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!

Banana Bread with Fresh Figs

It's very rare for me to meet a carb that I don't thoroughly enjoy. Who am I kidding... I have NEVER met a carb that I don't love! Pasta, breads, baked goods.... bring it. That is why me going on a no carb diet is very very disheartening. But, it is summertime and sometimes these things must be done because bikinis must be worn.

The upside? Lots of healthy carb free recipes coming your way. 

The downside. Well, everything that has to do with me and my own quality of life. 

Sigh. But, since I will not be starting this nonsense until Friday, I figured I would squeeze a couple more mouthwatering, carb filled recipes in!

I loveeeee banana bread. A bread with fruit in it? Love it, love it, love it! I also love figs, though I rarely know what on earth to do with them! This recipe is great because the figs not only compliment the flavor of the bananas, but they also add a great texture to the bread and when paired with the coconut oil, keep it incredibly moist! 

Ingredients:

3 very ripe mashed bananas 

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

4 ripe figs, quartered and mashed

6 ripe figs, chopped

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all purpose flour

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, mashed figs, melted coconut oil, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix well and then beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing until combined. 

In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour. 

Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture, mixing until just combined. Then, fold in the chopped figs, mixing very gently so that they do not get broken down. 

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 45- 50 minutes. 

Let cool before slicing. 

HOW TO: Host a Wine Tasting (Featuring NAKED WINES!)

Some people are great at fixing things, or building things, and some people are even good at doing things. Painting, skiing, singing.... these things are called talents. I, too, have talents (which is the only way you know someone has talents, because they tell you.). Unfortunately, no matter how hard I try, singing will never be my ticket to fame and I will never get to be a pop star. My talents are a little more focused on things that I can put in my stomach and, fortunately for those around me, include drinking wine and feeding people. You might be asking yourself... Drinking wine is a talent? And I will tell you that the answer is yes. Drinking wine is a talent. One that I am exceedingly good at and also one that pairs very well with feeding people. People say, "Sarah, I think you have a problem." And I say, "No, I have a hobby that I am very great at. Are you jealous?"

So, just as doctors and architects take continuing education courses to stay on their game and learn new things, people who love wine have wine clubs. Richard and I are members of a great wine club called Naked Wines. Naked wines is a unique club where you invest directly in independent wine makers and in turn get huge discounts on the wines those winemakers make. Your monthly $40 "investment" goes into your account and you get to use that money towards the wine you buy.  I'd explain it more but I don't really like math. What I do like is a lot of great wine for very little money. So, as you can imagine I was excited to use this as an excuse to host a party. To be fair though, for me a strong breeze is a good enough reason to host a party, but wine is even better. Luckily for Rich and I, Naked Wines was kind enough to give us the opportunity (and the wine) to host a tasting with some of their new wines that we hadn't tried yet.  And while I told them that Richard and I didn't need help and that we could taste the wines all by ourselves, they suggested we invite a few friends. 

Wines:

Matt Iaconis Margaret River Valley Sauvignon Blanc Semilon 2013

La Tapatia Pinot Noir Nappa Valley 2012

Sartirano Piemonte DOC Barbera 2011

Sin Fronteras Los Primos Red Wine 2012

S & A Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley 2012

Matt Iaconis Globetrotter Red CA USA 2012

We are a red wine loving group, so while we did try one great Sauvignon Blanc, we kept the tasting focused on a selection of red wines. 

Along with the wines, we prepared several small bites for our friends to nibble on during their tastings.  For a cocktail party, it is a good idea to serve your guests about 5 ounces of cheese and 4 ounces of per person. You always want to make sure there's more than enough to eat when you are serving alcohol (don't worry, it won't go to waste. You'll crawl out of bed and finish it off at 3am). If your party will include dinner and the charcuterie will be presented as an appetizer, 2-3 ounces of cheese and about 4 slices of meat per person should be enough. If not tell your friends to stop pigging out on your free food! 

Some great snacks to serve at a wine tasting or cocktail party:

Assorted cheese and charcuterie with an assortment of dried fruits, nuts, olives, and crackers

Some of my favorite cheeses to serve are manchego, brie, gouda, camemburt, stilton, & cotswald. I always chooses a few that I know everyone will like and then a couple new ones to experiment with. 

Cheeses are at their optimum flavor at room temperature, so remove them from the refrigerator about 60 minutes before serving. 

I also prepared a spread of cured italian meats including several different salamis, mortadella, prosciutto, and bresaola. 

Some other great things to serve with charcuterie:

Crackers, crsuty bread, flatbreads, and crostinis

Fruits: Figs, grapes, apples, pears, dried apricots, dried cherries

Nuts: Almonds walnuts, pistachios, pecans

Jams & Spreads: Fig jam, onion confit, pesto, olive tapenade, mustard

Other: Roasted peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, cornichons, assorted olives

When serving charcuterie, I aways accompany the meats with whole grain mustard, cornichons, and arugula. 

Assorted Crostinis

Heirloom tomato brushetta topped with buratta cheese

Figs with goat cheese, honey and thyme

Butternut squash with sage and crispy pancetta

Artisan Flatbreads  

Caramelized shallots and mushrooms

Mozzarella and fresh basil

Brie cheese, apples, and caramelized onions

And of course we had a spread of fancy baked treats from Three Dog Bakery for the pups. 

we really have the loveliest of friends.

If you live in LA, you know every friend that you invite over has a dog that they really are dying to bring to your house... And since we have a lot of dogs ourselves, I figured what better than to take a classy afternoon and turn it into a dog halloween party. We are clearly a very well rounded bunch! 

Octopuses, Donkeys, and Skeletons, Oh my!

Thank you again, Naked Wines, for sponsoring such a wonderful afternoon! For more information about what they do (and how to get them to send you wine) visit http://us.nakedwines.com/

Cheers!

Ginger in the Kitchen Featured on RACKED LA

Boots and fall sweaters
And Pretty wool dresses
Slowly braised meats
And warm roasted beats
There are a few of my favorite treats!
Lalalalalala I catered this week!

If you were sitting next to my sniffly self on the couch right now (where I have been planted for a solid 48 hours now... damn you, awful cold!) you would hear me humming the above to the tune of "These are a few of my favorite things." You know, the song in The Sound of Music? It's the best. (The Nazi's were my least "favorite thing" in that movie.) Any who, you wouldn't actually be able to hear that song because tunes are not something that I am skilled enough to carry, but you get the idea.

Fall is the best. Fall clothes and fall foods, alike. And I was lucky enough to get to be a part of both on Wednesday evening. I had the pleasure of catering the ultra chic Autumn Soiree at Beckley's Boutique on 3rd street (with none of the foods I mentioned in my song because hey, rhyming his hard!) It was full of inspiring fall fashion and delicious seasonal bites from your very favorite ginger. It was a lovely night and I even got featured on RackedLA.

See more photos from the evening on the Racked LA blog below:
http://la.racked.com/archives/2013/09/27/26_style_snaps_from_beckleys_bloggerfilled_shopping_soire.php

Figs on Toast & Figs for Days

I am serious. This is going to be the first annual Ginger in the Kitchen: Fig Marathon.... kind of like when they play 12 episodes of America's Next Top Model, but even BETTER!

I was at Whole Foods on Monday (surprise!) and the fig display and I had a serious moment.... the kind that makes you a little swoon-ey, but not full blown love at first sight. You see, figs and I have a complicated relationship. I think they are really pretty and sweet, but I just don't know what they've got going on inside (besides jammy deliciousness.) This could be because as a child my life was ruined by Fig Newtons (gag!!!!) or because as an adult I just don't know what the hell to do with them! They look lovely on a cheese bored, and man, are they perfect stuffed with some blue cheese, but we have really never taken our love any further than that. So, in an effort to deepen our relationship and see what these tiny, little fruits are made of..... I bought 3 pints. Let the fun begin.

I decided to start easy. I used to hate avocados (except guacamole.... I'm not completely crazy.) Then the avocado toast craze happened, and being the on trend lady in the kitchen that I am, one day I gave it a try. My life was changed. Holy delicious! Avocado toast taught me two things that day: 1. I should always listen to Gwenyth Paltrow and 2. If you don't know what to do with it..... put it on toast!

Back to figs......

Put them on toast!

You can't really go wrong here. Figs pair well with endless ingredients. Here's a few delicious combinations to try:

Grilled peaches, grilled figs, ricotta cheese, and wildflower honey. 

Figs with arugula and goat cheese drizzled with balsamic reduction.

Grilled figs with creamy blue cheese, prosciutto, and thyme. 

I placed each combination on lightly grilled and sliced baguette. The figs were super yummy grilled... just heat your grill to medium, lightly brush the figs with olive oil, and then grill them over medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side or until you see some nice grill marks. I did the same with the peaches, too. Then, just pile everything on your sliced baguette, and voila! This is such an easy, delicious appetizer! You are sure to be everyone's favorite hostess... and figs and I have just taken our love to the next step!

Stay tuned! Fresh fig ice cream and savory fig jam to come! It's a love affair in the making.

HOW TO: Pack the Perfect Picnic!

I have this kind of creepy obsession with picnics. This is news to nobody. It all started about 4 years ago when I went to Cinespia for the first time. (For those of you who live somewhere with a little more substance and purpose than Los Angeles, Cinespia is summer movie screenings at the Hollywood Cemetery and they are awesome.) Actually, my obsession started the second time I went. The first time that I picnicked with ghosts and tipsy hipsters, my Trader Joe's shopping bag of pre-packaged goodies was put to shame. I went home, purchased a proper picnic basket, educated myself on cheese and the importance of other incredibly yuppy snacks, and the rest is history. Some may be a little embarrassed by my picnic enthusiasm, but those who are lucky enough to be eating out of my basket (hmmm... that could be phrased in a less weirdly sexual way) are nothing less than thrilled. I just really love picnics.

1. My first Pic-Tip (that's a cuter way of saying picnic tip, obviously) is that any outing can be the perfect time for a picnic! Especially this time of year. Rich and recently went sailing and before the boat was booked, I was already thinking of snacks to pack.

2. Pack a pretty basket. It doesn't matter if you pack it heavy, that's what boys are for. If you are a cooler kind of chick, fine, so be it. But I think picnic baskets should be just that.... baskets.

2. Use jars to pack food. They are pretty AND you can eat right out of them. Again, they may be heavy, but see above. Plus, if you have leftovers, they can go right into the fridge when you get home. 

3. Put sauces and dressings on the side. Nobody likes a soggy salad. 

4. SALADS! Nothing better than a crisp snack on a hot day! Plus, salad possibilities are endless. For this picnic I made a roasted beet salad, a Brussels sprout salad with shallots and dijon, and a caprese salad.

5. This kind of goes with the jar tip.... but pack in food in clear containers! That way you can see what is in everything without having to open each container up. Plus, lets be honest.... it looks pretty. 

 6. Pack your plastics! We always use plastic dinnerware and govino glasses! They are not breakable, but they cut down on waste. I do buy disposable flatware, but made from corn, not petroleum. You may as well be friendly to the planet!

7.  Please, please, don't forget the cheese plate! Every good dinner party has one.... so every good picnic should, too! And make sure to pack your cheese knives- plastic ones are less than helpful. A few of my favorite picnic cheese that everyone will enjoy are manchego, camembert, and gorgonzola!

8. Remember some carbs. Salads are great on a hot summer's day, but we all need some carbs..... especially when there is alcohol involved, which, let's be honest.... what's a picnic without a few adult beverages? In this picnic I packed some quinoa tabbouleh, a baguette (key!) some crackers and some strawberry-basil hand pies!

** note- things you can eat with your hands are perfect for a picnic! Cookies are of course wonderful, but try hand pies in your next picnic! They are easy, delicious, and sure to impress!

9. BOOZE! Summer + day drinking are like two little tipsy peas in a pod....just perfect together. (Just remember a wine opener or look for a screw off top.... you don't want to bring the goods and not be able to drink them!)

10. These guys.... are awesome. I want one.

Happy picnicking!

Olive Oil & Maple Syrup Quinoa Granola with Figs

I am pretty much the biggest fan of breakfast ever. I open my eyes and the first thing that I think of is food. Surprise, surprise. Gosh, I just love breakfast. I love eggs, bacon, french toast, all of it. Though I must say, I pretty much never eat granola. Really... never. Most granolas are carb and sugar packed cardboard disguised in a "healthy" looking package that slowly kills you. Well, it will kill you by making you want to kill yourself because all of your pretty summer dresses now hug all of the wrong places because it is SO BAD FOR YOU! Yup, granola is bad for you. Read the nutrition info next time. Though, thank god for you, this is not your suicide inducing, summer dress ruining granola. Oh, no. You're welcome.

This recipe (once again, slightly adapted, from Gwenyth's new book "It's All Good") is just the opposite. Protein packed quinoa flakes tossed in pure maple syrup and olive oil are used in place of oats and sugar and then mixed with raw nuts and fruit. Its delicious and good for you. Seriously... so delicious.

Olive Oil & Maple Syrup Quinoa Granola with Figs

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup PURE maple syrup

3 cups quinoa flakes (these can be tricky to find.... I found them at Whole Foods)

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/4 cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped

1 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds, shelled and roughly chopped

1 1/4 cup dried figs, you guessed it.... roughly chopped

Sea salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Stir together the olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, a pinch of sea salt and quinoa flakes until thoroughly combined. 

Spread the quinoa on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crispy, stirring every so often. This took about 30 minutes. Let the quinoa cool completely. 

Once cool, combine the quinoa with the nuts and figs and store in an air tight jar for up to two weeks. 

I had this with some greek yogurt (for even more protein) and some fresh raspberries. I also added 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed because it's good for your body and that's how I do it.