July 30, 2011

Peach Caprese Salad


Sweet, juicy peaches are in abundance right now and I’m trying to figure out how to hit my quota of one-a-day, because they’re just that good. With caprese salads being equally as irresistible in the summer months–creamy mozzarella, fresh-from-the-garden basil, generously drizzled with balsamic and olive oil–how can I not indulge? Hence the ingenious combo of Peach Caprese Salad. Yes. Please. And thank you!

Now I didn’t actually eat it this way, but for the sake of making a pretty picture I first stacked the goods. . .

Carefully dotting the plate and then letting the olive oil spill over. Mmm. Isn’t that lovely? :) However, the final (and edible) ensemble actually looked more like this. . .

What’s that oatmeal looking grain atop my salad you ask? Barley! No salad is nutritionally complete without a whole grain (aka complex carb).

Peach Caprese Salad
1 peach, chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 fresh water mozzarella ball, cubed
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2/3 cup cooked pearl barley
2 T olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
dash of sea salt

Nutritional Stats: 270 kcals     6 g protein    27 g carbs    16 g  fat (3 g saturated, the rest healthy fats.)

Perfectly satisfying for two.

Well, Grant and I are off to do some hiking today. Hopefully I’ll come back with great photos–and burning glutes!!

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July 26, 2011

Loving All Things Lavender


I’ve discovered lavender is good for so much more than sachet bags and scented candles. It has oodles of untapped culinary uses! To my surprise, cooking with lavender is no new trend. The Romans were doing it centuries ago. Did you know that it was actually the Romans who brought lavender to Provence? It wasn’t until WWI that France became the lavender capitol, as it was cultivated to keep the French from fleeing the land. Funny enough, lavender is not a part of traditional French cooking.  However, my love of all things Italian/Roman meant I needed to try this culinary gem.. and the verdict: lavender is luscious!

http://www.theluberon.com/DISCOVER/LAVENDER.htm

I saw this picture and instantly fell in love with Provence. Can you imagine how intoxicating the air must be? Now that the mood is set I can cook joyously, sip my sauvignon blanc, and fantasize that the wafting lavender fragrance is not coming from my oven but that of luscious, endless, romantic fields of a purple heaven.

What started as an inkling for white peach and lavender jam turned into that plus a lavender vinaigrette, vanilla lavender shortbread cookies, and citrus lavender orechiette pasta. I may be going through a phase, but cooking has never been more therapeutic. When I couldn’t find culinary lavender in grocery stores Grant found me some at the farmer’s market.. and bought a whole bushel! Needless to say, I have lavender pouring out of my pantry if anyone cares to borrow a cup.


                                                                                                       Lavender Vinaigrette
1/4 cup Sauvignon Blanc
3 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp lavender
salt & pepper

Salad Fixings
romaine lettuce
feta cheese
blueberries
shredded chicken

I absolutely love fruit in a green salad. And the blueberries go really well as their not overly sweet. I could also never be without feta cheese. It’s a staple food for me, which Grant has informed me is not a staple food in every household. I was shocked. Then I remembered that growing up I only knew cheese as that hard block of orange stuff that accompanied hamburgers and tacos. Never a fan. Now, after having been exposed to a plethora of “real cheese” (thank you grandpa) I see that eating cheese is a sport of connoisseurs, a group I wouldn’t mind being associated with. :)

Outside of the kitchen, we did manage to have a really nice, warm weekend here in Seattle. It reached 80 degrees!!! I know if you’re in the Midwest that’s nothing to write home about, but when we have only seen a handful of days over 70 F this year, that is definitely worth making a fuss over. We enjoyed a day of boating with friends..

With that, find yourself some lavender and lavish in the essence of Provence. Also, be sure to check back as I continue to post on my lavender endeavors. Have a fabulous Tuesday!

Questions:
What’s your childhood cheese memory?
Favorite use for lavender?

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July 17, 2011

Peach Pie Thyme

There has been a whole lot of living, and not a lot of blogging going on these past months, which may have something to do with the fact that I’m graduated and free time is a new concept. But don’t worry, I’m adapting well! :) Grant and I have been spending much needed time catching up with friends and family. Other than being cold and wet its been a nice summer.

I am always looking for a good excuse to bake, and when we were invited to a picnic this weekend I squealed at the opportunity to bring dessert. After all, peach pie season is the happiest time of year–and I certainly don’t do enough baking just for myself. Playing with my new camera made the food photography fun. Warning, you may have a very, very intense craving for peach pie by the time you scroll to the bottom of this page. Enjoy..

Delicious. I haven’t made a lattice crust in sooo long. I forgot how much fun it is! And pretty. :) For the crust I followed Jenna’s recipe at EatLiveRun. The filling was simple, 2 layers of peaches (5 total) separated by a middle layer of a flour (1/3 c), sugar (1 c) and butter (1/4 c) mixture, topped with a sprinkling of fresh thyme.

As for happenings outside the kitchen, last weekend we hiked Discovery Park. Beautiful. If you’re a Seattleite you definitely need to visit at some point. After living here for five years I finally started a list of Northwest must-sees. Next on the list is the peninsula. Rainforest maybe? Lavender fields of Sequim? Port Townsend I hear is charming. What are your suggestions?

I hope you are having a fabulous summer!!

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July 3, 2011

Berry Cobbler

What is it about the Fourth of July that makes me want to run through sprinklers and do cartwheels in the yard? I do love hot summer weather, a good firework show, and being poolside, but I think perhaps its the food. That thing that intangibly brings families together–barbeque, potato salad, corn on the cob, and ice cold beer.. oh and dessert, what would a holiday be without homemade sweetness?

Typically our family gathers for the Fourth at my grandparents’ house. Last year, after a full day of chasing kids around the back yard in 103 degrees and finishing a 6-pack that went down all too easily, I was indolent. Hello recliner, as I claimed my nap chair and curled up until what turned into the next morning. I missed the firework show, but even more disappointing, I missed dessert.

This year I’ll note that 103 degrees makes water the prime choice for hydration, and bringing my own dessert might not be a bad idea. As tomorrow will be another warm summer night, I look forward to watching the fireworks dance in the star lit sky, while soaking up every bite of berry delish.

This Martha Stewart crisp recipe was really simple. A mixture of raspberries and blueberries, baked it in a white dish for some festive red-white-and blue. However, after an hour in the oven it all turned purple. With fruit being so ripe this time of year, dessert can be as simple as a bowl full of berries, but why not splurge a little–add the buttery oat crisp. Baking from scratch always gives me the satisfaction in knowing the purity of what I’m eating. Vitamin C rich berries, minimally added sugar, and a short list of familiar ingredients– some wholesome, some wholly indulgent–but what’s life without a little indulgence? ;)

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June 29, 2011

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

The true star of this post is the mango. I love mango, and these past couple months I have made it my mission to fit mango into my diet every day. Mango and cream oatmeal? Done. Mango soybean salad? You betcha. Mango salsa? I swear it goes with everything. And the fish–ahi tuna of course–seared fresh. None of that battered and deep fried nonsense. ;)

I’m not sure if fish tacos are just a northwest thing or not, but we sure do ‘em up here in Seattle.. rock fish, salmon, tuna, mahi mahi, shrimp.. simply grilled with a little lime juice and red pepper flakes. Perfection I tell you. Simple, satisfying, and simply divine.

Mango Salsa
1 mango, cubed
1/2 red onion
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 red jalapeno
1/2 cup cucumber, cubed
1 lime

Chop and mix all ingredients and squeeze generously with lime. For the fish, marinade in lime juice for 30 minutes and grill. Goes great on salad or atop roasted chicken. I’ll even add avocado for some healthy monounsaturated fat. Its a perfect way to enjoy something light these warm summer months, and an alternative to salad without giving up all the goodness of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants packed into fresh produce.

This salsa is bursting with health benefits: rich in vitamin A (thank you mango), vitamin C and antioxidants like flavanoids (red onion), vitamin K and potassium –>electrolyte (cucumber).. to name a few. Consuming a nutrients-rich diet dramatically lowers risk for a multitude of diseases. But don’t just eat mango salsa to help your heart, eat it because its delicious too!!

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June 19, 2011

Mushroom Ravioli in a Madera Reduction

I would not be me if I didn’t love pasta. Just posting about pasta makes me giddy. Oh ravioli, how I love to roll, stuff, and photograph your edible splendor. And since today was about food for the soul, a pure and shameless indulgence, please excuse the large dollop of butter. It was Grant’s idea. :)

We spent another afternoon in the kitchen when our cooking styles. . . how should I say, clashed? He is totally intuitive in the kitchen,  no recipe. Where as I, on the other hand, like to have a plan. I rarely following a recipe verbatim, but its nice to have some form of reference. So after we decided on mushroom ravioli, I went and googled ‘mushroom ravioli’ for ideas. Grant just jumped right in there and free-styled. How it works, I don’t know, but he’s a fabulous cook. The recipe to follow is my guess-timation of what went down between the skillet and the apron. . .

Mushroom Ravioli in Madera Reduction
Mixed shitaake, portobello, and cremini mushrooms –a heaping bowl’s worth
1/2 shallot
2-ish garlic cloves
2 T butter (??) I think he added more when I wasn’t looking! ;)
Madera –started with 3/4 cup — plus several splashes
a generous splash Sauvignon blanc
Parmesan cheese –to taste
fresh rosemary, sage, thyme –two sprigs each
salt and pepper

If you are an intuitive cook this is probably all the instruction you need. If not, mi dispiace.

Start with a dollop of butter in the skillet adding garlic, shallot and mushrooms. Cook until soft. Add Madera, white wine and cook until reduced by half. Set aside. Use half the mushroom mixture to stuff ravioli. To the other half add cheese, more butter, herbs and a little pasta water to create the sauce. Plate and enjoy. I recommend setting the table, uncorking a bottle and taking it slow with this one.

Definitely the best thing I had all weekend. There is something rewarding about sitting down to a home-cooked meal. If you haven’t indulged lately I highly recommend you treat yourself!!

Questions:
What’s the best thing you ate all weekend?
Who has changed the way you cook? And how?

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May 23, 2011

Gnocchi with Spring Peas & Proscutto

I love Sunday afternoons. And I especially love cooking for two. With spring showers still looming in the northwest, it seems the best place for Grant and I to enjoy our Sabbath is in the kitchen. One apron, two glasses of wine, and a little Miles Davis makes one favoloso time, so much that I wish every day were Sunday. He wanted gnocchi. I wanted spring. Peas please!!

After our usual field trip to Whole Foods–oogling all the edible goodness–we came home with a bottle of Sauv Blanc, spring peas, potatoes, Parmesan, and got right to work. Me being a pasta lover, I was sooo excited for gnocchi. Not to mention, making fresh pasta is so much fun. Who can resist those little pillows of love?

Gnocchi with Spring Peas & Proscutto
gnocchi (pasta recipe here)
1/2 cup peas
1 shallot
3 slices proscutto
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 T butter
1 T olive oil

The prep work kept us busy while the potatoes cooked. First we blanched the peas, and set them aside. Chopped and sauteed the shallot in olive oil until soft, added proscutto, shaved Parmesan and butter. As the little pasta pillows finished they were added to the skillet with 1/2 cup pasta water, the peas, and a final sprinkling of cheese. Mmm.. perfetto!

Gnocchi could also be found prepackaged, in which case this meal would easy-peasy, but why rush a good thing? Stormy weather and nowhere to be–cooking is the perfect way to enjoy a Sunday afternoon. And if you’ve never had fresh pasta.. let me tell you, its worth the extra effort. I hope you enjoyed a relaxing weekend and plenty of good food. Anything noteworthy? Do share…

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