Local and Seasonal: why they're better for you.

     Nowadays, when it comes to our food, we hear the terms local, organic, natural, seasonal and many others thrown around as potent marketing strategies.  Unfortunately, impressionable and uninformed about the subject  as most of us are, we take the bait, and pay a little extra for products that are not necessarily better for us. 

 However, when it comes to fruits and vegetables, eating locally does make a difference, for various reasons. 

                                                     
  One of them is supporting your community and small farmers in your area, another is reducing your carbon footprint (although there are lots of schools of thought on this one, arguing that it is not necessarily greener to eat local, but that's another post altogether), and in my book, the most important reason, is that eating locally provides you with the most nutrients (and usually the most flavor). 
  From the minute  fruits and vegetables are picked off the plant, their nutrient content starts to slowly decrease.  Also, when fruits and vegetables are at their peak in ripeness, they contain the most nutrients. 

                                             
 
    Therefore, if you are eating a Mango that was picked in Haiti over two weeks ago,  probably kept in a temperature controlled truck or warehouse to prevent or increase it's ripening process, and potentially subjected to a specific gas for the same purpose,  you are getting way less nutritional benefits than if you are eating one in Mexico, just picked from the tree this morning.  Needless to say, chances are that the one that was picked off the tree tasted a heck of a lot better than the one that was picked green and manipulated into ripeness at a specific point in time.

                                             

   If you are striving to eat locally then  you will have to eat seasonally. When you go to your local farmers market in search of produce,  you will only find what is in season, what is growing in your area at this time according to the weather, the seasons, the specifics of rain fall and dry spells.   So if you want Strawberries in December, and you live in the South, chances are they will come from Chile, in which case all the previous rules about nutritional value will apply to your juicy looking berries.

        To this we can also add the fact that if we are eating fruits out of season, it's probably because we are the kind of person or household that eats the same fruits year round.  At a dear friend's house, there are ALWAYS, no matter the time of the year or day of the week, strawberries, blueberries, apples and bananas.  Two adults and a child live in this house.  That means that these three people are getting the exact same set of nutrients year round from the fruits they consume, and more often than not, they are eating these out of season, so they are not even getting the fruit's full potential. 

    If we always eat the same things, then we are always getting the same nutrients, and we can safely assume that unless we are eating super foods, we are then also deficient in many other nutrients. 
  Eating locally forces us to switch it up, without us having to really think about it, which is always a bonus :).  A few weeks ago, Oro Blanco grapefruits, blood oranges and Satsuma mandarins was the bulk of my fruit consumption.  Since then I have added tangelos, Kiwis and Asian pears to that, and last Tuesday I found that Kumquats and Guavas are now in season here, so two more fruits are now in our kitchen for our daily dose.

    Most of you are probably getting a little angry at me right now and thinking: "easy for you to say, you live in California, where everything grows and there is delicious stuff available locally year round, but what about the rest of us?????"
Please take a deep breath and calm down.  I know how lucky I am, trust me... I haven't moved back to California 4 times because I enjoy moving across the country. 
  Not living in California does not mean you can't eat locally or seasonally.  First and foremost, something is always growing somewhere except in the dead of winter.  Second and most importantly, our options in this day and age are plenty.  

                                            

      If you are willing to try your luck at canning and preserving, this is the best way to keep eating locally during the winter months.  When the bounty of summer is at it's peak, spend a few weekends preserving some of the fruits and pickling some vegetables.  It's fun, it's easy, and it will provide you with delicious fruits full of nutrients when nothing is available locally in your area.  You can do it with friends and family, or by yourself and give it as gifts to your loved ones.
  You can find great recipes online, my friend E turn me on to this awesome blog: www.foodinjars.com

   Another good way to get the most nutrient from out of season fruits are frozen fruits which are available in every supermarket in this country.
When eating out of season, this is usually your best bet for fruits that are still packed with nutrients, as most frozen produce is picked at it's peak, and flash frozen to preserve all it's goodness.   This point is explained in detail by nutritionist Marion Nestle in her amazing book: What to Eat. You can read more about it in her website as well at www.foodpolitics.com
  The frozen fruits will also more often than not be cheaper than it's imported counterpart.

                                                           
      Being that I am originally from a Tropical Island, I find myself sometimes craving the fruits of my childhood or what Americans refer to as "exotic" fruits .  I will rarely buy any of them that have been imported, as I don't want to eat empty calories from fruits ( I'd much rather save those for a nice crafted cocktail ;)).  I also don't want to set myself up for the deep disappointment that takes over my whole body when I bite into a Mango that is just not that good (J calls me a Mango snob) and  sends me into a rant about how a fucking mango should really taste like.

     When I find myself in this debacle, I go to the store, I buy a few bags of frozen stuff, and I cook them together with a little honey or agave nectar, and turn it into a delicious compote to eat with my yogurt or oatmeal, that is usually just as tasty as the fresh stuff.
  Last week, I made one with some of those local fresh Guavas I told you about, which were phenomenal, and a bag of frozen pineapple.  Divine!
 
  I challenge you all to try and eat a few more local fruits and veggies for the next few weeks.  You might find that it's a lot easier than you thought, and that the results are so delicious and nutritious,  you won't mind going the extra mile.

Roast Chicken at the Farm

                                              
    San Francisco is an awesome city.  It's colorful, diverse, has good weather, it's artsy, food oriented, and as I always say, no matter what you are into (literally!) San Francisco has something for you.
But I'm a little worn out from it.  Or maybe it's from cities themselves.  I'm sick of the noise, of the dirt, of the pee smelling sidewalks (dog pee, people pee, there seems to be pee everywhere I go...) the puke from drunken nights right as I walk out of the building, the poop that some jerk dog owner failed to pick up, the lack of green space, of fresh air, of wild animals.
So whenever I have the chance I take the train northeast to Auburn.  My little sanctuary. 

                                                          
      My dear friends C and E live there with their beautiful daughter J.  They live on a small farm, where C is slowly but surely starting a sheep dairy.  They have chickens, plenty of sheep, a llama, a dog.

                                          
  
      A vegetable garden in the summer.  There are apples, citrus, plum and fig trees on the land.  There are blackberry bushes and Concord grape vines. Even in the winter there are little surprises to be found like a Padron pepper forgotten on the plant, transformed into a sun dried Padron. 
                                             

                                           
      
   Being in the farm, tending to the animals, is to me the strongest reminder to think about where our food comes from.  Whether we are drinking the sheep's milk or just delivering it to the baby lambs, we are still moving the sheep, milking them, this weekend also castrating a few of the babies.  The chickens need fresh water, more feed, they also need to be me moved.  And then we can collect their eggs, just laid, packed full of nutrients.  The effort and care involved makes us so much more appreciative of what we are consuming.  It brings about the kind of mindfulness around our food that I feel we should always practice.

                                                                   
  C and E are both chefs, and C also works at a few farmers markets in the area.  Most of California's produce that we get down in the city actually comes from the areas surrounding Auburn, in the Central Valley.

                                           

    So when we are visiting, delicious and nutritious meals are always the norm.  This weekend, in order to give my friends a much deserved break, I decided to cook us dinner.
I asked what kind of meats they had frozen: lamb or chicken, both from D, C's friend and co-worker, a lamb farmer himself.
I honestly think that a properly made - not overcooked with a dry breast that makes you wonder why the hell people like chicken breast - roasted chicken is one of the most delicious things to eat in the whole wide world! As my husband always says, sweet simplicity.  

                                                         
  I inspected the produce that C had brought back from Saturday's market, and found carrots, baby russet potatoes, thyme and rosemary, one onion, green garlic Meyer lemons, tangelos, arugula,  and asparagus.

                                             

  Here are my steps to turn the above list of ingredients into one simple, easy and ridiculously taste meal.                                          
  First defrost your chicken.  Then pat it dry with a towel or paper towels.  Be very thorough in this step.
Make a dry rub with ground coriander, cumin and salt.  Rub your chicken with it making sure to get in every nook and cranny.  With your fingers, separate the skin from the breast being careful not to tear it.  Then stick a little piece of the green garlic and a sprig of either herb in between the skin and meat on each side.
  Season the cavity of the bird with some of the rub (or just salt and pepper) and place a few more pieces of green garlic, herb sprigs, and a few slices of Meyer lemon inside it.
Chop your carrots in large chunks, and peel and half your onion and slice it. Then rub the bird all over with a generous amount of olive oil.  Using twine, or alternatively a piece of foil rolled thinly into a strip, tie the legs of the bird together.
  If you have a cast iron pan, place it on the stove on high heat for a few minutes. Once hot, place your chicken on the pan, breast side up.  It will sizzle. If you don't have a cast iron, or a heavy all metal pan, skip this step and just place in a roasting pan. 
Scatter the carrots and the onions around it, and place in a preheated 400 degree oven.  Cook for 30 minutes undisturbed.
  Meanwhile juice 2 Meyer lemons and 1 tangelo (or other orange) and reserve.  Wash and dry your potatoes, and cut into chunks being mindful to make them all around the same size for even cooking.  Toss in a bowl with olive oil.  In a separate bowl, slice some green garlic and set aside.  I also added that sun dried Padron here, which was very peculiar in flavor, a wonderful mixture of spicy and sweet.

     After the first half hour, every 10 to 15 minutes, take the chicken out of the oven and baste it with the citrus juices, followed by the fat from the pan. Then return to the oven.  If you see that the carrots and onions are sticking to the pan  or burning, splash the pan with about 1/2 cup of wine or beer, whichever one you are drinking.  Once the chicken is evenly brown, you can turn the temperature down to 350.  Depending on the size of the bird, the total cooking time will vary between 45 minutes and as long as an hour and a half.

  Wash and slice your asparagus in sticks about 1 inch long.  Reserve the tops.  You can start cooking the potatoes while you wait for the chicken. In another cast iron pan or heavy bottomed saute pan, heat some canola or grapeseed oil on high heat.  Then thrown in your potatoes and season well with plenty of salt and pepper.  Every once in a while, stir them around a bit.  Once they are browning nicely, turn the heat to medium.  If your chicken is still far from being done, you can actually turn them off half way, and finish them later. This is a good time saver for having everything done at the same time.
                          

                                                    
   Once your chicken is done (you will know when the leg comes loose where it attaches to the breast when you slightly pull on it) take it out of the oven, transfer it to a dish, and let rest 15 minutes.

   Meanwhile, finish cooking the potatoes on medium to high heat.  Pour the cooking juices from the chicken into a heat resistant bowl, and let settle.  In another saute pan, heat some olive oil on high heat, then throw in the asparagus (minus the tops) season with salt and pepper, and squirt a little Meyer lemon juice.  Turn heat to medium and saute until they are cooked but still have a little bite to them.  Add the tops, stir around once more and turn the heat off, but leave in the pan.
When your potatoes are cooked, turn the heat to low, squirt a little lemon juice on them, and throw in the sliced green garlic.  Toss well and cook for another minute on low heat, just to soften the garlic a bit.
Taste your potatoes and asparagus, make sure everyone is okay on salt and acid, if not add a little more.

   By now your chicken should be ready to carve.  Break it down with a sharp knife and arrange the pieces on a platter, on top of the potatoes.  Then skim the fat off the cooking juices, and pour onto the chicken, including the carrots and onions.  Taste the chicken, if it needs a little more salt, sprinkle a few pinches over the  meat.

                                                        
   Please don't take the skin off the chicken. EAT IT!!!!! As Nina Plank explains on her amazing book Real Food: "...chicken fat is mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, two fats even the conventional experts say are healthy...Chickens raised on pasture contain more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), an unusual fat that builds lean muscle.(...) The diet of the bird affects the composition of the fat. (...)  Typically, chicken fat is about 40% monounsaturated oleic acid, which lowers LDL."
 Toss the arugula with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice, and mix in the asparagus in.
Dinner is served!

   We were lucky enough to have some leftover Olive Oil and Orange Pound cake, so I candied some kumquats from the market, and we had that for dessert.
  

                                                  
  I know everyone is not that lucky, so scavenge around your fridge and see what you can find. Alternatively, send the boy(s) to the corner store to get you some Haagen Dazs or Ben and Jerry's :)

  This meal was so tasty, and so fresh.  Everything we ate came from a farmer that C knew. Even the spices (Two Spicy Ladies).  And the Padron forgotten on the summer garden, resilient through fall and winter, still there almost in spring.

  If you can get everything for this meal at your local farmers market, please do.  Talk to the farmers, get to know them, and allow them to get to know you.
If not, then at least think of how you can make your meals one step closer to the people who raised and grew them.  You don't have to change your life all at once, just take baby steps, and you'll see how much tastier your food can be.

"Habichuelas con Dulce" or Sweet Beans

                                                                 
"Habichuelas con Dulce" is a  Dominican  dessert of red kidney beans and  coconut milk. We traditionally make it every year on ash Wednesday, and although some households and families make it year round, most of us only enjoy them during this time of the year.
  I'm sure you are probably making a face at the mere thought of beans and dessert in the same sentence, as most gringos usually do.  Well, how about you step outside of your little box and give it a try?  The worse than can happen is that you don't like them.  If that's the case it won't be the first or last time you taste something you don't appreciate.
   I know that they are not for everyone.  My friend P moved to my home country from Bulgaria, and she was never able to use the name of this sweet treat in a sentence without some nasty adjective attached to it.  But if you end up liking them, you will be so glad to have entered the world of those of us who are not afraid of sweet beans!
  Like most Dominicans, I  love them! So much, that every year, on ash Wednesday -even though I am far from religious, and not even close to giving anything up for lent- I cook this dish, and think of the Island and my childhood.

As much as I enjoy eating them though, making "Habichuelas con Dulce" is a tedious and long process.  This year I decided there had to be a quicker way, so I came up with the "Habichuelas con Dulce" quickie.  I highly doubt I  am the first to do this, but I still thought it was worth documenting for all of you.

Here's what you'll need:
3 cans of cooked red kidney beans
1 can of coconut milk
1 can of Evaporated Milk -I'm not sure why we use this milk so much back home.  My theory is that since it doesn't have to be refrigerated, and we suffer from constant blackouts, it was just something that people always had in hand- If you have dairy allergies, omit and use 2 cans of the coconut milk.
1 or 2 medium Japanese Yams, diced

                                                        
1 cup raisins soaked in rum and drained -You can drink the rum if you want, as my friend T says "if  it's less than an ounce it doesn't count"-

                                        
1 1/2 to 3 cups of sugar -Dominicans need everything to be so sweet it hurts you, so they would probably go as high as 3 cups. My palate had adapted so I thought 1 1/2 cups was plenty of sugar.  Use your taste buds to tell you where you stand on this very delicate issue-
1 pinch of salt
2 sticks of Cinnamon
5 ea Cloves
Freshly grated Nutmeg
4 TB Butter
1 tsp Lime Juice

       First I pureed the beans (including their juices) with the milks in the blender, and strained them into a heavy bottomed pot.  My first mistake was using too small of a pot.

        This eventually led me to transfer #1.  At first I still thought I could make it work, so I went ahead and added the rest of the ingredients, minus the butter.  As they say in the Island "lazy people work twice".

                                        
 Once in the bigger pot, which was clay, and worked much better for this dish's slow cooking needs, my culinary expertise told me that I should bring them to a boil and turn them down to a simmer.  I was diligent about stirring often to make sure they didn't scorch, until I got distracted  by a train of text messages from my brother, my mother and my friend S.  They didn't scorch,  probably only because of my amazing clay pot (her name is Sofia :)) but they did over boil and make a giant mess on the stove which led me to transfer #2.

                                                      
  I temporarily put them in a random pot, washed Sofia, and poured them back in (transfer # 3).  Then I brought them back to an almost boil, and quickly turned down the heat to medium low.  Now, this recipe is quicker than the original one, but you're still going to have to keep a close eye on them, and stir them often, or they will scorch.  At this point, I cooked them on low heat for about an hour.  You need to cook them until they have thickened  almost to the consistency of a loose pudding.  Make sure to taste the sweet potatoes to ensure that they are fully cooked.  Once done whisk in the butter until dissolved.
The dessert is now ready.  When I make this, I like putting them away in multiple Mason Jars, and one larger container, that way I can bring a few jars to work and share them with friends.  Since it's such a heavy and unusual dish, there is only so much of it you can handle, even if you love it.  So I find it's best to give some of it away, or you will find it moldy in the back of the fridge in a few weeks.  And take my word for it, you don't want to smell this dish once it's gone bad!

                                                  
  We eat them with these awesome little cookies that we call "church cookies" because they have a little cross on them.  Since we can't get those in the States, any good sugar cookie will do.  I love them with Whole Wheat Sables, from Alice Medrich's Pure Desserts book.  They go so well together.
My favorite way to eat this dish is cold, from the fridge, or hot, from the pan.  I like it best as breakfast or dinner, instead of as dessert, because it is so heavy.

                                                      
I hope you are adventurous enough to give this a shot.  Maybe you can host a pot luck with a challenge of who can bring the weirdest dish! You might just win it with this one!
Buen Provecho!

Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla de Patatas)

                                                                 
  I grew up eating a fair amount of this wonderful potato and egg dish.  To me, it is the epitome of comfort food.  It brings me back to childhood, it fills my belly, and it is just so darn tasty. In the States, some people say that it's the Spanish version of the frittata.  I don't think about that much, I just know that is is one of the most versatile dishes you can prepare.  It is cheap as heck, it is simple, it is delicious, and you can eat it hot, warm, room temperature or even cold straight out of the fridge.
 It also travels extremely well, so it's a great house warming present, pot luck dish, picnic food, airplane or road trip snack and lunch for work or school.
You can also add as many extras as you want: mushrooms, peppers, kale, carrots, tomatoes, etc.... Any vegetable that is good cooked, will be good in your tortilla.  So any leftovers in the crisper are good bets.  If you happen to have some roots lying around, you can slice them and mix them with the potatoes.  For example, you can make a Celery Root and Potato Tortilla, instead of just potatoes.
  If you want extra protein or flavor, you can add bacon, sausage, or even ground meat or chicken pieces.  However if you are serving it at a party it's best to stick to the basics in case there are any vegetarian guests and just add additional vegetables to make it a little more interesting.

For one basic large tortilla, you will usually need about two Russet potatoes, one onion and six eggs as your base.  In San Francisco, at current Whole Foods Market and/or Farmer's Market prices, using an organic onion, organic potatoes, and pastured eggs, the total amount for these ingredients in dollars is  US$ 7.00.
For one meal, for a group of people who eat as much as I do (for those of you who don't know me, I eat A LOT), you can get at least six servings from these ingredients.  That's lunch for roughly US$ 1.17 a head.  If you eat less than I do, you might be able to feed 7 or 8 people with this dish, and if using as an appetizer or hors d'oeuvre, you can have as many as 20 little pieces from this tortilla.
If you add enough vegetables, you can get a complete meal from it as well.
Needless to say, I really think you should try this! 
The recipe will vary a lot from one family or region to another.  Some people like it soft in the middle, others prefer it well done.  Some add more onion than others and the potato to egg ratio varies as well. Some cube their potatoes, others slice them. The one thing they will all agree on is you need a generous amount of Olive Oil, both for flavor and to prevent your tortilla from sticking to the pan.  You can do whatever works for your taste buds, they are all delicious.  I definitely think that it's at its best when still a bit runny in the center, but for travel, it easier to handle when it's a bit firm.
This recipe, from Michel Roux's book  "eggs", works very well:

 1/3   cup       Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 14     oz        Russet Potatoes, peeled and cubed or sliced about 1/4 inch thick (roughly two large potatoes)                   
   2     ea        Onions, roughly chopped
   1      ea       Garlic Clove, diced
   6      ea       Eggs
                      Salt and Pepper to taste
                      Any veggies you wish to add

I took the liberty of writing the method myself for this blog's purpose instead of posting the one from the book.

Heat half of the oil in a non-stick saute pan or well seasoned cast iron skillet.  When hot, add your onions, and cook over medium heat until translucent.

                                                           
 Add the potatoes, and cook stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes or until soft.  Add your garlic and season to taste.  Make sure that the potatoes are completely done, otherwise they will be raw in your final dish.  Trust me, I have made that mistake. 
  Once the potatoes are fully cooked, transfer them to a plate. 

                                                        
Wipe your skillet with a towel, making sure to remove any stuck bits from it. If adding meat or any other vegetables, cook them now, transfer it to the plate with  the potatoes, and repeat the cleaning step. You can always leave the vegetables a little undercooked, as they will cook further when you add the eggs.

                                                      
  In a bowl, whisk the eggs with a little salt and pepper.

                                               
 Heat the rest of the oil in the skillet over medium high heat.  Here you have two options:  you can either mix the potatoes into the eggs in the bowl, and add everything to the pan, or you can put the potatoes in the pan, and slowly add in the eggs, stirring very gently, to make sure that the egg mixture spreads evenly under, around and over the potatoes.

                                                         
 As soon as  the egg on the sides of the pan looks cooked, turn the heat to low, and cook without stirring for another 2 or 3 minutes.  Run a thin silicon spatula through the sides of the pan, to check that the bottom and sides of the tortilla are indeed cooked, and to detach any parts that might have stuck. 
  Now this is the tricky part, but you must  not be afraid of it.  With a "just do it" attitude, this always works.  Turn the heat off, and place a flat plate upside down on top of the pan.  Hold the plate with one hand, and the pan with the other, and flip the tortilla onto the plate.  If you are using a cast iron skillet, you might want to enlist some help as they can be rather heavy and make this move a little challenging.  Then slide the tortilla back onto the pan, raw side down.  Cook on low heat, for another 2 to 3 minutes.  At this point it is up to you how much you cook it, if you want it runnier, 2 minutes should suffise, if you want it firmer, you might want to go closer to 4.  Touch the center of the tortilla to give you an idea. 
You can always finish it in the oven without the flip, but I think it comes out much prettier when cooked on the stove on both sides.
When done, slide it back onto a clean plate, and you can either eat it right away, or save it for later.

    
 Once you make this a few times, and realize how easy it is, you might become slightly addicted to it.  Keep it interesting adding different vegetables each time, as well as creating different combinations.  For this one I used kale and wild mushrooms.  We had it for dinner one night, lunch a few days later, late snack the other night, and I ate the last of it yesterday as my work lunch.  It was divine.

Have your cupcakes and eat them too!

                                                            
  In my quest to eat and live a healthy and delicious life, desserts have always been part of my path. A fun part of the equation that although I know is not always the best choice, I have to indulge in regardless.  I figure that it's all in keeping the balance.  By walking to and from work, practicing yoga asanas six days a week, eating a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as lots of whole grains and pastured meats, I am setting my body up for success.  Therefore, if I want to satisfy my genetically and culturally predisposed sweet tooth, I should!  And so should you...
  Often, when people are trying to lead a healthier lifestyle or dieting, they will try and lay off sugar completely.  I find that when I try to do this, it backfires on me because I end up craving it more.  It seems that if I just go ahead and mindfully indulge in one piece of cake, or two scoops of ice cream, the craving wears off and I am less likely to eat the whole cake in the middle of the night because I just can't take it anymore.

 
 One reason for this is that the sweets that I eat are full of nutrients, even though they are also full of Sugar.  They contain protein from the Eggs and or Milk, they contain fat from the Butter, and antioxidants from the fruits and or Chocolate among others.  So for example, one cupcake, has enough goodness in it to make me feel satisfied, and enough Sugar to make me realize that I should probably not eat two. 
  The key is to not just eat anything loaded with sugar. Choose your desserts wisely. Either home made or artisanal ones, made with love, and with Butter, not Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil! With real Eggs, real Chocolate, real Sugar and no Food Colorings. Choose sweets that will go bad in a few days, which means they have no artificial preservatives.  Also, if you make the desserts yourself, you will put in time, energy and creativity into them, which will not only make you appreciate them more, and eat them more mindfully, it will also serve as a project that you can use to take your mind off things, or to do with your kids.

 This past weekend, my indulgence was from my little friend E's birthday party. As her present, I made cupcakes for her and twenty one of her 5 and 6 year old friends.  The theme of the party was Magic, as a Magician was coming to entertain them for an hour -and give the adults in the house a little time to breathe-.
  She asked for the flavor to be Chocolate, and I decided the frosting would be Meringue.  Back home in the Dominican, Meringue is the frosting of choice for pretty much all cakes.  It is also my frosting of choice for pretty much anything.  I used a wonderful recipe from the Barefoot Contessa which you can look at by clicking on this link http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-cupcakes-and-peanut-butter-icing-recipe/index.html.
 I found it to be almost perfect, but if you eat the cupcakes without the frosting they are just a little too bitter, so if you plan on enjoying them on their own maybe you should modify the sugar amount.  However when eaten together with the meringue, they were just divine.

As a way to include E in the preparation of her birthday cupcakes,  I had her help me make some awesome cupcake toppers with some spaghetti, construction paper and glitter.   I also used Jelly Beans on top for extra color and excitement. If you are trying to enjoy these as a healthy dessert, please, I beg you, skip the Jelly Beans!

  If you are committing to a healthier, more nutritious lifestyle, then you will be eating less sweets than you used to.  So, think of dessert as giving yourself a break, cutting yourself some slack, and taking the opportunity of transforming an ordinary activity into an extraordinary moment.  Plate your dessert, like if you were serving it to a queen.  If you really want to go crazy, maybe even set the table.  Take the time to make it look beautiful.  Then sit down, and admire it.  Say grace, thank yourself - or whomever - for preparing it.  Thank the universe, for the luxury and the opportunity of having this dessert.  Take the time to rejoice in this moment.  Then with all this in mind, go ahead and take a bite.  As you savour it,  repeat the previous steps, and indulge not only in the dessert, but in everything that it represents.

                                                                     Enjoy!

Super Quinoa!

                                                                   
I have been eating a lot of grain salads over the past few years.  I like that they are easy to prepare, they hold really well out of refrigeration,  they can be eaten cold, hot or at room temperature, and  they are filling, nutritious and of course, delicious.
But out of all the grains that I seek out, Quinoa always wins in my book.
Not only does it have a wonderful nutty flavor and a fantastic crunchy texture, but Quinoa is also a complete protein.  It contains all nine essential amino acids.  This makes it particularly interesting for vegetarians, or people who eat little meat or legumes.  This is some of the nutritional content of just one cup of cooked Quinoa:
  40 grams of carbohydrates (13 % daily value)
  8 grams of protein (16 % of daily value)
  3.5 grams of fat (5 % daily value with no saturated fat)
  5 grams of fiber (20 % of daily value)
  20 % of daily value of folate (various forms of Vitamin B)
  30 % of magnesium daily value (beneficial for people with migraine headaches);
  28 % daily value of phosphorous
  15 % daily value of iron (again, great for vegetarians)
  18 % daily value of copper   copper
   and almost 60% daily value of manganese.
       

                                                      
  So with all this said, how do you cook Quinoa? And what can you add to it, to keep it from getting boring?
I like to start by heating some Olive Oil in a pan, and stirring the Quinoa in.  I just toast it for a few minutes, mostly until it starts smelling nutty.  At that point I add the water (it can be room temperature or warm) at a ratio of 1 to 1.5 Quinoa to water, and a generous pinch of salt.  If you would like you can add any other spices to taste.  I like keeping it simple to display the Quinoa and the Vegetables.  It will usually bubble up right away, as the pan is very hot by then.  Leave the heat on high until it starts to boil and then turn down to a slow simmer.  Cook until most of the water is absorbed, then place a lid on the pot and cook for another minute or two.  At this point turn it off and taste the Quinoa.  If it is still a little undercooked, just leave the lid on and the steam will finish cooking it.  If it is ready, then remove the lid, and transfer to a wide receptacle (it can be a plate) so that the quinoa is in a thin layer, to cool.

                                                             
If you are only making one dish, go ahead an make it while the grains are still warm.  This will help the Quinoa absorb the flavors of your dressing.
If you are making more than one dish, just let it cool, place it in a lidded container, and label and date it.

                                                     
             At this point, the possibilities are endless.  Right now, I love mixing in some very finely chopped raw Kale.  To this you can add a dressing of Miso, Tahini and Lemon juice, some fresh Grapefruit or Orange Segments, toasted Walnuts and voila!  If you prefer cooked Kale, you can just slighlty sautee it in some Olive Oil until it's bright green and a little toasted.  When cooked this way, Kale keeps its crunch, while becoming a little less fibrous.
                                                                  

                                            
Another favorite of mine is roasted or steamed Beets, Feta cheese and Pomegranate seeds, seasoned with Olive Oil, a little Lemon juice and Balsamic Vinegar, and finished with fresh Cilantro leaves.
However, the addition of fruits, cheese and herbs if done in advance,  can make the salad a little soggy and not so fresh tasting, so it is best to add these right before you eat it. 

                                                               
Root vegetables are really nice and sweet right now, so another good option is a medley of a few of these.  For example: Roasted Carrots, Rutabagas and Sweet Potatoes.  I prefer what they call Japanese Yams, which is the varietal that grows back home in the Dominican Republic, which we call Batata.  I really enjoy roasting it in some leftover Bacon Fat.  Not only does this give it a little extra flavor but when eaten with fats, some of the nutrients in vegetables are more easily absorbed by our bodies (ie: beta carotene, vitamins A, D, E and K, etc...).
 -For more information on this topic check out the book "Real Foods" by Nina Plank.It is awesome!-
 You can also add some roasted Winter Squash of your choice, or substitute it for the carrots. I really enjoy Kabocha Squash (for you Dominicans, Auyuma will be delicious as well). Season it with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice, salt and pepper, and finish with either Blood Orange Segments or Satsuma Mandarins.  This one also benefits from a little Feta, Fresh Ricotta or Goat Cheese, which mixes in to the salad when you toss it creating a creamy consistency.

                                                  
If you opted to cook the quinoa and the vegetables and mix the salads later, you can keep everyone separate, or mix a few of the vegetables together.  I prefer keeping the Beets on their own, in some Olive Oil, Lemon Juice or Vingegar and a little Salt.  The roasted vegetables I usually mix together.  Try them all out in different combinations, and you will soon find out wich ones speak the most to you.
Don't forget to label and date everything, this way you can easily keep track of what should be consumed first, and if something is still safe to eat or not.  The Quinoa and the vegetables, if kept separate or mixed without any herbs, fruits or cheeses, will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

                                                          
I enjoy fresh Cilantro on all of these, but if you don't like it, or if you prefer more variety, try them with Parsley, Dill, or Mint.  You can always mix and match.  Once again, the different combinations will start speaking for themselves and letting you know which work best.

                                 Can you believe this Fig is the same size as this Avocado???
                                                           
   Last but not least, for those of you who like Avocado, these salads are all richer with a few slices of this fabulous Fruit.  This not only will add some healthy fat and more nutrients, it will also give your dish a wonderful creamy texture.
  Quinoa is a great vehicle for enjoying all the delicious produce that is in season and available right now (whenever right now might be). With these combinations you can prepare some tasty and healthy dishes for yourself and your family. If you make everything ahead, you can mix these in just a few minutes. 
I hope this inspires you to give my friend Super Quinoa a try!

Stay present and embrace Winter fruits!

In our day and age, sometimes it is very difficult to stay present.  So many people live through the Winter just waiting for the Spring. Yet our lives, our health, our relationships and our hearts could really benefit from us taking it all in one step at a time.  Being here, being now.
I propose that we make a pledge to try and bring ourselves back to the present moment at least once a day, everyday. As Paul Simon says "little by little, bit by bit, little bit by little bit". In any way that we wish, at any moment of our day.
Today, I will  start this commitment by embracing the Winter and the fruits that it has to offer.  Over here in Northern California most of those fruits are Citrus.
Today, I bring myself back to this moment, by enjoying the flavors of Blood Oranges, Oro Blanco Grapefruits, and Meyer Lemons.

 

I sliced some of the Blood Oranges into my quick Castelfranco and Treviso Salad that I made myself to calm by hunger (my husband calls it my monster) so that I could actually have a drink to my Grandma (Mo), to Maura and to my friend Robin who all share today as their birthday.

Once I ate my salad, and my stomach was tricked into believing that I wasn't so hungry that I had to eat my cat after all,  I decided to put these gorgeous fruits into a cocktail in honor of the birthday Ladies.

I started with about an ounce and a half of  Corzo Tequila, (it's a long story, but there was actually a shot in the refrigerator, waiting for me since Sunday night!).

                                                                             
Then I added the juice of a one Blood Orange and half of a Meyer Lemon, about a quarter of an ounce of Cointreau, and Agave Nectar to taste.  The cook in me always has to add ingredients to taste.  Otherwise how do we know if it'll be good? I have to taste it at every step of the way.  That way we develop our palate to recognize what is missing, and which ingredients will add which flavors.
Then I poured it into a rock's glass, full of gorgeous little ice cubes (almost perfectly square ones at that!) , with a salted rim.  The salt for three reasons: because I love it, because this cocktail has some of the components of a classic Margarita and it it would benefit from the saltiness, and because the white rim is reminiscent of the snow, and therefore, of the Winter, that I am embracing, with this drink.
                       Here's to you Ladies! Feliz Cumpleanos! Joyeuse Anniversaire! Happy Birthday!

P.S:

Some of you will know that I am not exaggerating when I say, that I am almost always hungry.

Some of you will assume that I am exaggerating, as I am Dominican after all.

I am just telling you what happened, I promise it's not a lie.

After I was done making the cocktail, I had to make myself another snack because once again, my stomach was telling me that my cat might be delicious.

So here is an impromptu, very simple salad, of steamed Chioggia Beets and Oro Blanco Grapefruit segments in Olive Oil.

Enjoy!