eat your way through brooklyn

My trip to NYC with the husband in mid-September was probably one of my favorite vacations ever. We rented an apartment through Airbnb to save a ton of money on lodging and have a full home base. It was the cutest studio apartment in a great part of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and the girl we rented it from was the sweetest person ever with the best food and shopping recommendations. Shoot me an email if you're interested in staying there and I'll give you the scoop!

We did plenty of the cultural / touristy things one normally does in NYC, so I'll spare you the details on that stuff and go straight to my favorite part of the trip (and life): EATING.

(beautiful picture of beet & apple soup stolen from Brooklyn Soup Club)

Diner is an awesome little restaurant that was right around the corner from our apartment. Their menus change daily, which is fun. The Husband and I went there with our friend (who is a private chef! how cool is that?!) on our first full day in NYC, and all three of us were really impressed by our food. I am also committed to reproducing their beet and apple soup here at home one day soon, it was that tasty. Recipe will be posted here if I ever figure it out.

the best salad dressing + a really easy salad recipe

My wonderful mother-in-law moved to Santa Barbara a few months ago, and we've all done pretty well at getting together on a weekly basis. Right before we went to NYC, Emma invited us over for an early dinner. She lives in a gorgeous Victorian building with lovely wooden floors and tons of sunlight streaming through the huge bay windows.

At this dinner, Emma introduced us to the best salad dressing ever: Annie's Shiitake Sesame Dressing. It's organic, which is always a plus, though unfortunately there's no low sodium / low fat version. That being said, it's still a lot healthier than most dressings out there. Emma served it with roasted turnips, sesame seeds, avocado, mushrooms, and tofu, which was an amazing combination.

Baby girl seems to like it, too, considering the ninja-like kicks I've been feeling after dinner lately.

After the jump, check out a really simple salad recipe (can I even call it a recipe when it's this easy? Salad idea?) that goes wonderfully with this dressing.

a great recipe + poached egg tip

This past weekend, The Husband and I made this delicious chard and white bean stew. We followed the recipe to the T, minus using large lima beans we already had around, adding extra veggies, and using rainbow chard for extra color. We served it upon toasted french baguette rubbed with garlic and with a poached egg on top.

It was really, really hearty and soooo good. It's definitely been added to our recipe rotation. Poaching eggs is not easy, though! I am definitely going to purchase an egg poacher tray thing. If The Husband can't pull it off (he is beyond talented in the kitchen), there's no way I will be able to.

I was a little leery of eating a poached egg, since I contracted mild food poisoning a couple weeks ago for the first time. Not. Fun. A poached egg is not cooked thoroughly enough to eradicate any possible salmonella that may be present in the egg, which is of major concern to anyone who is in ill health, pregnant, etc. We turned to Harold McGee's On Food & Cooking book to see if he had any tips on cooking a safe poached egg, and he did!

McGee recommends that, after poaching the egg in a pan, transfer it to a pot of water heated to 150 degrees. While keeping the temperature steady, allow the egg to sit in the hot water for 15 minutes. This will safely eradicate any bacteria that may still be lurking in the runny yolk. We tried this, and it did not affect the integrity and tastiness of the poached egg at all. So, if you've been told by a doctor to avoid poached eggs because of food-borne illness concerns, fear no more!*

*not that I think I'm better than your doctor or anything, so don't be stupid about this.

things we love: grill baskets!

Have you ever used a grill basket? Someone gave us this one as a gift a while back, and we finally used it this past weekend. It was amazing!

The Husband has a tasty and incredibly easy kebab recipe (recipe after the jump), but we don't make it as often as we should since skewering everything takes some time and I don't like touching raw meat. Yes, I am a princess. The Husband reminds me of this every day. So we decided to bust out the grill basket and see what happens.

We love the basket because all we have to do was dump all the veggies and meat into the basket, stick on the grill, and let it cook. The basket has a very long handle so The Husband didn't get burned. It was also much easier to turn the basket and get everything flipped at once instead of turning each skewer and hoping you don't lose a mushroom in the process. That being said, we still lost some stuff. Next time, we will use it for cooking larger items, like corn or fish.

Check out The Husband's super lazy kebab recipe after the jump.

food nerd book alert

I kind of love food. A lot. I am always, always up for trying new dishes and unusual foods. I am also lucky to be surrounded by some real foodies who have blown my mind with dining recommendations, ideas, and experiences (Seagrass, where The Husband proposed, and The Little Door stand out in my memory). 

My love of food and trying new things has finally helped me develop some cooking skills that were sorely lacking even a year ago. Cooking went from being a boring, frustrating process to a fascinating experience in combining flavors, textures, and marveling at the transformative properties of heat. Cooking became fun and fulfilling, and I wanted to learn more about it.

Years ago, I purchased a book for The Husband called On Food & Cooking: The Science & Lore of the Kitchen. It's basically a wonderful way to geek out about science and food simultaneously. Last night, I grabbed it off of our bookshelf and started browsing through it. The next thing I knew, it was past midnight and I was still on the couch reading...because holy crap I never even knew there was this much to say about anything, let alone food.

This book explains the scientific process behind many cooking procedures, as well the evolution and detailed explanations of various common foods. For example, his section on dairy covers the molecular makeup of cow's milk, the history of civilization drinking animal milk, the differences between raw and pasteurized milk, the implications of the industrial processes milk goes through to end up at the market....I could go on and on. Furthermore, the same section also contains helpful tips for getting perfectly foamed milk, the best way to store butter, and the history of ice cream. 

It was so fascinating to read. And I rarely even eat dairy. If you are a science nerd who loves food, or if you are married to a nerd who loves food, this book is a great little resource.

santa barbara farmers market

One of my favorite things about SB is the Farmers Market. The cost of living isn't exactly the lowest in this town, but having affordable fresh organic produce is a definite plus. My sister, who lives in a food desert, cannot even stomach the little produce she finds in her area; after growing up in CA, she knows what a carrot is supposed to look like, and the ones at her local Walmart are not cutting it.

(this is what a bunch of awesome carrots look like.)

The Husband and I generally drive or bike downtown for the Saturday market, and grab whatever we need for juicing (we're stereotypical Californians, I guess) and recipes for the week. I also almost always pick up a bouquet of flowers or a new plant. All my favorite flowers are blooming right now (ranunculus, anemones, sweet pea, poppies) so The Husband had to put the kibosh on my flower buying spree. We now have white anemones all over the house and they make me SO HAPPY.

(spring is springing)

Our favorite vendors are Tutti Frutti Farms (we asked one of our favorite late-night dining spots where they get their amazing veggies, and Tutti Frutti was the answer!) and Fairview Gardens. There are a ton of other amazing vendors selling baked goods, farm-raised meat, and cheese. 

(tutti frutti's amazing selection of greens)

One thing I have learned in choosing vendors is that not all farmers market vendors are selling organic produce. Keep an eye out for "Certified Organic" labels, certificates displayed, etc. If you aren't sure, ask!

(gorgeous haworthia. ignore my unmanicured nails. they are now bright pink. also i feel stupid and narcissistic posting a photo of myself. oh well.)

I also picked up the little guy above. A friend of mine informed me it is called a haworthia and is part of the aloe family. I just bought it because it has stripes.

quick link: meat free in australia

Next week is officially Meat-Free Week in Australia, but you don't have to be living in the southern hemisphere to participate in such a positive activity. The point of not eating meat for a week is not to convert anyone to vegetarianism, but to highlight how much meat as a society we really are eating - the short answer is, too much. It's drastically affecting our health and our environment. 

(source)

Sustainable Table has a recipe book of 21 meat-free dishes that is available for free download here. I already don't eat much meat at all, but am really excited to try some of these recipes. Zucchini patties for breakfast? Quinoa risotto for lunch? Yes please!

cabo san lucas

Thanks for all the love and support for my last post. Lots of texts, calls, and emails, all so inspiring and beautiful. The Internet can restore faith in humanity - who knew?

On a lighter note, I found some pictures from my trip to Cabo San Lucas with The Husband and some extended family in January. We've been there twice now, and one of our favorite places to eat and drink at is Hacienda Cocina y Cantina at Medano Beach. 

medano beach: everyone tries to sell you everything

seriously, this restaurant is so darn pretty

What's better than a mojito? 

i don't usually drink cocktails but holy cow this is the best mojito ever

 Answer: a GUAVA mojito!

when summer arrives, i will try to recreate this and post the recipe here

The food is also amazing. The Ensalada Hacienda is so refreshing and full of great fruits and veggies. It's not the easiest thing to find a meatless meal in Cabo. The Husband swears by the Carnitas tacos and we both fell in love with the Pollo con Mole de Puebla (chicken with mole, plantains, and rice).

the husband prefers a classic margarita. i secretly judge him for liking tequila.

easy whole wheat zucchini bread

(The Cat Who Thinks She is a Dog got busted nibbling on a piece of zucchini bread)

Ingredients:

1 regular-sized zucchini*

1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

2 tablespoons regular (granulated) sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cooking spray

(the ingredients. i failed at taking an after picture. amateur blogger indeed.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure to wait an extra 5-10 minutes after the oven indicates it is thoroughly heated. This ensures that opening the oven will not significantly lower the temperature inside. Spray a 9x3" baking pan with cooking oil. 

Thoroughly rinse the zucchini. Using the largest holes on a box grater, grate the zucchini, skin and all, and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugars, oil, eggs, and vanilla. 

In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Ensure it is fully mixed, especially the baking soda and powder. Slowly add this to the egg mixture, stirring well. Adding it slowly will help minimize lumps, but make sure to smooth any that appear out. Add the grated zucchini and mix well.

Pour mixture into the baking pan, and spread it evenly. Bake for roughly 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack or tray for 10 minutes. Return to pan or place on a plate right-side up. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.

*note: I am from California and shop at farmers' markets. The produce I get my hands on is a bit larger than what is seen in colder / more extreme climates, especially winter stuff. Adjust vegetable ingredient sizes accordingly.

quick link - my new roots

( photo from my new roots: roasted kale & beets with honey-horseradish vinaigrette)

My New Roots is one of my favorite healthy eating blogs. The author provides great recipes, as well the "science" behind why this type of food is healthy, the impact of processed foods on nutrition, etc. I am so grateful to have access to a wide variety of fresh, local, organic, and affordable produce, and My New Roots has helped me be braver with food and recipe choices, and thrilled with how tasty healthy food truly can be.