fifty-nine

59

Fifty-nine is the age my parents turned last week. And as a reminder that the're only that much closer to the big six-oh, they came to me seeking healthful guidance. Of course I told them to exercise; take small walks around the neighborhood, and stretch while watching TV. I even bought my mom a cute little set of bright pink 3lb hand weights. But their diet needed an overhaul and that was clear. Here are some pictures I took of their fridge and cabinets. 

If you want to drop some lbs after 50, the refined sugar in sodas, juices, and sugary cereals, are not going to help. Neither are sweet "weight loss" drinks or pre-packaged smoothies. I formulated some small changes for my parents to start transitioning away from these processed foods, and try to intake more whole, natural, and even raw foods as a part of their daily diet. 

A complete overhaul of their fridge was done. I moved everything I didn't want readily available to them, out to the fridge they have in their garage. This way, if they want to cheat, they have to hunt down that bad food first. Then I replaced the majority of their everyday foods with healthier options. Here's a look at my purchase from Whole Foods. 

I focused on less processed, dairy-free, & gluten free items like: dressings, bread, butter, fresh almond butter, beer, and hummus. And of course RAW VEGETABLES. But I know my parents also like convenience, so I even got some frozen pizzas, mac and cheese, and a few vegan desserts I like. But I didn't want to leave them with a bunch of pieces to assemble and no instruction booklet, like an IKEA nightmare. So I drafted a plan, discussed taking small steps towards a healthier diet, and said I'd be checking in regularly (5 days in and they're not annoyed yet). I also made them a set of my vegan burgers, a huge batch of coconut lemongrass soup, and THIS recipe for Curried Quinoa & Vegetables.

This dish reminds me so much of my favorite Thai fried rice. I'm thinking about adding raisins and pineapple to my next batch. Kimberly puts cayenne pepper in her recipe. It's great to make a big batch and eat throughout the week.

Curried Quinoa & Vegetables

(Modified from The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder)

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Tbs. coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• High quality sea salt (adjust to personal taste)
• 1 Tbs. curry
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup coconut milk 
• ¾ cup dry quinoa

Optional Prep: soak the quinoa in water for a few hours, or overnight.

Instructions:

Step One. In a saucepan place 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the quinoa to the hot water, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent soft (about 10-15 minutes). Pour through a fine strainer and set to the side in a bowl.

Step Two.Heat the coconut oil in a skillet pan. Add the diced onions, and lightly sauté for a few minutes, adding the Celtic sea salt, curry, turmeric, and black pepper. I also like to add some minced garlic here. 

Step Three.Add the other vegetables and lightly sauté for 5-6 minutes, until they become softened (but not overcooked).Add the cooked quinoa, and the coconut milk and stir everything together. Adjust flavoring as needed.

Vegan Burgers

This entry is dedicated to my lovely mother, & my two beautiful sisters.

Two weeks ago, my mother went to the hospital to find out why she was having persistent abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with gallstones and scheduled for surgery. 10 days, 2 surgeries, an MRI, and a case of pancreatitis later, she got to go home. I immediately googled gallstones and found that they are mostly contracted by women, with a family history. Then I learned that my grandmother and great-grandmother had also had their gallbladders removed. So of course, I went to researching ways to prevent myself from becoming the next female in my family to contract this condition. 

One way to pamper your gallbladder is to speed intestinal transit. How do we do this? 

1. Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble fibers are considered gut-healthy fiber because they have a laxative effect and add bulk to the diet, helping prevent constipation. These fibers do not dissolve in water, so they pass through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact, and speed up the passage of food and waste through your gut. Insoluble fibers are mainly found in whole grains and vegetables (Source:WebMD).

2.  Reduce foods that slow digestion, ie. Animal Protein.

Animal protein, out of all the food groups, takes the longest to travel through the intestines, sometimes up to 24 hours. So if you are not vegan, I would encourage you to eat foods like eggs, yogurt, cheese, meats, fish, and poultry, only once a day (or less!). I have also been talking to my mom about saving her main sources of protein, for the evening, (and switching to fish). Eating these foods at dinner time gives your body an 8-10 hour head start on digesting them before your next meal (breakfast).

3. Eat your (raw) vegetables. 

Raw veggies are the best for a happy digestion. And having a healthy gallbladder starts with a healthy digestive system. Try having a small salad before your two largest meals, and see if you feel better (and eat less too).

4. Take a probiotic.

I've started taking a probiotic and a digestive enzyme before lunch and dinner and  I feel incredible! This way, even if you are not eating foods that are absolutely the best for your tummy, you are at least throwing in some happy helpers to keep things moving. And that's what we want, right? 

All of these new habits can be attributed to the fact that I'm obsessed with Kimberly Snyder's book, The Beauty Detox Solution. The following recipe is from her book. 

Vegan Burgers

(from Kimberly Snyder's, The Beauty Detox Solution)

Have you been on the look-out for a vegan, gluten free, soy free veggie burger? Look no further, friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup dry millet
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 
• 2 tablspoons raw cocont oil or grapeseed oil
• 1 large onion finely minced
• 3 cups spinach, inely chopped
• 2 stalks of celery finely minced
• 2 mall carrots, peeled and minced
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbs cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup amaranth flour

Prep: soak millet in water overnight (recommended)

Tools: A cheese grater or a food processor wouldn't hurt

Tips: I added cumin seeds in with the onions step 2), toasting them brings out their hard to miss flavor. I also added turmeric in Step 3.

Step 1.
In a saucepan over high heat, ring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the millet, and simmer until it reaches a softer texture (life fluffy rice), around 15-20 minutes. Pour through a strainer and set aside to cool.

Step 2.
Saute the garlic in enough coconut oil until gently cooked, then add the onions and stir until the onions become translucent.

Step 3.
Add the spinach,celery and carrots, and cook for a few minutes. Add sea salt and other seasonings and stir in.

Step 4.
Add the cooked millet and stir until everything it well mixed. Last chance to adjust your seasoning.

Step 5.
Turn off the heat and add the amaranth flour to the mixture. Stir until it starts to bind together and the mixture cools.

Step 6.
Form the cooled mixture into patties, about 3-4 inches in diameter (I made 7 and kept them in the fridge all week until I was ready to fry 'em up).

Step 7.
When you're ready to eat, heat a large pan to a fairly high temperature an coat with coconut or grapeseed oil. Saute eah pattie on both sides until firm and browned.

Serving suggestion: 
Enjoy on a salad, with steamed veggies, or on your favorite bun! I recommend a slice of avocado and a pinch of sprouts on top.

Why this recipe? 

Millet, more commonly known as birdseed, is a grain high in insoluble fiber. It also carries good *percentages of our daily recommended value for Manganese, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Tryptopan (one of the 10 essential amino acids). These nutrients have been linked to aiding head and muscle aches, lowering blood pressure, and assisting in stress reduction and restful sleep. Millet won'e just be for the birds after you try these burgers.

*1 cup Millet contains a daily value of 23.5% manganese, 21.8% tryptophan, 19.1% magnesium, and 17.4% phosphorus (Source)

Here's a relaxing, post-burger pose to try

What it does: Boost circulation and mood. Relaxes the belly. Prepares you for sleep. 

Viparita Karani

Legs up the wall pose

Other Sources of insoluble fiber: whole wheat, whole grains, wheat bran, corn bran, seeds, nuts, barley, couscous, brown rice, bulgur, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, grapes, fruit, and root vegetable skins. (WebMD)

Garden Party: Part I

 

 

    Since my first catering adventure was a success, my sister suggested to my mother that,  together, we cater her upcoming 'Garden Party'. What is a Garden Party you ask? It's a party where your friends come over and walk around your garden. My mom used to have a party where guests walked around and admired her Christmas decorations, but she got tired of that I guess... This would just be a casual, open house-type of event, with people coming and going. Close to eighty-five formal invitations were sent; Then you add verbal invitations to close friends, and consider some people would bring their children... My sister and I would prepare an outdoor spread for close to 100 people.

 

I apologize if this photo is offensive to Vegetarians

 

 

Now, since I was not cooking for a vegan crowd, there were a few protein options not suitable for this blog. Including barbeque pulled pork sliders which I was actually very proud of. All of our sandwiches were served on freshly baked bread from Bread Bar in L.A., and we garnished our platters with edible flowers for a true touch of Spring.

 

The first recipe for the Garden Party comes, in fact, from the last course. Strawberry Fools are a perfect dessert for Spring or Summer because they are fruit-filled, chilled, and easy to make ahead. My sister got the idea from a friend, and I got some very cute baking cups from Sur La Table to add some color to the table.  

 

 

 

STRAWBERRY FOOLS

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces strawberries, halved
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
• 1/2 cup crème fraiche
• 12 edible rose petals (fresh or candied)

Directions

Step 1.

Puree strawberries, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until mixture is slightly chunky. (I actually pureed this pretty good).

Step 2.

Whisk heavy cream, crème fraiche, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. (This takes a while). Fold in strawberry mixture until just swirled through. Divide among 12 glasses. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (We put them in the freezer for about 2 hours).

 

 

Step 3.

 Garnish each fool with a rose petal (we used a variety of edible flower petals) just before serving.

All Seasons Tarte

   It pains me to say that I haven't been cooking much lately. Since the holidays really. I guess I should have made a resolution to keep up my blog, but I was doing so well, I did not foresee what shortfalls were ahead of me. So, I apologize. And with the spring upon us, guaranteed, I'll be cooking up some fresh seasonal goodies to fill your kitchen for the months to come.
  
Next week for example, I'm taking on my second catering task. My sister and I will be providing food for 100 guests at my mom's first annual garden party. We'll be serving up tiny sandwiches, caprese kabobs, and yummy finger desserts. So I can at least promise a few recipes in advance that will be great for your upcoming summer get-togethers.

    But first, a long awaited tarte recipe. This is not the same as a quiche (you can see my first quiche and crust recipe here), it's a tarte, because it contains more veggies than egg mixture, a quiche is slightly more eggy, but to me, they are really the same thing. I made this tarte for Christmas dinner, but I thought it was still appropriate for Easter, so here it is, 'The All-Seasons Tarte'.


notes on the recipe:
  Of course, I made my own crust, but it's alright to buy a pie or pastry crust form the store. Prepping and cooking could take close to two hours, and this on definitely calls for a grocery list, but it is SO worth it. This tarte is all the reward you will need in the end. 
   

The All-Seasons Tarte

(Published in 'Plenty' by Yotam Ottolenghi as the 'Very Full Tart')

Ingredients: 

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 5 tablesoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium eggplants (aubergine), cut into 1-inch dice
• 2 medium sweet potato (kumara) , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 medium zucchini (courgette), cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 medium onions, cut in half and then cut in thin wedges
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 purchased or homeade pie or shortcrust pastry
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs, picked
• 4 ounces Ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces Feta cheese
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup half and half
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

step one. 
    Preheat oven to 450?F (230?C). Cover a large baking sheet with foil.

step two. 
    Cut peppers in half and discard seeds and stem. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and place on one side of the prepared sheet pan.

step three. 
    On the opposite side of the baking sheet, combine the eggplant with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 12 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes to the eggplant and stir to combine. Roast for another 12 minutes, then add zucchini, return to oven and roast 12 more minutes. After a total roasting time of 36 minutes the peppers should be charred in places and the other veggies golden and quite fragrant. Remove from oven and immediately cover the peppers with foil. Once the peppers are cool, the skin will easily slip off. Remove the skins and cut into 1″ pieces.

step four.
    While the veggies are roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions with the bay leaves and a half teaspoon of salt for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, soft and sweet. Discard the bay leaves and set aside.

step five.
    Reduce oven temperature to 375?F (160?C). Line a 11-inch shallow tart pan (or a 9-inch deep tart pan) with pastry crust. Blind-bake the crust by lining it with parchment paper, then fill with dried beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, lift out the paper and beans (or rice), and bake for another 5-8 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

step six. 
     Spread the onions over the bottom of baked tart crust, then top with roasted vegtables. Scatter with half the thyme and dot with small chunks of both cheeses, then the tomato halves, cut-side up. Whisk the eggs and cream with a half teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and pour into the tart; the tomatoes and cheese should remain exposed. Scatter the remaining thyme on top. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until the filling sets and turns golden. Rest for at least 10 minutes, then remove the tart from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

enjoy!

 

Blueberry Pie

Get Well Blueberry Pie

 

My mom is on bed rest this weekend, so I thought I'd surprise her with a drive home, and a blueberry pie. 

 

Nothing says 'Get Well Soon,' like a pie and some flowers. So I picked up an orchid and rolled out this blueberry pie. I've been practicing on my pie crust and my friends have been benefiting. But finally, I've perfected this rye pie crust from Heidi Swanson. At first, pie crust can be intimidating. But as long as you've got an apron, or some clothes you don't mind getting floured, it's really simple, and very rewarding. And with the holidays in full swing, I'm sure you can find lots of instances for practice of your own before the New Year.

I found my mom trip planning on her iPad when I arrived. My dad brought up a serving knife and plates and we I had pie together on the balcony overlooking my parents' spectacular view of Jamul. I had to keep my dad away from the pie after his second helping because I'd invited my sister over for leftovers later. 

Blueberry Pie with Rye Crust

(This recipe is from Heidi Swanson shared on the blog Forty-Sixth At Grace by Herriott Grace)

I won't be hurt if you click that link and follow Heidi's recipe, because that's what I did.  Although I couldn't find lemon verbena anywhere so I just used extra lemon zest. Harriott offers two ways to get the dough into a ball, by hand, or with a food processor. I prefer the manual method because it makes me feel more involved. And remember, always keep your counter surface and rolling pin well-floured to make the dough easier to work with.

rye pie crust: 

2/3 cup rye flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4+ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup salted butter
1/3 cup cold beer

special equipment: rolling pin & pastry brush recommended

Harriott's notes: You can make the crust using the quick and popular food processor technique. That said,  I always make it by hand, using the above ingredients, and this technique. If you like a super-puffy crust, do the folding in Pim’s instructions 4x. I usually like mine less so, and fold & roll just 2 or 3 times, depending on how the dough is feeling.

step 1. 
   Mix together the flour and salt. Using one of the methods above, get your butter and flour well mixed until it resembles small flakes.

step 2. 
   Create a well with your dough, add the beer, and as quickly as possible work into a tight ball. Wrap with clear plastic and refrigerate for at least 40 minutes.

step 3.
   Fold your dough.

Pim's Instructions: 
Flour the pastry board or counter very liberally.  Place the dough on the board and flour the top of the dough liberally as well.  With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to an elongated rectangle.  Pick up the pastry brush, brush off the excess flour from the top of the dough.  Then pick up one end of the rectangle, fold it 2/3 of the way in.  Brush the flour off the newly folded section, then pick up the other end and fold it over that section. Now you have a dough that is folded neatly into thirds.  The dough will crack and might even break, don’t worry about it.  Just make sure you brush off as much flour as you can between the folding so you don’t trap more flour in the dough than necessary.

step 4. 
   Roll it.  I don't like to cut my dough in half, I always end up miscalculating. So I just take about 2/3, roll it into a thin crust, and make sure the bottom of my pie pan is perfectly covered. Then I trim off the edges and roll the scraps back in with the remaining 1/3 of the dough and this way I always have enough for the top crust. If you don't have a rolling pin, a bottle of wine will do. Once, I used a large salt shaker. This is a pretty sturdy dough so you shouldn't experience too much breakage.

Refriderate the remaining dough and prepare the filling.

Blueberry Pie Filling: 

•  1/3 cup natural cane sugar
•  1/3 maple sugar (or brown sugar) 
• 1/3 cup / 1.5 oz / 45 g flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 2 pounds of blueberries, rinsed 
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice & zest from that lemon (I like to use double the zest) 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water, whisked
• Large grain sugar, for sprinkling (optional) 

Preheat your oven to 425F

 

step 5. 
Toss the wet blueberries with the flour and salt.

step 6.
Fill the crust with the berries, drizzle with lemon juice, and dot with the butter. Brush the rim of the bottom crust with a bit of egg wash, then top with the other piece of pie crust.

Trim the top crust a bit if needed, then press the top and bottom crusts together at the edges. Working around the rim, tuck the overhanging dough under itself, and crimp with a fork or flute using your fingers.
 

Brush the crust with more of the egg wash and place in the oven for about 45 minutes – until the crust is deeply golden. I like to cover the edge of the rust with foil and then remove the foil 10 minutes before cooking is complete. I also sprinkle with large-grain sugar about 25 minutes in – for a little extra crunch and sweetness. Let cool a bit, slice and serve.

Butternut Squash Basics

I've been driving back and forth between Los Angeles and San Diego for the past few weekends. The downside is, I haven't had much time to blog, and I'm beginning to hate what really is a pretty scenic drive. But on the upside, I've been getting to spend some good quality time with friends and family, and I get to take advantage of my mom's splendid kitchen, and most of all, her abundance of produce.

     Butternut squash has got to be one of, if not THE favorite vegetable of my family. My mom typically prepares it with brown sugar and butter, but the recipe ideas for this generously sized squash seem inexhaustible. This squash is just beginning to reach harvesting size in my mom's garden and I imagine the season will last at least through December. Look forward to seeing some butternut squash recipes on this blog in the coming months. It's easily an autumn time obsession of mine.

     Before you can get creative however, you've got to know how to tame this beastly veggie. There are three basic ways you can prepare this for use in dishes and soups:

1. Peel & Roast
2. Peel and Steam
3. Bake in water 

     If you're short on time, go with #2, if you want to use oil and herbs, go with #1, but for me, the choice is always #3. I think it preserves the flavor best, and it delivers a great texture.

heat: 400-425 degrees F

time: 1hr- 1.5 hr

equipment: Large rectangular baking dish, aluminum foil

This method is always my first step in using this squash in dishes like lasagna, soup, or my Butternut Squash Enchiladas.

step 1.
  Slice your squash in half long ways, you'll need a good strong knife. If you've never cut into this squash before, you might be surprised at how tough it is. Also cut off the stem and then spoon out all the seeds.

step 2.
    In a large baking dish, place your squash face down. Pour some cold water into the dish until the water level is between 1/4 -1/2 inch deep. Sometimes I like to place a bouillon cube in the water to give a kiss of flavor to the squash. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 45-hour depending on the size of your squash. Honestly, I always cook my squash for at least an hour.

step 3.
   Set aside to and let some steam out. When the squash is cool enough to handle, flip it over and spoon out the good stuff. The rind of the squash should hold up against your spoon. You can save it and use it to serve your squash in later, depending on how you choose to prepare it.


Quick fix: Stir in a little butter, salt, and brown sugar. enjoy!

Artichoke Basics

Ah, the artichoke, an early sign of summer, and a vegetarian splendor. 

Baby artichokes from the Mar Vista Farmer's Market

     The artichoke has been a staple dish in my family since I can remember. My mom always prepared them in a pressure cooker, and served them with melted butter for dipping; A simple preparation that highlights the great natural flavors of the artichoke, it really needs nothing more.

     However, in recent years, I've noticed roasted or grilled artichokes showing up on appetizer menus, usually served with a wedge of lemon and garlic ailoi sauce for dipping.  Lemon, garlic, and butter, are an artichokes best friends. I find that grilling the artichoke brings in the flavors of the grill, which are nice, but take away from some of the natural sweetness of the vegetable. Besides, steaming and roasting allow the artichoke to keep a lot of it's nutrients.

     Artichokes are so lovely and ornate, they're even used for bouquets and floral design.  But did you know that the globe artichoke is one of the highest fiber vegetables, proving close to 25% of our daily intake? They're also high in that 'brain food,' folate, and have been found to lowers cholesterol, and support the liver & circulatory system.

     I can sometimes make a whole meal out of just one big globe artichoke, which is why I've decided to showcase the most basic preparation, that I make most often. But, should you decide you'd like to get fancy, I tried my hand at homemade aioli, and I have to say, it's to die for! I offer a quick mayo-based version, as well as a from-scratch-impress-your-guests version at the end of this recipe.


Get ready to fall in love...

Simple Steamed Artichoke

Ingredients: 

• 1 or more medium to large globe artichokes
• 1-2 lemons
• water
• butter or soy-free vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)

Equipment:

• stainless steel vegetable steamer
• large saucepan, dutch oven, or pressure cooker

step 1.
     place your vegetable steamer inside your saucepan or pressure cooker. Add enough cold water so that you can just see the water level peeking through the holes in the steamer. It should only be a few inches in the pot.

My mom grew this beautiful produce

step 2.
     Trim your artichoke. First, pull off the first layer or two of the smallest leaves around the stem. Slice off the stem as close to the base of the artichoke as you like. This part is edible, but it's stringy. I usually leave about 1cm of stem so the artichoke can easily stand upright. Slice a lemon in half, and immediately rub the juice side on fresh cut. Otherwise your artichoke will begin to brown quite rapidly. Next, with a serrated knife, cut off the top third of the artichoke; enough to get rid of any sharp tips, and expose some of the center. The picture above should give you a pretty good idea. Now, rub the lemon all over the top of the artichoke, because again, we don't want any browning.

step 3.
     Slice your lemon up and add it to the water in your sauce pan. This infuses a hint of lemon flavor during the cooking process, and again, keeps the artichokes nice and green. Place your artichokes upright in your vegetable steamer, cover and boil at med-high to high heat for approx. 40 min- 1 hr depending on how large your artichokes are, and how many you've placed in the steamer. My steamer usually fits 3-4 artichokes at a time. You know it's done, when the outermost leaves pull off without any effort.

Step 4.
    Remove from heat. You may need to use a pair of tongs to turn your artichoke upside down before plating.; Sometimes a little water can settle inside.  Warm a small bowl of 1-2 Tbsp. of butter, and dip your leaves in, and enjoy! You'll need a bowl for discarding leaves, because if you didn't know, you only eat the tender base of each leaf by scraping it with your teeth.

uncooked artichoke with the hairy choke exposed

     When you get to the pokey leaves, and the hairy middle, called the"choke," prepare to dig for treasure! For beneath those pokey leaves (which you shouldn't eat), lies the delicious prize, the "heart," of the artichoke. A spoon should easily separate the choke from the heart, although a little scraping may be necessary. I like to put the heart into my bowl of butter, and slice it in to triangles like a pie. Have fun. I guarantee, this is the best part!

Melted butter, globe artichoke, and pimenton aioli

Quick Aioli

(This is Gwyneth Paltrow's recipe verbatim)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise or your favorite vegan mayo

1 small clove garlic, finely minced or grated

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

salt & pepper

the only step. 

     Whisk everything together, adding more of any ingredient to suit your taste. 

Gwyneth is so simple. Dip your artichoke in that or....

Aioli de Luxe

(Adapted from Daniel Boulud's recipe, as heard on The Splendid Table)

Ingredients:

• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups canola oil
• 1 tsp hungarian paprika or pimenton (spanish paprika)

Equipment:

• Blender, food processor, or immersion blender

step 1.

     you're going to double blanch 3 cloves of garlic. First, cut each clove in half lengthwise. The green germ should be visible. Daniel Boulud is a famous French chef, and he says the garlic germ is bitter, and I believe him. Pull the germ out, and discard.

     Put the 6 halves of garlic with a few inches of cold water, in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. As soon as the water is boiling, discard the water, and put fresh cold water back in with the garlic. Bring to a boil again, and then discard the water. Set aside.

step 2. 

     Poach one egg. Bring a few inches of water to boil in a small saucepan, along with vinegar and a pinch of salt. Break an egg into a cup or a small bowl. Once the water is boiling, slowly slide the egg into the water and simmer for 2 minutes. Use a spooon to fish out the egg, and set it on a towel to dry. The yolk should be runny, but the white should be cooked.

Did you know the word yoga comes from the sanskrit word for yolk?
The eggs from my mom's chickens have such beautiful orange yolks.

step 3.

     I didn't have a food processor or blender available, so I used my immersion blender for the next step, but a blender is really best. Combine, your blanched and fresh garlic, poached egg, water, salt, and mustard and blend until smooth. The next step is REALLY important!

step 4.

     Slowly, while the blender is on, add the olive oil in a steady, slow sltream. The slower the better. Did you get that? Add the oil slowly. The liquid in the blender should begin to thicken. Keep that blender going. Next, add the canola oil at the same slow pace, and pretty soon, your sauce should develope into a mayonaise like texture. Last, blend in your spice. Pimentón is just Spanish paprika. The guy at Sprouts recommended Hungarian paprika for me.

     I could not keep my artichoke leaves away from this sauce. Crazy good! And now I have a whole jar to play with. I think I'm going to try it on a sandwich, or maybe an eggs benedict, especially since my egg poaching skills are now so steller.  



Yum, yum, yum!

Hope you had a great time learning about artichokes. Please "Like" my facebook page, or become a subscriber to this blog to show your support! I love you, my foodie friends!
Thanks for reading.

"Jitterbug Perfume"

“Breathe properly. Stay curious. And eat your beets.”- Jitterbug Perfume 

I'm obsessed with this book right now. So obsessed, in fact, that I intentionally only read one chapter at a time, so as to put off ever finishing it. Concurrently, I have fallen in love with beets. Before, throughout, and after reading this book, I love beets.

In the book, a once king seeks to live forever and ignore death. The king soon befriends the goat-like deity, Pan. And as Pan faces near extinction, and is being hunted by angry religious radicals, who think him to be Satan, the king designs a perfume to hide the goat's unmistakable stench, thereby covering his tracks. The perfume includes a base note made from beets.

Part of the king's ritual for longevity are a few basic principles, including: "controlled breath work, simple eating, sex, and bathing in extremely hot water."* Sounds like he'd make a good hot-yogi. 

And while I recognize this book to be a work of fiction, I believe their is some truth to the fact that controlled breath work can ward off stress, disease, and and even aging (to some extent). The ancient yogis certainly believed it.

Beets have some pretty amazing qualities as well. Some call them 'Nature's Multi-vitamin." In addition to protein, magnesium, and potassium, beets are full of vitamins, and minerals your body needs, but most especially, folic acid. It's no wonder Tom Robbins made it the favorite vegetable of his protagonist. Folic acid aids in cell renewal, which if you've watched any ad for skin cream in the last ten years, helps fight the look of aging. Some articles I found said that folic acid can prevent or slow the greying process of your hair, and even slow the aging of the brain, thereby preventing side effects such as dementia.  And although cooking any vegetable reduces their antioxidant power, and nutrient value, I prefer to eat my beets after they've been roasted (Although, I recently did a juice cleanse that involved a lot of beet juice, but that's for another blog).

In this entry, I share a recipe inspired by one of my new favorite tales, and give some tips on using your breath to increase the quality of your life. 

My mom gave me a beet plant...

So I harvested them.... 

...And washed them...

 ...And roasted them with garlic, and then I peeled them. For instructions on this, see my recipe for beet soup. I used goat cheese, for Pan; and mint, because it smells nice, and this dish needed an herb; mixed it all with brussel sprouts, because it's a delicious combination unearthed by my fellow yogi, Kate Korman (her blog here). Eh voila!

Jitterbug Brussels & Beets

Ingredients :

• Equal weight beet root, and brussel sprouts (I used about a dozen brussel sprouts to match my mom's beets)  
• 1-2 ounced of plain organic goat cheese
• 1-2 sprigs of mint, chiffonade 
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

First, wash and trim your beets, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and add a few halved cloves of garlic, wrap in foil, and bake at about 400 degrees until the skin of the beets is easily removed with the swipe of a finger (about 25 minutes). Set beets aside. 


Wash and quarter the brussel sprouts. In a small roasting pan, coat brussels lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the green color has brightened. 

Slice the beets to resemble the size of your quartered brussel sprouts and sprinkle goat cheese on the mixture. Toss lightly and roast for 20 more minutes, or until some of the brussel sprouts have begun to brown and crisp. 

Right away, sprinkle the mint, toss, and serve. 

My mom's beets tasted sweeter than cherry tomatoes, this is a delicious easy recipe for impressing at a potluck. Easily eaten cold or hot the next day.  

Pranayama - प्राणायाम 

Prana, in Sanskrit, is life force. To the yogi, this is your breath. 

Pranayama, is the extension of life force, otherwise known as breathing. But the way we usually think about breathing in and out, is different than the yogi practice of breath control. We use our breath to control our body temperature, our heart rate, blood pressure, vitality, and especially our deepness of concentration or meditation. Prana is the ever-flowing force of life, it does not just move in and out. It flows throughout and around our bodies to where there is pain, where there is restraint, and where there is static or cold energy. Prana ignites movement in the bones and muscles, and soothes the wandering or troubled mind. 

If you've taken a yoga class recently, you may be familiar with, "Ujjayi breathing," or "breath of fire," or even "standing deep breathing," as is done in Bikram classes. But let's forget all this for a while, and just imagine, you're lying in bed at night and you can't sleep. Instead of counting sheep, try counting your breath. Maybe you're counting 3 seconds on each inhale and and 3 seconds on each exhale. Now try making your exhale ONE second longer than your inhale, and repeat. As long as your exhale is longer than your inhale, your heart rate will slow, creating a calming feeling, which should help you get to sleep. Enhance this practice by only breathing through your nose. 

Simply taking notice of your breath can help reduce stress and anxiety at anytime in your day. Try even-counted inhales and exhales for 1-2 minutes the next time you get frustrated at work, or sitting in traffic.  See how you feel after taking control of your breath. You should feel like you've gained more control over your emotions as well.

Prana is amazing. Play with it. 


That's all for today.

Namaste 

"We relate to air through the breath. Most of us don't breathe properly, which is to say, we take in too little or too much and fail to consume it efficiently. Alobar and Kudra develped a method o' breathin' whereby the inhale and exhale were connected in uninterrupted rhythm, a continuous, circular, flywheel pattern like a serpent swallowin' its own tail. Their breathin' was deep and smooth and regular. When they brought air into their bodies, they visualized suckin' in as much energy and vitality as possible; when they expelled air, they visualized blowin' out all the staleness and flatness inside o' them." Pg 257