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First Soup of 2016! Red Lentil and North African Spices

18 Monday Jan 2016

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How’s everyone’s 2016 so far?  All’s fabulous here…lots more to do getting settled into the new apartment and fantastic new life in Seattle proper!  LOTS and lots of downsizing and purging…when you go from a 3 bedroom 1450 sq ft townhouse to an (awesome) NEW 1 bedroom with 650 sq ft…well, it’s an adjustment!  IMG_0565And an incredible adjustment it is.  Joyous, cleansing and full of happiness.  I’m learning how much I unconsciously “filled” the large spaces in the townhouse with crap I didn’t need.  Kitchen gadgets.  Clothes.  Towels.  Sheets.  God knows what else.

Now I’m learning that everything…EVERYTHING in the new apartment needs to Earn. Its. Keep.  Everything’s gotta count!  That means choosing pieces which are best sellers that not only are beautiful but are functional as well.  Exhibit A:  the gorgeous 6 3/4 quart (~6.3 l) Le Creuset cast iron Dutch oven…my housewarming gift to myself!  This will last me a lifetime…and it was a terrific find at an outlet about an hour drive north.  It’s a “closeout” color – love the gorgeous blue!

I’m continuing my love affair with making soup from scratch, which started probably 3-4 years ago.  Search on “soup” in here and see what pops up!

E and I made a delicious red lentil soup with North African spices we found in a recent issue of Cook’s Illustrated.  As the recipe explains, red lentils are relatively quick and easy to cook, as their skins are already removed.  Meaning, no hours of soaking required!  Hooray! We just gave these a quick rinse in a colander and they were good to go.  Don’t have a stick blender to puree your soup?  No problem here.  Just grab a large whisk and give the soup a whirl at the end of the cooking process to give it a coarse texture.

Serves 4 to 6

  • 4 T unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped fine
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3/4 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • 1 T tomato paste
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 4 C chicken broth
  • 2 C water
  • 10.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) red lentils, picked over and rinsed
  • 2 T lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried mint, crumbled
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 C chopped cilantro

Melt 2 T butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and 1 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.  Add coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in broth, water and lentils and bring to a simmer.  Simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and about half are broken down, about 15 minutes.

Whisk soup vigorously until it is coarsely pureed, about 30 seconds.  Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste.  Cover and keep warm.  The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.  Thin the soup with water, if desired, when reheating.

Melt remaining 2 T butter in a small skillet.  Remove from heat and stir in mint and paprika.  Ladle soup into individual bowls, drizzle each portion with 1 tsp spiced butter, sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Fivenineteen notes:  Oh my goodness, just one clove of garlic??  Criminal!  Don’t skimp here…rather, we used an entire head.  And feel free to amp up the spices much more than this recipe called for.  We did use a few ounces more than the 10.5 called for, and I think that made the soup a lot more bland than we liked.  That’s what leftovers are for, right?  Time to add more spices!  We also used salted butter and it made no difference.

Buon appetito!

Garlic Spinach!

05 Sunday Apr 2015

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Last night we were wondering how to prepare some fresh spinach as a side dish to go along with some incredible ahi tuna seared in sesame oil, sprinkled with sesame seeds.  And thanks to AllRecipes.com, just a couple quick clicks on your phone and WHAMMO.  Dinner!

Gotta get those dark green veggies in, people!  They keep you nourished, healthy and make your skin glow.  Oh yeah.  Here’s the recipe for 2 (the website adjusts the amounts depending on the servings you indicate) and I’ll add at the end what we did a little differently to make it our own.

Garlic Spinach – Serves 2

  • 1 1/2 tsp unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 10 oz bag fresh spinach
  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt
  • 1/4 lemon, juiced

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic; cook and stir until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach a few handfuls at a time, stirring until wilted before adding more, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, and season with garlic salt.

Yep, that’s it!  Ready in about 15 minutes or so.

Now…you can add a little variety to this by throwing in a small handful of raisins while you’re wilting the spinach.  It adds just a tiny bit of sweetness to the dish – wonderful!  And we juiced an entire lemon to really infuse the spinach with lemon flavor.  After your spinach is completely wilted, add the lemon juice and turn the heat up slightly to bring the liquid to a boil. Stir occasionally until the lemon juice is mostly boiled off.

Unsalted butter isn’t a must – use regular (salted) butter if that’s what you have on hand.  And if your skillet gets a little dry add just a touch of olive oil during the cooking process.

Buon appetito!

More Vegan Goodness! Walnut, Avocado and Pear Salad with Marinated Portobello caps and Red Onion

08 Sunday Feb 2015

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SaladAh, no worries, everyone.  Don’t get overwhelmed or weirded out by that long salad recipe title!  It’s PACKED with yummy goodness and if you’re the slightest bit skeptical about vegan recipes or wondering whether a salad can truly be a meal in itself…well, give this one a whirl and you’ll be convinced!  The mushrooms pack a good dose of protein, and the avocado provides healthy fats we all need (as do the walnuts).  Add in some buttery pears, dark leafy greens (I prefer to serve this over a bed of spinach leaves) and a vinaigrette so easy to prepare and you’ve got a fabulous meal (or two, if you’re cooking for one as I typically do!).  The mushroom and onion will keep in the marinade in a Tupperware in the fridge for a couple days.

This all comes together quickly – I promise!  First…the vinaigrette:

Vinaigrette

    • 1/4 C (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
    • 3 T (45 ml) flaxseed oil or extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 T (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
    • 2 T unsweetened applesauce
    • 1 T (15 …ml) pure maple syrup
    • 1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) Dijon mustard
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine-grain sea salt, to taste
    • Freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all of your ingredients together in a small bowl and voila!  Or just plop them all in a mason jar, screw on the lid, and shake it up!  Super quick and easy.  [I didn’t have any applesauce on hand and it’s still awesome without it.]

Now…the Salad! Serves 2

  • 2 large Portobello mushrooms
  • 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
  • 1 batch of the vinaigrette (shown above)
  • 1 5 oz box (142 g) mixed greens (I prefer loose leaf spinach, but any greens will be just fine)
  • 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 2 avocados, pitted and chopped
  • 1/3 C (75 ml) walnuts, toasted

Gently rub the outside of the mushrooms with a damp towel to remove any debris.  Remove the stems by twisting the stem until it pops off; discard it or freeze for another use, such as stir-fry.  With a small spoon, scrape out and discard the black gills.

In a large bowl, combine the mushroom caps, onion and half of the balsamic vinaigrette.  Toss until fully coated.  Marinate the mushrooms and onion for 20-30 minutes, tossing every 5-10 minutes.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Place the mushroom caps and the onion on the pan and grill for 3-5 minutes per side, until grill marks appear and the vegetables are tender.  Reduce the heat if necessary.  Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until the mushroom caps are cool enough to handle, then slice the mushroom caps into long strips.

For each salad, place a few handfuls of the mixed greens in a large bowl and top with half of the chopped pear, avocado, walnuts, and grilled mushrooms and onion.  Drizzle the salad with some of the remaining vinaigrette and enjoy!

This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free and grain-free.

Buon appetito!

From the Oh She Glows cookbook, by Angela Liddon

Spicy Fennel with Olives & Orange – Slow Cooker Style!

04 Sunday Jan 2015

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fennelHappy 2015, everyone!  Here’s a wonderful slow cooker dish I recently discovered in my Williams-Sonoma New Slow Cooker Cookbook (by Brigit Binns).  Do you think of veggies in a slow cooker as mushy, dull and flavorless?  Well, as I’m learning, that’s simply not true.  This cookbook is full of contemporary slow cooker dishes with crunchy side dishes like corn salsas or wonderful salads with easy vinaigrettes.

If you’ve never cooked with fennel, I promise it’s actually quite easy.  Don’t get weirded out by its funny shapes in the picture above.  Once you slice off the green tops you have something similar to a small onion in size to work with – and like an onion it’s got lots of fantastic layers…but unlike an onion, fennel’s flavor has a subtle hint of black licorice.  So nope, no eyes tearing up like you might sometimes experience chopping an onion.

This dish is perfect as a vegetarian or vegan main course (just substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock called for) or as a side dish.

Serves 4

  • 2 fennel bulbs, about 1 lb (500 g) total weight
  • 1 T extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 – 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste
  • 2 T dry white wine
  • 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 1/3 C (80 ml) chicken stock
  • 2 sprigs fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper (1/2 tsp salt to start)
  • 1 orange
  • 1/2 C (75g) pitted kalamata olives, halved

Cut off the green stems and feathery tops and any bruised outer stalks from each fennel bulb.  Chop the feather tops to yield 2 T and set aside.  Quarter each bulb lengthwise, then halve each quarter lengthwise and trim away the core, leaving just a little of the core intact to hold each wedge together.  You should have 16 wedges.  Place the fennel in a slow cooker.

In a small, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil.  Add the shallot and sauté until lightly golden, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and pepper flakes to taste and cook for 1 minute more.  Pour in the wine and vinegar and stir to dislodge any browned bits on the pan bottom.  Stir in the stock, oregano sprigs (or dried oregano), 1/2 tsp salt and several grinds of pepper.  Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on the low setting for 2 1/2 hours.  The fennel should be tender but not mushy.

Just before the fennel is ready, grate the zest from the orange and set aside.  Then, trim away the remaining rind and segment the orange.  Coarsely chop the orange segments.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fennel wedges to a warm platter.  Taste the braising liquid and adjust the seasoning with salt pepper and a little more vinegar, if needed.  Spoon some of the liquid over the fennel wedges and scatter the fennel tops, olives, grated orange zest and orange segments over the top.  Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Fivenineteen notes:  the flavors in this dish are incredible.  The orange adds a sweet, sunny note, while the red pepper flakes bring a little spicy heat.  The black olives are earthy and salty, and the anise-flavored fennel tops add freshness.  Delicious!

I used a 3 quart slow cooker with a ceramic insert, and I could have probably let the fennel go a full 3 hours, rather than the 2 1/2 hours the recipe calls for.  You’ll want your fennel tender, not mushy, so keep an eye near the end to see what works for you.  I try to avoid opening the slow cooker lid as much as possible as it interferes with the cooking process; the slow cooker will take a while to readjust to the right temperature after the lid is opened and that hot, moist air escapes.  But sometimes you need to open it and check your food’s progress.

If you’re using fresh oregano springs, strip off the leaves from the stem and tear gently.  No need to mince them before adding.

It didn’t seem like there was enough braising liquid when I was sautéing the shallots, garlic and adding in the vinegar and wine.  But it turned out great, and I’ll definitely make this recipe again.

Buon appetito!

Salt & Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas!

07 Sunday Dec 2014

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Anyone else out there have a snack that puts you over the edge in a food high…like once you start you can’t stop?  Oh yeah, for me it’s salt and vinegar potato chips.  I can’t remember my “first” (hmmm, but they say you always do), but I do remember that feeling of OH SHIT THESE ARE GREAT…and my mouth feeling all raw and curled up inside after ingesting too much salty and vinegar-y goodness.  So worth it, although I probably chugged a ton of water later.

I still have a weakness for potato chips, but given my shift in nutrition habits over the past year and a half or so, I try to keep it in moderation.  But boy it’s hard sometimes!  I find it’s best to simply not have a bag of chips on the kitchen counter lying around.  It’s too tempting to pop a few, and before you know it the bag is empty in a couple of days.  And those days are far in the rear view mirror here.  If I do indulge in chips it’s a small bag on rare occasions, maybe an afternoon snack to go along with my apple, or enjoying some (not the whole bag!) as part of a box catered lunch for a work event.

Now I’ve stumbled upon a fantastic substitute for these potato chips…using roasted chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans).  WOW!  And this recipe is SO easy.

Serves 3 (or maybe just 1 or 2, hee hee)

  • 1 15 oz (425g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 1/2 C (625 ml) white vinegar
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) fine grain sea salt or coarse sea salt plus more if needed

Place the chickpeas and vinegar in a medium saucepan.  Add a dash of sea salt.  Bring the vinegar to a boil and cook for about 30 seconds, and then remove the pan from the heat.  Some of the chickpea skins will fall off but not to worry.  Cover the pan and let the chickpeas soak in the vinegar for 25 to 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 C).  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drain the chickpeas in a colander, discarding the vinegar.  Shake off any excess vinegar – no need to dry the chickpeas.

Transfer the chickpeas to the baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil.  Massage the oil gently into the chickpeas with your fingers until fully coated.  Sprinkle with the salt.

Roast the chickpeas for 20 minutes, and then give the pan a gentle shake to roll the chickpeas around on the pan.  Roast for 10 to 15 minutes more, until golden and lightly charred.

Cool the chickpeas on the pan for 5 minutes.  They will firm up as they cool.

Notes:  Turn on your range fan and open a window when boiling the chickpeas in the vinegar, as the vinegar smell is very strong  (Really, trust me on this).  Now, if for some reason you have leftovers after making this snack, cool them completely and then store them in a container in the freezer for 5-7 days.  To reheat, simply toss the frozen chickpeas on a baking sheet and roast them at 400 degrees F for 5 to 10 minutes, or until heated through.  This restores the chickpeas to their former crunchy goodness.  YES!

This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, sugar-free and grain-free.

From the Oh She Glows cookbook, by Angela Liddon.

Buon appetito!

Oh yeah…Toasted Super Seed Power Bread!

23 Sunday Nov 2014

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Hoo doggy this is some GOOD BREAD, everyone.  Wholesome awesomeness and gluten-free too!  Yep, I’ve discovered yet another wonderful vegan cookbook – Yum Universe, by Heather Crosby.  As many of you know, I am not vegan (nor am I gluten-free necessarily) but I do love experimenting and there’s no doubt those two eating styles make me feel super energetic.

I love to grocery shop, and when I see a recipe with a few ingredients I’ve never cooked with before, I grin big.  THIS is going to be an adventure.

  • 1/2 C sesame seeds
  • 1 C rolled oats
  • 1/2 C pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 C almonds
  • 1/4 C sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 C chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
  • 1/2 C poppy seeds
  • 1/4 C chia seeds
  • 3 T psyllium husk powder (use 1/4 C if you can only find the husks)
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 T Sucanat (dried sugar cane juice)
  • 2 T coconut oil
  • 2 C water

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the sesame seeds, oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds and sunflower seeds on the sheet and toast them in the oven for 7-10 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well (feel free to use your hands).  Form the dough into a ball and cover with a towel.  Let sit overnight, about 10-12 hours.

The next day, preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a loaf baking dish with parchment paper.  Allow 1/2″ of paper to exceed the top edges of the loaf pan so you can easily lift it out once baked.

The dough will be very firm.  Using your hands and a little effort, shape into a rectangle and press the dough into the parchment-lined loaf pan, making sure it reaches all four corners.

Bake for 30 minutes and remove from the oven.  Lift loaf out of the pan by the parchment paper and set onto a baking sheet.  Flip your loaf, making sure parchment paper is flat underneath, and bake another 45-50 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Slice and experience heaven. Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge.

fivenineteen notes: oh man, that won’t be the last time I make this bread!  Puts all others to shame!  I hit my local food co-op and loaded up on seeds!  Actually, “loaded up” is probably not the right term here.  They sell most of their seeds in the bulk foods section, so it was a snap to purchase only what I needed.

Given my 40-something eyes I didn’t notice a lot of the recipe notes when I read through it.  So if you didn’t notice to add 1/4 C psyllium husks if you can’t find them in flour form like me, your dough might be a little watery after adding the water.  But not to worry; in a few hours the dough absorbed all of the water and it was easy to scoop into my parchment-lined loaf pan and pop into the oven.

Your coconut oil will be in solid form at room temperature (unless you live in a hot climate).  Scoop a couple of tablespoons into a small glass bowl and microwave a few seconds to melt it before adding to the dough.

It’s easy to cut your parchment paper to size with kitchen shears.  Cut two strips – one to fit the pan horizontally and one to fit vertically.  Be sure to leave at least a 1/2″ extra so you can lift the baked loaf easily out of the pan.  Hooray for parchment paper!

Top your slice of bread with salad, your favorite spread and a pinch of salt or try it toasted.

Buon appetito!

“Eat Your Greens” Detox Soup!

19 Sunday Oct 2014

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GlowsMom was right, people…gotta eat those VEGGIES!  Fueling our bodies with good, nutritious food is THE foundation of us being our best selves for each other out in the world. Our happiest and healthiest. Awhile back I spotted a sign in a store window that said “The food you eat can either be the best form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”  WOW.  Did that ever make an impression on me!

Ever since completing the Lean Eating for Women program last July I’ve put this into practice more and more.  And for the record, I don’t feel like I “completed” anything.  Rather, that year of habit-based coaching was the end of the beginning!  The launch of fivenineteen 2.0!  Who is now nearly 50 lbs lighter (22.5 kg) and about 43″ leaner with body measurements!  Holy crap, right? And since then, now doing these things “on my own” so to speak (which I’m not, really, as the Lean Eating online community is superb), I feel equipped with fantastic, sustainable nutrition and exercise habits I can continue for the rest of my life.

While I am not vegan, I’m really enjoying the Oh She Glows cookbook by Angela Liddon.  Delicious, creative vegan recipes…even for those like me who love a good steak or burger now and then!  It’s true…eating your veggies DOES make you glow from the inside out.  I’m told I look younger now than before I started taking better care of myself, and I have fewer wrinkles too apparently.  Bonus.

So, here’s a fantastic soup recipe.  Enjoy the ritual of chopping veggies…for me there is something very rustic and soothing about it.  [No, I don’t have a food processor, but am in the market for one.] Once you’re done with the prep work this soup comes together very quickly and will make the house smell heavenly.  This was a perfect choice, as I had a large, sweet onion and some mushrooms in the fridge that were a little long in the tooth and needed to be used.  When your veggies are ‘tired’ and about ready to be tossed, try them in a stir-fry or a soup like this one so they don’t go to waste.

Eat Your Greens Detox Soup – Serves 3

  • 1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) coconut oil or olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 C (750 ml) sliced cremini or white button mushrooms (about 8 oz)
  • 1 C (250 ml) chopped carrots
  • 2 C (500 ml) chopped broccoli florets
  • Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 1/2 to 3 tsp (7 to 15 ml) grated, peeled fresh ginger
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) ground cinnamon
  • 5 C (1.25 L) vegetable broth
  • 2 large nori seaweed sheets, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) strips (optional)
  • 2 C (500 ml) torn kale leaves
  • Fresh lemon juice, for serving (optional)

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the mushrooms, carrots and broccoli and stir to combine.  Season generously with salt and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes more.

Stir in the ginger, turmeric, cumin and cinnamon and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the broth and stir to combine.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 20 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in the nori (if using) and kale and cook until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired.

Fivenineteen notes:  I purchased one of those cardboard box thingy’s of vegetable stock that contains 4 cups broth, not the 5 called for in this recipe.  Honestly, you can get away with just 4 cups, plus the soup will be even thicker and heartier, which I prefer, honestly.  I like this served with a small blob of pesto too.

Buon appetito!

Cooking Classes…Basque Style!

21 Sunday Sep 2014

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Flag_of_the_Basque_Country_svgWow.  Just WOW.  I recently discovered an absolute jewel of a French store with cooking classes in the wonderfully eclectic Seattle neighborhood of Capitol Hill, just east of downtown.

It’s Paris Eastside.  What a treasure this place is!  Everything inside is from France or is authentic to the French lifestyle.  The owner, Muriel, is a delightfully charming French woman who will welcome you like family when you arrive. After years teaching French cooking to English speaking tourists in Paris, she moved to Bellevue, Washington where she lives with her family…and has recreated the cooking school experience she taught in France now in Seattle!

Yesterday’s class was authentic Basque cooking.  The Basque region consists of two autonomous communities – one in northern Spain and the other in southern France just adjacent to it.  If you haven’t heard of this region or its unique peoples, language and culture I highly recommend taking a closer look.  [And never, ever call a Basque person Spanish as an aside!]  Yikes.  Although you will certainly notice both Spanish and French influences in the food and lifestyle.

Not only was the class ambience amazing with wonderful people (we were a small, intimate group of just 7 of us cooking with Muriel), but we also had a gloriously sunny, late summer day outside without a cloud in the sky, along with those long shadows and a slightly crispy feeling in the air letting you know Fall is mere days away.  So the shop doors stayed open as we cooked, letting the sunshine and fresh air pour in.  That plus the busy sounds of the city (cars, people talking and passing) and it was just magical.  Being in an intimate oasis mere steps from the hustle and bustle outside.

WP_000606We made 3 recipes – Piperade basque, a pepper dish which is like a very elegant egg scramble (although light on the proportion of eggs as you can see), served on a sliced baguette and topped with a little prosciutto.  Doesn’t that look wonderful?  Mmmm hmmm.

We also made Axoa (that’s “uh CHO uh”), a meat dish with cubed veal, peppers and ground Espelette pepper.  Sure, you could substitute another type of ground chili pepper, but it won’t have the unique flavor that this one does.  Ground Espelette pepper is fairly mild with a distinctive, warm tomato-y aroma and taste.  Nice to enhance the flavors of the dish, without being overwhelming or too hot and spicy.

Now, veal is a little hard to come by and for many it’s a hot-button, shunned food for lots of reasons.  So, we made a separate batch with cubed chicken as well, and each person in the class got to choose whether they wanted to try theirs with the veal or with the chicken.  I chose both to compare.  I haven’t eaten veal since I was a kid so I had forgotten it has such a nice, rich flavor, but I went for it…after all, “when in Rome,” right?.  And I gotta say, the veal version far outshined the chicken!

We started making the dessert first (Gâteau Basque – Basque cake), given it was the most time-intensive to prepare and needed 45 minutes to fully cook.  Oh yeah, that’s one dense cake alright!  With a wonderful crème filling of eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla…oh yeah we’re not here to skimp on the best ingredients or on calories here, people!  This is a rich dessert, so just a small wedge is all you need with a side of cherry jam.

A shared bottle of wine and relaxed conversation wrapped up our cooking experience.  Definitely going back again for sure!  Afterwards we headed down to Olympic Sculpture Park on the Seattle waterfront.  The sunshine was endless and sparkled on the water…watching the ferry boats going back and forth to Bainbridge Island, and the enormous cruise ships on their way up to Alaska.  Mount Rainier out clear as a bell, and lots of interesting and fascinating outdoor sculptures in the park.  When you truly relax and open your mind and drink in all the pleasures and scenery around you, you feel ALIVE.  At peace.  Balanced. And in the present.  How wonderful to have this park just steps from downtown!

By the time dinner rolled around lighter fare was in order.  Grilled salmon and sliced, grilled white eggplant (a first for me to try!) was just perfect.  And why not cap off the night with a trip to the Royal Room in Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood for some live jazz and a nightcap?

Works for me.

Slow Cooking in August?! Why Not?

17 Sunday Aug 2014

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Yeah I know, I know…it’s freaking MID AUGUST…and you’re thinking wow, she’s doing a slow cooker recipe?  Huh??  Well, we’re not in the middle of a scorching heat wave here in Seattle (believe me, we DO get them occasionally, however), and I was craving to try something new.

So I blew the dust off my Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast slow cooker recipe book.  A very cool Christmas gift from my folks a few years ago.  In fact I remember it all too clearly now.  A few years ago my refrigerator crapped out after a very short 8-year lifespan.  And I got a gift card from the nice people at Sears as I paid cash for my new fridge (that was one hard-working debit card that week I tell you!).  So I decided to hop on the newly-awakened slow cooker rage and get one of my own.

I’ve tried several recipes in this cookbook and I’ve always been pleased. And I’m really excited about what’s cookin’ here at chez fivenineteen right now, as the townhouse is smelling heavenly.  Most of my cooking tends to be in the Italian/Mediterranean domain (plus those amazing soup recipes from various parts of South America – search this blog for “soup” and you’ll find a ton), so it’s fun doing a southeast Asian-style recipe for a little variety.

Indonesian Beef Stew – serves 6-8

  • 1/4 C canola oil (60 m.) 
    3 lb (1.5kg) boneless beef chuck, cut into 2″ (5 cm) cubes
    1 chopped yellow onion
    2 C (250g) unsweetened, shredded or flaked dried coconut
    1 T light brown sugar
    1 T ground coriander
    1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    4 C (1 l) coconut milk
    Steamed rice for serving

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the beef and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is no longer red and the onion has softened, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the shredded coconut, brown sugar, coriander, cumin and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Continue sauteing until the meat and coconut are browned and the spices are fragrant, about 5-7 minutes longer. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.

Add the coconut milk to the frying pan, raise the heat to high and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the pan bottom. Bring the coconut milk to a boil, and pour it in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat setting for 4 hours or the low heat setting for 8 hours.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle the stew over steamed rice and serve.

Fivenineteen notes:  I used olive oil instead of canola oil. And as this recipe was new to me and I don’t have a lot of experience buying larger cuts of meat like chuck steaks, I opted for a 1.5 lb boneless size.  I reduced the spices down just slightly and used just one can of coconut milk (which is just under two cups.)  Be sure to shake the can before opening and be careful when emptying it into your pan as it will contain a mixture of milk and cream and will come out a little chunky and splashy sometimes.

This recipe is SUPER EASY to prepare – 15 minutes or so and then let the slow cooker work its magic!

The slow cooker I use is here.  There are lots of cool, newer models where you can sear and brown right in the slow cooker itself before switching to slow cooker mode.  Given I don’t do a lot of slow cooking this one is great and the 3.5 quart size is just right.  The lid and ceramic insert easily fit in the dishwasher for cleanup too!

Buon appetito!

Sunday Food Prep Revisited…and a new Recipe!

27 Sunday Jul 2014

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One of the habits we practiced in the Lean Eating for Women program I completed over the past 12 months was to take some time to focus on preparing food for the upcoming week, typically on a Sunday.  Ahhh, the restful reset of a Sunday…what’s not to love about that?  Now, of course doing food prep for the week can be whatever day works best for your family and work schedules.  No hard and fast rule about having to do it on Sunday…that day just seems to work for most of us.  The mindset is “What do I need to do to set me up for success for the week ahead??”  It could be anything from chopping vegetables and getting them all stored up in Tupperware in the fridge to making sure your gym bag is packed and your workouts are printed out and ready to take with you to the gym.  And yes, I actually DO do all those!  I typically work out after work, so by the time I’m home and showered I’m pretty tired…and the thought of having to chop a few veggies for my omelet just seems like too much effort.  BUT if I have a few veggies already chopped up and ready to go in the Tupperware…ta daaa!  Super easy and quick dinner.

Even though the food service at my new job is absolutely stellar, I’m still bringing my own lunch.  I may eat out on Fridays, say, but I’m just barely two weeks into this gig and still getting the routine all sorted out.  I’m really enjoying my location on the campus…it’s right smack in the middle of everything…there are great places to meet up, and I run into people I used to work with in past engagements ALL the time.  Love it!  So I definitely don’t feel isolated and hidden away.  Being around people is absolutely essential to my well-being.  That’s why when I’m out of work and pretty much at home on the computer here I get depressed.  So when that phone rings or that new email pops up…ahhhh, I’m connected to someone!  And happy!

What’s my typical meal prep like?  Well, I dice up a red bell pepper for starters.  I LOVE red bell pepper (green notsomuch) and it’s yummy in an omelet or egg scramble or tossed in a salad…or just a crunchy side dish!  Next, I slice up some (white) medium-sized mushrooms.  I might sauté some with olive oil and oregano and thyme and marinate them in a little balsamic vinegar, and just keep a few plain to use in omelets or salads.  I also make a batch of quinoa – red and tan mixed.  1/2 C of each in 2 C of water…bring to a gentle boil for 15 minutes and then let sit for about 45 minutes (covered and off heat) until all the liquid is absorbed.  I absolutely ADORE quinoa and use it in my egg scrambles and salads.  It’s even great as a hot side dish with a blob of pesto.  A nice alternative to rice and pasta.

I also fire up my broiler and line the broiler pan with aluminum foil.  I drizzle a little olive oil on it and slice up a tube of polenta.  Broil for 10-15 minutes or until the slices are just slightly brown.  I’m absolutely falling in LOVE with polenta, because it goes with just about everything.  It’s great as a side dish or even diced up and tossed in a salad.  And yes, those egg scrambles too which are my post-workout dinners.  Are we detecting a pattern here?

Now, if this sounds like a lot of work, remember many of these food prep tasks can be done in parallel.  I can dice up a bell pepper and some mushrooms while the quinoa is coming to a boil, and while the quinoa is in final prep and off the stove heat I can get the polenta sliced up and under the broiler.

Chicken breasts are another easy “neutral” food you can spice up however you like.  Two chicken breasts on a foil-lined broiler pan, drizzled with lemon juice. and some garlic salt roasted at 420 degrees F for 25 minutes is about right.  Be sure to cut to test and make sure the meat is not pink inside.  If it is, it needs to roast a few minutes longer.  You can add other spices before roasting, like paprika or tarragon…have fun experimenting!  I may slice up one to take with me to work for lunch and dice up another to use in an egg scramble.

My typical work lunch is a few leaves of fresh, organic spinach, some red/tan quinoa, a couple of slices polenta and a few of the mushrooms and diced bell pepper.  I’ll add a small blob of hummus or guacamole and a sprinkle of pine nuts…and a tiny amount of pink Himalayan sea salt.  Sounds a little weird but it IS delicious and satisfying!  A hearty and nutritious “salad,” fivenineteen-style.  And I bring along an apple for a mid afternoon snack too.

Now, I know for those Paleo fans out there, the polenta is a no-no because it’s corn (grain) based.  I’m personally not Paleo or vegan (although plant-based meals are a big part of my lifestyle now but not 100%).  I’ve found that I can digest polenta just fine and it doesn’t leave me feeling that weird “empty but bloated” way I am after eating white rice or pasta.  And speaking of polenta…here’s a fantastic (vegan) tomato sauce that is a perfect accompaniment to it!

Immunity-boosting tomato sauce with mushrooms  (makes 5-6 cups)

  • 1 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 C sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 1/2 C packed fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 28-oz can whole or diced tomatoes, with their juices
  • 6 – 8 T tomato paste
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp fine-grain sea salt, to taste
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2 T chia seeds (optional)
  • 1 C cooked lentils (optional)
  1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and stir to combine.  Sauté for 5-6 minutes until onion is translucent.  Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Stir in the mushrooms and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until much of the liquid released by the mushrooms has cooked off.
  3. Add the basil, whole peeled tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, salt, oregano and thyme.  Stir to combine.  With a wooden spoon, break up the whole tomatoes into chunks, bigger or smaller depending on how chunky you like your sauce.  Skip this process if using diced tomatoes.  Add the red pepper flakes, the chia seeds and lentils, if desired, and stir to combine.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the sauce, stirring every so often, for 15 to 20 minutes.  Serve over pasta, polenta or spaghetti squash and enjoy!

Buon appetito!