on the menu : gazpacho for a warm spring or summer evening

GAZPACHO FOR A WARM SPRING OR SUMMER EVENING

Cold soups are not appealing to everyone.  I totally get it.  I was one of them!  But I soon realized it was because I had never enjoyed one that worked for me.  On my recent visit to Kaua’i, I devoured a mind shifting gazpacho.  It was tomato based but not at all like the watered down salsa I was used to in cold soups.  It had hints of sweet (from pineapple), fresh herbs, smooth binding textures of avocado, and the right consistency of tomatoes.  I was inspired to create my own gazpacho shortly upon returning.

My gazpacho is pretty simple.  Here on the East coast, we’re not quite in tomato season yet, so I cheated a bit by using chopped Pomo tomatoes (with fresh tomatoes mixed in).  Instead of red or yellow onion, I used scallions which are a bit more mild and pair great with tomatoes.  I added avocados and mangos to impart some creaminess.  Cucumbers are in there to reign in even more freshness.  Also, a purée of yuzu, honey, sesame seeds, and water meant to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.  Then I went out on a limb and added some extra firm tofu (finely cubed) to give it a Japanese fusion twist.

The end result was a gazpacho that far exceeded my expectations!

catching up + fresh starts

CATCHING UP + FRESH STARTS

First, I’ll play catch up with some dishes I never got around to posting.

Sweet Pea-tato Dumplings in Carrot Greens Broth

Excuse my constant making up of words on this blog, but I’ve got another one for you!  My sweet pea-tato dumplings are made of sweet potatoes and sweet peas.  When it comes to spring, I seriously crave peas, and this is a fun + innovative way to use them up.  I’m also a big fan of using all parts of the vegetable, so I made a broth featuring carrot tops.  The slight bitterness of carrot greens pairs perfectly with the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes and sweet peas.  A whole ‘lotta sweet going on your taste buds will thank you for.

Whole Grain Porridge

Once in a blue moon, I get this awful canker sore in the very back corner of my mouth.  The pain is so intense that it hurts to swallow, smile, eat, drink, you name it.  Not to mention the awful metallic taste in your mouth (bleh).  I got one a few weeks back which put me out of solid foods for five miserable days.  If you’re anything like me, you’ll get sick of liquids pretty quick and your body will just naturally crave texture.. crunch.. something that doesn’t have to come out of a straw.  I found that I could somehow, slowly (but still painfully) eat soft vegetables and grains which meant one thing – porridge!

I made big batches, changing it up slightly each day.  The very first day is basic and as the week goes on, you tweak it and add to it so that eventually you’re left with a heaping marriage of flavors.  This dish also ensures that you pack in plenty of vitamins/nutrients/etc. that your body so desperately needs in a time of healing.

Dressed Up Cannellini Bean Salad w/ Braised Apples + Onions

Take any ordinary bean salad to the next level quickly and easily by incorporating some extra love.  In this case, I braised apples and red onions in a mixture of dijon mustard, balsamic, and maple syrup.  Pour this braised goodness directly over the beans/chopped cherry tomatoes/peppery arugula to create a wonderful steam bath of flavor that disseminates throughout.  Also, by keeping the tomatoes and arugula raw, the comforting nature of braised apples + onions are complemented with a nice touch of freshness.

Raw Broccoli Stem + Carrot Slaw w/ Almond Vinaigrette

Don’t toss those broccoli stems!  They make great raw slaws given their crunchiness.  I paired the broccoli stems with carrots, and lovingly smothered them in an almond vinaigrette.  Almonds (and any nuts, really) are secret weapons for producing healthy renditions of creamy dressings without dairy (like mayo or cream).  Soft tofu and avocados are great dairy substitutes too, but I think nuts produce the brightest and creamiest vegan dressings of the bunch.

Sweet Potato + Black Eyed Pea Kale Salad

If you ever catch yourself at a loss over what to make for dinner with limited ingredients, here is a great solution.  Think deconstructed veggie burger meets salad where the sweet potatoes and black eyed peas fill you right up.  These ingredients also soak in vinaigrettes very well, so you’re guaranteed to pull together a flavorful dish.  What more, you don’t need to douse your salad greens (in this case kale) with extra dressing because there’s already so much going on!  Try a bright, zesty vinaigrette for this one.  Great served warm or cold and perfect for picnics too.

Tri-Color Saffron Infused Quinoa w/ BBQ Marinated Vegetables

Did you really think I was going to leave out quinoa?  lol.  In this dish, while quinoa sits proudly in the middle, the gold star goes to the beautifully marinated vegetables!  My marinade was a bit of a play on BBQ sauce (think sweet, smoky, & tangy).  I let the vegetables marinade all day long so they were just fireworks of flavor by the time we ate them.  Kitchen smells amazing, your family will think you’re amazing, and you’ll feel amazing because it’s all just a bowl full of heart healthy goods.

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And now, for a word on fresh starts coming my (and therefore your) way!

My recent rejuvena-cation and bouts of downward dogs are soul-cleansing (yes) but also meant to open up new paths and shine a light of contentment back into my life.  Why back into my life?  Because for much too long, I admit to living by the rules and for the rules of how the outside world portrays happiness, success, and purpose.  I have been my own hypocrite when it comes to things like status, hierarchy, progression, materialism, and money.

A few months back, one door closed (that’s a nice way of saying my company shut down and I was let go) and instead of stepping through the next door that opened (taking a tempting new job offer), I made what feels like the scariest decision of my life to do something for me.

An entrepreneur at heart, I have many dreams.  Small dreams, big dreams, dreams that give back to the community and environment.  Right now, those dreams are in the form of pages and pages of bustling ideas.  I hope to bring those ideas to fruition in the coming months and years with the inkling that maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to call one or more of them a dream come true.

But before I can do any of that, I need to be in the right mindset and that’s what I’m working on now.  I refer to it as my detox phase from the corporate world where yoga has been a huge help in re-teaching me how to just be present and content with where I am.  Re-learning to breathe again.  Re-discovering what it’s like to wake up on a Monday morning happy and to have a consistent stream of energy throughout the entire week.

I look forward to sharing my new ventures with all of you!  I know many of you are in a similar situation or know someone who is.  Feel free to reach out at anytime.  Happy to have a chat with anyone .

“Smile at the world, and it will smile back.”

on the menu : sprouted “noodle” soup + strawberry fields salad

SPROUTED “NOODLE” SOUP + STRAWBERRY FIELDS SALAD

Sometimes, a simple soup and salad make the perfect meal.

The salad is a bunch of organic salad greens (baby kale, power greens), strawberries (still a little tart so perfect in salads), baby oranges (to balance the tartness of the berries), and dried fruit.  The vinaigrette is a concoction of lime, honey, balsamic, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

The soup was not supposed to be a soup at all, actually, but turned into one last minute.  I started out by sautéing red onions (for the salad).  Then I decided to quickly sauté some raw sprouts & legumes with the onions; just to impart some flavor.  I then thought it would be a good idea to add some liquids… before I knew it, I was pouring in a whole cup of vegetable broth and the sprouts turned into ‘noodles.’  It was the coolest thing and tasted awesome, so I went with it!

on the side : tri-color quinoa w/ almonds, oranges, + grapes

TRI-COLOR QUINOA W/ ALMONDS, ORANGES + GRAPES

I feel almost silly posting a “recipe” for this dish.  It’s literally just quinoa with a few ingredients I had on hand at the end of the week.  As you know, you can add all kinds of stuff to quinoa to make it a more substantial dish.  I went a bit more sweet over savory with this one with the addition of fruit.  Feel free to add.. well.. anything you want!  lol.

Seriously though, I’ve been a huge advocate of quinoa for years thanks to its (a) health benefits, (b) versatility, (c) quick cooking-ness, (d) yumminess.  I saw this article a few months ago on the uncertain sustainability of quinoa; the future of which could depend on diversifying where this beautiful crop is grown (i.e. outside of Bolivia).  Just some ‘food for thought’ worth sharing as we start to hear more about this topic.

INGREDIENTS:

• Tri-Color Quinoa (1 cup)
• Carrot Greens (Bunch)
• Raw Sliced Almonds (Handful)
• Red Seedless Grapes (Handful)
• Orange (1)
• Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook the quinoa according to package.
2. Roughly chop up the carrot greens and sauté in a pan with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt + pepper.  Cook until wilted.
3. In a bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with sautéed carrot greens, raw sliced almonds, red seedless grapes, and orange slices.  Season with salt + pepper (as needed) and mix well until fully combined.

on the side : red cabbage slaw salad w/ zesty, creamy (vegan!) green dressing

RED CABBAGE SLAW SALAD W/ ZESTY, CREAMY (VEGAN!) GREEN DRESSING

First of all – HELLOOOO SPRING!  I’m taking full advantage of the beaming sunshine and warm temps.  After soaking in all of that vitamin D, I find myself yearning for something fresh and light.  Hmmm.. what to make.  What to make.

I saw a pretty red head of cabbage sitting in the fridge and my taste buds immediately told me to go with a slaw/salad.  I added some sweet (apples + raisins), texture (cashews + black sesame seeds), color and zest galore (see dressing).  The secret to my creamy yet super refreshing dressing is frozen green peas.

So easy, so delish, and leftovers the next day will be even better as the flavors fully marry into each other.

INGREDIENTS:

• Red Cabbage (1 head)
• Yellow Onion (1)
• Apple (1)
• Raw Cashews (Handful – chopped/crushed)
• Raisins (2 tbsp)
• Black Sesame Seeds (1 tbsp)
• Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper
• Dressing
  • Frozen Green Peas (1/2 cup)
  • Jalepeño Pepper (1/2)
  • Lime (1/2)
  • Meyer Lemon (1)
  • Honey (1 tbsp)
  • Vinegar (1 tbsp)
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Shred up red cabbage and place in a large salad bowl.
2. Finely chop up the yellow onion.
3. Drizzle some oil into a small sauté pan and add the chopped onions.  Turn the heat on medium low, season with salt + pepper, and allow the onions to caramelize.  Once done, remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, make the salad dressing by puréeing all ingredients in a food processor (remove the seeds from the jalepeño pepper prior to blending unless you’re yearning for heat).  Add a little water to thin out the consistency (your preference).
5. Cut up your apple into bite-sized pieces.  I peeled mine but feel free to leave the peel on if you so desire.  Add to the red cabbage and immediately spoon in some dressing to bring in acidity so the apples don’t turn brown.
6. Also add to the salad bowl the remaining ingredients – chopped cashews, raisins, black sesame seeds.  Toss together as you spoon in almost all of the dressing (leave a few spoonfuls for topping).

on the menu : spiced up cantaloupe + butternut squash soup w/ arugula pesto oil

SPICED UP CANTALOUPE + BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP W/ ARUGULA PESTO OIL

I love to cook and play around with ingredients without straying from my whole food POV.  What keeps me going?  Despite the millions of cookbooks and billions of blog posts revolving around food, I continue to challenge myself in concocting dishes that quite possibly no one else has done (in my way, with my ingredients, with my passion).

Cantaloupe soup – done.  Butternut squash – done too many times.  Here comes crazy me, thinking that creating a soup featuring these two ingredients together using fennel as the binder will actually taste good.  Sometimes I surprise myself.  Sometimes I’m just lucky but pretend I know exactly what I’m doing.  This dish?  Check and check.

This soup represents where my head is, food-wise.  Spring is right around the corner (literally, in two days), but it’s still cold, but I want to sit on the back porch and enjoy a cold fruit smoothie, but I also don’t mind snuggling up on the couch with a warm bowl of soup while watching Top Chef, but then I see a commercial of Hawaii and want summer to be here immediately, etc.  #questionablebipolar

Velvety smooth, bright, colorful, flavorful, yum.

INGREDIENTS:

• Cantaloupe (1/2)
• Butternut Squash (1)
• Red Onion (1/2)
• Fennel Bulb (1)
• Amarillo Chili Powder (2 tbsp)
• Red Chili Powder (1 tsp)
• Hungarian Paprika (1 tsp)
• Vegetable Broth (32 oz)
• Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper

*Arugula, Basil, Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Water, Salt, Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 F.  Halve, brush butternut squash with olive oil, salt + pepper and roast until squash is fork tender.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop up the red onion.
3. Use a mandoline slicer on the fennel bulb (reserve the stems for another dish).
4. Drizzle oil into a stock pot and add the chopped onions.  Place on the stove and turn the heat on low.  Allow the onions to slowly start sweating through.
5. Once the onions become translucent, add the sliced fennel.  Season with salt + pepper and sauté with the onions, still over a low heat.
6. While those vegetables are going, halve the cantaloupe, remove the seeds, and scoop out the flesh.  Chop up into smaller cubes and add to the pot.  Mix in with the onions and fennel.
7. Allow the cantaloupe to sauté for a bit until the squash is done.
8. When the squash has roasted, remove from the oven.  Carefully separate the flesh from outer skin and add to the pot.  Mix all ingredients together.
9. Pour in the vegetable broth, add the spices, and season again with salt + pepper.
10. Raise the heat to medium low, cover the pot, and let the flavors marry together.
11. After about 10 minutes, turn the heat off and either use an immersion blender to purée the soup OR use a blender (or food processor).  Blend until silky smooth (unless you prefer it not to be – your choice).
12. Taste again and do a final seasoning.  Serve with the arugula pesto oil.

on the menu : weekly recipe round-up part… who knows?

WEEKLY RECIPE ROUND-UP PART… WHO KNOWS?

Welcome to another batch of home cooked meals, bundled up into one big post (aka I openly admit to procrastination in posting these when I made them).  Alas, enjoy .

WASABI SHOYU RAMEN

Inspired by a semi-recent trip to Ippudo in NYC, I made a healthier version of their only vegetarian ramen – wasabi shoyu ramen.  The broth is not overbearing in wasabi heat, but has just the right amount of kick to keep you going in for more.  I used brown rice noodles instead of traditional ramen noodles, added lots of vegetables, scallions, ginger, and sesame seeds for a no-guilt “ramen” dish.

KALE SALAD W/ BAKED MUNG-A-LAFELS, APPLES, + RAISINS

My go-to detox beans – mung beans make great imitation falafels.  I sautéed some onions and mixed them into the mung bean “batter” to add another layer of flavor, but these guys taste great with just their mung bean selves.  This time around I’ve added mung-a-lafels to some nutrition-packed kale (found aplenty this time of the year), crispy apples, and raisins.  The vinaigrette with a lemon juice base plays double duty by brightening up the dish and keeping the apples from browning.  Fun, colorful, playful, forkfuls of vitamins/nutrients/minerals/etc. = add this to your dinner menu now.

LEEK MUSHROOM + SPINACH QUICHE

A gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian quiche held together by silken tofu.  You don’t taste any tofu thanks to the fragrant leeks, earthy mushrooms, and leafy spinach.  Quiche is often associated with breakfast or brunch, but I find it makes a perfectly fitting dinner as well.  Minimal prep time, leave it alone while it cooks in the oven, all sorts of deliciousness and goodness packed in each bite.

THAI BASIL COCONUT RED LENTIL CURRY

I obsess over Thai basil – it’s crazy how the aromatics in this herb almost get amplified with heat.  This curry came together with a few simple ingredients – onion, scallions, garlic, ginger, red bell pepper, bean sprouts, red lentils (which turn orange/yellow when cooked) – all dancing in a smooth coconut milk base.  This is a nice, light curry that can easily be enjoyed on its own or with a side of brown rice.

DRESSED UP DOSAS

A lover of Indian food, I took the concept of dosas but gave it my own twist.  The sauce is a purée of beets, chickpeas, and lots of spices.  To combat the heat, I made a simple cucumber and tomato salad dressed with a little lemon juice and scallions.  I used a mixture of chickpea flour and water to create the dosas and dinner turned into ‘dosa night.’  You know, kinda like taco night, but with dosas.  We live on the edge .

CITRUS + AVOCADO ZEN SALAD

What makes a salad ‘zen?’  Nothing… really.  It’s just a marketing ploy, but hey, got me!  The zen mixture has some Asian salad greens mixed with traditional herb greens.  Sitting atop the zen greens are some pretty winter grapefruit, oranges, avocado, and lightly toasted pine nuts.  The vinaigrette is an emulsion of the citrus juices, balsamic, a little honey, a little mustard, salt + pepper.  This is a great way to take advantage of those bulk citrus sales at your local store.  Citrus pairs beautifully with avocado and will keep them bright green.  #namaste

PASTA CON LE SARDE ALLA PALERMITANA

My guess is that many of you are not huge fans of sardines or anchovies.  I’ll admit, growing up, I associated anchovies with anchovy pizza and that’s not the most attractive means of enjoying those omega 3 and calcium-packed guys.  I highly encourage you to ease into cooking with anchovies or sardines because they’re divine.  They don’t taste as fishy as they smell, they add a natural infusion of salt, and impart a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

This pasta is an inspiration from Palermo, Italy.  Primary ingredients aside from the anchovies and sardines are fennel tops, golden raisins, onion, saffron, dried red chile, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt + pepper.  Super simple, right?  And so delicious.  A true Palermian party in your mouth.

onto drinks : green boost smoothie

GREEN BOOST SMOOTHIE

I always say, “A smoothie a day keeps the doctor away.”  Green smoothies are my absolute favorite and are a great way to kickstart your day or afternoon.  The perfect pick-me-up to get you through a gray winter day, midst a stressful workweek, after a butt-kicking workout, etc. etc.  Just… go make one.  Now.

You can mix & match your ingredients too (which is why I purposely left out amounts).  Some people hate kale, so try spinach.  Maybe you’re allergic to cucumbers, so leave them out and add celery – perhaps – instead.  Possibilities are endless and results are both tasty and worthwhile!

INGREDIENTS:

• Kale
• Parsley
• Cucumber
• Ginger
• Pineapple
• Kiwi
• Wheatgrass
• Honey
• Water
• Ice Cubes

on the menu : 3-course hawaii themed valentine’s dinner

3-COURSE HAWAII THEMED VALENTINE’S DINNER

This year, my husband and I stayed in for Valentine’s.  If you know me, I take advantage of any ‘special’ occasion to spend extra time in the kitchen and this night was no exception.

I had a lot of fun with this one!  All of this snow, icy rain, wind, and cold temps has me yearning for some SUN; namely that of Hawaii.  Given how much my husband and I are drawn to Hawaii, visiting each year on our anniversary, I thought it would be fitting to build a Valentine’s dinner around it.  Hence the theme.  The 3-course represents the # of years we’ve been married (I just made that up… not the years we’ve been married… the # of courses is a total coincidence).  Hope you all had a great night as well!

SEAFOOD CEVICHE W/ AVOCADO + MANGO

Appetizers are always best kept fresh, simple, clean, and refreshing.  Just enough ‘kick’ to get the taste buds going and plenty of room left for more.  So naturally, I went with a ceviche.  Aside from the seafood, I added some chopped scallions, mango, and avocado.  For this starter, I drew inspiration from the abundance of beautiful seafood, avocado & mango trees in Hawaii.

SOFT BOILED EGG OVER CRISPY BROWN RICE COCONUT CAKE ATOP POI

For our second course, I paid homage to Hawaii’s roots by creating a dish around Poi.  Poi is a traditional Hawaiian staple made by laboriously pounding down taro and mixing with water until you reach a velvety smooth texture.  I cheated and used a food processor .  Taro is a root vegetable with all kinds of health benefits – easily digestable, low Glycemic Index, excellent source of Potassium, and filled with other minerals and nutrients (calcium, vitamins C/E/B, magnesium, manganese, copper).

Atop the Poi I have a crispy brown rice cake.  The brown rice is mixed with some coconut milk, shredded coconut, black sesame seeds, and a little soy sauce.  And finally, the entire dish comes together with a soft-boiled egg and finished with a dash of sprinkled Hawaiian salt.

MACADAMIA + COCONUT CRUSTED SALMON OVER WASABI PEA PUREE

To round out our dinner, I brought in an abundance of bright, popping island flavors.  The macadamia and coconut crust crisped up nicely while the fish remained moist.  I went with a wild-caught salmon but you could go even more Hawaii-authentic and opt for Mahi Mahi.  I garnished with edible flowers which you can find scattered around Hawaii (what don’t they have??).

The real star though is the sauce.  I puréed some sweet peas with wasabi, mint, honey, and brown rice vinegar.  The heat from the wasabi balances out the sweetness in the sauce and coconut on the fish.  Bursting tones and textures all around and plates licked clean = delightful delectable delicious success.

recipe round-up: kick start your new year with plenty of whole foods!

Welcome to a brand new year, friends!

I have been busy concocting lots of healthy, fortune-infused (read: black eyed peas), vibrant, dishes packed with whole foods.  As I enter the new year, I am reminded by the joy that my devotion to this lifestyle brings me (mentally, physically, spiritually).  Here’s to an ever-exciting 2013 filled with new opportunities and plenty of time to cook healthy and eat deliciously.

Kimchi Fried [Brown] Rice

Japanese Yam Latkes w/ Harissa Sauce

Roasted Butternut Squash + Carrot Ginger Soup

Black Eyed Pea Salad w/ Roasted Poblano + Jalepeño Vinaigrette

Japanese Yam Spinach Curry

Braised Red Cabbage Topped w/ Black Eyed Pea Salad + Apples

Wild Mushroom + Roasted Chestnut Soup

Roasted Pear + Beet Kale Salad

Kitchen Sink Red Curry

Sicilian Inspired Wild-Caught Salmon Pasta

Spinach Quinoa w/ Macerated Fennel + Cucumber and a Side of Citrus

Kimchi Soft Tofu Stew