mon petit chou

Jenny's Champagne Brunch; OR, Fabulous in 2012!

2012-01-11T07:04:00.000-08:00

Jenny, the host and chef extraordinaire!

The Betts

Dutch Babies to be served with lemon juice & powdered sugar

Breakfast Pizzas pre-baked -- forgot to snap the results!

Betty's Cheesecake!

Orange Zest Roasted Yams

2012-01-11T06:43:00.001-08:00

Orange Zest Roasted Yams

adapted from Bon Appetit

Simply mix together the following: sliced yams, some evoo, orange zest, chili powder, and salt. Bake at 425 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

Lentil & Tempeh Curry

2012-01-11T06:41:00.000-08:00

Lentil & Tempeh Curry

inspired by the contents of my fridge

Bring a pot of 1/3 cup French Lentils, water, and some salt to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Drain water. Set aside. Sautee diced onions, ginger, garlic in evoo for a few minutes. Add salt & the curry spices you like (cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves). Let cook a few minutes. Add diced zucchini or whatever vegetable you have in your fridge. (Mushrooms would be good). Add chopped tempeh. Stir together a few minutes. Add just enough half & half (or alternative) to make thick. Stir a few minutes. Add the lentils to the pan. Cook together a few more minutes. Top with yogurt.

Homemade Pizzelles from Agatha

2012-01-11T06:01:00.000-08:00

A gift from Aggie!

Perchance she will teach us..?

New Year's Eve Brunch

2012-01-11T05:52:00.000-08:00

Remember the Fresh Ginger Cake of 2010? I made it to celebrate the end of 2011 and the birth of 2012. To this day, it was the best cake I've ever made. Topped with homemade cardamom whipped cream and berries. It's definitely the cake of 2012.

Why do we always celebrate the end of the year so late at night only to wake up on the first day of the year with a hangover? Way to start the new year. Having a brunch with friends was a really nice way to officially end the year. There is something to ceremony. There is something to taking one's time while creating a shared meal. Cheers to more shared meals in 2012!

The New Year's Eve Brunch Menu

Betty's Mimosas

Farmers Market Frittata

Agatha's Ratatouille

Arugula Salad

Fresh Ginger Cake w/Cardamom Whipped Cream

There was also a spread of baguettes and cheeses. The arugula salad was simple, but delicious. Arugula, avocado, scallions, fennel, and lemon-evoo dressing. I first started making this salad a couple of years ago when blood oranges were in season and I wanted it to be the star of a salad. Alas, after the citrus's short-lived season I had to make due. It's still a really great salad without them. Still can't wait for blood orange season! More blood oranges in 2012!

And now for some eye candy...

Last Hurrah 2011 Tapas Party

2012-01-06T21:28:00.000-08:00

So, let me tell you the story behind tapas. In Spain, (Note: I know very little about Spain and tend to mix dream with reality) people have a solid life ethic, and leave work in the middle of the day to drink wine. Glasses already filled with wine awaited the said solid life ethic people of Spain in wine bars across the country. And in this imaginary time long enough ago, during the hot and sticky summer months, waiters needed to cover those glasses of wine from the abundance of flies. First they put a slice of bread over the glass. Then maybe they’d put a little cheese. Perhaps an additional garlic stuffed olive. Eventually bars would compete by making fancy little treats to cover these glasses of wine. And thus “tapas,” meaning “to cover,” were born.

Boy, am I glad they were.

This brings me to the night of December 27, 2011, when a friend of mine came into town. If you remember, my friend Arianna moved to Chicago about 3 years ago. And during my visit to see her there two years ago she made me a delicious meal of vegan jumbalaya and beer. All this after being trapped with her in a seriously scary thunderstorm in the empty but covered patio of The Chicago Diner eating a glorious feast and laughing in the face of mortality. For her I threw a tapas party to end all tapas parties (that I’ve ever thrown before -- this happened to be the first one). How did I manage to have 11 people in my rather small living room, crowded around a coffee table no less? I’m still not sure how it happened. I believe that the room grew three sizes that night to make it work out for us.

The food was served in phases, drinks were poured constantly, and a good time was had by all.

Cheers! and Happy (belated) New Year, dear readers!

Menu

wine
Sangria

marinated garlic stuffed olives

candied rosemary nuts

Manchego with quince paste

baguettes, fancy cheeses, sun dried tomato pesto, artichoke spread

white bean hummus & orange bell pepper

artichoke salad

baked and seasoned cauliflower

cumin paprika roasted pumpkin

tortilla espanola

shrimp in garlic tomato sauce

cardamom flan

some of the recipes

all inspired by Hipcooks

Candied Rosemary Nuts

ingredients:

butter

brown sugar

rosemary chopped

nuts (any)

Tabasco sauce

1. In a pan, melt as much butter as you like, at least 2 Tbsp. 2. Add around 1/3 cup of brown sugar, some rosemary, and about 1 cup of nuts. 3. Flip ingredients around in the pan until covered and the sugar caramelizes a bit. 4. Spread out the candied nuts on a cookie sheet, add the Tobasco & mix around. 5. Freeze the nuts until solid.

Tortilla Espanola

ingredients:

butter

evoo

salt/pepper

a few potatoes, sliced into rounds

1 med onion

dill

6 eggs

heavy cream
feta
creme fraiche
chopped chives

1. Flash boil the sliced potatoes. 2. Sautee onions in salt and pepper and lots of oil. 3. Butter an iron skillet or cake pan. 4. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, dill, cream, feta, salt, pepper. 5. Line the skillet or pan with potatoes. Then spread the onions evenly over the potatoes. Then pour the egg mixture. 6. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. 7. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and chopped chives et voila!

Shrimp in Garlic Tomato Sauce

ingredients:
shrimp
butter
evoo
salt/pepper/oregano
onion, sliced
garlic, mined
canned diced tomatoes
parmesan

1. Oil a skillet. 2. Sautee the garlic and onions for a few minutes. 3. Add the salt/pepper/oregano and cook a few minute more. 4. Add some butter. Be generous. 5. Add the diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil then simmer. 6. Add the parmesan. 7. Let the sauce sit about ten minutes. 8. Add the thawed shrimp to soak in the sauce for about 20 minutes.

I'll do a special post on the cardamom flan when I have perfected it!

For Betty and Jen...

2011-12-30T17:55:00.000-08:00

Whiskey and Lavender Hot Chocolate

with Cardamom Whipped Cream

adapted from a la mode

ingredients:

1/3 bottle whiskey

2 cups organic whole milk

3 ounces dark chocolate

1 ounce milk chocolate

1/4 tsp lavender buds

1/2 cup cold organic heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 Tbsp organic white sugar

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

directions:

Heat the milk over the stove at high heat until starts to bubble, then reduce to med heat. Add the chocolate. Stir. Add the lavender. Stir. Allow ingredients to mix. Once mixed, remove from heat and add whiskey.

To make the whipped cream: In a bowl, add whipping cream, vanilla, sugar, cardamom. Whisk. Then with a mixer (I used hand mixer), whip the cream until desired consistency.

Top the hot chocolate with whipped cream! Enjoy!

Farmers Market Frittata

2011-12-08T17:04:00.000-08:00

Met up with Agatha at the farmers market last Saturday to prepare a lovely brunch for ourselves. We purchased these beautiful coreopsis flowers and eucalyptus leaves wrapped in brown paper just like Paris. And stood in a very long line for farm fresh eggs. My herb mix this week was excellent: dill, parsley, mint, and basil. We picked up a readymade seasoned tempeh and carrot dish from the vegan friendly vendor. I love the farmers market.

Our Brunch Menu

Vegetable & Herb Frittata with Paprika & Avocado

Heirloom Tomatoes with Mint & Za'atar

Sauteed Zucchini & Cherry Tomatoes

Seasoned Tempeh & Carrots

Fuyu Persimmons

Farmers Market Frittata

ingredients:

4 eggs

a few sprigs dill, chopped

1/8 lb feta, crumbled

1/4 c. half & half

salt/pepper

a little bit of butter

evoo

scallions, diced

garlic, minced

broccoli, finely chopped

kale, chopped

salt/pepper

cherry tomatoes, halved

paprika

sea salt

avocado

Step 1: Preheat oven 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients. Set aside

Step 2: In a frying pan, sauteed the scallions, garlic, and broccoli for a couple of minutes. Add the kale and salt. Stir. Let cook a few minutes.

Step 3: Butter a cake pan; OR, oil an iron skillet.

Step 4: Pour the sauteed vegetables into the cake pan. Neatly top with the tomatoes. Pour egg mixture on top, making sure it's evenly distributed. Sprinkle sea salt on top. Bake for about 20 minutes or until no longer wet.

Step 5: Slice up an avocado. Sprinkle with paprika and sea salt.

Step 6: When frittata is ready, top with avocado.

Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil, & Goat Cheese Salad; and, Thanksgiving in San Francisco

2011-12-08T16:10:00.000-08:00

Did I tell you I love Thanksgiving? Obviously, not the historical part. Or the promoting consumerism part, either. It's the feeling of Thanksgiving I love. I grew up in a secular household, so Thanksgiving was our major holiday. We always threw huge parties with far too much food. My mom would make a glorious feast; our friends would bring their signature dishes. Oyster Stuffing, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Leg of Lamb, Deep Fried Turkey, Roast Beef & Vegetable Stew, Orange Cranberry Sauce, Marshmallow-Sweet Potato Casserole, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Pie, Whoopie Pies, you name it. So, I have a soft spot for the season.

This Thanksgiving, Tal and I decided to take a vacation and visit our friends up north. We planned the trip a month in advance, securing days off from work. Of course, we forgot to mention this to our friends up north, and apparently they were all leaving town to visit their families! We decided to continue with the trip, regardless. And thanks to our dear friends Sabrina and Morgan, we stayed in a beautiful Victorian apartment while cat sitting two very cuddly cats, Milton and Owen!

They left us a pumpkin, a fridge full of produce, a kitchen stocked with quality ingredients, and a recipe, which we gladly followed! The morning of Thanksgiving, Tal and I walked Golden Gate Park, had a delicious bagel-hummus sandwich from House of Bagels, and searched far and wide for an open bakery to pick up a Pumpkin Pie.

We cooked our Thanksgiving dinner slowly, with effort, and care, while listening to Soul and R&B and intermittently dancing in the kitchen.

Menu

Braised Carrots and Fennel in Sage and Thyme

Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad

& Vegetarian Jumbalaya

Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil,

and Goat Cheese Salad

serves 2-3

Recipe courtesy of Sabrina

Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:

1/4 cup French green lentils

1 sugar pumpkin (peeled, seeded, cubed)

generous amount of EVOO

ground cumin

paprika

sea salt

2-3 large handfuls of baby arugula

quite a bit soft goat cheese, crumbled

1 T red wine vinegar

Step 1: Preheat oven 375 degrees.

Step 2: Soak lentils for about ten minutes.

Step 3: Toss pumpkin with generous amounts of EVOO, cumin, paprika, sea salt. Place on a baking sheet/parchment paper/etc and bake for 30 minutes or until slightly crispy. PS Fresh pumpkin smells unbelievably wonderful.

Step 4: While the pumpkin is in the oven, cook the lentils in salted boiling water for 15 minutes -- you still want the lentils firm. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop from cooking.

Step 5: Once ingredients are cooled, combine pumpkin, lentils, arugula, most of the goat cheese to your liking, more EVOO, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper. Top with rest of goat cheese. Serve!

Agatha's Big Italian Birthday!

2011-11-13T13:19:00.000-08:00

Agatha's birthday dinner was absolutely spectacular. She prepared the feast with the help of her family and friends, somehow managing to serve something like 20 people and still be able to sit down to eat! Magic. Agatha's dad was half Napolitano and half Siciliano, hence incredibly gorgeous offspring and their penchant for creating wonderful Italian dinners. The following photos are courtesy of Agatha E. Palma on her very special birthday celebration.

Plenty of wine!

Agatha, as artist!

Heirloom Tomatoes + Basil + Balsamic

Cuori di Carciofi (Artichoke Hearts) +
Oven Roasted Bell Peppers

Farinata

A northern dish made of chickpea flour, olive oil, water, rosemary.

According to Agatha, "You sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and then wrap vegetables in it while it's still hot."

All three pasta dishes are specialties of Napoli.

Alas, her wonderful Pappardelle dish was not photographed.

Agatha: "Papparedelle are wide, flat noodles that are fun to swirl and slurp. The sauce was only olive oil, garlic, cremini mushrooms, and red wine."

Spaghetti ala Vongole

w/live clams, flat leaf parsley, garlic, & olive oil

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

("Whore Style Spaghetti," traditionally spicy)

Agatha: "It's made with San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, red peperoncino peppers, gaeta olives, capers, and flat leaf parsley. Many versions have anchovies, or 'lacciughe,' but according to my dear cousin, 'L'acciughe copre il sapore della pasta,' (the anchovies cover the taste of the pasta) and I couldn't agree more. Many Napolitani omit anchovies for this reason."

Farmers Market Ratatouille

Birthday cake!

Look at this handsome fella!

Bueno Appetito!

Edible Education #1: Carlo Petrini of Slow Foods

2011-09-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was the opening lecture for UC Berkeley's public course Edible Education: The Rise and Future of the Food Movement, funded by Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Foundation + Edible Schoolyard Project. This is big. This is exciting and inspiring. The lectures are available online, and update every Tuesday for a total of 13 weeks; I highly recommend them for those of you interested in food politics, sustainable agriculture, and food in general. When I get a hold of the class syllabus I will post it here on my blog so that we can read the selected literature and gain as much as we can from this shared opportunity.

The first lecture, moderated by Nikki Henderson of People's Grocery, was given by Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food movement and the University of Gastronomic Sciences, Italy. Petrini's booming and animated Italian voice established a familial intimacy necessary to understand the increasingly passionate nature of the Food Revolution.

Main Points of Lecture:

We are currently producing more food than the earth can replenish -- enough for 2 times our earth's population!
We throw away about 40% of the food we make, despite the malnutrition/starvation in many countries.
We are losing biodiversity; about 6 species of produce daily, not to mention animals.
We are losing farmers -- highly emphasized point. (In the mid 1900s, about 50% of the US's population were farmers; currently, only 1.5 %)
Highly emphasized: no farmers, no future.
2008 marked the first time in history that there were more non-farmers than farmers.
We are spending more energy on producing food than we are getting from the food.
We need a paradigm shift, because we cannot produce our way out of this problem (i.e. economic solutions); we have to change the concept of productivity.
Solution: build a convivial society, one based on communal goods and a strong sense of reciprocity.
Example of reciprocity: CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) -- you give money to a farmer who pays you back over time in food.
Terra Madre: a network of small communities, which are changing politics.
We need to value and respect our farmers just as we do intellectuals (income-wise). "Farmers are the intellectuals of the earth!"
We need to restore value to food via sustainable agriculture.
Advice: Pick organic produce from local farms/farmers; become an ally of the farmers because they are the ones who can change the food related environmental crisis.
Value artisans, as they have been valued throughout history.
Strengthen local communities. Reduce waste. Build a strong social network. Share.

Despite already being familiar with most of what he said, it is incredibly important to hear it again. And again. And again. Why? Because it's easy to forget. When comfortable it's easy to put aside such notions in one of the mind's compartments to use only when convenient. Our "totalitarianism of productivity" is affecting societies globally. The type of change necessary, according to Petrini, requires active participation from all of us.

Which leads me to my most recent experiment! I have found a way to eat healthy, shop organically/sustainably, AND save money on groceries! More on that in the next post! As well as the Slow Food $5 Challenge! And my plans for a potted vegetable garden, apartment-style!

Farmers Market Asparagus

salade d'aubergines

2011-08-29T23:10:00.000-07:00

salade d'aubergines
inspired by my friend Janean's description of a salad she made recently...

[Note: It occurred to me that some of you might be interested in where I personally purchase my ingredients...]

ingredients

mixed greens | Trader Joe's organics
sugar plum tomatoes, halved | Trader Joe's organics
scallions, diced | Barnsdale Park Farmers Market
cucumbers, diced | Atwater Farmers Market
eggplant | Atwater Farmers Market
garlic, minced | Barnsdale Park Farmers Market
extra virgin olive oil | Cadia Organics
red wine vinegar | Trader Joe's
sea salt/ground black pepper/oregano | various locations
Bulgarian feta | independent neighborhood grocery

directions:
Play some music. PS THIS IS A LINK.

The reason I am not including measurements is because it depends on how much you want to make; I ended up only making one serving for lunch today, so there will be leftover eggplant for another day. This is super easy.

Set the oven to 450 degrees.

Take an eggplant (or two) and chop it up into cubes. Put in a baking dish and mix in olive oil, salt, pepper, and diced garlic until eggplant chunks are covered. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, making sure to toss half way. Set aside, let cool. I would transfer it to a room temp bowl and put in the fridge, but that's just me.
Take a bowl. Add as much of the mixed greens as you want, taking into account that the greens will shrink when the dressing is added. Then add chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions. Crumble the feta with your fingers over the salad.

While the eggplant is cooling, make the dressing. My usual ratio for oil to vinegar is about 1:2. In a small bowl, mix olive oil/red wine vinegar/dash salt/dash pepper/dash oregano. If I had a lemon today I would add the juice to the dressing! Maybe you will!

When the eggplant is cool, add it to the salad bowl. Add the dressing, toss, and enjoy!

a beautiful beet cake recipe

2011-08-22T22:36:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to share this with you...

by Tiger in a Jar

Hope you're enjoying summer.

Regroup & Reflection: My Healthy Lifestyle Goals

2011-08-01T23:45:00.000-07:00

Remember way back when I started this blog, my goal was to eat healthier, non-processed, organic, local, pesticide-free foods. Not that I have abandoned that completely, but I haven't been as focused as I had initially sought out. So, I have decided to really get serious about that, once again; as with any relationship, including food, it is important to reflect, maintain, appreciate.

A few of the more important aspects of My Lifestyle Goals are as follows:

Obviously, eating more fruits and vegetables -- more specifically, pesticide-free, local, organic, in-season...
Including a variety of intact grains. I tend to stick to brown rice, quinoa, couscous, oats; but, I'd like to mix it up more, using amaranth, farro, millet, buckwheat, etc.
Including a variety of legumes. I tend to stick to red/green lentils, chickpeas, black beans, adzuki -- time to mix it up and try something new.
Drinking far more water than I have been recently. It is summer in Southern California, and I have not only not upped my intake of water, I have somehow managed to cut it down. Clearly, this is unwise.
About meat. I'm no longer a vegetarian, but I choose to eat meat very rarely and only under very specific circumstances pertaining to the way the animal is fed, caught, etc. So, I have been incorporating meat about 3-4 times a month, specifically fish, and am happy to continue doing so for now. A great place to shop for humanely and naturally raised meat in the Los Angeles area is McCall's in Los Feliz.
About protein. Eggs, legumes, certain vegetables, tofu provide enough protein without meat, and that has never been a concern of mine.
Reduce my intake of flour products, like bread and pasta, as well as other refined, processed foods and sugars to only a very few times a month. I'm sure I will survive, and doing so will allow these types of foods to be special and enjoyed more thoroughly than they have been.
And, of course, the other important habits: sleeping enough, exercising regularly, and relaxing/slowing down/reducing anxiety.

With all this said, what I have always been aiming at is a healthier lifestyle in order to smile more. I'm not interested in dieting. I am interested in changing my habits. These are the kinds of habits that take years to form for life, and I have really been able to make some of these a natural habit over the past two years. It is important to me to feel more energetic, and having been in and out of these habits for a few years now, I can say with absolute certainty that when I am following these guidelines more rigorously, I am much more optimistic and enthusiastic about my life.

Berry Banana Smoothie

2011-07-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

It's summer. It's hot. It's smoothie territory. I have been making variations of this smoothie all summer, and I thought it would be nice to share with you, dear readers. Although smoothies really go without saying, I like my method, and who knows, maybe it will change your life.Or simply remind you to make smoothies. You see, my secret is: frozen berries. Yes, it's summer, fresh berries abound, but I don't like putting ice in my smoothie, it makes it too watery. Most grocery stores sell organic frozen berries, and this way you can make your berry smoothies year-round. There is always the option, of course, to buy fresh berries and then freeze them yourself.

The Basic Recipe

single serving

ingredients:

2/3 cup milk or soy milk or yogurt...

1 to 1 1/2 cups frozen berries (I usually use a mixture of blueberries and strawberries, but recently, also blackberries and raspberries)

1 ripe banana

Put all ingredients in blender. Voila.

Variations to mix and match (that really work, trust me):

avocado (yes, it's amazing); walnuts or almonds; tofu; honey or agave;
finely grated ginger (Microplane);1/2 tsp lemon juice; softened oatmeal. Yum.

Have fun!

Broome Street General Store

2011-07-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

As you might know, I am always looking for great cafes -- something that is exceedingly difficult to do in Los Angeles, but which has, luckily, become incrementally easier by the year. My new favorite place is called Broome Street General Store. And cafe. In Silverlake. This place puts you at ease it’s so comfortably elegant, causing strangers to chat with one another, including many stranded New Yorkers bonding over the nostalgia! I had a chance to chat a bit with one of the owners’ many supportive friends, and the story goes like this: the owner, Sophie Esteban, a former SoHo resident who used to live on Broome Street in Lower Manhattan, opened up this place with her business partner and husband Peter Graham in the likeness of all the sorts of shops and general stores on her old block. Broome Street just opened about five weeks ago to great success, and the power couple are having a baby because sometimes fantastic things happen all at once! And the place is absolutely gorgeous. It has a vintage feel to it. Not only does it sell various specialty-kitchen-staples-that-you-probably-can’t-find-anywhere-else, jewelery, gardening tools, and vintage toys, but nestled inside is a really great cafe along with patio seating! They make fantastic espressos using New York’s Gimme! Coffee and the deli is encased with food from places like Cube Cafe and Cake Monkey. And let me tell you, the coffee is delicious.

We tried one of the hand pies filled with gruyere, leek, and purple potatoes, as well as the gazpacho. Both really delicious! My macchiato was perfecto!

The owners Sophie and Peter with her wonderfully encouraging brother!

OK, now, with that said, go have lunch with a friend or an espresso with your book!

Broome Street General Store

2912 Rowena Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90039

Mon-Thurs, Sat 8am-8pm; Fri 8am-9pm; Sun 9am-6pm

PS For the carnivores: expect Fried Chicken Fridays soon!

Buckwheat Magic

2011-06-28T15:02:00.000-07:00

When I recently asked my friend Agatha (a serious Natalie Wood doppelganger) for some advice on temporarily cutting out wheat, she gave me a list of alternate grains, recipes, and ideas, one of which is buckwheat-although-she-hasn’t-learned-to-like-it-yet. Buckwheat, buckwheat, why do I know this name so well and yet cannot remember eating it? Ever. Oh, I remember. Other than the occasional buckwheat pancake doused in syrup or soba noodle dish in Little Tokyo, I haven’t really had buckwheat. I’ve certainly never cooked with it. This is interesting because apparently buckwheat was a staple in the American diet before the advent of mass production, not to mention a still widely used grain in most parts of the world.

Buckwheat is the seed of a flower similar to rhubarb, and is completely gluten-free; in fact, it is used to make gluten-free beer!

Health benefits: lowers risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes; contains plenty of flavanoids and antioxidants which protect against disease (particularly heart disease); helps prevent developing gallstones; and aids in digestion.

Approaching thirty, I am beginning to worry about my current habits. When I’m eighty, I want to be healthy and have energy for my life. Heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's all run in my family. If there is any way that I can protect myself from all of that then I want to do it. And now, approaching thirty, it is becoming evident that the longer I wait to incorporate healthy habits the more difficult it becomes! Today is always the best day to start, yes? Putting the bread and pasta aside awhile, it's time to get comfortable with my other friends: quinoa, millet, amaranth, farro, wild rice, and, yes, buckwheat.

When Agatha mentioned buckwheat, it just so happened that as I reached into my pantry for the oats I wanted for breakfast, oats which I hadn’t used in forever, I found, hiding behind it, a full, unopened bag of buckwheat my mother gave to me a few months ago! Score! Mothers know, you know? They prepare you for your life if you’re willing to listen, which, sadly, most of the time I am not.

Basic Buckwheat Recipe

3-4 servings

1 cup buckwheat

2 cups water
dash salt

Add contents into a pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce to a simmer. Leave for about 15 minutes.

Sara's Buckwheat Magic!

2 servings

1 cup Basic Buckwheat recipe
oil (I used Coconut Oil, but EVOO or Grapeseed would be great)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 extra firm tofu package, frozen and then thawed
½ to full can black beans, drained, washed
some broccoli, chopped
some mushrooms, chopped
some organic grape tomatoes, cut in halves
red wine vinegar, to your liking
salt/black pepper, to your liking

juice and zest of a whole lemon
AMAZING option: thick yogurt like lebneh to top!

Prep:

TOFU
At least 2 or more days in advance, freeze your tofu package. You heard me. My friend Aaron Simms of the highly-reputable-but-with-us-no-longer L.A. Veggie Sausage Cart and of Southwest Adventures, taught me this trick, and it has forever changed my attitude towards plain old tofu -- I love it! OK after it’s completely frozen, put it in the fridge to thaw. When it’s thawed out, open the package, drain, and then wrap up the tofu in a clean towel or a few paper towels, and squeeze out excess water. What you have left is this amazingly spongy, easy to work with, meaty texture. My freezer is always stocked with tofu in case I want to use it, which is often. Chop up the tofu any way you like.

BLACK BEANS
Either cook dry beans (much better) or be lazy like me and use the canned variety. I usually get organic from Trader Joe’s. If canned, drain the bean water. Rinse. Rinsing is important because the water has way too much sodium for any healthy human being to consume all at once.
VEGETABLES
I used broccoli, grape tomatoes, and mushrooms simply because that’s all I had in my fridge. Use whatever you like, but I recommend the grape tomatoes because the juices make the dish better! Chop them up coarsely.

FINALLY, the Directions:

Step 1: Put about 1 tsp oil in an iron skillet or nonstick pan and set to medium-high heat. Throw in the garlic. Wait a bit.
Step 2: Throw in the tofu and make sure to move the tofu around so each piece soaks up a tiny bit of oil. Let it cook alone a while.
Step 3: Throw in the black beans and cooked Buckwheat. Add a little more oil. Stir.
Step 4: Add vegetables and a tiny bit more oil. Add salt and pepper. Stir. Add Red Wine Vinegar -- I like quite a lot -- and stir at medium-low heat for a few minutes, until all the veggies are cooked a bit.
Step 5: Remove from heat, add lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Special Step 6: Once served, add thick yogurt! Stir and enjoy! (alas, yogurt not pictured)

Saturday Oysters + Champagne

2011-04-29T20:48:00.000-07:00

San Francisco is a dream to me. One day, in this dream, I will move to San Francisco to open my organic cafe-bakery-restaurant-art-gallery-does-it-really-honestly-matter-what-as-long-as-it-is-there-? in the City. Oh, you know this dream? Come join me under this fog cloud of joy before I wake to the layers of smog of my reality.

A couple of weeks ago, Tal and I made one of our much needed and used-to-be-more-regular trips to the Bay, where we stayed with our friends Sabrina and Morgan in their beautiful Victorian apartment with two cats, surrounded by their absolutely intoxicating creativity. They are artists in the true sense of the word and it is evident in their character and the way they live their lives. I love that. They are also damn fine in the kitchen and know where to go for good food.

When we arrived Friday evening, we were taken to the Fort Mason Off the Grid Food Truck Extravaganza. Now, I don't know about you, but I love waiting for my meal to arrive when I know it's going to be really delicious. It creates both extreme excitement as well as incredible patience. And when it finally arrives, you savor every bite slowly because you've waited and waited; you take your time and taste every flavor because you've become just a tad bit crazy from the hunger. Needless to say, Tal and I waited in line for over an hour to place our order for the famous Senor Sisig burritos and then another twenty or thirty minutes for our order to be ready. And it was worth it. When we met up with our hosts, we were greeted with a chocolate coconut creme brulee from the Creme Brulee Man, and oh my goodness I love San Francisco.

Saturday, as we were told upon arrival, was Sabrina and Morgan's ritual Saturday Oysters + Champagne day. Before any other events in the day until Oysters + Champagne in the early evening, we would need to pick up the Hog Island Oysters from the Saturday Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, as well as all the necessary ingredients for Sabrina's cilantro-jalapeno oyster dressing (SO good) and dinner, as oysters are more of a lunch or supper.

Le gang at the Farmers Market pausing for a Blue Bottle break.

When we met up again in the early evening, this is what happened:

Sabrina shucking the oysters, she is mighty mighty.

The cilantro-jalapeno sauce!

Are you serious? Isn't this guy adorable?

Coolest

Apartment

Ever. (Drawing by Sabrina Simmons)

Ta-dah! And yay Erin joined us!

Thanks Morgan for taking one of me!

So, folks, the moral of the story is Oysters + Champagne are the only way to enjoy a Saturday. And possibly life in general. Especially when your friends make it for you and they know what they're doing. Word.

More about the SF food we enjoyed that weekend in the next post...

On Chicago and Cookies...

2010-10-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

There was the time early this summer I spent in Chicago. Mostly it was Ari who cooked for me, or we'd find ourselves at restaurants like the Chicago Diner; but, at some point, I'm not sure when, I made some pretty killer vegan chocolate chip cookies.

Crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside – the only kind of chocolate chip cookie for me. We had them for dessert. That was the day Ari had made the incredible Veganomicon Jambalaya – ooh la la! Oh, and for those of you who simply refuse to try anything vegan – quelle dommage! – I'm sure butter is a wonderful substitute for the Earth Balance. Although, I would just like to point out, while we're on the subject, that one does not need to be vegan to eat vegan, oui?

Jambalaya dinner with Ari and David in their Chicago apartment.

Vegan – Gasp! -- Chocolate Chip Cookies

inspired by a plethora of vegan chocolate chip
cookie recipes over the course of the year

ingredients

5 tbsp Earth Balance

½ cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp water

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup oat flour (I use Bob's)

1/2 tsp organic baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Bowl #1: Earth Balance, sugar, vanilla. Mix well. Add water. Mix well.

Bowl #2: Flour, salt, baking powder. Mix well.

Slowly and in batches, add the contents of Bowl #2 into Bowl #1. Mix well.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop cookie dough onto baking sheet.

Bake for about 15 minutes.

Let sit for a minute or two before transferring to cooling rack.

Fresh Ginger Cake; OR, Sometimes I'm My Mother

2010-07-27T22:13:00.000-07:00

My mother, since I've known her, has always been a very spontaneous woman. One morning, when I was probably in junior high, parked in front of school with my brothers -- we were all a year and a half apart, with yours truly smack dab in the middle -- my mother casually decided that Instead of school today were are going to Magic Mountain, how does that sound? Incredible, of course. Don't get me wrong, she's the most stable woman you will ever meet. She sat with me when I was sick, scared, bored, or needed help with math homework. She made me go to school even on organized ditch days; in fact, I had perfect attendance in high school. You see, it is such stability which makes her spontaneity even more spontaneous -- you would never expect these things from this sweet little woman, now would you? This, I am certain, is how she came to have so many skills and hobbies. Anything with her hands, those restless hands: gardening, or sewing, or fixing the plumbing, or installing shelves, or reorganizing the entire garage just because, or, more importantly, creating delicious delicious meals and desserts.

My mom very rarely uses recipes. She is a natural in the kitchen. Yes, even with baking! She grew up in a big family, which I'm sure is a great excuse to cook, as there is always someone around to eat what you make, probably even, if I may say so, the disasters. This is why she is able to just whip something up like a cake, out of thin air, like magic.

There were days my mother would start baking at some unreasonable hour in the morning, when the sun was still very much asleep. A mix of spontaneity and culinary desire, perhaps? They were usually bundts or loaves, with citrus flavors and cardamom and sifted confectioners' sugar on top. Each cake was consistently perfect, with the crust just a bit crispy, while the inside was fluffy, like magic. And the whole house would smell like cake. Along with two brothers, the cake would never make it through the day, or more accurately, through the morning.

I think I am like my mother in these moments. In these moments I want to bake just for the sake of baking, even if no one pays any attention to it, even if it just sits there. Alas, usually, I am fearful of baking for no one. It makes me feel lonely. It makes me feel like I should own at least ten cats. So, I usually don't. This, my dear friends, means, when it comes to cakes, which are big by nature, I rarely bake them. What a sad world, n'est-ce pas?

Last night, I decidedly ignored the usual anxiety-ridden dialogue, and was instead heavily distracted with the thought

Why doesn't my apartment smell like cake?

It's a little place, the smells will spread quickly.

I'm not yet quite like my mother, able to just whip up a cake with the ingredients in my pantry. I have to plan these things out. I have to find a recipe. And given how fickle I can be, I need to find a recipe just before I bake it, before I get a chance to change my mind. This is how it came to be that I finally attempted David Lebovitz's Fresh Ginger Cake, and, naturally, how I came to love it. As you will, too, once you decide it's okay to bake for yourself. Especially, this cake. Apparently you can keep it in the fridge for about 5 days, or better, freeze it, without losing its fluffiness! This is amazing. I had never even conceived of not eating the whole cake within the same day. What a revelation!

In keeping with the theme of my mother's bundts and loaves, which eventually I will post recipes for, I used a loaf pan for this cake pan recipe. It was perfect. I used a 9 x 5 loaf pan, in case you were wondering. Also, I do not have a proper cake pan. Details, details.

Note: I changed the ingredients from the original recipe a bit, based on what I had in my pantry. For example, I only had blackstrap molasses and preferred pumpkin spice. I will highlight the new ingredients. If you want to follow David's recipe exactly, which is probably as amazing as he is, you can find it in his book Ready for Dessert. Next time, I want to add lemon juice and zest and cardamom. I think my mother would find those ingredients to be fitting.

Fresh Ginger Cake

adapted from Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz

Ingredients:
4 oz fresh ginger
3/4 cup organic blackstrap molasses
1 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 cup organic canola oil
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup water
2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs, room temperature

Before we begin, I must say that there will be a time, after mixing some of these ingredients, that you might say to yourself, as I did, What is this goo? But trust me, this goo becomes something delicious. Do not be afraid!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, with oven rack in the middle.

Butter OR line with parchment paper a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

After measuring 4 oz, take the ginger, cut off the skin, and chop finely. I would have used a food processor, which I recommend, but I really just dislike cleaning it. So, I chopped it by hand, which is what I usually do when I have time on my hands.

Bowl #1: Mix together the molasses, sugar, and oil. Let the gooeyness commence! Don't mix in an attempt to change the gooeyness, just mix. You'll see the magic soon. Set aside.

Bowl #2: Mix the flour, pumpkin spice, black pepper. Set aside.

Magic time: Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off heat, and mix in the baking soda. POUR the hot water mixture into Gooey Bowl #1, and mix! Voila! Not so gooey anymore, huh? In fact, is it anything but beautiful?

Stir the chopped up ginger into Gooey Bowl #1.

Gradually mix Dry Bowl #2 into Gooey Bowl #1. The outcome will not be thick, it will not be gooey, but it will be something wonderful.

Now, add the eggs into Gooey Bowl #1. Mix well.

Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan, and bake for an hour -- Actually, I wish I had baked it for about 5 or so minutes longer, so the top would be magically crispy. Next time! Insert a toothpick through the center to make sure it comes out clean.

Let sit for about 30 minutes before serving this fluffy ginger magic.

I didn't have much in the way of whipped cream ingredients, but this cake really doesn't need any jazzing up. It's perfect on its own.

Tiny Kitchen Grillin in the Summertime

2010-07-22T13:36:00.000-07:00

Do you remember Slip n' Slides? Or the roll of garbage bags you used after you ripped your Slip n' Slide on a jagged rock? How about blowing bubbles? Running through the sprinklers? Paddle boats? The smell of charcoal on the barbecue? Burnt hot dogs, long before you knew what was in a hot dog and never wanted to eat one again? In other words: Summer.

It occurred to me this morning that as I get older I, perhaps, try too hard to recreate the summers of my youth. Packing a picnic at the beach. Riding a bike, and being carefree. Barbecuing everything. Ice cream. Alas, I'm a grown-up now, in my mid twenties. Who has time for rolling down grassy hills and getting green on your nice work clothes? I mean, for the desired effect, you need friends to share these moments, right? Sure, I'll give it a go alone, but it's not the same!

Yesterday I wanted that nostalgic summer so badly! I went for a carefree bike ride, until my asthma kicked me off the bike. Instead of iced tea, I started making cold-brewed coffee -- clearly adults drink coffee -- but it takes about 12 hours before you can drink it, so I didn't even get to enjoy a nice, refreshing iced-coffee on this particularly beautiful summer's day. (Actually, I'm drinking it now, the next afternoon, while writing this, and it's everything I wanted it to be... yesterday).

How does this relate to a food blog you ask? Well, it's in these very moments that food settles you, calms you, gives you peace. So, to have summer, I clearly had to eat summer. I took out my dusty George Foreman grill and started grilling everything in sight in my tiny kitchen. This is what this post is about.

This post is not only about summer nostalgia, it is about grilling in your tiny apartment, when you don't have a barbecue. It's about grilling the vegetables you got locally from your CSA and the plump tomato your roommate gave you from her father's garden. It's about grilling a sliced ripe peach for dessert, just the peach, and adding a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. This post is about the perfection in simplicity. And since I had no one to share my grilling adventures with -- as lately, without work, I am home alone quite often -- I am sharing it with you. Won't you be my friend in the sunshine?

Grilled Tofu, with Potatoes, Onions,

Bell Peppers, and Plump Tomato

serving size: one. sigh.

You will need a George Foreman Grill, 2 cutting boards,

4 paper towel pieces, and a balcony or yard.

Ingredients:

3 oz slice of tofu (extra firm, water-packed)

1/4 lb of fingerling potatoes (about 4 of them)

1/2 a yellow onion

1/2 red bell pepper

1 large, plump tomato

a couple tbsp extra virgin olive oil

a couple tbsp balsamic vinegar

juice of half a lemon

sea salt to your preference

ground black pepper to your preference

balsamic reduction to top
sliced avocados (optional)

THE VEGGIE PREP: 1. Make the marinade. In a medium sized bowl, mix in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside. 2. Slice the potatoes, onions, bell pepper however you like. Add to marinade. I don't make a lot of marinade because I'm broke and don't want to waste all my ingredients, so instead of soaking them, I just make sure to brush the marinade on the veggies, covering them completely. Let them sit in the marinade 3. Slice the tomato in half, preferably not from the top down, but from the center across. I don't know why, but I just like it that way. Brush with marinade, and let them sit in the bowl, with the rest of the veggies. THE TOFU PREP: 4. Cut a 3 oz slice of tofu from the block you purchased; that's about 1/5th of the block, or about 1/2 an inch thick. If you want a thicker slice, by all means, go for it. 5. Now, listen carefully. The tofu is wet as it has been soaking in water. You need to drain it of some of that water. No worries, there is an economic way to do this, if you can afford to spare 4 pieces of regular sized paper towel. On a cutting board, place one piece of paper towel. Place the slice of tofu on top. Wrap it up in the paper towel as best you can. Now, take another paper towel, and wrap it up from the other side. Take another cutting board, and place on top. Put some pressure on the cutting board, and squish the water out! Not too much pressure, or your tofu will look a bit misshapen. Good, good. Unwrap your tofu. Are the pieces of paper towel soaked? All of it? If there is any dry piece, re-wrap it so that it is touching the tofu. 6. Take a couple more pieces of paper towel and repeat the process, making sure to use every part of the paper towel so as not to be wasteful. Unwrap. That should be sufficient. Sure, there's still water in the tofu, but that's not a bad thing. Do not put the tofu in the marinade, or it won't grill the same. You will do that when it's done grilling. THE GRILLING: 7. Turn on the Foreman Grill. Place that little plate in it's appropriate spot, just in case. Wait about a minute. Start with the tofu. No need to oil the grill. Leave it on for about 6 to 8 minutes. Place it on your plate. Pour the marinade on top. Drizzle with balsamic reduction. 8. Now place the potato, onion, and bell pepper slices evenly on the grill. About 10 to 12 minutes. Place on top of your tofu. 9. Now, grill the tomato halves, only for about 3 to 4 minutes. Place on top of everything. Drizzle some balsamic glaze, et voila! 10. Eat outside in the sunshine with a cold beer or iced tea.

Grilled Peaches for Dessert
serves one. again.

ingredients: 1 peach, 1 scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
directions: slice em' and grill em', top em' with ice cream

and introducing...

My Tiny Kitchen

Birthday Potluck Picnic!

2010-07-19T16:14:00.000-07:00

We gathered together in the kitchen all morning, cooking, baking, assembling; all for such a special person on his very own birthday! Oh how I love picnics in the summer time. It feels nostalgic. It reminds me of my childhood. On this special birthday we sat on blankets in the sunshine, smiling like children. While sharing food with friends, which, of course, makes the food just taste better.

The Menu:

Aaron's Mushroom & Spinach Quiche

My Sesame Broccoli Salad

Laura's Cherry Sauce with Yogurt

Dory's Hamantaschens!

My Peach Plum Crisp with Ice Cream

And our adorable neighborhood cats made sure to join us as well.

Happy Birthday, My Love...

Baba's Mecklemeh

2010-05-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

Growing up, my mother did most of the cooking. I didn't have any other friends who had a home cooked meal as often as I did. Sometimes I would even get jealous -- and obviously confused! -- when all my friends at school had frozen TV dinners and I didn't! Of course, this was remedied the day my mom took me and my brothers shopping for frozen dinners to stop our whining, the day we realized we had been wrong.

On rare occasions, my father would cook. It was usually on lazy Saturday mornings, after the decent cartoons had finished. He had his specialties, usually Iraqi versions of traditional Middle Eastern dishes. Every region has its own unique cooking methods, and as desperately as it is attempted, not one of these regions can claim these dishes as originally their own. So when I think of Iraqi food and Iraqi methods, I think of the words hearty and meaty. With that said, my father usually made something very hearty and very meaty for our lazy Saturday breakfasts. But what happens when you decide to eat a primarily vegetarian diet, and yet still want to experience the nostalgia of your childhood?! Well, obviously, you get creative and recreate those dishes! So, here is my vegetarian take on

Baba's Mecklemeh

serves about 4

[Disclaimer: I have to warn you, when I cook I don't usually use specific measurements. I add according to what I like, so you'll have to forgive me for such measurements as "quite a bit of" and "plenty." I tried to guess the measurements, but really you just have to feel it out. It's definitely worth a try, though! Good luck!]

Ingredients:

quite a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil for sauteing (EVOO)

about 1 cup of veggie ground beef (or organic ground beef)

2 red and green bell peppers, chopped

spicy: add 1-2 Serrano peppers, chopped

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

plenty of ground black pepper to taste

salt to taste

juice of half a lemon, maybe some more

28 oz can of diced tomatoes

4 eggs

crumbled feta to top, I prefer Bulgarian feta

1. Heat plenty of oil in a skillet over medium high.
2. First toss in the onions, peppers. Mix around a bit, then add the black pepper and salt. Mix some more for a few minutes until onions are soft. Add the garlic. Mix.
3. Next, add the veggie meat. Mix some more. Taste. If it needs more black pepper, then add to your liking. Otherwise, let sit a minute or so. Veggie meats cook quickly. If you feel you need more EVOO, pour some over now and mix.

4. Then add the canned diced tomatoes, with the juice. If it looks too thick, perhaps the veggie meat absorbed too many tomato juices, then add some water until it looks more like a stew. You won't need to add more than 1/4 cup to 1/2 a cup of water, if this happens. Reduce heat to medium. Taste. Do you need more salt? Add. Like lemon juice? Add some and mix. Cover, and let sit about 5 minutes.
5. Crack 4 individual eggs over the mix, making sure to space them away from each other. You do not want to mix the eggs, you are aiming for a poached egg outcome. Sprinkle some salt and pepper. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit maybe two minutes. You don't want to overcook the eggs! Where's the fun in that? I ended up only having two eggs in my fridge which explains the photo at the top of the page!
6. Remove from stove. Serve in the skillet! Top it with feta, parsley, and some extra lemon juice (if you want!)
7. Serve with bread, lebneh, and cucumber/tomato salad if you want to accurately relive my childhood!

Babycakes Raspberry Scones

2010-05-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I met up with a good friend Downtown. We ran around the city, picking up a couple of espressos from Groundworks, eating yummy ramen at Orochon, and finally paying a visit to the newly-opened Babycakes NYC in Los Angeles. It's a really sweet and friendly little shop that smells like heaven. They are known for their vegan and gluten-free baked goods, which is not at all obvious from the taste and smell. And they serve Stumptown coffee. So good. And, now, thanks to my roommate, we can test out some recipes from their cookbook!

What did I choose, you ask? Raspberry Scones. I know, not the most interesting recipe I could have chosen, but, hey, they were pretty damn good! You see, it all started this morning when I woke up craving an English muffin. Well, really, I just wanted something to put some lebneh and strawberry preserves atop. After having had the English muffin, I decided what I really wanted was a scone for the lebneh and strawberry preserves.

To be completely honest, these are not the kinds of scones I like most. My favorite scones are small, tiny almost, perfectly round, warm and fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside. My favorite scones are always served with double devon cream and lemon curd. But sometimes you don't want what you always want, oui? Sometimes you want something else. Sometimes you want big fat scones with fruit in them so that you have more surface area to spread lebneh and strawberry preserves. Mmm. Thank you Edith for the homemade strawberry preserves. It worked out perfectly.

Raspberry Scones

adapted from Babycakes*

DISCLAIMER: THIS RECIPE CONTAINS SPELT
& IS NOT GLUTEN-FREE!

Ingredients:

2 cups whole spelt flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup coconut oil, plus more for brushing

1/3 cup agave nectar, plus more for brushing

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup hot water

1 cup fresh raspberries or blueberries

Preheat oven 350F. Place parchment paper on baking pan. Only one bowl for this one! In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt. Then add coconut oil, agave, vanilla. Keep stirring, it's supposed to look like that! Then add the hot water and mix (you'll see how it changes the texture -- like a science experiment!). Then fold in the raspberries or blueberries until spread out in the batter.

The scones won't expand too much in the oven, so make them as big as you'd like, as long as you give them about an inch apart. Brush the tops with coconut oil, and bake in center rack for about 15 or 20 minutes, until golden. When done, brush agave nectar on top of each, and then let them sit for at least 15 minutes to cool.

*Vanilla Frosting was adapted from Babycakes by Erin McKenna. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers NY 2009.

Valentine's Day Picnic

2010-02-28T10:26:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day was wonderful. There was no way I was going to top my beau's escapades from last year, so a surprise picnic would have to suffice. I labored in my kitchen the night before, and packed an actual picnic basket -- checkers, flaps, and all. He had no idea. We drove to Griffith Park, all the while, his stomach grumbling, he is thinking we are going hiking. Finally, we park, pop the trunk, and, lo and behold, a picnic basket full of lovely picnic-like things! I'm glad he was starving, otherwise, he may not have been as excited.

The Picnic Basket: 

Strawberry Spinach Salad with candied walnuts, goat cheese rolled in various herbs, with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette
Quinoa-Pasta Salad with arugula, halved grape tomatoes, chopped carrots, green onions, cukes, and radishes, dried cranberries, with the homemade balsamic vinaigrette
Heirloom Tomato Tarts in Parmesan Crust
Dark Chocolate Truffles, some rolled in dark cocoa, others rolled in ground coconut (RECIPE BELOW!)

There is something wonderfully delicious about eating salads and tiny tarts and drinking water outdoors on a beautifully sunny day. Hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day -- not that I'm promoting a Hallmark holiday... Rephrase: Hope everyone had a lovely day!

Chocolate Truffles

adapted from The Vegan Table*

Ingredients

1 8 ounce container nondairy (or dairy) cream cheese

3 cups powdered sugar

3 cups dark chocolate chips, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

coconut or cocoa powder

In a blender: mix cream cheese until fluffy. Then add the powdered sugar thoroughly, adding a little at a time. Now add the melted chocolate and vanilla until blended well. Transfer the mix to a bowl, cover, and let sit in the fridge for about an hour or longer. When ready, start rolling them into truffle size balls with your hands. And, if you want, roll them in the coconut or cocoa powder or whatever your heart desires! I ground up the coconut flakes in my coffee grinder.

* Chocolate Truffles adapted from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. Published by Fair Winds Press, 2009.

Lebneh: A Love Story

2010-01-30T13:16:00.000-08:00

In bread. On eggs. With honey. And tomatoes. A spoonful here. A spoonful there. Lebneh is quite possibly my favorite food in the whole world. It was introduced to me at a very young age by my mother. I have this memory, a picture my brothers drew of me completely covered in lebneh. It was one of those Quinten Blake-esque drawings, like the ones in The Twits. You know, the one with Mr. Twit's messy beard and all the arrows pointing to all the little particles stuck in it. There was a drawing of me just like that. I was notorious for putting this creamy deliciousness on the strangest of things.

tomatoes, avocado, salt & pepper atop lebneh smothered toast

What is lebneh, you ask? Oh, let me tell you. A unique gift of the Middle East. A yogurt. Unlike any yogurt. A strained yogurt. It is strained of all excess water, and thus becomes extremely thick and creamy. Almost like cream cheese or maybe sour cream, but still with that wonderfully tangy yogurty taste. Think about it. Cream cheese can be put on bread, topped with honey, made into a cake, or even spread inside a tomato sandwich. And sour cream can go on eggs and meats and all sorts of things. Well, lebneh can act as both, and more. Even as a fluffing agent for muffins and cakes.

lebneh baked into banana-espresso muffins

Lebneh has become much easier to find in the last few years, but, before this sudden emergence, the only way to gain access to such joy was to make it yourself. Thankfully my mother would make it. Regularly. There was always lebneh in my house, growing up. Now, living on my own, I can easily go to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's or Jons to pick some up, BUT what I have noticed is that not one of these places carries organic lebneh.

Not a single one. Not even Whole Foods. Shame.

lebneh tart. that's right.

This is what brings me to my mother's house for two days. To finally learn how to make lebneh. It's a 2 day process, but definitely worth it. I used organic whole milk, with organic low fat plain yogurt as my starter. Usually low fat yogurt is frowned upon, but I was in a hurry upon making my purchases. It turned out really spectacular, regardless. You simply use these two ingredients. Let the milk boil, then remove from heat. When it's warm, add the yogurt. Put it in the fridge overnight. The next day, place a large piece of cheesecloth in a straining bowl, add the mixture, and allow to drain until thick. Et voila! Lebneh. And now you, too, can do whatever you want with it!

lebneh-agave frosting atop ginger cupcakes

Just trust me on this one.

Quick Note

2010-01-12T20:41:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to quickly let you, my possible three readers, know that I have not abandoned you! I have simply been re-adjusting to my work schedule, post winter break. In fact, I have purchased every ingredient on the Healthy Staple-Ingredients List, and have already begun baking and cooking wonderful organic delights! When I get a chance, I will share in detail. For now...

Baked Sweet Potato Falafel

Improvised Orange Honey Coconut Cranberry Granola!

Kitchen Revamping Day (Before)

2010-01-06T23:35:00.000-08:00

Have you ever read The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus? I'm trapped within its pages these days -- part of my Read-More-Books-Than-Last-Year goal, among others. So, it begins with an emphasis on this idea that, to deserve respect, one must not only preach personal philosophy, one must live it. Camus doesn't actually claim this thought as original, as I don't, but he puts it out there, regardless, so that his readers are aware that he is serious about this. And I want you to know. I am serious about this, too. I am so serious about this. About changing my life, and eating healthy, organic, fresh, local foods. About cooking most meals, and trying new ingredients and attempting uncharted recipes. I am so serious about this.

This year has to be different for me. I just don't think I can stand another year of waiting for life to really start. Year after year after year... I am finally really ready to do something about this.

And so, here we are.

Cleaning out the kitchen.

Together.

If I'm going to, as Camus reminds us, "live what I preach," then I simply cannot be cooking with some of the ingredients I have in my kitchen. I'm not here to pretend about eating healthier. I don't want to lie to you. I don't want to lie to myself. And so, tomorrow morning, I am going shopping. For groceries. For healthy kitchen staples. My guide? Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Foods.

Earlier today, when I finally forced myself out of my apartment for some sunshine, I found myself at my favorite used bookstore. And lo and behold, a perfect copy of Heidi Swanson's book for only $7.50! In perfect condition. This was all very pleasing. I've already finished it, and am completely inspired. And I have put together a list of Healthy Staple-Ingredients for my kitchen. Not including immediate perishables. Outside of this list, I will be frequently trying new and interesting ingredients, as long as they are organic, whole, fresh, and so on. I realize this is ambitious at this hour, but what can I say, I'm trying. I'll keep you posted about updates. I expect to grow out of this initial list.

Sara Leana's List of 

Healthy Staple-Ingredients 2010

1. Organic Sea Salt. And a grinder. 

2. Organic Peppercorn. And a mill. 

3. Organic spices, in small quantity.

Throw out anything over a year old. 

4. Organic Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

5. Organic White Whole Wheat Flour

6. Farmers' Market Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Must be local to avoid pesticides. 

7. Organic Coconut Oil

8. Organic Flaxseed or Hemp Oil

9. Organic Agave Nectar

10. Organic Blackstrap Molasses

11. Organic Raw Cane Sugar OR Muscovado

OR Barbados OR Demerara OR Turbinado

12. Local Organic Honey 

13. Organic Maple Syrup

14. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar 

15. Organic Red Wine Vinegar

16. Organic Soy Sauce or Shoyu

17. Organic Butter

18. Organic Grains: Brown Rice,

Quinoa, Bulgar, Oats, Amaranth
Organic Aluminum Free Baking Powder
Organic Aluminum Free Baking Soda
Organic Vanilla Extract
Organic Legumes: Lentil, Garbanzo Beans
Organic Tahini (Sesame Paste)
Organic Walnuts, Pine Nuts

Notes:

Refrigerate flours, oils, and grains OR keep in a cool, dark place. They apparently do not have the shelf life that we always thought! At some point, I plan on purchasing mason jars for the flours and grains in order to refrigerate. And I will attempt to buy from bulk in order to control the amount, so that I do not overstock and see it all go to waste.

Wish me luck!

Happy New Year

2010-01-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

Fresh Start Breakfast: Bob's Red Mill 5 Grain Hot Cereal in vanilla almond milk, with frozen organic wild blueberries, walnuts, and ground cardamom.

Like most people, I love a new year. I have so many intentions and ideas, which, for some reason, seem to have more achievability January 1st than they do December 31st. And, of course, like most people, I always intend to become healthier.

What a Healthier Year Means to Me:

Eating more organic, fresh, whole, and in-season foods
Cooking most meals, with an emphasis on organic/in-season produce, whole grains, and legumes.
Spending more time being active outdoors (hiking, biking, walking...)
Enjoying more meals and activities with friends and family
Making an effort to reduce anxiety (writing, yoga, meditation, laughter...)
Spending more time on hobbies than on the job...

Here's to Quality of Life in 2010 -- Chin-chin!

A Home-Cooked Italian Dinner

2009-12-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

Let me tell you, I am a perfectionist. Yes. I have plenty of issues, and being a perfectionist is one of them. When I set out to learn new things, I assume that I will be an expert immediately. Obviously, I let myself down very often. Will it always be this way? Perhaps I will grow out of it. Regardless, tonight I make my first marinara sauce that, although tastes pretty good, is definitely not the right consistency. Oh the woes of being a perfectionist. It doesn't stop us from eating it, of course.

Tonight I cook dinner for my beau. An elegant Italian dinner. It is actually a joy to cook as I don't rush anything, even the grocery shopping. I start cooking two hours in advance, and take my time; pouring myself a glass of red wine (or two or three), enjoying the way the onion feels as I slice into it with a ceramic knife. A point I've been trying to make for myself, in general, is to fully experience the world around me. Too often am I far too anxious to enjoy something as wonderful as cooking and eating dinner. I usually rush through the cooking process, rush through the eating, and then when it's all over I hardly noticed it even happened. This is definitely not how I intend to live the rest of my life. I intend on noticing all the ingredients: smelling the uncut lemon as though it were my beau's skin; feeling the water touch my hands as I run carrots under the faucet; listening to the sound tomatoes make as I squish out the seeds. And perhaps in using food, something I love so much, as the focus of this meditation, the ideals will spread throughout the rest of my life. Let's hope.

The Menu: Fritos, Bruschetta, Fresh Linguine with Marinara Sauce, Affagato, and a bottle of red wine.
The Music: Louis Armstrong

First, there is the bruschetta, as it needs to sit at room temperature for about an hour in its own deliciousness to be all that which it is: glorious. Oh, I can't even explain the beauty of this bruschetta. It begins with a recipe, but is changed in proportions according to the flavors I enjoy most. Of course, I taste it along the way in order to know where I am headed. I really suggest you do the same. Before I post further, I want to mention that I believe it is the quality of the ingredients that make this meal, or any meal, and that simplicity is key. These very basic ingredients have so much flavor on their own. And while we're on the topic, I do actually believe the magic is indebted to a particular extra virgin olive oil, one Miss Olave Organic from Chile bottled in May of this year, the one with red hot peppers and cumin and cilantro infused into it...

Glorious Bruschetta (for 2 or 3)

3 organic ripe roma or heirloom tomatoes, diced
(squish out the seeds and excess water)

about 1/4 cup organic pearl red onion (about 6 pearls), diced

4-5 cloves organic garlic, minced

a large handful of fresh basil from my plant, chopped

about a tbsp or so of balsamic vinegar

quite a bit of the magic olive oil

quite a bit of salt/pepper

All you have to do is mix it all together, and then let sit. At this point, since I am a visual perfectionist, I slice the sourdough baguette into 10 one-inch thick slices. I live in Los Angeles, so I purchase the bread from La Brea Bakery. I don't butter and toast the bread until just before dinner, but simply place them on a pretty plate next to the bowl of soaking magic. This way, I feel as though I've accomplished something, and it encourages me to continue cooking at my own pace.

Next, the marinara sauce. Although I don't follow the recipe exactly, I do not remember just what creative licenses I take except the addition of fresh thyme and oregano, the use of organic diced tomatoes instead of crushed, and the extreme frugality of olive oil. The marinara sauce takes a good hour.

As I stream Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie the day prior -- the episode which inspires my craving for an Italian dinner -- I come across a very easy recipe for fricos. It's oh so simple. Three ingredients: 1 cup freshly grated parmesan, 1 tbsp flour, ground pepper to taste. Mix ingredients. Bake for ten minutes at 375.

Fifteen minutes before the marinara is "ready," I boil a pot of water, salt, and oil for the pasta. It is my first experience with fresh pasta instead of dry. It has a wonderful, creamy texture in comparison, and only takes three minutes of boiling. My beau and I notice, however, that it is much too hearty, eggy, and overbearing for the marinara sauce. As I am shopping, hours earlier, I want spaghetti, I crave spaghetti, but the Whole Foods nearest me only carries linguine and fettuccine. Perhaps things would be different with spaghetti? They always are.

Oh how I love cooking for my beau, he is so enthusiastic about food! By the time we get through dinner, I notice I have had half a bottle of wine! It's okay, I'm on vacation.

Dessert. Oh, dessert. Affogato. Gelato with espresso. Ingenious. My beau makes the espresso with the espresso machine -- there are seven ways to make coffee in my apartment -- and I serve up two cafe saucers full of Talenti's Toasted Almond Gelato. We pour the fragrant espresso over the luscious gelato, and enjoy while watching... The Cutting Edge. Didn't expect that one, did ya?

I forgot to take a photo of the affogato,

so I was forced to make another one the next morning!

An Introduction

2009-12-23T09:24:00.000-08:00

Dear Foodies,

"Mon petit chou," a French term of endearment, translates as "my little cabbage." I think it's fitting here. Well, the cabbage part at least. Mon Petit Chou is written and photographed by me, Sara Leana, a student of food. Albeit a very new, unschooled one. My goal for this food blog is three fold: to learn about food -- seriously, what is an heirloom tomato?; to learn to cook and bake the basics -- pie crust, anyone?; and, to remember what it is I love about... eating. There will be a focus on local, in-season, organic foods. I figure that sharing this will not only help others who are in a similar semi-amateur position, but allow those who are experienced to chime in and help out. Not to mention, this sort of forum will finally force me to do that which I have been thinking about for years, but never quite mustered the commitment. If you're out there reading, thanks.

fondly,

juicy persimmons @ the hollywood farmers' market