Eat Real Food

Coconut Cashew Squash Curry

2012-01-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

As of yesterday, I am now on a "Nutritional Cleanse" which means I am having 2 smoothies a day and one healthy meal. It is similar to Dr. Unger's "Clean" but instead of using his products I am using Designs for Health Paleo-Cleanse. So far so good.

My one meal yesterday was this incredible Squash Curry. I found the recipe in Sunset magazine but altered it because the final fat count was 48 grams per serving. I am not fat phobic. I am probably too liberal with olive oil. I turn my nose up at low fat and fat free diary products and fake low calorie cheeses and products. However, I have two exceptions to my dislike of low fat/ non fat foods: yogurt and coconut milk. So, unless you are some really big muscular dude or a naturally thin person with a fast metabolism and are doing intense cardio for an hour a day 5 or more days a week, you do not need to eat 48 grams of fat in one meal. Or at least I don't. It doesn't matter how healthy the food I eat is, if I eat too much of it I will gain weight.

So I nixed the full fat coconut milk and substituted low fat coconut milk and chicken broth. The other substitutions I made for this recipe were: delicata squash instead of pumpkin, a small handful cashews per serving instead of a 1/4 cup, brown rice instead of white rice, and I added mint.

This is amazing when cleansing because it tastes so decadent it almost feels like you are eating some sort of a desert.

Feel free to make it more fattening if you fall into one of the categories mentioned above.

Coconut Cashew Curry

1 1/2 qts. peeled, 1 1/2-in. chunks pumpkin or other orange-fleshed squash (from a 3-lb. squash) (I used Delicata)

About 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided (I used olive)

1 onion, halved and cut into half-moons

1 or 2 red or green serrano chiles, minced

1 cinnamon stick (2 1/2 in. long)

20 fresh curry leaves* or 6 dried bay leaves

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 can (14.5 oz.) coconut milk ( I used low fat and some chicken broth)

1 cup salted roasted cashews (I sprinkle a few per serving on top)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Steamed basmati rice (I used brown)

1. Sprinkle pumpkin with 1/2 tsp. salt. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown half the pumpkin in oil, turning once, 6 to 8 minutes; reduce heat if pumpkin starts getting dark. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with 1 tbsp. oil and remaining pumpkin.

2. Heat remaining 1 tbsp. oil meanwhile in another large frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until deep golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer half to the nonstick frying pan and reserve other half in a bowl.

3. Add chiles, cinnamon, and curry leaves to onion in pan. Cook, stirring often, until curry leaves are very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add turmeric, cumin, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Return pumpkin to nonstick frying pan (with onion) and add coconut milk. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer until pumpkin is tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in cashews and lemon juice, and add more salt to taste. Top curry with reserved onion and serve with rice. Add fresh herbs like mint and cilantro and basil.

Turkey Chili

2012-01-15T09:40:00.000-08:00

For the last few days my head was in a three-pronged vice pressing on my eye, the back of my neck and the side of my head, i.e. I had a heinous migraine. It was one of the worst ones I've had in a long time. I had to close the blinds, get under the covers and close my eyes for much of the last 2 days. I felt it coming on but did not want to take immitrex because surely heavy-duty migraine meds are not really "cleansing". Big mistake. I should know better. Because once those buggers get a hold of you, they don't let go. By the time I gave in and took the drugs the migraine had taken hold of me and the drugs made only enough of a dent in the pain that I could actually sleep. Despite being drugged up and still in pain I was luckily not too nauseous and still managed to eat leftover beans and some wild rice and roasted cauliflower and a few smoothies over the last few days.

When it was all over, and I was hung-over from the meds and certain that I was basically back at square one in terms of cleansing because now my liver was presented with the task of removing 400mg of toxic brain numbing and delirium inducing drugs from my system, I was craving something SUBSTANTIAL. Like perhaps a hang-over breakfast with eggs and cheese and bread and bacon. But I decided to press on and stay away from all or nothing thinking, which has been my downfall on many occasions, particularly when it comes to health and fitness goals. I used to (briefly) be a runner and afterwards, if I wasn't running 1 hour a day, 5 days a week, it wasn't exercise. If I was dieting it wasn't successful unless I was 100% perfect and was practically starving myself. If I caved in then I'd say forget it "I'LL START MONDAY” and then proceed to pig out or sit on my ass rather than make some less ambitious but still worthwhile effort.

So in the spirit of abandoning these self-defeating and ridiculous ideas I have pressed on. I decided turkey chili was substantial yet would still work on the cleanse, so decided to update my old version of chili, which includes 12 ounces of beer, yogurt, cheese, and tortillas. I wanted to add a depth of flavor that I would lose without the beer so decided to add more flavor via spices. I went with cocoa powder and cinnamon. I replaced the cheese and yogurt and tortilla with radishes and lime juice. Thinly sliced radishes with lime and salt are one of my favorite snacks. A friend’s mom introduced me to this super simple yet very surprisingly satisfying combo. She had it at the Mexico City airport, of all places.

After all of this I got a text from a friend of mine who is an AMAZING chef who is opening a restaurant in Santa Monica called Tar and Roses. I have been eating and loving his food since the late 90's when he was the chef at Axe when it first re-opened on Abbot Kinney. His text said, simply, "soft opening tonight, let me know if you can make it." There was no way I was going to miss this because of a cleanse. Once I got there I realized because it was a soft opening and they were just serving appetizers I was not going to be able to "order" something cleanse friendly. So I just ate whatever glorious creations they brought me. And I had a glass of wine. And today I won’t have wine or tuna conserve with aioli or blue cheese with honeycomb and bread or foie gras topped with yuzu jam. And I won't feel guilty and my cleanse isn't ruined. So there.

TURKEY CHILI

2 pounds ground turkey

2 onions, diced

1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1 tbs olive oil

3 tbs chili powder

2 bay leaves

1 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

1.5 tsp kosher salt

1.5 tsp. oregano

1.5 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

to garnish:

avocado, thinly sliced radish, cilantro, chopped green onion, lime

Saute onions in the olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add turkey and break up with a spoon until no longer pink. Stir all spices and bay leaves into onions. Add tomatoes and their juices and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve with toppings.

Shrimp, Beans, and Kale with Herb Pesto

2012-01-12T14:05:00.001-08:00

Day four and I have a hideous detox headache that has officially morphed into a migraine. This is part of why when I detox I prefer going to We Care Spa. I mean who wouldn't want to cleanse at a swanky spa where all temptation is removed and all that is required of you is to manage to make it your afternoon massage and to drink a variety of juices and teas and concoctions that are all pretty much pre-made for you? I never get bad headaches there- maybe a mild one every now and then, but nothing like today. Part of the reason is because at We Care you get colonics everyday. So many toxins are coming out of your system that if you don't help your body get rid of them they can build up and give you detox symptoms. We Care is like detoxing virtually symptom free. The opposite of symptom free We Care bliss is the Master Cleanse - I have never felt like such shit in my entire life. If you have any kind of heavy metal toxicity (which I have) and you do the Master Cleanse you will pretty much be in hell.

Despite my migraine I managed to make this for lunch. I used the beans I had put in the freezer from day one. I lightly boiled some kale, then added it to a pan with a little olive oil, garlic and red chili flakes. Then I added the beans to heat them through. While this was going I sauteed some really amazing big fat shrimp from Santa Monica Seafood in a bit of olive oil. I drizzled some of the tahini dressing I made earlier this week over the greens and beans then topped with the shrimp and a little bit of pesto I had made last night. I had a bunch of herbs (parsley, cilantro, and basil) and some pepitas so I toasted the pepitas and put them in a food processor with the herbs, olive oil, juice of one lime, salt and a clove of garlic. I didn't measure anything I just went by how it looked and tasted which is something you learn to do over time, but once you have made pesto once or twice from a recipe, you should have no problem winging it.

Roasted Delicata Squash and Broccoli w/ Tahini Dressing

2012-01-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

Day three of a cleanse and dealing with unreasonable people and workers pounding on your windows to remove them from the walls do not mix well so I will keep this brief. This is what I had for dinner last night. Had leftover squash and broccoli with tahini and brown rice for breakfast and a smoothie for lunch. Today I miss my toxins and if I hadn't already announced to the world that I was on a cleanse I just might have made up some excuse that it's too hard to cleanse and have all the windows in your house replaced, or maybe I should do this next week or whatever. So this is working. Bah Humbug....

Roasted Broccoli and Delicata Squash with Tahini Dressing

mixed greens

1 head broccoli florets

2 delicata squash peeled, seeded and sliced into 1/2 rounds

1/2 cup tahini

grated zest and juice from one lemon

1 minced garlic cloves

3 tbs olive oil

2/3 cup water

1-2 teaspoons smoked spanish paprika

(taste first after 1 tsp and if you want add more- also if you don't have smoked spanish paprika you can add 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/2 tsp regular paprika)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

On a baking sheet toss squash, broccoli, 1 tbs olive oil, and salt

Roast veggies until soft

In the meantime puree in a blender all other ingredients to make Tahini dressing.

Take greens, top with veg, drizzle with 1/4 cup tahini dressing.

Save the rest of the dressing for salads throughout the week- lasts for 1 week.

Saffron Marinated Chicken, Quinoa with Asparagus Puree & Esalen Kale Salad

2012-01-10T08:48:00.000-08:00

My mother hates vegetables. I have to continually disguise and otherwise alter vegetables to get her to eat them. She is pretty much like a kid when it comes to food. She knows veggies are good for her but would rather eat a doughnut or a cookie. If you have kids or adults who eat like kids (sugar obsessed, don't like vegetables) here is a trick. Take the soup I made yesterday with cabbage and beans- put it in a blender with a hunk of feta cheese and puree it. Add some homemade croutons by cutting up some whole grain bread and toasting it in a pan with some olive oil. Voila. You just got your kids to eat cabbage.

Some people, upon discovering that a Big Mac can survive virtually unchanged for years, stop eating them (see http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/09/12-year-old-mcdonalds-hamburger-still-looking-good.html). Others like my mother or most kids don't even flinch.

Did you see that episode on Jamie Oliver's show when he showed a bunch of kids that chicken McNuggets were made with pureed chicken carcasses and nasty wobbly bits? And they were like, "EEEWWWWWWW". And then Jamie coated them in batter and fried them up and the kids still wanted to eat them? (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9B7im8aQjo&NR=1&feature=endscreen) If you can still eat a Chicken McNugget after seeing this I am concerned. You are nutritionally hosed.

My theory is that if the apocalypse were to happen and another race of beings came upon earth and out of curiosity decided to have a look at what we left behind one of the things they would find would be an old Big Mac. And they would have no idea that it was food. There would be a whole team of alien scientists trying to figure out the cultural significance and purpose of the Big Mac.

So what does all if this has to do with Saffron Chicken, Asparagus Quinoa and Esalen Kale Salad? Not much other than you should eat this and not a Big Mac.

Esalen Kale Salad

My dear friend Caz Love works in the kitchen at Esalen Institute and taught me how to make this crazy good kale salad. I added apple to it inspired by my other dear friend Jess, who makes a kick ass kale salad with apples and nuts.

Equal parts olive oil, lemon juice, and Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids (I did ¼ cup of each)

Big bunch of kale de-stemmed and cut into ribbons (I did a ½ a bag of pre-washed, pre-stemmed mixed with a bit of carrots and cabbage)

Red onion cut in half and onion thinly sliced (I did half an onion)

Toasted nut or nuts of your choice (I did pepitas)

Toast nuts over medium heat in a pan. Put the sliced onion in a bowl and cover with the lemon juice and Braggs. Let onions marinate while you massage the olive oil into the kale. Do this until the kale feels tender enough that you personally want to eat it. Then add the onions with the lemon and Bragg's mixture and toasted nuts and toss to combine.

Saffron Marinated Chicken

This is adapted form a recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi. I like it because it has so much flavor and I am pretty much obsessed with saffron.

4 chicken breasts

2 red onions, sliced

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

a generous pinch of saffron strands

juice of 1 lemon

4 tbsp cold water

2 tsp coarse sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

Marinate the chicken, onion, olive oil, ginger, cinnamon, saffron, lemon juice, water, salt and pepper in the fridge for at least one hour or overnight.

Separate the chicken and the onions. Grill the onions in a grill basket and the chicken directly over the coals or flame. Alternately, you can roast everything together, marinade and all, in the oven in a roasting dish at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.

You can also see in the photo above some roasted fennel and quinoa with asparagus puree. Asparagus puree is a recipe I never get tired of. I found it in the New York Times when it was used as the base for a pasta sauce mixed with prosciutto. During a cleanse I replaced the pasta with quinoa and omitted the ham and never looked back. Not that I don’t love pasta and ham, but this is my go-to recipe for a healthy side dish that anybody will love. It is also good for breakfast. I had some today topped with a poached egg. And by the way the Esalen Kale salad is also great in quinoa for breakfast. They serve it at Esalen every morning. Yum.

Asparagus Puree over Quinoa

2 pounds whole asparagus

1 tbs finely grated lemon rind

2 tbs reserved steaming liquid

2 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Trim asparagus by breaking stem where the tough part meets the tender. Cut just below the tip and set aside. Cut remaining tender stems into one-inch pieces. Steam for about 6 minutes, depending on thickness of stems, until quite tender, but still bright green. Remove stems and reserve steaming liquid.

2. Place stem pieces in food processor with lemon rind, olive oil, and 1 tablespoon reserved liquid. Process to a sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Using the same steamer cook asparagus tips 2-4 minutes, depending on thickness, until just until tender

Cook quinoa according to package directions.

Spoon asparagus puree over quinoa.

Top with asparagus tips.

You can also stir the sauce into the quinoa, add grated Parmesan cheese and top with toasted pine nuts.

21 Day Detox

2012-01-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

I am such a lame blogger/ luddite that it was taking me an eternity to create a new blog to post recipes from my detox so I just decided to use this one as it is already set up and Jess has a new blog anyway.

I am doing a 21 day detox. I did one this summer and I felt amazing afterwards. Bad habits do creep back, but I have found that over the years, each time I do a cleanse more good habits develop and become permanent. Also, from cleansing every year once or twice I year I have gone from being sick every 2 months in 2005 to the point where I have not been sick now since the summer of 2010!

So what am I eliminating?

alcohol

coffee

sugar

anything processed

wheat and gluten containing grains

all dairy

fatty meats

anything that is not organic, grass-fed, hormone-free, or pesticide-free

It takes a lot of planning to eat this way. The first few days sans coffee and the sweet caress of alcohol are particularly difficult, so I like to make sure I am going to be eating something really tasty. I also like to have healthy things on hand. So on Sunday I made a big batch of vegetable broth and cooked up a pot of yummy cannellini beans. I froze half of both and saved the rest for my lunch today.

I had a head of cabbage left over from my CSA basket that had been in the fridge since before New Years. It was time to eat it so I decided to make a cabbage and bean soup. I was sure to take some Beano before eating this. Being detoxy is unpleasant enough as it is I don't need to compound matters by also dealing with the ramifications of eating the two most farty foods on the planet.

Cabbage and Bean Soup

1 onion diced

2 carrots diced

2 stalks celery diced

1 head cabbage sliced

2 tomatoes diced

3 cloves garlic minced

homemade vegetable broth

cooked cannellini beans

cilantro

salt

Saute the onion, carrot and celery until softened

Add the broth, tomato and cabbage

Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are almost soft

Add beans and garlic

salt to taste

top with chopped cilantro

New Site

2011-03-10T17:16:00.000-08:00

Hi Loyal Followers,

I wanted to let you all know that I have a new website that has a blog included. Most of my posts will probably be there. I haven't decided if I am going to phase this site out yet...but definitely check out the new site and blog. Here's a link.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2011-02-08T02:03:00.000-08:00

I have loved baking since I was a teenager. Now, I try to make as many healthful substitutions as I can without compromising taste and more importantly, texture. This means, that I will use organic butter, free range eggs, organic cane sugar, honey or maple syrup instead of the bleached white stuff. But, I will never use applesauce instead of butter or eggs, I won't cut out fat to make a "healthier" baked good, because usually sacrificing the fat usually means sacrificing the flavor.

I truly believe in everything in moderation. So, if I am going to have a cookie, or a piece of cake, I want it to be the best possible version. I don't want a random mix of sugar, just for the sake of sweet. I want a quality product. Quality over quantity is my motto. Having said all of this, one of my clients recently gave me this recipe for vegan chocolate chip cookies. To be perfectly honest, I didn't have high hopes for the recipe, but I figured I would be a sport and give it a go. I was really surprised to find that these cookies were really good-not just good for a vegan cookie, but really good.

Replacing ordinary flour with oat flour and ground nuts make these cookies a good source of fiber and healthy fats (from the nuts). Maple syrup is a lot less sweet than sugar and is a lot less processed. I used dark chocolate which has some antioxidants and far less sugar than milk chocolate. Just because these cookies are healthier than traditional chocolate chips, doesn't mean you can eat six of them. Remember, everything in moderation.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1 teaspoon aluminum free baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups raw walnuts
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups rolled oats
12 ounces dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mix together oat flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and stir together.

Blend walnuts in a food processor into a fine meal. Add oil, maple syrup and vanilla and blend until the mixture has the consistency of natural nut butter.

Combine walnut mix with oat flour. Fold in two cups of rolled oats and chocolate chips.

Using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scooper or tablespoon measure, form dough into balls and place on baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly, then bake for 13-15 minutes or until cookies begin to brown.

Cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

MEATLESS MONDAY!

2011-01-24T17:50:00.000-08:00

Meatless Monday is a campaign to reduce meat consumption one day per week. According to the website, "cutting out meat once a week, we can improve our health, reduce our carbon footprint and lead the world in the race to reduce climate change." Many top restaurants are also adopting the Meatless Monday campaign. I totally support this campaign and encourage you to as well. Here's a recipe to get you started.

I love Indian food. This is my twist on one of my favorite Indian dishes, Saag Aloo. The addition of the garbanzos give this dish a protein boost making it a complete meal.

1 pound frozen chopped spinach*

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 fresh green chilli (serrano or jalapeno), minced

1 small onion, diced

3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tablespoon garam masala

2 teaspoons cayenne (optional)**

1 tablespoon oil (any flavourless)

1 cup water or stock

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon butter (optional)

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Ad the garlic, onion, green chiles and the spices.

Stir until the onions are translucent, then add potatoes. Stir until they are coated with the spices, but be careful not to let the garlic brown. If it starts to get brown, lower heat. Add frozen spinach and water or stock to the pan. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Finish with a tablespoon of butter.

* I like frozen spinach in this dish because the texture is better, in this dish than fresh and much better than baby spinach.

** We like spicy, so I add the cayenne in addition to the chiles, if you don't like heat, omit the cayenne and use only one chile

VEGGIPALOOZA

2011-01-14T17:16:00.000-08:00

Last night was a clean out the fridge type meal. I have had scraps of vegetables leftover from various clients, not enough to make their own side dish. So, I combined all the orphan veg into one happy side dish, well, two really. The first was a combo of julienned carrots, asparagus, zucchini, and of course, kale. The second was a combination of spinach, collard greens and kale that I pureed with a little cheese. The two accompanied two different main courses, one for my husband and one for me.

Normally, I am not in the habit of making separate meals, but I really wanted seafood and he is not a huge fan. Both dinners were exactly the same, with the exception of the protein. I am at the end of a two week cleanse and have been trying to incorporate way more vegetables into my meals. This was pretty quick and easy and most importantly, delicious.

BRAISED CHICKEN

2011-01-10T14:41:00.000-08:00

½ cup all purpose flour plus additional for dredging

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 chicken thighs*

4 chicken drumsticks*

4 ounces fresh chanterelle mushrooms

2 medium carrots, peeled, thinly sliced

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth

1/4 cup crème fraîche

Melt butter with oil in heavy large deep skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Cook chicken until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Add mushrooms, carrots, and shallots to skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon thyme and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add wine; bring to boil. Add broth; bring to boil.

Return chicken to skillet, reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Turn chicken, cover, and simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer chicken and vegetables to platter. Whisk crème fraîche into sauce in skillet; bring to boil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon thyme, and serve.

*Legs and thigs are better suited to this recipe than breasts which have can be a little dry.

ADAPTABILITY

2011-01-05T21:02:00.000-08:00

Adaptability is, not surprisingly, the ability to adapt. I think this is an important skill when it comes to cooking. It's a good skill to have in life, in general. You might notice that a lot of my recipes are vague, or use approximates. This is because I never use recipes. Maybe I refer to them from time to time to check ingredients, or oven temp but for the most part I use recipes as merely a guide. I want you guys to realize that as well. Don't be too concerned with following a recipe to a T, sometimes, this isn't even an option. How many times have you been in the middle of making a dish and realize you are missing a major ingredient, or two? That happens to me often.

Today, I was going to make the spinach cake I posted a few weeks back for a client, along with several other recipes. I headed to Whole Foods just before I was supposed to be at the client's house and...they were out of spinach. I couldn't believe it. I guess I could have used frozen, but that would have added a couple of steps and I had a lot to cook in a short period of time. I didn't want to add any steps. Instead of freaking out, I just grabbed what looked good-mustard greens. Oh I love them so, not as much as kale, but a lot. I also picked up a few bunches of watercress. Now, this was a pretty easy substitution, but it's a good example of not being too stuck on what a recipe says. Sometimes I go to the store with a recipe in mind and they either don't have the ingredient I'm looking for or maybe the ingredient looks bad. This happens a lot, especially when it comes to fish. I stopped specifying fish when cooking for clients, instead, I buy what looks the best (of course, taking into consideration the client's likes and dislikes).

Understand that changing the ingredients, will obviously change the recipe, but that could be a good thing. A word of warning, though with the actual recipes, if you change it, make sure to write down the changes-if it's really good, you want to be able to recreate it. We can think of life as a recipe as well. We can either obsessively focus on the plan, as we see it and risk being disappointed often, or we can use the recipe as a guide making substitutions and tweaks based on the ingredients that come our way.

LONDON CALLING

2011-01-03T21:18:00.000-08:00

Ever since a trip to London nearly eight years ago, we have been obsessed with Indian food. It is our favorite!! Everyone knows that England is famous for its Indian food. When we got back from that trip we tried tons of Indian places. We found a few good ones but I really committed to making my own Indian food at home. Tonight's inspiration came from Madhur Jaffrey's book, "Quick & Easy Indian Cooking." This is a great book if you want to try some Indian recipes. They really are quick and easy and she explains all of the different ingredients commonly used. It is not intimidating and it's totally accessible for a beginning or experienced cook.

I tried out the pressure cooker that my landlord was kind enough to lend to me, for the first time tonight. I was terrified that it would explode, so I think I had the heat a little too low, but after some tinkering I think I have it down now. The urad beans went in there with some tomato, onion, mustard seeds, cumin, mint and cilantro. I love the lentils and beans in general, but I love the flavor from Indian spices. Legumes are a good source of cheap protein and also fiber-something that most of us don't get enough of from our diets. The pressure cooker is pretty cool too, so I'll have to give it another whirl this week.

I should point out that I had nearly all of the ingredients on hand, except the shrimp and I did run out of cilantro, but I chose this menu based on what was hanging around. We love spicy and this cauliflower did not disappoint. Fresh jalapenos and cayenne gave it a nice little kick, some ginger, garlic and mustard seeds rounded out the flavors.

Shrimp is always really easy to make, because it takes no time at all to cook. Simply sauté in a pan and then add a sauce that includes, tomato paste, coconut milk (full fat, none of that lite nonsense), cilantro, cumin, more chile and cayenne, garam masala and some curry leaves. Done.

So there's my home made Indian feast. I prepped all of the ingredients for each dish, then cleaned up my little mess. The actual cooking time for each dish was no longer than 15 minutes. So in less time than it would take me to pick up takeout, I had my own version on the table.

MUSHROOM SALAD, AND A BURGER

2011-01-02T21:58:00.000-08:00

I had a mushroom salad at one of my local favorite spots the other day. It was a special and it was delicious! Ever since, I have been dreaming of it, and knew that it was just a matter of time before I recreated it. The weather has been kind of miserable, not really salad weather, so I opted to make it a side and not a main course. I paired it with a grass-fed beef burger on a sprouted grain bun, which I felt was hearty enough to stand up to the pouring rain. If you'll notice, the salad really takes up most of the plate. This is the bonus to eating loads of veg, you can eat a ton of food.

Mushroom Salad
2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
4 shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/4 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 head of frisee, root end removed
1 small head of romaine or little gem lettuce, torn into pieces

olive oil
balsamic
parmesan

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, then add mushrooms. Cook until they are golden. Season with sea salt and pepper.

While mushrooms are cooking, combine the lettuces in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss. Top with cooked mushrooms and grated parmesan cheese.

New Year's Brunch

2011-01-01T11:30:00.001-08:00

Happy new year to everyone. Welcome to the first blog of the year. I am not really one to make resolutions. I mean who really sticks to them for more than a few days anyway? But, I do like to start the new year clean and healthy.

Speaking of clean, I woke up this morning, and my apartment had been cleaned during the night by a magic elf who turned out to be my husband. It was awesome. So, I thought I would make him breakfast and since I am in love with him and kale, I decided to make a kale frittata. Let me go back to kale for a minute. I love it, I really do. I should change the name of the blog to "A Love Affair with Kale" because I eat it a lot.

Frittatas are really easy to make if you have a non stick pan (which I am generally opposed to because the non stick finish is somewhat, how shall I say...toxic) or a great cast iron skillet. You can use almost any vegetable and I really recommend that you add a green vegetable as it is a great way to start your day. Simply cook the veg in your pan, then add some lightly scrambled eggs (I happened to have some milk from a recipe I made for some clients so I added a bit of that to the egg, but it is not necessary). Keep the flame low as you are adding the egg and then transfer the pan to a preheated oven (325 degrees). Cook until the egg mixture is just set.

SKIN CARE

2010-12-17T17:29:00.000-08:00

So, I rarely invest in good skin care products, which is strangely ironic given that I really advocate investing in good quality food. I really value quality over quantity in so many aspects of my life, I should know better. Using cheap shampoo means coarser hair that needs to be cut more frequently. I know all of these things, yet, I still use an organic soap to clean my face and an organic moisturizer or olive oil in it's place. It's a good start, but there is certainly room for improvement.

Last week, I was killing some time in Venice when I happened upon a "pop up shop" called the Detox something or other on Abbot Kinney. It sounded right up my alley so I went in and spent some time speaking with the owner of Odacité, an all natural skin care company. Now I should caution that many companies who claim to have "all natural" products, do not. There is no real regulation to that phrase, so approach it cautiously. But, Odacité, they are the real deal. There is no weird, chemically sounding ingredients, jut real stuff that isn't harmful. I bought a sample pack, I guess the starter kit for skin care and have fallen in love. There are no added scents, yet it smells really good, fresh and clean. I'm a new convert.

You can order this stuff online but if you live in LA, you can go for yourself to the Detox Market on Abbot Kinney, from now until the end of December.

EVENTS

2010-12-10T16:07:00.001-08:00

Tis the season for butternut squash and winter greens. It is also that time of the year when we start to consider the New Year and resolutions. If one of your New Year's resolutions is to eat better, cook more, lose weight, eat out less, or anything like that, then you should check out some of the healthy cooking classes I will be teaching at The Beverly Hills Adult School.

Detox-Healthy, Clean and Fresh Flavors

I promise, there will be no mention of green juice or weird ingredients. Tonight’s class will be an introduction to the benefits of giving the body a much needed break, especially after the gluttonous holidays. I will introduce some easy, clean and fresh recipes that not only taste good but are great for your mind and body. $25 Food fee payable to the chef in class, cash/check only.

213810 January 10 (1 Monday) Jessica Hilton
6:15-9:15 pm, HS Rm. 361 $35

Healthy Meals for Kids and Adults

I know several people whose kids only eat four things: pasta, cheese, baby carrots and chicken fingers. (Do chickens even have fingers?) Tonight, we will learn how to introduce healthier food selections into your kids’ meals, and master a few tricks on how to hide their veggies so they’ll never know. $25 Food fee payable to the chef in class, cash/check only.

213824 January 24 (1 Monday) Jessica Hilton
6:15-9:15 pm, HS Rm. 361 $35

Greens & Grains

Are you unable to tell the difference between kale and quinoa (pronounced Keen-Wa)? Are you puzzled as to why some restaurants are serving what appears to be bird seed? Tonight, I will give you a primer on leafy greens and whole grains so you not only know how to pronounce them, but also how to use them in quick, easy and delicious recipes. $25 Food fee payable to the chef in class, cash/check only.

213807 February 7 (1 Monday) Jessica Hilton
6:15-9:15 pm, HS Rm. 361 $35

Breakfast

So we’ve all heard “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” but how can we fit a healthy breakfast into our hectic mornings? Many of us are lucky if we can cram a muffin down our throats while swigging a latte on the 405. With this modern dilemma in mind, I’m going to show you how to prepare nutritious breakfasts in less time than it takes to brush your teeth. $25 Food fee payable to the chef in class, cash/check only.

213806 March 7 (1 Monday) Jessica Hilton
6:15-9:15 pm, HS Rm. 361 $35

Here is a link to online registration.

RECIPE CONTEST WINNER

2010-11-30T14:33:00.000-08:00

CAULIFLOWER COUSCOUS

I entered this recipe into a healthy Thanksgiving recipe contest and was one of the winners! I served it on my Thanksgiving table, it's one of my favorites. It is easy, and can be made in advance and you can be sure no one else will have had it.

2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 pomegranate, seeds removed
1 small bunch parsley
4 ounces feta, chopped
4 ounces pine nuts, toasted**
1/4 cup capers
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
2 tablespoons dijon
1/4- 1/2 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss Cauliflower with 2 tablespoons olive oil and roast until golden. When cauliflower is done, remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, combine lemon juice, zest, dijon and olive oil to make a vinaigrette. Set aside.

When cauliflower is cool enough to handle, finely chop florets until they resemble israeli couscous.

Combine chopped cauliflower with feta, pine nuts and capers. Toss with vinaigrette and herbs. Lightly fold in pomegranate seeds.

serves 8

** As an interesting side note, several of my friends have experienced a strange, metallic, bitter taste in their mouths and the culprit has been...pine nuts. Here is a link to an article about it.

Feel free to substitute toasted sliced or slivered almonds.

SPINACH CAKE

2010-11-30T14:19:00.000-08:00

As soon as I saw the picture, I knew I would love this dish. Unexpectedly, a package arrived at my door a few weeks ago. It was a book from Robin, one that she had and been drooling over. I also, had been drooling over it not only because of the delicious, seasonal recipes but also because it is beautifully written.

Immediately, I got to work flagging the recipes that I had to try and this was one of the first. Essentially, it is a crustless quiche with, as Robin would say, an assload of greens. The recipe calls for 2 pounds of spinach, which I used but I also added a bunch of random beet greens that been hanging around in my fridge. You couls use any of your favorite greens here or a combination of them all. If you'll notice, the greens in the cake weren't enough for me, I had to add a little arugula salad on the side. One can never really have enough greens and this is a great recipe for that purpose.

I do recommend free range eggs and organic milk.

Spinach Cake

from David Lebovitz,
Ten servings

Adapted from A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes (Artisan) by David Tanis

I liked this very much, but be sure to season the mixture very well, like, more than you think, before baking. I’m curious, and next time I’m going to add small bits of cooked bacon or proscuitto to the batter just after pureeing it in a blender.

David says to simply puree the spinach and custard mix until smooth, but I’m thinking it might be better a little “leafy” so will also blend it to the point where the spinach is fine, but not entirely smooth.

2 medium leeks (you could use two onions, or a bunch of scallions or green garlic instead)
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter, salted or unsalted
salt and freshly-ground pepper
2 pounds (.75 kg) fresh spinach, well-washed and stemmed
big pinch of chile or cayenne pepper
whole nutmeg
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk
6 large eggs
Parmesan cheese

1. Remove the green part of the leeks, slice each lengthwise, rotate them a quarter turn, then slice them lengthwise again, keeping the end intact. Swish the leeks in a bowl of water until they’re grit free, and towel-dry. Cut into small pieces.

2. Melt the butter in a deep pan and sauté the leeks with a little salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until they’re translucent. While they’re cooking, cut the spinach into ribbons.

3. Once the leeks are cooked, begin adding the spinach in batches, putting on the lid until the spinach has cooked down, then you can add more. Add salt and pepper as you go, and include a scraping of nutmeg and chile powder during the final batch.

4. When all the spinach is just barely wilted, turn it out into a large bowl (along with any juices) and let cool. Stirring it a few times will speed it up.

5. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C.) Liberally butter a 9- or 10-inch (23-25cm) deep round baking dish. I used a 2 qt (2l) baking rectangular baking dish.

6. Working in batches, puree the spinach mixture with the milk and eggs until almost smooth. (At this point, if you want to add some cooked bacon or chopped proscuitto, you can.)

David recommends adding more salt and pepper here, which is a good idea: you want the mixture pretty well-seasoned.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Grate a wispy layer of Parmesan over the top and bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife poked into the center comes out clean.

Serving: Let cool to room temperature, then serve.

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/01/dave-ts-spinach-cake/

SLACKER

2010-11-12T15:53:00.001-08:00

I have been such a slacker about blogging, but in real life, I have been really busy. It all goes back to October when I was working a job as a personal chef on a film set. This was a really cool job, totally loved it. Part of what makes being a personal chef a great job is when you have a client who appreciates what you cook, which doesn't always happen. Right after that, I picked up a few other clients and have been filling their refrigerators with delicious meals for a week, meanwhile my fridge sits empty.

After a couple of weeks of cooking for others, I thought it was about time that I fill our fridge. I headed down to the Culver City farmers market, grabbed a bunch of veg and headed home to cook. I prepared all of the vegetables that I bought, including 2 kabocha squash (roasted and topped with brown butter and sage), 2 cauliflower (roasted and tossed with salsa verde), 2 bunches of kale (sauteed with garlic and a wee bit o' bacon), 2 fennel (braised and dusted with pecorino). To this mound of veg, I also made some lentils and topped them with some feta (also from the farmers market) and roasted the one chicken breast that I had. It was a spectacular feast, but the best part was that I had all of these great leftovers to enjoy the next couple of days.

Often, when I cook (which, as you know is pretty often) I make extra food, especially the vegetables. This allows me to eat when I am hungry without having to put too much thought into it. So, there's your tip for the week-get some vegetables, make a lot of them and then eat frequently.

EAT YOUR VEGGIES

2010-10-04T15:42:00.000-07:00

Note how the carrots take up half of the plate?

Last week a study was released telling us that Americans are still not eating enough vegetables. Shocking. I talk to people all the time who tell me how "healthy" they eat, yet when I look at their food journals or listen to their diets, vegetables are not high on the list. Somehow, many of them think that eating low fat will make them healthy. I am here to tell you that unless you are eating loads of vegetables, you are not going to be healthy-you may be thin, feel ok, look good, but eating your veg should be your number one priority.

It's raining here in LA, which happens so rarely, so I decided to roast a chicken for lunch. The smell of roasted chicken is so comforting when the weather is dreary. Keeping in mind the study about how Americans aren't eating enough veg, I am recommitted to making this a priority. We tend to eat a lot of vegetables already but now I am committed to telling you how we do it. So, in addition to our roasted chicken we had a salad to start our meal. It wasn't anything fancy just approximately two cups of baby lettuce leaves with some homemade vinaigrette. That right there is 2 servings of our 5-9 recommended daily servings. Then I roasted a whole bag (about 1 pound) of carrots along with the chicken and some fresh thyme leaves-another 2 servings. By the end of lunch, I have now had 4 servings of vegetables and I know that I am going to have at least 2 more with dinner.

The key to eating lots of vegetables is to plan ahead. I always cook extra veg so that they are ready to go. If I am making carrots, I will make a double portion so that I can ad them to a salad or soup or have them as a snack the next day. Another trick up my sleeve is to roast or grill a bunch of different seasonal vegetables and then I have them at my disposal for a couple of days worth of salads or sandwiches. If you don't have time, you can buy pre-cooked or pre-chopped vegetables at most grocery stores, you can even use the frozen vegetables if that will make you eat more. Regardless of how you get them, make eating vegetables daily a priority.

FLAX

2010-09-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

Flax seeds are tiny little seeds, about the size of sesame seeds, crammed with nutritional goodness. They are ancient, originating in Mesopotamian river valley and have long been know for their healing properties.

Flax is a really good source of healthy Omega 3 fats; fiber; phytosterols, which block cholesterol absorption; and is the richest source of lignans. Lignans are phytoestrogens. What the heck is a phytoestrogen? It's a compound that either has estrogenic properties (behaves like the hormone estrogen in the body) or anti-estrogenic properties. Estrogen, as you know, is the female sex hormone, but in elevated amounts can lead to breast and other cancers. Whether a phytoestrogen mimics estrogen or develops anti-estrogenic properties depends on how much is ingested. Phytoestrogens can be divided into two camps, the flavonoids (found in soy) and lignans both groups are good sources of antioxidants. Studies have shown that eating lignans can have reduced rates of breast, prostate, ovarian cancers, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

Flax has long been used for relieving gas and abdominal pains, improving digestions, preventing and treating constipation, stabilizing blood sugar and inhibiting tumor growth. Studies have also shown flax to be beneficial to lowering elevated cholesterol levels. These golden or brown seeds are best bought whole but must be ground so that the nutritional benefits can be absorbed. The pre-ground flax seeds are often rancid and should therefore be avoided. I grind mine in my coffee grinder or in my blender when making a smoothie. Flax oil is readily available but because it is extremely sensitive to light and heat, it also goes rancid quickly and there is no way of identifying rancid oil, so it is best to leave it on the shelf. There are some online resources where "fresh" flax seed can be ordered. If you buy the oil, it should always be refrigerated, sold in a dark bottle and NEVER used for cooking.

Flax seeds are high in Omega 3 fats (w3) which by now, we should all be aware are the "good" fats. Alpha linolenic acid is a health promoting fat that many of us do not get enough of. When we consume a diet rich in vitamins and minerals (by eating fresh fruits and vegetables often), the alpha linolenic acid can be converted to anti-inflammatory substances which can prevent many common diseases and illnesses.

You can get flax seeds at your local health food store or Whole Foods. Remember to buy them whole, grind them yourself and start adding them to salad dressings, smoothies, sprinkling on your sandwiches. Adding a couple of tablespoons each day of flax is a great nutritional boost.

For more information:

"Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill" by Udo Erasmus

http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/lignan.php
http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/phytoestrogen.php
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed

THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY

2010-09-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

My mom always had pearls of wisdom for me. One of her biggest sayings was to remind me to eat breakfast, "it's the most important meal of the day." You know what? She was right. Most of us consider breakfast a cup of coffee and a muffin from the local coffee shop. Well, that is not going to cut it! There is nothing nutritionally sound in that breakfast. More than lacking in nutrients, that version of breakfast is ultimately going to give you a short burst of energy, but then leave you feeling tired, hungry, grouchy or another whole host of not good feelings.

I totally understand that everyone is in a rush in the morning. I've been there. As a result, we turn to convenience food to satisfy us. When I lived in NY, Pick-A-Bagel used to deliver to my office a large coffee and bagel for $2.25. I didn't have to leave my desk. Now, I know better. Look, I am not going to tell you to give up your morning coffee, but if you cannot even think about starting your day without it, it might be time to consider reducing the amount that you drink. Instead of that muffin or bagel, though, there are plenty of convenient and quick breakfasts that you can have.

The above picture is one of my normal breakfasts. I put all of that into a blender and in less than a minute I have a really healthy smoothie. Not all smoothies are the same! There are tons of juice bars and the like that will sell you a perfectly terrible smoothie under the pretense of it being "healthy." I like to use frozen fruit, but remember if using thin skinned fruit like peaches or berries get the organic. I also add a scoop of non GMO whey protein powder, flax seeds, nutritional yeast, 1/2 an avocado and some almond milk.

It is important to have balance in your meals, a little bit of good fat (avocado, nut butter), protein (eggs, whey powder) and complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables). The protein from the whey powder and the fat from the avocado in my smoothie prevent your blood sugar from quickly spiking and then dropping. They will also keep you satiated longer. The blood sugar spike is something that many of us experience when we eat simple carbs like muffins, bagels, cold cereals or many smoothies that consist of only fruit or fruit and frozen yogurt. Flax seeds and nutritional yeast are two "super" or "booster" foods, meaning that they pack a powerful nutritional punch in a small dose. The flax seeds are a good source of omega 3 fats and the nutritional yeast is an excellent source of B vitamins.

Smoothies may not be your thing, but there are tons of other quick options for you. Eggs of course are a good idea, they have both fat and protein add to them some vegetables and you have a nutritionally sound meal. Bagels are still a staple, certainly for many of my east coast friends. Rather than slathering on some butter or cream cheese, consider cutting the bagel in half, scooping out some of the middle (like we used to do in college following an article where it was revealed that's what Jennifer Aniston did) add some lettuce, tomato, avocado, sprouts, maybe some roasted turkey or feta cheese.

Whatever your preference, it is really important to eat breakfast everyday. Your body has gone hours without food and in order to function properly, it needs to be replenished. Remember to choose something that has some good fat and some protein rather than a simple carb which is nothing but empty calories. We are somewhat conditioned to want sweet things in the morning, but if we could break free from that, it would open a lot more healthy options.

SOMETIMES I CHEAT

2010-09-08T13:09:00.000-07:00

First, I must start by saying that I HATE when people say "I cheated" or "I was bad" when referring to something that they ate. It is ridiculous, which is why I took the opportunity to point it out by using it as today's title. This post is to illustrate to my legions of readers, that sometimes I eat out. Rarely, do I not want to cook, but often, I don't want to clean up.

Chipotle is about as close to fast food as you will ever see me get. Fast food is poison. Yes, it really is and if you remotely like animals, you should never eat it. Fast food supports factory farms that abuse and torture animals, yet allow you to eat a hamburger for under $1. Think about it, what the hell kind of meat are you eating if it costs less than $1. Yuck. Look, I am not saying that we should all become vegetarians, far from it, but if we are going to eat meat, we should be responsible for where it comes from and how the animals are treated. Would you buy anything if you knew it was made in a sweat shop using child labor? If you are friends with me, I really hope your answer is "no." So why is it ok for you to support business that use animals that are treated the same way as children in a sweat shop? That's all I'm saying.

Back to Chipotle. I love not only the establishment, but I love the flavor-smokey and spicy. They support local farms and use animals that are humanely raised. As a result, you can find me eating there from time to time and I always get the same thing. I always get the vegetarian burrito bowl-I love it. The husband hates legumes and guacamole so the burrito bowl is a magical combination that contains both and I cannot resist it. Today, I added the leftover kale from dinner into the bowl for a nutritional boost.

I love eating, I really do. When I plan a trip, the first thing I think about before airfare and hotels is the food. Where will we eat? What restaurants are around? It's all about the food. It is a huge part of any trip for me. Food is obviously a source of nourishment but it is also a source of comfort at times and pleasure often, but I still have a really healthy relationship with food. You will never find me getting a packaged donut from a gas station or ANYTHING from 7-11 as a source of food. I really believe that we are what we eat and as a result, I probably spend more time than most people I know planning out my meals. I know some people think I am really strict about what I eat, and they're right. I am because it is important to me and Chipotle has its own little place in my diet-in moderation.

9/15/10~
Ugh. Just read some disturbing news about Chipotle not being as good as I thought they were. Here is a link to a new article that questions the practices they use with farmers. Sounds like we will be taking a break from Chipotle until this matter is addressed.

DINNER FOR ONE

2010-09-07T20:23:00.000-07:00

There is rarely a night when the husband and I don't have dinner together, but tonight was one of those very rare times. I decided to make one of my favorites, scallops. I used to hate them. It was a textural thing, but now I love them, although I don't have them as often as I would like. I served them with a bunch of sautéed kale, thinly sliced potatoes and pea puree. The whole dinner took about 15 minutes to put together.

I simply roasted some potato slices in a 400 degree oven. While the potatoes were cooking, I sautéed the kale with some olive oil, shallots and red pepper flakes and dropped some frozen peas into boiling water for a couple of minutes. When the peas were done, they were drained and pureed with a hand blender but you could use a regular blender or mini cuisinart. Using the same pan that I cooked the kale, I cooked the scallops, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Easy.

ZA'ATAR

2010-09-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

Za'atar or zaatar as it is also commonly known is a Middle Eastern spice mix. I guess like most spice blends, it varies a little by region. I have seen Lebanese and Syrian versions of zaatar in the local spice shop, but I can also get a sort of generic version from Whole Foods, specialty shops and even Cost Plus. It is a combination of sesame seeds, thyme, sumac, marjoram or oregano and savory. I've read that even among families, the recipe is very guarded.

I really like using zaatar with lamb. I'm making lamb burgers for dinner and was prepared to scrap the whole idea unless I could come up with some zaatar. Of course you can make this yourself, but it is just as hard to find sumac as it is to find zaatar. If you do happen upon sumac, it's another spice worth having. It's a little lemony, slightly floral and it goes really well with lamb too. Zaatar also pairs really well with feta a quick recipe is to grill some flat bread, drizzle liberally with olive oil, sprinkle on some zaatar and crumbled feta. Apparently, many homes in the Middle East serve a variation of this for breakfast, simply using pita, zaatar paste (which is typically the spices mixed with olive oil) and lebneh which is similar to yogurt.

Adding a teaspoon or so of a new herb can really change some of your traditional recipes. I try to avoid most blends that have salt or any preservatives or colors added, but if they are straight up spices and herbs I am game.

Middle Eastern Lamb Burgers

1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons zaatar
salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
1/4 plain yogurt
1 lemon, juiced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
arugula or watercress
bun or baguette

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and red onion. Set aside.

Mix zaatar, salt and pepper with the ground lamb and form into patties. Cook patties either on a hot grill or on the stove to desired doneness.

Drain the onions and serve on the burger with a drizzle of the yogurt and topped with the arugula or watercress.

FARMERS MARKET REPORT

2010-08-25T10:11:00.001-07:00

Generally, when I go to the market, I don't follow a list. I just buy what looks good and then figure out what to do with it later. Today, I had a plan. I am so sick of strawberries, I cannot stand to eat another one, so apples were high on my list. They are just starting to come into season and there is nothing better than that first crisp, tart bite of an apple. I got New Jersey apples this morning. Seems fitting, given that is where I originate, so I decided to try them. Texturally they are like McIntosh which is my least favorite apple, but the taste is a bit sweeter. I don't know that I would seek these out again, but they will serve their purpose of being eaten!
Rarely can I find any organic hot peppers, serranos or jalapenos-even at Whole Foods. When I see them at the farmers market, I always pick up a few and since I have been thinking about an Indian curry, these will do nicely.
I did not want to leave without broccoli which was going to be a main ingredient in today's lunch-leftover soba noodles with an asian vinaigrette and steamed broccoli. These baby broccoli are really tender and delicious.
I am growing a few basil plants, but since they are from seeds, they never grow very much before I pick all of the leaves off. I got a basket of heirloom cherry tomatoes yesterday and figured that paired with some fresh basil, it would be a perfect pasta sauce.
These are the aforementioned heirloom cherry tomatoes. I love heirloom tomatoes. Not only do they taste amazing but they are also beautiful and colorful, they really brighten up a dish. Here in LA, we can get good tomatoes through October and even into November and I never get sick of them.

KALE SALAD

2010-08-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I went to the farmers market for the sole purpose of getting kale to make the massaged kale salad that my friend Aarti made on her new food network show Aarti Party. Coincidentally, I ran into Aarti at the market.

I love kale! I always have it in the fridge and generally eat it at least three times per week. It incredibly nutritious-from the same family as broccoli. My recipe is a loosely based on Aarti's recipe, but it is a good example of how you do not have to follow a recipe word for word. I used the same technique of massaging the kale, but I swapped out the mango for another sweet ingredient, golden raisins and instead of the pepitas, I opted for toasted almonds. Now, back to the kale massaging, you might think that sounds weird, but kale is pretty tough. By literally rubbing it with a little sea salt, olive oil and lemon juice (or a bit of your favorite salad dressing), you break down the fibers in the kale and it becomes really tender. Give it a try.

Kale Salad
1 lemon, cut in half and juiced
olive oil
sea salt
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
1 bunch kale, cut into ribbons
1/4 cup almonds, toasted (or your favorite nut raw or toasted)
1/3 cup golden raisins (or mango or apple)

Mix the lemon juice with several tablespoons of olive oil to make a simple vinaigrette. Place the kale in a large bowl, sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with half of the dressing. Using both hands, gently rub the dressing into the kale for about 2 minutes. You will notice that the kale turns deep green and becomes softer. Stir the honey into the remaining dressing. Add the nuts and raisins to the kale. Drizzle with the remaining dressing to taste.

GREEN CLEAN

2010-08-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

Not only do I choose the healthiest foods to cook and to eat, but I also choose the healthiest cleaning supplies for my home. I am not a huge fan of cleaning, I'm not very good at it. My mom, on the other hand, is an excellent cleaner. That woman leaves a bathroom sparkling, not me. Thanks to all my free time this summer, I have been committed to at least trying to really clean and learn how to do it well.

I just got this new fantastic book, NONTOXIC HOUSECLEANING by Amy Kolb Noyes. It's really more of a guide than a book. It cuts right to the chase, starting with natural ingredients for housecleaning, the appropriate sponges and scrubbers and then gives recipes for cleaning concoctions and how and when to use them.

Today, for instance, I made my own soft scrub using castile soap and baking soda. This could not have been any cheaper. The baking soda was about $1.30 and the soap was $11 for a huge bottle of which I used about 10 drops. This mix that I whipped up completely cleaned my bathroom and left it smelling very minty! Hurray!

It's important to use natural or "green" cleaning products, because while the others work, they are toxic. They give off fumes and contain chemicals that are not so good for the body. I generally buy the seventh generation brand and I'm totally committed to only using non toxic cleaning supplies for the health of me and my husband, but also for our two little dogs. My dogs weigh 4 and 7 pounds respectively. They have short little legs and their little bodies are close to the ground. They also will lick anything and everything they come across, so using safe cleaning products is the only option in this house.

I can't wait to tackle the rest of the house using my new all natural homemade cleaning recipes! Next up is the stovetop.

FARMERS MARKET REPORT

2010-08-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

This week, I couldn't resist the heirloom tomatoes. Tomatoes most represent summer, in my opinion. They are the one thing that I never buy any other time of the year. In fact, I don't ever buy them from the store, not even Whole Foods because they are nowhere near as good as they are fresh from the garden. During the summer months, I always have heirlooms around. They are so good, that you really don't have to do anything to them. I love to buy a bunch of different kinds, thinly slice some, quarter others and serve them with some basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
Eggplant is another summer favorite. We have all seen the regular Italian eggplant and probably the long and skinny Japanese eggplant, but did you know there is a white eggplant, a green striped one and these little purple baby eggplants? Last year I bought all of the varieties to do a taste test and found that there wasn't really a discernible difference in flavor. The little ones in the picture are about the size of my thumb! My plan is to halve them and saute them later in some olive oil and garlic along with the peppers...
Peppers are on the list of the "dirty dozen." The dirty dozen is a list of the fruits and vegetables with the highest concentration of pesticides, therefore, you should always seek out organic options for them. These are another truly seasonal item. You see peppers at the grocery store year round, but they never have any organic ones. As a result, I have a very short window during the summer months where I get to enjoy them. In general, I prefer them cooked to raw, but my favorite way to have them is roasted. To roast a pepper, you simply place it directly on the flame of your stove's burner and char it. Once the outside is black and fully charred, put it in a paper bag or in a bowl covered with cling film. Let it cool for a few minutes and then, simply peel off the skin.

When I was a kid it was a toss up between peaches and strawberries for my favorite fruit. I used to pick every last piece of flesh from the pit before finally throwing it away-it was a tedious but well worth it practice. I love peach and blueberry tarts with nut crusts, grilled peaches with ice cream or fresh yogurt but nothing is better than biting into a perfectly ripe, sweet O Henry peach.

VEGGIE OMELET

2010-08-08T16:40:00.000-07:00

This morning I went rifling through the produce drawers of my fridge. I took out some stuff that had been there and replaced it with the new items that I got at the farmers market this morning. What was left over from the week was a tiny head of broccoli, some cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and an avocado. These ingredients seemed like a good combination for an omelet. Although it looks huge in the picture, I only used two free range eggs.

First, I sautéed the vegetables in a little oil then removed them from the pan and added the lightly beaten eggs. Once they were almost set, I added the veg back to the pan and folded eggs over and topped with sliced avocado. This is a great way to get extra veggies into your diet.

TAKE OUT OR NOT?

2010-08-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the first night in a while that I was on my own for dinner. I could have anything, go anywhere, so many choices what should I do? Ultimately, I decided to make a grassfed beef burger and salad. The burger can go on the grill and the salad, obviously didn't involve any cooking-which means minimal cleanup.

Having recently completed a 20 page paper on gluten, I have really been rethinking the grains that I eat. For example, using a bun for my burger would just be filler, so I opted out of the bun. After all, I was getting all of the carbs I needed through the giant salad that took up almost the entire plate and some leftover rice that I added to the salad.

Grassfed beef is much better than conventional meat because it contains vitamin A and Omega 3 fats, which we all need to eat more and is lower in fat. An added bonus with the grassfed beef is that the chance of e. coli is virtually unheard of.

So there you have it- a quick dinner with hardly any cleanup. Yum.

MARKET REPORT

2010-08-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

My beloved blueberries have been replaced with a new favorite-Persian mulberries. I was tipped off that they would be making an appearance at the farmers market this week, so I made sure to get there early and snatch some up. Oh my god are they good. They are incredibly sweet with a slightly acidic finish and went perfectly with my raw yogurt this morning. I am not sure how long their season is, but you can bet that I will be getting more, hopefully as early as this weekend. They are not cheap, running at about $10 a pint, but they really are worth every penny.
I ran into my new friends Susan and D.J. who is the head chef at Lou on Vine this morning. D.J. gave me a fig and that was my second stop, after the mulberries. I love figs on their own, as part of a cheese platter and roasted with some goat cheese and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. These figs are really sweet and need to be eaten raw, so they will be appearing in a fruit salad along with some of the early O'Henry peaches I picked up this morning. I should take a moment to say that this weekend I ate some of D.J's amazing food and I have been dreaming about it ever since. I have not yet gone to Lou, I am ashamed to say, but it has shot to the very top of my list.

I grew up picking and eating string beans right from the vine in my grandfather's garden. Anyone who has ever eaten fresh picked green beans know that they are so much more flavorful then those bland beans found year round in the grocery store. Normally, I like my vegetables rather al dente, but last year when I was in Italy, I had some braised Romano beans and that is the only way I ever want to eat them. They taste just like string beans yet because of the flatness have more surface area and that makes me love them more. These beans will be appearing in the near future on my table with some olive oil and garlic, perhaps along that grassfed bison steak I got at the market.
Amaranth greens are not something that I find very often but I always get them when I do happen upon them. They are a slightly bitter, less so than arugula and they are a good source of protein and vitamins. I usually sauté them lightly in olive oil and garlic but my favorite way to prepare them is to fold the sautéed leaves into olive oil smashed potatoes. I then use those leftovers in a fritatta.

So that's it for this week's farmers market. Assuming that I remember to take pictures, you will be seeing some of these items in future posts as they make their way into my menus.

DINNER!

2010-08-02T19:39:00.001-07:00

Tonight's dinner took me less than 30 minutes to put together and it was delicious! Tomatoes are in season and I picked these right from my garden and made them into a super quick pan sauce that I served over local halibut. This sauce is really versatile and can be used on pasta, chicken, fish, beef or lamb and only takes a sec.

I just thinly sliced some garlic and added it to a skillet with some olive oil and red pepper flakes, of course. Then add the sliced cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook until they are wilted. Simple.

The green beans were simply blanched then tossed with a mixture of minced shallots and pancetta cooked in olive oil.

CLEANSE

2010-08-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

I've got to be honest, I am not a fan of the master cleanse-you know the one that people start January 1st when they resolve to eat healthier and to get into shape. It's the one where you don't eat anything but you drink water with lemon juice, cayenne and honey. I could NEVER do that. I like to eat but more than that, I am really active. I run at least 30 miles per week, there is no way I could do a traditional cleanse while not eating. I had heard a lot about "CLEAN" by Alejandro Junger and decided to give it a go.

Junger suggests following his plan for 21 days, although he admits that one or two weeks will be beneficial as well. I decided to try out with one week. The plan is an elimination diet. There is no alcohol, caffeine, dairy, wheat, red meat, sugar, soy and more. In addition to eliminating certain foods from the diet, you are to eat two liquid meals and only one "real" meal during the day. Replace breakfast and dinner with fresh juices and smoothies (not the kind from Jamba Juice that are loaded with frozen yogurt) but nutritious smoothies that include fresh fruits and vegetables. The idea is that in replacing real food with liquids, you are giving the digestive system a break and allowing the liver to deal with the toxins it has been storing away for a raining day.

Remember that episode of I Love Lucy where she and Ethel are working at the chocolate factory. The conveyor belt speeds up and they cannot manage the chocolates and start stuffing them wherever they can. The liver does the same thing. The liver processes all the toxins that we take in from the air, water, food but because we live in a toxic environment and are constantly stuffing our faces, the liver cannot tackle all of the toxins that enter the body. So it stores them in the body, it stores them in fat cell with the hopes that it can deal with them at a later time. Following a cleanse gives the liver that break it needs to process the toxins.

Most people I came into contact with last week swore that they could never do a cleanse, but most people would benefit from giving the body a little rest to recover from all of the abuse it sustains. I'll be honest, I was a bit skeptical, but I felt great and I wasn't really hungry. Ok, maybe toward the end of the day, I was slightly hungry, but it was really manageable. If you are thinking about cleansing, pick up CLEAN. It's a great read explaining the importance of detoxing from time to time. It also gives you a clear understanding of how to begin and follow his program, recipes included.

BREAKFAST

2010-07-19T18:30:00.001-07:00

Poached eggs over sauteed kale with guacamole and asparagus

My mom always said breakfast is the most important meal of the day. She used to drive me crazy saying that, but she was right. The reason is that the body has been fasting for presumably 6-8 hours (hopefully closer to 8), without replenishing nutrients, it will not function properly. Ideally, you should eat within an hour of waking up. Now, for many of us, this is tricky because we like to work out first thing in the morning and the last thing we need is one more obstacle (making breakfast) in our way. For others, they say that they just aren't hungry when they first wake up. Both groups still have to eat, even something small and even if you don't feel like it.

In addition to the skipping breakfast altogether, the mistakes that I see with breakfast tend to involve eating the wrong thing. Baked goods are never the answer, I don't care if they are sugar free, fat free, low fat, high fiber. It's really not a good balance of macronutrients. In other words, baked goods (muffins, croissants, etc) are generally sugar bombs with little healthy fat and very little protein to keep your blood sugar stable. From time to time, it is ok to have your favorite muffin (hopefully homemade by someone, rather than from a package at the convenience store) but it should not be part of your routine. Another common breakfast-cereal with skim milk, is on my list of not great breakfasts. Let's just assume that we are talking about some sort of "whole grain" variety and not the sugar loops kind. First of all, the "whole grains" label on many of the packages is misleading. There may be other grains, beside wheat or corn but most of them are not in the "whole" form, but no one monitors the accuracy of that claim, so it can slide. More than the false claims of health on the box is the simple fact that many cereals are not enough calories to keep you going through the day. Again, there is not enough protein and coupling it with non fat milk, there's not enough fat to keep you satiated for very long.

The key to maintaining good health and to losing weight is to keep blood sugar levels even and the way to do that is to eat often and to include protein and healthy fat at every meal-in addition of course to all the vegetables that you should be eating too. Make breakfast part of your routine and mix it up-don't have the same thing everyday. Prepare some hard boiled eggs when you have some time and they will be ready for you as you head out the door. Smoothies are another quick fix. You can use fresh or frozen fruit, almond milk or full fat coconut milk or coconut water throw in some flax seeds, maybe a little spirulina (a seaweed that is packed with nutrients), half of an avocado (for some healthy fat) and a scoop of organic protein powder for a completely satisfying meal. The addition of the fat and protein will keep you going until lunch.

I already have my breakfast planned for the morning, how about you?

FIG RESTAURANT SANTA MONICA

2010-07-14T03:30:00.000-07:00

I love FIG!!! It has been my favorite restaurant for quite some time because the menu is insanely delicious. It is the epitome of seasonal California fare, with an emphasis on local and organic food. The menu has a runner along the bottom listing seasonal produce, specifically what is at its peak and what produce is about to hit the market and it is obvious that the chef respects the value of perfectly seasonal produce. You really can see and taste the influence that the Santa Monica farmers market has in every dish. For someone like me, a menu that emphasizes seasonal produce is right up my alley, but for god sakes they also have something called bacon wrapped bacon for all of the meat eaters. That dish is crazy, pork belly wrapped in bacon and served as a starter with cabbage and baby heirloom tomatoes. I could eat a plate of that alone.

Here is the greatest thing about Fig that I just found out. Apparently, starting yesterday, everything on the menu from wine and cocktails through dessert is 50% off daily between the hours of 5-6. This may be the best deal in the city. There is no special menu, no smaller sized plates, it's the whole menu at 50% off! Now, granted this might be a little early for most of us to eat but it is so worth it. If you work, you need to leave early to take advantage of this deal. They also have some really good lunch specials as well, but nothing compares to this 50% off deal.

Fig needs to be at the top of your restaurant if you love to cook or eat. It is such a great, shining example of simple, clean food that lets the ingredients speak for themselves. It isn't fussy or pretentious, and it displays how perfectly seasonal fruits and vegetables can taste so good. As someone who loves to cook and eat, I love Fig and get so much inspiration from its menu. I can't wait to go back.

Fig Restaurant
Located in the Fairmont Miramar
101 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

VEGGIE BURGER

2010-06-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

I don't know what I am doing lately. I have been trying to shop mostly at the farmers markets and supplementing a few items from Whole Foods. The problem is, I am completely in a fog and have no idea what I am doing. When I get home, there's a random assortment of vegetables in my bags and a piece of chicken or something. I have been pulling recipes from my you know where. Yesterday I came up with this veggie burger with leftovers that were in the fridge. Since there was nothing in the fridge except some quinoa and black rice, this is a pretty minimal burger.

Veggie Burger
1/2 ish cup of quinoa, cooked
1/2 ish cup of black rice, cooked
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup flour (any kind-I used quinoa and rice flour)
1 or 2 eggs
olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. While it's cooking, mix the quinoa and black rice in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, including the onion and garlic and form into patties. You may need to add a little more flour as necessary to hold it all together.

Heat a medium frying pan and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Cook patty until golden, then flip and cook the other side. When both sides are nicely browned, transfer to the oven to finish cooking.

I mixed the cooked quinoa, black rice an egg, some flour, chopped onion and chopped chives. I promise you this is all the food that I had.

Options- You could add shredded carrot, chopped spinach or any other cooked vegetable. You could use substitute any rice or grain for the quinoa and rice in this recipe.

TRUTHINESS

2010-06-20T18:01:00.001-07:00

So, the truth is that I may eat a little better than many, but I eat "normal" food too. In fact, I am about to order a pizza. I just cannot look at the chicken that is in my fridge. First of all, I had chicken for lunch and I cannot face it again tonight. Secondly, I am feeling slightly uninspired tonight. Sometimes, I don't feel like setting foot in the kitchen or trying to come up with something interesting to make out of a boneless, skinless chicken breast. So I am choosing to do nothing. I think it is unrealistic to eat well 100% of the time and tonight is one of those times. More often than not I do, but sometimes, I just throw it all out the window.

So here are a few photos of some of the things I have made recently. Merguez sausage which is a Moroccan lamb sausage with carrots and onions, chicken breast with sauteed vegetables, rosemary shortbread and olive oil braised zucchini. The zucchini is going along side of the pizza. The shortbread has nothing to do with anything, except to show you that I am a kick ass baker and I eat sweets from time to time.

Regardless of what I eat, I insist on a lot of vegetables. They are full of vitamins and minerals, fiber, antioxidants. One of my guidelines for eating healthy is to include a lot of vegetables, even with your pizza. Just one serving of salad or one scoop of vegetables might just prevent you from eating one extra slice of pizza and who could argue about that not being a good thing?

LUNCH?

2010-06-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I plan my dishes, other times I just open the fridge, nose around and then put something together and hope it works out. Usually, it does. I knew I had some chicken leftover from one that I roasted last night. I also knew that I had mustard greens that were on their last leg and some asparagus. A closer inspection of the kitchen revealed an open box of orzo, a bag of organic slivered almonds, some vinaigrette from a previous meal and of course the staples-red pepper flakes and garlic. If you haven't figured it out yet, those two along with some good olive oil form the basis of many of my meals.

As I was looking upon all of these, a plan started to come together-toast the almonds, shred the chicken, sauté the greens with the olive oil, garlic and red pepper and toss it all together with the orzo and a splash of dressing. Voilá!

ONE GRAIN, TWO MEALS

2010-06-04T11:58:00.000-07:00

Farro is an ancient Tuscan grain. It is a whole grain that packs a bunch of fiber, protein and B vitamins. Over the lat few years, it has become pretty popular, turning up on menus in restaurants and for sale not only in specialty shops but in Whole Foods too. I love farro and use it often. A couple of years ago I went on a farro hoarding spree. Don't ask me why, but I was convinced that I wouldn't be able to find it, so when I did, I bought lots of it. I was down to the last package and no longer fearful of being unable to find it when I prepared these two dishes.

A tip I learned from Heidi Swanson is that you can freeze grains! What a time saving tip. I prepared the whole package, used part of it in a Tuscan inspired mushroom soup, then I froze the rest and a few days later used it as the basis for a pilaf type side dish to go with my Tuscan grilled chicken. Can you tell I have Tuscany on the brain? It's been a year since I first went to Italy and am longing to go back.

For the pilaf, I just sauteed some garlic and red pepper flakes in some olive oil, added some quartered mushrooms and cooked until they were golden, then added some chopped mustard greens and the cooked farro. Sauté until the greens are wilted. Season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of good, fruity olive oil and serve. I topped this with a whole grilled chicken.

Tuscan Mushroom Soup
1 four ounce package dried mushrooms
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
1 sprig sage, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup lentils (beluga or green-not red or orange)
1 four quart container chicken stock (or homemade)
1 small bunch kale (chard, spinach, dandelion or any dark green will suffice), chiffonade
olive oil
salt and red pepper flakes
1 1/2-2 cups farro, cooked according to package directions

Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water to reconstitute. Set aside for 20 minutes or until soft. Remove mushrooms from water and set the water aside for later. Thinly slice the mushrooms and set aside.

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pan. Sweat the vegetables until soft, then add the garlic, lentils, sage and red pepper flakes to taste. Add the mushrooms to the pan, then add stock and reserved mushroom liquid. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until lentils are cooked then add farro and kale. Cook until kale is wilted. Adjust seasoning and serve topped with parmesan shavings.

YESTERDAY'S LUNCH

2010-05-20T17:23:00.001-07:00

Some women buy shoes, some shop for clothes. Me? I buy food, mostly vegetables, almost obsessively. I have been trying to cut back on other food purchases, especially grains as I refuse to buy any until I completely deplete my pantry stocks. In fact, I am trying to avoid going to the store entirely and rather shop at the farmers market exclusively while emptying out the pantry. It shouldn't be too hard to avoid Whole Foods for a while. What will be a challenge, however, is to use the tiny amounts of random grains, flours, assorted legumes and spices.

Yesterday, I made a salad from the lettuces in my garden and a pasta with some garbanzos, capers, some farmer's market dandelion greens and plenty of the olive oil that I bought at the Saturday farmers market. So many of my peers will tsk at my love for pasta, but I cannot deny it. It is such a good vessel for incorporating more greens into one's diet, at least it is in our house.

Dandelion Greens Pasta

pasta of your choosing
1 bunch dandelion greens, sliced into thin ribbons
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed
1 tablespoon capers
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, less if you can't take the heat
olive oil
sea salt
pepper
zest of one lemon

Cook the pasta according to package directions. While it is cooking, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the dandelion greens and garbanzos. Cook until the greens begin to wilt, then add the garlic, red pepper flakes, capers and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta to the pan, drizzle with olive oil to taste. Yum.

MY FAVORITE FRITATTA

2010-05-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

When I tell you what's in it, many of you will be cursing me as a diet thwarter, but hang on a sec. As you know, the key to good health and good nutrition is eating REAL FOOD. I do not advocate low fat foods, diet meals or snacks, anything prepared or processed and this dish doesn't fall into any of those categories.

On Wednesday, I got some eggs, mustard greens, potatoes and olive oil from the farmers market and on Thursday morning, my dish was created. I should back up a little. I love mashed potatoes, but not the traditional creamy, buttery mashed potatoes, they do nothing for me, really. I love my mashed potatoes with olive oil and a little salt. Oh and greens. First, I boil the potatoes, leaving some of the skin on, then smash with a potato masher and add liberal amounts of olive oil until the consistency is right. Then I add chopped sauteed greens like mustard, spinach or dandelion to the mash. On Wednesday, this was the side dish that went with a roasted chicken (also from the farmers market)-on Thursday morning, I used the leftovers in my fritatta.

Simply, put the potato mixture into a non-stick skillet (the only time I use it is for fritattas), then add 4-6 lightly beaten eggs, swirl around to evenly coat the bottom of the pan and cover the potato mixture, then put the pan in a 350 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the eggs are puffy and set. Voila! (I also added a tiny bit of leftover feta, which gives a nice salty kick).

SKINNY CHICKS DON'T EAT SALADS

2010-05-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

As a holistic nutritionist, my primary concern is really health through diet. Now, everyone and their mother has an opinion on what is healthy and what should be included in one's diet. My philosophy is really pretty simple. Eat mainly a plant based diet with good quality protein and healthy fats. Eat mainly plants, which can be translated to eat a lot of vegetables, and everything else in moderation. If you want cookies, and I do, eat them from time to time, but not everyday.

Most of the people I meet are not so interested in health. What they are interested is reaching a certain number on the scale-weight loss. Argh! I say "argh" because I see people do and eat the silliest things in the name of dieting and truthfully, they are not always in the best interest of one's health. So I am going to go through popular diets to see what people are doing to lose the pounds.

I have decided to start a new segment of book reviews where I will tell you about the latest diet book that I have read. First up is "Skinny Chicks Don't Eat Salads" by Christine Avanti.

What a killer title. Avanti's book addresses the salad eating dieters head on. Either they are eating 1500 calorie bombs disguised as salads, or they are eating measly portions of lettuce and other raw vegetables that will leave them starving in a matter of minutes. Her two main points are to eat often, every 4 hours to be precise and to eat protein and carbohydrates together. Both of these concepts make sense. Eating frequently will prevent dips in blood sugar that causes whacked out hormones which can lead to weight gain or prevent weight loss. The concept of eating protein and carbs together is really important too because the protein will slow down the absorption of the carbohydrate. It all goes back to maintaining even levels of blood sugar. This is Avanti's main concept- that irregularities in blood sugar are the barrier to losing weight.

I like this book. Avanti has some really good ideas that are well researched and supported in science. It is not so technical that it will go over your head either. She includes simple recipes and suggestions for eating out which are always helpful for readers.

The only issue that I would caution people to consider with this or any diet book is that these books are written to sell. They are generalized so that they can be applied to everyone. Many people will see success with this plan, but not everyone. I, for one thing, hate to eat every four hours. It seems that when I try to eat several small meals as many books recommend, I am in the kitchen constantly. So this doesn't work for me, but it might work for you. I prefer to eat 3 well balanced meals and maybe have a snack in between if necessary, but it's not usually necessary, again-for me. Another thing is the PC combo (eating protein and carbohydrates together) will not work for everyone. I have a friend who does very poorly when she eats the two together. In her case, she eats carbs alone or with vegetables but experiences significant digestive trouble when eating the two together.

Remember that we are all individuals. What works for one might not work for another. Regardless, the concept of blood sugar regulation in general and specifically as it relates to weight loss is particularly important. While some will certainly see weight loss by eating several small meals frequently and making those meals PC combos, I would urge people to consider the source of the food too. Complex carbs are always better than simple carbs of white bread and candy. Avanti does suggest making wise choices, but that isn't a cornerstone of this book. I am always going to suggest making quality choices over quantity choices when it comes to food. So, even though a fast food hamburger might be a PC combo or might not be that many calories, the quality of the beef is questionable at best and the quality of that meal is way too low for me to even consider. Nevertheless, pick this book up if you are looking to understand more about blood sugar regulation and for some quick and easy recipes.

DETOX DINNER

2010-05-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

This meal was inspired to Robin's recent detox. Especially as the weather gets warmer, it's a good idea to have a couple of go-to salads for nights when you do not want to turn the oven on. These are really light dishes, but you could always add some garbanzos or leftover chicken to make them more main course meals.

Above is a miso soup I whipped up in just a few minutes by adding some sliced carrots and asparagus to boiling vegetable stock or water. When those begin to soften, add sliced shitake mushrooms, finely shredded kale and then lower the heat to a simmer. Whisk in white miso to taste, being sure not to let the soup boil after the miso has been added.

Avocado & Onion Salad
Thinly slice a white onion and toss with lemon juice. Set aside.
In another bowl, add sundried tomatoes, sliced avocado, finely chopped fresh mint. Add the onion. Drizzle with olive oil and add more lemon juice as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Detox Delight-
Like almost any salad, vary the ingredients based on the season and what you have in your fridge. Here, I shaved some raw asparagus, chopped some pea shoots, artichoke hearts and romaine and added some kelp noodles. The kelp noodles are crunchy, but they don't have that briney seaweedy taste that can sometimes be overpowering. Mix everything together, season with salt and pepper and toss with olive oil and ume plum vinegar. Ume plum vinegar can be found in the asian section of the supermarket, but if you can't find it substitute lemon juice.

MEDITERRANEAN SALAD

2010-05-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

I had a similar salad at the Westside Tavern a few weeks back and really loved it. I had the idea to make it while I was at Whole Foods drooling into their cheese and olive bar. I could have made the entire salad from ingredients that were in that bar, olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, feta...yum! Instead, I got only some sun dried tomatoes (much better than the jarred variety) and feta. The rest of the salad was composed from leftover cooked chicken and sautéed mushrooms tossed with some romaine and fresh herbs.

QUINOA-TWO WAYS

2010-05-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Well, really I am only going to show you one way and tell you about the other. I ate too fast to have any evidence of the first quinoa dish. Quinoa (it's pronounced KEEN WA, mom) falls into that category we hear people talking about called "whole grains," although technically, it's a seed. It is a really great source of protein, which is why you should be eating it.

In general, none of us is probably deficient in protein. We are deficient in quite a few vitamins and minerals due to the fact that we don't eat enough fruits or vegetables-that and we eat too much of the stuff that we shouldn't like sugar, refined flour, caffeine etc...So why, if we don't need to worry about protein am I suggesting quinoa? Because it is cheap, versatile and doesn't have the saturated fats that are found in many other protein sources. It cooks like rice does, in a ratio of about 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa and it cooks in about 20 minutes.

This morning, I made a big pot of quinoa. I put half of it in a bowl in the fridge for later. The rest, I left in the pot, added some almond milk, a spoonful of almond butter and a spoonful of vanilla whey powder, topped with fresh berries - quinoa porridge. Yum. Prepare it according to package directions, then treat it as you would oatmeal. I added the whey powder because I have been experimenting with other sources of protein, but you can easily omit it, add some honey, nut milk (or organic cow's milk), nuts, berries or whatever else you normally put on your oatmeal. I added a little almond butter because fat phobes, fat doesn't make you fat, but it does help fill you up so you aren't hungry as soon as you put the bowl down.

I used the remaining quinoa to create this Mediterranean inspired dish. In this house, garlic and red pepper flakes are almost always found when olive oil is present.

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions*
1/4 cup olive oil, give or take
2 cloves sliced garlic
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
leftover steamed vegetables (asparagus & broccoli)
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/4 cup feta

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for a minute or two, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add the capers and the vegetables and cook for another couple of minutes. Because the vegetables are already cooked, you just want to reheat them and coat them with the oil, red pepper and garlic. When everything is coasted in the oil and reheated, pour on top of the quinoa, added a little crumbled feta and more olive oil as needed.

Just in case the package doesn't say it, you should rinse the quinoa before cooking or you will notice a slightly bitter taste.

CHICKEN CURRY

2010-04-28T12:19:00.001-07:00

I love Indian food! This year, I have decided to learn more about and cook more Indian food at home. Chicken curry has become a weekly staple in our house over the last several months. On the one hand it's pretty light, and on the other it is warm and spicy-real comfort food. There are a bunch of Indian restaurants near us, mostly vegetarian and not particularly very good.

A couple of years ago, I was watching a British cooking show and most of the details have escaped me, but I think someone like Gordon Ramsay was teaching families how to make their cultures traditional dishes. I have been experimenting with Indian food for a while, but one thing I got from the show really improved my curry sauce. Curry sauce generally consists of onion, garlic, ginger, cilantro, tomato, chili and spices. Often you blend the onion garlic and ginger, then cook and add the remaining ingredients. This never worked for me, I could always taste raw, biting onion. So the show had the people sauté all of the veg in oil, I usually use coconut oil, until soft. Then add some water and puree. Cook the vegetables and then puree? I love it! This produces a much better flavor in my opinion.

A word on curry powder-you can buy it in any grocery store, but look for different varieties in specialty stores or gourmet markets. You can also combine turmeric, ginger, cumin, coriander and cayenne to make your own.

Anyway, here's my version of curry:
1 onion, coarsely chopped or sliced
1 couple of cloves of garlic, peeled
1 two-three inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 tomatoes (canned are fine)
1/2 bunch cilantro
chile pepper to taste, chopped (I usually use 2-3 serranos)
2-4 tablespoons curry powder
1-2 cups water
1 cup coconut milk (not light) or full fat plain yogurt
2 chicken breasts (boneless & skinless), cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1/4 cup coconut oil

Place the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger and chile. Sauté the vegetables until soft, then add curry powder. Stir to coat everything, then add tomatoes, cilantro and water. Simmer for about 10 minutes then blend in a blender. Return sauce to the pan and add chicken and any vegetables. Reduce heat to low, add coconut milk, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice.

LENTIL STEW

2010-04-27T13:26:00.001-07:00

Now that I have a lot of free time on my hands, I have been cooking up a storm-you will soon see. Yesterday, I made a batch of lentil stew. This was something my mom always gave me as a kid, it is my comfort food. My version uses beluga lentils, the "caviar of lentils" they are called, presumably because they look like caviar, but you can use any lentil here. One thing to note, is that if you use the red or golden lentils, they will not retain their shape, but rather soften and become mushy. I guess "mushy" isn't the best word, but I think you get the idea of what their end result is. My husband, the self proclaimed "salad dodger" and "bean banisher" likes it.

Of course, I added a bunch of vegetables to the stew to boost up the nutrients. You can play around with the basic recipe and add whatever you have on hand. I added some red pepper flakes and chipotle chile puree to give it a kick.

Lentil Stew
2 carrots, finely diced (keep in mind the size of the lentils as you chop-you don't want teeny lentils and giant carrot hunks)
1 large celery rib, diced (see above)
1 medium onion, diced (I didn't have an onion so I used a couple of shallots)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup beluga lentils
4 cups water or stock
1 bunch dandelion greens, chopped
1 12 ounce can of tomatoes (I like the diced fire roasted for this dish)
a couple of swigs of extra virgin olive oil (will not say or write EVOO)
Salt & Pepper

Place a large sauce pan over medium heat. After a minute, add the oil, then add the mirepoix (carrots, celery, onions) and sweat until soft but do not color the veg. If they start to color, turn down the heat. After about 5 minutes or so (depending on the size of your cut veg), add the chopped garlic, making sure it doesn't burn. Add the lentils and stir to coat with the oil and then add in your stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook until lentils are soft, then add tomatoes and dandelion greens. Season with salt and pepper.

Peartini

2010-04-22T17:32:00.000-07:00

It is spring in Kenwood and there is white stuff from some mysterious tree floating around in the air that looks like cotton and is messing up my sinuses.

But who cares when the wisteria is blooming and you are outside in the 70 degree sunshine at 4:30 on a Thursday afternoon drinking a peartini and eating olive oil roasted almonds with Herbes de Provence?

Not I. Never mind that it is my only day off this week. Never mind that I spent my day off studying and writing a paper on anorexia.

The afternoon was bliss and dinner will follow.

Life is good....

Peartini

6 pears, seeded and peeled

1- 1-inch piece ginger

vodka, as much as you like

ice

lemon strips

Juice pears and ginger in a juicer (I like the Breville)

Put pear juice and vodka and ice in martini shaker

Shake and serve with lemon strips

Olive oil Roasted Almonds with Herbs de Provence

Coat raw skinned almonds with olive oil and salt and

roast in oven at 375 until warm and slightly browned.

Toss with herbs de provence & serve.

I have become a chef/blogger/ POSEUR...

2010-04-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

When Jess started our blog I actually used to cook every night. I was not working as a chef at the time, but was in school studying nutrition and cooking on a daily basis. Then, I started working in real estate and my time and my life have been sucked away and I recently realized I had not posted one thing since Jess started the blog.

There were a few things I WANTED to post. For example, one night I made a rack of lamb with olive tapenade and asparagus. I took a pic of the lamb on the grill, but then had too much wine and neglected to photograph the final product (plus I dropped my camera in a swimming pool on vacation last year and my present camera does not take the greatest photos).

There was also a night that we had some friends over and I made this amazing swordfish with an insane pomegranate salsa from Suzanne Goin. I served it with this time consuming and delicious roasted butternut squash, farro and sautéed greens side dish. It took me two hours to make the side and it was truly superb. The meal was so beautiful. Guess what I photographed? The raw swordfish and the cheese platter. That’s it.

You see? I am a poseur blogger. But I am embracing it and posting the unfinished meals anyway.... here they are:

Robin's unfinished wonderful meals....

LEFTOVERS FOR BREAKFAST

2010-04-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

The other night we had the forbidden rice mixed with some farro, roasted butternut squash and sage. This was the centerpiece for my breakfast yesterday!

I reheated the rice in a pan with a little olive oil, scrambled some eggs and grilled some asparagus. Yum. In the last several years, pizza has moved into one of the top slots for breakfast foods. The reason is that the leftovers are starring back at you in the morning before you head out the door. Easy, because you don't need any utensils and who doesn't love cold pizza? So, there is no reason why you aren't eating your healthy dinner leftovers as breakfast.

ROAST PORK TENDERLOIN for Faith

2010-04-20T12:19:00.001-07:00

A few weeks back my old buddy Faith requested a recipe for pork tenderloin-at least that is what I think she wanted...Anyway, that's what I made last night, along with some caramelized carrots and marinated zucchini. It is still a little early for zucchini but I couldn't resist it at the farmers market.

As I may have said before, Monday is the night the husband plays basketball with his mates. By the time he returns, just after 8, I am ready to eat my own foot. So each Monday I aim to have dinner ready by the time he gets out of the shower post ball. I could make it easy on everyone and just have dinner ready by 8:30, but 8:15 or 8:17 for that matter seems so much earlier. As a result, this pork was about 3 minutes overcooked. It wasn't dry and tough but it had just lost the pinkness.

Tonight, I rubbed the pork with a few tablespoons of ras el hanout, a Middle Eastern Spice blend (cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, chile and more) and placed it in a roasting pan drizzled with olive oil.

Pork tenderloin is a super simple thing to prepare, just roast it in a preheated oven at 400 degrees. The time that you roast depends upon the size of the pork. Typically, they are around 1 pound, give or take. This one was very small at just over 3/4 of a pound. It took about 20 minutes to cook. After about 20 minutes, touch the pork with your finger, if it is on the soft side, it needs to cook longer. Alternatively, you can get a digital thermometer and cook the pork until it reaches 145 degrees then let it rest for a few minutes before cutting into it.

ROASTED CHICKEN DINNER

2010-04-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been posting that much, last week was a bastard. What a way to wind down a crappy week-roasted chicken and clean out the pantry/fridge dinner!

I have been cooking for a client this week and some of the leftover ingredients made their way into this meal. I had half of a head of cauliflower, a tiny butternut squash, some forbidden rice, half a cup of farro and some cherry tomatoes.

I really did not feel like making a whole chicken, so I picked up some breasts with the bones and skin, popped them in a sauté pan, drizzled with olive oil, roasted at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. Fifteen minutes before the chicken was done, I added some halved cherry tomatoes, a few whole cloves of garlic and some sage leaves. While that was cooking, I diced the squash and roasted it on the same tray as the cauliflower, checking it every few minutes because the squash didn't need to cook as long.

Forbidden rice has a deep purple almost black color and slightly nutty flavor. It cooks just like regular rice, so when that was done, I folded it into some cooked farro. To that mix, I added the roasted squash and drizzled that with some olive oil and sage leaves.

There you have it, roasted chicken breasts with tomatoes and sage, forbidden rice and farro with butternut squash and roasted cauliflower. I know, it is a weird mix of seasons with the winter squash and the summery tomatoes. It went surprising well and made me happy.

VEG

2010-04-12T18:34:00.000-07:00

We always hear that we should be eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, so I figured I would show you some of the ways I get fruits and veg into my diet.

Most mornings I have a variation of a green lemonade, made in the juicer from kale, lemon, ginger, celery. Even the meat and potato loving husband will drink it without complaining.

Another way that I try to get my 5 a day is by eating mostly vegetables during the day. Rarely do I eat any meat for lunch. Instead I try to stick with big salads with lots of vegetables and legumes, maybe a little cheese. It's not that I am opposed to meat, but by avoiding it during the day, it leaves more room for veg. I eat vegetable sandwiches often. I love a sandwich, I really do. They are so convenient. The picture above is a raw vegetable sandwich. I just threw some lettuce, sprouts, shredded carrots avocado and tomatoes in between two slices of sprouted grain bread. Sometimes, I grill or roast a bunch of vegetables and then they are at my disposal whenever I want them for a salad or sandwich.

Finally, I just made a batch of kale chips. It's the easiest thing to do-tear up some kale, toss in a bowl with a tiny bit of vinegar and a tablespoon or so of olive oil and bake at 350 degrees until crispy. Much better than a bag o' chips.

How do you get your five a day?

FOOD REVOLUTION

2010-04-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

Please tell me you have been watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution? Being married to a Brit, I have been a fan of Jamie Oliver for nearly a decade. For Christmas and my birthday, the in-laws get me either Jamie's latest or Gordon Ramsay's latest book. I have acquired quite a collection. Jamie has always been my favorite because my style is so similar to his-simple clean food. All of his recipes are accessible and can be made pretty quickly.

Jamie started his food revolution in England a couple of years ago and has been really successful. He's got balls for trying it over here. Whether he succeeds or not (I happen to think he will), he has already won so many small victories, like revealing to the American public that french fries are considered a vegetable, that many kids cannot even identify vegetables in their natural state. He has given many of us the wake up call we need to see that the way we are eating is having long lasting effects. Did you see that teenage girl who was told by her doctor that unless she loses weight she will be dead in 5-7 years? When you are 16, you really shouldn't have to think about your own mortality as a result of your diet.

Do all of you cook at home? What about those of you with kids? My mom used to cook our dinners and she routinely made things we didn't like. God, it seemed like she made spinach for every damn dinner and I know we had fish at least once a week despite my protests. She only made one meal, if we didn't like it, we had to sit and consume a portion that she deemed reasonable before we were excused from the table without dessert. She never made us a box of macaroni and cheese because we didn't like her dinner. She never let us have ice cream or a bag of chips instead. At the time, I wasn't amused, but looking back, I am glad that she stood firm and made us eat the things that we didn't like.

I don't want to ramble on about my food philosophy, but I do want to make an important point about health and weight loss-they are not the same thing. Many of my peers suggest to their clients lowfat or nonfat foods in an effort to reduce calories for weight loss. I do not agree with that. Many of those diet foods are full of additives, preservatives and gross ingredients that have nothing to do with health. I really believe in eating whole, real foods. If you are trying to lose weight, you can eat this way, you might have to balance it with reduced portions and exercise, but please avoid the faddy diet foods.

Let's get back to the Food Revolution for a second. If anyone wants to make any changes to their current diet and don't know where to start, I am happy to give some advice and tips, drop me a line or write a comment below. A good place to start would be the first meal of the day-breakfast. It is really as important as you have always been told. Instead of sugary cereals, maybe have plain oatmeal with a bit of honey and fruit, or scrambled eggs and spinach. I love quinoa porridge for breakfast, it's quick, cheap and a good source of protein. It doesn't really matter where you choose to make your changes, it's just important that you do something! Oh, and it would be nice if you told the rest of us about it so we can congratulate you.

2010-04-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite main course salads. It is fairly light, yet filling. I love to make this after an evening yoga class or after the husband returns from a night of basketball. The best part about it is the cleanup-there hardly is anything. Everything is cooked on the grill so there are no pots and pans.

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons mustard
1/3 cup fresh oregano or marjoram
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 head romaine lettuce, quartered-root intact
1 bunch asparagus
4 slices baguette or country loaf
1 bunch broccoli, blanched and shocked*
1/2 cup feta

Combine garlic, mustard, oregano and 1/4 cup olive oil in a blender. Season with salt and pepper. Put half of the marinade in a large bowl or large ziploc bag, add shrimp and toss to thoroughly coat. Refrigerate at least one hour.

Heat a grill or grill pan. Drizzle romaine, asparagus, baguette and broccoli with olive oil and place on grill. Remove when warmed through. Grill shrimp until golden and cooked through. Chop vegetables and put in a large bowl. Add shrimp and feta. Toss with remaining marinade and serve over grilled bread.

FABULOUS DINNER PARTY

2010-04-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

Last night, I had a really great little dinner with some friends. I love cooking for people and it is a bonus when I get to sit and eat with my friends instead of clients. I wanted to keep it fairly simple and really show off the incredible spring produce. This is what I cam up with:

The first course was homemade ravioli with ricotta, mint and fresh English peas in brown butter sauce. I also added some sage to the brown butter because I cannot physically prevent myself from adding sage to brown butter. I love it so. Thankfully, it went well with the ravioli and didn't detract from the flavors which I considered as I was adding fistfuls of sage to the pan.

The main course was grass fed roasted lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic served over Finley Farms spinach. This spinach is better than all others because it is not baby spinach, it's the real deal wrinkled leaves and all and it is really sweet. Next to that was roasted asparagus with even more garlic, red pepper flakes and pecorino cheese. Normally, I would serve some sort of grain or carb, but skipped it because of the ravioli starter.

I am really trying to cut back on sugar in general and especially at night because it keeps me up. That's a new and unwelcomed phenomenon. Anyway, dessert was fresh strawberries, picked that morning with lightly whipped organic cream.

Now, since I forgot to take pictures of the entire evening I am giving you this only picture from last night (which I actually took today from leftovers, eek!) and hoping your imaginations will entertain you with what my dinner looked/tasted like.

THAI VEGETABLE CURRY

2010-04-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

Another simple recipe. I almost feel guilty for this one because I cheated a little. See, I do not ever use any prepared ingredients and here I am using Thai curry paste. Recently, I have rediscovered Thai curry paste and fallen in love.

Tonight's dinner was a vegetarian curry based on what I had in the fridge and pantry. I always have coconut milk in the pantry which is the key to this dish. You could substitute nearly any vegetable, add chicken, shrimp or tofu. I had rice noodles in the pantry but you can just as easily serve this over brown or jasmine rice.

Thai Vegetable Curry
serves 2-4

1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 can coconut milk (not low fat)
1 heaping tablespoon Thai curry paste or more to taste
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
3 cups mixed vegetables- I used broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and edamame
1 tablespoon fish sauce
cilantro, chopped
limes, zested

In a large sauce pan, combine the coconut milk, stock, ginger and curry paste and mix well. Add the vegetable mixture and simmer until the vegetables are cooked. Before serving, stir in fish sauce, lime zest and cilantro.

That's it! Easiest recipe ever.

BREADED SOLE

2010-04-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I hated fish, yet my mom made it at least once a week. Ugh. While I am sure she made other fish dishes, this is the one that I remember most because it was the one I liked best. I used to squeeze so much lemon on it to hide the taste of fish, but now, I love fish and I particularly like this simple little dish. The breading is easy and a technique that I apply to thinly sliced chicken breasts pretty often. I have also used it for tofu when cooking for some of my vegetarian clients.

Breaded Sole
serves 2

2 large sole filets
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
1/2-1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt and pepper

Season the sole with salt and pepper. Set out three plates. Put the flour on the first plate, break and lightly scramble the egg on the second plate and on the third, put the bread crumbs. Dredge the sole first in the flour, then the egg and finally the bread crumbs, making sure to evenly coat the fish in each.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and then carefully add the fish. Sole is a really delicate fish and doesn't need long to cook. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the bread crumbs are golden and then flip. Continue to cook on the other side for another couple of minutes until the bread crumbs are golden then remove from heat. Serve with lemon slices.

If there ever happens to be leftover fish, I like to make my version of a filet o' fish sandwich. Put the fish in a baguette with some mayonnaise and arugula. Yum.

GARDEN UPDATE

2010-04-03T10:37:00.001-07:00

Since my gardening class a few weeks back , I have been really anxious to get some more things planted. Yesterday, I did it all. I got a few more tomatoes in the ground, got cages for the existing tomatoes and planted another salad garden much like the one I did in class. I still have a bunch of little pots lying around as well as some of my planting mix so later this week I will have to get some more herbs, but I am well on my way. Not so bad, huh?

ITALIAN CREPES

2010-03-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

Many of my nutrition pals would be horrified at this meal, mostly because it is white flour and cheese. I would have to agree that this is not the most nutritionally sound meal, but sometimes food has to be fun and delicious and the hell with being nutritionally perfect.

Last night, I made Italian crepes for me and the husband. It was a recipe we learned in Rome and beside being delicious, it is reminiscent of one of our favorite trips. Served with a side of broccoli sautéed with garlic, red pepper flakes and flax seeds, it was delicious!

If you haven't made crepes before, you really need a crepe pan and you might want to check out a video on you tube to get the technique down.

Crepes
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

Stir the two eggs into the flour and add a couple of tablespoons of the milk, stir until well combined, then add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth. Add the melted butter and mint and set aside for at least 30 minutes.

I transfer the crepe batter into a pitcher making it a lot easier to pour. Heat your crepe pan over medium-low heat. Quickly pour enough of the batter into the pan to lightly coat the bottom. You have to pour quickly while swirling the pan making sure the batter coats the pan before setting. It takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, you are set.

The crepes cook quickly because they are so thin. Once the batter is set, flip and cook on the other side for a minute or two. If the crepe is very brown, lower the heat slightly. Remove the cooked crepes to a plate and set aside.

(I put a tablespoon of grated pecorino cheese on the crepe, toward one end and then roll it up. You could substitute parmesan if you prefer. Place all of the rolled crepes into a roasting pan, top with homemade tomato sauce and bake in a 350 degree oven until heated through. Make sure to serve this with a delicious Italian red wine.)

HOMEGROWN LA

2010-03-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

I am not one of those people who was blessed with a green thumb. In fact, quite the opposite. I have such a hard time not killing plants. Now, admittedly, the driveway of my apartment, is not the best garden spot, but it's all I have right now, so I have been trying to make due.

So, despite not being born with a green thumb, I am determined to get one. My first step was to take a class (or two). Yesterday, I spent the morning with Marta Teegan of Homegrown LA learning about container gardening and then about growing tomatoes. On a rooftop in downtown LA, Marta has an amazing garden overlooking the city. She has lettuces, artichokes, chard, dandelion greens and tomatoes just to name a few of her crops. The class was two hours with the first part Marta talking about gardening basics-something I desperately needed. She explained about soil, watering, sun and different types of vegetables that we might be able to grow. Then we moved into the garden where she supplied the soil and the plants and we planted our own salad garden! I was so excited, I came home found a great spot for my garden and plotted my future planting endeavors.

I truly was surprised at how much I learned in two hours. Marta has such a laid back demeanor, she clearly presented the material in a way that made sense but wasn't overwhelming and she sent us on our way with handouts in case we forgot the lessons she taught. I am so excited to start planting on my days off this week and look forward to harvesting my own vegetables! More photos to come as the garden grows.

I would like to point out that the third picture from the top is my little salad garden. Can't wait to eat it!

Sautéed Chicken and Spring Vegetables

2010-03-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

On Thursdays, the husband plays basketball with his mates. He gets home shortly after 8 and I get home around 6. That means I have two uninterrupted hours, give or take. Sometimes, I will use the time to make an elaborate, labor intensive dinner. Other times I will slack off watching things from the dvr, catching up on some reading or laundry. Last night it was the latter, but it wasn't the laundry or the reading, it was mindless tv. Ugh. So unproductive.

By the time I got off the couch, it was just before 8, yet I managed to whip dinner up in 25 minutes. Take that Rachel Ray, I don't even need your 30 minutes! We had a variation of a chicken picatta with capers and parsley and a spring vegetable sauté that included asparagus, chanterelle mushrooms, peas and baby artichokes.

NO DINNER TONIGHT

2010-03-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

You've got to give a girl a rest! Tonight we are going out so instead, I am posting a few pics from the produce I picked up this morning at the farmers market.

GRILLED LAMB KOFTA KEBABS

2010-03-23T19:52:00.000-07:00

I love Jamie Oliver! This is from his "Jamie at Home" book and it is so good that I am making it again on Friday. It' really pretty easy too. I got some great spring lamb shoulder, minced it, mixed in some Middle Eastern spices then broiled it. Top it with some plain yogurt, marinated onions and mixed greens and serve on flatbread. Yum.

You're in luck! I found the recipe online, here it is:

500g trimmed shoulder or neck fillet of lamb, chopped into 2.5cm chunks
2 heaped tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 level tbsp ground chilli
1 level tbsp ground cumin
4 level tbsp sumac, if you can find any, or finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A good handful of shelled pistachio nuts
A few handfuls of mixed salad leaves, such as romaine, endive and rocket, washed, spun dry and shredded
A small bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked
1 red onion, peeled and very finely sliced
1 lemon
A bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
Extra virgin olive oil
4 large flatbreads or tortilla wraps
4 heaped tablespoons natural yoghurt

1. This dish is best cooked on a barbecue over hot coals, but if that’s not possible, put your grill on to its highest setting or heat up a griddle pan. Either way, get your cooking source preheated.

2. Place the lamb in a food processor with most of the thyme, chilli, cumin and sumac (reserving a little of each for sprinkling over later), a little salt and pepper and all the pistachios. Put the lid on and keep pulsing until the mixture looks like mince.

3. Divide the meat into four equal pieces and get yourself four skewers. With damp hands, push and shape the meat around and along each skewer. Press little indents in the meat with your fingers as you go - this will give it a better texture when cooked.

4. In one bowl, mix the salad leaves and mint. In another, combine the sliced onion with a good pinch of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice (the acidity will take the edge off and lightly pickle the raw onion). Scrunch this all together with your hands, then mix in the parsley leaves.

5. Grill the kebabs until nicely golden on all sides.

6. Dress your salad leaves and mint with a splash of extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and some salt and pepper.

7. Meanwhile, warm your flatbreads for 30 seconds on your griddle pan or under the grill, then divide between plates and top each with some dressed salad leaves and onion.

8. When your kebabs are cooked, slip them off their skewers on to the flatbreads - you can leave them whole or break them up as I’ve done here. Sprinkle with the rest of the sumac, cumin, chilli and fresh thyme, and a little salt and pepper.

9. Now either toss the salads, grilled meat and juices together on top of the flatbreads and drizzle with some of the yoghurt before rolling up and serving; or let your friends toss theirs together at the table, then dress and roll up their own, drizzled with some extra virgin olive oil.

COCONUT RED LENTIL SOUP

2010-03-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, I am cooking for one of my clients and I have decided to make the same dish, lamb kebabs, for us, but that still left me with nothing for tonight. After consulting with one of my favorite websites, http://www.101cookbooks.com, I decided to give this version of lentil soup a try. I love lentil soup, but this is much better than the can of Progresso that I ate as a kid. I have a similar recipe of my own, but tonight I veered off course a little.

I knew that I had lentils of every variety in my cupboard, so this was a perfect recipe. If you do not have lentils in your cupboard, you should go and get some. They are the perfect staple because they cook quickly, are really versatile and their most delightful feature is that they're cheap. Another thing about the good ol' lentil is that they are full of great nutrients, B vitamins, minerals and fiber. I promise you, you are not getting enough fiber. So stock up on lentils and start cooking!

Oh wait, just a few more things, speaking of nutrients. Ginger and the spices that go into curry powder are anti-inflammatory as well as anti-carcinogens. Coconut milk is an ingredient that I am in love with. Stay away from the low fat version, the fat is the most important part. It is also anti-inflammatory and a great source of energy.

COCONUT RED LENTIL SOUP
Heidi Swanson

1 cup / 7 oz / 200g yellow split peas
1 cup 7 oz / 200g red split lentils (masoor dal)
7 cups / 1.6 liters water
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons fresh peeled and minced ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
8 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1/3 cup / 1.5 oz / 45g golden raisins
1/3 / 80 ml cup tomato paste
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
one small handful cilantro, chopped

cooked brown rice or farro, for serving (optional)

Give the split peas and lentils a good rinse - until they no longer put off murky water. Place them in an extra-large soup pot, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the carrot and 1/4 of the ginger. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft.

In the meantime, in a small dry skillet or saucepan over low heat, toast the curry powder until it is quite fragrant. Be careful though, you don't want to burn the curry powder, just toast it. Set aside. Place the butter in a pan over medium heat, add half of the green onions, the remaining ginger, and raisins. Saute for two minutes stirring constantly, then add the tomato paste and saute for another minute or two more.

Add the toasted curry powder to the tomato paste mixture, mix well, and then add this to the simmering soup along with the coconut milk and salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so. The texture should thicken up, but you can play around with the consistency if you like by adding more water, a bit at a time, if you like. Or simmer longer for a thicker consistency. The thicker this soup got, the more I liked it.

Serves 6.

2010-03-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACOS

We had already planned on making tacos tonight. It would allow Andrew to show off his amazing tortilla making skills. So I was pretty excited when I got my new Bon Apetit yesterday and there was a recipe for chipotle chicken tacos right on the cover! There's always a jar of pureed chipotles in my fridge. The combination of spicy and smokey is my favorite.

I always have these great aspirations to cook a large portion of the recipes in my magazines each month, but I never do. So at least this recipe will be a step in the right direction.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves plus 3 fresh cilantro sprigs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves plus 3 fresh oregano sprigs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves plus 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo*
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed in resealable plastic bag with mallet
1 5 1/2- to 6-pound roasting chicken, rinsed, patted dry; neck, heart, and gizzard reserved
2 large onions, each cut into 8 wedges through root end, leaving root ends intact
12 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 warm corn tortillas
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, thinly sliced

Using fork, mix butter, all chopped herbs, chipotle chiles, and crushed coriander in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Place chicken, breast side up, in large roasting pan; place reserved neck, heart, and gizzard alongside. Starting at neck end of chicken, slide fingers under skin to loosen, being careful to avoid tearing. Spread all but 1 tablespoon seasoned butter over breast meat and thigh meat under skin.Rub any butter remaining on fingers over outside of chicken. Sprinkle main cavity of chicken with salt and pepper; place all herb sprigs in cavity. Tie legs together loosely.

Place onion wedges in large bowl. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon seasoned butter in small saucepan over low heat; pour over onion wedges and toss to coat. Arrange onions around chicken. Sprinkle onions and chicken with salt and pepper.

Roast chicken and onions 30 minutes. Scatter garlic cloves around chicken; add 1/4 cup broth to roasting pan. Continue to roast chicken until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170°F, basting occasionally with pan juices and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls as needed to maintain juices in roasting pan, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Remove roasting pan from oven. Tilt chicken, draining juices from cavity into pan. Transfer chicken, onions, and garlic to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. Add 1/4 cup broth and wine to pan. Place over 2 burners and bring juices to boil, scraping up browned bits. Strain juices into bowl. Discard fat from top of juices.

Cut meat from chicken (reserve 1 1/3 cups for tostadas). Serve, making tacos with warm tortillas, chicken, onions, garlic, and avocado. Drizzle tacos with pan juices

Jess and Robin make a Spring Feast

2010-03-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

Last night Robin was in town so we made dinner together, of course. Whenever we are together we cook. I picked up some of my favorite springtime vegetables-asparagus, fava beans and fresh English peas. Those made up our side dish of a really simple spring vegetable sauté. Robin brought over some crab, my husband rolled out some fresh pasta and in no time we had a feast!

Spring Vegetable Sauté
Serves 4

1/2 pound fresh fava beans, shelled and blanched and shocked*
1/2 pound fresh English peas, shelled and blanched and shocked*
1 bunch asparagus
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-2 tablespoons mint, chopped
1/4 cup feta, crumbled (optional)
1/4 cup good quality olive oil

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the vegetables and sauté for a minute or two. Then add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook until the vegetables are cooked through. Toss in the mint. Remove from heat stir in feta and serve.

*Once you shell the fava beans, there is a thin shell surrounding each bean. To remove it, you want to blanch and shock them. First, drop the favas into boiling water for a minute or two, then shock, but placing them in a pot of ice cold water. When they are cool enough to handle, you can squeeze the favas from the shell.