DRUM BEETS

gluten free cornbread muffins

2011-12-18T12:27:00.000-08:00

i adore corn bread. with a bowl of chili, or on it's own smothered with butter and a drizzle of honey. yum. there's a cafe in my neighborhood - the sunlight cafe - that serves wonderful gluten free cornbread. however, their cornbread is made into a loaf and cut into slices, which in my opinion is way less fun that getting to eat a cornbread muffin. they would not share their recipe with me though, so i've been testing a few different gluten free corn bread recipes over the past few months... and here is the results! i've played around with different flours and ratios - this recipe is very adaptable to ingredients you have on hand, but here are my preferences. i'm sure you could use any gluten free baking flour mix, but i especially like the combination of flours here with a bit of buckwheat - it gives the cornbread a lovely brown speckle and nuttiness. i use fine cornmeal, rather than coarse polenta - but you could experiment with a mixture of the two if you enjoy a coarser cornbread. enjoy!

1/3 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup soy flour

2 tablespoons buckwheat flour

3 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch

*(or use 1 cup of your own gluten free flour mix)

1 cup cornmeal

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 large egg

1 cup milk, milk substitute or buttermilk

2 heaping tablespoons of honey or brown sugar

1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed and drained (optional)

heat oven to 375 degrees. sift all dry ingredients together. add butter, egg, milk and honey and mix until just combined into batter (does not have to be perfectly smooth - small clumps are ok!) finally, fold in the corn kernels. pour batter into muffin pan lined with cupcake wrappers... about 1/4 cup batter per muffin. bake for 15-20 minutes.

you could also pour this batter into a 9x9 baking pan, lined with parchment paper or buttered. bake cornbread a few extra minutes (25 total or so) until golden brown around the edges.

thai peanut sauce

2011-12-07T18:11:00.000-08:00

i wouldn't be surprised to find out that seattle has an equal number of thai food restaurants as we do starbucks. there is never a lack of thai food. luckily, i happen to enjoy thai food. a lot. one of my favorite thai flavors is the peanut sauce. my dad used to make a home made version that was slightly more complicated and involved a stove top... but the version i've created is fairly simple and tastes great at room temp on raw vegetables or thrown into a hot stir fry.

1 cubic inch fresh ginger, finely grated

1 or 2 cloves raw garlic, chopped

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

4 tablespoons tamari

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon dried chillies

1 teaspoon brown rice syrup or 1/4 cup coconut milk

notes: if you prefer a warm sauce over steamed vegetables or rice, try adding a quarter cup of coconut milk to your sauce and heating all ingredients together in a saucepan over low heat. if you prefer a thicker sauce for raw vegetables or to add into a stir fry, use brown rice syrup to slightly sweeten the sauce without adding too much liquid.

combine all ingredients in a food processor until combined to serve at room temperature or to add to stir fry. if making a warm sauce, combine ingredients in a sauce pan and cook at a low temp, stirring frequently. add additional coconut milk or water until you reach a desired consistency.

i love the sauce served with a mixture of raw and cooked vegetables and rice. this particular meal had red rice, cooked mushrooms and carrots with raw green bell peppers and avocado, served with sesame marinated bakes tofu.

moroccan stew

2011-11-27T22:58:00.000-08:00

moroccan food has a special meaning to me after studying abroad in rabat while in high school. i fell in love with the flavors of morocco - sweet spices, plump dried fruit, cous cous, fresh fish, legumes and citrus, all in abundance! but nothing compares to the fresh orange juice bought from street vendors in morocco - so refreshing in the warm climate! never mind the fact that it was handed to you in a reused glass that is haphazardly washed in a bucket of water... when traveling in morocco, don't drink the tap water but do drink the orange juice! anyhow, back on topic - here is a simple vegan stew inspired by the flavors of morocco!

1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can)

1 bay leaf

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup diced tomatoes

small onion, diced and sauteed until translucent in 1 tablespoon olive oil

10 dried apricots, quartered or cut smaller

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon mace (or nutmet)

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 cup cous cous

1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons olive oil

parsley for garnish

plain yogurt (optional)

i made this stew in a slow cooker - first cooking chickpeas in water with a bay leaf until fork tender. i then poured out the water (retaining the bay leaf) and replaced it with fresh broth and combined all other ingredients. continue cooking on high until squash is soft. if making the stew on the stove top - simply combine ingredients and cook at a low flame for 1 or 2 hours, until squash is soft. when the squash is soft, remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes while you prepare the cous cous. combine equal parts boiling water with cous cous. stir to moisten cous cous, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. uncover, fluff with a fork and drizzle lightly with olive oil. serve with a large ladleful of stew! garnish with fresh parsley and a spoonful of plain yogurt.

roasted turban squash soup

2011-11-23T14:47:00.000-08:00

my dad randomly dropped of a turban squash with me this week. after admiring it's color and shape as a centerpiece on my table, i considered my options for preparing a meal with it. it was giant - too big to cut into without the use of a hatchet. i've cooked smaller squashes whole before... so i widened the space between the racks in my oven and plopped the squash in at 350 degrees for about 90 minutes and crossed my fingers.

after a long walk with my dog, i came home to a warm delicious aroma in the home. i took the heavy squash out of the oven and let it sit for about 30 minutes before trying to handle it. once it had cooled, i cut it in half. the center portion with seeds was oozy and gooey - but the rest of the squash was still pretty firm. edible, but a little too firm. after letting the steam pour out, scoop the seeds and ooze out from the center. the skin had hardened, reminding me of a dried gourd - making it easy to remove the flesh of the squash. i spread the innards back onto the baking sheet, running my fingers through it to remove any hard stringy material. the squash was still a bit stringy, but in this soup recipe it won't matter - just remove the hardened bits.

this made for a giant batch of soup - i suppose i could have jarred some of the squash for later use, but instead i just ended up freezing half of the soup. anyhow, here you have it...

roasted turban squash soup:

1 turban squash (or other large squash or medium pumpkin)

2 onions, chopped

12 cloves of garlic

6 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon mace (or nutmeg)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons coriander

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

large bunch fresh sage, torn into pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

wash and scrub your squash to remove any dirt. bake squash on a baking tray at 350 until hallow sounding and slightly soft - about 90 minutes depending on the size of your squash. while it cooks, you can prep your other ingredients. peel all garlic and roast in a foil pocket with about 2 tablespoons of oil coating the cloves. roast in the oven with the pumpkin for about 30 minutes or until lightly brown. in a large soup pot, saute the diced onions in 2 tablespoons oil until lightly golden. add the sage and all other spices (except salt) and saute another minute until very fragrant. add half the broth to the pot and bring to simmer. once the squash is ready (see above for additional tips) add the flesh to the soup pot. mix ingredients all together - add additional broth until you achieve your desired texture - not too wet, but not as dense as baby food. depending on the size of your squash you may require more or less broth.

you will notice that the squash is still a bit stringy. if you have an emersion blender, use it to puree the soup. or transfer in batches to a blender or food processor. once the soup is smooth and creamy, bring the soup to a simmer and cover. allow to simmer for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse with the pureed squash. finally, add salt to taste.

* wonderful flavors to pair with pumpernickel bread or any kind of dense bread to dip!

pet food

2011-11-20T13:00:00.000-08:00

i had an epiphany a few months ago when i read a fact that seattle has more dogs than we do children (no wonder i love this city)... but here are all these foodies and environmentalists and activists eating our organic produce, local fresh eggs or maybe some small-scale grass-fed beef, and what is it that we feed our pets?! most likely, some highly processed 'meat byproduct meal' crap from a bag. take a look at your pet food - if there is any vaguely labeled ingredients such as 'chicken-byproduct-meal,' you should drop the bag and go apologize to your four-legged friend for feeding it feathers and diseased meats. need more motivation to take action? check out marion nestle's book, 'pet food politics'

i could continue on this rant, or i could give you some useful suggestions of what can be done! first off, there are some very high quality foods on the market - like the honest kitchen's natural dehydrated pet foods. this is a good place to start if you don't have the time to learn more about preparing meals for animals. pet food is a science! just like us, dogs and cats require specific nutrients and ratios of protein to carbohydrates. but it is a science that can be perfected in your own home kitchen with a little bit of research and reading. i've been preparing meals for our pets based on the guidelines from a book called 'natural health for dogs & cats'

watching our cats dig their little furry faces into the first meal i prepared them gave me a surprising amount of joy. sure, i love getting to cook for and share a meal with my friends and family. but never before had i been able to do the same for our pets! i was so proud (and relieved that they actually liked my cooking!) that i think i may have scared them a bit with my enthusiasm. it's been a slow, gradual transition, but they are now on a 100% local raw foods diet!

what goes into a balanced meal for your pet? cat's are carnivores and require meat - lots of meat - and in the wild, that meat would be raw. dogs enjoy more vegetables and grains (potentially your dog could even be vegetarian if given ample supplements). our goal was to be able to track the source of the meat we feed to our pets, so we talked to the butcher at dot's delicatessen in hopes of finding some reasonably priced, lean ground meats from a local farm. for the first time in my life, i purchased beef chuck and liver and brought it home to my vegetarian kitchen.

beyond raw meat, cats and dogs also require carbs, calcium (which i learned can be supplemented by finely ground egg shells), fats and oils, omegas, various vitamins and enzymes - most of which can be sourced from natural foods or whole food supplements. oh, and nutritional yeast is the perfect meal topper for you pet (who knew??) so there is a bit of initial investment as you stock up on a few supplements and fish oils, etc. but in the end, our pet food costs have only gone up about 25% ... but it was worth it! just be patient with your pets - pet food scientists spend more time studying food additives and flavorings to make your pets addicted to their dry food than they do studying the quality and nutritional value of the food. cat's especially can be addicted to their dry food, but once they learn what real food they will love you for your efforts.

bon appetit mes chattes et mon chien! sante!

stuffed mushroom melts

2011-11-18T23:03:00.000-08:00

it's was late in the evening after a hectic day of discovering our new puppy has gone into her first heat a few months earlier than expected (eek!) and my belly, like our fridge, is rather empty. it never stops to amaze me what delicious food can be created from just a few simple ingredients!...

stuffed mushroom melts:

4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed

1/2 small red onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

6 sun dried tomatoes drained from oil, sliced

8 narrow slices of havarti cheese (or any soft, meltable cheese)

3 tablespoons olive oil

chives for garnish, chopped

salt & pepper

heat your oven to 475. prep all the vegetables and set to the side. smear 2 tablespoons of oil into a baking pan and rub the mushrooms into the oil to coat. add more oil if the mushrooms soak up all the oil. once the oven is heated, cook the mushrooms tops down for about 12 minutes until soft.

in the mean time, heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil or butter. slowly saute the onions and celery until caramelized - about 10 minutes. add the sun dried tomatoes and heat through for another minute. remove the mushrooms from the oven and place 1/4 of the vegetable mixture onto each mushroom. sprinkle a few chopped chives onto each mushroom then place two slice of cheese criss-crossed over each stuffed mushroom. turn the oven up to a broil and broil for about 3 minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble slightly. it will look messy and delicious. serve hot with crusty bread or we steamed up a few yams in the time it took to cook the mushroom melts. yum!

winter risotto

2011-11-14T22:09:00.000-08:00

this risotto is full of warming seasonal flavors! creamy roasted butternut squash, sweet roasted chestnuts and savory sage folded into a slow-cooking rice risotto. delicious! risotto is fairly simple to make, but does require constant attention as you prep and cook (about 80 minutes or so). risotto is well worth the work and makes for lovely left overs too!

butternut squash & chestnut risotto:

1 1/2 cups risotto rice (arborio rice)

3 cups vegetable stock

1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1" cubes

1 small onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

4 ounces peeled and halved chestnuts (i used pre-cooked, vacuum packed chestnuts)

small bunch fresh sage

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pats of butter (optional)

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

1 teaspoon coriander

salt & pepper

1/4 cup parmesan, finely grated (optional)

parsley, chopped for garnish

preheat oven to 400 degrees. in the mean time, prep and dice all your vegetables. combine the cubed squash with one tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with chili flakes and ground coriander and spread the squash out in a single layer in a roasting pan. bake up to 30 minutes until fork tender.

while the squash is roasting, heat 1 tablespoon oil and a pat of butter in a large skillet and sautee the onions, celery and garlic for 10 minutes at a low heat. try to avoid browning the vegetables. at the same time, heat 3 cups of broth on the stove top, letting it sit at a simmer. after 10 minutes of cooking the vegetables, add the dry rice and turn up the heat. fry the rice with the vegetables for about one minute until the rice becomes translucent. add a ladleful (1/2 cup) of broth to the rice and vegetable mixture. continue cooking at a low temperature, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed. continue to add a ladleful at a time, giving the rice time to absorb. depending on your patience level you may find that you use less or more liquid... just continue to cook until the rice is tender but still has a bit of a bite to it.

check the squash! once it is fork tender, add the chestnuts to the roasting pan and return to the oven for about 5-10 minutes until the squash is very soft and creamy and the chestnuts are heated through. remove the squash and nuts from the oven and let sit until the risotto rice is finished. season the rice to taste.

finally, combine the squash and chestnuts in with the risotto. add a handful of torn sage leaves, an extra pat of butter and parmesan cheese. fold all together and then let sit, covered for 2 minutes off of the heat. if you really want to please your palate, in small fry pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and fry a few extra sage leaves. once crisp, remove from oil and let sit on a paper towel. crumbled on top of the risotto, the little crisp leaves are absolutely exceptional!

i was able to fit in a tray of roasted brussel sprouts in the oven while the squash was roasting - the timing worked out just perfectly. pile your risotto high with parsley and fried sage and enjoy!

korean rice bowl

2011-10-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

one of my new favorite restaurants in seattle, revel, offers a small but inventive and delicious menu of modern korean food. our favorite dish there is a rice bowl with a seared tuna steak, kimchi, raw egg yolk, and char-broiled greens over a bed of sticky white rice. yum. and as always, i decided to give it a try at recreating this dish in my own kitchen! slight variations, but overall i'd say my recreation was quite an impressive success.

korean rice bowls (for 2):

1+1/2 cup short grain, white rice
8 oz of ahi or albacore tuna
4 baby bok choy or 1 bunch escarole
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
spicy cabbage kimchi (you can find kimchi at specialty or health stores)
sweet or spicy peppers, thinly sliced
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 egg yolks (save the whites for breakfast!)
chili flakes, salt and pepper

wash the rice by submerging in water and running your fingers through the rice until the water runs milky. strain rice through a strainer (or if you don't have a strainer, simply poor off the majority of the water). rinse the rice in the bowl once or twice, until the water is no longer milky. strain the water off one more final time and then let the rice sit for about 20 minutes while. while the rice is soaking, preheat the oven to 475. at this time, prep your egg yolks by placing both egg yolks gently into a small bowl and cover with 1/4 cup soy sauce to flavor and cure the egg yolk a bit.

eventually cook the soaked rice with equal parts water (or simply add one cup water if you were unable to strain all of the water off entirely). the rice will cook quickly, about 20 minutes or so. in the mean time, prep the bok choy by trimming off the ends, wash and dry them. place the bok choy in a single layer in a roasting pan and rub 2 tablespoons of oil into the greens. drizzle with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and sprinkle with salt, pepper and chili flakes to taste. roast at 475 until tender (10 minutes or so), and then broil for 2-3 minutes longer to add a bit of char. while the vegetables are roasting, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet and add the fish. cook until brown on the bottom and then rotate to brown each side. let the fish cool slightly off the skillet before slicing. if the fish looks much pinker than you'd like, you can briefly return each slice to the skillet to brown one side, leaving the opposite side still a bit pink.

to assemble, stack a pile of rice with sliced tuna, a portion of kimchi and greens and a few slices of peppers. carefully spoon out an egg yolk from the soy sauce and gently place it on top of the rice. the yolk is meant to be mixed into the rice, but if you're squirmish of raw egg, simply skip that ingredient!

* one thing that makes revel unique, is there selection of home-made sauces and spicy fermented pastes to add to your dishes! take a look at an asian grocery or health food store to find some korean sweet and sour sauce or fermented bean paste, or if you want to make things simple just add some soy sauce to your rice bowl. enjoy!!!

anchovy aioli

2011-10-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

maybe this is a petty dispute, but theres something i don't care for about mayonnaise - but i love a good aioli! especially when the aioli is made with roasted garlic and is melded with the salty flavors of anchovies. if you're afraid of anchovies - dont be! there really are not that 'fishy' ... they simply add a wonderful saltiness that you've probably enjoyed before in caesar salad dressing. here, the roasted garlic also works wonders to tone down the 'fishy' flavor in the aioli. delicious.

anchovy aioli:
8-10 cloves roasted garlic
4-6 anchovies, packed in oil
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 egg yolks, (save the egg whites for breakfast or something, please)
1/3 (+ or -) cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt & fresh black pepper

this recipe will require quite a bit of 'to taste' adjusting... i wasn't afraid of scaring anyone away with garlic and anchovy breath, but if you prefer to keep the flavors mild, simply adjust ingredients to taste.

start with blending the garlic, anchovies and egg yolks in a food processor. slowly, slowly, slowly add the oil while the food processor blends at a medium speed. you will notice as the aioli begins to lighten in color and starts to fluff up a bit. do not add too much oil that it becomes liquidy! finally add seasoning and blend for another 30 seconds or so. aioli will keep in a jar for a week or two quite nicely.

spread on some sourdough toast, top with fresh tomatoes or radish or if you're adventurous another few anchovies! salt. pepper. eat.

pigeon pea salad

2011-09-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

there is a fabulous authentic puerto rican restaurant in ballard - la isla - that serves up a satisfying appetizer of fried green plantains to scoop up their "gandules dip" - a spicy and tangy pigeon pea salad mixed with onions and roasted peppers that leaves your mouth tasting like raw garlic for hours. the pigeon peas are about the size and color of green lentil, only a bit more plump and firm like a fresh pea. in an attempt to recreate this appetizer today, i couldn't find any green plantains within biking distance of my home, but i did find a can of goya-brand pigeon peas! la isla also serves amazing sauteed garlic prawns. i get the sense that garlic is a serious flavor in puerto rican food... which is all dandy and swell as long as your date consumes equal quantities of garlic. just sayin'...

pigeon pea, corn salad with garlic shrimp:

at least a 1/2 pound of shrimp or prawns, devained and tails removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil

4 ears of corn, raw, cut from cob (i like my corn salads raw - if you prefer, you could first boil the ears for a few minutes and let cool completely)
2-3 roasted peppers (i used spicy peppers freshly roasted, seeded and peeled)
1 can pigeon peas, drained and rinsed
1 pint fresh cherry or pear tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
large bunch of cilantro, trimmed and washed
juice of 1 lime
salt & pepper

in a skilled, heat olive oil and add shrimp/prawns. after about one minute add the minced garlic. sautee for a few minutes on a medium heat until pink. remove from heat and let cool completely.
in a large bowl combine all the salad ingredients and seasoning to taste. once the seafood has cooled, combine with the corn salad. be sure to scoop up all the fried garlic from the pan and toss into the salad! you might also like to add a bit extra olive oil to dress the salad. serve chilled and idealy with fried plantains (warm flour tortillas is a great substitute though!)

avocado & melon salad

2011-09-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

i remember watching in horror as my grandpa sprinkled salt onto his slices of mellon. how dare he! years later, i realized there was a reason to his madness... it's delicious! especially when combined with a little lime and spice.

avocado & mellon salad:
3 cups cubed watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, or any melon variety
1 avocado, sliced
juice of 1/2 lime
sea salt
black pepper
sprinkle of aleppo or red chili flakes
cilantro, trimmed and washed

play with the ratio of melon to avocado - i like a bite of avocado with every few melon bites. use seasonings to taste.

a note about the presentation of this salad: unless you are like me and completely enjoy playing with your food for about an hour in an attempt to make perfect little 1-cubic inch slices of fruit... you can also use a mellon baller to make adorable bite-size mellon balls. or simply sprinkle large slices of melon with rinds intact on a plate and scoop out chunks of avocado with a spoon on top of the melon slices.

better than a margarita on a hot sunny day...

2011-09-04T14:54:00.000-07:00

i've discovered the perfect refreshment for a hot sunny day: a green grape and melon "slushie"..

hopefully you blender can muster up enough power to make blended ice drinks. if not, this recipe minus the ice makes a perfectly delicious juicy smoothie - add a little plain yogurt for added substance if you like!

2 cups cubed honeydew melon
1 cup green grapes
1-2 cups ice cubes (start with less to test how your blender confronts ice cubes, add more to taste)
1/2 cup apple juice
juice of 1/2 lemon

blend until smooth and frothy! enjoy.
* i had plenty of left over mellon, so i cubed it up and placed them in an even layer on a cookie sheet to freeze. i figured it would make a super melon slushie next time around if i use frozen melon cubes rather than ice!

Tofu Vietnamese Sandwich

2011-06-30T07:44:00.000-07:00

maybe you've heard of a 'banh mi' ?.. you've probably seen them at a pho restaurant before. simple vietnamese sandwiches full of tangy pickled vegetable and tofu (or beef, etc) on a soft baguette or roll. i myself have never ordered one at a restaurant, but have stolen bites from friends to try it. delicious and so simple, the kind of dish i'd rather make at home than spend $8 on. so here was my first attempt at the banh mi:

ciabatta rolls or a soft baguette
extra firm tofu, thinly sliced
jalapenos, thinly sliced (remove seeds if you don't like spice)
2 large carrots, cut into thin matchsticks
1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
cilantro, stems removed
mayo (or vegan mayo if you swing that way...)
chili paste or sweet-chili sauce

traditionally, this sandwich is made with pickled daikon and carrots. instead, i pickled radish and carrot since i had a bunch sitting in my fridge. try either, but radish is a bit more mellow of a flavor if you're not feeling to adventurous or can't find daikon. I made my pickled vegetables a day in advance, but if you can't think that far in advance, give them at least 3 hours to pickle! start by peeling your carrots, then slice them into thin matchsticks about 2 inches long. trim the radishes and clean! (i don't know where you get your radishes, but my are always covered in soil) place veggies into a large bowl and sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt. using your hands, massage/squeeze the salted vegetables for about 4 minutes until the carrots become tender. in a small bowl, mix 1 cup of regular vinegar (white balsamic is ok, but not wine or cider vinegars) with 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar. poor this mixture over the vegetables and let sit in the fridge for 3 hours or more. these will also save well in the fridge for a few days to add to salads or veggie wraps!

once your pickled vegetables are ready, you can fry up some tofu. or if you are skilled at baked tofu, by all means go right ahead. we fry our firm tofu without pressing out extra water, but if you're tofu feels a bit bouncy still, it's best to press the slices between trays or plates surrounded by a towel and let sit for 15 minutes or so. in a large cast iron skillet, heat up several tablespoons of vegetable or peanut oil. fry the tofu slices in batches, letting each side brown before flipping. add oil to the pan after each batch, as the tofu will soak up some of the oil. let cool on a paper towel.

to assemble, stir up a few tablespoons of mayo with chili paste or sweet chili sauce and spread onto your bread. pile on all the veggies on top of a few slices of tofu ... and enjoy!

chips and dip

2011-06-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

this sack of pita bread and an eggplant have been wallowing at the bottom of my fridge, sadly forgotten until today when i was inspired to make a bit of baba ghanoush and pita chips. such a simple dip to make as long as you have a supply of tahini on hand - otherwise making hummus or baba ghanoush might require an extra trip to a specialty shop for ingredients. and pita chips are almost as easy to make as buttered toast. seriously.

baba ghanoush:
1 eggplant, cut length wise
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clover garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt & pepper to taste

drizzle a bit of oil on the bottom of a baking dish and swirl the eggplant in the oil to coat. bake eggplant face up in a 475 degree oven for about 40 minutes until very tender and golden brown. once removed from the oven, let cool before diving in with a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the eggplant - (i like to snack on the charred eggplant skin, but maybe i'm just odd). in a food processor, blend the eggplant innards and the remaining ingredients until smooth. drizzle with olive oil to serve. (makes about 2-3 servings)

pita chips:

kitchen scissors are incredibly helpful here... but i suppose you could get crafty with a pairing knife. simply cut the pita bread in half, and then carefully separate the pocket so that you are able to cut along the edge of the pita ... you will create 4 half moon shapes out of each pita pocket. it's easiest to oil the pita at this point, by brushing a little olive oil onto the inside of each half moon. once you've cut and oiled as many pita pockets as you want, cut each half moon into thirds - making little triangles! from here, you can sprinkle with salt, pepper or herbs. i love smoked paprika mixed in with my olive oil, or today i mixed in some turkish aleppo red pepper flakes (random side note: i discovered this amazing pepper in turkey, duh, and have been hooked ever since. i brought home an absurdly large stash of it back from turkey, but have since refilled my stash of aleppo through penzeys... just fyi) bake your seasoned pita chips in a pre-heated 450 degree oven, turning every few minutes, until browned. let cool on a paper grocery bag or parchment paper.

kasha loaf

2011-04-04T19:45:00.001-07:00

i was a fan of my dad's meatloaf when i was a kid. i miss it, but i don't do fake meat... no thank you. but i recently discovered kasha (roasted buckwheat groats), and in an attempt to save a failed kasha & corn fritter recipe, i ended up plopping the mixture into a bread loaf pan and baking it. it was delicious - room for improvement though!

it only felt appropriate that i wear my tie-dye apron while cooking tonight. oh yes.

kasha loaf:
1 heaping cup kasha (you can find roasted buckwheat groats, or buy raw groats and toast them in a skillet)
2 cups water
1 sweet onion, diced
10 cloves of roasted garlic, or to taste, diced
1 carrot, grated
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 Tb grapeseed or olive oil
2 Tb tamari or soy suace
2 Tb vegan worcheshire sauce (or regular if you are ok with anchovies)
1 Tb balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon cayenne or whatever herbs you would like to add (dried chives, oregano, basil...)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
oil & buckwheat flower to dust bread pan

start by slowly caramelizing your onions with oil in a large cast iron skillet... slowly - maybe 20 minutes or so, until they are golden and soft. in the mean time, boil water and then add in your kasha - stir and let sit covered, until water is absorbed - about 15 minutes or more. while you've got the onions and kasha going, grate your carrot, dice veggies and toss everything together in a large bowl with remaining ingredients. mix in cooked kasha, and fold in the 2 eggs.

i oiled and flowered my 4x8 bread pan, but it still stuck a little on the bottom - next time i will try it with parchment paper to line the bottom of the baking pan. plop the kasha batter into your bread pan, give a good tap on the counter to even it out, and then top it with either some pine nuts, thinly slice onion rings, or maybe some ketchup. bake at 375 for one hour or until firm and golden. let cool for at least ten minutes in the pan before turning it out onto a platter to serve.

we topped ours with avocado slices, which tasted great with the nutty, roasted flavor the kasha and went well with the onions and corn inside the loaf. also delicious with ketchup. this kasha loaf is probably not as filling as a real meat loaf or a fake-meat meat loaf, but it sure is delicious and a wonderful recipe to try with kasha! experiment with different veggie fillings - maybe sun dried tomatoes and basil, or chipotle peppers and corn? you could also try baking the batter in muffin tins!

Roasted Garlic & Broccoli Soup

2011-02-19T17:04:00.002-08:00

i've been frustrated with my lack of free time for food blogging lately... i've promised myself that i will get back into the swing of it this spring, when i'm done with my yoga teacher training certification program. but this weekend i'm staying in with nothing on my schedule but sleeping and recovering from a cold. but of course, this gal's gotta make a pot of soup for herself when she's got a runny nose and sore throat!

this was a recipe i created while on a liver/colon cleanse last month... it is gluten, soy and dairy free but delicious!

vegan creamed broccoli soup:

1/2 onion

2 carrots

2 celery stalks

1 large head of broccoli - about 4-5 cups

3-4 cups of vegetable broth

10 cloves of roasted garlic - or to taste

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes

super simple: dice up your onions, carrots and celery and sautee together in oil until soft. in the mean time, cut the head of broccoli into small florets. toss in all of your cut broccoli and cover with 3 or 4 cups of broth. cover and simmer for about 7 minutes or until broccoli stalks are fork tender. remove from heat, stir in the 1/2 cup nutritional yeast and let cool. use an immersion blender or transfer soup to blender in batches - puree until very smooth. you may need to add a bit of broth if it looks too think. add salt and pepper to taste, or even some red chili flakes.

if you've never tried nutritional yeast before - holly cow, get on it! "nooch" (as vegans will call it) is packed with Vitamin B... which most of us vegetarians desperately lack... dietary fiber and even protein! it is fabulous in salad dressings, mixed in with fluffy scrambled eggs, dusted on popcorn, or on my favorite: kale chips. you can find it both in a powder or flakes - they dissolve easily either way, so it doesn't really matter which form you buy.

herbed beets and onion rarebit

2010-12-04T21:45:00.000-08:00

believe it or not, this is the first beet dish i've made this season! like me, you may be sceptical of beets and cottage cheese, but this combo was awesome - i wish i had more left overs!

herbed beets:

bunch small beets, tops trimmed

bunch of fresh thyme

bunch each of fresh tarragon and basil, roughly chopped

swig of red wine vinegar

swig of olive oil

salt and pepper

clean and trim the beets. rub a little olive oil of the outside of each beet and tuck them alongside full sprigs of fresh thyme into an envelope of foil. place the foil on a baking sheet or pan, so that any juices don't spill out. roast beets at 400 for about 1 hour or until fork tender.

while the beets are roasting, chop up your tarragon and basil and mix in a medium size bowl with vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. set aside. once the beets are finished, let cool completely and then peel each beet (i like to gently scrape off the skip with a knife, or use my fingers to peel it off). slice each beet thinly and toss into herbed vinegar... let the mixture chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

cottage cheese dressing:

4 large tablespoons small-curd cottage cheese

zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

drizzle of olive oil

combine all ingredients in a small bowl, allowing the oil and lemon juice to create a marbled look in the cottage cheese. delicious on any type of salad, but absolutely stunning on roasted beets!

red onion rarebit:

2 thick slices of rustic, crunchy-crusted bread

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup creme fraiche (or a few tablespoons of sour cream could probably work too)

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

pinch of chili flakes

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce (i have a vegan version in the fridge)

preheat your broiler. while it is warming, sautee onions on the stove top with a little bit of oil until nice and caramelized! set to the side to cool. mix yolk and creme fraiche together until smooth - then fold in cheddar, chili, worcestershire and finally the cooled sauteed onions. lightly toast each side of the bread slices... then smother one side with the cheese & onion mixture (spreading all the way to the edges of the bread, so that they don't burn). broil on a baking sheet for a few minutes until bubbling and brown. i found the under side to be a little too soggy so i threw it on a hot skillet for a minute like a grilled cheese until it was crisped!

this is the perfect treat to pare with a good brewski. you can credit welsh folks for this gourmet cheese toast.

... recipes from "jamie at home"

back to cookin'

2010-12-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

it's been much too long since i've last been able to post! not that i haven't been cooking up a storm every week, but ever since moving into our new digs, i haven't been able to get any natural light to shoot my photography with. so i finally called on a photographer friend to help me solve some of my lighting problems. here is my first attempt at using white boards to bounce my flash off of and onto the food. tricky! hope to be posting more recipes and photos soon!

on another note... you may have noticed i've introduced sea food back into my diet! my reasons for being vegetarian were primarily based on environmentalist concerns. fish however, can becaught sustainably (woo!)... and luckily for me, seattle has an abundance of local sea food! additionally, i wanted to incorporate more protein, amino acids, and good fats into my diet to sustain me in my overly active lifestyle.

pacific black cod, crunchy veggie wraps & buttermilk avocado dressing

for the fish...

simply slice small portion sized fillets, brush with olive oil and top with thin slices of lemon & black pepper. bake in 400 oven for 15 minutes. black cod is incredibly moist, so if you prefer you fish a little more firm, first fry top side of fillet in pan with olive oil and then return to oven.

for the veggie wraps...

simple salad of:

1 bunch radishes

1 crisp apple

1 cucumber, seeds removed

1 yellow pepper

1 cup black beans

fresh basil or cilantro

lemon juice

mix thinly sliced vegetables & apple together with a couple tablespoons of lemon juice and herbs. serve inside lettuce or endive wraps and secure with one long chive tied in a knot!

for the dressing...

in a blender or food processor, blend:

1 or 2 avocados (depending on how thick you want your dressing)

1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt, pepper

this was excellent inside the wraps and also for dipping home made pita chips into!

planning a fundraiser!

2010-05-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

i'm working with an amazing group of students at the university of washington to build a cooperative, sustainable cafe on campus. our goal is to source from the expanding uw farm (they just got a full acre of land!) and other local farmers and artisans. we've been battling campus bureaucracy and jumping through all the administrative hoops and are finally making headway! if your in seattle these days, join us for our first fundraiser to help us raise some seed money!!

fundraiser dinner & dessert auction

may 29th, 6pm @ om-culture (2210 n pacific st, near gasworks park)

tickets are available for $11 (student) $18 (general public) in advance through brown paper tickets ... or $15 and $22 at the door!

local food, live music from pillow army and boozegrass, great beer from fremont brewing and fantastic wine from 509 wines! plus a small silent auction and a live dessert auction! interested in promoting our project? invite your partner, friends, family, colleagues and neighbors! this is a student-run project but needs all the community support we can get! hope to see you there!

visit the uw student food cooperative website!

Asparagus Binge

2010-04-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

it's officially spring... asparagus season has arrived!

simple roasted asparagus with lemon-dill mustard:

1 large bunch of asparagus, stems trimmed

splash of olive oil

sea salt & pepper

chili flakes

toss together asparagus, oil and spices in a shallow roasting pan. heat oven to 450 and place your asparagus in the oven as it warms up. by the time it reaches 450, turn oven to broil. broil for about 5 minutes, or until fork tender. be sure to watch them carefully! they can get mushy very quickly! now if only i had an outdoor grill... my asparagus would be so much more tasty.

i've recently become addicted to earth & vine provisions lemon-dill mustard. it is amazing on practically any roasted vegetable. i'd like to experiment with grinding my own mustard seeds soon - but for now, try mixing a good quality dijon with fresh chopped dill, lemon juice and lemon zest!

in case you were wondering... asparagus contains a sulfur compound called mercaptan - also found in onions, garlic, rotten eggs, and in the secretions of skunks. most people have an enzyme that breaks down mercaptan in our digestive system, contributing to a quite distinctive - um - oder in your urine. i suggest not thinking about this too much.

fun times!

new home. new kitchen.

2010-03-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

my excuses for a severe lack of cooking and food blogging:

1. end of an intense winter quarter (but only one more quarter to go until graduation!)

2. moving to a new home and kitchen (followed by o.c.d. cleaning of my previous kitchen!)

3. nasty stomach virus (man, i always have the most fun spring breaks!)

i've still got some side projects to finish up, but i should be back to my usually foodie self soon. not to mention - spring has finally arrived and it is such an inspiring time to get cooking!

a night of parsnips and sherry

2010-02-28T09:03:00.000-08:00

seattle has seen a few spring days so far, but the spring vegetables are a ways off yet. for now, the fridge is packed with root vegetables... a combination of parsnips, carrots, sunchokes, and beets. tonight's meal featured roasted parsnips (inspired by smitten kitchen) and sherried wild mushroom & sunchoke toasts.

parmesan parsnip sticks:

3 lbs parsnips, peeled and halved or quartered into equal sized sticks

2 egg whites

2-3 cups grated parmesan

fresh or dried oregano, chopped

black pepper & sea salt (i used red sea salt for some fun added color)

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 head of garlic, roasted in olive oil

fresh oregano

salt and pepper

beat eggs with your herbs in a large bowl. toss in your parsnip sticks, covering your parsnips with egg wash. individually role the parsnip sticks in the grated parmesan and place on a greased foil-lined baking sheet - leaving space between each parsnip. liberally salt and pepper your sheet of parsnips and bake in a 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and parsnips are fork tender.

in the mean time, bring tomatoes, tons of roasted garlic gloves with oil, herbs and salt and pepper in a small sauce pan until thickened. this makes a delicious and intensely garlicky dipping sauce for your parmesan parsnip sticks!

sherried wild mushrooms & sunchoke toasts:

2-3 cups mixed wild mushrooms (any variety)

1 cup sunchokes, peeled, halved & thinly sliced

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil (i used some of the leftover oil from roasting garlic)

2 cloves roasted garlic smashed, or 1 raw clove diced

2 small shallots, thinly sliced

1/4 cups sherry

a spoon or two of brown sugar

white pepper

salt

goat cheese & mixed greens

in a large skillet or cast iron, melt butter and oil and begin to sautee mushrooms, sunchokes and shallots. the mushrooms will release water, but just keep cooking at a medium heat until the water cooks off. add in your garlic, salt and pepper after about 6-8 minutes and sautee until everything is nicely borwn (another 5 minutes or so). add in the sherry and cook until it evaporates. adding a spoonful of brown sugar creates an amazing and unusual taste that brings out the sherry on your toasts! but you may prefer less sweet mushrooms...

once browned, remove from heat and prep your toasts: brush thin slices of baguette with olive oil and broil lightly until browned on both sides. spread a layer of goat cheese on each toast, layered with mixed salad greens and a heaping pile of sherried mushrooms and sunchokes. pepper to taste. these are quite the fancy little appetizer!

a one woman kitchen

2010-02-22T08:27:00.000-08:00

tucked away into a quaint residential block in ballard is the one of the most amazing kitchens in all of seattle: a caprice kitchen. the woman behind it all, chef anne catherine, rotates her menus weekly to feature exclusively local foods (save for the coffee and cocoa...) the kitchen also specializes in pairing each course with a local washington wine. the selection is inspiring.

photo by Wandering Works

a sampling from our family-style meal:

baguette with roasted garlic butter

(the butter won me over to this restaurant with the first bite).

roasted beets in a dill vinaigrette and local feta cheese.

roasted brussels sprouts and an oversized sunchoke-stuffed ravioli

with sorrel aioli.

pulled pork, braised in stout with honey roasted beets

(looked delicious - gorgeous color!)

and to finish, a brownie that we all voted to be the best brownie ever to melt in our mouths. the perfect crumb, dark cocoa, flakey and drizzled with a home-made caramel sauce. they had run out of local hazelnuts this evening, but made up for it with an extra large brownie slice that put full smiles on all three of our faces!

this two woman show - the chef and a gracious waitress - are such an impressing duo, treating seattle with a wealth of recipes to feature our local, deep foods. i'll be back again and again, hopefully for one of their special vineyard or farm feature dinners!

back to my granola girl roots

2010-02-12T11:05:00.000-08:00

great granola doesn't have to come from a box or the bulk section. a medley of local oats and goodies make a delicious "locavore" granola to perk up my mornings!... organic wheat germ, rolled oats and spelt from bob's red mill (oregon) and fairhaven mill (washington). dried nectarines and asian pears from my neighborhood farmers market, preserved from last summer. and the star ingredient: local honey produced from a friend's bee-hives.

my morning granola with a glass of cow's milk

2 cup thick rolled oats

1 cup spelt flakes (rolled spelt)

1/2 cup raw wheat germ

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (or less) honey

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons of water

1 teaspoon vanilla

extras:

spices (nutmeg or cinnamon)

nuts, raw or toasted - walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds

seeds, raw or toasted - pumpkin, sesame, sunflower

dried fruit, cut into pieces - raisins, pair, apple, cherry, blueberry

heat oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet or large roasting pan with parchment paper.

in a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and nuts and seeds if yours are raw. if you want to use toasted nuts and seeds, hold them to the side.

in a small sauce pan, heat oil, honey, water and vanilla. this makes it a lot easier to spread into your oat mixture. combine in the large bowl, using your hands to mix and form clusters. pour everything onto your lined baking pan and bake in the oven for about 45 minute (stirring every ten or fifteen minutes).

at this point, mix in all of your extras... dried fruit bits, toasted nuts or seeds, and return to the oven for another 20-30 minutes. *baking times may need to be adjusted depending on the size of the batch - go for golden brown!* baking the dried fruit will help to prevent you granola from getting soggy or stale when you store it with fruit mixed in. personally - i just bake my granola with nuts and seed and leave the dried fruit to be mixed in later with individual servings. what can i say - some days i'm craving granola with raisins and dried pears, other days i just want ripe banana slices mixed in!

a meal without bar codes

2010-02-04T09:25:00.000-08:00

(contributions from maria h.)

the goal of tonight's meal was to create a dinner using local foods. why local? if the environment is a concern - eating local is a great way for consumers to help protect the environment. local foods travel less distance and less energy is expended to get food to your table. if one is concerned about the local economy - buying local helps support local farmers and workers, giving them the opportunity to remain an independent farm and resisting industrialized agriculture companies who practice such methods as the use of pesticides and the use of genetically engineered foods. if taste is of concern - local foods is hands down going to be fresher and tastier too.

above: cream-top (unhomogenized) milk from golden glen creamery, sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil from a lovely friend's garden - thank you francisca - along with some honey from the bees that she keeps in her yard (the honey, we decided, is being saved for a cooking project soon to come!)

the remainder of our ingredients were gathered from the farmers market, local bakeries, maria's herb pots, and foraged wild garlic. the delicious result...

a savory sun-dried tomato bread pudding:

1 loaf or 2 baguettes of stale bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 leeks, halved length wise, and sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

tons of roasted garlic, diced after roasting

2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained - dice half of them, leaving the other half whole

3 cups milk

4 eggs

fresh thyme, parsley or rosemary, chopped

grated cheese - parmesan or gruyere cheese work nicely

lots of salt and pepper

butter for greasing pans

heat oven to 350 degrees. if your bread is not crispy-stale, toast the bread cubes in the oven for 10 or 15 minutes. in the mean time, saute leeks and shallots with oil for about 5 minutes (we used the extra oil drained from the sun-dried tomatoes.) grease ramekins or casserole dish with butter (local, grass-fed-cow butter that is...)

whisk together eggs and milk in a separate bowl. add in your chopped herbs, salt and pepper.

in a super large bowl, mix together bread cubes, sauteed vegetables, the diced tomatoes, roasted garlic, and half of your grated cheese. pour half the egg and milk mixture over your bread cubes and mix everything together with your hands.

transfer this mixture into your baking dishes and drizzle the rest of your egg/milk mixture on top (you want this to be very moist!). top with whole sun-dried tomatoes and sprinkle with the other half of the grated cheese. salt and pepper as you wish.

bake at 350 for about 35-45 minutes until browned and crisp on top, but moist on the bottom (may be shorter for small ramekins). we served our bread pudding not with chives, but with wild garlic foraged from near the burke gillman trail!

the salad on the side was an amazing combination of pickled peppers - jarred and brought to us by melisa - along with arugula, parsley, apples and olive oil. note to self - next summer, i will have to pickle some peppers like these!

the urban gleaner

2010-02-02T23:10:00.000-08:00

(contributions from anna b.)

students from all fields of studies are actively participating in a food justice course at the uw. but there is so much more for us to learn about deep local food than from a class room. we needed to get outside, find real local food, and cook! here is the story of a few of us who ventured out with an pro forager to discover edible plants hiding around the uw campus...

our guide, arthur jacobson

"there are many edible plants, but not all are worth eating. like beer - there may be many on tap, but not all are worth drinking" ... arthur guides us through the cream of the crop for foraged foods.

sweet violet stunningly lives up to its name

the first plant was the evergreen huckleberry. hidden under a mat of springy hair, plant expert arthur jacobson was explaining his color preference for its berries (take the blue ones over the black, any day). arthur, who has authored more than 330 articles and several books on wild plants in the Seattle region, had graciously agreed to take a group of us on a foraging tour around campus on a pleasantly sunny day in early february.

for two hours straight, Arthur helped us navigate through the wild world of weeds, pointing out everything from “stinky bob” to tall oregon grape. he identified numerous plants, including chickweed, miner’s lettuce, and fennel, that border the segment of the burke-gilman trail that is alongside the uw farm. he located raw garlic near the uw gym, warned us against foxglove (which closely resembles comfrey), and advised us on the best places to gather berries and hazelnuts in the coming months.

what you thought was just weeds, may be herbs - like fennel!

one notable observation from the trip was arthur’s insistence on practicality. a tree might produce berries with pits too large, a variety of weed might have a spine that complicates its preparation, or a tasty plant might just be too dinky. the focus on convenience extended to influence his gathering sites; arthur admitted that he doesn’t discriminate between cultivated or wild plants for his nightly pre-dinner collection. on a typical evening he will forage 20-30 different types of plants from around his neighborhood, but noted that he has made salads with upwards of 130 kinds just to prove that it’s possible. "like people who shop at the nearest grocery store, i mostly just forage close to my home." it's amazing what you can find when you know what to look for in an urban landscape... wild ginger, stinging nettles, wild carrot, dandelion flowers, sweet violet, vetch, berries, wild garlic...

the dark green leaves on this indian plum tree taste exactly like fresh cucumber - it's unmistakable

blueberry sauce

2010-01-16T13:44:00.000-08:00

i tend to overly-cherish the summer goodies stored in my freezer to the point of never wanting to use them because i fear the day i run out of them before summer returns. i've been slowly dwindling my supplies of strawberry freezer jam and blueberries i froze after hours of picking berries last summer in carnation. but it is january! and i have yet to make it through half of my blueberries! what better time to enjoy a perfectly sweet summer berry than in the middle of winter? something had to happen... blueberry sauce!

see on flickr

so simple and so good:

4 cups frozen blueberries

2/3 cup water

1 tablespoon corn starch

1/4 - 1/2 cup mesquite honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste

zest and juice of 1 lemon

pinch salt

heat water in a large pot and dissolve cornstarch and honey into the water. pour in your blue berries and cover with top to let them thaw out at a medium temperature. once blue berries are thawed, mix in vanilla, lemon juice and zest, and salt. simmer at medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens. adjust sweetness to taste with honey. i like mine tart (1/4 cup honey). let cool completely and then store in jars in the fridge. or freeze the sauce for a later date!

i apologize if i am only taunting you with the idea of fresh blue berries. save this recipe for summer and try it out when the berries are in season!!

two buckwheat latkes

2010-01-11T17:31:00.001-08:00

what to do with a bunch of seasonal root vegetables from last weeks farmers market? make latkes! this recipe is fairly flexible and forgiving, just make sure to dry your vegetables a bit in order to get crisp latkes. this recipe made about 6 or 8 fairly large latkes. here is what i had to use up...

3 cups mixture of:

grated sweet carrots

grated parsnips

grated potatoes

1 small onion, or 1/2 large onion

1 clove garlic, pressed or diced

2 eggs

1/4 cup buckwheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

fresh ground pepper

(note: preheat your oven to 300 if you want to keep the latkes warm until they are all ready to be served)

once grated, place your root vegetables inside a cheese cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. let sit for a few minutes, and then squeeze again. while your root vegetables are sitting, whisk together 2 fresh eggs and 1/4 cup flour. i used buckwheat flour for extra color and flavor. mix remaining ingredients all together until well combined.

heat a skillet - my cast iron worked great - and pour several tablespoons of vegetable oil in. drop a small handful of latke mixture into the hot oil, and cook on each side for about 1 minute at medium/high heat. let rest on a paper toil to soak off a bit of the oil, and then either serve up or place in a preheated oven to keep warm!

two topping ideas:

a poached egg, chives, and a dab of sour creme. (need help learning to perfectly poach an egg? the secret involves a splash of vinegar in your sub-simmering water, and a whirlpool!)

or instead of apple sauce, try a few slices of ripe pair and blue cheese. this particular blue cheese is an amazing mixture of cow and goats milk, called "two faced blue" from willapa hills.

a flight of eggs

2009-12-16T20:24:00.000-08:00

deviled eggs are delicious... a total childhood favorite of mine.

not to disregard the classic recipes, but here are a few ideas

for spicing up your deviled eggs.

see on flickr

need a tip for hard boiled eggs? submerge your eggs in a cold pot of water, bring to a boil. then turn off and remove from heat. let sit for 12-15 minutes (depending on how solid you like your yokes).

base: cool your eggs to room temp. slice eggs in half and remove the yolks. i used my food processor, but a fork works well too. mix in a splash of white vinegar, a spoonful of mustard, salt, pepper, and a few spoonfuls of cream cheese or sour cream (whatever you might have on hand).

add ins:

try mixing in fresh basil, jared artichoke hearts, and pine nuts for pesto deviled egg.

or... roasted peppers, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper for spicy deviled eggs.

or... grated carrot, whole grain mustard and dill, for crunchy classic deviled eggs.

this is a great protein packed snack - experiment with vegetables and spices!

our food, our right

2009-12-15T21:33:00.000-08:00

seattle's food justice project has just published an awesome resource guide/recipe book.

our food, our right: recipes for food justice (72 pages) combines hands-on tools for change with community recipes and political awareness to engage you in joining in the struggle for food justice! "our food, our right" promotes community knowledge sharing, self-sufficiency, accessibility, and food justice through a food sovereignty framework... exposing the current food system’s failures, and showcasing creative solutions that communities are designing to regain control over their food.

you can get a copy at left bank books or the food justice project website... look for a few recipes and articles written by moi!

(sliding scale $5-20. any donation over $10 helps subsidize 100 free copies we'll be giving away at shelters and food banks.)

beet parfaits

2009-11-17T21:27:00.000-08:00

this is my all time favorite beet salad, done up all special!

roasted beets, tart apples, toasted pecans and goat cheese:

see on flickr

many people tell me that beets are one of their least favorite vegetable. but beets only have a bad reputation because canned beets are, well, gross. to learn to love beets, you just need to try roasting them! they are delicious!...

roasting beets: heat your oven to 425 degrees. cut off the excess roots and greens from your beets. wash and dry, then lightly cover your beets with olive oil. prepare a baking dish with foil, and wrap up your beets into a foil "package." roast for about 30 minutes or more (depending on size), until the beets are fork tender. they should still be firm - not mushy - and your fork should be able to poke in easily. you can either eat them just like this, or cool them in an ice bath and then peeling off the rough skins with the back side of a knife.

see on flickr

for the beet parfait: slice the roasted beets into 1/4 inch slices. in a bowl, dress the slices with olive oil and balsamic and let them marinate in the fridge for an hour or more.

for the salad, layer the marinated beets with chopped apple slice (soaked in lemon juice to keep them from browning), toasted pecans or walnuts, fresh goat cheese and parsley. season with a pinch of pepper.

salts & peppers

2009-11-12T21:02:00.000-08:00

white salt & black pepper... black salt & white pepper

see on flickr

many people know that peppercorns come in many different shades and flavors... black, white, red. but who knew that sea salt does too! this black lava sea salt was collected in hawaii. it contains pure activated charcoal - a proven anti-toxin and digestive aid. "prized for its luxurious flavor and dramatic appearance." what a fantastic discovery! and so fun to photograph!

fall wheatberry salad and stuffed dates

2009-10-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

a cozy and colorful fall meal:

wheatberry-waldorf salad (a old family favorite) and stuffed dates

(a new favorite of mine!)

for the wheatberry salad:

1 cup wheatberries, (a mixture or mostly red, with some golden or pastry wheatberries)

4 cups water

1-2 firm apples, chopped

2 celery stalks, thinly chopped

green onions, chopped

parsley, chopped

fresh mint, chopped

1 cup mixture of dried cherries, cranberries, golden raisins, etc

1 cup chopped toasted walnut, almonds or pecans

equal parts apple cider vinegar and orange juice, to taste

zest of one lemon or orange

salt and pepper

pomegranate seeds (optional)

cook the wheatberries like pasta for about 50 minutes until soft, yet still firm. drain off extra water and cool under running cold water. once they have cooled, mix in the rest of the salad ingredients. note: i like to soak the chopped apple slices in orange juice so that they don't turn brown - especially if i'm making the salad with leftovers in mind! just for fun and added color and texture, i added some pomegranate seeds. they tasted amazing!

for the stuffed dates:

mix equal parts chevre goat cheese and chopped pecans

butterfly you fresh dates to remove the pit (it's surprisingly easy, don't worry!) then fill with a teaspoon of the cheese/pecan mixture. once all of your dates are stuffed, place in a single layer in an oiled baking tray just large enough to fit all of them... preferably not a huge cookie sheet. drizzle with balsamic vinegar. bake at 375 for 12 minutes until warmed through and slightly juicy. top with a balsamic vinegar reduction (if you have time to make one! just simmer balsamic mixed with a few spoonfuls of brown sugar over low heat for 30-50 minutes until you have a thin syrup)

sage and garlic mashed potatoes

2009-10-17T23:25:00.000-07:00

sage and garlic mashed potatoes -

light & flavor-packed... you won't even need the gravy!

6 medium waxy potatoes

10 sage leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

12 cloves of garlic (or more!)

1/2 cup sour cream

salt and pepper

peel and quarter your potatoes. boil in salted water until fork tender. drain water and return cooked potatoes to pan to cook off excess water.

peel and chop your garlic and saute in olive oil at a low temperature until lightly browned. add butter and chopped sage leaves. saute for another 2 minutes, then set mixture aside.

i prefer to use a ricer to mash my potatoes. it is a super simple and quick way to get perfectly fluffy potatoes. in a large bowl, mix in the garlic-sage mixture and sour cream with your riced potatoes (you can use light sour cream if you want to reduce the fat content). heavily salt and pepper. serve hot with chopped green onion and an extra dollop of sour cream... or gravy if you prefer!

this recipe and photos were recently featured by Chef'n for their holiday helper newsletter!

peanut noodle cabbage bowl

2009-10-17T08:51:00.000-07:00

pure noodle goodness: buckwheat soba noodles mixed with a simple peanut sauce, carrots, peppers and egg... all inside a large cabbage leaf!

for the sauce:

3/4 cup natural ground peanuts

3/5 cup coconut milk (or light coconut milk)

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon grate fresh ginger

1 lime

chili flakes

in a blender or food processor, mix equal parts natural peanut butter with coconut milk (for 5-6 people, i did 3/4 cup each). blend in 2 cloves of raw garlic, a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger, a few tablespoons of soy sauce, and the juice of one lime. add heat with chili flakes if you like your noodles spicy.

for the noodle salad:

buckwheat soba noodles

2-3 carrots

a variety of colorful peppers and chilies

hard boiled eggs (1 per person at least)

black sesame seeds

chili flakes

1 head cabbage

boil a large handful of buckwheat soba noodles for about 6 minutes. drain and cool completely with cold water, mixing with your hand. if you let your noodles sit out for a while while you prep everything else, you can run some more water over them to shake them loose later. once they have cooled, grate 2 large carrots into a large bowl with the noodles. thoroughly mix in the peanut sauce - easiest to do with clean hands!

to assemble, break off a large cabbage leaf and fill it with a serving of the peanut noodle salad. top with thinly sliced peppers, sliced boiled egg, black sesame seeds and chili flakes. you can either eat these like a salad, or fold it all into the cabbage leaf and eat it like a wrap!

artichoke melts

2009-09-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

one thing i've miss since becoming vegetarian: tuna melts.

artichoke melts, however, are a great substitute treat!

my "tuna" salad:

1 jar artichoke hearts (not in oil), drained

1 spoonful of whole grain mustard

1 spoonful of sour cream (optional)

1 spoonful of capers

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped

2-4 small pickles, chopped (or use relish?)

sprinkle of fresh dill

bunch of parsley, chopped

salt & pepper

see on flickr

in a food processor, i blended the artichoke hearts, capers, mustard and sour cream until roughly chopped and combined well. then i just mixed in all my veggies and herbs. it was a bit more moist than i expected it to me... but it turned out perfect in the melt!

more whole grain mustard on sourdough bread, with some sharp english cheddar (or you could use a vegan cheese if you need a vegan tuna melt!)... grill to perfection. great when served with an ear of corn and a nice cold beer!

see on flickr

spicy peach chutney

2009-09-20T17:55:00.000-07:00

this was my first experiment with canning and preserving. ever. after reading about safe canning methods and looking at a variety of recipes, i decided to take on the big project of home canning. i can't wait to open a jar of peach chutney this winter to enjoy with my thanksgiving smoked portobello mushrooms or with some stuffed roasted dates. until then, i'll enjoy a little bit atop some roasted squash! yumm...

see on flickr

peach chutney:

3 pounds ripe local peaches - any variety

3 cups apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups local honey

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 large cubes of fresh ginger, crushed

1 cup golden raisins

1 teaspoon red chillies

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 tablespoon mustard seed

1 teaspoon graham masala

salt & pepper

peel peaches, discarding any bruised or mushy parts. cube peeled peaches into small pieces. mix all ingredients together in a large pot, and boil for about 90 minutes at a medium temperature until vinegar reduces and you have your desired consistency! store in the fridge, or follow directions for home canning.

me with chutney. so proud.

ginger elixir

2009-09-20T16:24:00.000-07:00

exciting news: i've obtained a fancy pants juicer.

it takes up a large corner of my kitchen counter, but i love it.

see on flickr

my favorite simple concoction thus far:

3 large sweet carrots, fresh from the farmers market

1 thumb sized chunk of young ginger*

2 valencia oranges

top with a sprig of mint (or heck, you can juice that too!)

young ginger is less pungent, but just as flavorful as "old" ginger. it's shinny, white, and looks like unwrinkled ginger.

see on flickr

tomato cappuccino

2009-09-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

a birthday celebration dinner that was just too cute: tomato soup cappuccino with grilled cheese finger sandwiches.

for a proper tomato cappuccino...

my favorite vegan sun-dried tomato soup recipe topped with stiff foamed milk and served with hearty grilled bread with a sharp sun dried tomato cheddar cheese.

pink potato, blue potato...

2009-08-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

...and yellow potatoes, white potatoes, and red potatoes... all fresh from the farmers market this week!

dinner for two on the patio - potato and summer squash pizza:

see on flickr

my basic whole wheat pizza dough recipe, baked with pesto and layered with thinly sliced potatoes, yellow summer squash, and topped with goat cheese, parmesan, salt and pepper. delicious and simple! the only trick to this recipe is to soak your sliced potatoes in ice water for about 10 minutes, to release some of the starch. drain and salt them and let sit for about 10 more minutes until the moisture comes out a bit.

and for a picnic dinner at the lake - pesto potato salad with fresh green beens:

see on flickr

for this salad, i roasted red, yellow, pink and purple potatoes, halved and smothered in olive oil and pesto, in the oven for about 25 minutes at 425 degrees. let them cool. then i mixed in a bunch of fresh green beans (of the yellow, green and purple varieties) cut 1 inch long. more pesto, mizithra cheese, a bit of balsamic, tons of sea salt and pepper, and chives! this would have been amazing with pine nuts on top too...

i've never been the meat and potatoes kind of gal... but potatoes and greens! how delicious!

rye crackers with fruit and nuts

2009-08-11T23:12:00.000-07:00

every summer i've had the amazing fortune of visiting a close friend's cabin on orcas island in the san juans. and every time we are up there, we visit the islands best bakery on an almost daily basis. rose's bakery in the quaint little town of eastsound, has the most amazing artisan bread, unique little treats, and an amazing selection of cheese and wine! while their fresh, we always stock up on several bags of rose's fruit and nut biscuits and a portion of their triple creme cheese. it's been a while since i've been back to the island, so i thought i'd try my best to recreate these amazing fruit and nut crackers. while they turned out delicious, i can't claim to have perfectly replicated rose's recipe...

see on flickr

for the crackers:

1 cup dark rye flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 stick butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried apricot, chopped

1/4 cup currants

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

beat together butter and eggs. slowly mix in dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. add in dried fruit, nuts and parsley. the texture should be similar to shortbread dough. like shortbread, it is easiest to let the dough chill in the fridge for about an hour until firm. using lots of extra flour, roll the firm dough on a large surface... about 1/3 inch thick. slice the rolled dough (whatever shape you ended up with!) into quarters and bake on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. at this point, the edges should be slightly brown. then remove from oven, back onto your rolling board, and cut into smaller squares. place the crackers back on the cookie sheet, and bake for another 15+ minutes until all the edges are nicely brown and crackers are firm. remove from oven and let cool completely - possibly even letting them sit out overnight to stale and harden up more.

see on flickr

the dried fruit in the crackers gets chewy, the nuts get perfectly toasted, and the rye flour adds an amazing nutty flavor to this sweet and savory cracker. for the perfect flavor combo, top your crackers with a dab of a buttery cheese like triple creme! oh so good!

birthday crepe!

2009-08-10T22:38:00.001-07:00

for my 21st birthday, my partner took me out for fancy crepes at my favorite cafe! tucked away on a corner on capitol hill, is joe bar... with funky art, a quirky loft space, an amazing crepe menu, and fantastic coffee. the day's sweet special was an anise flavored lacy crepe with fresh berries, bananas and a cinnamon spiced sweet cream. so good, i almost ordered a second one!

crepes are served only on the weekends at joe bar. the place can be packed, but it so worth the wait for a table! the daily special crepes are always unique, unpredictable, and delicious beyond belief!

the forgotten cheese of my childhood

2009-08-07T19:43:00.000-07:00

when i was young, my dad would make me pasta with brown butter and mizithra cheese... a classic dish. it was probably my favorite pasta dish for years, but somehow i forgot entirely about the lovely mizithra cheese! it's been years since i've had the dish, and my tastes have changed (i can't seem to go a meal without veggies)... so here is my new take to this old childhood favorite:

see on flickr

for the pasta:

spinach spaghetti

unsalted butter

greek mizithra cheese, finely grated

olive oil

1 head of garlic, peeled

cherry tomatoes

fresh basil

sea salt and pepper

see on flickr

to time the cooking right, i first roasted peeled garlic with olive oil, wrapped in foil (450 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly brown). while the garlic is roasting, bring a large pot of water to boil with salt. in another small pot, brown a few table spoons of butter, heating slowly and stirring often until color becomes dark caramel-like. once the garlic finishes, mix the garlic cloves and their oil with the brown butter. let cool. then spread your cherry tomatoes out on a foil covered tray, and spray with olive oil to coat. toss your pasta in the boiling water, and then throw the tomatoes under the broiler for about 5-10 minutes until the tomatoes start to pop and blacken. in the mean time, grate the mizithra cheese. once everything is finished, toss your cooked pasta with a bit of the brown butter and olive oil mixture. top with whole garlic cloves, whole roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, sea salt, cracked pepper, and of tons of mizithra!

i just love the way the light mizithra clings to my pasta! yumm!

see on flickr

out camping. be back soon!

2009-08-02T16:53:00.000-07:00

hundred degree heat kept me out of the kitchen in my little loft home this week. instead, my roommate and i have been busy cooling off the house cat in the sink... kitty loved it.

i'm escaping to a mountain lake for a few days... by the time i return i hope it's a bit cooler and i can get back to the blog. cheers! - aubrey

summer harvest dinner

2009-07-27T21:52:00.000-07:00

i raided my parents garden and threw together some of my favorite summer harvest vegetables to make an amazing mid summer dinner for two: vegan corn chowder and a fresh pea and spread on toasted artisan bread. delicious!

see on flickr

fresh peas and mint spread:

(new favorite recipe from jamie oliver's "jamie at home" cookbook...

kind of like a fresh pea and mint pesto!)

1 pound fresh peas, in shell

1 pound fava beans, in shell

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil, or to right consistency

1/2 cup grated parmesan

salt and pepper

shell your peas and fava beans. in a food processor, blend the peas with the mint, lemon juice and olive oil. add in as as many fava beans as it takes to make a thick pesto texture. once everything is smoothly combined, scrape the mixture into a bowl and fold in the grated parmesan. salt and pepper to taste. serve on toasted bread with an extra pinch of parmesan!

this recipe is one more reason i love jamie

one of my favorite flavor combos in soup form:

corn, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil.

olive oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 pound white potatoes, peeled and diced diced

6 ears of fresh sweet corn

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

4 cups vegetable stock

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced thinly

salt and pepper

start by slicing the corn kernels off the cob. break the cobs in half and reserve for the soup (throwing the cobs into the soup as it simmers helps thicken the broth!). heat oil in a large soup pot. sautee the garlic and onion for a few minutes, the mix in the carrots, pepper, and potatoes, cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes. add in the thyme, sliced corn kernels, stock and 3 or 4 of the corn cobs). let the soup come to a boil, and then reduce heat to let simmer for 45 minutes. the soup should be fairly thick, but you can add more liquid if you like. salt and pepper to taste. take the soup off the heat, and add in your cherry tomatoes and sliced basil. the heat from the soup will perfectly soften the tomatoes, but they will maintain their great popping texture! let the soup cool for about 10 minutes and then serve with extra tomatoes and basil on top to garnish!

seattle's best caramels

2009-07-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

sitting outside whole foods one sunny afternoon were two guys sampling out caramels. two amazing flavors: salted caramel and ginger molasses caramel (tasted just like a molasses cookie!). i bought one box of each they were that delicious. jon and his friend have been renting out the kitchen at whole foods to produce larger batches of their caramels, and will soon be selling boxes of their caramels inside whole foods on roosevelt (hopefully at more locations soon!!).

good guys, amazing product, and always fun to support local food artisans... check them out!

a feast for my parents wedding!

2009-07-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

my lovely parents wanted to celebrate the renewal of their wedding vows with a great feast to bring together about 30 of their close friends and family members. who better to cater the meal than their own daughter?! i spent a couple of days in the kitchen cooking up a Greek-themed feast. after which i was a little burnt out from cooking, so it's been a while since my last blog post. for now, here is my menu (more recipes to come soon):

flat bread crackers baked with sea salt and pepper

tzatziki yogurt dip with cucumbers, dill, lemon and spices

roasted carrots tossed with balsamic vinegar and fresh thyme

cucumber, radish and red onion salad lightly pickled with fresh dill

white bean spread with fresh sage, shallots, garlic and lemon zest

grape leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, currants, onions and sweet spices

orzo salad with feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts,

bell peppers, green onion and fresh basil

organic champaign grapes, dried figs, fresh apricots, marinated olives

artisan cheeses and breads

grilled lemon-herbed chicken and

smoked wild alaskan salmon (by my father)

the spread

beautiful stuffed grape leaves and peppers

perhaps the best part of the evening was the carrot cake cupcake tower! my parents had a carrot cake for their original wedding, but for a fun summer celebration i wanted cupcakes! a good friend generously gave me an amazing family recipe for carrot cake, which worked perfectly for these delightful cupcakes.

some were topped with organic, unsweetened shaved coconut... other with ribbons of carrots sauteed with maple syrup. gorgeous!

congratulations mike and zoe! you two are such amazing role-models. love you, aub

my family, celebrating the renewed marriage of my parents at the woodland park zoo's carousel

a blue breakfast

2009-07-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

it's finally blueberry season! blue dog farm in carnation, washington has a selection of amazing organic blueberries. in less than two hours i had picked over 15 pounds of giant and perfectly ripe blueberries! they are now taking over my fridge and freezer...

blue berry & fig bars!

perfect for breakfast, dessert, or freeze for a later day.

this recipe made a large 9x13 inch pan of bars.

the crust:

in a food processor or blender, grind 2 cups of steel cut oats until fairly fine. then add a quarter cup of flax seed and 1 cup of walnuts. blend until nuts are roughly chopped. remove mixture from blender into a bowl, and mix in: 1 1/2 cups more of oats, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 2 beaten eggs (or egg whites), 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (more if you like it sweet). mix until mixture starts to hold together... adding more liquid if needed.

the filling:

in a small sauce pan, heat 4 cups of blue berries, the juice of one orange, and a drizzle of maple syrup or agave nectar. bring to a boil, then add a 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch. continue to heat until mixture thickens. then add 1 cup of dried figs, chopped, and the zest of a lemon.

see on flickr

layers: spread 2/3 of the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan. wet your hands to keep the crust from sticking to your fingers! if you can't cover the entire bottom of your pan, just use a portion of it instead of making it too thin. even out the crust and then top with the blueberry fig filling. the filling should be about half an inch thick or more. then sprinkle the rest of your oat and nut mixture onto the top. it's ok if it's not entirely covered.

bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until oats start to brown. let cool completely before trying to cut these guys into bars! perfect for breakfast with a scoop of greek yogurt and honey, or serve for dessert with some frozen yogurt! you can even wrap them individually and freeze them - then just remove one the night before to let thaw out in your fridge for the next morning!

fancied quesadillas and flavorful salsas

2009-07-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

i couldn't even remember the last time i had made a quesadilla... but once i made these, i realized how much i had missed such yummy goodness! quesadillas stuffed roasted piquillo peppers, cilantro and jack cheese, along aside two awesome salsa salads: a corn & basil salsa, and a mango & rhubarb salsa!

corn & basil salsa salad:

this is one of my favorite summer time salads. i prefer to use cherry tomatoes (from my parents garden) but they are far from ripe now. luckily, we do have tons of basil growing though! mix:

2-3 ears of corn, hulled, boil for about 2 minutes and let cool, then slice off the cob

1-2 bell peppers, any color

1 cup diced tomatoes, or a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 avocado, peeled and chopped

2 green onions, sliced

large handful of basil, sliced

small handful of cilantro, sliced

juice of 1/2 lemon

drizzle of olive oil

salt and pepper

mango & rhubarb salsa:

delicious, sweet, tangy, great textures and flavor combination! mix:

1-2 ripe mangos, peeled and chopped into small cubes

2-3 stalks of rhubarb, halved lengthwise, and chopped into quarter-inch slices

1 green onion, sliced

1 small chilli, or half a red bell pepper if you don't want the spice

1 teaspoon of grated ginger

juice of half lemon

top with chives

add a dash of sugar if your mango isn't ripe enough to offset the sour of the rhubarb or spice

the simple part of this meal is making the quesadillas: i used smaller corn tortillas, but others prefer flour tortillas. i bought a jar of roasted piquillo peppers - bright red and full of smoky flavor without too much spice - sliced those up, and added them between layers of shredded jack cheese with some cilantro. grill on a frying pan or in the oven, slowly, until both sides are lightly browned.

two lovely crepes

2009-06-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

when i go out for a crepe for brunch, i can never decide between savory or sweet. my solution: eat in and fix one of each (or maybe two or three of each...)

buckwheat crepe batter (makes 12-15 small crepes)

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

3/4 cup white flour (can use all white, or whole wheat instead)

3 eggs

mix everything together in a blender and let chill in the fridge overnight (leave it in the blender if you like... you'll need to blend it up a bit in the morning too). for some reason it's important that crepe batter chill, but bring it out to sit for a half hour in the morning while you prep your fillings. to make your crepes, pour about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of the batter into a lightly oiled frying pan. the pan should be heated, but remove from heat to swirl the batter - allowing the thin batter to coat the bottom of your pan. cook until lightly browned, and then carefully flip the crepe. you can keep the crepes warm in a heated oven if you want to make a bunch to start out with.

le crepe savoureux - garlic parsley walnut crepe with mushrooms and chevre

sautee garlic and olive oil, add sliced crimini mushrooms, tons of fresh parsley and a few chives. suattee until mushrooms are well cooked and soft. then add toasted, chopped walnuts. fill your crepes with mushroom mixture and top with goat cheese and extra fresh herbs. salt and pepper.

le crepe doux - "strawberry cheesecake with walnuts"

a ingenious creation by jonathan: goat cheese, strawberry freezer jam (that i made last week after a tedious berry picking trip) and toasted walnuts. pretty self explanatory, but so so delicious. sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with an extra scoop of freezer jam!

...and it's down the block!

2009-06-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

there's a new organic ice cream shop that rivals molly moon... and it's down the block from my home! after trying it out last night, i can tell it's going to be serious trouble for me.

the "pretty kitty" serves up organic coffee, unusual flavors of organic ice cream, frozen yogurt, and even some vegan flavors like toasted coconut ice cream. i sampled their ube root flavor (naturally colored lavender) and the horchata (mexican spiced rice milk, kind of like chai!) - both were delicious, but i went instead for the lemon-sage ice cream with a scoop of vegan toasted coconut. delicious on their house-made waffle cones.

it's a whole-in-the-wall type of joint, but the staff is fun and they have a cute table and adorable matching green cruiser bikes sitting outside. late hours. oh, and did i mention that it's down the block!!! (50th & brooklyn in the u-district)

granola pancakes and fire roasted apples

2009-06-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

a camping breakfast inspired by jonathan's favorite childhood treat - fire roasted apples! as the gourmet campers we are, we made pancakes with granola inside on a cast iron skillet, topped with vanilla bean yogurt and a sweet fire roasted apple. who knew the best pancakes ever could be made over a fire??

for the roasted apples, jonathan skewered a couple of apples on a carved stick and slowly roasted them over a hot flame until the entire apple was charred. under the charred skin, the sugars in the apple carmalize. just peel the skin with a knife once the apples cool a bit, and you're left with a perfectly roasted apple - tastes just like apple pie!

for the granola pancakes we used a 9 grain pancake mix (we weren't about to bring every ingredient with us to make it from scratch, sorry) and threw in a few handfulls of almond granola. to cook over a fire, we used a cast iron skillet, preheated and sprayed with oil. once the pancake was finished browning on both sides, we topped it with vanilla bean yogurt, another handfull of granola, and the roasted apple (easily sliceable with a fork!) for those with a sweet tooth... pure maple syrup too!

father's day veggie burger!

2009-06-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

here is my first attempt towards perfecting a veggie burger recipe! i was looking for a recipe with vegetables and beans, and not just tofu, tvp, or oats... i found a great "dixie burger" recipe in the "moosewood restaurant new classics" cookbook. altered a bit, and it turned out delicious! (makes about 5 large patties)

served on kaiser rolls with caramelized onions, avocado slices, kale leaves, and a garlic-chive goat cheese spread! and of course a pickle with some roasted sweet potato fries!

for the burger:

olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, crushed
salt
2 cups grated raw sweet potatoes
1/3 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds

1 teaspoon corriander

1 teaspoon hot paprika

(cayenne can be added if you like your spice!)
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 cups stemmed and finely chopped raw kale
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
15-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained

15-ounce can black beans, drained

1 egg

saute onions and garlic with olive oil for about 6 minutes. add in salt and pepper. mix in grated sweet potato, celery and spices and cook for another 5 minutes. finally, add in your bell pepper and kale. stir and then cooked covered for another 4 minutes. in the mean time, use a food processor or blender to mash the beans (not completely pureed, you want so chunkiness).

remove the vegetable mixture off the heat and let cool for a bit. use your hand or wooden spoons to mix the bean mash evenly into the bean mixture. i added an whisked egg, just as an added security to keep everything sticking together. if you want to make these vegan, just leave the egg out. texture might be crumbly, but it will still be delicious!

form your patties to the size of your buns, place on a baking sheet with parchment paper or oil, and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. if you want to crisp them more, just put them on a skillet with a bit of oil after they are baked and fry both sides until brown.

for the garlic-chive goat cheese spread: mix 5-6 oz of goat cheese with one glove of crushed garlic, tons of chopped fresh chives, a few spoonfulls of plain yogurt, a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper. delicious!

white bean and sage bruschetta

2009-06-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

my sage plants were in need of some pruning, so i used the fresh sage to flavor a white bean bruschetta recipe!

4 tablespoons olive oil

zest and juice of 1 lemon

10-15 sage fresh leaves, thinly sliced

2 gloves garlic, chopped

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

1 can white or butter beans, mostly drained

salt and pepper

red chili flakes

heat olive oil in a pan, frying the garlic, shallot, zest and sage for about 5 minutes. add in the rest of you ingredients. cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes, stirring to incorporate the flavors. remove bean mixture from heat, and use a potato masher or the back of your spoon to roughly mash the beans.

the sage bruschetta was great on hominy bread, toasted under the broiler with and brushed with olive oil. serve with some fresh heirloom tomatoes and parsley! later, i made a sandwich with the sage bruschetta, black olive tapenade, tomatoes and sprouts. thought about throwing a fried egg in there too, but it was already so delicious looking!

campfire cooking

2009-06-13T22:29:00.001-07:00

my cooking slowed down during finals week at college... and then i took off on a short camping trip. but while i was away, i cooked up some delicious chow over a camp fire!

a camper's feast: cast iron grilled cheese with sharp wisconsin cheddar. fire roasted shitake, zucchini and bell peppers skewers. and my favorite - grilled corn!

cast iron skillets are amazing with fire! perfect for frying up an egg in the morning or grilling some sandwiches for dinner. skewers are a great way to cook up any type of veggie over a fire. and roasted corn is a must.

i brought along some olive oil spray to keep things from charring too quickly and to grease my skillet. worked wonders! i also brought my favorite lemon pepper and some salt for the roasted corn. and smores for dessert of course!

i'll see how creative i can get on my next camping trip...

lemon-thyme zucchini bread

2009-06-07T09:14:00.000-07:00

excessive zucchini in the garden or fridge?

solution: lemon-thyme zucchini bread!

perfect with a cup of earl grey with lemon

i combined a few different recipes to create a slightly healthier and wonderfully flavorful zucchini bread:

3/4 cup white flour

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup wheat bran

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (or 3/4 if you like it sweeter)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 eggs, slightly beaten

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1-2 tablespoons of fresh *lemon-thyme, de-stemmed and chopped

*lemon thyme is multi-colored, and smells slightly of lemons. a great fresh and light flavor!

mix dry ingredients in a big bowl, adding in wet ingredients. oil a 9x5x3 bread pan, dust with flour and shake out extra flour. batter should be thicker than waffle batter, but not as dry as most dough. bake for about an hour at 350. remove from pan and let cool on a rack.

this recipe turned out perfect - slightly sweet, bright flavors from the lemon zest and juice, with a unique addition from the olive oil and lemon-thyme.

a special birthday dinner

2009-06-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

years ago i visited an amazing and unique restaurant in washington dc, called mie n' yu. i've had it in mind to recreate their unusual banana pesto hummus, and finally tested it out this evening for my mom's birthday.

appetizers: banana pesto hummus, cucumber tzatziki and flatbread crackers...

see on flickr

for the humus:

2 cups chick peas

juice of one lemon

one crushed clove of garlic

1/4 cup pesto (i used tradition basil pesto, but it would be fun to try with different types of herbs)

1-2 over ripe bananas (depending on size)

1/3 cup pistachios, chopped

olive oil

salt and pepper

blend in a food processor, adding more liquid as needed until smooth and creamy. the pesto and garlic offset the sweetness of the banana, but the fruit adds a lot of complexity to the flavor of the hummus.

i used pistachios just for fun (and because i still don't have a supply of tahini in my kitchen). this same recipe would be great using any other white beans, or other herb pestos.

at mie n' yu, they serve it with long crispy plantain chips. i made some crackers out of whole wheat flat bread - brush one side with olive oil, dust with salt and pepper, and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

tzatziki:

simple yogurt dish, combining tons of fresh dill, lemon thyme, parsley, with a clove of crushed garlic, lemon zest and juice, finely sliced and peeled cucumbers, salt and pepper. this is a great topper to green salads, in wraps, on crackers, or over rice pilaf! next time i'm in the mood for tzatziki, i want to try it using goat yogurt instead of plain yogurt!

cumquats and pistachios are a lovely pair to add to savory or fruit salads!

for the main course of my mom's fancy birthday feast, i made the ginger quinoa dish that i posted back in april '09, with a few additional ingredients: purple cabbage, cumquats and extra pistachios! together with the ginger, grapefruit, green onions, cilantro, and avocados - this salad has a variety of fun textures and flavors that really pop in your mouth!

see of flickr

asparagus meets banana

2009-05-28T20:44:00.000-07:00

i don't think my taste buds have ever been this confused - yet entirely satisfied - before! the idea of raw asparagus seems strange on its own, but raw asparagus and banana? and not in some crazy green smoothie?...

marinated raw asparagus salad:

a bunch of crisp local asparagus, ends cut and skin peeled

olive oil

juice of one lime

spoonful of dijon mustard

splash of cider vinegar

salt and pepper

marinate the peeled, raw asparagus in an air tight container or gallon plastic bag for a couple of hours in the fridge. serve chilled over a bed of mustard greens, lettuce, or micro greens!

this raw asparagus salad packs a punch, so it would be a great contrast along side a super creamy, cheesy or heavy dish. i was enjoying it just as a salad, but my over-stimulated taste buds needed something slightly sweet and creamy to calm down with: a dollop of avocado and banana mash!

ripe avocados and bananas have a similar texture, and together (with a splash of lemon juice) this unlikely duo of fruits make a great topper or spread! don't believe me? try it!

rosemary and lemon

2009-05-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

another cheese inspired meal! manchego sheep cheese - a unique cheese produced in la mancha, spain. firm, tangy and sweet smelling. this particular variety is encrusted with rosemary. while i would have been completely satisfied enjoying this rosemary cheese all on its own, i decided instead to create a rosemary inspired meal. or even better - a rosemary and lemon meal!

see on flickr

asparagus just started appearing at my local farmers market. why not feature this early spring veggie on a pizza along with some rosemary from my garden? and just for fun, i made up some rosemary lemonade!

asparagus pizza with manchego rosemary cheese and lemon:

1 pizza dough recipe (look back to my january post)

1 large bunch asparagus, chopped into 2 inch bits

zest of 1 lemon

fresh rosemarry

olive oil

1 lemon, sliced as thinly as possible

rosemary manchego, sliced into thin strips

fresh parsley, chopped

i used my regular pizza dough recipe, except this time i used regular yeast, letting it rise for a couple hours. then i rolled it out onto a baking sheet, and let it rise again for about an hour. this gave me the more focaccia type of crust that i wanted. while your dough is rising, prep your asparagus, and marinate with chopped rosemary, lemon zest, olive oil and pepper. once your dough is ready, remove the asparagus from the marinade - reserving the olive oil, rosemary and zest for your pizza base. spread this across your crust, and top with asparagus tips, fresh parsley, sliced lemons, salt and pepper. you can add more chopped rosemary if you like. bake at 450 for about 15-20 minutes, until your crust is light brown and asparagus is tender.

see on flickr

i roasted up extra asparagus to serve along side the pizza and made up some fun drinks using the same flavors on my pizza: rosemary lemonade!

for the lemonade i boiled about 1.5 cups of water, adding in a huge handful of rosemary leaves de-stemmed. reduce the heat to low, and add in a half cup of sugar or agave. leave the rosemary leaves to steep for about 15 minutes on the low heat. then remove your pot from the heat, and let cool completely. in the mean time juice as many lemons as you can (5-8 maybe for this amount of sugar) finally, mix everything together in a pitcher and let chill in the fridge. serve iced with lemon slices and sprigs of rosemary!

see on flickr

tarragon pasta

2009-05-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

the cheese that inspired it all: river valley's fresh tarragon goat cheese. this artisan goat cheese in incredibly fresh tasting. at such a young age, the cheese still has quite a bit of moisture in it, giving it a slightly different texture than your typical crumbly chevre. this week at the farmers market they came with a new flavor - one of my favorite herb flavors actually - tarragon!

see on flickr

delicious green tarragon pasta salad with tarragon goat cheese:

penne pasta (i used whole wheat penne, but it would have been more fun to use green spinach penne!)

large bunch of fresh asparagus

1 jar of artichoke hearts, cut into quarters (marinated or not)

tons of fresh tarragon, chopped

fresh parsley, chopped

green onions, chopped

crushed raw or roasted garlic

zest and juice of 1 lemon

olive oil

goat cheese

salt and pepper

cook pasta as directed. strain and coat with a generous splash of olive oil. let to cool while you cut your asparagus into thirds, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. roast in the oven at 450 degrees for about 10-12 minutes until tender. while the your pasta is still warm, mix in the zest, garlic, and herbs so that the olive oil on the pasta absorbs the flavors. finally, mix in the artichoke, asparagus, lemon juice, crumbled tarragon goat cheese with tons of salt and pepper. this dish can also be great warm, but i like the freshness of the lemon in a chilled pasta salad best!

see on flickr

spicy sesame crackers and baba ganoush

2009-05-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

crackers are simple to make and there are an endless amount of possibilities when it comes to flavors. i wanted something spicy, with sesame seeds to compliment a lovely chickpea-eggplant dip i made up.

for the baba ganoush:

2 eggplants

1-5 cloves garlic

lemon juice

1 cup chick peas

3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)

smoked paprika or garam masala

salt

pepper

cut 2 medium eggplants in half, brushing the cut side with a bit of olive oil. place skin side down in a roasting pan or baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes until the skin is well browned/charred. (note - you can use raw garlic. or while you're eggplant bakes, you can roast some garlic in olive oil along the side). let cool for a few minutes before scraping out the insides of the eggplant into a food processor or blender. add into the blender several cloves of roasted garlic (or 1 raw clove), tahini, lemon juice, chick peas, spices, salt and pepper. blend until smooth, adjust flavors and texture by adding more or less lemon juice or chick peas. should be slightly thinner texture than hummus. you don't to use chick peas, but it does wonders to the texture of your dip without taking away from the flavor of the roasted eggplant!

see on flickr

for the spicy sesame crackers:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup buckwheat flour

1/4 cup wheat bran

1/2 cup oil (i used a grapeseed oil marinated with chili peppers)

1/2 cup cold water

teaspoon salt

super easy! mix and roll. cut and bake...

mix water into dry ingredients until just combined. kneed for a bit, adjusting flour and water until you have a dry but not too crumbly dough. roll out as thinly as possible (1/8 inch). take a fork and poke wholes all over your rolled out dough. use the rim of a glass to cut circular crackers. place on a baking sheet with parchment paper. bake at 400 degrees until bottoms are light brown. flip over, and bake for a couple more minutes. cool on a drying rack and sprinkle with a bit more salt.

roasted garlic & sun dried tomato soup with pumpernickel croutons

2009-05-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

seattle weather is completely unreliable! i woke up to a cold cloudy sky and instantly though of soup! this is my fancied up version of tomato soup with crackers:

roasting garlic adds a ton of flavor without the bitterness of raw garlic. to roast, simply peel your garlic, coat with olive oil, and wrap all the cloves in tin foil. bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes until browned.

it may be a lot of effort... but so worth it!

the soup:

one onion chopped

2 full heads of roasted garlic (15-20 cloves... oh yeah!)

dried thyme & oregano

3 small or 1 large potato, cubed

1 cup sun dried tomatoes (not in oil)

4 cups vegetable stock

3-4 cups canned tomatoes

saute the onion with olive oil for 3-5 minutes, add in a spoonful of thyme and a pinch of oregano along with the roasted garlic cloves. saute for another minute. add in your cuped potatoes and sun dried tomatoes. cover with 4 cups vegetable stock. bring to a boil, and let simmer until potatoes are tender (15-20 minutes depending on the size of your cubes). add in the canned tomatoes. taste - add salt and pepper! use an immersion blender (my favorite kitchen toy!) or puree in batches in a blender until smooth.

pumpernickel croutons:

tall grass bakery - a local bread company that frequents the seattle farmers markets - makes amazing artisan breads. their pumpernickel loaf is light and great for making flavorful croutons!

cut your bread into 1 inch cubes. mix together a quarter cup olive oil, 2 finely diced or crushed cloves of garlic, tons of dried thyme, salt and pepper. drizzle over bread cubes and mix with hands. spread out on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, until edges are brown and crisp. let cool on a paper towel or paper bag.

green egg salad

2009-05-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

i accidently ended up with 2 dozen eggs at home and only 1 of me. the obvious solution would be to make egg salad, but i have something against mayo. so i created a green egg salad!

see on flickr

diced hard boiled eggs (bring eggs in water to a boil, turn off and let sit covered for 10 minute)

diced avocado

chopped cilantro

chopped green onion

a couple spoonfuls of capers

splash of vinegar

salt and pepper

*mix your green ingredients in with you sliced eggs. salad was amazing on pumpernickel bread and a few slices of tomato!

see on flickr

ginger quinoa, avocado, pistachio and ... grapefruit?!

2009-04-26T22:16:00.001-07:00

another quinoa creation! this one takes a bit of an imagination to picture how these flavors and textures could possibly ever blend together... but they do! in the most delicious way possible too!

cooked red quinoa, chilled, and mixed with a citrus-ginger vinaigrette: equal parts olive oil and fresh grapefruit juice, a splash of apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. grate a a couple tablespoons of fresh ginger and the zest of one grapefruit. marinate the quinoa overnight in the fridge for a bright spicy flavor.

stir into your quinoa: finely slice up a few green onions, one jalapeno pepper, several handfuls of chopped cilantro, 1 or 2 avocados chopped, and 1 or 2 grapefruits chopped (peel and pith removed), topped with chopped pistachio nuts. serve chilled.

thyme for a picnic

2009-04-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

punny, i know... but i was rather amused while contemplating

how much time i was spending de-stemming and cooking thyme

a lot of time and thyme

picnic menu: roasted carrots with thyme & fresh herb orzo pasta salad

for the carrot: i used sweet organic carrots for this recipe, sliced at an angle to get longer half inch thick slices. dress liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper, and a couple table spoons of fresh de-stemmed thyme leaves. roast in the oven at 425 for about 20 minutes. then, remove the carrots from the oven to drizzle balsamic vinegar over your carrots. enough to coat. return to oven and turn on your ovens broiler for about 5-10 minutes. stirring frequently until your carrots are lightly charred. once out of the oven, you can toss on more fresh thyme. these are wonderful warm, but i think i prefer them chilled.

see on flickr

for the orzo: (similar to a recipe i posted months ago, but this version is vegan.) simply mix cooked orzo pasta with diced artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, chopped green onion, bell peppers, tons of finely sliced fresh basil, more fresh thyme, olive oil, salt, pepper, and some chili flakes.

see on flickr

fancy pasta salad, chilled grilled carrots, a blanket, and a sunny spot next to a lake made for a wonderful picnic dinner!

avocado pizza

2009-04-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

you heard me... avocado on my pizza! why not?

yet another amazing pizza combo! this pie was topped with avocado, red bell peppers, red onion, goat cheese and (the secret ingredient that ties a pizza together with an avocado...) cilantro-lime pesto. i got this unique pesto from pcc natural markets, but you could make your own in a food processor: cilantro, oil, lime zest & juice, pine nuts, parmesan, salt and pepper. use the pesto as your base, layer on thinly slice onions and pepper, topped with crumbled goat cheese. bake for about 10 minutes at 500 degrees. remove the pizza to place you avocado slices on top, and then return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes until you crust in golden brown. delicious!

*look back to my first pizza blog post for a whole wheat pizza dough recipe.

early spring salad

2009-04-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

sorry if you're getting tired of the recent slew of salad creations i've been posting... but hopefully you can never have too much salad! this was my vegan contribution to a rather traditional easter dinner with my lovely family:

i was walking through the farmers market, looking for inspiration to create a easter dinner salad and found red kale, carrots, and (something entirely new to me!) bok choy raab. these flowers look and taste like flowering broccoli, similar to broccoli raab, and add amazing color and texture to any salad. i also added in tons of dried currants, sunflower seeds, and pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds). for the vinaigrette i combined balsamic and apple cider vinegars, olive oil, dried thyme and oregano, salt and pepper. (grandma just happened to have the perfect orange bowl that made the carrots in the salad pop and added bright contrast to the yellow raab flowers). happy veggie holidays!

chickpea nuts and salad

2009-04-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

while traveling in turkey, allison and i kept a bag of chickpea nuts on us at all times. that and a bag of raisins. as vegetarians, we were extremely excited to find that dried fruit and nuts were everywhere in turkey... perfect for the budget backpackers! dried chickpea "nuts" have a great texture, and subtle flavor. they can either be left plain with salt, or spiced up!

spicy chickpea nuts:

you can either used canned chickpeas, or soak your own dried chickpeas. dry with a towel, and mix in whatever spices sound tasty to you... i used curry, cumin, paprika, coriander, salt and pepper. spread out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for about an hour and a half. or use a dehydrator (8-12 hours). dehydrating the chickpeas will give you a much dryer "nut" that crumbles in your mouth (this is the more turkish style). baking them will give you a crisp, slightly chewy "nut." equally tasty! serve hot or room temp.

for a cozy salad, i topped arugula with curried chickpea nuts and tons of avocado. dressed it with oil and vinegar, salt and pepper. topped with a couple edible bok choy raab flowers. great flavor combinations!

quinoa salad

2009-04-09T21:39:00.000-07:00

this ancient grain is high in protein, nutty in flavor, and serves as a great alternative to rice, pasta, or cous cous. it is cooked just like rice, but it can also be sprouted overnight to maintain its raw nutritional value. there are so many possibilities with quinoa (sweet, savory, warm, or cold...) here is just one excellent quinoa salad to start with:

cook quinoa either in a rice cooker or on the stove top (1:2, quinoa:water), until the quinoa sprouts and softens. 15-20 minutes. allow to cool, and refrigerate. in the mean time, finely chop red and green onions, cilantro, bell peppers, and chunks of avocado. mix vegetables into quinoa along with a handful of dried currants. dress with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. serve cold.

simply arugula

2009-04-09T21:27:00.000-07:00

the weather got warm in seattle, and i started craving fresh veggies. nothing original about this salad... just happens to be one of my all time favorites:

dress arugula with good quality olive oil and balsamic, salt and pepper. top with cherry tomatoes, lightly toasted pine nuts, and tons of shaved parmesan reggiano. (note: go for the real parmesan! alternatives just can't produce the same pop in salty flavor for this fresh salad) makes for a great side dish to pizza or pasta meals!

baked eggs

2009-04-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

this dish requires some type of fancy little ramekin baking dish... i luckily found a pair at a rummage sale (i think there technically french onion soup ramekins), but this yummy breakfast creation makes filling up your cupboard space well worth it!

coat the insides of your ramekin dishes with a bit of olive oil or butter. at the bottom of the dish, spread out a couple slices of tomato and top with a small handful of arugula. crack eggs on top, making sure not to break the yoke (1-3 eggs depending on the size of the ramekin. you want the egg whites to spread out to the sides of your dish!) i made a herbed goat cheese mixture with rosemary and thyme and crumbled that on top of the eggs. salt and pepper! bake at 400 for about 10 minutes or until the whites are cooked, and yokes are still runny.

olive focaccia bread was a great side to these savory baked eggs.

*try different variations of baked eggs! anything can go at the bottom of your ramekin...

1. sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, topped with feta cheese

2. olives and green onion, topped with parmesan cheese

3. mushrooms, topped with chopped walnuts, parsley and goat cheese

spanish pisto and tortillitas

2009-04-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

reading the new york times dinning section, i came across a recipe for spanish tortillitas with shrimp. inspired to create a veggie version, i made my flat breads with cured olives and roasted garlic. they made a great side to a tradition spanish soup called pisto manchego... a simple vegetable soup with poached eggs.

pisto manchego:

sautee 1 onion with olive oil, adding in several crushed cloves of garlic and salt and pepper. chop up a couple pounds of zucchini (yellow or green or both), a couple bell peppers (any color) and stir into soup pot with tons of chopped tomatoes (or a 28oz can of tomatoes). cook at med-high for about 10 minutes, and then reduce to a simmer, adding water if needed, for another 10-20 minutes. after the vegetables are cooked tender, crack whole eggs on top of the soup, try to keep the yokes from breaking, and the whites apart from each other. the soup should be thick enough that they do not sink to the bottom. poach the eggs in the soup for about 8 minutes, covered at a low temperature. to serve the soup, spoon out some of the vegetables and broth, top with a poached egg, and sprinkle parsley on top!

garlic-olive tortillitas:

(this will make about 4 large flat breads)

1 cup chickpea flour

1 cup white flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups water

small diced red or green onions

cured, pitted olives - cut in half

garlic - roasted in the oven and cut into bits

small handful fresh parsley and chives

salt and pepper

mix everything together in a large bowl... should be a thin pancake batter consistency. heat a frying pan with a generous amount of olive oil. pour in a quarter of the batter, use a spoon to spread the batter out thin. fry on each side for about 3 minutes until browned. best served hot, so keep them warm in the oven until your soup is ready to be served!

goat cheese truffles

2009-03-28T16:02:00.001-07:00

it might sound strange... goat cheese and chocolate?... but imagine a dark chocolate cheese cake with a white chocolate topping. delicious! these truffles are also incredibly quick and simple to make too.

measure out equal parts dark chocolate and plain goat cheese (6-8 ounces perhaps). in a double boiler, melt dark chocolate (60-75% cocoa, good quality chocolate). in the mean time whip the goat cheese with a few tablespoons of powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a ton of fresh lemon zest. once the chocolate has melted, let cool for a minute and then fold into your cheese mixture. chill your truffle filling in the fridge for about an hour (not too much longer, otherwise it will get too hard to work into smooth truffle shapes).

after the filling has chilled, scoop out spoonfulls of the filling and form into small balls, rolling them in your palms until smooth. if this process takes you a while (perhaps you made 100 truffles?)... pop them back in the fridge for another hour to harden.

finally, melt either white or milk chocolate in a double boiler. this will be your outside coating! using either a fork or your fingers, dip each individual truffle into the melted chocolate, shaking off excess drips. you'll work out your own technique as you go. place finished truffles onto wax or parchment paper and let stand at room temperature or chill if you are in a hurry to eat them right away!

completely and utterly the best truffle flavor i've ever made. trust me!

special dinner for two

2009-03-27T07:32:00.000-07:00

while studying abroad in cyprus, i discovered a new cheese. halloumi! originally from cyprus, halloumi is similar to fresh mozzarella in look, but firmer, salty like feta, and grills us like meat or tofu! i'm almost certain that halloumi is my all time favorite cheese...

in cyprus, halloumi is typically serve grilled, drizzled with olive oil and herbs, along side tons of fresh bread. it's an easy and fancy addition to a simple greek or mediterranean menu! just the perfect thing for a romantic dinner for two, for a special someone's birthday...

Το μενού (the menu):

*fresh crusty bread with tzatziki (yogurt-cucumber sauce with dill), and tapenade (olive spread)

*grilled halloumi cheese with dried herbs and olive oil

*brown basmati rice pilaf with chickpeas and flavored with dill, parsley and lemon

*grilled vegetable kababs

see on flickr

kebabs:

simply chop up what ever veggies you are craving, mix together in a large bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice, and lots of dried dill and parsley. for these kebabs, i used green zucchini, red bell peppers, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and red onions. arrange the marinated vegetable on skewers, and keep covered in the fridge until you are ready to grill them! cook at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until vegetables have browned an the tomatoes are starting to pop.

see on flickr

pilaf with chickpeas and dill:

( this recipe was inspired by the post punk kitchen )

rinse a 1-2 cups of brown basmati rice. drain, and let soak in a few inches of water for about 20 minutes. in the mean time, chop up an onion and sautee with olive oil for about 5 minutes. mix in some cumin seeds, parsley, tons of dried or fresh dill, lemon zest, salt and pepper. drain the rice that has been soaking, and add this to the onion mixture. stir to coat the rice with onions and oil. then add in a small can of cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed), and vegetable broth (1.5 X the amount of rice put in). bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer for about half an hour. once finished, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and serve worm or cold! this rice is amazing, topped with tzatziki sauce!

see on flickr

grilled halloumi:

heat up a grill, brushed with olive oil (george forman or outdoor grill works much better then broiling this cheese!) slice the halloumi in 1/3 inch strips. simply grill the halloumi strips on both side for about 2 minutes, until you get some lovely brown grill marks. place on a platter, drizzle with a good quality olive oil, and sprinkle with dried oregano, parsley, and pepper. serve warm! it squeezes in your mouth just like fresh cheese curds too!

roasted kale pizza

2009-03-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

roasted kale is great on its own.

add it on top of a pizza, and it's fantastic!

see on flickr

*for an easy thin crust dough recipe, see my pizza post from january 2009

for this pizza creation i roasted a ton of garlic to make a simple garlic-olive oil base (a dozen cloves of roasted garlic, mashed together with olive oil, salt and pepper)

for the kale topping: remove the thick ends of the stems, slice kale into smaller bunches, toss in a bowl with a liberal amount of olive oil, salt and pepper. using your hands, rub the olive oil into the kale, making sure most of the leaf area is coated with oil.

after coating your rolled-out pizza crust with garlic-olive oil spread, pack on as much of the dressed kale as you can on top of your crust. leave it as is if you want a vegan pie, or crumble feta cheese on top of the kale. sprinkle your pizza with some italian herbs. cook at 500 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until your crust is brown, and the kale is crispy but not charred.

to make a simple roasted kale salad (a great side dish to this pizza recipe): dress the kale exactly as you did for you pizza. try adding other spices (smoked paprika and smoked pepper made a great flavor contribution). spread out on a cookie sheet, and roast at 375-400 for 5-10 minutes. you want some crispiness to the kale but don't let it get charred.

vegan eggs?

2009-03-25T08:08:00.001-07:00

i needed a dry container to store some left-over mushrooms. there was no paper bag handy, so i used a empty egg carton... funny how perfectly they fit!

the vegan egg....

vegetarian hum bow!

2009-03-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

this recipe has yet to be perfected, but you can't go too wrong with hum bow. these steamed buns turn out perfect every time, just be creative with your filling!

to make the dough for the bun:

3 1/2 cup self rising flour

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup white sugar

2 Tb vegetable oil

1 egg white

*mix together and let rise for 15 minutes. then kneed the dough for 5 minutes.

cut the dough into 12-15 smaller dough balls.

for the filling:

super firm baked tofu, or tempeh

diced carrots

diced mushrooms

green onion

hoisin sauce

*cook the carrots and mushrooms with a bit of olive oil and soy sauce. mix in tofu/tempeh, green onion, and coat with a generous amount of hoisin sauce.

i've also tried a curried vegetable hum bow with carrots, pees, zucchini and onion.

egg is also a good added protein if you don't want to use tofu. whatever combination of filling you want, make sure that there is minimal moisture from vegetables, and that everything is pre-cooked!

to form your hum bow, work with one dough ball at a time. roll it out to about the size of a cd, making sure the rolled dough does not get too thin. fill the center with a couple spoonfuls of filling, collect the sides together with a pinch to form a round bun, place on a 3"x3" piece of parchment or wax paper. set up a large steamer (multiple layers is best so that you can cook 10 or 12 hum bow at a time, but if all you have is a small metal vegetable steamer, just flatten it out in a large pan, and steam 3-4 hum bow at a time) after water has boiled in steamer, place the buns with their individual wax papers in the steamer, leaving an inch of room in between each bun. steam for 15-20 minutes, remove, and let sit for a few minutes before serving.

serve with some extra hoisin sauce for dipping, along side a simple stir-fry!

going through a savory breakfast phase

2009-03-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

in an attempt to prevent myself from finishing off my supply of freezer jam before summer arrives, i've been experimenting with different savory breakfast combos. here's my favorite creation so far:

sourdough toast (from my old workplace, the essential baking co.), olive tapenade spread, a runny fried egg, topped with avocado and tomato slices, a bit of cilantro, and of course... salt and pepper. what could be better than avocado for breakfast? try using pesto instead of tapenade too! delicious.

shitake french dip

2009-03-08T14:23:00.000-07:00

as a vegetarian, i'll admit to missing a good french dip sandwich. or at least i did until i tried a portabella french dip sandwich at cafe flora! mushroom are magical.

with minimal knowledge about mushrooms, i went to ask for recipe advice from the mushroom-hunting guys at the neighborhood farmers market. portabellas are the most common type of shroom for roasting, but are not a local product. a cascadia mushrooms hunter told me that his local shitake mushrooms would be the best option for roasting. another mushroom-hunter from "foraged & found," suggested that i use dried chanterelles to flavor my mushroom au jus ("just add some worcestershire and soy sauce and simmer for no longer than an hour").

meet the perfect (vegetarian) french dip sandwich...

>marinate the shitake mushrooms with olive oil, worcestershire, soy, rosemerry, thyme, salt and pepper. spread the marinated mushrooms out on a pan and roast at 350 for about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the mushrooms.

while your mushrooms finish up in the oven, carmalize a large quantity of yellow onions, thinly sliced, with a bit of olive oil or butter.

to prep you sandwich: stack sliced mushrooms on the bottom of your baguetter or bread roll... top with thin slices of smoke gouda cheese, and toast in the oven until cheese is melted and top slice of bread is lightly toasted. top the mushrooms and cheese with carmalized onions, and the top half of your roll! perfection...

mushroom au jus (dipping broth)

>in a large pot, combine 4-5 cups of vegetable or mushroom broth, half a chopped red onion, a couple splashes of worcestershire and soy, several large pinches of thyme, rosemerry, salt and pepper, and a cup of dried chanterelles. simmer for an hour. not any longer, because the mushrooms can get bitter.

*the au jus was delicious on its own. not as painfully salty as the beef jus that i remember as a kid. leftovers would make for a great dipping sauce for a smoked-gouda grilled cheese sandwich.

*if you remove the chanterelles from the au jus, these can also be used in your sandwich! pile some on with more cheese and carmallized onions on toast, and you've got yourself another great french dip sandwich combination!

*or skip the gouda for a delicious vegan sandwich idea!

an endless supply of freezer jam

2009-02-28T08:25:00.000-08:00

freezer jam is incredibly easy to make, and it brings such happiness to my life all year long. most years I go out to carnation, washington, and pick 30+ pounds of strawberries... pack them home and turn them into a year supply of freezer jam. sadly, last year the crop was pretty pitiful, and after this insane winter, i'm not sure how well the berries will be this year either. perhaps this year i'll switch to blueberry freezer jam... anyhow, there's really nothing else like pulling out a fresh jar of home-made strawberry jam in the middle of winter!

see on flickr

freezer jam is wonderful on...

1. a spoon

2. toast

3. dutch babies with powdered sugar & lemon

4. waffles with plain yogurt

5. greek or frozen yogurt

6. pancakes

7. cheese cake

8. jam cookies

here are a few u-pick farms that you should keep an eye on for when their crops ripen!:

remlinger farm, carnation

blue dog farm, carnation

harvold farm, carnation

or find other pick-your-own farms closer to you!...

i'm going to go eat more freezer jam on a spoon (i ran out of toast, but i'm ok with that...)

i heart beet cake!

2009-02-21T11:42:00.000-08:00

this recipe was borrowed from jamie oliver, with a few additional ingredients thrown in to taste. i was concerned at first, because i don't normally follow recipes, but i've been wanting to try out this cake for ages! it "beet" all expectations. oy...

see on flickr

boil a pound and a half of organic beets (about 30) or until fork tender. cook and rub off the skins. blend in a food processor until smooth. (i tried a spoonful of this puree and it was so yummy.)

mix beet puree with:

half cup honey

large chunk fresh ginger, thinly chopped

3 egg yokes (save the whites for later)

3/4 cup olive oil

2 spoons of baking powder

2/3 cup polenta (cornmeal grain, not pre-cooked polenta)

zest and juice of 1 orange

spoon of cinnamon

spoon of allspice

raisins and coconut flakes (think carrot cake... so whatever you like in carrot cake!)

1.25 cup flour (i was out, and used whole wheat pastry flour instead)

after you have this all mixed up, beat the 3 egg whites until firm and fold into your batter.

cook in an oiled spring form 10" cake pan, for 35-40 minutes at 350.

I topped the cake with sour creme sweetened with brown sugar and flavored with vanilla. sitting on top of all that is a thin slice of candied ginger.

this cake was amazing! would be perfect for a sweat breakfast too... i'd like to recreate it again using vegan substitutions...

oh beets! how i love you...

my new staple

2009-02-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

stir fry is my usual go-to meal when I have a bunch of odd vegetables that need to be consumed. but after a few days of stir-fry, it was time to try something new...

vegan curry fried rice!

see on flickr

this amped-up version of your typical peas&carrots-fried-rice is packed with flavor, protein and veggies:

while brown basmati rice was cooking up in one pot, i pan-fried some onions, garlic, carrots, peppers, and bok choy (the random leftovers from the past week's csa box). instead of peas, i used edamame beans (soy beans). you can buy these frozen and shelled just like peas, only these legumes pack in more than double the protein in peas. skip the eggs... soy beans are an awesome unprocessed protein!

before adding the cooked rice to the pan, I threw in a few different types of curry powder, some coriander, chili flakes, and of course salt and pepper. mix in the rice and keep cooking until you get some nice crispy bits... oh so yummy!

my seattle favorites

2009-02-09T22:05:00.000-08:00

cheap eats & small treats:

molly moon ice cream. you'll find flavor's like salted-caramel, lemon-rosemary, balsamic-strawberry. everything compostable and made of recycled wood! (wallingford)

joe bar. awesome cafe during the week. amazing crepe menu on the weekends. cozy with crazy art shows (capitol hill)

rancho bravo taco truck. yes, amazing tacos, burritos and tamales from a truck. trust me and the sketchy-looking pitchers of salsa. (wallingford)

bella cosa. for amazing grilled panini sandwiches go here! fresh pesto, focaccia bread and fresh mozzarella cheese are staples here. standing room only. (wallingford)

gelato shop. banging gelato flavors and other yummy things. right next to the lenin statue! (fremont)

going out for dinner or fancy lunch?

kabul. ever tried afghan food? you should! kinda romantic and swanky... (wallingford)

la casa del mojito. besides the obvious reason to go here (mojitos!!!) they have amazing fried plantains and latin entrees. don't be afraid to play the bongos or write on the wall. (north seattle and u district)

la carta de oaxaxa. authentic mexican puts tex-mex to shame. always worth the wait. cozy communal seating (ballard)

cafe flora. every vegetarian needs to go here because it is heavenly. every non-vegetarian needs to here so that they convert to vegetarianism. (madison/capitol hill)

wild mountain cafe. great breakfast specials. a cute little house, pick your room and a funky mug. (greenwood/ballard)

fare start. great food. great cause to go support. dinners served on thursdays only. (downtown)

hidmo. fantastic eritrean cuisine. always great african music on sunday nights. always jammed packed (central district)

sutra. vegan. local. seasonal. communal. hippie-yogi place. the set menu is not in the student budget but so so amazing. (wallingford)

orzo!

2009-02-04T21:45:00.000-08:00

orzo has got to be the littlest past out there. semolina based. shaped like rice. these little pasta's are great for pasta salads, in soup, or served warm with mixed vegetables and other tasty bits.

personally, mayonnaise is kind of repulsive. there are so many more delicious things to put into a pasta salad than mayo. in fact, all you need to dress an amazingly flavorful pasta salad is olive oil! example:

see on flickr

you'll need about a pound of orzo for a large bowl of pasta salad. it cooks up quickly, only 5 or 6 minutes. so keep a close watch. drain your little pastas and mix together with a generous spash of of olive oil. my favorite orzo salad involves fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, crushed garlic, and a ton of fresh herbs (basil!!! parsley, or mint are all great!). this bowl of pasta also had feta cheese and some grilled eggplant. if you cant get fresh herbs, you could also use pesto. but i love the fresh bright flavors of raw veggies and fresh herbs!

random side note: this particular meal was made in a small hostel kitchen in Bulgaria, on the Black Sea coast. it always amazed me what Allison and I were able to throw together in the most random of places (we were so excited to finally come across this well stocked kitchen!)... just be careful of stray cats trying to steel your food!

food fight

2009-02-01T14:56:00.000-08:00

i was challenged to a cook-off by one of my house mates. it turned out to be a great excuse to spend a full day cooking!...

my menu:

fresh carrot, radish, apple salad with tahini dressing and fresh herbs

fried avocado in a corn meal batter, served with a cilantro pesto dip

vegan lasagna with pumpkin and sage

bosc pears filled with chocolate and almond, baked in filo pastry

home-made frozen yogurt flavored with ginger and orange

*credits: the salad and lasagna are my all time favorite aubrey-creations. frozen yogurt is a fun treat to play with flavorings. the fried avocado was a recreation of an appetizer from cafe flora, and the filled pear pastry was an idea from jamie oliver(who i will admit to have having a huge crush on)

salad...

thinly slice carrot, red radishes, and green apples (proportions: 2:1:1)

several handfuls of diced fresh mint and parsley

toasted sesame seed

golden raisins

mix up a vinaigrette with olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, tahini (sesame paste), salt and pepper

result: fresh deliciousness

fried avocado...

pit, peel and slice firm but ripe avocados into 6 or 8 slices

soak in buttermilk (i used vegan "buttermilk": soy milk mixed with a spoonful of lemon juice) and a few splashes of hot sauce for about 30 mins

mix a cup of corn meal with a few spoonfuls of flour, pinch of salt, cumin, corriander, baking soda.

remove the avocado slices from buttermilk and roll them in the cornmeal batter. deep fry in vegetable oil at a high heat for about a minute. let cool on a paper napkin.

cilantro pesto:

tons of cilantro

a few fresh sprigs of mint

lime zest and juice

olive oil

raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

salt & pepper

- blend in a food processor, being liberal with olive oil, until you have a nice texture for dipping

vegan lasagna...

three layers of lasagna noodles (boiled for about 8 minutes and strained)

cover the bottom of you baking dish with red sauce. lay down your first layer of lasagna noodles, overlapping the edges.

first layer - more tomato sauce, italian seasoning, sliced fresh mushrooms, tons of spinach, sun dried tomatoes, roasted garlic. (lay down second layer of noodles)

second layer - a thick layer of canned pumpkin, chopped fresh sage, more roasted garlic! (more noodles)

third (top) layer - red sauce, spinach, tons of sun dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, roasted garlic and italian herbs.

cover with foil and bake at 375 for about 50 minutes, or until bubbling. uncover, and cook another 10 minutes. let cool for at least 10 minutes before trying to serve.

baked pears...

blend a cup of blanched almonds, a cup of dark chocolate chips, a stick of butter, and a few spoonfuls of sugar with a little orange zest in a food processor. this is your amazing filling.

peel your bosc pears, and cut out the core through the bottom of the pear (cut a 1.5 inch deep

whole). this is where your amazing filling fits into!

using thawed out filo dough, layer up about 3-4 sheets of filo dough, each liberally brushed with melted butter. wrap your pears in 3-4 layers of filo dough. pinch together at the top, making a little stuffed-pear package. brush the outside of the packages with melted butter, and bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes.

ginger-orange frozen yogurt...

you can get little hand crank-ice cream makers pretty cheaply. the frame is kept frozen, so all you have to do is throw in your ingredients and stir for about 20-30 mintues.

i used fat free greek yogurt, sweetened it with honey and flavored with fresh grated ginger root and orange zest. i also threw in a bunch of finely chopped candied-ginger pieces for a fun texture.

it was a fun cook-off, and all our other house mates and friends loved acting as the judges. i'll let you guess who won... hehe.

food challenge: vegan tamales

2009-01-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

i had a vision of a tamale with no meat or cheese... but i couldn't seem to find them pre-made at any mexican market. so it seemed like the right time to try making my own tamales! i did a bit of research, and then just went for it! luckily, they turned out amazing!

before you start this food project, make sure you have a large pot to steam your tamales in. if you're going through all the effort to make tamales, you might as well make a ton of tamales and freeze the leftovers! you'll also need a few dozen corn husks (dried or fresh), corn flour (this is very different from corn meal, i found out!) and some kitchen string.

to make the corn base, mix 6-8 cups of corn flour with enough hot water to moisten all of the flour. let sit for about 20 mins. in the mean time, if you are using dried corn husks, get them soaking in warm water. after 20 minutes, stir in up to a cup of corn/canola oil, and more warm water until your corn base reaches a peanut-butter consistency. at this point, you can add anything you like to the corn base. salt is necessary. but have fun with spices (coriander, chili powder, cumin...)

tamale filler: i made a spicy black bean mixture, cooked with garlic, onion, bell peppers, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (you can get small cans of this stuff, it has amazing flavor, but be careful... chipotle is powerfully spicy), and of course more spices (coriander, chili, cumin...)

to assemble the tamales: first, pat dry the husks if soaking in water. use the back of the spoon to spread the corn mixture onto the lower (fatter) half of the corn husk. about a quarter inch thick. leave one side clear of corn. put a few spoonfuls of bean filling on top of the corn layer. roll the husk to form a tube. at this point you should have a cone like shape, with your filling at the fat end. fold the empty small end up, so you create a bottom to your tamale pocket. tie a string around the center and stand upright in your steam pot so that the filling doesn't fall out while cooking. pack your steamer full, and steam for about 90 minutes.

like sushi, tamales make for a great dinner party because you can involve your guests in the cooking process!

raw peanuts?

2009-01-26T21:44:00.000-08:00

working at the farmers markets one summer, i came across raw peanuts... uncooked peanuts still in their light green shells are pretty strange. dissecting one of these little guys was one of the most interesting culinary experiments i've ever had.

they were light green in color, the shells were thick and fibrous (makes sense... when you roast them, all the liquid evaporates, and you are left with a shell that is then disconnected from the peanut). the skins were completely unlike the reddish paper-like skins we find in roasted peanuts. and the nuts were more like beans. very soft. scientifically speaking, peanuts are actually classified as legumes, not nuts. so why not boil them like legumes!?

boiled peanuts are apparently a common street food in various countries around the world. no wonder! they are delicious. especially warm.

shelling raw peanuts is tricky. good luck. once you get them shelled, to remove the skin, blanch them for a minute, drain and slip off the skins using your fingers. (naked peanuts!)

boil them with a bay leaf for about half an hour or until soft and squishable. now is where you can get creative. i made a warm salsa-like peanut salad. bright flavors are a great contrast to the smooth peanut flavor: tons of fresh cilantro, a small hot chili, a few ripe tomatoes, lemon juice and some sea salt. perfection.

sadly, raw peanuts are a rare find in this peanut-butter-loving culture...

make sushi. save money.

2009-01-26T16:20:00.000-08:00

going out for fancy sushi will always put me in a better mood. until the bill comes... so i decided a few years ago that i needed to learn to make it myself. i found sushi rice to be time consuming but simple. and rolling sushi is just fun. great for dinner parties - everyone gets to roll their own!

you can cheat and just use normal sticky rice, cook it up like you always do... and you'll get something that resembles sushi. or you can spend the several hours it takes to make perfect sushi rice... not only will your sushi taste better, it will also be much much easier to stick and to the nori and roll. those fancy rolls with the rice on the outside, sprinkled with sesame seeds... yeah, that ain't going to happen with regular rice...

rinse your sticky white rice, several times in a strainer until the water runs clean. let cleaned rice sit in the strainer for about half an hour. cook the clean rice just as you would normal rice. the trick to great sushi rice is "sushi-zu" vinegar. head about a cup of rice wine vinegar with several spoonfuls of sugar and a pinch of salt. once everything is dissolved, let cool.

final step: dump out your cooked rice onto a flat surface (or a really large bowl). pour the sushi vinegar over the rice and mix, careful not to smash the rice. be patient... let it the rice mixture cool to room temperature. use a fan if you are impatient.

rolling sushi is pretty self explanatory. a couple tricks: wrap your sushi mat with plastic wrap. dip your fingers in water or vinegar mixture to keep the rice from sticking to you. the shiny side of the nori faces down. keep the rice layer as thin as possible. hide some sesame seeds and wasabi inside your rolls. and roll away!

typical fillers: carrots, cucumber, fried tofu, sprouts, avocado (my favorite), bell peppers, steamed asparagus, tempura fried vegetables... or venture outside the vegan world, and try to get ahold of some sushi grade fish! have fun with different combinations. they are all equally tasty!

moroccan flavors

2009-01-25T23:09:00.000-08:00

morocco = marinated olives, almond paste, safron, orange, cinnamon, raisins, peppermint. simple as that.

spices in morroco are sweet. flavorful, mild, and warm sweet flavors like cinnamon, paprika and safron. i spent a summer during high school in morocco studying arabic. my host mum taught me a few things about cooking moroccan food, but for the most part, i just took in the flavors and recreated those familiar dishes when i returned home.

while in the states, i prefer to stick to a vegan-vegetarian diet. but if i'm traveling, i won't pass up an authentic dish just because it's got some... er... pigeon in it. my overall favorite staple in morocco, however, was vegetarian tajine with cous cous. (fyi in some arabic dialects, ironically, cous cous is a very dirty and derogatory term) never the less, it's an amazing grain. easy to make. and perfect for soaking up flavorful sauces.

large chunks of root vegetables and squash (what ever you have on hand, really) stewed in broth with tumeric, cumin, coriander, safron... piled on top of a giant bed of fluffed cous cous... topped with an amazing combo of plump raisins, cooked with onions, cinamon, and a drizzle of honey. trust me. those raisins are the best part of the dish.

in morocco, you start most meals with flat bread and chopped cucumber/tomato/onion salad. cous cous, tajine, stew or kabobs. followed by fresh melon, fruits, and strong syrupy mint tea. but one of my favorite side dishes was simple cooked carrots. sauteed in oil or butter, until brown, mixed with orange zest, served with a few slices of fresh orange, and sprinkled with cinnamon. yup! all about the sweet spices...

food & community

2009-01-25T22:33:00.000-08:00

(Montreal, Quebec)

i don't own a car. or a house. my waste is pretty minimal. so my largest impact on the environment is through what i consume... mostly what i eat! choosing to eat local, seasonal organic produce, is by far the most beneficial choice i can make towards environmental (not to mention personal) health! csa (community supported agriculture) is my way of ensuring that my produce is local, fresh and organic. i also love that it forces me to be creative when some unusual veggie turns up in my weekly box. look up your local csa farms! i promise that those farmers will make you happy cooks and eaters!

(Geneva, Switzerland)

or at least check out the local farmers markets. after working as a market vendor for a few year in that community of local farmers, i've fallen in love with farmers markets. any time i travel to a new city, one of the first things i do is look for the local market. no better way to experience the local flavors than through the city's farmers markets!

(Istanbul, Turkey)

family history: pizza

2009-01-25T21:57:00.000-08:00

it would only be proper for me to start with the topic of pizza. my uncle owned a pizza restaurant for a while. my dad stole his recipes. my sister and i stole the recipes from dad. i went to work for veraci pizza (a mobile wood fired pizza company). long story short. my family makes damn good pizza. hands down, it's our "special occasion" food of choice.

what you should know about pizza crust: personally, i'm all about the thin crust. more emphasis on the toppings. but crust is your base, so it best be perfect! the health nut in me always makes half whole wheat - half white flour crust. quick-rising yeast is an awesome trick. a liberal splash of olive oil. a spoonful of sugar, a few pinches of salt. 2 cups flour to 3/4 cup warm water mixed with yeast and sugar. use lots of flour while rolling out your dough! if you can get yourself a pizza stone (heaven!!!)... otherwise, use a pre-heated baking sheet.

toppings!!!

so many possible combinations. where to start!?

green:

pesto, feta cheese, tomato, peppers, onion, olives, toasted pine nuts

red:

suatee zucchini, onions and mushrooms, roasted garlic, roasted peppers, goat cheese

vegan:

red sauce or vegan pesto, spinach, mushrooms, grilled eggplant, sun dried tomatoes, herbs and garlic olive oil drizzled on top

go for color!

a food blog or an art blog?

2009-01-25T17:01:00.000-08:00

it has to start somewhere... this is a record of my creations. of food and art. food is art. so i suppose its both a food blog and an art blog. it may also wander off into rants about globalization, the slow food movement, and the evils of commercial meat industries... but it's all relative to food! my style of cooking doesn't involve recipes, so this is my way of keeping track of my ideas, what i conjure up, and what i would like to discover. if you are looking for exact measurements down to the quarter teaspoon, than i'm sorry to say this wont help you much. or maybe it will by forcing you to stop depending on recipes and start understanding food!

i started cooking with my dad at a fairly young age. i used to play a game of trying to figure out what he was cooking based just off of the first whiff I got when walking into the kitchen. when i started traveling, i started to write down flavor combinations in hopes of later trying to re-create foods i had tasted. i've worked in a few different kitchens in seattle. great jobs that encouraged creative cooking. i somehow ended up working as the cook for a surf and yoga retreat in portugal. in a kitchen that reminded me of giligan's island. proof:

recipes have never been a big part of cooking for me. the art of food is all about the right combinations of flavor and texture. color. health and freshness. my passion for cooking comes from the smile on the faces of friends, family and strangers as they dig into an aubrey creation.

enjoy!