Jasmine Tea Cocktail

2 parts vodka, one part chilled jasmine iced tea, 1/2 part simple syrup, squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Shake well with ice. Serve in tall, commanding martini glass. Lay on couch and enjoy cool breeze and afternoon sunshine. Go.

Springtime Chop Chop

You've heard me mention this before, but I'm enthusiastically recommending to you a copy of Super Natural Every Day. I've been so inspired and pleased to find new, fresh ideas on healthy ingredients, inspired methods and creative touches that feel accesible, flavorful and surprising. While the recipes stand on their own, the the inspiration has been enough to already take basic new ideas and apply them into my own tasty creations.

For dinner tonight, I did such that. Unfortunately, there was no camera handy to capture the results, so I've included the inspiration photo from Heidi's post.

Springtime Chop Chop with White Beans and Poached Egg:

1 can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 small chopped shallot
handful of finely chopped green beans
5 sprigs asparagus cut diagonally into 1 inch pieces
1 big rib (precisely) sliced celery
4 healthy florets of brocoli loosely chopped
Big handful of chopped spinach
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
black pepper
wait for it...
1 beautifully fresh egg, poached

Heat oil, red pepper flakes and salt until nice and warm on medium heat, then add beans. Let cook until beans begin to brown a bit, then add shallots. Stir evenly. Meanwhile, begin heating water for your poached egg (don't forget to add a little vinegar to help it coagulate). Toss all veggies into your pan, except for the spinach, and reduce the heat a little so your veggies don't cook too fast or (God-forbid) overcook; they should remain bright green and a bit crunchy throughout. Stir again to coat all the veg in a little olive oil. Poach the egg while the veggies are lightly cooking and toss in spinach so it cooks for just a few minutes, stir, toss and make sure everything is evenly incorporated.

Serve in a bowl with the egg right on top and garnish with fresh ground black pepper.

Heaven (and plenty of fresh green earth) in a bowl.

Deviled eggs

What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon by yourself than to make an entire plate of deviled eggs?

For this recipe, I tried out an idea inspired from Heidi Swanson's new book where she prepares an egg salad with yogurt instead of mayonnaise. I used a nice mild flavored and thick plain yogurt and a seedy dijon mustard, but a little old fashioned yellow mustard probably could have done this recipe a little good in terms of depth of flavor. Either way, the yogurt was a welcome and healthier option-- one that I would recommend.

I used:

10 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and cut in half with the yolk set aside
5 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
salt, black and white pepper
squeeze of lemon juice
touch of peri-peri seasoning (spicy African spice rub with hot chillies) as a garnish

Combine yolks with the ingredients, smash and whip with a fork, scoop into egg whites and chill before serving. A nice cold deviled egg can't be beat.

Pesto Trapanese

Okay people.  This recipe for Pesto Trapanese is so easy and delicious- you have to try this recipe over the weekend!

Pesto Trapanese is a variation from the classic basil pesto that we all know and love, as it calls for almonds instead of pine nuts and utilizes fresh, raw tomatoes within the sauce.  The almonds and the tomatoes truly change the character and texture of the dish altogether, and the level of creaminess achieved due to the almonds will make you swear this recipe was packed full of butter. 

My version was vegan (for calorie saving purposes... I know, I know).  Despite not adding cheese, the finished version was fantastic.  I wouldn't change a thing.  That said, feel free make up for the cheese I didn't eat and include it on top of your piping hot dish of this utterly fantastic pasta dish. 

Pesto Trapenese served with Spinach Spaghetti

Ingredients:
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup unsalted, raw almonds
2 big tomatoes, quartered
*1/4 cup pecorino, romano or parmesan cheese (The sauce tastes great without the cheese, I promise!)
2 cloves garlic
Sea salt and pepper
1/2 bag spaghetti, linguine, or a package of Trader Joe's fabulous pre-made gnocchi.  (Fresh pasta would inevitably taste 10x better, but we're not fooling anyone into thinking we eat fresh pasta regularly, are we?)

Preparation:
In a medium saucepan, boil the pasta water. 

While the water is boiling, toss the almonds, garlic and olive oil into the food processor.  Let it chop chop for a good minute until chunky and the solution begins to look creamy.  Add the basil and tomatoes and process for another minute until smooth.  Season with a healthy dose of salt and pepper. 

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes, until al dente. This is very important- don't overcook your pasta in the water.  Drain the pasta when it is still chewy on the inside, but reserve one cup of the pasta water. 

Add a little pasta water back into the pan with the pasta and turn your stove on to medium heat.  Add the pesto sauce 1/4 cup at a time, stirring with a spatula so the pasta is evenly coated in the sauce.  Alternate by adding more water and sauce and stirring generously.  The pasta will gently cook the sauce for a few minutes while it absorbs the starchy water that it was cooked in.  The sauce recipe should leave you with a little extra left over.

Serve the pasta hot or cold with a little extra salt and if you so choose, a few shavings of a nice ripe, dry Italian cheese on top.  Bon appetite!

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Fennel Orange Salad

Fennel Orange Salad with a Citrus, Brown Sugar, & Dijon Glaze.

I don't know where this idea stemmed from, but I must say, if you are a fan of the licorice-y taste of fennel, this is a salad for you.  This salad has fabulous flavor and texture alike and is a nice change a pace from the traditional array of green salads we're all so used to eating at home.

I used a citrus, brown sugar & Dijon glaze, but you could switch it out for something more simple, like olive oil and sea salt, for the uber-minimalist.

Serves 2

For the salad:
1/2 fennel bulb
2 Navel oranges
Sea Salt

For the glaze:
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp lemon juice
1 tblsp brown sugar

Salad preparation:
Cut and discard the bottom of the fennel bulb with a sharp knife so that the knotty root is removed.  Thinly shave the bottom of the bulb with precision cuts or use a julienne slicer so that each slice of fennel is thin and delicate. Set aside.

Remove a few springs of the green, dill-looking fennel stem and chop thinly. Set aside to mix with the glaze.

Peel the oranges and remove as much white pulp as possible.  Slice the oranges 1/4 inch thick and set aside.

Glaze preparation:

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and stir quickly to dissolve the sugar.  Add the chopped fennel stem and squeeze the juice from the both ends of the oranges into the dressing for added sweetness, then discard the squeezed oranges.

To plate:Set half of the glaze aside in a tiny bowl and dip and cover the oranges carefully in the remaining glaze in the small bowl.  Lay each slice carefully in a serving bowl creating a circular pattern, stacking the oranges on top of one another.  Lay the fennel on top of the oranges and drizzle the remaining glaze on top.  Finish with a sprinkle of sea salt for a pop of flavor contrast to the sweetness of the oranges. Voila!

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Over the Weekend Recipe: Summer Stack

Here in B-more, there's still a little summer to squeeze out of the season.  What better way to spend these final days than to eat gobs and gobs of summer freshest fruit: the tomato!

Clementimes' Summer Stack:

1 large heirloom tomato
1 healthy sprig of basil (at least 15 small leaves)
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt
Fresh Pepper
1 tsp Pine Nuts

Thinly slice the tomato to about 1/8 of an inch.

In a small bowl, stack the slices of tomatoes in between two or three basil leaves, depending on how big they are and how much you like or love fresh basil.

Once stacked, drizzle olive oil  all over the stack, letting it sink to the bottom so the bottom of the bowl is covered in olive oil.  Then, gently drizzle balsamic on top.

Finish with a generous dose of sea salt and a grind or two of fresh pepper. Sprinkle pine nuts on top and serve with a thick slice of fresh ciabatta.  Use the bread to sponge up all the salty-sweet deliciousness left over once you've devoured the tomatoes.  Enjoy!

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Over the Weekend Recipe: Potato Corn Chowder

There's nothing like a rainy day where you can light a sweet smelling candle, curl up with a book, have something warm to eat and let coziness emanate throughout the room. 

With so many sweltering hot days in the Mid-Atlantic lately, a cool, wet day this last Sunday was an unexpected treat.  I had three ears of corn, an onion and a handful of potatoes left over from a produce box from Delaware. What better than to put them to use by making a thick, summer vegetable soup?

Potato Corn Chowder
(adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian)

Ingredients:
3 ears of corn
4 medium red potatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 cups milk
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 flour
Pepper (or even cayenne) to taste

Start by cutting the corn off the cob and setting the kernels aside.  Put 4 cups of water in a large pot on med-high and toss in the cobs, season with salt and pepper.  Bring to boil, then let simmer for 30 minutes.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and once melted, add the chopped onions and sugar.  Cook until soft on medium-high heat, about two minutes.  Add the flour slowly and whisk together.  Cook for 5 minutes, whisking and stirring constantly. 

Remove corn cobs from the corn stock-water, then add the onion and flour mixture.  Next, add the milk, cream, corn and potatoes and stir well.  Raise heat to medium-high, bring to boil, then reduce heat and let simmer while covered on for 30 minutes.  Add a dash of cayenne, then salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!

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Cinnamon Vanilla Chili

I spent some time in the spice aisle this weekend restocking our growing stash of herbs and spices.  My intent was to grab some cinnamon for a peach cobbler...but I haven't quite gotten around to making it.  Instead, why not make chili?  Maybe not the optimal cool-off summertime meal or the most common use for cinnamon, but oh-so-tasty, nevertheless.

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(Slow cooked, low heat)

Cinnamon Vanilla Chili

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cans black beans
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 ear fresh corn (or 1 cup frozen corn)
1 medium chopped onion
2 cloves smashed garlic
1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups water
Chili powder, cayenne, peri-peri, and cinnamon
Sour cream and fresh chives, to garnish

Here's what I did:

On medium-low, add the olive oil to a medium size stock pot and let it warm for a few minutes.  Toss in the onions and garlic and let simmer until yellowy-clear for about 4-5 minutes. 

Next, add the tomatoes, black beans, corn (raw and just cut from the cob is best) and a good swig of the water.  Give it a good stir.

Next, have some fun with the spices.  You really can't have too much chili powder, but start with a few teaspoons, then add a few healthy dashes of cayenne for a little heat, then a few good dashes of cinnamon for a nice sugary, spicy layer.  If you have it, add some peri-peri rub.  Peri-peri is a widely used spice in Mozambique and has notes of citrus, salt and most notably, chili pepper.  It adds a nice flavor layer to your chili by balancing out the heat of the chili flakes with more character and roundness of flavor.  It's well worth the purchase next time your hanging around the spice aisle.  Lastly, add half the vanilla.

Continue giving everything a good stir, add a bit more water, and toss on the lid.  Mind you, the heat is on medium-low but should be bringing your pot to a good simmer.  If it's not, turn it up for a moment so the liquid barely starts to boil, then turn it down to med-low again.  Let the pot sit for a an hour, come back, add some more water, stir and taste.  Need more spices (probably)?  I would add about the same amount as I started with.  Be careful with the cayenne and peri-peri, but don't be afraid of the chili powder and the cinnamon. 

Continue to stir and taste, tip the lid so some moisture can escape, and watch as the chili thickens. The flavors begin to develop as the tomatoes boil down and their acidity ties in the spicy character of the hot peppers in the chili powder and peri-peri.  Add the rest of the vanilla just before you serve the chili (as some of the vanilla will have lost its flavor after simmering for so long), and serve with sour cream and fresh chives. 

The cinnamon and vanilla add a unique sugary, spicy character to the bowl and combined with the peri-peri and cayenne, you won't have to worry about it being too sweet.  This chili has a complex, layered flavor, but is so easy to make! You can let it sit and simmer for hours and hours, or just add less water to make a quick meal.  The addition of the corn is great summertime addition.  Enjoy!

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Over the Weekend Recipe: Panzanella

I'm loving all the summery foods of late.  Stuff you can throw together because you had the ingredients lying around after the farmers market or because it's growing outside in the garden. 

This weekend I had a nice whole wheat baguette that had gone a bit crisp and the idea of a bread salad, or Panzenella, came to mind. 

Goodness, this is one tasty salad- and so filling, too.  When preparing ingredients, make sure everything is fresh.  Nothing dried, canned, or prepared with this recipe.

Summertime Panzanella

Ingredients:

1 Whole Baguette, any kind you fancy

2 Large Tomatoes, heirlooms would be tastiest
1/2 Cup Fennel Bulb

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil

1 Clove Garlic
1/2 Cup Fresh Mozzarella (or half a ball)
5 Tablespoons Fresh Parmesan
2 Tablespoons Pine Nuts
Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

For the dressing:

2 Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Seedy Dijon Mustard
2 Teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
2 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees and chopping the bread into 1 inch cubes.  Toss the bread with a bit of olive oil and half of the Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Coating the bread in cheese and olive oil will give each piece a really nice flavor. 

Next, fix the dressing by adding the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, and vinegars together in the food processor and blending for a minute.  Toss in some salt and pepper, too.  Quick and easy. 

For the remaining ingredients, chop the tomatoes, then grate the fennel with a cheese grader and add the dressing to this mixture. By letting the tomatoes marinate a bit in the garlic dressing, they'll soak up a lot of really nice flavors.  Tear up the basil leaves and Mozzarella by hand into chunky pieces and set aside.

You can either let the tomatoes marinate for 30 minutes or so, or just go ahead and throw it all together if you're starving.  Remove the bread from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes, then add then bread to your bowl of ingredients.  Now, toss in the remaining Parmesan, Mozzarella, pine nuts and basil.  Give it a nice dose of fresh ground pepper and a little salt, and toss over and over until the bread starts to soak up all the juices and begins getting soft.  You can get it stand for 10 minutes  before serving or eat while it's still crunchy.  Whatever you like!

Panzanella, a tasty way to use all those summertime ingredients.

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Protein! Grains! Quinoa!

I can't stop eating Quinoa!  I've made it for lunch three times in just four days.  I had to restrain myself yesterday from eating it yet again and opted instead for my Indian food leftovers.

Maybe I'm in need of a serious dose of protein? Who knows...  Either way, it's treating me right and I can't seem to get enough.  It's so crunchy, filling, and can be the foundation for tasty vegan meal!

I did a little research and found this nice photo. What a lovely stalk it grows on.

"The Mother Cereal"

Quinoa was a staple food in the ancient Inca culture

I've been preparing it simple: drizzled with a little olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Today, I added garlic and cayenne to the mix, making a dressing to pour over it once it's just off the stove.

Lots of people cook it in chicken or veggie stock instead of water, which sounds like a great idea.  I'm all out of bouillon, but once my pantry is restocked you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be trying that out.  Happy lunching!

P.S. This recipe looks amazing!

Honey Lime Cilantro Dressing

It's been 100+ degrees here in Bawlmer this week and nothing sounds better on a hot day than a crisp, crunchy salad for lunch.  I love me some salad.  Love.

Since Ryan and I are in a major margarita phase, there are fresh limes, lime juice concentrate, and limeade abounding from the depths of our fridge.  What better way to make use of them than to of course, make margarita's... and to make lime salad dressings!

I modified a recent post (Avo Citrus Cilantro) for a quicker, easier variety: Honey Lime Cilantro Dressing.

You'll need:

1 Lime, freshly squeezed (or 4 tablespoons lime concentrate & 4 tablespoons water)
1/2 bunch Cilantro (1 cup packed, roughly)
2 Cloves Garlic, peeled

1/3 cup Olive Oil (the nice kind, none of the cheap stuff in here, please)

1 tsp brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey (I used raspberry honey and it was delish!)

Salt and Pepper

Start by putting the garlic and olive oil in your food processor.  Once the garlic is nice and minced, add the cilantro and lime juice.  Let the mixture blend for a good minute or two, allowing the cilantro and garlic to be fully blended.  Once the ingredients are smooth, add the sugar and honey, then blend together for another minute, adding a dash of salt and fresh ground pepper to your tastes.

This dressing works great with a green salad topped with fresh grapefruit slivers, black beans, cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. 

Bon appetite.

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Buttercream!

Today is my lovely neighbor's birthday so I decided to bake her a birthday cake.

I had never baked a cake from scratch before today (I'm a bit embarrassed to say).  But, after a bit of googling and adding my own touches (such as melting chocolate chips to give my cake a nice chocolaty hue), it came out quite nicely.

The squiggle candles are a nice touch, eh?

The real challenge was the frosting: perfecting buttercream.

I found a recipe online that seemed easy and nice, but modified it a bit to my tastes.  Enjoy, it really works quite nice!

1 Cup Butter
1 3/4 Cups Confectioners Sugar
1/2 Whole Milk
1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup Boiling Water

-First, boil 1/2 cup of water. 
-In a separate large mixing bowl, add the soft, room temperature butter together along with the sugar, ice cold whole milk and vanilla.  With a powerful hand or stand mixer, mix together until the frosting gets creamy and thick. 
-Measure the water to 1/2 cup and grab a teaspoon.
-While the frosting is mixing, add the boiling water spoonful by spoonful, or pour it in at a slow, drip-drop pace.  Make sure the frosting from the sides is scraped off and included.
-Voila! Presto! There ya be... cream it until whipped and delicious, and you'll have a generous bowl of oh-so-creamy and sweet buttercream frosting!

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Domestic Therapy

"The holistic life, the life of health, requires finding a balance within the boundaries of all three separate but interlocking economies; all three are bound together in a sacramental relationship that lasts always."
-Sam Hamill, Shadow Work

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Cooking makes me feel better.  Cooking gets me up and on my feet, it invokes my creative spirit, it provides me a distinct sense of satisfaction and productivity.  There is something quite mystical that can happen in the kitchen. 

I've never been much of a runner, but I've heard of the so-called "zone".  I'd like to think I can find that "zone" while chopping vegetables or whipping butter.  A place of intense focus, of satisfaction, of actively pursuing a means to an end.

Sure, not everyone feels this sense when in the kitchen.  As with many domestic tasks, the joy can be lost in the demand and strain these chores add to our lives, as so many other voices and obligations scream out in competition for our attention.  But when we stop and give attention to the task at hand, push aside all the other voices and demands, there lie a beautiful opportunity at hand, right there in the kitchen.

Tres Frijoles

Tasty little morsels

Basil from my container garden

Italian Parsley from my container garden

Chives from my container garden

First corn of the season

Herbs, tomatoes, peppers and seasoning mixed together

Something to take the edge off

*actually, it's just blood orange soda,
I often serve juice in a martini glass just for the effect.

The same goes for wearing high heels when no one else is around...

again, it's those little things in life!

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I hope this long weekend allows time for you and yours to find rest and renewal.  And a few tasty morsels, too.

Avo-Citrus-Cilantro Dressing

Here is a recipe from my kitchen, a recent concoction that has been delighting my taste buds all week as I slather my salads with this creamy dreamy green dressing.

~Avo-Citrus-Cilantro Dressing~

Ingredients:

1/2 Avocado
1 Pink Grapefruit
1 Lime

1 Bunch Cilantro or Italian Parsley, either will work quite nice

1 Clove Garlic

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

2 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper

Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper

Preparation:

~Remove the pit from your avo, if it isn't gone already.

~Cut your grapefruit into halves, then halve them again into four quarters.

~Use a small hand size juicer (not electric!) to squeeze all the love out of the grapefruit quarters, but make sure you've not let any of the bitter, small seeds into your juice.  Lots of pulp is welcome.

~Do the same with your lime, then set the juices aside.

~In a mortar and pestle or food processor, add your clove of garlic and mash or mince.

~Add the cilantro or Italian parsley to the m & p or food processor, along with 1/2 of the juice, blend together until things become smooth and bright green.

~Add your olive oil, red wine vinegar, cayenne (add more for a little spice!), and then your salt and pepper to taste.

~Blend once more for a few seconds, then add your sliced or cubed avo to the mix.

~Blend until smooth, season to taste, and voila!

This should leave you with 1 1/2 cups of delicious, creamy dreamy green dressing, preservable for up to two weeks in your refridgerator.

Salad Reccomendation:

~Choose your favorite lettuce (a green that is crispy like a romaine or butter lettuce is especially nice).

~Layer the lettuce with the Creamy Dreamy Green dressing, black beans, and pan fried fresh corn.

~Garnish with a handul of grape tomatoes, a few slives of avo, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, then freshly ground salt and pepper. 

You could use this dressing as a dip served with fresh veggies or use it as a sauce with a nice piece of grilled Alaskan Halibut.

So delish!

Enjoy this salad all summer long, especially now that corn and fresh hersbs are in season.

xoxo