all in the name of food…

This is the best salad ever! It is oh so special and will make you feel fancy when you eat it. The dressing is a special recipe a lady I know got from a catering company in Utah. It is SO delicious and has one secret and surprising ingredient – maple syrup! That sounds weird but it adds the perfect bit of sweetness. A pair of grainy and Dijon mustard along with the cider vinegar balance out the maple syrup nicely. You can add whatever you want for the salad part, but I think pears (preferably Asian pears sliced thinly), feta cheese, candied pecans, mandarin oranges,  and spring greens go so nicely with this dressing. If you don’t have any candied pecans you can make your own by mixing an egg white with 1/2 cup cold water and sugar/salt to taste. (I even add cinnamon sometimes!)  Then roast the pecans at 300 F or so for 45 minutes.

Maple Vinaigrette

• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Grainy Mustard
• 1/3 cup real maple syrup
• 1/3 cup imitation maple syrup
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup canola oil

Salad

• Mixed spring greens
• Candied pecans
• Mandarin oranges
• Asian pears – sliced thinly
• Feta cheese

Mix all ingredients together and let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients for the salad. Shake the dressing well and pour over lettuce to your liking. Then assemble individual plates with the remaining ingredients. Makes enough dressing for 2 salads.

Is there anything better than something you love to eat that is actually really healthy for you? I don’t think so. I love learning about nutrition and how to eat healthy. I kept all my text books for my numerous nutrition classes in college because I loved them so much!  I get to continue to research and read about nutritious food at my job where we put out monthly newsletters to our customers about nutrition, exercise, and dietary supplements. I was recently reading a health magazine that outlined some important superfoods to include in your diet. It was so fascinating that I thought I would share my top 10 favorite superfoods with you!

1. Salmon – all of those omega-3 fatty acids are so important in American’s diets. You body needs omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. People generally get plenty of omega-6 fatty acids but omega-3s are found in things like fish and nuts – which most don’t eat that often. Salmon also has lean protein and plenty of vitamin D  making it a near perfect food! It is recommended that people eat salmon or fish twice a week. More posts about salmon to come!

2. Blueberries – these tiny gems are packed with antioxidants and vitamins which have been known to stop cancer. Their blue color comes from pigments called anthocyanins which is one of the most powerful forms of antioxidants. They are so easy to incorporate into your diet! Throw them into yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, etc. During the off-season I like to get a big bag of frozen berries from Costco to incorporate into various meals.

3. Oats – I have always loved eating oatmeal in the morning. I recently discoverd “Coach’s Oats” which are steel cut oats that have been toasted. They have so much more flavor and more texture than regular oats. I still love regular oats when I don’t have Coach’s Oats though. Oats are full of soluble and insoluble fiber which keeps you full. They also lower cholesterol.

4. Broccoli – rich in Vitamin C and a good source of Vitamin A. Broccoli is also a good source of fiber, folate, calcium, iron and potassium. Not to mention broccoli helps you to feel full in less than 30 calories per serving.

5. Walnuts – protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, is there any more to say? And they have one of the most amazing nutty flavors..

6. Avocados – I love slicing these in half and eating a half with salt and pepper for a snack. They are high in GOOD fat. People have become so fat-phobic but the fat in avocados is called monounsaturated fat. It is heart-healthy and can actually help you loose belly fat! The have tons of fiber, plant sterols, potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins B, E and K.

7. Red beans – all beans are good for you but these are especially good because of they are packed with protein, fiber, antioxidants, folate, and minerals. The fiber in these beans contains resistant starch which helps boost your bodies ability to burn fat, helps you feel full, and can even reduce the risk of caner.

8. Greek yogurt – so thick, so creamy, so good! Look for Greek yogurt that is low in fat or fat free, I’ve found a brand I like! It is packed with twice as much protein as regular yogurt as well as 1/4 a women’s calcium need in one serving. Greek yogurt also contains probiotics that help digestion.

9. Olive oil – I have always been fascinated by the idea of the” Mediterranean Diet”. I recently read about a lot about the Mediterranean Diet  for a newsletter a work and one of the staples of this diet is olive oil. It is also high in good monounsaturated fat and has been shown to prevent cancer. Try and eat 2 tablespoons of olive oil a day.

10. Dark Chocolate – I wrote a paper all about the benefits of dark chocolate in college and found research that supports eating chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa (at least 70%). Dark chocolate is rich in heart-protective antioxdiants and all kinds of essential minerals. Why wouldn’t you want an excuse to eat more chocolate?

This past week has been a week of many food failures. Food failures cut me deep. They put me in a bad mood because of the great anticipation I generally have at trying a new recipe. Not to mention it usually means I end up picking at my dinner and eating a bowl of cereal later. Luckily I’m married to the most un-picky person in the world who genuinely thinks everything I make is good. That sweetie.Well not everything. We have some epic food failures – like what Nathan calls “toothpaste” brownies (my attempt at mint brownies), a disgusting cranberry chicken (don’t even ask), and a few others. I am blaming this weeks run of food failures on my sinus headache and general lack of energy due to being sick the past few days. I don’t know whats gotten into me. For example I was making pasta on the fly and thought it would be a good idea to season it with feta cheese, lemon, and flat leaf parsley. That sounds good in theory but in actuality – what do all those ingredients have in common? Sour. Not a good call. Food failure. A couple months ago I set a goal to try at least 4 new recipes a week and that has worked out well for the most part. But unfortunately new recipes often mean experimentation with unfamiliar ingredients and dishes! I am learning a TON though. I consider it my self-taught culinary school. It is a lot of fun. Aside from the food failures, I did make an awesome white chili that somewhat redeemed the week (for a later post) – as well as these delicious roasted brown sugar pears!  These roasted brown sugar pears are the perfect finish to any romantic or special dinner. They are easy, but oh-so impressive. You can make them! I would never give you a food failure recipe. Trust me?

Roasted Brown Sugar Pears

• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 3 firm Bosc pears, peeled, halved, cored (about 1 pound)
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Note: I peel the pears then core them using one of those mini ice cream scooper things. Then I cut out the stem vein with a small knife. Bosc pears will always be firm which what you want for the roasting process – but if the pears are green when you peel them they aren’t ripe enough yet.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the pears cut side up in an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Whisk the apple juice and sugar in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the butter. Pour the sauce over the pears. Bake until the pears are crisp-tender and beginning to brown, basting occasionally with the juices, about 45 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Picture courtesy smittenkitchen.com (I did not have my pictues while posting)

Stop. I know what you’re thinking. This is another one of those recipes for homemade oreos that uses a box of devil’s cake and a chunk of cream cheese as filling. Well happy surprise, its not! I spent a great deal of time last night making these delicious homemade oreos and also launched into a deep discussion about cooking ‘”styles” with Nathan. I was trying to explain to him that something about who I am derives great satisfaction from making something completely from scratch. For example, these oreos do not use a cake mix as the dough for the cookie. Rather I made the dough using real ingredients like flour, cocoa powder, vanilla, butter, etc. Likewise, the idea of homemade pasta makes me joyful. My heart quickens when I make pizza dough from real whole wheat flour and yeast rather than popping open one of those pillsbury things. And don’t even get me started on making a giant pot of homeade marinara sauce with fresh celery, carrots, onions, and real tomatoes from my in-laws garden. In college I majored in food science and LOVED it because it gave me insight into where food actually comes from – whats in it, how its made, the chemistry of what happens when you cook, and so forth. Learning about all those weird ingredients on food labels made me appreciate even more the value of making something from scratch. Why would you buy hamburger helper when you could use real cheese and vegetables to cook? Sick. Whats the deal Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade?  Stop adding weird artifical colorings and perservatives to your food with premade ”flavor” packets and just mince your own garlic. Its cheaper anyway. Have you ever seen that show? Anyway, Nathan and I both came to the conclusion that we enjoy and embrace a “fresh” cooking style. I decided awhile back that is one of my life goals to move somewhere (eh-hem – Virginia..) and to have a giant home vegetable garden to cook from. But in the mean time I can just live up those awesome farmer’s markets we have in California! I know all this sounds of-so domestic of me but hey – thats what happens when you get married right?

Back to the Oreos… they are delicious! I made them last night for a party we are going to tonight. I had to stop Nathan from eating them all so there would be some for tonight. After I made the dough I used a teaspoon measure to make all the cookies the same size. This also makes them turn out small like real oreos! The cream filling is divine. I used a piping bag to squirt filling onto one cookie then smashed the other cookie on top. So fun! I think I will make it a tradition to bake these with my kids when the time comes. I also think I will end this post now to prevent me from going on about any more of my domestic desires. Enjoy!

Homemade Oreos
Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
• 1 large egg

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 8 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.

Recipe adapted from Retro Desserts, Wayne Brachman

This Sunday morning Nathan and I took it easy in our PJs and made a big breakfast! The superstar of the morning was these delicious almond pancakes. They are so light and airy. Not to mention they give off the wonderful aromas of vanilla and almond when the batter begins to heat up on the skillet. The best part of all though is the delicious chunks of almond paste that you mix into the batter. The almond paste chunks give you little surprise bites of sweetness when you eat the pancakes. They are so great that you don’t even need maple syrup! We just topped ours off with a handful of fresh blackberries. I will definitely be making these again sometime soon and you should too!

Almond Pancakes

• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone cheese
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups buttermilk pancake mix (recommend: Krusteaz)
• 4 ounces almond paste, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

In a food processor or blender, combine the mascarpone, water, sugar, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add the pancake mix and pulse until just combined.

Add the chopped almond paste and pulse once to incorporate.

Preheat a griddle or a large, nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Grease the griddle or skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter. Working in batches, pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes each side until golden. Repeat with the remaining butter and batter and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from “Giada at Home”

Remember how I discovered Greek Yogurt a couple months ago and it  became an obsession? Also remember Nathan’s parents got me one of those awesome Blendtec Blenders for Christmas and it has become an additional obsession? Great! Now you can fully understand my obession for this smoothie… It is so creamy and delicious and just makes my morning happy!

*FYI they sell large containers of Greek Yogurt that is only 2% fat ( instead of full fat like other brands) at Whole Foods.

Greek Yogurt Citrus Smoothie

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 cups plain Greek yogurt
• 1 1/4 cups orange juice
• 2 medium bananas, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup ice

Bring 1/2 cup water to boil in a small saucepan and add the sugar. Still until the sugar has completely dissolved. Allow the simple syrup to cool. Then place the simple syrup and all the other ingredients in the blender and blend till smooth. Enjoy!

For many weeks now I have been craving the Indian cuisine of “The Bombay House” back in my college town. While I still haven’t found a way to make their perfect naan… this recipe for Chicken Tiki Marsala definitely helped satisfy my craving. It was my first time using the spice “garam marsala” and now I am a completely converted garam masalian. Just by glancing at the ingredients you can see all the wonderful layers of flavor this chicken has – ginger, cumin, coriander, garlic, garam marsala, Cheyenne pepper – YUM, how could it not be awesome? This is seriously one the best Indian dish I’ve ever made. So you should make it too! And just go ahead and use real cream because its worth it – live a little! Make sure you serve it with brown basmati rice.

Chicken Tiki Marsala

• 3 whole (to 4) Chicken Breasts
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Coriander
• Cumin
• ½ cups Plain Yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Large Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1 piece (approximately 2 Inches) Chunk Fresh Ginger
• Garam Masala
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Crushed Tomatoes
• Sugar
• 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
• 1 serrano peppers (optional)
• 1 tsp Cheyenne Pepper (optional)
• Parsley or Cilantro

Start by seasoning the chicken breasts with some kosher salt. Next sprinkle them on both sides with some coriander and cumin. Then coat the chicken breasts completely with the plain yogurt. Set the chicken on a metal cooling rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and place it about 10-12 inches below a broiler for 5-7 minutes per side. Watch carefully so as not to totally char the chicken. It should have slightly blackened edges. Remove from oven.

Next dice one large onion. In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and sauté until they are slightly browned. As the onions cook, mince your garlic. Next, cut off the outer skin and mince or grate a 1 by 2 inch chunk of fresh ginger. Add the garlic and ginger to the onions. Also throw in about 1 tablespoon of salt.

Next you are going to add about 3 tablespoons Garam Masala spice. And if you like it hot, this is also when you will add your hot chili peppers. Serranos work well. Now you are going to add your can of crushed tomatoes. Continue cooking and stirring, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Add about 1 tablespoon sugar. Let this mixture simmer on medium for about 5 minutes. Add the Cheyenne Pepper, if you like it spicy – like me!

After the Tikka Masala sauce has had a chance to simmer for a little bit, add in the 1 ½ cups of heavy cream. Now, chop up your chicken breasts into chunks and stir them into the Tikka Masala sauce. A handful of chopped fresh parsley or cilantro is a nice addition.  Serve the Chicken Tikka Masala over top of Basmati rice.

Recipe adapted from “The Pioneer Woman”

Nathan’s Mom is well-known for giving away her delicious, homemade pomegranate jelly. Here in Southern California pomegranates are abundant. I have heard many, seriously like 5 people, talk about their own or their friend’s pomegranate trees having so much fruit that they beg people to come take it off their hands. The same goes for oranges, but that is a story for another post. Being the east coaster that I am when I think pomegranate, I think  $4/each. So I never cease to be amazed when my neighbors have giant crate of pomegranates they are trying to pon off. Nathan’s Mom makes her jelly with fresh squeezed pomegranate juice and it is delicious! I have no experience with any kind of jam or jelly making – so she was nice enough to let me watch her make a batch!

Pomegranate Jelly

• 3 1/2 cups prepared juice (about 5 large fully ripe pomegranates)
• 5 cups (2-1/4 lb.) sugar
• 1 box Sure.Jell Fruit Pectin

First prepare the juice. Cut 5 large pomegranates in quarters. Place halves in a fruit juice reamer or other desired juicing device. If you want, you can buy ready-made pomegranate juice. We used this antique juicer from Nathan’s Grandma. They also sell these pomegranate presses at Williams Sonoma.

Measure 3 1/2 cups of juice into a 8 quart saucepan. Measure sugar and set aside. Mix fruit pectin into juice. Place over high heat and stir until mixture comes for full boil. Immediately add all sugar and stir. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add a bit of butter if it starts to foam. Remove from heat and skim off the foam and put in a small bowl (the foam doesn’t look pretty in the jars but can still be eaten out of the bowl the next few days). Ladle quickly into jars filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids and screw down tightly. Invert jars for 5 minutes, then turn upright. After 1 hour check the seals – they should pop! Makes about 7 8 oz. jars.

 Need a mid-week pick me up? Do you have 15 minutes? Awesome – that means you can make this gourmet dessert for two tonight! Last night I surprised Nate, who had to work late, with a delicious artichoke tomato spaghetti and this old fashioned maple-walnut pudding. It is deceivingly easy to prepare and is good warm or cold – whichever you prefer! I prefer cold.. The candied walnuts provide a contrast of texture that make it even better. Not to mention I had everything on hand except the tapioca. My solution to a mid-week slump =yummy meal, satisfying, low-fat dessert, and a new episode of Modern Family – all with my favorite guy!

P.S. Pardon my poor photography skills - these pictures struggled without natural light..

Maple-Walnut Tapioca Pudding

• 1 cup fat free or low-fat milk
• 1 large egg, well beaten
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon quick-cooking tapioca
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg

Combine milk, egg, tapioca and salt in a medium saucepan. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil, 6 to 18 minutes (depending on your stove). Remove from the heat; stir in 1/4 cup syrup and vanilla.

Divide the pudding between 2 ramekins or custard cups. Let cool for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate until chilled.

Meanwhile, line a small plate with parchment or wax paper. Coat the paper with cooking spray. Combine walnuts, the remaining 1 tablespoon syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small saucepan or skillet. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring, until most of the syrup has evaporated, 1 to 4 minutes. Spread the nuts out onto the prepared paper and place in the freezer until cool, about 10 minutes.

Crumble the chilled walnut topping into pieces. Serve the pudding topped with the maple walnuts.

Recipe adapted from EatingWell.com

Yum! This recipe proves winter vegetables can be just as delicious as summer ones…

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

• 3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 2 yellow onions
• 2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the butternut squash, onions, and apples into 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss them with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide the squash mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until very tender. Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, put them in a blender or food processor and blend till smooth. When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste for seasonings to be sure there’s enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. Serve hot with toasted almonds.

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten