petite green lentils, diced veggies, tomatoes, radish, parsley, dijon olive oil sherry vinegaigrette #140characterrecipe #yummy #powerfoods #scrumptioussalad #healthandwellness #healthcoach #chefinstructor 🥕👩🏼🍳😋
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Tag Archives: Recipes
Birthday Cupcakes
18 AugWe celebrated my sister’s birthday last night. It was a blast. Her friend baked these cupcakes and I thought the flavors were delicious and very fun…Snickerdoodle (Vanilla cake with Cinnamon frosting), Strawberry Lemonade (garnished with fresh, sliced Strawberries and Lemon Zest), and I think the third flavor was Chocolate Mousse. I got the idea to lay out the cupcakes like this from Martha Stewart who I get a lot of inspiration from. It was a hit!
Mushroom & Gruyere Omelette
3 JulOmelettes are wonderful for a satisfying meal any time of day! I enjoyed this one for lunch at K & L Bistro. Eggs are a great option for eating vegetarian, and I prefer a meatless meal much of the time. I love vegetables and just about any of them go with eggs.
There are so many ingredients for filling them, such as sauteed red and yellow peppers, onions, spinach (one of my favorites in an omelette!), feta, peaches, sliced prosciutto, crab, and more! They are also a great vehicle for using up leftovers, like a ratatouille, or sausage ragu.
If you’re not comfortable with the idea if making an omelette, you could also use the same ingredients to do a frittata or even just scrambled eggs. Add a salad of greens and you’ve got a quick, delicious and affordable meal that won’t heat up your kitchen for more than about 10 minutes!
Learning How To Make Sausage
23 Jun
I took a class not too long ago at The Local Butcher Shop and came home with a total of 5 pounds of Sweet Italian Sausage and Goat Merguez. I learned that making sausage is actually quite easy and involves only a few steps and I hope this inspires you to give it a try.
Basically, you start with some good quality coarsely ground meat, including Pork, Chicken, Turkey, Lamb, Goat, or even Seafood, which you can ask your butcher to grind, or do it yourself. Next, with impeccably clean hands or with rubber gloves, mix in your spice blend (the photo above is Merguez — a sausage with North African flavors such as Harissa, Sumac, Fennel and Garlic) and a chopped, fresh herb. Wash your casings and stuff them (not too densely) using an attachment on your meat grinder (KitchenAid has attachments for grinding and stuffing). Then twist the sausage into the size link you prefer (twisting each link in the opposite direction) and cut them apart, or if you have a smaller casing, you can roll it into a spiral, like I did with my Goat Merguez.
I have to say, after making my own sausage, it’s tough to go back to store-bought. One of the tips from The Local Butcher Shop is to include some chopped fresh herbs (like Sage, Oregano, or Cilantro) and that really does make a difference in the flavor.
Unfortunately, since the recipe for Sweet Italian Sausage and Goat Merguez are protected via copyright, I’m unable to share them with you, however, I did find a recipe for Simple Homemade Sausage Patties on Martha Stewart’s website (from Lucinda Scala Quinn’s cookbook Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys) that you might like and it doesn’t even require the casings.
Here are some additional links for purusing:
http://ruhlman.com/2011/05/the-no-nitrites-added-hoax/
http://ruhlman.com/2011/02/meat-curing-safety-issues/
If you have a good local butcher shop in your neighborhood, you can try to buy the casings and curing salt from them, otherwise, you can buy them online. Now I just need to find the time to make another batch!
Savory Baked Apples
13 Apr
Here’s a tasty idea I found on Cooking Light…along the lines of my recent post on Apple Pie In An Apple. This could be easily adapted for Vegetarians or Vegans too. Click on this link for details.
Other combinations or substitutions I might try are the following:
- Granny Smith Apples
- Pecans
- Almonds
- Golden Raisins
- Dried Apricots
- Sundried Tomatoes
- Leeks
- Shallots
- Spinach
- Fennel
- Celery
- Fontina or Cheddar Cheese (how can you can wrong?)
- Curry Powder
- Garam Masala (do you have this spice blend in your pantry yet? It’s so versatile)
- Thyme
- Couscous (White, Red or Tricolor)
- Bulgur Wheat
- Farro
- Bread Crumbs (for topping)
By changing up the flavors, you’ll be able to serve this for many occasions as a main course, or for a side dish I think that half an apple per person would be adequate (cut in half before stuffing). This could also be a good dish for entertaining, since you could easily make the stuffing a day or two ahead. It would be delicious with a Pork Roast or any poultry!
Apple Pie In An Apple – Part 2
10 Apr
This post is related to Apple Pie In The Apple on my blog in February. I found another recipe online yesterday, and after trying this idea myself, I’ve adapted the original “re-blogged” recipe, and feel obliged to add Part 2.
Check out this link for the other recipe I found. It’s got nice pictures, including the lattice crust, that you may find helpful.
I’ve mentioned previously I’m not much of a baker (mainly because I don’t have the patience to measure out lots of ingredients), therefore, hoped to find an easy pie dough recipe and referred to Michael Ruhlman’s ratios for Pie Dough. I’ve put a link of his book Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking on My Tasty Store and there is also iPhone App available for about $4.99. I think it’s worth it just for the convenience of having it if you’re a traveler who cooks while on vacation.
For a single crust:
- 12 ounces Flour (350 grams)
- 8 ounces Fat (I used Unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces; note:1 stick of Butter is 4 oz.)
- 4 ounces Water (I added 1 ice cube to keep it chilled)
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt (Optional)
1 Tablespoon of Sugar (Optional)
Mix dry ingredients and Butter in a Food Processor until Butter is in Pea-sized pieces.
Slowly add in the Water until it starts to hold together , but work it as little as possible (you may not need all of the Water, depending on the humidity of your environment). Don’t worry if it’s not totally formed into a ball.
Dump it out onto a piece of plastic wrap, knead it a bit and shape into a flattened disk, wrap up the plastic disk and place it in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes and up to a full day.
Once chilled, roll out on a floured surface and cut into strips for the lattice (you should count on chilling longer than 20 minutes if the temperature is warm and/or if the dough is very soft).
My tips/filling recipe are below:
- 4 Apples
- 4 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend (or Cinnamon)
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (Optional)
- I figured out that you should not try to make the lattice directly on top of the apple (it’s too hard to get it looking nice). Make it on the counter and then place it on top of the apple. Leave a little space in the lattice for steam to get through.
- I also dotted the top of the apple with a little butter for extra flavor which you can see in the photo above (optional but delicious!)
- I used Pumpkin Pie Spice in lieu of Cinnamon
- I used 4 Apples, not 5-6 as in the original recipe I re-blogged, and there was plenty of filling for the apples.
- I used a Tablespoon of Light Brown Sugar per Apple in lieu of 1 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar and 1/4 Cup White Sugar (since I prefer the flavor of Brown Sugar)
- I used a round metal Teaspoon measure to scoop out the Apple.
- I tried setting the Apples on the top slice of the Apple (that is cut off the top) as a base…it helped stabilize 3 of the apples but the 4th one slide off during the baking process. Not sure I’d do that again, unless the top slice was a little thicker, or maybe I’d cut a bigger hole in it for the base of the apple to sit in.
- I’m not crazy about covering them with aluminum foil and will be test without next time. I felt it took too long for the crust to brown.
I think this concept would work equally well if you wanted a short cut and topped the Apple with some nutty Granola instead of a crust. If you try it, please share your tips or ideas. Would love to hear them!
Deconstructed Pork Tamale from Bocanova
8 Apr
It takes a creative chef to turn a Tamale, or anything for that matter, into something memorable. This dish definitely hit the mark! Imagine the inside of a delicious, homemade, authentic Tamale with stoneground Masa, slowly cooked Pork shoulder, seasoned with Onions, Garlic, Cumin, and Mexican Oregano, maybe some Epazote or Cilantro. But then, don’t hide all those delicious ingredients inside the Husk.
Instead, layer the Husk, Tomatillo sauce, Masa (think of a round slice of Polenta, but with more texture than a traditional Masa since this one had bits of corn kernels added), and Pork that has been cooked a long time so it melts in your mouth (think of Confit), then garnish with some Guacamole, Queso Blanco, Micro-greens and Red Bell Pepper. This modern and elegant dish would work well for a dinner party too. The other photo here is a Crab Pozole…also delicious!
Bocanova’s Executive/Proprieter Chef Rick Hackett provides an ever-changing Pan-American menu for brunch, lunch and dinner, including many great options for Vegetarians. The restaurant is located on the waterfront at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA. I highly recommend Bocanova!
Valentine’s Day Cocktails
12 Feb
I love idea of serving a cocktail with a Pink blush on Valentine’s Day. Here are a few ideas…plus one (not Pink) with Chocolate–yum!
“Posmo” (a spin-off of the classic Cosmopolitan):
- 1.5 Oz. Vodka
- 1/2 Oz Cointreau (or Triple Sec)
- Juice of 1/2 Lime (before cutting, slice some off a piece of zest for garnish)
- 1.5 Oz. Pomegranate Juice
(Optional: rim the glass by rubbing the cut Lime on the edge and dip into sugar)
Cherry Lemon Drop:
- 1.5 Oz. Vodka
- 1/2 Oz. simple syrup (I like to make mine from Agave Nectar — I make it in a shot glass by filling it with water and about 1 teaspoon of Agave)
- Juice of 1 Meyer Lemon (use 1 1/2 if you like your drinks tart, like I do)
- 1.5 Oz. Cherry Juice
(Optional: rim the glass by rubbing the cut Lemon on the edge and dip into sugar)
Raspberry Lemon Drop:
- 1.5 Oz. Vodka
- 1/2 Oz. simple syrup (I like to make mine from Agave Nectar — I make it in a shot glass by filling it with water and about 1 teaspoon of Agave)
- Juice of 1 Meyer Lemon (use 1 1/2 if you like your drinks tart, like I do)
- Muddle about 5 raspberries (fresh or frozen) in the shaker before pouring in the ice and liquids
(Optional: rim the glass by rubbing the cut Lemon on the edge and dip into sugar)
Chocolate Martini:
1 oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz. Vodka
(Optional: add a splash of Creme de Cacao or Half and Half, and rim the glass with cocoa powder and sugar)
For all of these Martinis, pour ingredients into a shaker with ice, shake and strain into a Martini glass. Of course, you could serve them over ice, if you prefer.
Blood Orange Margarita:
- 1 Oz. Tequila (preferably Silver)
- 1/2 Oz. Cointreau (or Triple Sec)
- Juice of 1 Blood Orange
- Juice of 1/2 Lime
Pink Grapefruit Margarita (adapted from Sunset Magazine):
3 parts freshly squeezed Ruby Grapefruit Juice, 2 parts Tequila, 1 part Cointreau (or Triple Sec)
If you use 1 Oz. of Tequila per serving, it’s easy to adapt it for as many servings as you need. This is one of my favorites!
For the Margaritas, pour ingredients into a shaker, blend and serve on the rocks. Salt or Sugar Rim optional. You could also mix some spice into the salt by mixing it into a mortar with pestle. I have tried Aleppo Pepper, which is quite mild (and delicious on eggs too!), and Aji Amarillo , a bit hotter (from Crescent Moon Farm via the Sebastopol, CA farmer’s market).
The photo is a Purple Basil Lemon Drop. In lieu of adding Cherry Juice to the Lemon Drop recipe above, muddle about 10 small leaves of Purple Basil into your mixing glass. Shake up your drink and strain it into your glasses. It will be a lovely Lavender color (although in this photo, it appears more Pink). Not quite as appropriate for Valentine’s Day, but equally refreshing!
Green Smoothies To Revitalize Your Body
11 Feb
Looks can be deceiving! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how delicious this tastes and you will feel so healthy after drinking it. The flavors go together really well and it’s definitely a great way to start the day, cleanse your body, and increase the amount of antioxidants and vegetables in your diet. By using a blender instead of a juicer, you will benefit by getting more fiber too.
In a blender, add the following in order:
- 1 Apple, cored and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces (not peeled) — I like Gala Apples
- 3/4 of 1 English Cucumber (not peeled — I recommend English Cucumbers since the skin is thinner and they are seedless so easily digestible
- Fresh Spinach Leaves, 2 big handfuls
- Juice of 1/2 Lemon (optional: include some of the zest, but avoid the white pith)
- Ginger, a small 1/4 inch slice, peeled and finely grated (Optional)
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups of water
Start with low-speed and move up to the highest speed. Makes 2 servings.
If you like it, try these Mix and Match Green Smoothie recipes from the VitaMix company.
By the way, here is link if you’d like to get more information or purchase one of my favorite kitchen gadgets, the VitaMix Blender.
“Let food be thy medicine …” – Hippocrates
Easy Greek Layer Dip for a Healthy Superbowl Appetizer
4 FebLayer all ingredients below, starting with the Hummus, in a clear glass dish and serve with Toasted Pita Chips
- Hummus, homemade preferably
- Roasted Red Peppers, chopped
- Cucumbers, chopped (or Tzatziki)
- Kalamata Olives, halved
Hummus Recipe:
In a small Cuisinart food processor, chop 1-2 cloves of Garlic (Roasted Garlic mellows the flavor so you could add up to head if you like). Garlic Powder will do if you don’t have cloves.
Add a can of drained Organic Chick Peas, the juice of 1 Lemon, 2-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, thin with a little water until you get the consistency you desire, salt & pepper to taste, optional: Smoked Paprika
Tzatziki Recipe:
In a medium bowl, combine a Cucumber, seeded, then coarsely grated, with 2 cups of Greek Yoghurt, preferably Whole Milk, juice of 1/2 Lemon, 1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil, 1 finely chopped Shallot, 1 finely chopped clove of Garlic, a couple sprigs of fresh Dill, chopped (or about 1/2 – 1 Teaspoon of dried Dill) and Salt & White Pepper.
Food Outside The Box 