Love the ingredients, not the food.

The Elephant Walk In Boston

Written on April 18, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Restaurant Review

Today is a special day if you’re from Boston; it’s Patriot’s Day, also known as Marathon Monday. Growing up I always looked forward to having this one day off from school and watching the marathon coverage on every network station. Now that I don’t live in Boston, it makes me sad that I have to go to school and miss all that. But yesterday I was there with some excellent company and excellent food.

I met Matt and his family at The Elephant Walk on Beacon St. for a Sunday brunch. Matt is running the marathon today as his 8th or 9th marathon; he’s just that awesome. He also has a very cute baby who turned one yesterday(happy birthday, Holden!) so we just had to go out and eat grown-up food to celebrate. The great thing about The Elephant Walk was that the menu had lots of gluten-free(me) and vegan(him and his wife) options for us to choose from; eating out with food restrictions sometimes makes it hard to find something on the menu to eat but here we were all struggling to narrow it down to one option.

I got the prix fixe menu which started with a fresh fruit plate. It was a little plain but the pineapple was especially delicious and a good fresh way to start.

For the second course, I tried the S’ngao Mouan described as “Cambodian chicken soup with chicken breast, lemongrass, lime juice, fish sauce, basil and scallion.” I had never had Cambodian food before but really liked how most of the flavors were drawn from citrus and herbs. This tasted especially light and refreshing with Thai basil which has an almost minty tone to it.

For an entrée I chose Poulet a la Citronelle “sliced chicken breasts sauteed with lemongrass, onion, red bell pepper and scallion, sprinkled with freshly roasted crushed peanuts.” This dish has a much richer flavor than the soup but was very good. The peanuts added a strong punch of flavor and the sauce was great, too.

I would definitely eat at The Elephant Walk again, or even any other Cambodian restaurant. I’m very intrigued by their flavors and food after trying them once.

And congrats to Matt and all the other Boston Marathon runners! Go ahead and eat a brownie sundae from J.P. Licks today for me.

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My 5 Favorite Italian Recipes

Written on April 16, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

December 28th 035

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with Red Wine

December 28th 057

Cheesy Rosemary Flatbread

March 28th 046

Italian Quinoa with Fava Beans

Cannellini Salad with Artichokes and Sundried Tomatoes

January 16th 063

Espresso Chocolate Bark

Someone pass me a cannoli.

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Sweet Beet Hummus

Written on April 15, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

April 10th 030

This recipe would be perfect for Valentine’s Day. Or for a Pepto-Bismol themed brunch. After the last hummus recipe I wanted something that didn’t quite have the same overpowering savory taste of olives and garlic that instead would be suited for Springtime. This is definitely the kind of hummus I’d plop on a salad and eat with vegetables since the flavor is so light. It’ll definitely draw eyes with a color like that.

Sweet Beet Hummus

Ingredients:

2 cups chickpeas
1/2 cup beets, loosely cut
1/2 Tablespoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
~2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons honey

Pour the chickpeas into the food processor.

Add in the beets, honey, and salt and begin to blend. While blending, slowly pour in the vinegar and olive oil until the hummus becomes smooth and runny.

I’m not sure if it can cure nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, or diarrhea, but if you’re eating hummus to begin with that’s a pretty good start towards your health.

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Honey Cashew Butter

Written on April 14, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

I’ve probably said this before but I could spend all too much money on something like a fancy nut butter. Even plain almond butter or cashew butter runs a mean price tag when it’s so easy to make at home. I picked up a pound of cashews for $5 from the bulk bin and managed to make 18oz of “gourmet” cashew butter with a few ingredients on hand. I’ll never look back at store-bought again.

Honey Cashew Butter

Ingredients:

4 cups cashews, raw or roasted
3 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons neutral oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add the cashews to a food processor and start blending on high.

When the cashew butter starts to form a dough ball, add in the honey, salt, and oil and continue processing. Stop sooner for a thicker consistency or blend longer for a smooth and runny cashew butter.

I like my cashew butter a little chunky so I didn’t puree it too much and it came out perfect. On a spoon it almost taste like cookie dough. This could be dangerous.

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How I’m Using A Plant-Based Diet To Get In Shape

Written on April 13, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

The day I ran my 20-mile marathon training run I realized something: I was out of shape and it was weighing me down(literally). It wasn’t hard to figure out why I might have gained 15-20 pounds since November:

It was the Holidays. Cookies, cake, and candy were always around.
My dog dying in November led to major stress eating.
I had gotten injured and stopped doing cardio altogether for 6 weeks, but don’t remember cutting down my actual portions during that time.

After that run I swore I’d get in better shape for the marathon; I knew I couldn’t undo 3 months of bad habits in 3 weeks but I put myself on a healthy track having the longer picture in mind. I was already interested in a plant-based diet and reading Matt’s e-book convinced me I should give it a shot with some slight twists.

April 10th 002

First of all, this is not a low/high anything diet and didn’t focus on any numbers. Instead I focused on the type of foods that I ate. I also didn’t cut anything out completely, instead trying to limit myself to 1 serving of dessert a day.

Things I eat a lot of:

Raw vegetables
Greens
Beans
Fruit
Nuts & Seeds

March 6th 096

Things I eat in moderation:

Fish
Eggs
Potatoes
Healthy oils
Sugar
Cocoa powder(it’s really its own food group to me)

Things I eat very little of

Red/white meat
Soy
Grains
Dairy

April 3rd 013

As I got hungry through the day, I snacked on things like raw vegetables or nuts. I also got rid of a bad habit of a filling snack right before bed and instead learned how to fall asleep with a slight hunger.

As for protein, my philosophy was that eating enough real food throughout the day would lead to an appropriate amount. Beans, broccoli, and nuts may not be protein powerhouses on their own, but when you eat a lot of them it adds up over time. If I weren’t running ~30 miles per week and eating so much, I might need to add a bigger emphasis to protein. But this works for me at the moment.

March 6th 121

So how has it worked? Well, I don’t own a scale but I definitely feel lighter. A week after I started I noticed my 6.5 mile loop being a whole minute faster, which felt like progress. Now, about 5 weeks later, my “comfortable pace” for long runs has dropped about 10-20 seconds/mile, which also encourages me to keep it up. And I strength train twice a week to make sure that I’m losing fat and building muscle, which I would recommend as part of any distance running program.

Disclaimer: I’m completely unqualified. For everything. It’s amazing I get out of bed and put my socks on both feet every morning. Do not assume that this is sound medical advise and that you can sue me. Besides, I have no money so the joke’s on you.

PS. Heather is having a raffle right now to raise money for Relay for Life and my outrageous triple chocolate brownies are one of the prizes. I suggest you pop on over and take a look at all the goodies over their and bid for a good cause.

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Easy Cantaloupe And Kale Salad

Written on April 12, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

It’s (almost) Summer, and what’s better than when fresh fruit and vegetables go on sale? I really don’t care for fruit in the Winter; I’ll take a hot chocolate, please. But in the Summer it’s much more appealing and so refreshing to eat. This salad is simple with just 5 ingredients that you have to throw together and really lets the produce speak for itself.

Cantaloupe And Kale Salad

Ingredients(Makes 2 servings):

1/2 large cantaloupe, diced
1 bunch kale, chopped*
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Goat cheese(optional)

*I used frozen kale which I thawed and dried. It worked out fine but if I were serving this to others I would definitely use fresh kale.

Combine the cantaloupe, kale, olive oil, vinegar, and salt in a large bowl or salad tosser and toss until the ingredients have spread out. Plate and top with goat cheese if desired.

This was excellent. A little tang from cheese would have added a good extra dimension but on its own it was really fresh and vibrant.

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Black Olive Hummus

Written on April 11, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

Get the Altoids ready because this one’s a nightmare on your breath but it’s worth it.

Chickpeas and olives are two of my favorite foods; I think they deserve their own food group. This has a strong flavor of a tapenade but with all the creaminess of a hummus. It’s definitely a winning potluck recipe.

Black Olive Hummus

Ingredients:

2 cups chickpeas
1/2 cup black olives, pitted
2 cloves garlic
3-4 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Dumb the chickpeas into a food processor.

Add in the olives, garlic, and salt and begin to process.

As the hummus is blending, slowly pour in the vinegar and olive oil until it takes on a smooth consistency.

Garnish with sliced olives to warn any olive haters.

Somebody pass the [gluten-free] pita because it’s on.

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Taking Another Crack At Eggs

Written on April 10, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

For the past 2 years eggs and I have not been best amigos. Sure, they’re a cheap source of protein, but unless I was counting on baked goods for protein I wasn’t getting any from eggs.

Did I break up with them because I don’t like the way they taste? No. I think eggs have a great neutral flavor, also that anything is good when you smother it with ketchup.

And I do.

Did I break up with them because of the cholesterol thing? No, I’ve had high cholesterol since the day I was born. If you can fix that you should get a Nobel Peace prize.

Did I break up with them because as a food blogger I’m constantly taking pictures of my meals and so everything’s cold by the time I actually eat it? No, but that’s remarkably true.

The reason is much more vain than all of that I assure you.

I stopped eating eggs because I could never cook them right. I can’t tell you how many yolks I broke trying to cook an egg sunny side up or fried. Even today don’t ask me to make you a recipe that involves separating the whites and yolks or—God forbid—whipping the egg whites; I’d just buy something from the store and say I made it.

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But then my friend gave me a duck egg a few weeks ago. “Don’t make brownies with them; they don’t make good brownies” she said. Crap, there went my plans. So instead I took the plunge and fried it with some vegetables in a pan. And it came out perfect so I made it again. And again.

There are so many ways to cook eggs, all of which I will be trying out now(except hardboiled because that’s just nasty). My point? Don’t give up on something because you fail a few times because at the end you just might find your reward, a fried, tasty reward.

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If I Had Time, I Would Make These

Written on April 8, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

January 19th 050

Grasshopper Brownies

Rawxy’s Raw Turtle Brownies

December 31st 043

Peppermint Patties

Mama Pea’s Magic Bars

March 13th 015

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Dessert Hummus

Anna’s Browned Butter Blondies

…But I don’t so who can I give my address to to send me these?

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Brussel Sprout and Potato Hash With Fried Eggs

Written on April 7, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

I can never have a savory breakfast; it just doesn’t appeal to me at all. I need something sweet and as close to a dessert as I can get away with eating when I wake up.

Dinner is another story. I love a big plate of hot, savory food at night. I also love eating all the “traditional” breakfast foods like hash browns then since I’d never eat them otherwise. Sure, you could make this for breakfast. But I think it’s much better for dinner. Just imagine all your cares from that day flowing away like the runny yolk when it breaks and suddenly nothing seems so bad any more. Just remember to leave room for ~~breakfast~~ dessert.

Brussel Sprout and Potato Hash With Fried Eggs

Ingredients(for 2 servings):

1 1/2 brussel sprouts, steamed*
2 medium potatoes, cooked and diced*
1 onion, julienned
4 eggs
1/4 cup of butter, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

*You can do this easily by microwaving them together for 4 minutes before starting.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan over medium heat. Once the pan is heated, add in the brussel sprouts, potatoes, and onion.

Cook for 10 minutes tossing the contents of the pan periodically until all the sides have had a chance to brown. Divide the contents of the pan between two plates or bowls and return the pan over the burner.

Using the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, fry each egg individually in the pan. When each is done, plate it over the hash two to a plate. When all are done, season with salt and pepper.

My favorite part really is the runny yolks. If the yolks aren’t runny, well, I’d still eat it but it wouldn’t be the same. Apparently pregnant women shouldn’t eat runny yolks; I’m glad that’s never in my future.

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