Cauliflower and Black Bean NACHOS!

Please allow me to introduce you to my new favorite food.....

They are cheesy, spicy, and have all of the flavor of your very favorite late night bar food... except they are carb free, and nutritious! No, I am not joking. I replaced tortilla chips for sriracha roasted cauliflower and then piled them high with all of my favorite nacho toppings. They lasted about 5 minutes. RK and I gobbled them up so fast!

Cauliflower nachos for the win!

Ingredients:

For the cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower cut into thin florets

Sriracha sauce

Olive oil

Taco seasoning

For the nachos

Black beans

Tomatoes

Pickled jalapeños

Shredded cheddar cheese

Shredded jack cheese

Iceberg lettuce

Avocados

Green onion 

Fresh cilantro

Salsa

Sour cream or greek yogurt

Method:

No, there are no measurements.... this is all completely to your taste! 

Pre heat your oven to 400 degrees. 

Cut the cauliflower into florets and then slice each one into thin-ish slices. They will fall apart a little bit, which is fine. You want to get the florets thin, but not all falling apart into tiny pieces. The cauliflower will replace tortilla chips, so you want them to hold some toppings! 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Toss the cauliflower with a little olive oil, sriracha, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. 

Spread the cauliflower in a single layer in the baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes or until the cauliflower is roasted and browned. 

Once the cauliflower is roasted, top with cheese, black beans, and pickled jalapeños and put back in the oven to bake until the cheese is melted and the black beans are hot. 

Then, pile on the toppings of your choice and enjoy!

Homemade Vanilla Bean Yogurt

About two years ago, I convinced Richard that if I got a yogurt maker I would definitely, for sure make homemade yogurt every week! I have used it once... and I didn't end up eating any of the yogurt.

Turns out home made yogurt maker is like home exercise equipment, decorative and a place to hang your clothes that you're too lazy to put in the hamper. Well, yesterday I filled the hamper, did my laundry and pulled out the yogurt maker to give it another shot. And boy was I blown away.

Please note: the home exercise bike is still functioning as an expensive clothes hanger. But when I look at it, I do feel skinnier.

Speaking of skinnier, low fat yogurt, especially of the homemade variety is a great, low calorie source of protein that can actually help reduce belly fat... and my version has no added sugar unlike the store bought versions! So here's how you can make it yourself AND make yourself skinnier, without getting on that damn exercise bike.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Yogurt

Ingredients:
6 cups of 2% milk (you can use whatever kind of milk you would like.... most recipes call for 1/2 gallon, but then you have leftover cultured milk that you have to throw away. I don't like to waste)
3/4 cup store bought, plain yogurt
1 vanilla bean pod
2 tablespoons powdered milk


Method:
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk and the split open vanilla bean pod to a boil (180°F degrees.) Take care not to let the milk scald by stirring it every few minutes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat.

Place the end of an instant-read thermometer in the pan of milk. When the milk has cooled to lukewarm (110°F), in a bowl, combine about 1 cup of the milk and the yogurt and stir until smooth. Then, stirring constantly, slowly pour the mixture back into the pan of warm milk. Remove the vanilla bean pod and stir in the powdered milk, which makes the yogurt thicker.

Pour the milk-yogurt mixture into the containers of a home yogurt maker and process overnight or about 8 hours, according to the manufacturers instructions. Serve warm the next morning, or cover and refrigerate before serving. Store the yogurt, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

Top with honey, berries, nuts, cacao nibs... whatever your heart desires!

Enjoy!!

Gingerbread Chai Protein Shake

Two things about today:

1. I am beyond tired because poor Penelope (mutt #4 out of 6 currently residing in the Keith house) was up all night with a double ear infection and terrible allergies...resulting in yours truly being up all night cuddling with poor Penelo-puppy. That was not an enjoyable vet visit this morning. Ugh.

2. I am sick of summer. I wish it was fall. That's all.

So, that said, all that I needed today was a yummy, cozy, fall sort of drink to give me little pep in my step. Since I am really sick of my normal afternoon coffee shake wake me up, I decided to give this gingerbread chai shake from GOOP a try. It has been on my TO MAKE list since before last fall and before the whole "conscious uncoupling" fiasco made me reconsider ever reading her blog again. Though, I will say that I really wish I had made it sooner because it may be my new absolute favorite thing!!

There's no added sugar, lots of protein, and the perfect amount of caffein for an afternoon pick me up!

Gingerbread Chai Protein Shake

Ingredients:

1 cup of brewed rooibos chai tea

1/3 cup coconut milk (I used light coconut milk to avoid the super high fat content. You could also use almond milk, but it will turn out much less creamy)

2 tablespoons almond butter (I used Justin's Maple Almond butter. SO. GOOD.)

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You could also let the tea cool and add some ice for a frozen shake!

Enjoy!

Carb-free, Guilt-Free, Taste-full Eggplant Pizzas

Ok, this recipe was so delicious that I didn't even stop stuffing my face long enough to take a photo! (Rich took an embarrassing photo of my stuffed face that shall remain unpublished.) Fortunately for me, that gave me the perfect reason to make it again today! I'm a little obsessed...

As I said yesterday, Rich and I are trying to eat healthier for our upcoming vacation(s). Well, I am eating healthier and since I usually make the dinners in this family.... Rich is getting into bikini shape too! Next up, couples waxing. Butt (yup, I did that) as I've mentioned, when I decide to eat healthy, all that I want to eat is pizza. Quite honestly, all that I EVER want to eat EVER is pizza. 

I am a big fan of the Pinterest famous cauliflower crust pizza. It's absolutely delicious, but it is SO much prep work. Anything that requires a food processor is a pain in my ass, which makes me a pain in Rich's... it's a rabbit hole of pain. So, I like to stick to kitchen appliances that require very little cleaning. And while the zucchini pizzas I have seen floating around the internet look really yummy, they are way to small. I mean, I need to mush two of them together to make them "bite size!"  So, no. Then, I remembered Julia Child's eggplant pizzas! 

Tranches d'aubergine a italienne. A' perfecto is what I call them. They are so easy and so delicious!I actually really dislike eggplant! (Please note that I did not say "hate" eggplant because I save that word for foods like salmon.) But, it's true. Eggplant is not something that I usually reach for in the kitchen. But, I think I have finally found an reason to show it a little love. 

Now, even though this recipe is from Julia Child (after all, the best are other people's), I made this my recipe my own... which you should do, too! I had some extra mushrooms in the fridge that I sautéed and put on top and I also added some kalamata olives and fresh basil. 

Ingredients:
1 large globe eggplant
About 1 tablespoon salt for drawing out excess water from eggplant
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Fresh basil

Salt and Pepper

Hot red pepper flakes

(Again, you can add more toppings if you want to...)

Method: 
Slice the eggplant into 3/4 inch thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for about 30 minutes to draw out the excess water that makes eggplant have that awful, mushy texture. Wipe the eggplant fry with a paper towel to remove the water and all that salt. Don't skip this step or your pizzas will be wayyyy to salty!

While the eggplant is sitting, you can make the pizza sauce! (Recipe below!)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush both sides of each piece of eggplant with olive oil and place on a parchment paper lined backing sheet. Roast the eggplant for about 25 minutes. I flipped the eggplant halfway through baking so that both sides got golden brown. 

Once the eggplant is roasted, top each piece with pizza sauce, grated cheese, and toppings of your choice and bake for another 8 minutes or so until the cheese is melted and slightly browned! Then top each pizza with fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes! 


For the pizza sauce:
You can totally use your favorite store bought sauce, but if you are feeling fancy here is my recipe.....

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounces of cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon water
Salt and pepper

Method:
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and water. Cover and bring to a simmer. 

When the tomatoes are beginning to cook down, about 20 minutes, remove the skins, they should slide off easily, and dispose. Once all of the skins are removed, remove and dispose the garlic cloves and crush the tomatoes until they are smooth. 

Continue cooking, uncovered for another 25 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is a deep red color. 

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!!!!

Sugar-free PB & Chocolate "Milkshake"

Know this- the exact second that I tell myself I am eating healthy, the ONLY thing I have an appetite for is pizza and milkshakes. It is the truth and I am not ashamed. Buttttt with RK and I heading to the tropical paradise that is the Dominican Republic in just over two months (it's really closer to three... but who's counting....) I have to get ready for the 6 (yes, 6) new bikinis that I just ordered in anticipation! So, milkshakes and pizza out... healthy options in!

Last night I made the most delicious eggplant "pizzas" which will be coming to a blog near you very VERY soon.... but for now I will treat your taste buds with this pretty much calorie free "milkshake."

No, I am not kidding.... it is actually almost no calories. Only 64 calories to be exact (140 if you add the peanut butter) which is AMAZING and totally bikini appropriate!

Ingredients: 
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
2-3 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons all natural peanut butter (the kind that is ONLY peanuts)
8 drops liquid stevia
1-2 cups of ice

Method:
Throw these few ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth, and voila! That's it!
A totally guilt free chocolatey treat!

Post Detox Green Chicken Soup

Why yes, it does say "post detox" in the title. Which means yes, I actually did a cleanse. I know... I am as surprised as anyone!!! I had very little faith in myself going into this whole thing, but I actually made it through and I feel absolutely amazing! I started out doing a three day cleanse though Pressed Juices and loved it so much that I actually added two days and did a five day cleanse! I was definitely hungry at first, especially being around food non stop. Cooking and cleansing is tough to say the least, but it was totally worth it. 

This soup is perfect for coming off of a cleanse! Orrrr just because soup is delicious. It's super healthy, packed with immunity boosting greens and lean chicken breast. I made a huge batch of it so that it would be ready when I was done my cleanse and so that I would have extras to freeze for the next time I wake up with a sniffle in my nose.

POST-DETOX CHICKEN SOUP
Recipe from Chalkboardmag.com

Ingredients:

For the soup:

½ bunch kale (washed, stem removed and leaves shredded)
½ bunch swiss chard (washed and shred leaves only. Keep stems)
1/2 leek (mostly white part, washed very well and sliced into strips)
2 cups green cabbage (shredded)
2 stalks of celery (washed and slivered)
6 cups fortified chicken stock (regular chicken stock, reduced to ½ its volume)
couple minced cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste

To simmer the chicken:
2 chicken breast (bone-in for more flavor)
2 carrots (peeled and cut into thick slices)
2 stalk celery (washed and cut into big slices)
Swiss Chard (sliced stems)
½ cup leek (washed and sliced)
½ cup Spanish onion (cut into chunks)
cold water- to cover chicken and veg


Method:

For the Chicken:

Add all the ingredients in stockpot and cover with cold water. Start on high until it comes to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let the chicken cook for 25 minutes.

Remove chicken from pot and chill until cool enough to handle with hands. Pull chicken into shreds. I saved the stock for the soup... I just reduced it by half so that it was much more flavorful.

For the Soup:

Place all the shredded greens and garlic into a separate pot. Cover with fortified chicken stock and cook at medium high heat, until it begins to boil (you won’t see it very well, as the greens will cover the broth). The greens will soon cook down and diminish in size. Let soup simmer slowly for 10 more minutes. Stir in shredded chicken breast and cook for 1 or 2 more minutes. Adjust seasoning. I like to keep it low in salt after co ming out of detox.

Homemade Peanut Granola Bars

I love cooking. I know, SURPRISE!! You never could have guessed it, right? But I really, really do. I just love to cook. You see, cooking is the thing that I can do no matter what mood I am in and it finds a way to make my day or the circumstances around me even better. Sometimes I am in the best BEST mood and having friends over for a dinner party is the absolute most fun. Sometimes when I am sick, getting in the kitchen and baking a cake makes me feel a bit less sniffly and miserable. And on this certain occasion, when my hubby has just left me as the sole caretaker of four scruffy mutts for the next three weeks while he is in Portland working, cooking completely turns my frown upside down. Well, maybe not completely upside down, but things are starting to look up!

There is just something so soothing about taking simple, lonely ingredients and creating something wonderful with them. Richard takes words and turns them into stories... and I? Well, I take nuts and raisins and turn them into granola bars!

Ok. These energy bars are really good. Like, really really good. They are protein packed, contain all natural ingredients, don't require any baking, and best of all, they only take about 15 minutes to prepare. They are perfect for on the go snacks or for a quick breakfast!

Homemade Peanut Energy Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seed kernels or other chopped nuts (such as walnuts)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 cups raisins or other dried fruit
2 cups quinoa flakes or rolled oats
2 cups toasted rice cereal
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup all natural peanut butter
1/2 cup honey (or light corn syrup)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

The great thing about this recipe? You can substitute whatever you want for whatever you want! Switch out the honey for maple syrup, the rice cereal for cherrios, leave out the coconut, add some hemp seed, or ground flax seed... you get it. Get creative, you can't mess these up!

Method:
Coat a 9x13 baking pan with nonstick spray. I used coconut oil spray.

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, honey, and peanut butter. Microwave for two minutes until melted and bubbly. Stir in the vanilla extract and pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and toss to coat.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Press down firmly. Let stand for about an hour before cutting into bars. I store the bars in the freezer because the recipe makes quite a few!

Pan Roasted Halibut with Blue Crab, Heirloom Tomatoes, and Horseradish Creme Fraiche

For my birthday last week (happy 21st birthday to me!), Marco, gifted me the new A.O.C. cookbook by Suzanne Goin . I find it funny that all of the men in my life buy me cookbooks... I wonder what they're trying to say?! Without surprise, the new A.O.C. cookbook is amazing. It's focused on seasonal dishes that all have that amazing Suzanne Goin touch and I seriously want to make every single dish in it... so I think I will! Annnnd since Marco and I have birthdays only 5 days apart, it was pretty easy to find an occasion for such a feast....

With such fantastic culinary inspiration, what better reason to kick off dining al fresco on the veranda than my best friends birthday dinner?! Dining outside is one of my favorite things in the world. There is something truly special and romantic about watching the sunset, eating good food, drinking good wine an breathing the fresh summer air (or whatever air it is we breath here in Los Angeles). I just love it. And since Marco is also one of my favorite things (people) in the world, I got this ginger (blonde) bum in the kitchen (um... yeah, just kitchen) and got to work. And I prepared a pretty perfect summer menu, if I do say so myself. We started dinner with a butter lettuce salad with grapefruits, avocado, shallots, and pistachios (Rich hates salad with fruit and he said it was one of his favorite salads EVER). For the main course, I prepared a pan roasted halibut with blue crab, heirloom tomatoes, and horseradish creme fraiche. It was so simple, but yummy! Light, fresh, and full of flavor! And for dessert I made a cantaloupe sorbet (Sorry Rich, he hates melon). But if you love melon, you love sorbet, and you love fun, you can find the recipe HERE!)

Pan Roasted Halibut with Blue Crab, Heirloom Tomatoes, and Horseradish Creme Fraiche

Ingredients:
6 filets of halibut, 5-6 ounces each
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
4 tablespoons fresh parley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon shallot, finely diced
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup plus one tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound blue crab meat, steamed and picked over***
3/4 cup creme fraiche (sour cream or plain greek yogurt can be substituted if you must)
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 pounds heirloom tomatoes
1 bunch of arugula
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

***I could not find blue crab meat anywhere, so I just bought king crab legs and used the meat from those. I am not a big seafood person, so I am not sure what the difference is, but I will tell you, the king crab was delicious!

Also, for three people, I cut this recipe in half. 

Method:
Season the halibut with the lemon zest, thyme, and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or over night. If you are familiar with Suzanne Goin's recipes, almost everything she makes needs to be marinated for at least this long, so PLAN AHEAD!

Remove the fish from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature.

Place the shallot, both vinegars, and salt and pepper into a small bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. Whisk in 6 tablespoons of olive oil and set aside.

In another small bowl, toss the crab meat (gently) with one tablespoon of creme fraiche, the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Taste for balance and seasoning... the crab meat may or may not need to be salted.

Combine the remaining creme fraiche, (yes, in ANOTHER bowl) horseradish, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a little pepper.

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and carefully lay the fish in the pan. It will smoke, but do not move the fish. Cook 3-4 minutes, until browned. Turn the fish over, lower the heat to medium low, and cook for a few more minutes until just cooked through. Do not overcook the fish. It will continue cooking when you remove it from the heat and will be flakey and opaque in the center when it is done.

While the fish is cooking, arrange the sliced heirloom tomatoes and arugula on large dinner plates. Spoon the vinaigrette over the tomatoes and arugula. Place the halibut in the center, arrange spoonfuls of crab on top of the fish. Dollop each fillet with a heaping spoonful of horseradish creme fraiche (you could seriously put the horseradish creme fraich on a shoe- it is so delicious, so don't be stingy!)

Enjoy!



annnnnd HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARCO!

Green Minestrone for a Summertime Cold

Wanna know what's worse than sweating in 90 degree weather.......??
Sweating in 90 degree weather because you have a fever and feel like death.

UGH!

Summertime colds are the very worst time. They are way worse than winter colds because at least when you have a winter cold you can wear sweatpants.

In front of me I have two glasses of OJ because one is obviously not enough, 5 dogs piled on my lap, 97 or so crumpled up tissues, a scary movie playing on netflix because only scary movies are appropriate for me to watch in my current state of horror, and one Bon Appetite Magazine from which I found the recipe for my only reason for surviving today...

Green Minestrone. 

It is soup for summertime colds and it is delicious. Like, really, really delicious. It is quick to make, so you don't have to have the stove top on all day long. And it is packed with bright, seasonal produce and herbs!


Ingredients:
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, chopped
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 cups veggie broth or chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandolin
1 1/2 cups green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 shallot finely chopped
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Shaved parmesan to serve, optional

Method:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and cook the leeks, onion, fennel, and celery until softened, but not taking on any color, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds before adding the broth and bringing to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10- 15 minutes.

Add the carrots and the peas and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While soup is cooking, process the parsley and the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a food processor to a course paste and transfer to a small bowl. Mix the shopped shallot into the parsley paste.

Serve the soup topped with the parsley pesto, thinly sliced red onion, and shaved parmesan.

Roasted Delicata Squash Stuffed with Wheat Berries, Mushrooms, Kale, and Goat Cheese.

Yesterday morning I was given the most magical glimpse into what a happy person I will be once fall is finally here. I know, I know, technically fall IS here, but tell that to the Native American Summer we're currently experiencing. And with the weather expected to hit 93 degrees tomorrow, Al Roker can take that weather report and shove it where the sun don't shine. Ok, I know that was kind of rude, but mother nature is a rude, 93 degree hearted bitch and what goes around comes around. And since I can't find her, I'm going to punish Al Roker for it. (Sorry, Al. She must be a real crappy boss.)

Anyways, yesterday morning was all foggy and there was a chill in the air. It made my heart happy. It made me want to bake and watch Home Alone and be all around joyful and pleasant. Unfortunately, Richard was at the gym because "joyful and pleasant" usually doesn't happen for me before 11am. Or my first glass of wine, whichever comes first. And some days you'd be surprised which comes first. So,  it really was such a good morning... until it was 85 degrees and then, well, it wasn't.  I love summer, but  enough is enough! I wanna cook some pumpkin shit, ya know?

So, I did. Nothing holds this ginger back.

We got some delicata squash in our CSA this week. What on earth do I do with these? I thought to myself... I mean, besides adding them to our transitional gourd display (it's almost time for pumpkins. goodbye gourds I've never heard of!). So initially I thought These are much too pretty to eat. But, you are what you eat, right? And pretty is a nice thing to be, so I decided to cook them. Now,  I know what that which saw in Hansel and Grëtl! Delicious, pretty youth. (Author's Note: Please do not eat children.)

Anywhoo, I think this is a good time to transition into the recipe...

Roasted Delicata Squash Stuffed with Wheat Berries, 

Mushrooms, Kale, and Goat Cheese. 

Ingredients:
1 delicata squash, cut in half with the guts scraped out
1 cup wheat berries, cooked according to package directions
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 cup kale
1/4 cup pecans, toasted
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
Goat cheese
Kosher salt and pepper

Method:
Cook the wheat berries according to package instructions, which most likely say something like "Bring a pot of water to a boil and simmer the wheat berries, covered, for about an hour until tender." Something like that... Once cooked, drain and set aside.

Cut the delicata squash in half. Scrape out the guts, drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn it upside down on a cast iron pan and roast the squash at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until tender. Mine started to caramelize on the edges and it was delicious.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the stuffing.

Sauté mushrooms and onion for about 7 minutes until golden and the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms. Add the garlic and kale and sauté for another 2 minutes until wilted and fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans, cooked wheat berries, and chopped parsley.

Once the squashes are roasted to perfection, fill them with the wheat berry mixture and crumble some goat cheese on top. Then place back in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the cheese gets a little bit melty and delicious.

Enjoy!

Juice: Day 4

Today I lived in my car and this juice was a perfect on the go snack in the coolest grown up sippy cups ever! (Thank you Cindy Kieth!)

Day 4:
1 apple
3 beets
3 large carrots
1-inch piece ginger

Happy Juicing!

Juice: Day 3

This weekend I learned two things:
1. There are things to drink that are more fun than juice.
2. Juice makes my body feel better on Monday morning.

Happy juicing!

Day 3:
2 cups blueberries
2 kiwifruit, peeled
16 strawberries
2 cups mint leaves

Juice: Day 2

Holy Moly this one is yummy!


Day 2: 
1/4 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into pieces
1 cup blackberries
1 kiwifruit, peeled
1 pear
30 fresh mint leaves
2 cups blueberries

30 Days of Juicing... Starts NOW!

Say what?

Now, before you get your panties all in a bunch.... I am NOT in any way, shape, or form even hinting at a juice cleanse. Have you met me? I would rather die. And juice cleanses CAN kill you. Buttttttt, seeing as I have decided that it is fall now (have you heard?) and I was less than kind to my body this summer, I thought maybe a little nutrition and T.L.C. might be nice. This is not a cleanse, a weight loss plan, or anything of the sort (yuck!) it is simply a way to try some new juices that are vitamin and nutrient dense! Plus, these juices sound seriously delicious.

You see, I was perusing Williams Sonoma earlier, as I do, and came across their plan for 30 days of juicing. I am not an idiot, I know that it was a ploy to sell me a juicer that I already have, but that made it all the easier to avoid the sales pitch (though I have been begging Richard for a Vitamix since forever and if Santa ends up bringing me one instead I may go back up the chimney with that sexy silver fox.) But rather than worry about that, I have begun obsessing over a new plan that I will most likely fail at. I am not very good at committing to things (Rich cover your ears), but, again, considering what I put my liver through over the past few months, I thought that this was a very good idea. And for the record, I make no promises some Kettle One won't find its way into one of these juices. After all, my liver has come to expect a certain workload and I wouldn't want it to think it has let me down.

So, here I am. I am going to blog EVERY DAY with a new juice recipe. I am serious. It's happening. You are welcome to join us... Richard and I, that is. I am not sure if he is as motivated as me, but as my husband he is well versed in that all too true idiom, "happy wife, happy life..." so he really doesn't have a choice. He did, roughly a year ago, but he chose me, and now WE chose juice. (See what I did there?)

Here it is. Day 1:

Day 1:  2 pints blueberries 2 pints blackberries Seeds of 3 pomegranates

Believe it or not.... it was delicious.

Garden Vegetable Soup

I have decided that it is FALL! It's official. I'm done waiting... and sweating! I went to Starbucks this morning (as I only do from mid September-November...) and ordered a Pumpkin Spice latte and it set me over the edge! Both into fall and into an over-caffeinated, gourd-based decorating spree (there was some dried corn involved, too. After all, it is FALL!).

 

it's that time of the year!

Now, I may have a friend or two who is less than thrilled about my seasonal enthusiasm, (ahem... Marco....), which Rich calls my "seasonal affective disorder" because he says I try to bring about the changes in season through my decorating. But, here's what I have to say to you (and Marco), "Come over and eat a pumpkin whoopie pie while sitting at my lovely, gourd covered dining room table, and shut your mouth!"

I know that it is going to be in the high 80's this weekend, but I will be holed up in my house with the A.C. blasting, brainstorming for my Thanksgiving day menu. You might think that I am kidding.... I am not. Trust me, the only thing that I'm kidding about is that I haven't already started thinking about what I am going to serve on my perfectly decorated Thanksgiving table. I just really love fall!

I may be getting a little ahead of myself, but this time of year just gets me verrrrry excited! Maybe it's a little too early to talk turkey, but it is not too early to break out the fall decor. It's after Labor Day, so something has to fill the hole in my heart left by my inability to wear white jeans (which isn't a seasonal thing for me, white jeans just never work for me and that hurts my heart!)

Anyway, I made a soup a few weeks ago and, looking back, maybe I was jumping the shark a little bit. I mean, I pretty much had to strip down to my skivvies and surreptitiously sip soup slowly as I sat about 2 inches away from the A.C. (which Rich assures me is the least sexy way to see me unclothed). I did all of that just to avoid spontaneously bursting into flames from severe overheating. But, seeing as it was in the 60's this morning,  I decided to give this whole soup-making thing another try. Here's the thing, it's the end of summer vegetables and there's starting to be a (very) slight chill in the air, so take off your judging pants (or shirt... this could get fun) and give soup a chance.... I promise to hold off on the pumpkin recipes for at least another week!

Ingredients:
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, washed and thinly sliced
1 potato, peeled
1 onion
3 stalks celery
5 carrots, peeled
A few leaves of kale (I used curly)
1 zucchini
15 green beans
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 gallon (or so) of chicken or veggie stock (you know me, I use no chicken- chicken broth because it is the bomb dot com)
2 28oz cans of diced tomatoes
A few sprigs of fresh parsley
A few fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper

If you have some extra veggies that you are dying to add... go for it. Get crazy, be creative, the sky is your limit (I am such a motivational blogger! Woo!)

Method:
Chop all of the veggies into bit sized pieces... about 1/4 inch. Then, in a large stock pot, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and saute all of the vegetables for about 5 minutes until they are translucent, but not browned.

Add the stock of your choice, tomatoes (with their juices) and fresh herbs, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the soup, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes.

Serve. Hot. Enjoy.

Post Labor Day Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

I am blogging today from a very different place than usual. You see... we went to Palm Springs for  a pretty epic Labor Day weekend, and my brain has decided that it still needs a day or two of vacation before getting it together. Four days in a gorgeous house with a huge pool and 7 of your absolute favorite friends really takes it's toll on a girl. I am tired, extra freckly, and feel a little bit like a fish must feel when you deprive it of water... dead. So, we're just gonna roll with this and see how it goes....

Upon our return last night, the Mr. and I walked through our front door, explained to our dogs that the only kind of attention we were capable of was the cuddling kind (mostly of each other, while they watched, confused and sad), then planted our lazy (but nice) asses immediately on the couch with absolutely no intention of moving for at least 12 hours. We succeeded with flying colors because, well, let's be honest, we are very dedicated when we put our minds to something. We ordered not only one meal, but two. Yup, we had two meals delivered to our couch yesterday. It was more of a pre-dinner  and late dinner.

It really worked for us, but it got me thinking.... maybe since I am a chef (surprise!) and I put my body through a little more abuse than usual over the past four days, I could pull it together, lose the Chinese delivery guy's number, save a few bucks, and make my own crave-worthy Asian peanut noodles while keeping my waistline in mind (it is possible, both for me to think and for me to do). I finished that thought (and my second round of delivery food) and decided that, once again....this was a plan worth succeeding at. So, here we go....

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

Ingredients:
Peanut Sauce-
1/2 cup chicken broth (or no-chicken, chicken broth for vegetarians)
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp organic honey
1 tbsp tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
3/4 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp siracha sauce (or more to taste if you like spicy)

Chicken-
10oz (2 small) chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 tbsp siracha sauce
juice of 1/2 lime
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh garlic, grated
1 tsp tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
1/2 tbsp sesame oil

8oz rice noodles (you can find them in the Asian section of your super market)
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced
1 1/4 cups ribboned carrots (the original recipe called for shredded carrots, but I used a vegetable peeler and shaved mine into pasta like ribbons, which added a great texture when mixed with the noodles... and helps to cut carbs!)
1 cup grated broccoli stems (again, the original recipe called for shredded broccoli slaw, I used the stems of a head of broccoli and grated it. This worked great and I saved the crown for another use.)
1 cup bean sprouts
2 tbsp chopped peanuts
Sliced lime and cilantro for garnish (optional)

I know, this seems like a TON of ingredients, but the dish comes together super quickly!
And obviously, if you want to make these vegetarian... leave out the chicken.

Method:
Marinate chicken with siracha, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and tamari sauce. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the dish.

To make the sauce, combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir every few minutes and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce is smooth and well blended. Set aside.

Prepare the rice noodles according to the package directions. Most likely, you will place the noodles in a large bowl, pour boiling water over them, and let them sit for 8-10 minutes until tender.

Heat sesame oil in a skillet and sauté chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Add shredded broccoli and carrot ribbons to the skillet and sauté for just two minutes. You still want them to be crisp!

Toss rice noodles, broccoli, carrots, and chicken together with the peanut sauce. Place on a bed of bean sprouts and top with sliced green onions, chopped peanuts. Garnish with lime wedge and cilantro.

Makes about 2 servings.
Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste.com


P.S. (as in Palm Springs....)
I though about it and due to my braggy first paragraph, I feel it is only right to share a few photos from our Palm Springs getaway. I love photos and I love sharing, so here you go!

 

 

My friends are better than your friends. Well okay, I don't know that

for a fact. I just know that mine are pretty fantastic.

Mushroom & Purple Barley Soup with Swiss Chard

It is 96 degrees and humid outside... in Los Angeles!!! I know, WTF!

Dear Nature, your mother is a real bitch! 

Since going outside is gross in every way of the word, I decided to torture myself for the grumpy attitude that I had with my husband this morning (a peach in the morning I am not) by running errands.... gotta get ready for PALM SPRINGS this weekend! Woo! Anyways, I strayed a little from my plan (as usual)  and instead of buying a much needed new bikini, I bought a Yankee Candle instead. Now, I didn't buy just any Yankee Candle.... I bought the most cozy fall scent of all. Home Again. Yeah, I did it. And I did it in almost 100 degree weather. I may have lost my mind... or I may be awesome. I'm going to let you make that decision after what I am about to tell you next.....

So, I came home with my fall scented candle, sweaty and near heat exhaustion,  and decided that it was the perfect day to make a nice hot soup. I don't know why I decide to do these things (Rich take note, I understand myself as little as you do), but I do and I did... I also made mint ice cream to even out my insanity a little bit. I really love soup and I do not regret my decision. Plus, now my house smells like cinnamon-y pumpkins AND cozy fall food. Take that you crazy Mother Nature bitch with your heat waves!!!!

This soup is delicious. Make it now or wait three weeks until fall like a normal person.... I'm not here to judge.

hot.

Ingredients:
2 cups of Purple Barley... it's pretty and it must be good for you because a colorfull diet is a healthy diet.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 large leek, washed and sliced
1 bunch swiss chard, roughly chopped
3 cups of sliced mushrooms, this is clearly an estimate.... I used 3 packages
64 ounces No-Chiken Chicken broth (I think it tastes better than vegetable broth)
2 bay leaves
Salt and Pepper

Method:
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and bay leaves and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add barley, swiss chard, and broth and cook about 1 hour until barley is tender. I ended up adding an extra cup of water or so because my soup got very thick. Your call on that one.... maybe you like your barley soup thick.... it's still summer here, so I did not.

eat while sitting directly in front of the A.C.

Actually Good Zucchini & Banana Muffins with Flaxseed & Spelt

This is miracle.
Seriously.

Right now blogging is just about the last thing I want to do. You see, the Mr. and I are leaving for Italy in just under two months and having just started planning our trip (finally), the only thing I want to do when I sit in front of a computer is go to TripAdvisor.com and book romantic bed and breakfasts in Piedmont, make dinner reservations in Emilia-Romagna, and map out our to-do list in Rome, Florence, and Venice. I mean, the fact that I have even typed half of a paragraph is blowing my mind. I am a woman obsessed. And honestly, how could I not be?! We've been dreaming about this vacation for as long as I can remember and now that it's almost a reality, it might be taking over my life.

If we're being honest... 20 minutes or so just passed while I cheated on you with TripAdvisor.... oops. 

Even though I haven't blogged in almost a week, I will have you know that I have still been working it in the kitchen. I've taken photos, jotted down recipes, fed my husband..... all of the things.  But even now,  I sat down to blog and a B&B in Barolo just confirmed our reservation and suddenly my mind is drifting yet again. 

Lucky for you, I am eating a left over muffin (because I am too lazy to make myself lunch) and remembered that I have a recipe to share. Hopefully I will end up sharing it at some point... ADD is a very real thing in my life right now. Ok, two more things and then the recipe will come. Promise.

1. This overcast weather is a tease. It's really turning my rain loving lady brain on in the worst way and I really don't like being disappointed. Plus, this humidity? Gross.

2. I got a new job today!!!! Well, it's not a new job.... it's my same job, but rebooted and better in    every single way possible! I will still be working as a personal chef, so discretion is key, but if I could tell you, you'd be totally happy for me... so, I am very excited!!! I will get to have dinner with my husband again, work less hours, not commute to Malibu (thank god!!!) and make more money! Ah!

Ok, so on to these muffins......

If you can't tell, we have been on zucchini overload lately. Between our garden and our CSA, I've needed to get creative to use them all up! You can only eat grilled zucchini so many times and I haven't been able to figure out how to put it into ice-cream yet (gross) so I decided to put my baking face on (it's mostly my face, just swap light makeup for a light dusting of flour). 

I made zucchini bread a while back and while it was delicious and pretty healthy, I still had a hard time eating it because it didn't have that much nutritional value. I always say that everything in moderation is A-OK, but I don't really love eating anything that my body doesn't get any value from. Well, except for ice-cream, obviously. And alcohol. Thankfully wine has SOME good properties about it, such as lycopenes and making me a blast at any party. Anyways, I was super excited to come across this recipe for zucchini muffins because not only are they packed with nutrition from the zucchini and banana, but they are also packed with whole grains. I used whole wheat flour, spelt four, which contains more nutrition and protein than wheat flour, and ground flaxseed, which is super high in omega-3s and other beneficial nutrients..... and not only did they pass my test, but they passed the husband test, which is very tricky for baked goods!!!

  Zucchini & Banana Muffins with Flaxseed & Spelt

Ingredients: 
Nonstick cooking spray (I used spray coconut oil)
1 cup organic whole wheat flour
3/4 cup organic spelt flour 
1/2 cup ground flaxseed 
3/4 cup lightly packed light-brown sugar 
2 teaspoons baking soda 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt 
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (from 1 large zucchini)
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (from 1 large banana) 
3/4 cup non-fat milk 
1 large egg, lightly beaten 
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 

whole grains are the best grains.

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, flaxseed, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add zucchini and banana and stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and mix until just combined. Do not over mix! Over mixing the spelt flour will cause your muffins to be crumbly instead of moist because the gluten in spelt flour break down very easily.

Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let muffins cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins. 
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart 

 

hey, muffin.