Tag Archive: Food

Eggs Poached In Tomato Sauce

June 7th 018

Apparently I get my love of cooking from my great grandmother. I say apparently because I never really knew her when she was active; I only ever heard stories of her cooking from my mother. And my grandmother never cooked; she comes over to my house and asks for freshly baked cookies. Is it just me or is there something wrong there?

From what I hear, my great grandmother was a great cook. She made her pasta, tomato sauce, and everything else by hand. A few nights ago my mom mentioned how she poached eggs in tomato sauce, and as soon as I heard that I knew I had to try it. Turns out it’s not so difficult and makes for some of the best tasting eggs I’ve ever had. I’ve already made this twice because I didn’t bother taking photos the first time. How could I mind having to eat this again?

Eggs Poached In Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup your favorite marinara sauce
  • 2 eggs

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For this recipe, I used Trader Joe’s marinara sauce. You can make your own if you’re feeling ambitious, but this is a great tasting brand that’s cheap, too.

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Bring the tomato sauce to a slight boil in a pan. Adjust the heat so that it’s boiling but not spattering over the sides.

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Carefully crack the eggs into the sauce, making sure not to break the yolks.

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Cover the pan with a fitted lid. Poaching the eggs this way takes slightly longer than normally. Leave them undisturbed keeping an eye on them.

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The eggs will be done as soon as the albumen over the yolk turns white. Take the pan off the heat and plate and serve hot.

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I served mine over a stack of savory Italian socca pancakes which soaked up the sauce and the yolks perfectly. Cooking the eggs this way added all the flavors of the sauce into them; regular poached eggs just can’t compare.

Peach-Almond Yogurt Dip

June 6th 049

I love recipes that lend themselves to endless variations. Example: Fruity Peanut Yogurt Dip. Even though it’s just 3 ingredients, with those you can make countless combinations that taste completely different.

June 6th 039

Peach and almond is one of my favorite flavor combination, so this was a no-brainer. I used an almond milk yogurt for my base but you can use any peach yogurt and it will come out just as delicious. Try Greek yogurt for a protein-packed punch.

Peach-Almond Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup smooth almond butter(preferably unsalted)
  • 1/2 cup peach yogurt(Greek, non-fat, soy, almond—any will do)
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

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In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt and almond butter. If you’re using a fruit on the bottom yogurt, make sure to stir it first so that the fruit is all through the yogurt.

Sift in the powdered sugar and beat until no lumps remain. Scoop the dip into a serving bowl.

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Cut up fruits and vegetables for dipping and serve. Keep leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

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I was really happy with how this tasted. Neither the peach nor the almond stood out over the other; instead it was a perfect blend of flavors. Can you really get better than peaches and almond butter in the Summer time?

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Peaches: Healthy. Almonds: Healthy. Yogurt: Healthy. Peach-almond yogurt dip: Triple healthy, so dip away.

Black Bean And Kale Tacos

June 2nd 009

If cooking has taught me anything, it’s how to cover up mistakes. That’s my favorite part of cooking as opposed to baking: It’s never too late to fix things. I wanted to make a black bean and tempeh taco filling until I realized the tempeh I bought had barley and rye in it which I’m severely allergic to, so that was a no-go.

The second mistake that day was the chickpea flour “grits” you see in the top left of that plate. That’s what you get when you mean to make a tortilla but the batter’s too thin and never comes together. It actually wasn’t bad with a little seasoning and would have been even better with some shredded cheese or Daiya. See? Never too late to fix things.

So even if this wasn’t what I intended to make at all when I started cooking that day, it still tasted incredible. And isn’t that what matters? Oh, that and looks. Looks always matter.

Spicy Cocoa Black Beans With Kale

Ingredients(Makes 2 servings):

  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1 cup kale, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

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Combine the black beans and kale in a pan over medium heat with the oil already heated. Cover the pan for 2 minutes until the kale has steamed and changed into a deeper green color.

Remove the cover and season with the taco seasoning, cocoa powder, and cinnamon.

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Serve hot into a tortilla wrap, taco shell, with rice or all by itself. Use a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt to mellow the spice if necessary.

June 2nd 016

I really like this, mistake or not. And that grits I could eat again and again with enough cheese on top. So don’t be afraid to make mistakes because you just might knock one out of the park anyway.

Hello, Summer

June 4th 004

Hello, grilling everything. Swordfish? Grill it. Bell peppers? Grill it. Shoe? Grill it.

June 4th 007

Hello, ridiculous amounts of Summer produce. 1/2 a watermelon is totally a reasonable afternoon snack, right?

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Hello, ridiculous footwear. I actually got a compliment on these in Whole Foods. If I wear them anywhere else, I just get stares.

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Hello, trips into the city. And hello, egregious photo editing because on the day I went to Marsh Chapel it was grey and raining.

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Hello, Netflix subscription. Because some afternoons I have nothing better to do than watch TV for 6 hours. That’s not a problem, just a lot of Party Down.

I’m sorry this is so ‘Goodnight, Moon’, but do you have anything about Summer you want to say hello to?

Watermelon With Sea Salt, Black Peppercorn, And Basil

I think I could eat watermelon alone all Summer long and never get tired of it. Well, maybe watermelon and chocolate, you know, for a well-rounded diet. This takes watermelon to the next level. It’s sweet and spicy with just a small kick of flavor from the basil. As soon as I started eating from the bowl I couldn’t put it down, and I’m not even one for savory foods.

This recipe is great to use fancy seasonings like lemon pepper or smoked salt since the watermelon is so pure and really a blank canvas to flavor however you’d like.

Watermelon With Sea Salt, Black Peppercorn, and Basil

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole seedless watermelon, cut into cubes
  • 3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 10 basil leaves, torn

Method:

  1. Cube the watermelon into bite-sized chunks.
  2. Combine the watermelon in a large bowl with the salt, pepper, and basil.
  3. Toss the ingredients together until they are evenly mixed.
  4. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a few days.

Addictive. Purely addictive. Perfect for Summer, too!

 

Raw Mini Ganache Tortes

May 31st 073

Remember the best dessert money can buy? I can’t forget. Ever. One thing I miss horribly about Providence is being a short bus ride away from Wildflour bakery. That’s probably a good thing for my wallet and health but hard on the heart. Since I’m obsessed with their raw ganache dessert it was the first one I wanted to try and recreate. Smooth, rich chocolate that I could call healthy and make any time? How could I say no.

Raw Mini Ganache Tortes

Ingredients for the crust:

  • 1 1/4 cups cashews*
  • 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup(or agave)
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut oil

Ingredients for the filling:

  • 6oz cacao butter**, melted
  • 1 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup(or agave)
  • 2 Tablespoon coconut oil

*You can use any nuts; these are what I had on hand

**cacao butter is a specialty food product available online and in some grocery stores such as Whole Foods.

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For the crust, pulse the cashews in a food processor until they’re finely ground. Add in the cocoa powder, coconut oil, and maple syrup and continue to blend until it forms a dough.

Flatten about a tablespoon of dough into the bottom of regular sized muffin wells.

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To make the filling, gently melt the cocoa butter and coconut oil until they’re completely liquid(be careful that the cocoa butter doesn’t boil on you). Mix in the cocoa powder and maple syrup until completely smooth.

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Scoop about 1/4 cup of ganache over each crust. Refrigerate until the chocolate has set.

To release them, gently run a sharp knife around the edges of the well until the torte pops out. For the best texture, keep refrigerate until 20 minutes before serving.

May 31st 063

These are good. Like, really good. If I weren’t up against the best dessert money can buy they’d probably be my favorite. But I have to admit that Wildflour’s raw ganache is still the best I’ve ever had. It’s also probably cheaper to buy it than to make it with the raw ingredients since cacao butter is a pricey ingredient(although I plan on seeing if unsweetened baker’s chocolate will work in this recipe as well for a cheaper, less-raw alternative). Until I have theirs again I’ll have no problem settling with these.

May 31st 067

Homemade Spicy Taco Seasoning

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I missed Cinco de Mayo by about, oh, a month, but I’m starting to get really in to making Mexican food. First I made taco shells and now taco seasoning; you can see where this is going. This seasoning has a lot of flavor and was simple to make with just what I already had on hand. I’ve put it on just about everything from eggs to beans to roasted vegetable; the flavor really isn’t just for tacos.

Homemade Spicy Taco Seasoning

Ingredients(Makes about 1/2 a cup:

  • 1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

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Combine all of the spices and mix together completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

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This is hot so be careful who you serve it to. I like spicy things and can tolerate them pretty well, but some people I know wouldn’t touch this with a 10-foot pole after tasting it. It’s not Cinco de Mayo but we can still celebrate Uno de Juno(clearly I didn’t take Spanish in school, though now I want to watch the movie Juno).

Homemade Gluten-Free Taco Shells

May 29th 035

I really love the internet, and my guess is if you’re reading this you probably do, too. Ideas are just a click away and sometimes they pop up without you even expecting them. For instance, I saw this pin on Pinterest and couldn’t believe what a good idea it was. Homemade taco shells? Why hadn’t I ever thought of that. The original recipe looks like it uses flour tortilla; to make this gluten-free and feed my chickpea flour obsession, I made the socca tortillas first and then baked them. It couldn’t have been more easy! And the result was crunchy and delicious.

Gluten-Free Taco Shells/Bowls

Ingredients(Makes 3 shells/bowls):

  • 1/2 cup chickpea flour
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Oil for greasing
  • A large muffin tray

Start by heating a large pan over medium heat with a little oil in to make sure the tortillas don’t stick.

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Whisk together the salt, chickpea flour, and water until no lumps remain. Pour 1/3 of the batter in to the center of the pan and wait about 40-50 seconds until the bottom is cooked.

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Carefully flip the tortilla and cook for an additional 20-30 seconds on the other side.

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When each tortilla is done cooking, move it to a plate to cool down until cold enough to handle before baking.

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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease the bottom of a muffin tray.

For V shells, fold the tortilla in between 2 upside down wells.

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For bowls, press the center of a tortilla in between 4 wells that make a square.

Bake the shells for about 50 minutes until they are hard and crisp. Carefully remove them from the tray and let cool until they come to room temperature. Eat within 2-3 days.

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These sides of these were crisp which was just how I was hoping they’d come out. The only problems I had with the chickpea flour tortillas were small holes in the bottom from bubbles and that it started getting soggy over time. To fix this I put a few spinach leaves on the bottom of the inside to catch that moisture and they were just as good. I would double or even triple the recipe next time since if you’re going to be baking these you might as well make a lot.

Sushi & BBQ—Memorial Day

May 29th 054

Happy Memorial Day! It’s supposed to rain today but yesterday the sun was out in full blast for a great barbeque.

We spent the day with my best friend from high school and her family and friends. They’re all big readers of the blog and wondered why they hadn’t been on yet, so here you go! Thanks for the delicious food, John!

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After a fun game of frisbee throwing and feeding the pet ducks, it was time to make the appetizers. We were having sushi with all the fixings and everyone pitched in in the kitchen.

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Eury worked on the cucumber.

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And I flipped and cut the eggs. The secret to these sushi-filling eggs was to scramble in salt and sugar before they were cooked—never would have guessed that!

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When we were all done, there was seasoned rice, cucumber, eggs, tuna, salmon, and avocado. This was a fun way for each person to try something new, especially since most of us hadn’t made our own sushi before.

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Koko loved all of the attention she got almost as much as she loved the dropped sushi and beers.

And then there was dinner—I can’t believe I didn’t take any pictures of dinner. I think it was because I was too busy filling my plate. There was swordfish, steak, chicken, shrimp, and pork all grilled by John, a salad with greens from their garden, bean salad, and a root vegetable medley Eury and I prepped and roasted. It was all so good that no one at the kids table(didn’t you know you need to be over 25 to avoid the kids’ table? Sorry, Christian)remembered to save room for the ice cream we had just gone out and bought.

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Cheesecake, ice cream, and fruit(I just had fruit)—perfect way to end a hot Memorial Day party. 

What’s your favorite BBQ food/dessert? I’d love ideas for more Summer recipes.

Learning To Cook Is Like Riding A Bike

May 27th 002

Until yesterday I had no clue how to ride a bike. It’s just something I never learned. And whenever someone said “Oh, it’s just like riding a bike” I nodded along and thought “so I’m going to yell and cry and tell my parents to not let go of me?”

Yesterday I taught myself how to ride in an hour. I honestly didn’t think it would happen so fast. There was no crying. None of my skin is bruised. And I only hit 2 mailboxes(they just popped up out of nowhere; seriously, who puts a mailbox by the side of the road?). At the end of the day, I realized something: Learning how to ride a bike is a lot like learning how to cook.

What will they think of next?

When you start biking, you use training wheels to do all the work for you. When you start cooking, you probably aren’t “cooking” so much as microwaving and/or following directions to add 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of oil and baking at 350 for 25 minutes. But eventually you get tired of phoning it in; you want to learn how to do things by yourself. Or maybe you want to impress someone who already knows how to ride a bike/cook. So you set out to learn.

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Should we talk about the 2nd search result or just not go there?

If you’re part of my generation, you’ll immediately go to google for an answer. Google, cookbook, experienced mentor—it’s all the same. Before you know it you’re following a step-by-step instructions on coasting without peddles or making a pasta salad. You’re still not doing it 100% on your own but you feel great about your progress and gain a new found independence.

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And then one day it clicks.

You know how to push off with your feet to keep your balance. You get how vinegar, salt, and a little sweetness bring the flavors out in a dish. And before you know it you’re doing it all by yourself. You don’t need a recipe. You don’t need training wheels. It all flows naturally.

So if you don’t know how to cook yet, just know it’s like riding a bike. And if you don’t know how to ride a bike, just know it’s like learning how to cook. And if you don’t know either, that’s what delivery pizza is for.