Taken from the Jan/Feb. issue of Health magazine (U.S.):
7 Heart-Smart Foods!
1. OATMEAL : a review of 67 studies showed that diets high in soluble fiber, like the kind in steel-cut oats, decease total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
2. SALMON : Oily fish are high in heart-protective omega-3 fatty acids. *Note this does NOT apply to fish fried in oil!*
3. NUTS : Go for walnuts, almonds, and macadamia buts, which boast good-for-you mono- and polyunsaturated fats.
4. EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL : A huge body of research confirms that its monounsaturated fats lower LDL choleterol and reduce your risk of heart disease.
5. BERRIES : They lower inflammation and have a host of other cardiovascular perks, according to a report in the Nutritional Review
6. BEANS : In one study, people who ate legumes - like beans and lentils - at least 4 times a week had a 22% lower risk of heart disease than people who ate them less than once a week.
7. BROCCOLI : This - and other green vegetables like kale and spinach - have anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects, a 2008 study shows.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Holiday Party 2011
Oh the holidays. So busy. So lively. So full of food!
So dear readership - the 2011 Holiday party menu was as follows:
* Chickpea Rosemary soup
* Grilled Lamb Skewers
* Mint Verde as a side of said skewers
* Bruschetta (from the Hubs)
* Date Cheese Ball (recipe below)
* Hot Buttered Rum (also from the Hubs)
From our guests:
A few very nice cheese selections and homemade sourdough bread (their bread is superb!I may have to try to steal some of their starter ;p)
Some delicious Gingerbread men (Gianna's brand and AMAZEBALLS)
A delightful bottle of wine
Verdicts:
The Chickpea Rosemary soup was very flavorful but either needed to be blended more or less. It was more of a very thick while stil liquidly consistency that made for a great soup as long as you had a spoon. My hopes for it had originally been to be able to allow people to drink it straight from the mugs laid out to accompany it. As left overs it was awesome and I ate it for lunch for two days following, spicing it up by adding in two spoonfuls of garlic salsa to my soup bowl with each serving! Super tasty!
The lamb was incredible. I plan on tweaking the marinade just a bit and posting it at a later date for the masses. Suffice to say that a good 4 hours marinade can really pack lamb chunks with tasty flavor goodness. I used left over lamb in chili where the rosemary that had been used in the marinade made a fantastic showing.
The date cheese ball was an unexpected hit with the guests. It was my first time making a cheese ball at all... let alone one which incorporated dates.
Here is that recipe:
Date Cheese Ball (Vegetarian Times, Dec. 2011 issue)
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 8oz. package reduced-fat cream cheese *I used neufchatel in mine
1 4oz. log goat cheese (or blue) softened
1 tbs. grated orange zest *I used the zest of one medium sized orange
1 tbs. fresh thyme leaves
1 pinch of salt
1/3 cup chopped pitted dates
* I also added in a pinch of fresh ground black pepper
1. Toast almonds until light brown and set aside to cool.
2. Process cheeses, orange zest, thyme, salt, and pepper in food processor until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and stir in dates. Coat a large rectangle of plastic wrap with cooking spray, and scoop cheese mixture onto it. Shape into ball, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
3. Roll cheese ball in toasted almonds (I did so by putting the almonds in a bowl bigger than the cheese ball and swirling), pressing to adhere. Let stand at room temp for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Info: Per 3 tbs. serving: 134 cal; 6g protein; 9g total fat (5g saturated fat); 8g carbohydrate; 20mg chol; 203mg sodium; 1g fiber; 7g sugars
Until we eat again...
So dear readership - the 2011 Holiday party menu was as follows:
* Chickpea Rosemary soup
* Grilled Lamb Skewers
* Mint Verde as a side of said skewers
* Bruschetta (from the Hubs)
* Date Cheese Ball (recipe below)
* Hot Buttered Rum (also from the Hubs)
From our guests:
A few very nice cheese selections and homemade sourdough bread (their bread is superb!I may have to try to steal some of their starter ;p)
Some delicious Gingerbread men (Gianna's brand and AMAZEBALLS)
A delightful bottle of wine
Verdicts:
The Chickpea Rosemary soup was very flavorful but either needed to be blended more or less. It was more of a very thick while stil liquidly consistency that made for a great soup as long as you had a spoon. My hopes for it had originally been to be able to allow people to drink it straight from the mugs laid out to accompany it. As left overs it was awesome and I ate it for lunch for two days following, spicing it up by adding in two spoonfuls of garlic salsa to my soup bowl with each serving! Super tasty!
The lamb was incredible. I plan on tweaking the marinade just a bit and posting it at a later date for the masses. Suffice to say that a good 4 hours marinade can really pack lamb chunks with tasty flavor goodness. I used left over lamb in chili where the rosemary that had been used in the marinade made a fantastic showing.
The date cheese ball was an unexpected hit with the guests. It was my first time making a cheese ball at all... let alone one which incorporated dates.
Here is that recipe:
Date Cheese Ball (Vegetarian Times, Dec. 2011 issue)
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 8oz. package reduced-fat cream cheese *I used neufchatel in mine
1 4oz. log goat cheese (or blue) softened
1 tbs. grated orange zest *I used the zest of one medium sized orange
1 tbs. fresh thyme leaves
1 pinch of salt
1/3 cup chopped pitted dates
* I also added in a pinch of fresh ground black pepper
1. Toast almonds until light brown and set aside to cool.
2. Process cheeses, orange zest, thyme, salt, and pepper in food processor until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and stir in dates. Coat a large rectangle of plastic wrap with cooking spray, and scoop cheese mixture onto it. Shape into ball, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
3. Roll cheese ball in toasted almonds (I did so by putting the almonds in a bowl bigger than the cheese ball and swirling), pressing to adhere. Let stand at room temp for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Info: Per 3 tbs. serving: 134 cal; 6g protein; 9g total fat (5g saturated fat); 8g carbohydrate; 20mg chol; 203mg sodium; 1g fiber; 7g sugars
Until we eat again...
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Never forgotten. Spicy Gingersnap cookies.
Oh goodness. I have not forgotten my love of food. Since May the following things have happened:
* I spent almost a year doing my best to be an awesome and inspiring preschool teacher to a class of 20 multilingual children - only to have my job pretty much stripped from me without notice while I was getting married/on my honeymoon... (I left after a month of doing my best to conform to the changes)
* Oh yeah... I got married! After a year (alright maybe closer to 2!) spent planning it I succeeded in marrying my best friend. We were married on 9-11-11 up near Lake Arrowhead surrounded by love - both in person and in spirit.
* I returned to working for a company I love that gives me the flexibility I need to finish off my degree/s.
* We hosted our 3rd annual Misfits Thanksgiving! Sadly I forgot to take any pictures of the spread. This year the spread consisted of: Clove spiced smoked ham, Bourbon smashed sweet potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts tossed in Maple Butter, Mexican Spiced Lentils, and Cranberry Apple Sausage Stuffing. (It isn't Thanksgiving unless there are two things... cranberries and pumpkin!) This year a dear friend and I took over the kitchen a few days before our shindig and spent an afternoon baking pumpkin pies from scratch - my first time! It was phenomenal!
All that said. I apologize for any who follow this blog. I didn't forget. I just got a little side tracked. With all the aforementioned changes going on it's been a bit on the hectic side but I have more time these days to devote to my kitchen conquests!
This Saturday is our 3rd annual (it's the year of threes!) Holiday party. I'm still working on the menu but traditionally the Holiday party focuses on appetizers. So far here is what I'm thinking of cooking up:
* Panzanella
* Date Cheese Ball
* Prosciutto wrapped Pear with Basil
* Grilled Lamb skewers with salsa verde
* Chickpea and Rosemary Soup
Sweet dishes:
* Chocolate Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chip cookies
* Scottish Shortbread cookies
* Orange Pecan Squares
I promise dear foodies to take photos of the spread and share the best recipes of the bunch. :) For now I share with you my Spicy Gingersnap cookie recipe *dairy free for those that struggle with dairy:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbs. ground ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
3/4 cup tub-style shortening
2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 tbs. plain rice milk or soymilk
1/4 cup molasses
1. Whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and pepper in large bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream shortening, 2/3 cup sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add rice/soy milk, and beat until smooth. Beat in molasses. Add flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, until soft dough forms.
3. Divide dough in half. Transfer each half to large sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper. Use plastic wrap to shape dough into logs. Wrap tightly and chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
4. To bake: preheat oven to 350F. Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar in shallow bowl. Slice logs into 1/2in. thick slices, rolling logs between slices to keep edges round. Dip one side of each slice in sugar, and place sugar side up on greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are crackled and dry on top. Cool 2-3 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire rack to cool.
* I spent almost a year doing my best to be an awesome and inspiring preschool teacher to a class of 20 multilingual children - only to have my job pretty much stripped from me without notice while I was getting married/on my honeymoon... (I left after a month of doing my best to conform to the changes)
* Oh yeah... I got married! After a year (alright maybe closer to 2!) spent planning it I succeeded in marrying my best friend. We were married on 9-11-11 up near Lake Arrowhead surrounded by love - both in person and in spirit.
* I returned to working for a company I love that gives me the flexibility I need to finish off my degree/s.
* We hosted our 3rd annual Misfits Thanksgiving! Sadly I forgot to take any pictures of the spread. This year the spread consisted of: Clove spiced smoked ham, Bourbon smashed sweet potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts tossed in Maple Butter, Mexican Spiced Lentils, and Cranberry Apple Sausage Stuffing. (It isn't Thanksgiving unless there are two things... cranberries and pumpkin!) This year a dear friend and I took over the kitchen a few days before our shindig and spent an afternoon baking pumpkin pies from scratch - my first time! It was phenomenal!
All that said. I apologize for any who follow this blog. I didn't forget. I just got a little side tracked. With all the aforementioned changes going on it's been a bit on the hectic side but I have more time these days to devote to my kitchen conquests!
This Saturday is our 3rd annual (it's the year of threes!) Holiday party. I'm still working on the menu but traditionally the Holiday party focuses on appetizers. So far here is what I'm thinking of cooking up:
* Panzanella
* Date Cheese Ball
* Prosciutto wrapped Pear with Basil
* Grilled Lamb skewers with salsa verde
* Chickpea and Rosemary Soup
Sweet dishes:
* Chocolate Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chip cookies
* Scottish Shortbread cookies
* Orange Pecan Squares
I promise dear foodies to take photos of the spread and share the best recipes of the bunch. :) For now I share with you my Spicy Gingersnap cookie recipe *dairy free for those that struggle with dairy:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbs. ground ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
3/4 cup tub-style shortening
2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 tbs. plain rice milk or soymilk
1/4 cup molasses
1. Whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and pepper in large bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream shortening, 2/3 cup sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add rice/soy milk, and beat until smooth. Beat in molasses. Add flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, until soft dough forms.
3. Divide dough in half. Transfer each half to large sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper. Use plastic wrap to shape dough into logs. Wrap tightly and chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
4. To bake: preheat oven to 350F. Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar in shallow bowl. Slice logs into 1/2in. thick slices, rolling logs between slices to keep edges round. Dip one side of each slice in sugar, and place sugar side up on greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are crackled and dry on top. Cool 2-3 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire rack to cool.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
I swear we're still eating...
Oh lovely lovely food blog - I promise I haven't forgotten about you and nor have I dallied in my culinary creating. I shall provide updates in somewhat time relevant manners from here on out. >.<
Now where did I put that flux capacitor?
Easter. My easter dinner must be noted upon namely because it was amazingly sacrilicious! That's right I said sacrilicious! I present for you my Easter creation:
That's right. I'm horrible. I made a Jesus-loaf for Easter dinner. >.< He's even made of lamb - fitting I felt to be used to represent the lamb of god, no?
Here is my Jesusloaf recipe:
Balsamic-glazed Lamb Meatlof
2 slices of bread (I used a "fitness" bread from a local German bakery) crusts removed, torn into pieces
2.5 lbs ground lamb
1 large egg
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh theme, chopped
salt and pepper
balsamic vinegar
Heat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl, combine the bread and 3 tablespoons water. Add the lamb, egg, garlic, thyme, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Place the mixture on a foil-lined baking sheet and shape. (try to keep it about 3 inches thick at a maximum). Bake, brushing with the balsamic vinegar several times during cooking, until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 150° F, 30 to 35 minutes. Let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. To add authenticity decorate Jesus with ketchup as seen below:
Now where did I put that flux capacitor?
Easter. My easter dinner must be noted upon namely because it was amazingly sacrilicious! That's right I said sacrilicious! I present for you my Easter creation:
That's right. I'm horrible. I made a Jesus-loaf for Easter dinner. >.< He's even made of lamb - fitting I felt to be used to represent the lamb of god, no?
Here is my Jesusloaf recipe:
Balsamic-glazed Lamb Meatlof
2 slices of bread (I used a "fitness" bread from a local German bakery) crusts removed, torn into pieces
2.5 lbs ground lamb
1 large egg
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh theme, chopped
salt and pepper
balsamic vinegar
Heat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl, combine the bread and 3 tablespoons water. Add the lamb, egg, garlic, thyme, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Next time: What to do with polenta? & other tasty tid-bits
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Week 1
Our first week's delivery consisted of:
Cilantro
Strawberries
Green Onions
Romaine Lettuce
Rainbow Carrots
Rutabagas
Rainbow Chard
The top four on those list are easy peasy to cook with.
So far we've only used the cilantro once - to make a Cilantro Lime marinade for chicken breasts. Quite tasty - was the Hubs's design though so not too much I can say about it save that it was good.
The strawberries are a bit young (I was spoiled living in Oxnard home of the California Strawberry Festival. ) and have a tartness to them that makes them best consumed with another sweet (I've been nomming on them with Black Seedless Grapes lately).
Green Onions made their way into a Quiche Florentine on Sunday afternoon. Delicious and not at all earthy. I was turned off of green onions briefly after a bad run in with some very dirty tasting specimens (literally tasted like dirt).
Romaine lettuce is well... lettuce. It's rad in salads. :)
The carrots will make their debute in soup on Wednesday. I'll try to remember to post about it then.
Rutabagas... thought of as a cross between wild cabbage and turnips. Funny looking white bulbous root vegetables with a sweet finish to them. We used ours by peeling, dicing, boiling, and then mashing them. We learned they do not hold cream well (a bit runny) but they do taste amazing when mashed and lightly seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Nom nom nom.
Rainbow chard. What the hell do you do with Rainbow Chard? This gal made a sausage dish with it. :)
I took the chard and chopped it (leaves separate from the stems. The stems are the sweeter portion once cooked) and then sauteed it in about 2 tablespoons of butter. After wilting the leaves I popped in the stems and let them bubble away some before throwing in a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Lastly I threw in a few tablespoons of chopped white onion.
I let this saute some more before removing it from the heat, transferring it to a plate and letting it rest. In the same pan I then cooked up some organic pork sausage. I broke this into small pieces and cooked it through before adding back in the chard mix. I turned the heat down and let this simmer while I cooked up some Thai rice noodles to serve it on.
The end result was not only tasty but highly filling. Chard of win!
Until next time... keep your kitchen healthy!
Cilantro
Strawberries
Green Onions
Romaine Lettuce
Rainbow Carrots
Rutabagas
Rainbow Chard
The top four on those list are easy peasy to cook with.
So far we've only used the cilantro once - to make a Cilantro Lime marinade for chicken breasts. Quite tasty - was the Hubs's design though so not too much I can say about it save that it was good.
The strawberries are a bit young (I was spoiled living in Oxnard home of the California Strawberry Festival. ) and have a tartness to them that makes them best consumed with another sweet (I've been nomming on them with Black Seedless Grapes lately).
Green Onions made their way into a Quiche Florentine on Sunday afternoon. Delicious and not at all earthy. I was turned off of green onions briefly after a bad run in with some very dirty tasting specimens (literally tasted like dirt).
Romaine lettuce is well... lettuce. It's rad in salads. :)
The carrots will make their debute in soup on Wednesday. I'll try to remember to post about it then.
Rutabagas... thought of as a cross between wild cabbage and turnips. Funny looking white bulbous root vegetables with a sweet finish to them. We used ours by peeling, dicing, boiling, and then mashing them. We learned they do not hold cream well (a bit runny) but they do taste amazing when mashed and lightly seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Nom nom nom.
Rainbow chard. What the hell do you do with Rainbow Chard? This gal made a sausage dish with it. :)
Until next time... keep your kitchen healthy!
The starter.
I open this blog with a dedication:
I hereby dedicate this blog to the pursuit of tasty tasty noms. I promise to avoid prepackaged foods to the best of my culinary ability. I shalt not cook beyond the means of my kitchen, time, or patience. I shall love, honor, and respect my taste buds with good wines and bad, in saltiness and sweet, with savory and bitter components both. Forever, and ever... Amen.
& a quote
"The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art, one of the joys of civilized living"
Dione Lucas
Now on to the good stuff.
This blog was spurned from the encouragement of another blogger out there that I know in physical reality - Lady B. I was leaving the greater Los Angeles region to move to the frozen tundras of the North... alright, not really. I was moving north but not quite to frozen wastelands. Rather to the home of some amazing culture, tons of sight seeing, and of course awesome locally grown and harvested foods. I was always a foodie at heart, upon moving out of the beloved parents house I become a foodie in practice as well. Not one of those snobbish obnoxious foodies who always seem to believe they know the *best* places to eat and refuse to eat somewhere outside their reservation zone. Rather one of those foodies who is in it for the pursuit of incredible (& might I add satisfyingly edible) food.
I moved to the Bay area and within the first two months of living here signed up to receive locally grown food stuffs on a weekly basis. The goodness of the Farms. Freshness Farms is our first endeavor in the locally grown movement. So far... so well. We could even request them NOT to send us mushrooms (one of the few foods on my Do Not Consume list.... I try I do. They taste like dead. I prefer my food not tast like dead thank you).
Let the adventure begin...
I hereby dedicate this blog to the pursuit of tasty tasty noms. I promise to avoid prepackaged foods to the best of my culinary ability. I shalt not cook beyond the means of my kitchen, time, or patience. I shall love, honor, and respect my taste buds with good wines and bad, in saltiness and sweet, with savory and bitter components both. Forever, and ever... Amen.
& a quote
"The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art, one of the joys of civilized living"
Dione Lucas
Now on to the good stuff.
This blog was spurned from the encouragement of another blogger out there that I know in physical reality - Lady B. I was leaving the greater Los Angeles region to move to the frozen tundras of the North... alright, not really. I was moving north but not quite to frozen wastelands. Rather to the home of some amazing culture, tons of sight seeing, and of course awesome locally grown and harvested foods. I was always a foodie at heart, upon moving out of the beloved parents house I become a foodie in practice as well. Not one of those snobbish obnoxious foodies who always seem to believe they know the *best* places to eat and refuse to eat somewhere outside their reservation zone. Rather one of those foodies who is in it for the pursuit of incredible (& might I add satisfyingly edible) food.
I moved to the Bay area and within the first two months of living here signed up to receive locally grown food stuffs on a weekly basis. The goodness of the Farms. Freshness Farms is our first endeavor in the locally grown movement. So far... so well. We could even request them NOT to send us mushrooms (one of the few foods on my Do Not Consume list.... I try I do. They taste like dead. I prefer my food not tast like dead thank you).
Let the adventure begin...
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