Sesame Roasted Snap Peas

Whenever spring rolls around, I grab pound after pound of snap peas. Normally, I snack on them raw, or quickly cook them in a stir fry, but I came across this roasting recipe on the recipe on The Kitchn and my curiosity got the better of me. The natural sweetness of the peas is deepened in the roasting process. The toasted sesame oil makes these a natural pairing with Asian dishes...if you can wait long enough for the main course to be ready.

More roasted snap pea recipes from around the web:
Simply Roasted Snap Peas from Eat Drink Better
Soy Orange Roasted Sugar Snap Peas from Just Sweet Enough
Roasted Sugar Snap Pea and Quinoa Salad from Voracious Vander



Sesame Roasted Snap Peas
(Adapted lightly from The Kitchn)

Makes 2-3 appetizer-sized servings

10 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Sea salt to taste
Toasted sesame seeds for serving.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Toss the snap peas with the oil and season lightly with salt. Spread the snap peas in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 10-15 minutes until the peas are lightly brown and tender, turning once about halfway through.

Sprinkle the snap peas lightly with toasted sesame seeds and serve warm.

Printable Recipe

Spaghetti Squash Sesame Noodles with Edamame

I was quite taken with this recipe after seeing it on Marla's blog earlier this month. I'd never worked with spaghetti squash before, but I immediately picked one up at the farmers market. This is such a simple dish to prepare, but it packs a delicious flavor punch. I took Marla's suggestion and instead of trying to cut into the squash before roasting it, I just roasted the heck out of it, cut it and then pulled out the delicious spaghetti-like strands. I'm not a fan of faux meats or tofu noodles, but subbing spaghetti squash for regular noodles in now something that I can fully get on board with. I'm already thinking about the next way I can use spaghetti squash and thankfully there are a ton of ideas out there for inspiration.


Spaghetti Squash Recipes from around the Web:
Spaghetti Squash Pancakes by Citron et Vanille
Spaghetti Squash with Tomato and Mozzarella by A Work in Progress
Spaghetti Squash Paella Marinera by Foodalogue



Spaghetti Squash Sesame Noodles with Edamame
(Adapted from Family Fresh Cooking)

Makes 4-6 servings

3 cups cooked spaghetti squash (from one 2 3/4-pound squash)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sriracha
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, grated
1/2 cup shelled edamame
1 green onion, diced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Place the squash on the sheet, and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a paring knife is easily inserted in the center of the squash.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Scrape the sides of the squash using two forks to remove the spaghetti.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha, ginger, and garlic until well combined.

Toss the squash noodles with the sauce. Fold in the green onions and edamame. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature garnished with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Printable Recipe

Sauteed Spicy Green Beans and Tomatoes

Lest you think my life is all desserts lately, I've actually been eating pretty well. I've been battling a cold the last few days and strangely, I've been craving vegetables a lot. I'm always looking for new ways to enjoy the bounty of each season so when this recipe arrived in my inbox courtesy of Serious Eats. I quickly ran out and picked the best green beans I could find. I detest soggy vegetables so this is right up my alley. The green beans stay crisp and firm after a very quick blanch and ice bath and pair well with juicy tomatoes and crunchy almonds. The spices give this a warm gentle heat and make what could easily be a ho hum dish, something extraordinary. Plus, it's really beautiful to look at and as they say, we eat with our eyes first, right?


Sauteed Spicy Green Beans and Tomatoes
(Adapted from Edible: A Celebration of Local Foods)




Makes 2 servings

8 ounces green beans, stem end trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
Dash ground cinnamon
Dash ground cayenne
15 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons sliced almonds or pine nuts, toasted

Fill a large bowl with water and ice and set aside. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, add the green beans. Bring back to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Drain the beans, then plunge into the ice water. Remove the beans after 1 minute; drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, coriander, and the cinnamon and cayenne and cook for 1 minute. Add the green beans and stir to coat well with the onion and seasonings. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes.

Place the vegetables onto a serving dish. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Printable Recipe

Korean Style Salsa Roja and Onion and Cilantro Relish

OK, here's the last post in my Korean BBQ "extravaganza". To bring the whole meal together, I decided to make the Korean style salsa roja (which I had originally planned on replacing with sriracha) and onion relish. These are incredibly simple and flavorful toppings, but that salsa was a bit of work. My tomatoes and tomatillos took quite a while to get even slightly charred, but I pressed on and I am so glad I did. The salsa was fiery hot, but in a really good way. It's also tangy from the tomatoes and tomatillos and a bit nutty from the sesame oil. Not only did I enjoy this salsa in my wrap and burrito bowl, but it was fantastic on it's own (please don't judge me for dipping my spoon in it and licking it off). It goes really well with tortilla chips. I imagine some Korean-style nachos would be fantastic. I didn't bother with straining it (because I was too hungry) and I like a bit of texture in my salsa. The onion cilantro relish was tangy and had a slight bite from the onions. It was a great crunchy topping to everything.

So now that I've posted all these great recipes, do you think I could land a gig cooking on the Kogi truck??



Korean Style Salsa Roja
(Adapted from Closet Cooking)



Makes 4+ servings

1/2 pound plum tomatoes
1/4 pound tomatillos, husked and washed
1 cup water
5-6 Thai chilies, toasted
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, grated
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
2 tablespoons gochujang
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted and crushed

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Roast the tomatoes and tomatillos until charred on all sides, about 15-30 minutes.

Place the tomatoes, tomatillos, water, chiles and onion into a sauce pan, bring to a boil and simmer until the onions are tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain the water from the tomato/tomatillo mixture and reserve it.

Place everything other that the sesame seeds into a food processor or a blender and puree adding some of the reserved liquid if necessary.

Mix in the toasted and crushed sesame seeds.

Printable Recipe

Onion and Cilantro Relish
(From Closet Cooking)



Makes 4+ servings

1 sweet onion, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1 handful cilantro, chopped
Juice from 1/2 lime

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Let stand for 10-20 minutes before serving.

Printable Recipe

Cotija Corn Off the Cob

This past weekend I went to Palm Springs for a faaaaaabulous getaway. Seriously, it was the kind of fabulous weekend that requires multiple a’s. It was so nice to get out of town for a couple of days and just live in the lap of luxury, dipping my feet into the pool, drinking wine, and feeling relaxed. I wish it didn’t end. On Saturday, we stopped by the bar at the Ace Hotel for drinks and appetizers. One of the delicious things we tried was corn off the cob mixed with Cotija cheese and lime juice. I love Cotija cheese since I tried my hand at cooking with it at Raul’s birthday party several months ago. I love that squeaky salty texture and I have been thinking of ways to use it ever since. This recipe is essentially Mexican corn, but served in a much easier way off the cob and like a salsa. I think this would be really great with some black beans thrown in the mix or the corn grilled over a gas or charcoal grill for a nice smoky flavor.



Cotija Corn Off The Cob

(Inspired by the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs)

Makes at least 4 servings as an appetizer

4 ears of corn on the cob, husks removed
6 ounces cotija cheese, cubed or crumbled
Juice of 1 large lime
1/4 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt and then the corn. Boil the corn for about 3-5 minutes until tender. Let the corn dry and cool down. Using a knife, remove the kernels from the cob.

In a large bowl, mix the corn kernels, cotija cheese, lime juice, chili powder, and cilantro. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary. Season with salt and serve warm with corn chips, microwaving if necessary.

Printable Recipe

Saffron Rice with Green Peas

Here is my accompaniment for the Albondigas I had over the weekend. This rice is so easy and pretty too. Of course after the fact, I saw Giada make a similar recipe with pancetta. I guess I'll have to try that next time. This rice was great with the meatballs, but I am looking forward to having it again with all kinds of meats and maybe even some kind of garbanzo bean mixture. This is easily made into a vegetarian dish by using vegetable stock or water in place of the chicken stock.



Saffron Rice with Peas
(Based on Jehan Can Cook)

Makes 2+ servings

1/2 small onion, diced
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup rice
Pinch saffron strands
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup frozen green peas

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute. Add the rice and toast until lightly golden.

Carefully add the chicken stock and saffron. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook on low for about 15 minutes. Add the peas and cook another 5 minutes until the peas are thawed and the rice is cooked through.

Printable Recipe

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Leeks

Despite what some people think, I don't have gourmet meals for dinner every night. Sometimes I am just too tired, or lazy, or get off work too late to make anything fancy. It's nights like those that I will just turn to some chicken, some harvest grains mix, and some vegetables. However last night, the vegetables were special. A few nights ago I roasted up a bunch of brussels sprouts and leeks tossed in a simple balsamic dressing. These were inspired by our fall potluck a few weeks ago. I don't even remember the last time I have had brussels sprouts before a couple of weeks ago. I always thought I didn't like them, but now I can't get enough! I am a huge fan of the nutty flavor that comes from roasting vegetables and it's a great paring with the sweet and tart balsamic and mellow onion flavor from the leeks. I'll probably be making this once a week from now until spring!

Happy Halloween weekend to all! What are you doing to celebrate?




Balsamic Roasted Brussels Spouts and Leeks

1 bunch brussels sprouts, cut in half
3 leeks, washed and cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
No salt Greek seasoning (optional)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Drizzle the foil with a bit of olive oil.

In a small bowl toss the brussels sprouts with balsamic, Greek seasoning, more oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay the sprouts cut side up and spread the leeks in between. Spoon any remaining balsamic mixture of the the sprouts and leeks. Roast for 20 minutes. Using tongs, flip the sprouts and leeks over and roast for about 10 more minutes until the sprouts are crisp on the outside and the balsamic vinegar has caramelized. Serve warm.

Printable Recipe

Cilantro-Lime Rice and Cuban-Style Black Beans

Here are two really easy and insanely flavorful side dishes that went along with the vaca frita with a twist that I will be posting at a later time. These are also really quick and great to have on hand for any time. I imagine they would go great with some grilled chicken or fish for a fast meal.




Cilantro-Lime Rice
(Adapted from Closet Cooking)

Makes 8+ servings

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups long grained rice
4 cups water
2 handfuls cilantro, chopped
2 limes zested and juiced

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes until the onions have softened. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the rice and toast in the oil for a few 2-3 minutes.

Add the water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered until tender, about 20 minutes for white rice or 40-50 minutes for brown. Remove from the heat and mix in the cilantro, lime juice and zest.

Printable Recipe

Cuban-Style Black Beans
(Adapted from Bon Appetit, September 1997)

Makes 6-8 servings

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
3 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, rinsed, drained
3/4 cup canned vegetable broth or water
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and oregano and sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of beans to pan. Using back of fork, mash beans coarsely. Add remaining beans, broth and vinegar and simmer until mixture thickens and flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Mix in sugar, if desired. Season beans to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Printable Recipe

Fava Beans with Red Onions and Garlic

This past weekend, Raul and I decided to change up our weekly routine and hit up the Hollywood Farmers market instead of our regular Beverly Hills market. It was a bleary, drizzly day but the produce could not have been more amazing! There were some huge ass beets, tons of greens, strawberries, cherries and in particular, these fava beans. I was about to pick up some whole beans and spend my afternoon shelling them, but right next to the bin, I noticed some pre-shelled beans and I decided to save myself an hour or two. If you have the time, I suggest picking up the un-shelled beans and doing the work yourself because you end up paying a lot more for the pre-shelled version. This was one of the first weekends in a long time that I went to the farmers market with nothing on my list. I just wanted to be inspired by what the SoCal spring had to share. Since, I didn't have a recipe planned for the favas, I put out a Twitter call for some help. Within seconds, I heard from Andy at The Wind Attack whose amazing site I drool over all the time. He eats so incredibly well and I am jealous of all the dinner parties he has with his friends! Plus, he has amazing photography. If you haven't checked out his site yet, what are you waiting for? Anyway, pre-shelled beans makes this recipe a breeze and I was especially excited that I had all the ingredients in my kitchen. I overcooked my beans ever so slightly, but I loved the fresh flavors in this dish! The nuttiness of the favas is the star, but of course there are the sweet onions and brightness from lemon juice that make this such a great dish.

Enjoy some pics of farmers market finds!










Fava Beans with Red Onions and Garlic
(From The Wind Attack)

Makes 2 side-dish servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shelled fava beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Parsley for garnish, optional

Bring a few inches of water to boil in a saucepan. Add the fava beans and cook for four to eight minutes, when the beans are tender, yet slightly toothsome.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and add the onions when hot. Cook stirring frequently, if the onions start to brown, add a half cup of water to help them cook down without burning.

Drain the fava beans and add to the skillet. Cook for another two minutes, then add the garlic, lemon and salt. Cook for one more minute, then remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish. Top with a few grinds of pepper and fresh minced parsley, if desired.

Printable Recipe

Green Beans with Lemon and Oil

I'm back! Hope you all enjoyed your weekend. I had a nice time with my mom and sister up in the Bay Area, and I spent part of Sunday cooking up this lovely feast. We had an early dinner that consisted of sizzling shrimp with garlic, halibut with tomatoes (an Esi creation that unfortunately, I didn't get a very good picture of), these green beans, and the chocolate Valentino which I managed NOT to screw up this time around. One of the best parts of this meal was that it was really delicious, but quite simple to put together. My new goal is to have all my mise en place because I think that was a critical element in me having dinner on the table in less than an hour. I really have to remember to practice that more in my cooking. Anyway, dinner was delicious if I do say so myself. There were lots of nice, fresh spring flavors and everything complemented each other well. I suppose since I didn't get a good picture of the halibut, I am just going to have to make it again so I can share it with you.



Green Beans with Lemon and Oil
(From Gourmet, March 2003)

Makes 4-6 servings

1 pound thin green beans such as haricot verts, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, divided

Cook the beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry.

Toss the beans with oil, salt, and pepper to taste then add the lemon juice and half the zest. Serve beans sprinkled with the remaining zest.

Printable Recipe

Roasted Beet Salad

Early last week I received an email from my old boss asking me when we were going to open our restaurant. Apparently he had just discovered my blog and I guess he liked it :) He immediately sent me his recipe for roasted beets and I was intrigued. I had never cooked with beets before. Beets are one of those vegetables that I had managed to avoid. Not because I thought I wouldn't like them, but I just didn't know a lot about how to prepare them. I had always equated beets with those kind of nasty looking things in a can that sort of resemble that cranberry sludge that people serve at Thanksgiving. However, armed with this recipe I ventured out in the hot, hot heat last Sunday to get beets at the farmers market. Luckily the weather has cooled down by 30 degrees over the last couple of days so I was able to turn on my oven the other night to make this. The possibilities are endless when it comes with what to pair the beets with. Gregg's suggestions included lentils, feta, blue cheese, walnuts, chopped endive, etc. I decided to go with some feta and a few roasted pistachios. I have probably mentioned this a million times, but I am obsessed with this mild feta I get from the farmers market. It was a great pairing with the sweet beets and salty pistachios.


Roasted Beet Salad
(Courtesy of Gregg aka one of the most talented agent/chefs in Los Angeles*)

2 bunches beets (I used a mix of red and golden), washed with the tops cut off
Canola oil
Kosher salt
Crumbled feta cheese
Roasted pistachios

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Drizzle the beets with canola oil and double wrap with foil.

Roast 75 minutes for medium beets...maybe longer for larger beets. When done open carefully, being careful of steam. If a knife goes through smoothly, the beets are done.

When the beets have cooled, peel off skin, slice, put in bowl with more drizzled canola oil and kosher salt.

*His words not mine

Asparagus wtih Blood Oranges

For the last few months I have been receiving Saveur courtesy of the Foodie Blogroll and it has quickly become one of my favorite food magazines. I love everything about it from the pictures, to the writing and of course the tasty recipes. There are also so many helpful tips on food preparation. I can't believe I didn't discover this magazine earlier. In one of the recent issues, this recipe jumped out at me. The original recipe caled for navel oranges, but since I am having a love affair with blood oranges lately, I decided to use them here. The dressing was the right balance of sweet and tart with the asparagus and the orange segments added a nice dimension as well. It's really easy and fast for dinner, especially if you're not very hungry like I was last night.


Asparagus with Blood Oranges
(Adapted from Saveur, April 2009)

Makes 1-2 servings

1 blood orange
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 scallion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 stalks green asparagus

Zest the orange; set zest aside. Slice off the ends of the orange. Set an orange on end; with a small knife, slice off and discard the peel and the white pith. Holding the orange in your hand, use a knife to cut the orange segments away from their membranes. Place segments in a bowl and set aside. Over a separate bowl, squeeze the remaining orange pulp to extract any remaining juice. Whisk 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, lemon juice, oregano, and scallion into orange juice and season with salt and pepper; set dressing aside.

Cut off about 1" from the tough end of the asparagus and transfer asparagus to a large microwavable baking dish. Sprinkle asparagus with reserved orange zest and drizzle with remaining oil and 2 tablespoons water. Microwave on high for about 2 minutes, rotating the dish if necessary until asparagus is just tender. Drain off cooking liquid. Toss asparagus with reserved citrus dressing and season with salt. Top with orange segments. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Spring Cianfotta

Looking for springtime in a bowl? Ok, well maybe you're not, but if for some reason you are, the search is over. For a while now, I have been receiving daily emails from a fabulous website called Tasting Table. Not only do they have wonderful restaurant recommendations and inside tips, but very often they publish recipes from amazing restaurants in Los Angeles. That is how I have the tuna tartare recipe from my dear Chaya, the dill dressing recipe from my new fave Tender Greens and now this recipe for spring cianfotta. If you listen to KCRW and Good Food with Evan Kleiman, or if you have been to her restaurant, Angeli Caffe, you know how amazing she is in the food world. I was so excited to see this recipe pop up in my inbox a few weeks ago and even more excited to see all the ingredients at the farmers market the other day. With the insane hot weather we have been having, this is exactly the kind of food I am in the mood for. Nothing too heavy and lots of fresh bright flavors. Look at the colors here. So gorgeous. Since I like really crisp vegetables, I didn't cook them for as long as the original recipe called for. I also greatly reduced the amount of olive oil. The best part is that this is just as good hot as it is cold. Given the sweltering temps yesterday (100 degrees!), I was in no mood to eat hot food so I had this as a nice cool lunch and it was fantastic!

Spring Cianfotta
(From Angeli Caffe's Evan Kleiman)

Makes about 3 servings as a side dish or 1 large serving as a main dish

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
1 stalk green garlic (or 2 garlic cloves), peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 bunch thin asparagus, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 pound sugar snap peas, stem end and string removed; pods sliced vertically to expose peas
15 spearmint leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper

In a skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the leeks and cook over medium-high heat until soft. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.

Turn the heat to high and add the asparagus, sugar snap peas and spearmint. Cook the vegetables, stirring frequently, until slightly softer than al dente, about 4 to 7 minutes; longer for softer vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Crunchy Peanut Slaw

As usual, I was planning my weekly meals and this recipe popped up on The Kitchn, followed by another one on Serious Eats and I knew I had to add them both to my weekly plan immediately. I have never been a huge coleslaw eater, but I have really come to love cabbage in the last few months. This recipe does not disappoint. It's a snap to prepare and really tasty. I used garlic roasted peanuts I get at the farmers market for snacks. I think shelling the peanuts was probably the biggest work in making this salad. It was so good and crunchy with that always awesome combination of salty and sweet. I think next time I will sub honey or agave nectar for the sugar, but it was still good. I don't think I shredded the cabbage as thinly as I could have, but I honestly don't think it took away from the pleasure of eating the salad. I served it as a side dish to a wonderful stir fry that I will be sharing with you tomorrow so stay tuned.



Crunchy Peanut Slaw
(Adapted from The Kitchn)

Makes 4 servings

For the salad:
1/2 medium head green cabbage, outer leaves removed
3/4 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
3 green onions
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Dressing:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar (or more, to taste)
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce (or more, to taste)

Shred the cabbage very finely. Toss with the peanuts in a large bowl. Chop the scallions, including the green and white parts. Toss the scallions and chopped cilantro with the cabbage.

Whisk the dressing until emulsified, then taste and adjust to your own preferences of sweetness and saltiness.

Toss with the cabbage. Garnish with a few more peanuts and green onions and serve.

Chickpea and Kale Stirfry

As I said yesterday, I had Travis come over for a decadent dinner the other night. Since I knew I would be eating heavy food for dinner, I wanted something light for lunch. I'm not exactly sure how I found this recipe, but I do remember that when I decided to make the cauliflower and farro salad that I would have some chickpeas left over that would need to be used up. This very similar to a recipe I made last summer, but since I love chickpeas and I love greens, I couldn't resist this new way of changing it up. It's so easy and fast and tasty. I have definitely noticed the kale bunches getting smaller at the farmers market. Perhaps they are making way for the spring produce? As sad as I am to see things like kale on it's way out, I can't help but be excited for the new produce making its way in. In SoCal, we already have a bunch of strawberries and some other tropical fruits and things are looking better every week. I can't wait to see what other options the new season brings.





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Chickpea and Kale Stir Fry
(Adapted from Live to Eat who adapted from 101 Cookbooks)

1/2 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small bunch kale, tough stems removed and roughly torn
1 shallot, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Pinch red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
Juice and zest from 1/2 lemon

In a large pan, heat the olive oil and saute the shallots and garlic till fragrant. Season with salt pepper and the chickpeas and saute until the chickpeas turn golden and crusty, about 8-10 minutes. Add the red pepper and mix well. Add the kale and saute for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest and lemon juice and mix well. Season with more salt if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Thank you guys for the well wishes yesterday. So far the week is starting off alright so I guess we just have to wait and see what the next few days bring. Unfortunately this season goes through April so unless someone offers me my dream job tomorrow, you may be hearing more gripes from me soon. One thing I won't be complaining about is this dish. It's delicious. I originally intended to make it with the asparagus called for in the original recipe, but asparagus was the one thing I forgot to pick up at the farmers market. Luckily I already had the broccoli and green beans at home so I decided to use my local produce instead of something that could have potentially been picked by slaves. I know those of you not in perpetually sunny California don't always have access to these types of vegetables in the dead of winter, but I hope you are making an effort to know where your food is coming from and who is doing the picking...ok, I will get off my soap box for now. Try this salad. It only takes a few minutes to prep and cook and it's really delicious. I only used a small amount of olive oil in the vinaigrette because I tossed the vegetables in oil and didn't want to over do it. The balsamic adds a nice tang and roasting the vegetables for even a short time cooks them just enough. The tomatoes I used were particularly sweet and juicy so it made this even better.




Roasted Vegetable Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
(Adapted from For the Love of Cooking)

1 bunch broccoli florets
1/2 pound (approx) green beans, trimmed
1 pint grape tomatoes, cleaned and halved
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a foil lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Toss the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 5-7 minutes until fork tender.

In a small bowl, mix together the balsamic with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the vinaigrette over the vegetables and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Braised Butternut Squash with Garlic

As I a couple of days ago, most of this week's recipes seemed to be almost entirely garlic oriented. Here is another one, some of which I added to the third helping of turkey meatballs over greens since I was running low on the greens and I added a few of the leftover sizzling shrimp too. I have a feeling that this coming week I am going to undo a lot of the good work that I have been doing lately in terms of eating better and exercising, but hopefully it will be worth it. For the most part though, I am going to try and stay on track with tasty recipes like this. This was a new cooking technique for me which was fun to try. I was a little doubtful about "browning" the squash after steaming it, but it worked really well. Besides peeling and cutting up the squash, this is a fast and flavorful side dish and it can work with many meals since none of the flavors are too overpowering. If you're in LA, did you feel the earthquake last night? I haven't felt any of the earthquakes this week, but I did have a dream a few days ago about "the big one". Guess I should put my preparedness kit together. Hope you are all having a great weekend, I am off to the pictures!


Braised Butternut Squash with Garlic
(Adapted from How to Cook Everything (Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition): 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food
via Serious Eats)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pound butternut or other winter squash, peeled and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup stock or water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, then add the oil and garlic and cook until the garlic softens and begins to color, 2-3 minutes. Add the squash pieces and stock or water, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. When the liquid comes to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover, and cook until the squash is nearing tender but still quite firm, 5 to 15 minutes depending on piece size.

Uncover the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Stir occasionally as the liquid cooks away and the squash begins to brown, an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cook until the pieces are well-caramelized, even beginning to crisp.

Adjust for seasoning, and toss with parsley off the heat.

Kale Salad with Parmesan and Lemon

I'm so glad I came across this recipe on The Kitchn the other day. I didn't pick up much at the farmers market last weekend, but on an impulse I bought a head of kale. I really want to make kale chips again, but they have now been requested for our New Year's Eve potluck/slumber party so I am saving it until then (really looking forward to that by the way!). This is a really good, easy recipe to make if you're having a dinner party and want a nice light starter. Just make this first, and then let it sit for a while to let the flavors come together while you get everything else going. Of course this recipe didn't call for pomegranate seeds, but I thought the contrast of colors looked pretty in the picture. Looks like Christmas, huh? I didn't use all of the dressing that I made, but I like this kind of dressing with spinach a lot so that's what I used the leftovers for. I hope you have a wonderful weekend full of holiday parties and cheer and don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Oh! Visit Tony's blog to see you know who on Ellen the other day!


Kale Salad with Parmesan and Lemon
(Adapted from The Kitchn)

1 small bunch kale, washed, trimmed of stems, and leaves sliced into thin ribbons
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved
1 lemon, juiced
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)

Toss the kale with the cheese. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and olive oil and pour over the salad. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Let the salad sit at room temperature for an hour before serving. Top with pomegranate seeds before serving, if desired.

Vibrant Greens

Here's another dish that could be a healthy addition to your Thanksgiving table. I saw this last week and knew I was going to be making it soon. Not for my Thanksgiving (I'm not cooking!), but for a tasty lunch before I leave. It's kind of a fresher take on that insane green bean casserole with the fried onions and mushroom gunk. I loved everything about this dish. The green beans were crisp and fresh reminding me of how I used to snack on green beans from my mom's garden back in high school. It took me a little longer than the recommended 7-10 to get my leeks to the crispy point. I almost gave up, but I am glad I let them get there. The only change I would make in this is to use less dill. I found 1/3 of a cup to be a bit much. I will probably do 1/4 cup next time. You can find the original recipe here. Are you making anything special for your Thanksgiving?

Garlicky Kale

I had a head of kale that I needed to use before I leave town on Thursday. Kale has recently become my favorite dark green. I really wanted to make kale chips again, but I also thought it would be nice to find another way to use them. This recipe struck me for it's simplicity. Even though I grew up in the Bay Area (among other places), I have never dined at Chez Panisse although Alice Waters is kind of a hero of mine for her philosophies on food. I have to say, this was really easy and so incredibly delicious. I probably use way more garlic than I should have, but I love garlic so I didn't have a problem with it. It's not like I had to worry about kissing anyone with garlic breath (wah wah). I loved the little kick from the red pepper flakes and the tart bite from the vinegar. If you're looking for something a little healthy to have with your Thanksgiving feast, you should definitely try this recipe. You will not be disappointed.


Garlicky Kale
(From the Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook)

1 large head of kale
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
Red pepper flakes
Red wine vinegar
Pepper

Remove the stems from the kale and coarsely tear or chop the leaves. Wash and drain well, but do not dry. Heat a large saute pan and add about a tablespoon of olive oil and the kale. Cook over high heat while stirring to rotate the leaves. Season with salt, cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. About 4-5 minutes. If the leaves begin to scorch, add a splash of water.

When the leaves are tender, push the kale to one side of the pan and add an extra drizzle of olive oil, the garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to the bare spot. Just as you smell the aroma of the farlic, stir to combine it with the kale. Turn off the heat, add a splash of vinegar. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.




Adele plug of the week! Miss Thang was on KCRW last week. If you have some time (like half an hour), check out her performance below!