Turquoise Tile Kitchen

My Decadent Chocolate Birthday Cake

2011-09-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Decadence Birthday Delight!

Peonies...my favorite flower and my new fixed lens! You like?

I celebrated my birthday in May with this fudgey rich chocolate cake. I have been meaning to post this recipe for quite some time now.....four months to be exact! So here you have it.

I found this recipe on a blog and was immediately interested when I saw it contained black beans. I love recipes like that sort of trick you like that. Added nutritional goodness without the cost of flavor! Me likey! You would have no idea this cake contains black beans when biting into the dense yet mousse-y chocolate goodness. Y-U-M! Oh, and did I mention it is vegan and gluten-free?

Densely Decadent Chocolate Birthday Cake
1 Cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Cup raw cashews, soaked overnight or 4-6 hours
1 Cup chocolate chips, melted but not hot
4 T virgin coconut oil
6 T honey
1 Cup Water
4 T coconut flour
6 T Cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Oil bottom and sides of a round spring form pan and dust with cocoa powder.

Melt coconut oil and chocolate chips in a saucepan until mixed well and warm (not hot). Transfer mixture to high power blender with all other ingredients except for baking powder and cocoa powder and blend until smooth. Add baking powder and cocoa powder last, mixing in first to avoid a dusty mess and blend well to incorporate. (It took me quite some time to get my blender to smooth these ingredients. Next time I may try my food processor instead)

Pour mixture into your pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool and refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Serve cold with whipped coconut topping or shaved chocolate.

Apple & Porcini Stuffed Pork Loin with Roasted Apples

2011-09-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

When I received my latest Bon Appetit magazine a beautiful looking Proscuitto-Wrapped Pork Loin with Roasted Apples graced the cover. I have been cooking lately for a client who enjoys pork dishes so I thought I would give it a try. It was fun to make and turned out beautifully! The stuffing was sensational, the kale wrapping the stuffing not only added a boost of nutrients but gave it a festive flair, and the roasted apples were the perfect sweet accompaniment for the pork. Definitely a keeper for your next entertaining occasion.

The pork loin I got from Whole Foods had a nice layer of fat on top so I decided to skip the proscuitto wrapping and scored the fat instead for a pretty look. I also couldn't find hard cider so I used martinelli's apple juice and some white wine instead. Click here so see the entire recipe.

Wrapped and ready to go

Pan searing all sides...barely fit in my pan!

Before the roast.....

.......after the roast

Side shot of the finished roast pork

Beautiful! The Kale adds such nice color.

Vegan Banana Ice Cream & Maple Glazed Walnuts

2011-06-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

My friend sent me a link on how to make an easy homemade ice cream using only frozen bananas. How simple is that!?

Yearning for a more healthful way to cure my dreaded sinful sweet tooth.....I decided to try it.

So I froze a few bananas..........contemplated which addition to the ice cream would be the most delicious, debating over peanut butter...........peanut butter and cocoa powder...........nutella.........coconut..........coconut and mango.........walnuts..........maple glazed walnuts.....oh yes, maple glazed walnuts! Done! I thought it would be a delicious compliment to the creamy sweet banana flavor. The ice cream was delicious and I was very impressed with the consistency.

Banana Ice Cream

(Serves 1-2)

1 1/2 frozen bananas sliced

Add bananas to a food processor and process until it just becomes creamy and smooth. If you desire a topping, or additional flavor (I chose maple glazed walnuts), add and pulse until incorporated into the ice cream. Scoop into bowls and serve.

Maple Glazed Walnuts

1/3 C Raw Walnuts

1 1/2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

Pinch of salt

Heat dry skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts, maple syrup and salt and stir to coat walnuts, stirring occasionally 3-4 minutes until maple becomes caramelized. Remove from heat and cool.

Step by step photos:

Almond Pulp Ricotta & Vegan Eggplant Lasagna

2011-03-31T18:52:00.000-07:00

I love making my own almond milk from raw soaked almonds and am always looking for a way to use up the leftover almond pulp after extracting the milk. Rather than let it go to waste, I usually add the protein and fiber packed-pulp to muffins and breads.

Today however, it occurred to me that perhaps I could use it to make one of those fancy 'vegan ricotta' recipes you see using cashews. A quick google search affirmed that it is possible, and I was off with my experimenting!

Almond Pulp Ricotta

1 1/2 C almond pulp

2 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp Miso paste

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

chopped onions, scallions or shallots

dollop of tahini

salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor and give it all a whirl. Do not over process or it will begin to liquify a bit.

I used mine to layer with strips of eggplant and homemade marinara sauce for a noodle-less eggplant lasagna, pictured step-by-step below.

Layer casserole dish with marinara sauce, thinly sliced eggplant, almond-pulp ricotta, italian herb mixture and a few thinly sliced onions and mushrooms in between until layered to top.

Top off casserole with shallots, mushrooms and a sprinkling of nutritional yeast.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool a bit and enjoy this easy vegan delight!

If you want to make an eggplant bake but don't have the almond pulp to make the ricotta, here is my modified recipe sans ricotta.

My 1st Meatloaf

2011-02-02T20:45:00.000-08:00

My hubby has been begging me for a while to make meatloaf. I just have never really had the desire to make it. I suppose memories from childhood of it not being the most 'exciting' thing on my plate, combined with the name "meat-loaf" just don't have a strong appeal. I mean, a loaf of meat sounds a little gross, I'm not gonna lie. But, he deserves a bit of spoiling from time to time. :)

So I surveyed a handfull of recipes, as well as my cooking confidant BF Katie, who has made many a stellar meatloaf, and was off with a plan! (and I actually got a little excited.)

So...here is my aggregated recipe for my 1st ever meatloaf. And it was pretty gosh darned good!

Heather's 1st Meatloaf

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 C yellow onion, chopped

1 small red onion, 1/2 chopped, 1/2 sliced and reserved for glaze

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

1 C sliced crimini mushrooms, roughly chopped

1 C carrots, peeled and shredded

1 C zucchini, shredded

2 C baby spinach

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp molasses

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp all spice

ground pepper

1 cup brown rice crispies (processed into crumbs in food processor)

Preheat oven to 375.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a medium sized skillet and add yellow and red onion. Saute onion for a few minutes before adding red bell pepper and garlic. Continue to saute for another 5-8 minutes until onion becomes translucent. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire, balsamic, Dijon and all spices. Mix well and remove from heat. Immediately stir in mushrooms, grated carrots and zucchini, and spinach and allow to cool 10-15 minutes. Transfer mixture to large bowl and add egg, ground beef and rice crumbs. Mix ingredients until well incorporated using hands, and form into a loaf. Place onto parchment paper lined baking sheet and into oven. Meanwhile, make meatloaf glaze.

Meatloaf Glaze:

1/2 C organic ketchup

1 Tbsp honey

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

dash of hot sauce,

Worcestershire sauce,

and apple cider vinegar

reserved sliced red onions

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. After baking meatloaf for 15 minutes, spoon glaze over meatloaf , top with red onion slices and place back into oven for 45 minutes.

Meatloaf should bake for a total of 1 hour (or until thermometer reads 155). Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Let me know if you try it, or leave me a comment with your favorite meatloaf recipe!

Warming Winter Roasted Kabocha Squash

2011-02-01T16:12:00.000-08:00

This is a fabulous dish which I found in my Food & Wine Magazine. The combination of warming spices and kabocha squash with the peel on caught my eye at first. I mean, who doesn't love cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg!? And eating the squash with the peel brings me back to Japan where this was common with tempura or pumpkin dishes and I loved it! Then they added coconut milk to the mix, and HELLO.....I am going to make you for dinner and eat you all up!

Warming Winter Roasted Kabocha Squash

1 can coconut milk

1/4 C light brown sugar

8 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 fresh hot red chile, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp freshly ground cloves

3/4 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1 medium kabocha squash, cleaned, seeded and cut into 2" chunks

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine coconut milk, brown sugar, garlic, chiles and spices and mix well. Add squash chunks and stir until well coated.

Pour into a roasting pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover pan with foil and roast for 45 minutes in oven until tender. Remove foil and up the heat in your oven to 400. Place back in the oven for about 15 minutes. The squash should be starting to form a nice glaze at this point. Check and it may be done, or if you desire more brownness, give it a stir and an additional 15 minutes. Devour and enjoy! ;o)

Flounder-Wrapped Asparagus with Tangerine Reduction

2011-01-31T14:21:00.000-08:00

I found this great place that I like to get fresh and local seafood, it is called Catalina Offshore Products. As far as I'm concerned, they have the freshest fish and the best specials this side of the Mississippi (or at least here in San Diego)! I love getting the catch of the day. It is always a fun little surprise for me when I find out the fish I get and the added bonus is to figure out how I want to cook it!

The catch of the day: Flounder....yum!

Featured in my Farmers Market Bag produce: Asparagus (yes, in January!)

Fresh off my tree right now: Tangerines, and lots of em!

A quick Internet search with these ingredients in mind led me to an Epicurious recipe that sounded delicious and was easily adaptable. This beautiful eye-catching dish was light and summery, yet full of delicate flavor. I know it may sound odd for January, but I will argue that the weather has been in the 70's all week! So if you are looking for something tasty or want to eat something that helps you pretend it's summer, then I suggest giving it a try!

Flounder-Wrapped Asparagus with a Tangerine Reduction sauce

For the Fish:

1 lb thin white fish such as Flounder, Sole, Grouper, or Halibut

2 Tbsp grey shallots, finely chopped

8 shavings of tangerine zest

1 bunch fresh asparagus (ends trimmed)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 C chicken broth or vegetable stock

paprika for dusting

Preheat oven to 450. Brush a roasting pan with olive oil and sprinkle shallots and zest into pan.

Prepare a pot of boiling water and immerse asparagus spears into boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer to an ice-water bath with a slotted spoon and allow to cool.

Rinse and pat-dry fish and arrange on cutting board. Trim into 3 or four pieces (first thinning or butterflying fillets if necessary). Season with salt and pepper. Lay 5 or 6 asparagus spears perpendicularly across each fillet and wrap fish around so that the seam is on the bottom. Transfer to prepared roasting pan. Brush fish with olive oil, season with more salt and pepper, dust with paprika and add broth to pan. Cover with foil and bake 15-18 minutes until fish is just barely cooked through.

For the Sauce:

1/2 C + 2 Tbsp fresh tangerine juice

1 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped grey shallots

8 Tbsp Earth Balance (or Butter if you can tolerate it)

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne

sprig of fresh summer savory or thyme

Boil tangerine juice with shallot in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat until reduced to about 3 or 4 Tbsp (5 minutes). Reduce heat, add savory or thyme sprig and whisk in butter gradually, 1 Tbsp at a time while whisking constantly. Remove from heat and add salt, cayenne and lemon juice.

When fish is done, reserve the pan juices and transfer fish to a platter and cover with a foil. Discard zest and pour the pan juices into a small skillet and boil over med-high heat until reduced to half (about 2 minutes). Gradually whisk into Tangerine Reduction, then spoon over fish and serve.

Wonton Crisps with Green Curry Mango-Shrimp Salad

2011-01-07T07:06:00.000-08:00

Allow me to present an appetizer for your next gathering to impress the crowd and tickle their taste buds! The recipe is two steps. #1 is to make the wonton crisps, which can conveniently be done ahead of time, and #2 is to make your stuffing, which can be anything you want to experiment with! Below is my recipe for a mango-shrimp green curry salad which is full of flavor and texture. I love the zing of spice from the curry paste which is balanced with a creamy coolness from the mango, lime and mayonnaise.

Wonton Crisps with Green Curry Mango-Shrimp Salad

Wonton Cups:

1 package prepared wonton wrappers (can be found at any Asian market or this brand is available at your local Whole Foods)

1 tsp canola oil

1 tsp honey

1 tsp water

Whisk together oil, honey and water until combined. Using a pastry brush, brush each side of a wonton wrapper with oil mixture and insert into mini muffin tins or silicone baking cups, coaxing the tops to curl decoratively. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until crispy and browned. Remove from molds, cool and set aside.

(Can be made 2-3 days ahead of time. Store in an air tight container.)

Green Curry Mango-Shrimp Salad:

1/2 C mayonnaise

1 Tbsp green curry paste

1/2 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce

Dash of soy sauce

juice of one lime

1/4 C cilantro, chopped finely

2-3 Tbsp mint, finely chopped

4 scallions, diced

1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 mango, firm but ripe, finely diced

1 1/2 lb cooked baby shrimp

Whisk together wet ingredients and herbs until well combined. Season to taste. Mix in scallions, bell pepper, mango and shrimp. (Can also be made 1 day ahead)

Spoon into prepared wonton cups, place on decorative platter (I used my bamboo steamer baskets) and serve immediately.

**TTK TIP** To avoid soggy wonton cups, line each wonton with a small piece of butter lettuce before filling with mixture. Adds some color and a little crisp!

Turquoise Tile Test Kitchen Cookies #2...Power Balls!

2010-11-12T20:50:00.000-08:00

So we are heading to Palm Desert this weekend and doing a 15 mile hike up Mt. San Jacinto with some friends. I ensured them that I would bring along some snacks for the hike, which gave me a great reason to create another 'power' cookie!

This time, I used the remains of a failed attempt at almond butter..... The first attempt was successful. I used roasted, barely salted almonds, put them in my food processor (all the while wishing I had a vita-mix), added some honey, salt and vanilla and it was DYNAMITE! The consistency was a bit dry so I had to add some oil. This led me to think next time I could soak the almonds, and then use the same procedure. What I thought was brilliant thinking, ended in a batch of almond butter MUSH similar to the almond pulp that I often have leftover after making my almond milk. Not so fun, but I can't stand to waste things! So....long story short, I am using it in this cookie recipe with the mush as the base. You don't have to go to all of that trouble to make these cookies though....unless you are by odd chance making my almond milk then use your leftover pulp :). I suggest using almond butter or peanut butter instead of my long-winded concoction!

Nut and Seed Power Balls

3/4 C oat flour

1/2 C sunflower seeds

1/2 C sesame seeds

1/2 C flax seeds

1/2 C walnuts, chopped

1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 C almond butter or peanut butter

1/2 C brown rice syrup

1 tsp vanilla

sea salt

(Nata modeling on the

mountain with a power ball!)

Directions: Make oat flour by pulsing rolled oats in a food processor until a fine flour texture. Combine flour, seeds, nuts and cinnamon. Stir in nut butter and brown rice syrup until combined well. Allow 5 minutes or so for mixture to set. Form into 2" balls and roll in shredded coconut, flaxseed meal or seeds (if desired). Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until toasted and firm.

From left: flaxseed ball, coconut ball, original ball

Easy Eggplant Marinara Bake

2010-11-11T07:22:00.001-08:00

I have made a delicious zucchini bake worth remembering a few times from Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen blog, where she creates a casserole using almond flour and nutritional yeast in between layers of zucchini. The combination gives a ricotta like texture and cheesy flavor in between layers of zucchini or summer squash. Not only is it a great recipe for those who can't eat cheese, but it's a much less guilty casserole even for those who can.....without compromising flavor! I have served this to unsuspecting guests receiving rave reviews!

One evening, with a giant eggplant in hand and dinner on the mind, I decided to create a similar dish using the same method with my eggplant and a jar of marinara sauce. To save time I omitted the typical 'salting of the eggplant' method used to extract excess water and bitterness, and it seemed to work just fine. The end result was a delicious eggplant bake that blew my mind, and got an A+ on the hubby factor rating system!

Eggplant Marinara Bake

1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/2" discs

2-3 shallots or small sweet onion, thinly sliced

1/3 C Almond Flour

1/4 C Nutritional Yeast (can usually be found in the bulk section)

1 T dried oregano

1 T Italian seasoning/ Chef's Shake

Salt & pepper

2 C marinara sauce

I used 'Mezzetta Napa Valley Bistro, Homemade Style Marinara' sauce made with red wine which is one of my favorites.

Step-by-step photo instructions:

1. Layer the bottom of casserole dish with marinara sauce and then a layer of eggplant

2. Sprinkle eggplant with almond meal, nutritional yeast, herb blend, salt & pepper, some sauce and shallots, then repeat with another layer of the above until all ingredients are used up

3. Top with marinara, a drizzle of olive oil, nutritional yeast and herbs

4. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes to an hour

(eggplant should be starting to brown and have settled into dish)

Allow to cool slightly before serving......and enjoy!

Nutritional Nugget: Yeast, believe it or not, is a valuable nutritional supplement as it contains high levels of protein and vitamins. Nutritional yeast is a non-active form of yeast that you can use in a number of ways in the kitchen and it adds a delicious nutty, cheesy flavor. Add it to salads, casseroles, soups, popcorn, crackers and dips to experience all of its great health benefits.

It contains 18 amino acids, making it a complete protein, as well as 15 different minerals. For those on a low cholesterol diet, vegetarians or those looking to boost protein levels, nutritional yeast makes a great addition or substitution to meats, dairy and other high fat proteins.

Turquoise Tile Test Kitchen Cookies

2010-11-10T17:17:00.000-08:00

Oatmeal-Almond Cookies with Blueberry Vanilla Goat Cheese

Much of my cooking and recipes are often inspired by utilizing something I have on hand. I love finding fresh ingredients and then saying...."ok, now what am I gonna do with this?" Or I will open my fridge and figure out what needs to be used up, and then try to piece things together to create a dish. I love the puzzle of it all!

Today, it was the leftover almond pulp that I often have on hand after making my D.I.Y. Almond Milk. I also had half a block of Trader Joe's new Blueberry Vanilla Goat Cheese** (recipe below). The goat cheese (which is delicious and like a dessert!) made me think of the cream cheese danishes I loved as a child. While I wasn't going to dive into a crazy attempt at making a flaky pastry, I decided to combine the two to make some type of cookie...and the testing began!

Oatmeal-Almond Cookies with Blueberry Vanilla Goat Cheese

yields 8-10 cookies

1/2 C Almond pulp (extract almond milk first...see post)

3/4 C rolled quick oats

1/4 C unsweetened shredded coconut

1 T golden flax seeds

2 T grapeseed oil

2 T maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup blueberry vanilla goat cheese (recipe below) or any kind of jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine almond pulp, oats, coconut and flax seeds. Mix in oil, maple syrup, vanilla, baking soda, salt and stir well. Drop large tablespoons of dough onto parchment lined cookie sheet and push thumb or spoon into the middle of dough creating a shallow hole. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of goat cheese mixture (or jam) to middle of each cookie. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

To make your own blueberry vanilla goat cheese combine 1/4 cup plain goat cheese with 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 Tbsp wild blueberry jam.

Please note these cookies are only moderately sweet.

**Although I don't eat dairy and my blog is dairy-free, I do find that I seem to digest goat cheese okay and do enjoy it (very much!) from time to time.

Remembering Roots at Pilgrims Place & Raw Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

2010-10-28T20:03:00.000-07:00

At long last, back to my beloved blog after a nice long hiatus. I am one of those people that just kind of checks-out when I am traveling. I admit it. I don't keep my phone on hand.....am bad about returning phone calls.....don't like to check e-mail often.....forget about the bills that need to be paid.....yes, I really just check-out! I guess it can be a nice thing for the mind; to be able to detach once in a while....just so long as it doesn't get you into trouble!

During my hiatus, I had a chance to get out to Colorado to visit the folks, see my beautiful sister and her new town home (absolutely adorable!), and also meet my best friend's new poodle (also adorable)!

[Dad&Mom, Sees&Mom; KK Holiday(B.F.), Harvey boy (standard poodle pup) & Annie (toy poodle); Seester at her new town home; Harvey boy]

One of the pleasure's of Colorado this time of year is the coolness of the air, the leaves on the cusp of changing color, and the harvest. My Dad's harvest that is. Growing up on the plains of north Denver, we had dirt roads, some acreage, farm animals and last but not least, we had a GIANT garden! I guess you could say it was a bit of an alternative lifestyle. I remember the days of harvesting more corn than I think we could eat in a year! My Dad has always gotten pleasure out of growing a variety of vegetables, and I got the pleasure of eating them. : 0 ) I would love to say I have inherited his gardening skills, but I think my thumb has a bit more of a brown hugh than green! But I am still at it...

[From Dad's Garden: okra, lucinato kale (aka dinosaur kale), cabbage and shallots...for...days...!]

As for the farm animals, we never had horses or cows like most of our neighbors. No, Instead we had a little 'hobby farm' full of miniature pygmy goats, sheep, chickens, geese, Guinea hens, rabbits, a llama, a parrot and a peacock. I was kind of like a petting zoo and my mother (being the animal-lover she is) was the circus ring-leader. A lot of fun times were spent at the place we affectionately call "Pilgrims Place."

me bottle-feeding Diasy (a nubian goat)

me, Abner (a toggenburg goat) & Sees

me & 2 week old pygmy goat Oreo

Sees & I in the tree house with Lucy (toy poodle)

Now that me n' sees have grown up and moved out, the farm animals have gone, but the garden still prevails as strong as ever.

A highlight of my hiatus was getting some great shots of the beautiful veggies, planning recipes and cooking using the abundance of produce, enjoying an afternoon with my favorite people....and remembering my roots at Pilgrims Place:

from top to bottom: Dad w/ pepper plants; shiso leaf; basket of veggies; Mom with a kohlrabi; BF Katie, Sees & I; lucinato kale; me & Harvey; corn; Dad w/ a kabocha squash; beets, carrots, red onions & herbs; more peppers; varietals of garlic; Harvey; heirloom watermelon; Dad w/ his watermelon]

And to finish off my well-winded story, I will include one my favorite salads of all times! Here is a Raw Beet & Kale Salad, which I loved making with my 100% of my Dad's veggies and herbs.

Raw Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

1 bunch kale, thinly sliced (lucinato kale pictured)

1 red or golden beet, peeled and shredded

2-3 carrots, peeled and shredded

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 bunch green onions, diced

1/4 cup raw hempseeds

Tahini Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp. nama shoyu (or soy sauce)

2 Tbsp. tahini

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh oregano or thyme (or both!)

1 tsp summer savory (if available)

1 tsp fresh basil

Place the prepped vegetables and hempseeds in a bowl. In a blender, blend the oil, vinegar, nama shoyu, tahini, garlic, oregano, basil and thyme until smooth. Pour over vegetables and mix well to coat.

Nutritional Nugget: Kale is a nutritional standout in three basic areas: (1) antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, (2) much-needed macronutrients (in which the average U.S. adult is currently deficient), and (3) cancer-preventive nutrients called glucosinolates. Also worth noting in kale's nutritional profile is its vitamin K content. Kale contains nearly twice the amount of vitamin K as most of its fellow cruciferous vegetables. [source:whfoods.com]

D.I.Y. Almond Milk

2010-09-23T18:06:00.000-07:00

This was so rewarding, I think I may call it the best milk ever poured in the TTK (Turquoise Tile Kitchen)! And not to mention it gets a DELICIOUS on the hubby-factor rating system (which I am just introducing). I have always wanted to try making my own almond milk and after doing it, I can't believe I waited this long! Soooo easy and economical!

Actually, that's not true, I have tried making it before.....I had a soymilk maker in China and attempted a shot at making almond milk in it once. I think the almonds weren't as good and it kind of flopped....but that could also be due to the fact that I didn't know what I was doing since I couldn't read the Chinese directions! The JOYOUNG soymilk maker was pretty cool though! Hubby bought it for me as an anniversary gift when we arrived in Beijing. A year prior he had actually visited their factory for work and saw them being made on the assembly line. I have yet to get an electric converter to use it here in the U.S. I am kind of off of my soymilk kick anyways, but just read that I can make my own coconut milk with it. hmmmmmmmm.......

As for the almond milk.....here are pictures and the instructions below. It was amazing with coffee because it gets really foamy when you blend it. I recommend making it in the morning on a weekend so you can enjoy fresh almond milk lattes immediately! ;)

D.I.Y. Almond Milk

1 C Raw Almonds, soaked in water overnight

1 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

3-4 C H2O

Drain soaked almonds, rinse and place in blender. Add water, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt and bleeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnd away.

Pour into your container through a fine mesh seive, pressing down well on the pulp with a spoon to extract all of the milk. Be sure to save your pulp for another use**. Can be added to muffins, bread, smoothies, or even feed it to the dog! Your fresh almond milk will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Natural separation will occur so don't freak out if it looks funny the next day. Just shake it up, keep calm, and carry on.

**TTK Note** I have a fig tart in the oven as I type, which I used my leftover almond pulp to make my own variation of marzipan. I snapped some photos and noted all of my adjustments to the original recipe. If it turns out to be yummy and gets a high hubby-factor rating, I will post it! I got the recipe idea from KK Holiday (my new favorite name for BF Katie) who loves Food Network Chef, Giada de Laurentiis and saw this recipe on one of her shows. She forwarded it to me knowing of my abundance of figs these days and is on stand-by to hear how it turns out!

Oh what the heck...here are a few photos of it now. I just took it out of the oven and it smells way to yummy not to share!

Golden Beet & Heirloom Tomato Salad

2010-09-15T17:15:00.001-07:00

While I have been a total slacker and haven't been blogging lately, I HAVE been enjoying this golden beet salad a lot! I finally got it together and sat down for a post this evening.

Lately...I have also been enjoying more fig picking .... Sauteed Zucchini Ribbons ..... Truffle Seared Scallops ...... Miso Glazed Cod ........... AND more fig picking! I figure if I disclose all of this, I am committed to posting all of these recipes very soon. Keeping myself in check, people!

So back to my salad: Golden beets are the blonde cinderella in the story, having a sweeter, more mild flavor than their evil red-staining step-sisters; and pair beautifully with heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers for a refreshing salad on a hot day! I use the leftover beet greens in my smoothies or saute them with a shallot and a bit of red wine vinegar or brandy. For this salad, I used a quick & simple salad dressing made with figs from our tree (yes, I picked them, did I mention that?).

Golden Beet & Heirloom Tomato Salad

2-3 golden beets

2 lemon cucumbers, cut into chunks

1 large heirloom tomato, chopped into large chunks (yellow, red or varigated)

1 large shallot, finely chopped or sweet onion, thinly sliced

Parsley, chopped

Trim stems from beets, scrub and boil immersed in water for 45 minutes or until soft. Drain and allow to cool enough to handle, then skins peel off easily when rubbed with your hands. Slice into half moons, and combine in a bowl with cucumbers, tomato, and shallot (or onion). Dress with Balsalmic Fig Dressing (or simply red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper), garnish with parsley and and allow to marinate in fridge for 1-2 hours. Also delicious the next day!

Balsalmic Fig Dressing

5 fresh figs

2 T white balsalmic vinegar

3 T balsalmic vinegar

1 1/2 T honey

4-5 T olive oil

Sprig of fresh thyme, leaves stripped from stems

salt and pepper to taste

Place everything in blender except for olive oil and blend well. With blender running, add olive oil slowly to finish. Keep in the fridge and pour all over everything! (pairs well w/ goat cheese & apple slices on toasts)

Fig pikkin

2010-09-04T22:45:00.000-07:00

As more figs came our way on a beautiful sunny weekend (while I was slacking on blogging yet savoring scrumptious bites in the Turquoise Tile Kitchen), I set out to pick them before the birds had their pick. My husband snuck out and caught a shot on the cam so I thought I'd share.

I then posed with my basket of figs for him and later roasted some in raspberry balsamic vinegar to go on my salad which I also topped with fresh local scallops seared in truffle oil, carmelized onions, and the cutest little avocados from the farmers market. It was heavenly!!!

Dragon Day to kick off the weekend

2010-09-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

We almost left town this weekend, but I am secretly glad we didn't because I got my box today from Dragon Organics! Already planning to make a raw zucchini hummus, watermelon salsa, and perhaps some green beans on the grill.....

More great news....I am going to the farm on Tuesday for a little tour, and am meeting the founder and farm manager and am hoping to start doing some work for them. Yippee!

So as you can see I received.....

1 gorgeous watermelon

5 'big bertha' bell peppers

3 heirloom tomatoes

3 yellow squash

3 zucchini

green and yellow wax beans

Happy Labor day weekend.

FIGalicious

2010-08-31T18:51:00.000-07:00

I am crazy about figs! Not only are they are amazing dried, but a fresh fig is so exotic, plump, slightly sweet, seedy and simply beautiful.

I was soooo pleased to find a fig tree in the back yard of the house we purchased last year here in San Diego. It is that time of the year again where I have so many figs coming off of that tree, not only do get the pleasure of eating fresh figs every day, but I feel the biggest urge to call the previous owners to thank them for planting it!

I have been roasting my figs a lot lately in balsamic vinegar for salads, and especially love them stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped with proscuitto.

I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen for a simple balsamic roasted chicken and fig recipe so decided to make an adaptation of it for dinner tonight. It is in the oven as I write and I can't wait until it is done!

My notes:

I decided to use chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken since I didn't want to deal with the leftovers (which can be great for hubby's lunches but I just wasn't in that kind of mood tonight). I pan seared the chicken breasts in olive oil for a few minutes on each side to seal the juices. Set them aside. Added two sliced sweet onions and sauteed for a few minutes before deglazing the pan with white wine and allowing the onions to simmer in the wine. I then added one chopped russet potato, two chopped sweet potatoes, a handful of teeny tiny potatoes (from Trader Joes - adorable!) and allowed to cook for another 5 minutes or so. Turned off heat and added herbs de provence olives, a few sprigs of rosemary, and used store bought green figs in addition to my black mission figs. Topped with the balsamic mixture. All of this goodness is baking in the oven now for about an hour at 325 degrees.

Beet & Onion Salad

2010-08-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

This is a such an easy, simple salad, which sometimes can be the best ones!

Beet and Onion Salad

serves 4-6

2 lbs beets

1 cup red onion, sliced half moon

4 Tbsp brown rice vinegar

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp ume plum vinegar

Cut the ends off beets and wash well, then boil in water until soft (about an hour). Place onions in a small bowl and cover them with some of the boiling beet water. Cover with a lid and set aside for 45 minutes or so. When beets are done, drain the water and cover with cold water. Peel the beets while they are submerged in the water by rubbing them with your hands. Remove beets from the pot as you peel them. Slice in half and then into half moons. Place in a bowl. When onions are soft, drain water and add them to the beets. Mix vinegars and oil, then pour over the beets and onions. Mix well. Allow to marinate refrigerated for at least an hour, or overnight.

Wednesday is DragonDay!

2010-08-18T15:50:00.001-07:00

It is Wednesday and that means fresh, local, organic produce from my CSA, Dragon Organics!

I love this day. I get so excited at the surprise of what is going to be in the mystery box of produce each week. I especially get excited when it gives me something new to experiment with, or inspires me to try new recipes with all of the stuff I have. Like today. I got a HUGE bunch of celery. Celery really isn't the coolest thing I received, but because there is so much of it, I started pouring through my cookbooks and searching online trying to find some new, inventive way to make a killer celery dish to impress you all with. hmmmmmmmmm, don't think that's going to happen. There's not all that much out there for celery to shine. Poor celery. I feel sorry for you. You are always added to something...whether it be soup, tuna salad, or broth, but when do you shine on your own aside from a boring veggie platter?

Anyone got any ideas for me?

Celery aside...I decided I would start posting a pic weekly to share by mystery-box of produce. I'll call it DragonDay!

This week:

3 cucumbers

2 green bell peppers

3 giant zucchini

3 yellow squash

3 gorgeous heirloom tomatoes

a bunch of beets & greens (use the greens in my smoothies)

oh, and CELERY!

Dragon Organics not only has a CSA program, but is also part of a school program through San Pasqual Academy (a residential education campus designed specifically for foster teens) where it has become part of their agriculture and entrepreneurial education. Originally planning to teach students about their own nutrition through growing the foods that are used in their cafe, it has now become a student run business with the goal of teaching interested students how to own and operate their own business. An even better reason to support it!

baby party calls for cookies 'n milk

2010-08-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

{Shannon & Cindy}

My friend Shannon and I hosted a baby shower this weekend for my sister in law, Cindy and new arrival, Oliver Seth. Actually it was more of a 'meet my baby' party....a co-ed gathering scheduled for after the birth, and rather than showering the couple with gifts, their request was simply......diapers!

So as the guests arrived the diaper bin was filled.....

the baby was passed around.

the parents were praised.

the littles were found hiding in the closet.

a picnic took place on the lawn.

finger sandwiches were devoured.

jokes were made and laughs were had.

basket lovers were declared.

chips were dipped.

can's recycled.

a raffle ticket was drawn.

Judy was the lucky winner!

and cookies were ate...

I was happy to see that the cookie jar was slowly emptied, along with a splash of milk for some. I am not a cookies 'n milk kinda gal, but it was hubby's idea and seemed oh so fitting for the occasion (not to mention he IS a cookies 'n milk kinda guy, so was thrilled himself!).

{Cindy & Oliver}

Sorry if you were hoping for a recipe....I made the good old wheat flour and butter cookies for this party to please the masses. However if you were hoping for a recipe, my favorite these days is Elana's dairy-free almond flour chocolate chip cookie recipe (I use honey in place of the agave), which even my "cookies 'n milk hubby" claimed he likes better than the real deal (big smile), and that recipe can be found here.

got cookies? got ~~milk~~ booby?

diaper bin (only getting started-more arrived!)
Every party needs trash and recycle signs too!
(the bins are hiding behind the 'fence')

Shannon's beautiful arrangement - Raffle Basket

local made chips & my homemade roasted tomatillo salsa

Shannon's delicious finger sandwiches

Mobile Garden Beds

2010-08-16T16:43:00.000-07:00

Thrifty Mobile Garden Beds

I was recently doing some gardening in my back yard and thought I would share with you my thrifty new garden beds. I took some pics with plans to post these at the beginning of the summer, and then kinda forgot about it. Then the other day BF Katie, who is now coined KK Holiday reminded me that I need to post these pics!

I found the wheelbarrow at a local garage sale. My brilliant Mother was in town and had the idea to put plants in it. After all, it is the perfect solution if your plants aren't getting enough sun...you can just move the whole thing! Then a month or so later KK Holiday was in town and witnessed a Hubby-n-Heather garage sale drive-by where we scored a Radio Flyer wagon for only $5! Now it is filled with plants in the garden.

Here is my first harvest of cherry tomatoes. There were many more to come, but I was very proud of the first few! The last picture is of the brick that hubby laid for the gas grill. He did a great job, ne!?

Japanese Ginger Dressing

2010-08-04T13:38:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful dinner party last night to welcome our great friends Marshall and Darah back to the U.S. from China. Fresh off the plane and en route to San Francisco, they filled us in on their Beijing adventures since we left the smoggy city, future plans, and of course...the Beijing gossip! In the middle of catching up on all of the details, we somehow got on to the subject of salad dressings, to which Darah requested that I send her this yummy recipe.

Japanese Ginger Dressing

(makes 3 cups)

1 cup sesame oil

3/4 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup fresh ginger, minced

2 Tbsp ume plum vinegar

6 Tbsp maple syrup

2 Tbsp water

2 Tbsp white miso

pinch cayenne

Place everything in a blender and blend well. If desired, pour through a strainer to strain the ginger fiber.

Ode to Tofu Scramble & R.I.P. Fujimamas

2010-07-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

This is an easy dinner in under 30 minutes , high in protein, low in fat, and flexible with the veggies you have in your fridge!

I originally started making Tofu Scramble when we lived in Japan. This dish was on the menu at my favorite western restaurant in Tokyo, Fujimamas, located in the heart of Harajuku. Hubby & I loved it so much I started making it at home and it became a comfort food of sorts. It is kind of like having breakfast for dinner....and who doesn't love breakfast for dinner once in a while!!

Now on a sad note...while writing this post, I tried to go to the Fujimamas web site to include their link and discovered it has CLOSED DOWN!!! This is a very sad thing to an ex-Tokyo expat who spent many evenings dining and Sunday's brunching at this well-know and ostensibly well-patronized Tokyo institution for 11 years. R.I.P. Fujimamas Japan (apparently their Hawaii location is still under operation).

http://tokyofoodie.com/2009/05/13/r-i-p-fujimamas/

What you need:

Turmeric
A block of Tofu, firm or silken both work (make sure it's organic, non-GMO)
An Onion
Garlic

Red chile flakes
A Yellow or Red Bell Pepper (my fave w/ cilantro, guac & tortillas) OR Spinach and Mushrooms OR Broccoli, finely chopped OR Eggplant OR anything else you want to experiment with!

My recipe tonight:

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1-2 cloves garlic, diced
1 C crimini mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 block firm tofu, drained & pressed

2-3 Tbsp turmeric
3 C fresh spinach, chopped
olive oil

salt & pepper

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute onion until translucent and fragrant. Add chopped garlic and jalapeno and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue cooking another few minutes. Add block of tofu and turmeric powder and chop up until tofu is broken into smaller chunks and yellow throughout. Season with salt & pepper, add spinach and mix in batches until wilted.

Serve with tortillas, hot sauce, guacamole, grated cheese (if you so wish!), pita, toast, fresh tomatoes, herbs, or anything else you have on hand. This recipe is all about flexibility...so make it yours!

Orange Cake with Oat Flour & Almond Flour

2010-07-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

I am slightly obsessed with this Orange Cake from Elana's Pantry blog. She adapted it from the Orange Cake sold at Starbucks, making it gluten-free using almond flour. The recipe is fascinating to me because you boil two oranges for over an hour, then process them in a food processor, peel and all, and that is the base of the cake! You add some eggs, almond flour, honey, salt and baking soda and you've got yourself an amazing cake with no added oil!! It has a custardy texture to die for and the addition of chocolate chips takes it to another level of YUM YUM YUM!

I recently made this for my sister-in-law days after she had her baby. She told me that she wanted to get a lot of oats in her diet. Turns out oats help new mothers' milk come in for breastfeeding. So I decided to alter the original recipe a bit to incorporate some oat flour for Cindy (and baby Oliver!)...and incorporate more ingredients for two cakes! The results were fantastic!

Orange Cake with Oat Flour & Almond Flour

Makes 2 cakes...one for you, one for me!

3 naval oranges

5 large eggs

1 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup reserved orange water

1 1/4 cup almond flour

1 1/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp sea salt

Chocolate Chips (optional)

Wash the oranges well and boil them whole in a large pot of water for 1 1/2 hours, or until soft.
While oranges are boiling, place oats in dry food processor and process until you have a flour consistency. Remove and set aside.
When oranges are done boiling, reserve 1/2 cup boiling orange water. Add oranges to food processor*** whole (peel and all) and process until smooth.
Gradually add eggs, vanilla, orange water, oat flour, almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and mix until well combined.

Pour into two well greased pans and swirl in chocolate chips last (this reduces the melting since the mixture is hot). Bake 20-25 minutes**.

**Bake time will vary based on your altitude and the size of your pan. Once the sides are browning and the top feels firm you will know it is done. A little undercooked is desirable as it gives a nice custard texture. Refrigerate after a few days or cake will spoil!

***Note that for this recipe I recommend a 10 cup capacity food processor. If you have a smaller food processor, I suggest processing the wet ingredients first, then if you don't have room for the flour, transfer to a large mixing bowl (or two) to combine. You can also cut the recipe in half, or use Elana's original recipe here.

This orange cake is packed with protein, fiber and fruit and is the kind of cake you don't feel guilty eating for breakfast, or with afternoon tea. It seems to get better and easier every time you make it, so I consider it a great kitchen staple!

My Favorite Creamy Coleslaw

2010-07-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

I discovered this raw coleslaw at People's Market deli in OB. I am not usually a huge coleslaw fan, but the first bite was so surprisingly delicious with the perfect blend of subtle flavor that I had to know what was in it. So...I got the recipe, and I am very excited to share it with you! The amazing part of this dish really isn't the cabbage, but the delicious creamy dressing made with raw sunflower seeds. Even better, it makes a huge batch, perfect for your next family gathering, potluck, summer BBQ, or lunch all week.

People's Raw Coleslaw with Sunflower-Dill Dressing

1/2 pound red cabbage, sliced thin
1/2 pound green cabbage, sliced thin
1 1/4 cups carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
4 T olive oil
1 T nama shoyu (raw soy sauce) or regular soy sauce
2 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 T fresh dill, minced (adding more makes this dressing spectacular if you like dill!)
1/2 T garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh oregano, minced (use dried if you don't have any on hand)
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (my addition)
1 T lemon juice

Place cabbage, carrots and green onions in a large bowl. Place the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour over vegetables and mix well.

Serves 10-12

Nutritional Nugget:

Sunflower seeds are considered a perfect vegetarian source of protein, providing a good source of energy. They contain pectin which removes toxic metals from the body and are also good for improving skin conditions.