tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70391466941496915222024-03-13T07:03:32.724-07:00The Active FoodieI am an attorney by day, foodie and fitness nut for life. I fight a constant battle trying to balance my job with my passion for food and fitness. This blog offers an insight into how I attempt to balance it all. Follow me on my journey as I attempt new recipes, explore restaurants, and find new tricks to try and juggle it all!The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-54919770281806307902010-01-20T08:21:00.000-08:002010-01-20T08:24:27.799-08:00I HAVE MOVED!!!!<span style="font-weight:bold;">I have moved!! Please visit my new website at its new address <a href="http://www.activefoodie.com/">www.activefoodie.com</a><br /> <br />SEE YOU THERE!!<br /></span>The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-40743563657626746522009-09-28T17:57:00.000-07:002009-09-29T20:26:26.657-07:00"Fried" Chicken with Cauliflower Mash<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SsFxVn_4MZI/AAAAAAAAEKs/g5_kKHKAwLE/s1600-h/Baked+Fried+Chicken+%286%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SsFxVn_4MZI/AAAAAAAAEKs/g5_kKHKAwLE/s400/Baked+Fried+Chicken+%286%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386711245639922066" border="0" /></a><br />I love fried and fattening foods as much as the next person, trust me. You can fry anything and I'll be the first in line to give it a try. However, for everyday cooking, I like to try and make things a little bit lighter. <br /><br />Tonight's experiment, not-so-fried chicken. Nothing beats a great piece of fried chicken, but since I can't eat fried chicken for multiple nights, the next best option is "baked fried". It produces the same crispy texture that I love without the added fat. Just bread the boneless and skinless chicken breast with seasoned panko and...Voilà! Healthier "fried" chicken!<br /><br />And as an accompaniment? What better than mashed potatoes! Ok, just teasing, no mashed potatoes with this meal. If I am already going lighter, than I am going to go all the way. So, instead of mashed potatoes, the "lighter" alternative is cauliflower mash. While this may not sound very appealing to most people, it is actually quite tasty. The southern carnivore himself(Dave) can vouch for it! In Dave's own words "this is REALLY good! Is there any more left?"<br /><br />And for your nutritional pleasure, cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C (91.5% of the DV), folate (13.6% of the DV), and dietary fiber (13.4% of the DV). It also is a very good source of vitamin B5, vitamin B6, manganese and omega-3 fatty acids. And only 30 calories per cup! So dig in, guilt-free!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Baked Fried Chicken with Cauliflower Mash</span><br /><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/activefoodierecipes/oven-baked-fried-chicken-breasts-with-cauliflower-mash?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F">Recipe</a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Baked chicken recipe adapted from Epicurious.com)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Ingredients<br />Marinade: </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk<br />- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard<br />- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice<br />- 2 garlic cloves, pressed<br />- 1 teas. Paprika<br />- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper<br />- Salt and pepper<br />- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast<br /><br /></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Breading: </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat panko<br />- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />- 6 tablespoons flour<br />- 1 tablespoon minced thyme<br />- 2 teaspoons lemon peel<br />- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard<br />- 1 teaspoon paprika<br />- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper<br />- Salt and pepper<br />- Olive oil spray (like PAM)<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Cauliflower Mash</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />- 2 heads of cauliflower<br />- 1/4 cup buttermilk<br />- 1/4 cup low fat sour cream<br />- 1/4 cup low fat ricotta<br />- Salt and pepper</span><br /> <br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SsFzfmGmXLI/AAAAAAAAELs/lipzBeyHe0I/s1600-h/Baked+Fried+Chicken+(4).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SsFzfmGmXLI/AAAAAAAAELs/lipzBeyHe0I/s320/Baked+Fried+Chicken+(4).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386713615953190066" /></a></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SsFzfbwR1UI/AAAAAAAAELk/Sc3Y13iiY14/s1600-h/Baked+Fried+Chicken+(2).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SsFzfbwR1UI/AAAAAAAAELk/Sc3Y13iiY14/s320/Baked+Fried+Chicken+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386713613175215426" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Preparation<br />For marinade: </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />- Fillet chicken breast in half to make thinner pieces, and cut in half again to make smaller pieces.<br />- Whisk all marinade ingredients (except for the chicken) in large bowl.<br />- Add chicken and coat in marinade.<br />- Chill overnight for more intense flavor. But if you are short on time (which I usually am) it is ok to use right away as well. <br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >For breading:</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />- Preheat to 450°F</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />- Mix breading ingredients large bowl. Place wire rack on baking sheets. Remove chicken breast from bowl and place in coating mixture. Transfer to rack. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.</span><span style="font-size:85%;">- Place chicken breasts on rack and spray with olive oil .<br />- Bake chicken 20 minutes or until coating is browned and instant-read thermometer registers 155°F.<br /><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SsFzKhadFPI/AAAAAAAAELc/FgtWuEX6ExQ/s1600-h/Cauliflower+(8).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SsFzKhadFPI/AAAAAAAAELc/FgtWuEX6ExQ/s320/Cauliflower+(8).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386713253917037810" /></a></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SsFzKXUtV6I/AAAAAAAAELU/cwXJyjrXckU/s1600-h/Cauliflower.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SsFzKXUtV6I/AAAAAAAAELU/cwXJyjrXckU/s320/Cauliflower.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386713251208583074" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >For Cauliflower: </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />- Cut up cauliflower in small pieces.<br />- Place in large sauté pan with about 1 cup of water (enough to cover the bottom of pan, plus a little extra to make sure it doesn't all evaporate)<br />- Cook until tender.<br />- Combine cauliflower with buttermilk, sour cream, ricotta and salt and pepper.<br />- In batches, place in blender and puree until smooth. (if it is having a hard time blending, add either some chicken or vegetable stock, or even more buttermilk)</span><br /><br />TIP: Since I do all my cooking on Sundays, this meal has to last us a few days. To keep the chicken crispy, reheat either in the oven, or in the toaster oven and the chicken will crisp right back up!The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-77857476980111657812009-09-20T22:36:00.000-07:002009-09-22T22:13:50.474-07:00Brown Bag: Cous Cous Tofu Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrhKjO7WhxI/AAAAAAAAEKk/XnDgQTtpd5I/s1600-h/Cous+Cous+Salad+%2810%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrhKjO7WhxI/AAAAAAAAEKk/XnDgQTtpd5I/s400/Cous+Cous+Salad+%2810%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384135323684341522" border="0" /></a><br />I am always looking for new salad to bring for lunch. I walk aimlessly down the grocery store aisle trying to find inspiration and new produce to throw together and call a salad. This week I rediscovered cous cous. I had been neglecting this great base for far too long. I don't know why I don't make it more often. It comes in whole wheat, its versatile, and it cooks in no time flat! The perfect meal base if you ask me!<br /><br />In Southern California, summer has not ended. With the temperature still reaching in the 90s, I couldn't help but crave a nice, cool, fresh salad. My walk down the aisle this week yielded me some bell peppers, cucumber and tofu. And to dress this fine, fresh salad? A creamy herb dressing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrcUhSRkCII/AAAAAAAAEKc/3quRCVhl3rg/s1600-h/Cous+cous+salad+tofu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrcUhSRkCII/AAAAAAAAEKc/3quRCVhl3rg/s320/Cous+cous+salad+tofu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383794441618458754" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cous Cous Tofu Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing</span><br /><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/activefoodierecipes/cous-cous-tofu-salad-with-creamy-herb-dressing?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F">Recipe</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >SALAD</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />• 1 cup whole wheat cous cous<br />• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock<br />• 1 teas. salt<br />• 1 red bell pepper<br />• 1 cucumber<br />• 1 package firm tofu<br />• 1/2 cup currants<br />• 1/2 cup chopped pecans<br />• 4 green onions<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >DRESSING</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt<br />• 1 garlic clove<br />• 2 tbls. lemon juice<br />• 1 tbls. white wine vinegar<br />• few sprigs of chopped dill<br />• few tbls. chopped basil leaves<br />• salt and pepper</span><br /> <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DIRECTIONS</span><br />• Bring chicken stock and salt to a boil. Add cous cous. Remove from heat, over and let stand 5 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Let cool.<br />• In a large bowl add chopped bell pepper, cucumber, tofu, currants, pecans, green onions and cous cous.<br />• For dressing, combine yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar, dill and basil. Grate garlic with a microplane into the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.<br /><br />And yes, I really do bring 3-4 days worth of these lunches to work. I keep them stored in my fridge, and snack away all day! It beats any lunch I can find in walking distance of the office!<br /><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrcTyMVmnBI/AAAAAAAAEKM/4wzyruNTpYU/s1600-h/Cous+Cous+Salad+%2821%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrcTyMVmnBI/AAAAAAAAEKM/4wzyruNTpYU/s320/Cous+Cous+Salad+%2821%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383793632570940434" border="0" /></a></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrcT6IEV_JI/AAAAAAAAEKU/7fVCBZWvwMk/s1600-h/Cous+Cous+Salad+%2831%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrcT6IEV_JI/AAAAAAAAEKU/7fVCBZWvwMk/s320/Cous+Cous+Salad+%2831%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383793768863759506" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />FYI: Cous Cous is not a grain *ahem, Tiege* its a form of pasta. But it comes in whole wheat, so you may still enjoy even though it's not technically a grain.The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-75534366519927321162009-09-18T20:22:00.000-07:002009-09-18T23:09:22.280-07:00Vegan Dinner at the Breadbar with Kim Barnouin of SkinnyBitchMy girlfriends had been talking about it, I had heard whisperings about it here and there, and it had reached #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List. What is this you ask? Well SkinnyBitch of course! Well, not quite of course. I'll be honest, with the little free time that I do have, I have very little time to read, and when I do decide to pick up a novel here and there, it is not a diet/nutrition book (however, recently I have taken to historical fiction).<br /><br />Because of BreadBar's immense success with Ludo Bites, I decided to check out their calendar for any interesting upcoming events. I saw that Kim Barnouin was hosting a SkinnyBitch dinner. That evening I mentioned the dinner to my friend Erin and she jumped on the opportunity to go. I still had not read the book myself. Then, days before the event I decided that, in the off chance that I got the opportunity to speak to Kim Barnouin herself, I probably should read the book. So Sunday night I cuddled up on the couch and learned everything I needed to know about the "crap" we put in our bodies. The book was actually very good, a quick and easy read and full of interesting little tidbits on how to live a healthier life. No crazy diet plans, just information that is simply based on common sense. I was officially ready to be a SkinnyBitch. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrRVuZiurJI/AAAAAAAAEEk/NRXamUeHMfg/s1600-h/Skinny+Bitch+(2).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrRVuZiurJI/AAAAAAAAEEk/NRXamUeHMfg/s320/Skinny+Bitch+(2).JPG"border="0"alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383021710233480338" /></a><br />The dinner this evening was a 7 course vegan feast, specially approved by the SkinnyBitch herself, and prepared by Chef Nori. The meal began with a watermelon gazpacho with tapioca pearls. When this came out it looked like a fabulous pink champagne cocktail. Now that's the way to start an evening! Unfortunately, we took our first sip and it tasted like tomato soup - not champagne -- darn! After getting over the disappointment of our first course not being champagne, the gazpacho itself was actually quite good. It was refreshing, flavorful and nicely complimented by the texture of the tapioca pearls.<br /><br />The meal itself consisted of broccolini bruchette with kimchi; eggplant caviar; ginger and scallion marinated tofu with seaweed salad and white sesame vinaigrette; kobucha squash soup with asian pear, fried chickpea and thai basil pesto and red curry with quinoa and soy tzatziki. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrR1fg9WzzI/AAAAAAAAEG0/v6RPLVo9nLY/s1600-h/skinny+bitch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrR1fg9WzzI/AAAAAAAAEG0/v6RPLVo9nLY/s400/skinny+bitch.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383056638898261810" /></a><br />Every element of the meal was so unique and full of flavor. My favorite was the tofu with the seaweed salad. The tofu was fried and had a great crunchy outside with a soft silky center and was complimented with the salty seaweed salad and the creamy and nutty seasame vinaigrette. To top it all off, the entire meal was incredibly filling, and we still had dessert!<br /><br />For dessert we were served a warm mole chocolate risotto and avocado chocolate mousse. The avocado chocolate mousse was amazing. There was no hint of avocado, just purely decadent and creamy chocolate goodness. I could have eaten a whole bowl of that mousse!<br /><br />Overall the meal was a complete success. I was amazed at how flavorful, diverse and filling a vegan meal could be. After reading the book, and experiencing such a great meal, I decided to try and incorporate some of what I had learned into my everyday life. An overall "cleaner" lifestyle. No more refined sugar, *less* coffee, more organic foods, less meat, and I have to be able to read all the ingredients on the foods that I buy. That is all that i'm committing to now, baby steps. <br /><br />Oh yes, and Kim did sent us each off with a to-go package of homemade vegan chocolate chip cookies, recipe included! They made the perfect post lunch dessert at work the following day! Thank you Kim!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Breadbar - Century City</span><br />10250 Santa Monica Boulevard<br />Los Angeles, CA 90067<br />310 277 3770The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-89982379333483660272009-09-12T11:41:00.000-07:002009-09-13T20:05:50.372-07:00Southwestern Vegan Breakfast Scramble<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sqv044FQwiI/AAAAAAAAD7Y/1KT_XBPZfMw/s1600-h/Southwester+Vegan+Breakfast+Scramble+(7).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sqv044FQwiI/AAAAAAAAD7Y/1KT_XBPZfMw/s400/Southwester+Vegan+Breakfast+Scramble+(7).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380663437788496418" /></a><br />Thursday night I attended a special 7 course vegan dinner at the Breadbar Century City hosted by Kim Barnouin of The Skinny Bitch series. It was a great dinner with great vegan food. I was inspired to try my hand at a few vegan recipes of my own. <br /><br />So how did this recipe come about you ask? Or as Dave asked, "who did you get this from?" Actually, I was wandering aimlessly around Whole Foods (a normal occurrence for me) thinking about what in the world vegans eat for breakfast besides fresh fruit. I looked in the tofu section and I found some breakfast sausage, but what do you eat that with if you can't have eggs? So I wandered around some more, and then it came to me. I would try to put together some kind of vegan breakfast scramble. Now, hurdle one, what in the world do I use for eggs? Hmmm...I went to the egg section and, to my chagrin, no faux eggs (I guess they would have been too easy). Then, I had my epiphany, of course, i'll crush up some tofu! And then...it all came together.<br /><br />Saturday morning I broke the news to Dave that I was attempting a vegan breakfast, and as I brought out the ingredients he started with the vegan interrogation. "What is tofu? What is vegan cheese made of? What are those vegan sausages made of?" ... I started to get second guess my attempt at a truly vegan breakfast. As I was crushing up the tofu he was watching me with a skeptical eye. I mean, I was forcing this vegan entree down the mouth of a true southern man, I started to get nervous. How was I supposed to know how this tofu concoction was going to turn out? Well, it was done, it was plated, he took his first bite, and his response.... "I would never know this wasn't eggs!" SUCCESS!!!!<br /><br />Here it what I came up with.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Southwestern Vegan Breakfast Scramble</span><br /><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/activefoodierecipes/southwestern-vegan-breakfast-scramble?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F">Print Recipe</a><br /><br />Serves 5<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">INGREDIENTS</span><br />• 1 white onion<br />• 1/2 cup frozen organic sweet corn<br />• 3 pieces Organic Vegan Breakfast Sausage<br />• 1/2 cup Hash Browns (organic if you can find it)<br />• 1/4 jalapeno<br />• 1 package medium firm tofu<br />• Organic Salsa<br />• Vegan Cheddar Cheese (I used Follow Your Heart, Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alternative - Cheddar) <br />• salt and pepper and any other seasoning you have to make it taste yummy<br /><br />Serve with some whole wheat toast and fresh fruit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sqv2TZjYOKI/AAAAAAAAD8I/at6YcCksLGE/s1600-h/Southwester+Vegan+Breakfast+Scramble+(4).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sqv2TZjYOKI/AAAAAAAAD8I/at6YcCksLGE/s320/Southwester+Vegan+Breakfast+Scramble+(4).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380664992961411234" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DIRECTIONS</span><br />• Dice onion and saute for a couple minutes until soft.<br />• Add corn, sausage, hash browns and jalapeno to the onions and saute until warmed through.<br />• Light crumble tofu with your hands and add to the mixture.<br />• Season the heck out of the mixture. I used salt, pepper, sweet paprika, chili seasoning and a touch of sucanat (natural brown sugar).<br />• Cook until everything is warmed though.<br />• Plate the mixture and top with some shredded vegan cheddar cheese and some organic salsa.<br /><br />(P.S. - I love that this recipe comes right after my review of Animal!! Hey, everything in moderation...including moderation!)The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-79903038754393925192009-09-11T18:42:00.000-07:002009-09-18T22:37:15.755-07:00Bistro LQIn July 2009, Chef Laurent Quenioux opened up Bistro LQ, serving up his French Nouvelle California cuisine with a Farmer's Market driven kitchen. To be honest, I can't say that I am especially well versed in French Cuisine. During my trip to France I think I visited more patisseries than fine dining establishments. Its true, I have one heck of a sweet tooth! So I was pretty excited to try out Bistro LQ with fellow food bloggers and foodie-extraordinaires <a href="http://pepsimonster.blogspot.com/">PepsiMonster,</a> <a href="http://laist.com/">samkimsamkim,</a> <a href="http://la-oc-foodie.blogspot.com/">LAOCfoodie,</a> <a href="http://choisauce.wordpress.com/">olivejina</a> and <a href="http://www.estarla.com/">estarla</a>.<br /><br />The dining room itself is modern and simple, yet exquisitely elegant. And the waiters, while dressed in their standard black uniforms, spice it up just enough with their bright red converse, adding a little flare and personality to the otherwise clean and classic dining room. <br /><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBcpY1u72I/AAAAAAAAECk/i6WjbUB2O3Y/s1600-h/Bistro+LQ+(2).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBcpY1u72I/AAAAAAAAECk/i6WjbUB2O3Y/s320/Bistro+LQ+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381903420819959650" /></a></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBcqEtPMOI/AAAAAAAAECs/aODlqYJw6mY/s1600-h/Bistro+LQ+(84).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBcqEtPMOI/AAAAAAAAECs/aODlqYJw6mY/s320/Bistro+LQ+(84).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381903432595484898" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Chef Quenioux offers both a 6 and a 9 course tasting menu (the 9 requires the participation of the whole table). There was a little debate at first, but thankfully we decided to go with the 6 course. That was a good decision seeing as though our 6 courses magically turned into 12 with the various amuse bouche, intermezzos, cheese and desserts. Had we decided to dive in actually go with the 9 course menu, we definitely would have been there long enough to see the sun rise!<br /><br /><TABLE><TR><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBwl6YrBNI/AAAAAAAAED0/6qotRUTkslI/s1600-h/Bistro+LQ+(47).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBwl6YrBNI/AAAAAAAAED0/6qotRUTkslI/s320/Bistro+LQ+(47).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381925351337952466" /></a></TD><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBvoJEQGjI/AAAAAAAAEDM/5-gFCrXN-uE/s1600-h/Bistro+LQ+(78).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBvoJEQGjI/AAAAAAAAEDM/5-gFCrXN-uE/s320/Bistro+LQ+(78).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381924290126944818" /></a></TD></TR><TR><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBvcA9ogCI/AAAAAAAAEC8/GyI1sF5jW9w/s1600-h/Bistro+LQ+(72).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBvcA9ogCI/AAAAAAAAEC8/GyI1sF5jW9w/s320/Bistro+LQ+(72).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381924081793269794" /></a></TD><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBvohxUb6I/AAAAAAAAEDU/uHToxd-povw/s1600-h/Bistro+LQ+(57).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrBvohxUb6I/AAAAAAAAEDU/uHToxd-povw/s320/Bistro+LQ+(57).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381924296758423458" /></a></TD></TR></TABLE><br />My two favorite dishes, hands down, were the lobster tapioca with uni and the touchon-style foie gras. The <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lobster tapioca with uni</span> (sea urchin) was simply heavenly. The creamy and slightly spicy tapioca topped with the fresh uni was phenomenal. I savored the flavors of each tiny bite hoping that they would linger in my mouth forever. The <span style="font-weight:bold;">Phillo filled with oxtail jam, and topped with Torchon-style foie gras, frisee and pistachio oil </span>left me speechless. The oxtail jam stuffed phillo was rich and savory, and the foie gras was cool and creamy. The perfect compliments to each other creating one absolutely extraordinary dish. I still have dreams about this dish...<br /><br />Some other dishes included Cuttlefish with chanterelles and quinoa served with a smoked egg; Smoked eel served on top of seared foie gras and topped with caramelized apple; Veal cheeks, corn sorbet, pea shoots, pea guacamole and pea gazpacho; Smoked salmon with a fried squash blossom and cucumber sorbet and Squab with duck hearts, duck gizzard pastilla with pistachios, rhubarb and ras el hanout jus. <br /><br />Overall, the entrees were very good. A few of the dishes involved smoking, and the smoky flavor was a bit overwhelming and for me and took away from the otherwise fresh and rich flavors. <br /><br />But now, it was time for everybody's most anticipated course....THE CHEESE!!<br /><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3M39Oy13I/AAAAAAAAEA4/Cflc0QtnS4c/s1600-h/Bistro+LQ+(25).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3M39Oy13I/AAAAAAAAEA4/Cflc0QtnS4c/s320/Bistro+LQ+(25).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381182391479097202" /></a></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3M4rbqpvI/AAAAAAAAEBI/t5VmN-DRr0I/s1600-h/Bistro+LQ+(41).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3M4rbqpvI/AAAAAAAAEBI/t5VmN-DRr0I/s320/Bistro+LQ+(41).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381182403881117426" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The cheese cart as Bistro LQ is no laughing matter. It is a cheese cart to rival cheese carts in Los Angeles. From creamy, to pungent, to firm and to fresh. There was a cheese for every craving. In addition to the amazing array of cheeses, Bisto LQ offers an assortment of breads, truffle honey (oh yes, I said truffle honey!), and various jellies and condiments to accompany your cheese selections. <br /><br /><TABLE><TR><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3Ofj6dxAI/AAAAAAAAEBQ/i-LInu6XJcM/s1600-h/Bistro+LQ+(20).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3Ofj6dxAI/AAAAAAAAEBQ/i-LInu6XJcM/s320/Bistro+LQ+(20).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381184171389338626" /></a></TD><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3OgJbcjCI/AAAAAAAAEBY/CgdiwA_yC-Y/s1600-h/Bistro+LQ+(8).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3OgJbcjCI/AAAAAAAAEBY/CgdiwA_yC-Y/s320/Bistro+LQ+(8).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381184181459782690" /></a></TD></TR><TR><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3Ogykd6QI/AAAAAAAAEBo/GvADevvvbV0/s1600-h/Bistro+LQ+(15).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3Ogykd6QI/AAAAAAAAEBo/GvADevvvbV0/s320/Bistro+LQ+(15).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381184192503474434" /></a></TD><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3OhCFIjHI/AAAAAAAAEBw/gWFqBBzf1rs/s1600-h/IMG_2958.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3OhCFIjHI/AAAAAAAAEBw/gWFqBBzf1rs/s320/IMG_2958.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381184196667018354" /></a></TD></TR></TABLE><br />Finally, to top off our fabulous meal we ended with tea and dessert. I was so excited when the waiter brought out my tea, and along with it he brought two beautiful flavored sugars - coconut sugar and marshmallow sugar. Maybe it is the girl in me, or the child in me, but I loved the novelty of the bright blue marshmallow sugar. Not only did it look beautiful, and smell great, it made the tea taste exquisite.<br /><br />The desserts, on the other hand, were not the standouts of the meal. They were beautifully plated, however most of them were fruit based, and I tend to stay away from the "healthy" desserts. <br /><br />Verdict: There were some dishes (including the lobster tapioca with uni and the touchon-style foie gras) that I will continue to dream about and that I will wait in anticipation to try again, and there were also some misses. But overall, it was an experience that I would not pass up. Laurent Quenioux put together an exquisite array of dishes that are more than worthy of sampling.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Bistro LQ</span><br />8009 Beverly Blvd<br />Los Angeles, CA 90048-4503<br />(323) 951-1088The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-17620447318161868232009-09-04T21:37:00.000-07:002009-09-21T20:58:00.465-07:00Animal RestaurantIn 2008 Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo opened Animal restaurant in Los Angeles. Since then John and Vinny have become the talk of the town amongst Los Angeles foodies, have won Food & Wine Best New Chefs of 2009 award, and received a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant. Quite a year for the duo. <br /><br />The menu at Animal is based upon...yes, you guessed it - MEAT! More specifically rustic, comforting meat dishes - like their famous poutine (a dish from Canada - french fries topped with oxtail gravy and melted cheddar). The menu is not for the health conscious. Animal is truly for the carnivorous.<br /><br />Dave and I decided to finally pay this animal a visit. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">ROUND 1: Amberjack and Grilled Squid</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3Rs8AHZgI/AAAAAAAAECA/u5EPsmLwSg4/s1600-h/Animal.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sq3Rs8AHZgI/AAAAAAAAECA/u5EPsmLwSg4/s400/Animal.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381187699728672258" /></a><br />The amberjack was served with fresh, sweet and juicy peaches, a touch of citrus and chili, and topped with micro greens and mint. The dish was clean, fresh and sweet with the perfect hint of acidity. This is one of my favorite dishes just because of the simpleness of the ingredients and the burst of flavor. <br /><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqH1DJFtc5I/AAAAAAAAD58/ZEjufxPP7ac/s1600-h/Animal+(7).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqH1DJFtc5I/AAAAAAAAD58/ZEjufxPP7ac/s320/Animal+(7).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377848864385364882" /></a></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqHyRnshwUI/AAAAAAAAD50/ZoYsdjxjbzE/s1600-h/Animaljavascript:void(0)+(8).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqHyRnshwUI/AAAAAAAAD50/ZoYsdjxjbzE/s320/Animal+(8).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377845814584525122" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <br />The grilled squid was Dave's choice (over my preference for the foie gras, but we all have to make concessions sometimes :) ) Luckily, the grilled squid was fantastic. The squid was cooked to perfection, not too gummy, and perfectly tender, and alongside the diced potatoes, corn, chorizo and a tangy chimichurri, the dish was the perfect melding of flavors and textures.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">ROUND 2: PETIT BASQUE</span><br /><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqH2NdjeppI/AAAAAAAAD6M/vZf9SToAynQ/s1600-h/Animal+(5).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqH2NdjeppI/AAAAAAAAD6M/vZf9SToAynQ/s320/Animal+(5).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377850141189252754" /></a></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqH2cpp0HFI/AAAAAAAAD6U/tx_7k4V58Do/s1600-h/Animal+(6).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqH2cpp0HFI/AAAAAAAAD6U/tx_7k4V58Do/s320/Animal+(6).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377850402135088210" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />This was heaven in a bowl. Petit basque is a sheep's milk cheese produced in the Pyrenees Mountains. This petit basque was served melted atop a layer of sauteed leeks, onions and chorizo, and served with grilled garlic bread. I know, irresistible, and it was. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">ROUND 3: BBQ Pork & Sweetbreads</span><br /><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqHxPQiKL1I/AAAAAAAAD5k/DK0iq5pTt6g/s1600-h/Animal+(9).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 193px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqHxPQiKL1I/AAAAAAAAD5k/DK0iq5pTt6g/s320/Animal+(9).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377844674495655762" /></a></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqH1evj5G9I/AAAAAAAAD6E/5T44lj8FPsw/s1600-h/Animal+(10).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqH1evj5G9I/AAAAAAAAD6E/5T44lj8FPsw/s320/Animal+(10).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377849338568973266" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />We were having a tough deciding between the BBQ pork belly or the pork belly with kimchi, so on the waiter's recommendation we went with the BBQ. This was one fun dish. A piece of pork belly, slathered with BBQ sauce, topped with coleslaw, and inserted between the most perfect buttery kaiser roll. This recipe is going definitely going in the vault for our next college football Saturday menu! <br /><br />Our final dish, the sweetbreads (in case you don't know, sweetbreads are the thymus and pancreas of the calf or lamb). The sweetbreads were served with creamed spinach, capers, hen of the woods (mushrooms). Over all, this was probably our least favorite dish. The flavors and overall taste were not quite as impressive as the previous dishes. If I were to do it over again, I would not have ended on this dish. Oh well! <br /><br />Unfortunately, there was no room for dessert at this dinner. We had a box full of Susie Cakes waiting for us at home, so we had to take a rain check this time.<br /><br />Overall, we were very happy with our meal. I would highly recommend the amberjack, grilled squid and petite basque. And next time around I will definitely be ordering the foie gras biscuit and bacon chocolate crunch bar! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqIHGbtFw4I/AAAAAAAAD7M/2KsxkACWKsI/s1600-h/Animal+(3).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SqIHGbtFw4I/AAAAAAAAD7M/2KsxkACWKsI/s400/Animal+(3).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377868712131281794" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Animal Restaurant</span><br />435 N Fairfax Ave<br />Los Angeles, CA 90048<br />(323) 782-9225The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-85218075308479150352009-08-31T21:30:00.001-07:002009-09-20T00:45:09.939-07:00Brown Bag: Mango Quinoa Salad with Shrimp<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpyjspiJpUI/AAAAAAAAD4s/s7dDGJ9Yg3M/s1600-h/Mango+Quinoa+(24).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpyjspiJpUI/AAAAAAAAD4s/s7dDGJ9Yg3M/s400/Mango+Quinoa+(24).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376352042632193346" /></a><br />I do all of my cooking on Sundays because once the week starts, there is just no time. So what I look for in lunch recipes is something that is easy, filling, healthy, and something that will keep well for a few days at work in the fridge. This way I can take the whole thing to work on Monday and have a few days worth of lunches there ready to go. <br /><br />This week, my brown bag lunch was a mango quinoa salad with shrimp. I had seen red quinoa before, but I had never cooked with it. I wanted to switch things up a bit from the usual brown quinoa, so I purchased the red. They say quinoa is the perfect grain, and mixed with mangoes, bell peppers, jicima, red onion and cilantro, how could that array of bright and vibrant colors NOT be good for you?!! Plus, with the sweetness from the mangoes, the crunch from the jicima, red onion and bell pepper, the acidity from lime and vinegar, and the heat from the jalapeno - this salad satisfies from every end!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">MANGO QUINOA SALAD WITH SHRIMP</span><br /><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/activefoodierecipes/mango-quinoa-salad?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F">Recipe</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Quinoa</span><br />• 1 c red quinoa<br />• Slightly less than 2 cups of either vegetable stock or water<br />• 1 tbs lime juice<br />• 2 tbs mango nectar<br />• 1 tbs butter<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Salad</span><br />• 1 red onion<br />• 1 small jicama <br />• 2 mangoes<br />• 1 red bell pepper<br />• 1 jalapeno<br />• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Dressing</span> <br />• 1/4 cup mango nectar <br />• 1/4 cup rice vinegar<br />• 2 tbs olive oil<br />• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger<br />• Salt<br />• 2 teaspoon red chili paste<br />• 2 limes, juiced<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Shrimp</span><br />• 1 lb shrimp<br />• 2 garlic cloves<br />• Red pepper flakes<br />• Salt and pepper<br /><TABLE><TR><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXcOIDP0pI/AAAAAAAAEH8/UAv1eUOem54/s1600-h/Mango+Quinoa.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXcOIDP0pI/AAAAAAAAEH8/UAv1eUOem54/s320/Mango+Quinoa.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383451064828678802" /></a></TD><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXcOvVJ4NI/AAAAAAAAEIE/6rMdk4ZEoxk/s1600-h/Mango+Quinoa+(10).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXcOvVJ4NI/AAAAAAAAEIE/6rMdk4ZEoxk/s320/Mango+Quinoa+(10).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383451075372769490" /></a></TD><br /></TR><TR><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXcO3f4QnI/AAAAAAAAEIM/narXRM5nbCk/s1600-h/Mango+Quinoa+(13).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXcO3f4QnI/AAAAAAAAEIM/narXRM5nbCk/s320/Mango+Quinoa+(13).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383451077565235826" /></a></TD><br /><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXcPphXTuI/AAAAAAAAEIU/VnZSX3oUXsY/s1600-h/Mango+Quinoa+(19).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXcPphXTuI/AAAAAAAAEIU/VnZSX3oUXsY/s320/Mango+Quinoa+(19).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383451090993237730" /></a></TD></TR></TABLE><br />1. Rinse quinoa and add to small saucepan with 1 tbs butter and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until it crackles and becomes aromatic, 4 to 6 minutes. Add stock, lime juice and mango nectar and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.<br /><br />2. Dice onion, jicama, mangoes, bell pepper and jalapeno. Put in large bowl and add cilantro.<br /><br />3. Meanwhile sauté shrimp with garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper. Cook until light pink and no longer translucent.<br /><br />4. Whisk mango nectar, vinegar, oil, ginger, salt and chili in a medium bowl. Add vegetables, cooked quinoa and shrimp. Toss, serve and enjoy!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">** VEGAN NOTE:</span> In homage to my vegan adventure to Cru last week - this recipe can be made Vegan if you omit the shrimp and butter! Look at that! I made a vegan recipe!The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-30741861482269453862009-08-30T19:43:00.000-07:002009-09-20T01:00:16.070-07:00Brentwood Farmer's Market - From Fresh to Finish!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SptC7cJjhLI/AAAAAAAAD3M/IYcO_b3QMrM/s1600-h/BWood+Farmers+Market+(16).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 217px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SptC7cJjhLI/AAAAAAAAD3M/IYcO_b3QMrM/s400/BWood+Farmers+Market+(16).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375964169132803250" /></a><br />Part of the appeal of living in Brentwood is being able to wake up on Sunday morning a take a leisurely walk down to the Brentwood Farmer's Market. The market is always buzzing with fellow Brentwoodians, strolling the street for fresh produce, street food, trinkets, baked goods or the like. However, I have to admit, I feel as though in recent weeks the number of non-produce vendors is slowly approaching the number of produce vendors. And as much as I enjoy seeing what everybody has to offer, the main reason I come is for the fresh produce, and seeing the quantity start to diminish is very disappointing.<br /><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXfv59pSRI/AAAAAAAAEIc/EKRvkjMpDKM/s1600-h/BWood+(2).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXfv59pSRI/AAAAAAAAEIc/EKRvkjMpDKM/s320/BWood+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383454943697520914" /></a></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXfwWIbZxI/AAAAAAAAEIk/d_BK-zcvEPE/s1600-h/BWood+Farmers+Market+(3).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXfwWIbZxI/AAAAAAAAEIk/d_BK-zcvEPE/s320/BWood+Farmers+Market+(3).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383454951258941202" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I come for the fresh, colorful and organic produce (and for the experience of outdoor shopping.) Part of the fun of shopping at the farmer's market is going and seeing what is in season, what is fresh, and just what catches your eye. Then you get to bring home all of your new found goodies and compile an impromptu meal made of Southern California's freshest and finest ingredients.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sps8uFPyMiI/AAAAAAAAD2U/ln3HW6UqGHI/s1600-h/BWood+Farmers+Market+(4).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sps8uFPyMiI/AAAAAAAAD2U/ln3HW6UqGHI/s400/BWood+Farmers+Market+(4).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375957342576849442" /></a><br />What caught my eye this week? Well, the heirloom tomatoes have been looking absolutely beautiful lately - the sheer array of colors are stunning, and the multicolored bell peppers caught my eye as well - how can you turn away from a purple and yellow dual colored bell pepper?! I sure can't!!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SptDuEFKpYI/AAAAAAAAD3c/0lieERPukOo/s1600-h/BWood+Farmers+Market+(14).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SptDuEFKpYI/AAAAAAAAD3c/0lieERPukOo/s200/BWood+Farmers+Market+(14).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375965038845273474" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SptDdjlVtiI/AAAAAAAAD3U/sGZK24OZNOM/s1600-h/BWood+Farmers+Market+(11).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SptDdjlVtiI/AAAAAAAAD3U/sGZK24OZNOM/s200/BWood+Farmers+Market+(11).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375964755243939362" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SptEeIV9oII/AAAAAAAAD3s/VSECNK7SXGo/s1600-h/BWood+Farmers+Market+(20).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 128px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SptEeIV9oII/AAAAAAAAD3s/VSECNK7SXGo/s200/BWood+Farmers+Market+(20).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375965864623186050" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />After my foray to the market this week, I came home and assembled a simple heirloom tomato salad, pico de gallo, quinoa mango salad (<a href="http://theactivefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/08/brown-bag-mango-quinoa-salad-with.html">recipe</a>), and mango frozen yogurt. Simple recipes that really let the produce shine. <br /><br /><TABLE><TR><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXgq8poQfI/AAAAAAAAEI8/uq4IERWqAmY/s1600-h/Pico+De+Gallo+(6).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXgq8poQfI/AAAAAAAAEI8/uq4IERWqAmY/s320/Pico+De+Gallo+(6).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383455958031155698" /></a></TD><br /><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXgqYWU3sI/AAAAAAAAEI0/sMdZYWTGHCQ/s1600-h/Heirloom+Tomatoes+(4).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXgqYWU3sI/AAAAAAAAEI0/sMdZYWTGHCQ/s320/Heirloom+Tomatoes+(4).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383455948286516930" /></a></TD></TR><TR><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXgrLuGWII/AAAAAAAAEJE/UNlXkY5JfYU/s1600-h/Mango+Quinoa+(24).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXgrLuGWII/AAAAAAAAEJE/UNlXkY5JfYU/s320/Mango+Quinoa+(24).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383455962076436610" /></a></TD><TD><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXgp4gkHiI/AAAAAAAAEIs/mE2SL8qwd0I/s1600-h/Mango+Frozen+Yogurt+(8).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 207px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXgp4gkHiI/AAAAAAAAEIs/mE2SL8qwd0I/s320/Mango+Frozen+Yogurt+(8).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383455939739524642" /></a></TD></TR></TABLE><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">And that's how you take fresh produce to the finish!</span><br /><br />(Disclaimer: the mangoes were not purchased at the Farmer's Market, but the majority of the other ingredients were - I was just in the mood for some sweet and juicy mangoes yesterday!)The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-11843278077374324952009-08-29T13:59:00.000-07:002009-09-04T21:34:04.999-07:00Vegan or Not...Here I Come!!! Cru in SilverlakeI had the pleasure of dining with <a href="http://la-oc-foodie.blogspot.com/">LA OC Foodie</a>, <a href="http://laist.com/">Sam Kim</a>, <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/christina-wong/7/862/19">ToastyMuffin</a>, <a href="http://www.estarla.com/">estarla</a> and <a href="http://www.laist.com/">SquashBlossom</a> Friday night at <a href="http://www.crusilverlake.com/">Cru</a>, a vegan/raw restaurant in Silver Lake. This was my first intentional vegan meal, and I was pretty excited. What can I say, new adventures excite me!!<br /><br />So Cru it was. The menu was intriguing. . .pizza, pasta, pad thai, chocolate cake….HUH? I thought this was RAW VEGAN. Then the obvious next question was – what exactly do they <span style="font-style:italic;">consider </span>“pasta” and “pizza”. Well, we were about to find out. . .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmgUozbNNI/AAAAAAAADyU/piUS2aNmqdk/s1600-h/Cru+Vegan+(2).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmgUozbNNI/AAAAAAAADyU/piUS2aNmqdk/s320/Cru+Vegan+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375503906654336210" /></a><br /><br />First things first, a beverage on this sweltering day. The choice was easy for me, ginger lime aid please! And it was just what the doctor ordered, tangy, just a touch of sugar, and tiny pieces of ginger. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Spmji4VSL9I/AAAAAAAADys/AxVFOCLBdYk/s1600-h/Cru+Vegan.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Spmji4VSL9I/AAAAAAAADys/AxVFOCLBdYk/s400/Cru+Vegan.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375507449875935186" /></a><br /><br />Next we ordered the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mezze Platter </span>- This consisted of Tunisian beet and apple salad, cucumber tzatziki salad, marinated garlicky kale, fig paté, cashew cheese and flax/pumpkin crackers. The kale was tasty. It had a nice garlic essence, but it the end it was just raw kale, basically just dressed lettuce. The cashew cheese with the flax crackers was very good as well (for pseudo-cheese). Having been seriously disappointed by soy cheese in the past, I am still perplexed as to how they made vegan cheese so tasty. This cheese actually inspired me to later order the ravioli as an entree. With tzatziki being one of my absolute favorite sauces, the cucumber txatziki salad just didn't meet my high expectations (not enough garlic or white pepper in my opinion). The fig paté tasted like dessert, a fig newton minus the cookie, it would have been very good with some goat cheese (oh yeah, we're at a vegan restaurant, shoot!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmjLgg6yEI/AAAAAAAADyk/bi16jrOHmoY/s1600-h/Cru+Vegan+(3).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmjLgg6yEI/AAAAAAAADyk/bi16jrOHmoY/s400/Cru+Vegan+(3).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375507048345290818" /></a><br /><br />The next appetizer we had was the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Dream Roll</span> - kim chee, avocado, shiitake mushrooms, jicama rice and hijiki in a collard leaf served with tamari dipping sauce. The roll had a nice texture, fresh and crunchy. The tangy and sweet tamari dipping sauce was a nice accompaniment to all the fresh veggies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Spmv2T6TqoI/AAAAAAAAD1U/U-t3dRIR5_0/s1600-h/Cru+Vegan+(4).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Spmv2T6TqoI/AAAAAAAAD1U/U-t3dRIR5_0/s320/Cru+Vegan+(4).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375520977836026498" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmwI8O-FhI/AAAAAAAAD1c/8rwS9nsBXCo/s1600-h/Cru+Vegan+(6).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmwI8O-FhI/AAAAAAAAD1c/8rwS9nsBXCo/s320/Cru+Vegan+(6).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375521297897756178" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmxP480xxI/AAAAAAAAD1s/PG7slnfTPCo/s1600-h/Cru+Vegan+(5).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmxP480xxI/AAAAAAAAD1s/PG7slnfTPCo/s320/Cru+Vegan+(5).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375522516787054354" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmxVfR5HII/AAAAAAAAD10/M_3Y-bnKW08/s1600-h/Cru+Vegan+(7).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmxVfR5HII/AAAAAAAAD10/M_3Y-bnKW08/s320/Cru+Vegan+(7).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375522612975312002" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />On to the main course. I went with the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Shiitake Mushroom Ravioli</span> - this consisted of seven cashew cheese in a thinly sliced vegetable wrapper (maybe jicima or celery root?) in a sweet miso cream sauce topped with marinated shiitake mushrooms. The dish was average. There was a little too much cashew cheese for my taste, I felt like I was just taking big spoonfuls of cashew cheese - which had the benefit of filling me up, but the side-effect of a sever overdose of psuedo-cheese. Some of the other dishes that were ordered included <span style="font-weight:bold;">Pad Thai </span>made with kelp noodles, shredded cabbage, cucumbers, radishes, and sprouts in a chili almond sauce; <span style="font-weight:bold;">Vegetable Linguine</span> (carrot and zucchini noodles) in a Pepper Cream Sauce; the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mushroom Quinoa Risotto </span> with shiitake mushrooms and spinach with a fig reduction; and the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Sweet Pesto Wrap</span>, made with pesto, cashew cheese, cucumber, cabbage, sweet onions and sprouts. <br /><br />All the entrees were very flavorful and most of all, intriguing. My favorite raw entree was the Pad Thai, simply because of the texture of the kelp noodles, and the overall composition of the dish. The best dish overall in terms of flavor was the quinoa risotto. I make quinoa on a fairly regular basis (as a salad, it makes a great boxed lunch for work), and this quinoa was perfectly cooked and just bursting with flavor. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Spmu2bRNL8I/AAAAAAAAD08/JOvObAPdaAY/s1600-h/Cru+Vegan+(11).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 145px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Spmu2bRNL8I/AAAAAAAAD08/JOvObAPdaAY/s200/Cru+Vegan+(11).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375519880299491266" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmvFm_j7sI/AAAAAAAAD1E/lxtX-XYPCgI/s1600-h/Cru+Vegan+(8).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 146px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmvFm_j7sI/AAAAAAAAD1E/lxtX-XYPCgI/s200/Cru+Vegan+(8).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375520141144747714" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmvQkp1M3I/AAAAAAAAD1M/dRpuke2RdxU/s1600-h/Cru+Vegan+(10).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 148px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpmvQkp1M3I/AAAAAAAAD1M/dRpuke2RdxU/s200/Cru+Vegan+(10).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375520329495294834" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />On to my favorite part of the night -- dessert! We decided to go with the chocolate truffle cake, the mint ganache cake and the lime cheesecake. All raw vegan desserts. My favorite was the "cheesecake". At first, it tasted like undercooked and melted cheesecake, but after a couple of bites, it really was pretty good. However, I cant say that I enjoyed or was fulfilled by either of the chocolate desserts. The chocolate cakes had a very hard consistency and were far too rich. They simply tasted like hard chocolate ganache. They were lacking a flavor and texture contrast which would have toned down the rich chocolate. A raspberry coulis or soy ice cream would have done the trick. It just needed something else to mellow out the incredibly rich and overpowering "chocolatiness" of the dish.<br /><br />By parting thoughts? I will not be turning raw or vegan anytime soon - I am a carnivore through and through. However, for those days when I am racking my brain for another good salad place, or when I just went something light and fresh, a vegan meal just may be the answer.The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-67416004066655453732009-08-24T21:21:00.000-07:002009-09-03T21:37:55.104-07:00Mushroom Pizza with a Little Pizzazz<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpNnws5EESI/AAAAAAAADw8/utSCrgJXVRE/s1600-h/IMG_2799.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpNnws5EESI/AAAAAAAADw8/utSCrgJXVRE/s400/IMG_2799.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373752866765017378" /></a><br />Inspired by a recent trip to O&CO and Surfas, and the purchase of some truffle salt and truffle oil, I decided to make a mushroom pizza, topped off with some of my new purchases. The result....explosive flavor, and pure ecstasy. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Instructions</span>:<br /><br />1. Premade pizza dough (yes, I cheated, what can I say, I'm short on time)<br />2. A sauté of a variety of wild mushrooms, 1/2 onion, shallots and garlic. Finish with some white wine, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme and rosemary.<br />3. Assemble Pizza - Splash of olive oil on pizza dough, some salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. A layer of parmesan, fontina and mozzarella. A layer of mushrooms (drained of all excess liquid). A final layer of cheeses.<br />4. Bake at 450 degrees for 8-9 minutes (until golden brown).<br />5. As soon as it comes out of the oven finish with a touch of truffle oil and a touch of truffle salt.<br /><br />Voilà!<br /><br />PS - This saved great, and made a fast and easy lunch for both Dave and I for two whole days after! Nothing beats a great meal that doubles as easy lunches!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpNoVw4cuTI/AAAAAAAADxE/21PNt6ylvwM/s1600-h/IMG_2794.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 338px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpNoVw4cuTI/AAAAAAAADxE/21PNt6ylvwM/s400/IMG_2794.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373753503491340594" /></a>The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-28249940207949936632009-08-23T20:17:00.000-07:002009-09-03T21:43:21.992-07:00LUDO BITES - THE FINALEI heard about Ludo Bites a few months ago, I don't remember exactly where, but since then the city has been all a-buzz over Ludo, and for good reason. The food is unique, decadent, innovative...simply divine. Dave and I made our first trip to Ludo Bites in July, and I knew I had to come back for the final celebration. And I did. And Ludo did not disappoint. <br /><br />This time Dave could not accompany me so I brought along two friends, two friends who are now two new Ludo fans. The evening did not disappoint. There was a sense of euphoria in the air, the music was playing, the diners were laughing, the staff was all smiles, and the cameras were trailing Ludo's every move during his final hurrah. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIYxxn77ZI/AAAAAAAADwc/jeM-6IK5T5k/s1600-h/IMG_2748.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIYxxn77ZI/AAAAAAAADwc/jeM-6IK5T5k/s320/IMG_2748.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373384548819922322" /></a><br /><br />We began the evening with, of course, a great bottle of red, and a large serving of Ludo's amazing lavender butter. Oh yeah, and some bread with the butter. Our first course was the <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">lobster medallions</span> with honey-sherry vinegar, daikon and rosemary.</span> This was my favorite course, and Erins. The sweet and tangy vinaigrette perfectly complemented the soft and cool lobster. Oh yes, and we were so anxious to dive into this dish that I couldn't even get a picture in before each one of us had devoured our portion. Oops!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIXVEtfkKI/AAAAAAAADv8/tMH9OocpqR8/s1600-h/IMG_2752.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIXVEtfkKI/AAAAAAAADv8/tMH9OocpqR8/s400/IMG_2752.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373382956215668898" /></a><br /><br />Next we tried the infamous <span style="font-weight:bold;">Foie Gras Black Croque-Monsieur with ham, cherries and amaretto</span>. Ludo takes the typical croque-monsieur, which is just a hot ham and cheese sandwich, and takes it to a different universe. Ludo's version starts off with squid-ink break, specially made for Ludo, and then fills it with foie gras, ham and cheese, and tops if off with a heavenly cherry amaretto jelly. This was my second favorite after the lobster medallions. Extraordinary. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIXsq1psdI/AAAAAAAADwE/13Tpqu6ws6s/s1600-h/IMG_2753.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIXsq1psdI/AAAAAAAADwE/13Tpqu6ws6s/s400/IMG_2753.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373383361587425746" /></a><br /><br />Our third course was the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lacquered Pork Belly with mustard ice cream and vadouvan.</span> Yes, mustard ice cream, and I have to admit, that was the selling point for me. How can you not order something on the menu that is served with mustard ice cream? When the plate came, Erin and Dana looked at it with a bit of skepticism. My response - just trust Ludo. Our waitress recommended that we "get a little of everything" on our bite (the same instructions apply to each dish). We happily obliged. It was awesome, BBQ in a bite. Even the two skeptics took down every last morsel. Something about each and ever element perfectly melded together to make the most awesome tasting BBQ bite. <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIYUCM8Y3I/AAAAAAAADwM/-Em1BB0APnA/s1600-h/IMG_2757.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIYUCM8Y3I/AAAAAAAADwM/-Em1BB0APnA/s400/IMG_2757.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373384037874033522" /></a><br /><br />We ended our culinary journey with the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Fish & Chips, kimchee, honey-beer and peanut butter</span>. This is another one of Ludo's take on the classics. This dish was actually a piece of halibut with a peanut crust served with a potato chip stick and a side of kimchee. Once again, you had to get a little bit of everything on each bite. This wasn't your typical fish and chips, by any stretch of the imagination, but the flavors and textures all worked together to make one amazing dish.<br /><br />Thank you Ludo for bringing innovation and culinary ecstasy to Los Angeles. You are a trail blazer and a true magician in the kitchen. I can't wait for your next venture, and when you find you next stop, I will be first in line when the doors open! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIZZCwtWvI/AAAAAAAADws/pme7r9o9MVU/s1600-h/IMG_2766.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIZZCwtWvI/AAAAAAAADws/pme7r9o9MVU/s320/IMG_2766.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373385223435016946" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIZkp5XmuI/AAAAAAAADw0/Ox-JUws3M_g/s1600-h/IMG_2768.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpIZkp5XmuI/AAAAAAAADw0/Ox-JUws3M_g/s320/IMG_2768.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373385422918884066" /></a><br /><br />PS: Thank you Krissy for your patience and your help, sorry for the +1! But you now have two new fans spreading the Ludo-gospel! :)The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-91297705494131764282009-08-22T11:12:00.001-07:002009-09-03T21:38:10.260-07:00The "Leftover" OmletteI had a refrigerator full of tiny bits of leftover ingredients from this weeks meals, and what better way to utilize all the leftovers than throw it all into a breakfast omelet! Here is what came out of it:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpA1Mm8A2KI/AAAAAAAADuE/uXR4VpCk1Ss/s1600-h/Leftover+Omellet.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpA1Mm8A2KI/AAAAAAAADuE/uXR4VpCk1Ss/s400/Leftover+Omellet.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372852846179965090" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpA1UW-CTKI/AAAAAAAADuM/4P30UupM_r8/s1600-h/Leftover+Omellet+(2).JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SpA1UW-CTKI/AAAAAAAADuM/4P30UupM_r8/s400/Leftover+Omellet+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372852979332435106" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />• Leftover crab (from crab ravioli)<br />• Tomatoes (from taco salad)<br />• Avocado (from taco salad)<br />• Red Onion (from taco salad)<br />• Mushrooms (from breakfast quiches)<br />• Redi-Egg (from breakfast quiches)<br /><br />And voilá! Breakfast!!!The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-31750485508869751722009-08-21T20:26:00.000-07:002009-09-03T21:42:27.274-07:00Tour Through TemeculaDave and I had to attend a wedding in Temecula, so like the true wine lovers we are, we decided to play hookie, take a day off work, and go wine tasting on Friday. Oh and what a great idea that was!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9pq57zYSI/AAAAAAAADrs/XBzu4FAl34U/s1600-h/Keyways+(5).JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9pq57zYSI/AAAAAAAADrs/XBzu4FAl34U/s320/Keyways+(5).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372629066303365410" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9nkYY_ljI/AAAAAAAADrk/c5ae63lEhaI/s1600-h/Keyways.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9nkYY_ljI/AAAAAAAADrk/c5ae63lEhaI/s320/Keyways.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372626755196524082" /></a> <br /><br />This being our second time through, we started with our favorites from our last trip. Stop one, Keyways. I focused on tasting the whites, while Dave leaned towards the reds. I think between the two of us, with 6 tastes each,we tasted the: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanca, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Frolich, Zinfandel and Syrah. Whew! All in all, I would consider these wines mediocre. None of them really stood out to me as great wines. Don't get me wrong, none were horrible either, but I didn't feel the urge to buy a bottle of any one of these. Not to mention, we were completely put off by the employees there. They were not helpful, welcoming, pleasant or very friendly. The experience overall left a bad taste in our mouth. It was time to move on....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9qbCfEQUI/AAAAAAAADr0/umPTnWaMdrI/s1600-h/Cougar+(2).JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9qbCfEQUI/AAAAAAAADr0/umPTnWaMdrI/s320/Cougar+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372629893232476482" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9qpUP0awI/AAAAAAAADr8/Nw6T0IAo6es/s1600-h/Cougar+(5).JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9qpUP0awI/AAAAAAAADr8/Nw6T0IAo6es/s320/Cougar+(5).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372630138518530818" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9rAoDbb5I/AAAAAAAADsE/ih7CuhtJRAo/s1600-h/Cougar+(8).JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9rAoDbb5I/AAAAAAAADsE/ih7CuhtJRAo/s320/Cougar+(8).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372630538972262290" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9rQFBs4UI/AAAAAAAADsM/k4AFVGBWKhY/s1600-h/Cougar+(10).JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9rQFBs4UI/AAAAAAAADsM/k4AFVGBWKhY/s320/Cougar+(10).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372630804447682882" /></a><br /><br />Next we were on to Cougar. This is the place to have a good time. Good wine, even better people. There is sure to be a party going on at this place! I loved each and every wine we tasted here. The list for this one is slightly shorter, we had the: Dolcetto, Sparkling Cougar, Pink Cougar, Full Monte, Sangiovese, Meritage and Merlot. We left with a bottle of sparkling Cougar for later that night too :) We will be back!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9scVn16cI/AAAAAAAADsU/an7pyxSx30E/s1600-h/Foote+Print+(4).JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9scVn16cI/AAAAAAAADsU/an7pyxSx30E/s400/Foote+Print+(4).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372632114572683714" /></a><br /><br />The next stop, my favorite winery of all time...<a href="http://www.footeprintwinery.com/">Foote Print Winery</a>. Now let me tell you about Foote Print. It is an unassuming metal warehouse, off the beaten path of the Temecula wine tour trail. And for all those people who claim that Temecula cannot produce a red, they have not had a Foote Print wine. This was our second time at Foote Print, and I think we must have spent an hour and a half here tasting and chatting it up with the two other couples and the owner. Each wine (they only produce reds) was better than the last. It really was a joy for the taste buds. We tried the Estate Footeage (3 different years, shhhhh, don't tell, they were not on the menu, they were brought out of the back closet and they were some of the best wines i've had), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Krazy Foote and the Late Harvest Zinfandel. I left with a bottle of the Estate Footeage for myself. Can't wait to crack that one open!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9zQGojdEI/AAAAAAAADtE/AwbTmL5NDkM/s1600-h/Wilson+Creek+(4).JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9zQGojdEI/AAAAAAAADtE/AwbTmL5NDkM/s320/Wilson+Creek+(4).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372639600972100674" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9zZ6HpccI/AAAAAAAADtM/4jkT8jWeeio/s1600-h/Wilson+Creek+(8).JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So9zZ6HpccI/AAAAAAAADtM/4jkT8jWeeio/s320/Wilson+Creek+(8).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372639769411547586" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So90XPN4PzI/AAAAAAAADtU/5PxsLXc5ybU/s1600-h/Wilson+Creek+(9).JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So90XPN4PzI/AAAAAAAADtU/5PxsLXc5ybU/s320/Wilson+Creek+(9).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372640823046848306" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So90qetXRTI/AAAAAAAADtc/Btum0LB4cAY/s1600-h/Wilson+Creek+(10).JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So90qetXRTI/AAAAAAAADtc/Btum0LB4cAY/s320/Wilson+Creek+(10).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372641153622951218" /></a><br /><br />After three tastings it was time for lunch. We went over to Wilson Creek where we sat on their patio overlooking their beautiful grounds. We started with some meatballs with a tomato and olive sauce that was a perfect little amuse bouche. Then we had the artichoke and goat cheese dip as a starter. It was ok, the pita chips were a bit too hard, went much better with the fresh french bread they served. Our "main course" was the patty melt which we got on a fresh focaccia roll with curly fries. We inhaled that patty melt like it was our last meal. The focaccia roll was a winner and made the meal. The curly fries weren't too shabby themselves. We were not ready for our final tasting.<br /><br />We were on to La Creza. I have to say, this was not the way to end a fantastic day. Each wine was more disappointing than the next. I don't know if it was a result of the meal we just ate, but we barely finished out tasting, its not even worth writing about. Suffice to say, we will not be back. <br /><br />However, we will be back to Temecula, for the wineries which we couldn't stop by because we ran out of time, and to those which we can't wait to return to!!The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-25675508460313288002009-08-20T20:19:00.000-07:002009-09-03T21:36:33.478-07:00Crab Ravioli with Scallops and Gremolata<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So-YJK0kVtI/AAAAAAAADt8/tXc9KF4s8Ac/s1600-h/IMG_2730.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So-YJK0kVtI/AAAAAAAADt8/tXc9KF4s8Ac/s400/IMG_2730.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372680163767375570" /></a><br />I was calling it an early day at work, Dave was at a client dinner, and I was trying to decide what to do for dinner. For some reason, I decided tonight would be a perfect night to experiment and try and make (semi) homemade ravioli for the first time. I was craving something fresh, tasty and simple. For some reason crab ravioli came to me, so I went with it. But I was also craving scallops, so I went with that to. I couldn't figure out whether to go with a sauce, or just simple butter. I decided a gremolata would be a perfect compromise (along with the butter of course). <br /><br />Initially, I was planning on making the raviolis with wanton wrappers (since I don't have a pasta machine yet - I think that's one of those things that you are supposed to get as a wedding gift). But when I got to Whole Foods, of course, they didn't have them. So as I was about to leave and make the schlep over to Ralphs (which I was really trying to avoid - being rush hour and all) I remembered they had fresh pasta. I walked over to the pasta section and found fresh lasagna sheets, perfect I thought! I decided to ask the Whole Foods associate in the area for their opinion on using lasagna sheets for ravioli (which I thought was brilliant), and, to my surprise, she said no. Erg! Why not I thought?! She said they were too thick. I stopped, thought a second, contemplated driving to Ralphs, and decided -- this sounds like a challenge, you're on! I went with it. Here is the result.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Crab Ravioli with Scallops and Gremolata<br /><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/activefoodierecipes/crab-ravioli-with-scallops-and-gremolata?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F">Recipe</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients<br />Ravioli</span><br />1 tbls olive oil<br />2 shallots<br />I pckg crab meat<br />4 tbls ricotta<br />Salt<br />Pepper<br />1 teas red pepper flakes<br />Fresh lasagna sheets or wonton wrappers<br />1 egg white<br />1/2 lb scallops<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Gremolata</span><br />1/2 c parsley<br />1 garlic clove<br />2 tbls lemon zest (and lime zest)<br />Salt<br />Pepper<br />Red pepper flakes<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lemon Butter</span><br />3 tbls butter<br />1 tbls lemon juice<br />4 lemon slices<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Preparation<br />Ravioli</span><br />1. Heat oil in sauté pan. Add chopped shallots. Sauté until translucent. Add crab meat, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Sauté until warmed through. Take off heat and cool.<br />2. Once filling is cooled add ricotta. <br />3. Separate out the lasagna sheets or wonton wrappers. Place about 1 tbls of filling on center of sheet (you don't want too much or filing will come out when cooking). Place dollops of filling about 2-3 inches apart. Brush egg white around the filling. Place another sheet on top of the sheet with filling. Cut out rounds with a cookie cutter (or a glass - whatever works).<br />4. With a fork, press the sides of rounds together to prevent them from separating during cooking.<br />5. Bring pot of water to a boil. Add finished ravioli to pot of boiling water. Cook about 6 minutes, or until done.<br />6. After they are done place on paper towel to absorb water.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4dKmWkHAI/AAAAAAAADrc/smPUUvS6loo/s1600-h/IMG_2687.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4dKmWkHAI/AAAAAAAADrc/smPUUvS6loo/s200/IMG_2687.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372263473430666242" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4XDmQOBtI/AAAAAAAADqE/hvE4uLAR4ng/s1600-h/IMG_2691.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4XDmQOBtI/AAAAAAAADqE/hvE4uLAR4ng/s200/IMG_2691.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372256756075202258" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4XUEYxDRI/AAAAAAAADqM/tPfha8XYmiE/s1600-h/IMG_2709.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4XUEYxDRI/AAAAAAAADqM/tPfha8XYmiE/s200/IMG_2709.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372257039042022674" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4YFfTozoI/AAAAAAAADqU/gPeqjGAgGRo/s1600-h/IMG_2715.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4YFfTozoI/AAAAAAAADqU/gPeqjGAgGRo/s200/IMG_2715.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372257888081858178" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4Ya3i9gRI/AAAAAAAADqc/Vvoj7NLFfZE/s1600-h/IMG_2714.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4Ya3i9gRI/AAAAAAAADqc/Vvoj7NLFfZE/s200/IMG_2714.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372258255365832978" /></a><br /><br />7. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Gremolata</span>: Add parsley, garlic, lemon zest, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to food processor. Process until finely minced.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4YsyKAvHI/AAAAAAAADqk/gududPlvdR8/s1600-h/IMG_2700.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4YsyKAvHI/AAAAAAAADqk/gududPlvdR8/s200/IMG_2700.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372258563156655218" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4Y0uV3iXI/AAAAAAAADqs/y1lcTafCmOk/s1600-h/IMG_2704.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4Y0uV3iXI/AAAAAAAADqs/y1lcTafCmOk/s200/IMG_2704.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372258699571595634" /></a><br /><br />8. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Scallops: </span>Squeeze some lemon and lime juice on top of scallops. Season with salt and pepper. Grill or sauté until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side depending on size of scallops.<br /><br />9. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lemon Butter: </span>In sauté pan add butter, lemon juice and lemon slices. Heat through. Add ravioli and toss until covered. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4ZLRGSlwI/AAAAAAAADq0/aEs6VBjBt8g/s1600-h/IMG_2722.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4ZLRGSlwI/AAAAAAAADq0/aEs6VBjBt8g/s200/IMG_2722.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372259086858622722" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4c4GGlUeI/AAAAAAAADrU/cmhuk6A5De8/s1600-h/IMG_2728.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/So4c4GGlUeI/AAAAAAAADrU/cmhuk6A5De8/s200/IMG_2728.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372263155536056802" /></a><br /><br />Serve ravioli with a dollop of gremolata and scallops.<br /><br />OH, and YES, it worked perfectly with the lasagna sheets!!The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-48589268221116966992009-08-19T20:28:00.000-07:002009-09-03T21:34:19.958-07:00Buttermilk Biscuits - Part II of our Southern FeastWhat is a true South Georgia meal without biscuits? I don't know, I've never had one! Now my challenge, I have never made biscuits from scratch. So where do I turn when I need expertise on a recipe I have never made? Cooks Illustrated of course, my own personal cooking school. I found a few recipes for biscuits, but decided to go with the "Tall and Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits". I must say, I was pleased. But more importantly, Dave had 3 in one sitting (that means he liked them too) and that's all that mattered! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SozHGjJBOxI/AAAAAAAADpM/NvaIfJeFxtM/s1600-h/Biscuits.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SozHGjJBOxI/AAAAAAAADpM/NvaIfJeFxtM/s200/Biscuits.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371887370872371986" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SozHTlni4DI/AAAAAAAADpU/-p1QBLKtJn8/s1600-h/Biscuits+(2).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SozHTlni4DI/AAAAAAAADpU/-p1QBLKtJn8/s200/Biscuits+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371887594875576370" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SozHhtOg3RI/AAAAAAAADpc/BPfElFRw-e8/s1600-h/Biscuits+(3).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SozHhtOg3RI/AAAAAAAADpc/BPfElFRw-e8/s200/Biscuits+(3).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371887837436239122" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Buttermilk Biscuits</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">From Cooks Illustrated July 1, 2004</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/activefoodierecipes/tall-and-fluffy-buttermilk-biscuits?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F">Recipe</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients</span><br /><br />Nonstick cooking spray<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Dough</span><br />2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)<br />1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder<br />1 tablespoon granulated sugar<br />1 teaspoon table salt<br />1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />4 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 1/4-inch cubes<br />1 1/2 cups buttermilk cold, preferably low-fat<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">To Form and Finish Biscuits</span><br />1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, distributed in rimmed baking sheet<br />2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Instructions</span><br />1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Spray 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Generously spray inside and outside of 1/4 cup dry measure with nonstick cooking spray.<br />2. <span style="font-weight:bold;">For the dough:</span> In food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda to combine, about six 1-second pulses. Scatter butter cubes evenly over dry ingredients; pulse until mixture resembles pebbly, coarse cornmeal, eight to ten 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add buttermilk to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated (dough will be very wet and slightly lumpy).<br />3. <span style="font-weight:bold;">To form and bake biscuits:</span> Using 1/4 cup dry measure and working quickly, scoop level amount of dough; drop dough from measuring cup into flour on baking sheet (if dough sticks to cup, use small spoon to pull it free). Repeat with remaining dough, forming 12 evenly sized mounds. Dust tops of each piece of dough with flour from baking sheet. With floured hands, gently pick up piece of dough and coat with flour; gently shape dough into rough ball, shake off excess flour, and place in prepared cake pan. Repeat with remaining dough, arranging 9 rounds around perimeter of cake pan and 3 in center. Brush rounds with hot melted butter, taking care not to flatten them. Bake 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees; continue to bake until biscuits are deep golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Cool in pan 2 minutes, then invert biscuits from pan onto clean kitchen towel; turn biscuits right-side up and break apart. Cool 5 minutes longer and serve.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SozFAv9J96I/AAAAAAAADo0/lirh3tgNDlw/s1600-h/Biscuits+(7).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SozFAv9J96I/AAAAAAAADo0/lirh3tgNDlw/s400/Biscuits+(7).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371885072209803170" /></a>The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-53148611418192309312009-08-18T20:02:00.000-07:002009-09-03T21:35:56.778-07:00Chicken and DumplingsGrowing up in Southern California I grew up eating things like Mexican food, seafood, fresh produce -- your typical California cuisine. Unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure of trying true southern cuisine until a few years ago on my first trip to Georgia -- and that was it, I was hooked. From that day forward I would dream of cheesy grits, real macaroni and cheese, and savory chicken and dumplings...HEAVEN. <br /><br />This was my first attempt at mastering the comforting and delicious dish of Chicken and Dumplings. My goal - the rich, creamy chicken and dumplings served at a true Southern landmark -- Cracker Barrel. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Chicken and Dumplings</span> <br /><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/activefoodierecipes/chicken-and-dumplings?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F">Recipe</a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients</span><br />Chicken and Broth<br /> * About 9 cups water<br /> * 1 3-4 pound chicken cut up<br /> * 2 teaspoons salt<br /> * 1 small onion sliced<br /> * 3 stalks celery, chopped<br /> * 1 carrot, chopped<br /> * 2 clove garlic, peeled and quartered<br /> * 2 bay leafs<br /> * 3 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper<br /> * 1 tablespoon lemon juice<br /><br />Dumplings<br /> * 2 cups flour <br /> * 1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br /> * 1 teaspoon sugar<br /> * 1 teaspoon salt<br /> * 3/4 cup buttermilk<br /> * 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , melted<br /> * 1 large egg white <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot8alxEb1I/AAAAAAAADnE/uN-i7qVZ1sg/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(2).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot8alxEb1I/AAAAAAAADnE/uN-i7qVZ1sg/s200/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371523776825814866" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot8QvuYtQI/AAAAAAAADm8/otL0VL-sf04/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot8QvuYtQI/AAAAAAAADm8/otL0VL-sf04/s200/Chicken+N+Dumplings.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371523607700223234" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot8mAw1zbI/AAAAAAAADnM/3q7KlthlJSw/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(4).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot8mAw1zbI/AAAAAAAADnM/3q7KlthlJSw/s200/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(4).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371523973051174322" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions<br /></span>FOR THE CHICKEN AND BROTH:<br />1. Saute veggies about 3 minutes. Add cut-up chicken, salt and pepper and saute about 2 minutes. Add water, enough to cover all the chicken and veggies. (You will need at least 6 cups of stock in order to make the dumplings) and bring to a boil.<br />2. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook the chicken, uncovered, for 2 hours. Scrape the scum from the top as needed. The liquid will reduce by about one third.<br />3. When the chicken has cooked, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Strain the stock to remove all the vegetables.<br />4. Pour 6 cups of the stock back into a pot. I use a large saute pan to give more surface area for the dumplings. Add the lemon juice, then reheat the stock over medium heat while preparing the dumplings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot_j4pxrFI/AAAAAAAADn8/BSbrjKY90Do/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(3).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 227px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot_j4pxrFI/AAAAAAAADn8/BSbrjKY90Do/s320/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(3).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371527235049204818" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot_swg4Y2I/AAAAAAAADoE/udo5D_Yi0Y0/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(5).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 251px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot_swg4Y2I/AAAAAAAADoE/udo5D_Yi0Y0/s320/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(5).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371527387483235170" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />FOR THE DUMPLINGS: <br />1. Whisk flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Combine buttermilk and melted butter in medium bowl, stirring until butter forms small clumps; whisk in egg white. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated and batter pulls away from sides of bowl.<br />2. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch squares and drop each square into the simmering stock. Use all of the dough. The dumplings will first swell and then slowly shrink as they partially dissolve to thicken the stock into a white gravy. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until thick. Stir often.<br />3. While the stock is thickening cut the chicken meat into bite-size pieces and drop them into the pot. Continue to simmer the chicken and dumplings for another 5-10 minutes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot-CJFf_eI/AAAAAAAADnk/ysH1XB3MD0I/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(7).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 151px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot-CJFf_eI/AAAAAAAADnk/ysH1XB3MD0I/s200/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(7).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371525555833273826" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot-Q0bx3vI/AAAAAAAADns/Gs2GPSzA4jo/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(11).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot-Q0bx3vI/AAAAAAAADns/Gs2GPSzA4jo/s200/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(11).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371525807987613426" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot-eNR-oUI/AAAAAAAADn0/xkra-84wfWU/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(13).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/Sot-eNR-oUI/AAAAAAAADn0/xkra-84wfWU/s200/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(13).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371526037995692354" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />IT WORKED!!! Thick, rich, creamy, wonderful Cracker Barrel style Chicken and Dumplings! Now I don't have to wait for my trips to Georgia to have a real southern meal!The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-59804329173241873942009-08-13T21:55:00.000-07:002009-08-18T21:34:53.357-07:00Southern Feast! (Summary, more to come)I have to say, I am a true fan of good old fashioned southern cookin'. And in homage of Dave's southern Georgia roots, he requested a true southern meal for his birthday. And, of course, I was happy to oblige. This was the evenings menu: buttermilk biscuits, chicken and dumplings, mac and cheese, green beans, yellow cake with chocolate frosting...and of course, fresh brewed sweet tea. All in all, I would call the evening a success. The only thing missing was Aunt Marie's acres peas. However, seeing as though we live in California, acres peas are not easy to come by on this coast (I will have to remember to bring home a bag on our next visit). Other than that, judging by the fact we are both lying comatose on the couch, I would have to say the meal was a complete success.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!</span><br /><br />(more detailed blog posts for each recipe to follow)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvOFAN9-I/AAAAAAAADfg/wV2y13FgXTU/s1600-h/Southern+Feast+(2).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvOFAN9-I/AAAAAAAADfg/wV2y13FgXTU/s200/Southern+Feast+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679680872773602" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvNplJ-AI/AAAAAAAADfY/hhIA89zwn28/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(11).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvNplJ-AI/AAAAAAAADfY/hhIA89zwn28/s200/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(11).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679673511507970" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvNOHyiiI/AAAAAAAADfQ/Lw3yjfcHwRE/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(2).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvNOHyiiI/AAAAAAAADfQ/Lw3yjfcHwRE/s200/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679666140580386" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvMocPsMI/AAAAAAAADfI/_uDCWMyyHxA/s1600-h/Biscuits.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvMocPsMI/AAAAAAAADfI/_uDCWMyyHxA/s200/Biscuits.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679656025829570" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTzLQgnswI/AAAAAAAADgI/n_7EP_w6dWU/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(8).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTzLQgnswI/AAAAAAAADgI/n_7EP_w6dWU/s200/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(8).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369684030468371202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTzKkK_ZzI/AAAAAAAADgA/Rb1prildcEA/s1600-h/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(5).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 157px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTzKkK_ZzI/AAAAAAAADgA/Rb1prildcEA/s200/Chicken+N+Dumplings+(5).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369684018566489906" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SouA0tRYb8I/AAAAAAAADoM/g1--uBg3m5A/s1600-h/Sweet+Tea+(2).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SouA0tRYb8I/AAAAAAAADoM/g1--uBg3m5A/s200/Sweet+Tea+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371528623563501506" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvnYmEH7I/AAAAAAAADfw/AV0OzBoc3nE/s1600-h/Southern+Feast+(4).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvnYmEH7I/AAAAAAAADfw/AV0OzBoc3nE/s200/Southern+Feast+(4).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369680115628515250" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvOkhaiTI/AAAAAAAADfo/KfO7LPpPdc4/s1600-h/Yellow+Cake+(16).JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoTvOkhaiTI/AAAAAAAADfo/KfO7LPpPdc4/s200/Yellow+Cake+(16).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679689333508402" /></a>The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-36222264398738659432009-08-12T22:37:00.000-07:002009-09-20T01:04:12.263-07:00Asian Orange Noodle Salad (Brown Bag Lunch of the Week)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXh87JbE4I/AAAAAAAAEJM/YPoOiKHBCrw/s1600-h/Asian+Salad+(3).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXh87JbE4I/AAAAAAAAEJM/YPoOiKHBCrw/s400/Asian+Salad+(3).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383457366376911746" /></a><br /><br />Here is my dilemma every week, what can I make on Sunday, that I can take to work on Monday, that will keep until Wednesday (and hopefully Thursday), and that will not send me into an afternoon post-lunch coma? Not so easy is it? <br /><br />Here is one of my creations that tastes great, keeps great, and is great for you!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Asian Orange Noodle Salad</span> <br /><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/activefoodierecipes/asian-orange-noodle-salad?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F">Print Recipe</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients<br />Dressing</span><br />1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate<br />1/2 cup rice vinegar<br />1 tbls. canola oil<br />2 tsp. ginger<br />2 tsp. soy sauce<br />1 tsp. chili garlic sauce<br />few drops sesame oil<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Salad</span><br />1/2 lb poached and shredded chicken<br />1 bag coleslaw mix<br />1 cup corn<br />1 orange bell pepper, stemmed, cored, cut into thin strips<br />3 green onions<br />1/2 cup chopped cilantro<br />1/4 of a box cooked and cooled udon noodles<br />Peanuts<br />1 Jalapeno<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Preparation</span><br />1. Cook udon noodles according to package instructions and set aside to cool.<br />2. Poach chicken in chicken stock flavored with 2 cloves garlic, soy sauce and ginger. Cook until internal temperature of 155 degrees. Cool and shred.<br />3. Whisk orange juice concentrate, rice vinegar, canola oil, ginger, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and sesame oil. <br />4. Combine slaw mix, corn, bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, udon noodles, peanuts and jalapeno in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoOroVWtBmI/AAAAAAAADek/A4HI5BlxjgY/s1600-h/IMG_2381.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoOroVWtBmI/AAAAAAAADek/A4HI5BlxjgY/s400/IMG_2381.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369323890171250274" /></a>The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-86111227244660871282009-08-10T22:00:00.000-07:002009-09-03T21:42:47.217-07:00The Kogi Craze - I Gave In!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoESPvNa98I/AAAAAAAADdE/rjaULb6bfwQ/s1600-h/IMG_2356.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoESPvNa98I/AAAAAAAADdE/rjaULb6bfwQ/s320/IMG_2356.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368592292382439362" /></a> I did it, I finally gave in to the Kogi craze. I have been hearing about Kogi for a while now, but could never quite coordinate my schedule with their trucks. They seem to hit-up the late night bar crowd around town, and with great success. <br /><br />As I was sitting on the 405, fighting the beach traffic on my way back home from yet another Target run, I was contemplating my dining options for the day. Thats when it hit me, if I could only get my car moving again, I would hunt down the Kogi truck and try some of their infamous nuevo-street-food. Check it out http://kogibbq.com/<br />To make a long story short, I made it...barely. I found one of the 4 Kogi trucks parked outside The Brig in Venice. (One of the late night bar hot-spots, and apparently day hot-spots as well). <br /><br />Dave and I jumped in line and started ordering. We ordered three tacos: spicy pork, spicy chicken, and korean short ribs; the black jack quesadilla; the sliders; and 2 diet cokes for good measure. A total of $23, not to bad for a street-food feast. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoERneu-T8I/AAAAAAAADc0/FkQClERfohU/s1600-h/IMG_2358.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 178px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoERneu-T8I/AAAAAAAADc0/FkQClERfohU/s320/IMG_2358.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368591600764997570" /></a> I started with <span style="font-weight:bold;">the tacos</span>. The first bite is just what I expected, an explosion of flavor, the spices, the cilantro, and the meat were a feast to my senses. Next, I dove into the <span style="font-weight:bold;">sliders</span>. Korean short ribs with a wonderfully creamy aoli, cabbage and cilantro. Mmmm...mmmm...my kind of hamburger.<br /><br />Finally....the <span style="font-weight:bold;">blackjack quesadilla.</span> This was Dave's favorite, and it is definitely not on the light side (well, none of it really is, but this was especially heavy on the grease). You know what they say, fat = flavor. A wonderful combination of caramelized onions, spicy pork and cheddar and jack cheese smothered with salsa verde. <br /><br />All in all, a pleasant experience, however, I can't say that i'll be seeking out the trucks anytime soon -- this is one of those few and far between experiences for me. Also, can't say it was the best food option prior to my first time back on the golf course in over a year (that's a different story altogether), but the bottom line is thatmy taste buds were definitely pleased.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoD-gjK-MOI/AAAAAAAADck/qAJc1WV-uFY/s1600-h/IMG_2353.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SoD-gjK-MOI/AAAAAAAADck/qAJc1WV-uFY/s320/IMG_2353.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368570590976159970" /></a>The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-82838356156566111492009-08-05T19:27:00.000-07:002009-09-03T21:43:07.705-07:00LUDO BITES<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SnpBVNhaLNI/AAAAAAAADbY/iEr7deCcwlY/s1600-h/Ludo+Bites+Menu+7-31-09.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SnpBVNhaLNI/AAAAAAAADbY/iEr7deCcwlY/s400/Ludo+Bites+Menu+7-31-09.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366673738628213970" /></a><br />We finally made our journey to the highly acclaimed LUDO BITES. I must say, I was waiting in anticipation all week. Especially with Ludo's tweeting, musing about his potential ingredients and dishes, my mouth was watering. <br /><br />Ludo Bites is a temporary "guerrilla style" pop-up restaurant that is serving out of the Breadbar in Beverly Hills. Ludo is serving his ingenious creations here Tuesday-Saturday nights until August 22. <a href="http://www.ludolefebvre.com/ludo-bites/"></a><br /><br />We began the evening with the <span style="font-weight:bold;">snails, spinach and curry</span> and the <span style="font-weight:bold;">creamy polenta, cantal cheese, oxtail beef and black truffle</span>. I will admit, both me and my boyfriend were snail virgins. I am willing to try anything once (almost anything - i've seen what Zimmern and Bourdain eat, and I am not going to promise anything). I had a feeling Ludo would not disappoint, and he did not. The snails were wonderful. Well, at least the foamed curry, spinach and toast was full of intense flavor, and the snails just provided an interesting texture and protein. Overall, we were both largely impressed. However, my favorite dish of the night was the polenta and oxtail. I can guarantee you I will be recreating this dish this winter and snuggling up on the couch with a huge bowlful of this on more than one occasion. It was wonderfully rich and comforting. Perfectly seasoned, and a pleasure to the palate. We could have ended the evening right there.<br /><br />But we didn't. We moved on to the <span style="font-weight:bold;">bacon tart</span> (yes, bacon tart) and the <span style="font-weight:bold;">"spaghetti" carbonara"</span> (both of which were recommended by the Chef himself). The bacon tart is not for the health conscious, or those with high cholesterol. The bacon tart is composed of chopped up bacon, almonds and cinnamon atop of a puff pastry and served alongside chantilly butter. And, yes, I admit, we generously smothered the butter atop the bacon - when in Rome... Honestly, it was not our favorite dish, however it was an interesting experience. The "spaghetti" carbonara was actually not spaghetti but rather strands of celery root in a peppery cream sauce with wonderfully large prawns. It was incredibly flavorful and you didn't miss the pasta one bit. The celery root actually added a nice texture to the dish, and lightened up what usually is a pretty heavy meal. <br /><br />We ended the night with a sweet - and salty - note. Along with being snail virgins, we were also caviar virgins. So we had to order the <span style="font-weight:bold;">panna cotta, caramel and caviar</span>. When it arrived, being caviar virgins, we each tried a bit of the caviar alone. That was an experience in itself, salty fishiness, not anything you want on top of any dessert you are about to eat. However, then we tried the entire dish together, the creamy cool panna cotta, with sweet caramel, and the salty caviar, and I have to admit, it was very good. Each element perfectly complimented the other, the saltiness, the creaminess and the sweetness. I am not sure that I would order it again, but I am sure glad I tried it! <br /><br />Thank you Ludo for a wonderful culinary experience. We will be seeing you again soon!<br /><br />P.S. if you want to taste these innovative culinary creations, you better hurry up, you only have 2 weeks left. After that you will have to cross your fingers and hope that his next restaurant "pops up" back here in LA. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SnpBLAZl1xI/AAAAAAAADbQ/Rwgf5-dBRtw/s1600-h/menu_up_r1_c8.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 149px; height: 102px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SnpBLAZl1xI/AAAAAAAADbQ/Rwgf5-dBRtw/s320/menu_up_r1_c8.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366673563307071250" /></a>The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-56774064676096409532009-08-02T21:01:00.001-07:002009-09-03T21:43:39.772-07:00Riva Restaurant<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SnZpUJ85uQI/AAAAAAAADaQ/uX2vM8F57cM/s1600-h/Riva.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 126px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SnZpUJ85uQI/AAAAAAAADaQ/uX2vM8F57cM/s400/Riva.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365591801048185090" /></a>This past Wednesday, Riva transformed the former pizzeria by introducing a new menu, now offering stuzzuchini, or Italian tapas. Let me start by saying, I am a "picky eater" and by picky I mean I pick at everybody's plates. There is nothing I love more than getting a sample of everything (yes, I can spend all day at Costco). Oh how I wish that all restaurants offered small plates!<br /><br />We started off the evening with a nice bottle of Chardonnay - I have to have my wine with dinner -- and the sea bass and caprese. The <span style="font-weight:bold;">sea bass</span> had a hint of lemon oil with pink peppercorns and salt. The fragrant and tart lemon oil offered the perfect compliment to the fish and floral peppercorns. The <span style="font-weight:bold;">caprese</span> was served with yellow heirloom tomatoes, burrata, and a basil sauce. Being a burrata lover myself, you just can't go wrong with an heirloom tomato topped with fresh burrata.<br /><br />Next we had the <span style="font-weight:bold;">garlic shrimp</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">lamb bolognese</span>. The garlic shrimp were served in a garlicky tomato sauce with English peas, and the lamb bolognese was served with a small, flat homemade pasta. The pasta seemed to be a favorite amongst both us, and the diners near us as well. It was rich, flavorful, robust and simply delicious.<br /><br />Our final two plates were the <span style="font-weight:bold;">diver scallops</span> and the <span style="font-weight:bold;">short ribs.</span> The diver scallops to me, were perfection. They scallops were soft, buttery, and covered in light bread crumbs and lemon zest. The short ribs were served with creamy semolina, mushrooms and smoked mozzarella. This smokiness of the mozzarella complimented the rich beef, and it all melted in your mouth with the creamy semolina, a perfect combination. <br /><br />All in all, this was a great experience and I will definitely be back. I was not disappointed, and was pleasantly surprised by each dish. Five stars in my book.The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-42077557585799265272009-08-01T17:11:00.000-07:002009-09-20T01:14:32.956-07:00Summer's Perfect Condiment - Corn Salsa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXkNUUPLOI/AAAAAAAAEJ0/mGAXO51S-f8/s1600-h/Corn+Salsa+(2).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXkNUUPLOI/AAAAAAAAEJ0/mGAXO51S-f8/s400/Corn+Salsa+(2).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383459847034318050" /></a><br />Nothing says summer like wonderful fresh salsas to accompany all those grilled meats you BBQ over the summer. One of my favorite condiments is fresh corn salsa, just the perfect blend of sweetness, spice and acidity. I think I may have eaten a whole bowl of myself! Plus, it is so easy to make, and for all the flavor it adds to any dish, it's a no-brainer! This week I served this alongside some chili and brown sugar rubbed chicken and cilantro rice. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Corn Salsa</span><br /><br />4 Ears of fresh corn<br />4 Tomatoes<br />1 Jalapeno<br />1 Red Onion<br />1 Bunch of cilantro (I love cilantro) <br />6 Limes<br />1/2 Tbls. Chili Powder<br />2 Teas. cumin<br />Optional: add black beans for a more hearty side if you prefer<br /><br />1. Boil the corn until done, then cut the kernels off into a large bowl. Add diced tomato, jalapeno (add jalapeno depending on the level of heat you prefer), red onion and cilantro. <br />2. To make the dressing, mix the juiced limes with the chili powder and cumin. If you prefer more acidity, as I do, I added about 2-3 tbls. of red wine vinegar. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">NOTE:</span> If you can't tell, I use recipes VERY loosely, and when I cook, I add and subtract things according to my taste, and according to the ingredients I have on hand. So if you prefer more or less of something, or to substitute something entirely different, please do!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LESSON LEARNED:</span> Because of my very busy work schedule, I usually do all my cooking on Sundays, and then portion it out for the week. And the last time I made corn salsa, I cheated and used frozen corn -- big mistake. It was not nearly the same, the corn was soft and soggy. To avoid this mistake this time around I used fresh corn (HUGE improvement) and I dressed the salsa individually each night to prevent the acidity from softening the fresh vegetables.<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span>The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-39199254122058787842009-07-30T21:33:00.001-07:002009-09-03T21:41:02.258-07:00New Shoes! (For Him)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SnJ0KXgvhLI/AAAAAAAADZw/FL1wPSDdpA8/s1600-h/New+Balance+1123.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 254px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SnJ0KXgvhLI/AAAAAAAADZw/FL1wPSDdpA8/s320/New+Balance+1123.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364477827610543282" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">New Balance 1123</span><br /><br />Yes, it is that time of year I guess. I got my new shoes for the season, so my significant other got his new shoes as well. Because he tends to pronate, I couldn't convince him to stay with the Asics Kayanos (my shoe of choice). So, after much searching (and I emphasize MUCH) he decided on the New Balance 1123 because of rollbar -- a special stability feature that helps with motion control, and enhances rear foot stability. It is supposed to help with the pronation, and so far there have been no complaints. So we will see! So far so good!The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039146694149691522.post-31855646271349525342009-07-30T21:01:00.001-07:002009-09-20T01:09:22.220-07:00Cavatelli with Fresh Vegetables and Shrimp<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXiyizDU0I/AAAAAAAAEJU/L2ZdhJ2y_bQ/s1600-h/Cavatelli+(3).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXiyizDU0I/AAAAAAAAEJU/L2ZdhJ2y_bQ/s400/Cavatelli+(3).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383458287553565506" /></a><br />This is my first attempt at homemade pasta, and I have to admit, it was pretty darn fabulous. Perfect for the fresh produce available right now, and perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon with a nice glass of white wine. Need I say more.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Cavatelli with Fresh Vegetables</span><br />This recipe is adapted from the Food Network Magazine, June/July 2009 Issue<br /><br />INGREDIENTS:<br />2 cups all-purpose flour<br />1 teaspoon Kosher salt<br />1 cup ricotta<br />1 large egg<br />Fresh Vegetables - whatever looks best at the market that day<br />2 tbls olive oil<br />2 cloves garlic<br />1 teas. salt<br />1/2 teas. red pepper<br />1 teas. oregano<br />1/2 lb. shrimp<br />2 tbls. butter<br /><br />1. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the ricotta and lightly beaten egg to the well and gradually mix into the flour mixture. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a ball. Wrap in a towel and let rest for 30 minutes. <br /><br />2. Divide the dough into four pieces, roll into 4 1/2 inch thick ropes, and then cut off into 1/2 inch pieces. <br /><br />3. Cook in a large pot of salted, boiling water, about 4 minutes (actually depends on how large you cut the cavatelli pieces)<br /><br />4. Blanch the veggies in a large pot of boiling water, and then plunge into the ice bath to stop the cooking.<br /><br />5. In a saute pan bring heat olive oil, add garlic, red pepper and oregano and saute until fragrant. Add shrimp and saute until almost done. Add cooked pasta and veggies and toss with shrimp. Add 1/4 pasta cooking water and butter, mix, and serve.<br /><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXjAavtbbI/AAAAAAAAEJc/3PWGtoFTorI/s1600-h/Cavatelli.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXjAavtbbI/AAAAAAAAEJc/3PWGtoFTorI/s320/Cavatelli.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383458525910232498" /></a></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXjAv-8qPI/AAAAAAAAEJk/47nf5f0nE-k/s1600-h/Cavatelli+(4).JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kBo2bJJfHuw/SrXjAv-8qPI/AAAAAAAAEJk/47nf5f0nE-k/s320/Cavatelli+(4).JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383458531611289842" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LESSON LEARNED:</span> After cutting and forming the cavatelli, do not place in a bowl together as they will all end up sticking together and forming one large ball again. Instead, place each individual cavatelli on a towel or board until ready for cooking.The Active Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145496003283586817noreply@blogger.com0