Sumptuous Stuffed Tomatoes

In my delicious biweekly organic food delivery, I received the following items: fresh tomatoes, spinach, crimini mushrooms, and garlic. While I was perusing my take, considering what I could do with these savory delights, the scent of my little basil pot overcame my senses and gave me the idea for this delicious recipe.

Sumptuous Stuffed Tomatoes
(6 servings)

3 tomatoes, halved
2 handfuls raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 generous handful fresh basil
2 generous handfuls spinach
3 cloves garlic
1-2 stalks celery
4 crimini mushrooms, washed and quartered
pepper to taste

Set your oven to 350 F.

Take your pepitas and throw them into your food processor, grinding into a semi-fine dust. It's okay if there are some bigger chunks for crunch. Pour out half the ground pepitas into a small bowl.

Halve our tomatoes and scoop out the juicy innards, placing the "shells" onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet.

Spoon the juicy innards into your food processor along with the remaining pepitas. Add the spinach, basil, celery, garlic, and mushrooms. "Mix" into a paste. You can add salt if you want, I didn't find it needed any.

Using a large spoon to scoop the mixture into the tomato shells. Sprinkle the tops with the saved pepitas. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Go on; have a peace! Have two!

Cashew Crusted Basil Tilapia with Spinach

Cashew Crusted Basil Tilapia with Spinach
(6 servings)

~1.3 lb boneless, skinless tilapia
2 handfuls raw cashews
~3 oz spinach
~10 large leaves fresh basil, divided, roughly chopped
1/4 cup nonfat sour cream (or, for a vegan variety, use Tofutti's Better Than Sour Cream non-hydrogenated)
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 cloves garlic, divided, minced
3 tsp olive oil

Preheat your oven to 375 F.

Take your tilapia and cut into single serving portions (about 1/2 a filet) laying them out into an 11x15 in baking pan.

Take 2 handfuls raw cashews and "chop" them in the food processor in small chunks. Remove to a side bowl. If there is cashew "dust", leave that in the processor.

Into the dusty processor, add sour cream, lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, and 5 leaves of fresh basil. Process until smooth.

Heat 3 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Mince the 2 remaining cloves of garlic and brown. Add ~3 oz spinach (unchopped) and about 5 large leaves of basil (roughly chopped). Cook until wilted (2-4 min), stirring gently. Remove from heat.

Spread sour cream blend over the fish evenly.

Lay the spinach over the spread fish evenly.

Sprinkly chopped cashews over top all.

Bake for 28 minutes.

This is simply delicious! The fish came out so flakey and smooth, the whole dish was rich and a real treasure for the tongue. So easy to make and so, so good. Go on! Have a peace!

Watermelon-Strawberry Mint Sorbet, or Momo's Frozen Mash-up

In honor of Mother's Day, I decided to try making something that I think my mother would like. So I took a few of her favorite things - watermelons, strawberries, lemons, and mint - and went mush. :)

Here's what I came up with:

Watermelon-Strawberry Mint Sorbet, or Momo's Frozen Mash-up
(Serves many momos)

juice of 1 lemon, about 2 Tbsp
~1/3 cup date sugar (I used a little less, because that was all I had left)
1 cup pureed, frozen strawberries (5 large strawberries, frozen, then pureed)
4 cups pureed, chilled watermelon
2/3 cup water
~1 Tbsp minced mint (I used the awesome mix of mints that my parents grow at home and dried for me - see picture below - but any mint will do.)

In a food processor, puree frozen strawberries, then set aside in a large bowl. Without cleaning out the processor, puree the watermelon and add that to the bowl with the strawberries. Add lemon juice. Stir until all mixed up. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to chill.

Pour water, sugar, and mint into a small saucepan and set over low heat. The date sugar takes longer to break down than normal sugar - one of the good and bad things about it. It took me about 20 minutes before it finally melted completely, which worked out quite nicely as the mint had really saturated the sugar with its oils by then and smelled heavenly!

(Looks a bit like soup, doesn't it? But nope - it's date sugar water and mint!)

Set to medium heat and let boil for 1 minute. Then pour through a wire-mesh sieve into a heat-safe bowl and mash with the round side of a spoon until nothing else will go through. Save the remaining non-liquid date/mint mixture for later. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge. Set a timer for ~1 hour. It can stay in longer if you want. I don't think an hour or two will make much difference at this stage.

When you come back after at least an hour, pour the liquid sugar/mint mixture into the strawberry/watermelon mush and stir until well combined.

Pour this into a metal pan (about 8x8 should do), cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for 4-8 hours. Scoop all the frozen fruit and sugar out, run it through your food processor until it's chopped up, and pour it back in the metal pan again. Freeze again. In 2-4 hours, it should be crisp, cold, and delicious. Although you may need to let it thaw a bit before serving.

Now if you want to make it extra delicious - take the leftover mint and date sugar mash and stir it thoroughly with ~1 tbsp of fine balsamic vinegar. I used FINI, which if you haven't heard of it is one of the yummiest balsamics around. [I thought of it because it's awesome when drizzled over fresh strawberries.]

The slight sour builds on the sweet and makes it a savory delight on the tongue. Just a little goes a long way. With or without the balsamic, this treat makes a delightful light dessert or a refreshing palate cleanser. Enjoy! And Happy Mother's Day, Momo! Go on, have a peace. :)

Herbed Chicken and Potatoes

I was in the mood for something simple and savory, so I threw together this simple dish. It's delicious with a warm, woodsy taste, it fills you up right quick, and it only takes about 20 minutes to make.

Herbed Chicken and Potatoes
(Serves 5)

Herbed Potatoes
3 medium potatoes, cut to 1" cubes
3 red potatoes, cut to 1" cubes
1 small red onion, diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dried rosemary, minced fine
1/4 tsp dried thyme, minced fine
dash fresh ground sea salt
dash fresh ground pepper

Herbed Chicken
5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed and cut to 1" cubes
2.5 Tbsp olive oil
4-5 tsp thyme
3 tsp sea salt
3 tsp freshly ground pepper (I use lemon peppercorns and they give the dish a slight citrus flavor that's yummy)

Set oven to 450 F.

Prepare 2 cookie sheets with raised sides with olive oil spray. Not too much. Just enough to coat the bottoms.

Mix the potatoes and their ingredients together in a bowl, stirring to coat. Shake them out onto one cookie sheet, spreading them out so they're not too lumped together. Place them in the oven. Set the timer to 21 minutes.

Now slice up your chicken breasts and add them to the same bowl you used for the potatoes along with their ingredients. Stir well to coat. Spread the chicken out on the second cookie sheet. The timer should have counted down now to about 15 minutes. Pop the chicken in the oven with the potatoes.

When the timer goes off, it should all be done at the same time. To serve, I took a fifth of each tray and spooned it into a bowl, mixing it all up together. Yum yum yum! Enjoy!

Baked Falafels Pita Pockets with Mint Tzatziki

I had some friends coming over last night and thought it might be fun to have a DIY dinner, rather than a serve-it-up like I usually do. I've had a yen for falafel since I got back from Israel, so this was my attempt and bringing the tastiness of Jerusalem vendors to my best pals at home. This meal is ridiculously easy to make, and fun - the only thing I would say is that it isn't the best meal to make when you're trying to have a conversation. The food processor is so loud! :)

Baked Falafel Pita Pockets with Mint Tzatziki
(makes ~8 servings)

Falafel:
(makes about 36)
1 can low sodium garbanzo beans, drained
1 red onion, finely chopped
A little less than 1/4 cup sorghum flour
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp salt
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Drain a can of garbanzo beans over the sink, rinsing them well. Drop them, along with all the other ingredients except the baking powder, into your food processor. [If you don't have a food processor, a blender could work. Otherwise, you can use an immersion blender or a potato masher. The processor is just faster.] Puree, until ingredients are a thick paste. When all elements are well combined, add the baking powder and stir in thoroughly.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Now, here, I used my awesome little melon scooper, but you could use a normal, small spoon - your falafels will just be a little bigger. Scoop healthy dollops onto the baking sheet, about 6 scoops on each row.

Put baking sheets into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the falafel patties. Bake for another 15 minutes if you want them soft, 20 minutes if you want them lightly browned, 25 if you want them crispier.

Mint Tzatziki:
1 regular sized cucumber, chopped into small bits
2 cups plain, nonfat yogurt
~1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped into tiny bits
salt, to taste

I actually made this weird tzatziki sauce before as a sauce for grilled chicken. It's based on the recipe my friend Alex uses (she's Greek), but I had some mint leftover (from a fun squash stew I made) that I wanted to put to use. Wow, check out the parentheses use there. It's super easy to make. You just chop the mint really fine (use a big chef's knife - it's easier). You cut the cucumber lengthwise, then lengthwise again, then in slices. Toss these into a bowl, then scoop the yogurt in. Stir, mixing well, and you're done.

Pita Pocket and fillers:

3 whole wheat pita, cut in half

2 handfuls baby spinach, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 roma tomato, diced

Take your half pita, open it up on a small plate. Dollop a couple spoonfuls of the tzatziki into the pita, accompanied by a sprinkling of the spinach and tomatoes. Place 3-4 falafels into the pita. Enjoy!

It was a simple meal, cool and warm, and delicious! Lots of protein from the chickpeas. Vitamin A and K and manganese from the spinach (not to mention Popeye muscles). Vitamin C in the tomatoes. Nom nom nom. Plus, my friends really seemed to enjoy getting to make their own little sandwiches and we all found them very tasty.

[You will have extras. The leftovers are easily stored and will keep in the fridge to make a tasty snack/meal for the next day or two.]

Kitchen Sink Soup

Here's a healthy, hearty, and delicious soup that's easy to make and really hits the spot.

Kitchen Sink Soup
(makes about 5 servings)
1/4 cup diced red onions
1/2 cup green peas
1 carrot, diced
2 small red potatoes, halved, sliced, and cut into bite-sized pieces
14.5 oz diced tomatoes in juice (1 can)
2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise, then sliced
1.5 cup low sodium vegetable stock
1/2 tbsp marjoram
salt and pepper to taste

Pour vegetable stock and tomatoes into the pot. Add marjoram, salt, and pepper. Set stove to medium heat. Add celery and carrots and onions. Stir over heat for 5 minutes. Add potatoes. Stir over heat for 8 minutes. Add peas. Stir over heat for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

See? I told you it was easy. :) The soup is very filling on its own. It keeps really well in the fridge (fed me for a week).

Enjoy!!

Easter Snacks

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you're having a beautiful holiday. This Sunday is a day about rebirth, no matter how you slice it. New life, the balance of day and night and the balance in our lives.

And yet, Easter is also a day full of processed stuff that leaves your body completely UNbalanced. Why?

My parents sent me an Easter basket this year as they do every year - my parents are ridiculously awesome.
This year, they sent me an incredibly soft, snuggly bunny and some delicious sugar free snacks. One of the things they sent that was not sugar free was a yummy, yummy chocolate from 3400 Phinney Chocolate Factory.

Here's my rule about candy - you have to recognize and be able to picture all the ingredients and you have to eat it in moderation, as a treat. This bar is dairy free, gluten free, soy free, and vegan. The ingredients include and are limited to cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, almonds, figs, fennel, and ground vanilla bean.

Now. If you're like me, you've probably hardboiled and dyed a boatload of eggs. But what do you do with all those hardboiled eggs once you're done admiring them? Personally, I love just munching on hardboiled eggs as a snack. But if you want to do something else with them, here's a few ideas:

Deviled Eggs

Avocado Eggs
1 avocado
8 hardboiled eggs, peeled
~1/8th of a small red onion
1/8 cup lemon juice, to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the hardboiled eggs in half. Scoop the yolks out into either a bowl or a food processor. Lay out the remaining egg whites on a plate.

Cut your avocado in half, throw away the pit. Again, if you have the food processor, add the avocado to the yolks there. If not, add it to the yolks in the bowl. Mash it all together.

Take 1/8th of a small onion and chop it into tiny, tiny bits. You might not want to use all of the onion, it's up to your personal taste. Add as much as you like to the mashed up avocado and yolk. Now add a tiny bit of fresh ground sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Sprinkle in the lemon juice - again to taste. Mix it all together.

Scoop the mash up into each of the hardboiled egg whites and serve immediately. :) That's it! It's creamy, delicious, and tastes like guacamole!

Yum yum yum!

Tea Eggs - I made these with Good Earth green tea bags, 2 cups of boiling water, and a 1/2 tbsp of low sodium soy sauce and they were delicious!

Irenic Salad
This is my go-to lunch when I'm short on time. It's filling, delicious, and healthy.
8 leaves romaine lettuce, broken into bite-sized pieces
1 hardboiled egg, sliced in half and then diced into little bits
4 grape tomatoes
2 stalks of celery, sliced in half lengthwise and then into bite sized slices across
1/8 cup edamame or fresh green peas (optional)

For dressings, you'll want to use something that isn't cream based. You won't need it. You can make a simple dressing by drizzling a tiny bit of olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar over the salad. Or you can make my personal favorite dressing.

Irenic Dressing
This dressing is easy to make and very tasty.  
1/4 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried basil
4 leaves fresh basil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil
black pepper to taste

Take the olive oil and put it into a small skillet, heat it over medium high and throw the garlic into it until it browns and smells delicious, about 1-2 minutes. Pour the olive oil and garlic into a blender or food processor, then add all the other ingredients. Blend it all together. You can triple or quadruple this recipe and save the remainder in your fridge to use for the next couple days. :)

I hope you all enjoy this beautiful day! Happy Easter; have a peace.

A Satisfying April Fool's Day Meal

You know what to expect here, right? I mean... really. So here's a couple little tricks that you can play on your friends if you want. :)

Jello Juice 
Okay. This is the easiest "prank" ever.

1 package strawberry or lemon flavored Jello
miniscule amount of either strawberry or cranberry juice (for the strawberry) or lemonade (for the lemon)

Follow the package directions and then, instead of pouring the Jello into a mold or tin, pour it into a clear juice glass with just a tiny bit of juice poured in on top of it. Insert a drinking straw and put in the refrigerator to set. Then, when someone asks for something to drink, pull out the glass and watch them try to get that juice out. :) [If you're concerned about top texture, you can add a little more juice on top the jello before you serve it.]


Protein Cupcakes
This one could be really mean, so don't pull this on your veggie or vegan friends... Remember, April Fool's is about playful pranks and is not an excuse to be recklessly cruel to people.

"Cupcake":
2 lbs lean ground chuck
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

"Icing":
Either Velveeta or blue cheese, melted, and mixed with a cheerful food coloring. Spread liberally on top.

Set your oven to 350F. Place opaque muffin papers into a muffin tin.

Mix the "cupcake" ingredients together in a large bowl - if you have a food processor, blend them first. Then divide the "batter" into the muffin papers. Bake for about an hour, or until the meat reaches an internal temp of 160 degrees. Take out and allow to cool to room temp, then place in the fridge.

Next, make your icing. If you use the blue cheese, you'll want to blend it so that it's a smooth texture. I'd use something innocuous like pink or blue for the coloring so it's more innocent looking. Once it's nice and gooey, spread it liberally on top of the "cupcakes" and return to the fridge to cool again.

Serve with pride. :)

Guilt-Free T.C.

Due to the fact that I expect to be rather busy for the next few days, I decided to make a casserole to tide me through the coming week. And then I realized, hey! I haven't showed you guys any of my wicked fun casserole dishes. So you, my friends, are in for a treat. This dish makes about 8-10 servings. It's delicious, wholesome, guilt-free, and utterly satisfying. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed inventing it. :)

Guilt-Free Tuna Casserole
(Serves 8-10)

1/4 cup breadcrumbs
8 oz vegetable rotini pasta (this pasta is made from compressed veggies and is super delicious)
olive oil cooking spray
3 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and diced
1 head cauliflower
1 small red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp almond meal
1 Tbsp flax seed meal
1 cup low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1/2 cup water
2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and diced
~14.8 oz canned tuna - unsalted, packed in water, drained
2 cups fresh or frozen peas
~1 Tbsp dried dill (make sure it's finely minced)
~1 Tbsp low-fat Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a stockpot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.

Dice a head of cauliflower into 1-2 inch florets, including as much of the stalk as you can manage without adding the green parts. Set these out over a parchment paper covered cookie sheet, spray gently with olive oil cooking spray and dust lightly with milled sea salt (or kosher). Put this in the oven to bake, should take between 30-40 minutes, until just beginning to brown on the edges.

Meanwhile, heat a large stockpot (the bigger the better, within reason) over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Mist with olive oil cooking spray and add celery and onion. Saute for 2 minutes or until onions become translucent.

In a small bowl (I used a tea cup), combine the almond and flax seed meals.

Add chicken broth, water, and the mix of almond meal and flax seed meal; whisk briskly until it begins to go frothy. [This, by the way, is my cheat to making a healthy roux (or thickener). I think you can also use this to make homemade "cream" sauces, though - considering I just made it up - I have not yet tested this.] Reduce heat to medium. Stir in drained pasta, carrots, tuna, and peas. Add dill. Remove from heat.

By now, your cauliflower should be done roasting. Take it out and load the entire head's worth of little roasted pieces into a food processor. (If you don't have a food processor, you can use a food mill, a potato ricer (these are so awesome!), or at the most rudimentary a potato masher.) Puree the cauliflower until it's well mushed (yes, that's my technical term); add the minced garlic and puree again. Now dump the contents of your food processor into the bowl full of tuna stew. Stir until well combined. It should take on a thick, glutinous consistency.

Pour tuna-pasta-cauliflower mixture into a 11.5 x 15 inch casserole dish (preferably glass). Sprinkle with 1/4 cup breadcrumbs and a light dusting of Parmesan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until browned on top. Remove and serve hot.

For storage, cover tightly with saran wrap (or put it into a casserole container with a sealing lid like I do) and put it in the fridge. It will keep for about 5 days. If you want it to last for 7 or 8, cut a portion off, seal it, and put it in the freezer, leaving the rest in the fridge. 

Note: This recipe might seem a little low on salt, if you're used to cooking and eating with it. As you may have noticed, I barely use any when I cook, so my tongue isn't super sensitive to it when it's missing. To me, this dish is perfect in its garlicky, mushy, delicious comfort foody way. I'd say taste test before you transfer it to your baking dish, just to make sure you'll be happy. And if you must add more salt, be sparing with it. The less you use, the more you'll get used to not using it, and then you'll eventually find that you don't miss it at all. :)

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Soup

I've been in a soupy mood for the past few days. I've also been in 'I don't want to go to the grocery' mode. These two feelings, in conjunction, culminated in me searching my fridge and pantry for anything that might make a suitable soup. I love the way that sounds... 'suitable soup'.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Soup
(5-8 servings)

1 box (~4 cups) Trader Joe's Garden Vegetable Patch Soup (could use plain tomato soup, or probably even V8)
~3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
~5 stems fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
5-10 button mushrooms, sliced in thirds
3 stalks celery, sliced small
1 can great northern beans, rinsed
1/4 cup diced red onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
freshly milled sea salt, to taste (*I used about 10 turns of my sea salt mill)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste (*I used about 7 turns of my black pepper grinder)

In a medium stock pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic to the bottom and saute for 4-6 minutes, until onions are soft and garlic is browned.

Add 4 cups of the soup base you've chosen and set the stove to medium heat. Allow the soup to come to a simmer.

Add the spinach and basil to the pot and stir well. Next take the celery and stir that in, followed by the cherry tomatoes and the mushrooms. Salt and pepper the soup and stir, scooping from the bottom, to make sure everything's well combined.

Finally stir in the great northern beans and then allow to simmer, unmolested, for 5-8 minutes. Stir a couple times and taste test to make sure you're happy with the seasoning of the soup. If you used more or less of any of the ingredients I did, you'll want to alter your salt and pepper usage accordingly. Also depending on what brand of soup base you use, it may already be salted or seasoned on its own. Check the label and make sure you're not oversalting.

When you're happy, remove from heat and ladle out. It comes out warm, filling, and delicious. Yum, yum! Enjoy!

Chunky Pesto Chicken Soup

Soup is by far one of my favorite things to make. Not only do you get to stir it around in a big pot, cackling all the while like a character from Hocus Pocus, but it's also delicious, nutritious (usually), and serves you for days.

I took the original recipe for "Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto" from the October 2009 issue of EatingWell, and then changed it - like I do.

You might like their version, but personally - having tried theirs as written last year - mine is yummier. So there.

Chunky Pesto Chicken Soup
(makes ~5 servings)

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
2 carrots, chopped
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (weighing ~14 oz), cut into quarters
2 large cloves garlic
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1.5 tsp dried marjoram
~8 oz baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and chopped
1 15-oz can great northern beans, rinsed
~1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
~1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
~3 inch parmesan rind
~2 tsp salt
~2 tsp freshly ground pepper, more to taste

Heat 2 tsp of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add chopped carrot and quartered chicken; cook, turning the chicken until it begins to brown (about 4 minutes). Add garlic and stir together until the chicken is seared on one side (another 1-2 minutes). Remove the cooked chicken with a pair of tongs to a clean cutting board. You are now done with your sauce pan.

Into a medium stock pot over medium heat, pour your chicken broth and add the marjoram. Stir. Now add the garlic and carrots from the saucepan to the soup. Stir. Add the chopped spinach and rinsed beans and chopped celery to the soup. Add ~2 tsp salt and 2 tsp fresh ground pepper. Stir all together, mixing well. Then drop your parmesan rind in and let it start to soak out into the soup. Set the heat to low, and remember to stir occasionally.

Now to make the pesto sauce. You will need a food processor for this portion of the program. [If you don't have one, you can just buy pesto from the store, but it'll be saltier than you want, so I would recommend not adding the salt to the soup earlier.] This pesto, by the way, is delicious, and would also go nicely over pasta or warm french bread. :)
Combine 1 tbsp olive oil, grated parmesan, basil, and pine nuts in the food processor and process until a coarse paste forms.
There. You're done.

Return to that chicken you left your cutting board. Cut it into little bite sized pieces and add it back into the soup. Spoon out all of the pesto you just made and add that to the soup as well. Stir over medium heat for 4-6 minutes, or until hot.

Before you serve, remember to spoon around in the soup and find the parmesan rind. It has served its purpose now and can be tossed.

This soup is yummy, warm, and really hits the spot. Lots of protein and iron in this one. Enjoy!

Surviving the Sicky Season

I was so sorry to hear (very late, I might add) that my long-lost friend Phoenix was ill last week. Winter's gray skies tend to put us all in a slightly dampened mood and it's also, unfortunately, a common time for sniffles and bleary eyes. A couple weeks ago, I, my boyfriend, my father, and my grandmother all came down with varying degrees of gloomy flu-fulness. Here's a couple things to try to lift your health and your spirit. [*Remember, if you're really feeling sick, go see a doctor. Drugs are good, sometimes. The following suggestions are things that will keep your fluid intake high (even medical doctors agree this is an important step in overcoming colds and flus), and also will hopefully give you an immune system boost.]

Lemon Chicken Soup
(*This recipe was adapted from Giada de Laurentiis's Food Network Recipe.)

6 cups low sodium chicken broth
.75 cup fresh lemon juice
1 dried bay leaf
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 cup whole wheat spaghetti, broken into two-inch pieces
2 cups diced, cooked rotisserie chicken
kosher salt
1 two-inch Parmesan cheese rind, optional (The rind is actually a very nice addition. You end up taking it out at the end, so it performs more like the bay leaf as a flavoring additive. But you don't have to use it if you don't want to.)

In a large stock pot, bring the chicken broth, lemon juice, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind (if using) to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and simmer until tender, about 5-8 minutes. Then add the broken pasta and cook until the pasta is tender (check the package instructions for the pasta you use, but it should take about 4-8 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add the diced chicken and heat through, about 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the Parmesan rind, discarding both. Season with salt, to taste. Enjoy.

Why is it good for you?
We all know chicken soup is good for the soul. But did you know that's not just because it's warm and yummy to your tummy? Chicken contains an amino acid called cystaine that gets released when you cook it. This amino acid thins mucus in the lungs, aiding in the healing process. In addition, research has proven that chicken soup breaks up congestion, eases the flow of nasal secretions, and may even be responsible for inhibiting the white blood cells that trigger inflammatory responses (which in turn eases sore throats and the production of phlegm).
Lemons are a rich source of vitamin C, are a proven antiseptic, and a renowned anti-scorbutic (remedy preventing disease that assists in cleansing the system of impurities). Lemons also have noticeable levels of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. They help to fix oxygen and calcium levels in the liver because they regulate blood carbohydrate levels which affect blood oxygen levels. Not to mention, they smell great - which, by the way, some folks say acts as a homeopathic healing element in and of itself. The smell of lemons tends to make people feel happy. Go figure. Maybe we know a good thing when we smell it.

Ginger Tea
2 tbsp grated ginger root
2 cups water
1 tbsp honey, optional

Boil the water in a small saucepan and stir in the ginger root. Drink straight, or add lemon and/or honey.

Why is it good for you?
One of the active ingredients in ginger is a compound called gingerols, which acts on a specific receptor in the body called the vallinoid receptor. The vallinoid receptor sits on pain nerve endings and normally react to pain and acidity. Yes, that's right. Ginger is a natural pain-reliever. Cool, right? And not only does it relieve pain, it also reduces inflammation. So while it dulls the 'ouch' sensation, it's actually healing you, too. Ginger also is known for reducing dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating.
Have you noticed how a lot of cold remedies involve adding honey to teas? It's not just because it's sweet and tasty, and it's not because it coats your throat. Honey is actually anti-bacterial. The Bedouins in Israel have used it for - gosh, a really long while - in conjunction with other herbs on cuts and burns, because it helps to prevent bacterial infections. Why? Well, it contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide. I know, right? Freaky. Honey is also hygroscopic, which means it naturally absorbs moisture from the air - okay, that doesn't apply so much to cold symptoms, but it's cool, isn't it? Open wound? Smear some honey on it - it'll keep the area mostly free of bacteria and help prevent scarring by keeping the skin moist and encourage the growth of new tissues. Just avoid hungry bears...


Infusions to Try
Lemon Balm is an herb that promotes sweating and is traditionally considered to eliminate toxins from the body. You can get tea empty tea bags from lots of stores, including Teavana and, I think, Bed, Bath, and Beyond. They're useful to have around, if you like that rich flavorful quality that you really only get from loose teas. Simply take the herbs (fresh or dried), slip them in the tea bag or put them into a diffuser, and wait 2-3 minutes for delicious tea.
Catnip is another herb that promotes sweating, which can be very good when you're fighting off a feverish cold. Follow the same instructions as listed for Lemon Balm.

Wishing you a healthy, happy post holiday season. :)

Falstaffe Sauce

After three long, wonderful weeks up in Washington with my family, my long absent heartmate, and his family, I have finally returned back to Los Angeles. My first thought upon disembarking from the plane was 'wow, I don't need my coat down here'; the second, 'thank God - I'm only twenty minutes from my kitchen!'

In case you haven't seen it, my kitchen is, frankly, a wonderland. At least it is to me. Every tool and gadget is exactly where I expect it to be - because I put it there - and I know for a fact that everything I own is well within it's expiration date (don't ask). Now, having only recently arrived, I made do last night with a bowl of Trader Joe's Miso Soup and some popcorn that my friend Megan brought over. But today, I hit the store and let my stifled creativity loose on an old favorite. I used what I remembered of an old Emeril pasta sauce recipe and then added two of my favorite things. Broccoli and cauliflower. Broccli is good for you and delicious in any capacity, but especially when roasted. Cauliflower has this amazing capacity for creaminess when cooked just right - you can even use it as a replacement for mashed potatoes! But here, I use it to turn my homemade marinara into a decadent fake alfredo.

I call it Falstaffe sauce for two reasons. 1) Because Falstaffe (Sir John, from ol' Shake's Henry IV 1-2 and Merry Wives of Windsor) was aware that life is a charade and would probably appreciate the sneaky nature of this misleading recipe. And 2) because poor, portly Sir John wouldn't have been nearly so portly if he'd been eating this instead of butter and cream sauce. :)

Falstaffe Sauce

Broccoli and cauliflower, lovingly mixed in olive oil and balsamic, roasted and then blended with tomatoes and garlic to make a delicious, creamy pasta sauce.

1 head broccoli
1 head cauliflower
3 heads roasted garlic (or more if you like)
1 large red onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
.25 cup tomato paste
1.5 tsp salt
.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
.25 tsp italian seasoning
.25 tsp dried basil
2 cans whole italian tomatoes with juice (28 oz each)
Salt and pepper to taste.
1/2 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Prep- Wash and cut broccoli into 1 inch thick pieces. Wash and cut cauliflower into 1 inch thick pieces. Chop large red onion into 1x1 inch pieces (or smaller if you prefer). Open both cans of tomatoes and pour into a mixing bowl, juices and all, and crush (either with your hands or with a potato masher).

Roasted garlic: Peel the outer layers of garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the cloves intact. Cut off about 1/4 inch of the tops of the cloves, exposing the individual cloves. Place the garlic bulb in a baking pan. [If you're making a lot of these, then use a muffin pan. If not, then just toss them in a small bread pan or something similar.] Drizzle olive oil over each bulb and make sure it's well coated, then cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the bulbs feel soft when pressed. Take the pan out, and set it to the side. If you're serving folks, you might want to make a few extra bulbs and let people munch on the delicious roasted garlic as an appetizer. Just remember to save three of them for the recipe.

Broc and Caul: Mix cut broccoli in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Repeat for cauliflower. Use olive oil to coat a couple baking pans and use one pan for the broccoli and one for the cauliflower, trying to keep from making any puddles of olive oil on the pan. Put both pans in the 400 F oven for 20-30 minutes. [I like my veggies a little crispier so I tend to leave them in 10-15 minutes longer, but its up to you.]

Sauce base: While that's cooking, take out a large saucepan and saute the chopped red onion in olive oil over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes. Add 1 tbsp minced garlic and cook with the onion for another minute. Then add tomato paste, salt, balsamic vinegar (I love this stuff), crushed red pepper flakes, italian seasoning, and basil, and cook for a minute. Smell that. Awesome, right? Now add the tomatoes you prepped earlier, juice and all, and stir with all the other ingredients so they're all well combined. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take out the broccoli and cauliflower when they're done and empty the entire cauliflower pan into a bowl along with the non-leafy broccoli parts. For this portion of the program, you're going to need a nifty thing called an immersion blender [if you don't have one, buy one - it's one of the most handy tools I own]. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can throw the aforementioned things into a food processor or blender, but you'll have more clean up than me. Blend all the cauliflower and the broccoli stems together. Serve the leafy parts of the roasted broccoli on top of the pasta, or mixed with the sauce, as a side dish, or stick them in a tupperware box and eat them later as a snack. Heck, eat them while you're cooking. They're delicious.

Back to the sauce. Add the roasted garlic cloves you made first to the simmering sauce and stir to combine. Simmer for another 30-40 minutes, or until you taste test and find all the flavors alert and marching on your tongue.

Now. Add the cauliflower/broccoli blended mixture and stir. See how that marinara just turned into a soft pink creamy looking sauce?

Serve over pasta (I use whole wheat spaghetti or vegetable rotini), and enjoy. :)

Note: This recipe makes about 1.5 quarts of sauce. You can also use it as a creamy pizza sauce or a topping for steamed or roasted vegetables.

In Ovis Apalis (Boiled Eggs) : A Saturnalian Dish

Yep. I went looking for Roman grub recipes. I am writing in a recipe taken from this website, which houses a collection of "antique roman dishes". Another source for Roman recipes is Patrick Faas's "Around the Roman Table: Food and Feating in Ancient Rome", which is an awesome book that you should definitely get if you're interested in more traditional Ancient Roman eats, but I'm not writing any of his recipes here because I fear the terrors of copyright infringement. 


In Ovis Apalis (Boiled Eggs) 


Ingredients:
8 hard-boiled eggs (not too well done)
50g stone-pine kernels
honey, pepper, vinegar, Liebstoeckl*, Liquamen** or salt, to taste (*Liebstoeckl. In Latin, it's called 'levisticum officinale'. It's an umbelliferous plant with yellowish flowers and it's roots, when dried, are used as a spice. It seems to be a kind of celery.) (**Liquamen is a salty fish sauce. I think it's either the same or similar to the traditional "garum" of Mediterranean cuisine. Most of the time you can replace it with salt.)


Directions:
Dressing for the boiled eggs- mix together pepper, Liebstoeckl, soaked pine kernels. Add honey and vinegar and season with Liquamen. Serve together with the eggs.


Note: I have not made this dish, so I don't know how it tastes or turns out. But it looks to be similar to deviled eggs, just with different seasonings, and you dress the whole hardboiled egg rather than filling the boiled whites with a yolk mash.