from the filling and become soft. Bring them back to room temperature when you're ready to serve and enjoy the fruits of your hard labor!

For the PassionFruit Filling
50 grams egg whites (about 2 small egg whites)100 grams sugar
150 grams butter, softened at room temperature (cut into 1 tbsp pieces)
5-8 tbsp of dehydrated passion fruit powder

1. Combine the egg whites with sugar and place them in the double boiler. Whisk them together until all the sugar dissolved and the egg whites start to turn opaque and fluffy. Continue whisking until the egg whites become hot to touch.

2. Take egg whites off the heat and start whipping at high speed until light and fluffy (or until the bow is not hot anymore, it takes about 5 min).

3. Add softened butter, piece by piece, until all incorporated into the meringue. It might look like it is curdling at first, but continue whipping will make it comes together.

4. Add the passion fruit powder and mix well to combine. Taste to see if you are happy with the tartness.

*Leftover butter cream can be stored in the freezer for later use.

Cy called these the shortbus penguins..the oddballs I couldn't pipe right, but they have the most personality!

Mint Cocoa Bars with Chia seeds

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:10:00 +0000

I'm usually not a big fan of most protein/snack bars. I just don't like the way they taste. Most of the time they taste too sweet and too artificial with the exception of a few (Cy & I both like Kind Bars). So when I saw the recipe for this Cocoa Bar in my CSA Box I was very curious to see how they would turn out with such few ingredients. And you know what? They were delicious! It was just the right amount of sweetness with the flavor of natural mint chocolate chip - one of my favorites {for ice cream ;)} It's a perfect bite for when you just need a little pick me up.

Now that I know you can make your own tasty snack bars with no refined sugars, the possibilities are endless! My head is swimming with thoughts of coconut shreds, dried cherries, all different kinds of nuts, and on and on...
What flavors would you make?

{Minty Cocoa Bars}
adapted from fooddoodles.com

Ingredients:
makes 8 small bars

3/4 cup pitted medjool dates
3/4 cup of nuts (I used almonds and walnuts)
pinch of salt
2-3tbsp chia seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4-1/3cup loosely packed mint leaves

Directions:

1. In a food processor, grind nuts until pieces are small (or you can even go finely ground), take out the nuts and keep in a bowl.
2. Add the dates to the food processor and pulse until there are no large pieces. Add all of the ingredients, including the previously pulsed nuts, and pulse until everything is incorporated.
3. Place the batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet or loaf pan. Even if it seems dry, you can press firmly down until it sticks. Create an evenly flat sheet. (Note: it will prob only cover a portion of the pan, which is fine)
4. Cut into even pieces. (You can leave it in the fridge or freezer for a bit if it makes it easier to cut)

Zucchini Hash

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:51:00 +0000

A quick post today of another dish Cy & I made for the brunch last along with the Double Strawberry & Basil Tart - a Zucchini hash.
Less carbs than potatoes and can also work as a nice alternative to pancakes ;)

Best of all, it's simple to make. Just grated zucchini, an egg, some garlic/ginger, and a little coconut flour.

{Zucchini Hash}

Ingredients:

Makes about 12 pieces

2-3 zucchini, grated

2-3tbsp coconut flour

1egg + 1egg white

1tsp garlic

1tsp ginger (optional)

salt & pepper

Directions:

1. After you grate your zucchini, squeeze out as much water as you can.

2. Mix all ingredients into a bowl.

3. Drop spoonfuls onto a hot pan and flatten with a spatula. Cook on both sides for a few minutes and you are done!

{A Happy Mother's Day} Double Strawberry Basil Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:03:00 +0000

I hope everyone had a nice Mother's day! As I become older and finding myself having to juggle more things, I realize more and more how amazing my Mom really is. To successfully take care of her career, her home and the family is no small feat, and I can only hope to be as strong and productive some day.

There are many amazing brunch places out here in Los Angeles, but Cy and I decided to cook brunch for my parents this year to show our appreciation - including this Double Strawberry & Basil tart that turned out amazingly well :) I made it because I really love the Double Blueberry tart recipe, and figured if it works for blueberries it must work for strawberries as well.

I made a strawberry & basil jam to spread on the bottom of the tart and simply topped it with fresh strawberries and basil - served with some vanilla creme fraiche, it's springtime in your mouth.

{Strawberry & Basil Jam}
from Punk Domestics

Ingredients:
(Makes about 4cups of Jam)

2lbs strawberries
1/4cup lime juice
1/4cup water
1/8cup chopped basil
less than 1/2 cup light brown cane sugar (or sugar alternative)
1tbsp of lime zest

Directions:

1. Hull and chop strawberries into small pieces.
2. In a pot, combine strawberries, lime juice, water and sugar and heat until sugar dissolves.
3. Once it begins to boil, add basil and zest and cook on high heat until it reaches the consistency you like (approx 5 min.)
4. Place in container and let it cool.

{Double Strawberry & Basil Tart}

Ingredients:

Tart Crust - I have a gluten free recipe HERE
or a whole wheat version HERE
or you can use readymade if you're pressed for time)
Strawberry & Basil Jam
1cup of strawberries, sliced thinly
1-2tbsp of chopped basil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450F

1. Bake tart crust for approximate 12min ur until browned. Let cool.
2. Spread the jam over the bottom.
3. Arrange strawberry slices on top, sprinkle chopped basil and enjoy!

Almond Chiffon Roll Cake w/ Sweet Potato Cream (Gluten-free)

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:48:00 +0000

I'm not sure what is going on with the weather out here in Los Angeles. It's abnormally hot one day and raining the next! Despite the strange weather, I was able to come up with this recipe, desperate to use up my sweet potatoes from this previous post. It's a traditional roll cake with some tweaks. Instead of whip cream, I used pureed sweet potato to make a "cream". This would be a perfectly healthy way to frost cupcakes, spread on bread, or even to eat just as it is :)

For the cake portion, I used almond flour to make it gluten-free. I was worried that almond flour wouldn't be able to pull off that light and fluffy consistency of a chiffon cake, but it came out great!

sweet potato "cream" : I actually miscalculated and made it too liquidy but it was still good!

This cake was surprisingly easy and quick to make so I urge you to give it a try if you're looking for a relatively healthy dessert! The recipe itself I left very loose so that there is lots of room to play with it if you'd like :)

{Almond Chiffon Cake}

Ingredients:

3/4cup Almond Flour
4-5tbsp potato starch
3 eggs (separated into yolk and whites)
3-4tbsp brown cane sugar (or any sugar alternative)
4tbsp any oil (or coconut oil, or applesauce)
4tbsp water
1tsp vanilla extract
dash of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F

1. Whip egg whites with a tablespoon of sugar into a stiff meringue and leave in fridge.
2. Whip egg yolks with the rest of sugar until it turns thick and pale. Add the oil, water, vanilla and salt and mix until incorporated.
3. Sift together the flour and potato starch and mix into the egg yolk batter until incorporated.
4. Take about 1/3of the egg whites and mix into the yolk batter. Pour the batter into the rest of the egg whites and gently fold, trying to keep the air in the batter.
5. Pour into a lined square pan approx 10in x 10in. Tap against the table to get some air bubbles out of the batter.
6. Bake for about 10-15min or until toothpick comes out clean.

{Sweet Potato "cream"}

Ingredients:

1large sweet potato
1/2cup milk (or soy milk)
3-5tbsp honey (or any sugar alternative)
1tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Boil peeled and sliced potato pieces until soft.
2. Throw all ingredients into a food processor and puree until smooth. Add milk to adjust consistency
3. And that's it!

{Assembly}

1. When the cake is cool, spread the cream on top.
2. If you would like to add fruit or whatever else you'd like (cinnamon or nuts etc) to the cake, do so now.
3. Carefully roll away from you using the parchment so that the edges are on the bottom.
4. Let it sit in the fridge for awhile so that the shape can stabilize.

Black Quinoa Salad with Lemon Avocado & Pistachios

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Wed, 01 May 2013 08:00:00 +0000

I had a huge bunch of beet greens that I wanted to use when I saw the recipe that came along with our CSA produce box, a Black Quinoa Salad with Lemon, Avocado and Pistachios by Deborah Madison and I immediately decided I would try out the recipe. I know that lots of good things have been said about quinoa already, but it is an especially good carb for diabetics since it is digested very slowly in the body and won't spike your blood sugar.

I had never cooked with black quinoa before this so I never realized that black quinoa is much crunchier than other quinoa. At first I thought maybe I misjudged the cooking time! It makes for an interesting texture and the color adds aesthetic interest, but I think if I were to make this again, I'd mix the black quinoa with some of the other quinoas...it's just a little too crunchy for my personal taste.

However, the dish itself was beautiful and very easy to throw together. I loved the dressing and it went perfectly well with all the herbs mixed into the salad.

{Black Quinoa Salad with Lemon, Avocado & Pistachios}

From Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison

Ingredients:

2cups cooked quinoa

8oz of cooked greens chopped

zest of 1 lemon

1tbsp lemon juice

3tbsp olive oil

1/2tsp ground cumin

10 mint leaves minced

1tbsp sliced chives

1 avocado

crumbled feta or ricotta

pistachio nuts chopped coarse

Directions:

1. Toss together the cooked quinoa and chopped cooked greens. (I just sauteed the greens beforehand in a pan with salt & pepper)

2. In a bowl, whisk together lemon zest, juice, olive oil, cumin and salt & pepper to taste.

3. Pour over the quinoa mix, add mint and chives and toss together.

4. Serve quinoa mixture with slices of avocado, feta, and pistachios.

Satsumaimo: The Japanese Sweet Potato

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Wagashi is a term for Japanese confections often served with tea. I've been wanting to make this particular rustic wagashi for sometime now. Very simply named the "Sweet Potato", it is of course made from the Sastumaimo, better known as the Japanese sweet potato. The Satsumaimo has a much more mild and delicate flavor than your usual yam or sweet potato and is easily a favorite in Japan. During autumn months, you can find Satsumaimo flavored everything over there from Soft-serve ice creams to chocolates.

There is something very comforting about the satsumaimo for me - like coming home. Maybe because it never fails to make me think of my sis as it was a favorite of hers growing up. Even now, I associate this maroon colored potato with my her just as I associate penguins with Cy ;)

The naturally sweet nutrient-packed veggie lends itself well as a dessert ingredient. And this simple to make recipe makes for the perfect healthy sweet bite when you need a little tea or coffee break.

*I kept mine simple, but you can always get creative and add a dash of cinnamon or vanilla, or any other flavor that might fit your fancy ;)

*The amount of sugar I used was very minimal (I also used brown cane sugar), so if you want it sweeter you can add a little more.

Quick Carrot & Enoki Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I've never been a huge lover of carrots growing up. Sure I could eat the baby carrot here and there or have it as part of another dish, but I would never choose to seek out a carrot dish unless it was carrot cake (Hmm maybe that's why my eyesight is so terrible...) But since we started juicing and we made our first carrot juice, I finally understood the appeal of carrots. I suddenly crave the sweet crunchy goodness of raw carrots from time to time and this quick and easy side salad is the perfect solution.

This two ingredient salad only takes a few minutes to prepare (especially if you own a mandolin), keeps well in the fridge and tastes great chilled - so perfect now that the days are becoming warmer.

The following recipe will make approximately 4 servings.

*Mentsuyu is basically premixed soysauce, dashi and some sugar (the base for most sauces in japanese dishes) that you can find at any japanese market. If you can't find it, you can omit all together or replace with 2 tbsp dashi stock and a dash of sugar.

*shichimi is a mix of japanese chili powder. Again this is optional, and you can easily replace it with hot pepper flakes.

Honey & Vanilla Almond Milk

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

There have been plenty of cold-pressed juice places popping up all over the place this past year and our neighborhood is no exception. We have a Juice Crafters within walking distance from our place and they have slowly converted us into juice drinkers. Considering how pricey each of those drinks are, we finally broke down and bought a juicer to make our own.

I'm not going to lie, we ♥ our juicer.
I think we pretty much make some sort of juice (usually green) every day now. I'm not sure if we would ever be able to do a hardcore juice cleanse or anything like that - we love solid food a little too much for that, but it does feel good to add another source of fresh fruits and veggies into our diet.

We usually make a green juice in the mornings (I will definitely post this sometime), but I wanted to try making almond milk. And though it does require some prep work, I thought that the resulting drink was super fresh and delicious and well worth the effort.

There are many ways to make almond milk, but since we had a juicer, we used this method.

After soaking the almonds overnight, I don't know how necessary it was to actually peel the almonds but it was much easier to do than I expected. Cy and I together finished this process in about 5min. The skin literally pops out...kind of fun ;)

{Honey & Vanilla Almond Milk}

Ingredients:

1cup Almonds

3cups water

2 pitted dates

1tsp vanilla extract

1tbsp honey

Directions:

1. Soak almonds in the water overnight or at least 8hrs.

2. Drain the almonds, reserving the liquid.

3. Add just enough boiling water over the almonds and leave for a few minutes.

4. Drain the hot water and rub the almonds in between fingers (the skin should pop off).

5. Add the almonds and reserved water into your juicer along with the pitted dates.

6. Strain the milk through a cheesecloth.

7. Add vanilla and honey to your resulting milk, mix well and enjoy :)

*You may be able to get away with skipping steps 3&4 if you are pressed for time.

* If you don't mind a little bit (and I mean really little) of fine almond granules in the milk you can skip step 6 also. (We actually did not bother to strain it).

*You can adjust the amount of water and honey to make the milk "creamier" or sweeter according to your own taste.

This is the pulp I was left with...I may have to try using it as "almond flour" though I guess most of the nutrients would be gone? I'm not certain. If anyone has any good ideas what to do with the pulp aside from composting, please feel free to suggest!

{Domo Cookies} A Happy Birthday to a Friend

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 08:12:00 +0000

Today is my good friend J's Bday up in NoCal. So just wanted to give a shout out to her - Happy Happy Birthday!

I baked these Domo shortbread cookies with a friend this weekend and if J was in LA, I would've shared them with her. The Grrh I-will-eat-you-up-if-you-mess-with-me-expression of Domo somehow reminds me of her (I say this with ♥!)

I know that my last post was for shortbread cookies too, and I know that they are not exactly the healthiest treats in the world, but these were just way too cute. Thanks to this site i felt very inspired to make them and share them with you. I promise I will get back to my healthier posts soon!

{Penguin Icebox Cookies} for a Happy Valentine's

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:53:00 +0000

Valentine's day is a silly holiday really - you shouldn't need a specific day to show your love and appreciation for someone. Having said that however, it always makes for a very good excuse to bake cookies and decorate with lots of ♥s ;)

Last year, I made some strawberry & banana muffins (decorated with ♥s of course) but this year, I happened to see these - so perfect for Cy! It's not exactly healthy...but it was too cute to pass up! I played with the recipe a little bit, swapping some of the flour for almond flour and some of the sugar with truvia to try to cut down on the sweetness for Cy. I'm not going to post the recipe since it's available on the link, but if you want to know what substitutions I made, feel free to email!

I know I haven't posted in awhile, but I will get back to posting more regularly again soon!

{Caramelized!} Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken & Caramelized Broccoli

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 01:50:00 +0000

These two dishes are from Food & Wine's Best Fast Recipes list. A very helpful list on those days you want to whip up something delicious without slaving away in the kitchen. Both use the process of caramelization to bring out the flavor of the ingredients...so there's no way it could taste bad! {unless you burn it of course ;) }

Both recipes are simple, but extremely flavorful, and has gotten the thumbs up sign from Cy. Our good friend M proclaimed that he could get hooked on this dish. So I hope you guys get a chance to try making the dish!

{Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken}
from Food & Wine Magazine

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dark brown sugar
About 1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla)
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 fresh Thai chiles, halved, or dried red chiles
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
A bunch of cilantro sprigs

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, water, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, pepper and chiles.

2. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the fish sauce mixture and the chicken and simmer over high heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the cilantro and serve.

** Because fish sauces vary in their saltiness, Phan advises adding the fish sauce to taste. SERVE WITH Steamed jasmine rice.

{Caramelized Broccoli}
from Food & Wine Magazine

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 heads of broccoli (1 1/4 pounds total), stems peeled and heads halved lengthwise
1/2 cup water
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the broccoli, cut side down, cover and cook over moderate heat until richly browned on the bottom, about 8 minutes. Add the water, cover and cook until the broccoli is just tender and the water has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with the garlic and the crushed red pepper and cook uncovered until the garlic is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season the broccoli with salt and black pepper, drizzle with the lemon juice and serve.

Apple Frangipane Tartelettes

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 19:41:00 +0000

Fall is almost here...even if it's been almost hundred degree weather out here in Los Angeles. In either case, I decided to make some apple tartlettes since apples make me think of fall even though they are pretty much available all year around out here. Frangipane is one of my favorite fillings in a tart, and a perfect complement to most fruit, but best of all to the humble apple.

This recipe, inspired by the Joy of Baking website, does use some sugar, but I tried to keep it very minimal so that Cy can enjoy some too without too much guilt involved.

{Sweet Roots} Sweet Potato, Carrot & Ginger Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:02:00 +0000

One of my favorite people got married this past weekend, and I feel very honored to have been her MOH for her special day. Everything was beautiful and all of the little details perfect. Thank you so much to L&J for sharing your ♥ with us.

Here is a recipe - sweet & easy just like you guys L&J :)

There's been a lot of root vegetables like Sweet potatoes and Carrots in our Produce box lately and I debated over what to make with them. Root veggie baked chips? Muffins? Tarts? So many options, so little time! In the end, I decided to go with this Sweet potato, carrot & ginger soup. Mainly because I knew it would be quick and easy, and of couse nutritious and delicious as well. A recipe that would fit perfectly into the rotation on those days you don't really want to spend too much time in the kitchen. The ginger perfectly balances the sweetness of the potatoes and carrots, and the addition of cumin and nutmeg add just enough warmth to make it a perfect comfort dish.

I almost always start my soups with this trifecta of ingredients - olive oil, onions, and garlic/ginger. Then add whatever main veggie you plan to use, add stock, season, and voila! A healthy meal with hardly any work (Except peeling the sweet potatoes...I do not enjoy having to peel vegetables...)

{Sweet Potato, Carrot & Ginger Soup}

Ingredients

1tbsp Olive oil
1-2 medium Sweet potato
3-4 Carrots
1 tbsp grated Ginger
1 Onion (chopped)
4-5cups Vegetable/Chicken Stock
1tbsp Cumin
1-2 tsp Nutmeg
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion and cook until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add stock, then add sweet potato, carrot, and ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Add Cumin, and Nutmeg and Puree with an immersion blender until smooth, adding more broth if needed to get desired consistency.

3. Add Salt & Pepper to taste. Enjoy either warm or cold!

Arugula & Walnut Pesto with Summer Squash

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 21:05:00 +0000

I've always had a thing for Arugula. There's something I find really attractive about that very distinctive aromatic flavor, but maybe it's not for everyone because apparently Cy does not find arugula very tasty.

Which is really unfortunate because like most other dark green leafy vegetables, it's packed with amazing nutrition like Chlorophyll, and is best eaten raw (or a cooking time of within 5min or so).

Here's the science tidbit- Chlorophyll has a biochemical structure just like red blood cells, except it has a Magnesium center versus an Iron one. When you cook arugula (or any other green veggie), the Magnesium center is replaced by Hydrogen, turning the bright green color into a dull one (So interesting isn't it!?) The loss of Chlorophyll means you're losing out on all of its possible anti-cancer properties. The wholefoods site actually has a great article source list here.

As much as Cy does not like arugula however, he really enjoyed the arugula pesto. So this dish might be a great way to get the benefits of raw arugula, even for the non-arugula lover. And the fact that it's with a "pasta" that's completely carb-free? Only an added plus. It's really perfectly refreshing for a hot summer day like the ones we've been having lately.

I used walnuts in the pesto, but you can always replace them with other types of nuts (pine nuts, almonds, etc). Whatever works for you!

Freeze any leftover pesto in ice trays and save them for another day ;)

Quinoa Salad with Almonds and Zucchini

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 15:43:00 +0000

Small round zucchinis and yellow bell peppers were more goodies from the produce box I mentioned earlier this week. I wanted a quick salad I could keep in the fridge for whenever I didn't feel like cooking, and this quinoa salad was the answer. Fast, easy, versatile, delicious, and healthy - what more could you ask for?!

AND...I was very excited to serve it off of one of the glass plates I made in the glass fusing class a friend convinced me to try out. As frustrating as cutting glass can be, I have to admit it's pretty fun to be able to eat off of a plate you've made yourself :) This shot is from my instagram account.

The salad with the scallions had an almost asian feel to it, so I think that it would make a great rice-alternative to fish or maybe something like a tofu stir-fry. Perhaps something like this sesame-crusted yellowtail with shiitake sauce ;)

{Quinoa Salad with Zucchini and Almonds}
Inspired by Whole Living

Ingredients

serves 2

1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup (3 ounces) quinoa
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 yellow bell pepper, ribs and seeds discarded, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish (optional)
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 lime, halved

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds until crisp, lightly browned, and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear; drain well.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add yellow pepper, garlic, scallions, and red-pepper flakes; cook until the pepper is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in quinoa, thyme, 1 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 7 minutes. Stir in zucchini, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender but not mushy, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Remove the saucepan from heat.

4. Stir in almonds, and remaining 2 teaspoons oil, season with salt, and fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature before packing into two containers and refrigerating. When ready to eat, squeeze lime over salad. Serve with additional lime wedge and thyme, if desired.

Summer Tomato Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 21:04:00 +0000

I seem to be on a tart roll lately..maybe because it tends to be be easy to make, pretty to look at, and delicious to eat ;)

This recipe for the tomato tart I saw over at cannelle vanille (whose blog is beautiful by the way), and I immediately knew that I had to make it. We recently started getting our produce from the folks over at farm fresh to you, and I have to say that it's been amazing. It's so nice to wake up to a box full of organic produce once every couple of weeks! It's kind of exciting to open the box, wondering what kind of veggies and fruits we were going to have to try to cook with that week.

Needless to say, we got a wonderful assortment of heirloom tomatoes in our stash so I knew I had to use them for this tart.

The tart does have a thin layer of arborio rice in it, as well as some rice flour in the dough,. I love that the tart is gluten-free, but I definitely serve it to Cy on days I know he's going to be playing basketball so I know that he can take the extra carbs.

Since we also had some avocados and beets in our produce box, served it with a little of this on the side ;)

{Summer Tomato Tart Recipe}

from cannelle vanille

Rice and Almond Short Dough

55 grams (1/3 cup) sweet rice flour
50 grams (1/3 cup) superfine brown rice flour
50 grams (1/3 cup) almond flour
40 grams (1/3 cup) potato starch
1 grams ( 1/4 tsp) xanthan gum
3 grams (1/2 tsp) salt
115 grams (1/2 cup) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg, beaten

In the food processor, pulse together the six first ingredients. Add the cold, diced butter and pulse about 10 times or until butter is cut into the flour into small pieces. Add the beaten egg and pulse until lightly comes together. Turn the dough onto your work surface and press it together. Wrap it in plastic wrap, flatten it and form it into a disk and refrigerate for about an hour.

Roll the pastry between two sheet of parchment. It is very delicate so it's easier to use parchment. Fill the tart mold with the pastry and cut the excess dough. Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes.

Cover the tart mold with a piece of parchment and place pie weights or beans on top to blind bake it. Bake in a 350F oven until edges start to brown, about 30 minutes. Remove the pie weights and bake for another 5-7 minutes.

Filling

2 cups cooked arborio rice
10 grams (1/2 cup) parmesan cheese, grated
salt
pepper
1 Tbs olive oil
450 grams (1 lb) Heirloom tomatoes, sliced

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Fill pre-baked tart mold with it. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on top.

Topping

50 grams (1/2 cup) gluten free breadcrumbs
20 grams (2 Tbs) almond flour
5 grams (1/4 cup) parmesan cheese, grated
20 grams (2 Tbs) olive oil
Parsley, chopped
Thyme, chopped
Basil, chopped

Double Blueberry tart

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:15:00 +0000

It's been a little while since I've posted, life get's a little crazy sometimes as most of you know. BUT, I hope that this recipe for my absolute favorite blueberry tart will make up for it. The double dose of both cooked and fresh blueberries provides an amazing contrast in texture and really just a wonderful burst of blueberry flavor - so perfect for summer!

The tart is really very simple - the filling is from one of my favorite baking sites , and is really just blueberries and just a handful of sugar which you can replace with a sugar alternative like stevia if you'd like. I made a gluten-free tart crust out of almond meal from clean start just to lower the carb content for Cy, but really, you can use ready made pie crust if you're in a time crunch.

Weeknight Quickie: Rosemary Porkchops and Applesauce

noreply@blogger.com (Em) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:13:00 +0000

This one is a real quickie, both post-wise and cooking-wise. It's my go-to recipe for porkchops, the one I keep coming back to for flavor and easiness. Perfect for a delicious weeknight dinner, even when you have the unexpected guest. The applesauce really makes the dish in my mind. Once you've had homemade applesauce you will never go back to any store bought kind. It's so easy to prepare, there's no added sugar, it's just apples and spices and oh so delicious!

Rosemary Porkchops and Applesauce
From Epicurious

Ingredients

Serves 4-8

{pork chops}
2 cups milk
3 teaspoons salt
8 (1/2-inch-thick) pork chops
3 1/2 cups bread crumbs (I used panko)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

{applesauce}
3 lb mixed apples (any kind is fine depending on how tart you want it)
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Directions:

1. Marinate pork chops: Stir together milk and 2 teaspoons salt in a shallow 3-quart dish, then add pork chops. Marinate, covered and chilled, turning over once, at least 1 hour.

2. Make applesauce while chops marinate: Peel, core, and coarsely chop apples, then stir together with remaining applesauce ingredients in a 3-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat to moderately low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until apples are falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf and mash apples with a fork. Keep applesauce warm, covered.

3. Preheat oven to 200°F. Stir together bread crumbs, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and remaining teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl.

4. Lift pork chops from milk 1 at a time, letting excess drip off, and dredge in bread crumbs, lightly patting crumbs to help adhere, then transfer to a tray, arranging in 1 layer.

5. Heat 2-4 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, then sauté pork chops in 2 or 3 batches, without crowding, turning over once, until golden brown and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer as cooked to a platter and keep warm in oven. Serve pork chops with applesauce.