Wok This Way.....

It started with a visit to the farmers' market and my desire to find something new to play with.  And this is what I found:

It's Sinqua, also known as Chinese Okra Squash.  John told me that it was similar to zucchini (which it is), but when I cut the skin off, it had the disticnt smell of cucumber.  Knowing I was going to make a stir fry tonight, I figured I'd add it last along with the fo choy I also bought from John at Sunday's market (very similar to bok choy), since they need very little time in the heat.

I always think about color when I cook, even if it's just for me (be good to yourself). So far I just have green, so I julienne (oooh, don't I sound fancy?) an orange and a purple bell pepper, slice some shiitakes and red onion, and throw that into my wok with a little screaming hot coconut oil....

A little chopped ginger and garlic go in, and when the veggies are crisp-tender, I throw in a mix of tamari (wheat-free soy sauce; make the switch, people!), rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil and Trader Joe's dijon mustard (got to be TJ's or it won't have the same zip).   In goes the fo choy leaves and chopped sinqua.

What do you like to serve your stir fry with?  Rice?  Of course!  So let's add some rice to the wok...

Only thing is, I'm not your average girl....that's not rice; it's jicama.  Yep... jicama.  I cut a medium jicama in half, peeled it, cubed it and popped it in the food processor.  About a dozen pulses, and viola, you've got a crunchy rice alternative (I was just too lazy to boil a pot of rice tonight!). Stir that in and you've got dinner (again) in about 10 minutes.  Don't you love me??!! Of course you do.

I'm doing the plant-based dinner thing most days (getting my protein earlier in the day), but for those of you who feel the need, add a little cooked chicken, beef or pork and you've got an easy, quick, healthy one-pot meal.  So much yum!

Veggie Stir Fry over Jicama "Rice"

Serves 4

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

1 orange bell pepper, julienne

1 purple bell pepper, julienne

3 cups shiitake mushrooms,  thinly sliced, stems removed

2 tablespoons tamari

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon Trader Joe's dijon mustard

1 sinqua, peeled and chopped

1 bunch fo choy, leaves only, chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 large jicama

• Melt coconut oil in wok or large cast iron skillet over high heat.
• Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often for 2 minutes.
• Add bell peppers and cook one minute, continously stirring.
• Stir in shiitakes, and cook 2-3 minutes until vegetables are crisp tender.
• In a small bowl, whisk tamari, vinegar, sesame oil and mustaard.
• Stir into wok and toss to coat all veggies.
• Add sinqua and fo choy, stirring until fo choy wilts.
• Season to taste with slat and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Place jicama in food processor and pulse 12 -15 times until coasre granules, like rice.  Fold into veggie mixture.

Oh yeah, I forgot.....you know I like things spicy, so there was a little heat added to mine.  If I was on a desert island, what one condiment would I take????

Makes everything goooood!

yum it up!

The Happiest Place on Earth

Sure, some people think  Disneyland is "the happiest place on earth" (including the Disney corporation), but the Marin farmers' market on Sunday is my Disneyland.  Lots of similarities, really: there are rides (well, pony rides and a bouncy house), crowds, tons of food, too many little kids, long lines, and their own version of "lands:" Produce Land, Arts & Crafts Land, Baked Goods Land, Organic Animal Protein Land, Food Truck Land, Condiments Land.  Well, you get the idea.

First things first....coffee!  My favorite coffee guy owns Maddie's Mud.  And since I am not an early riser today, I'm in luck.... no major line.  His organic coffee generally has people waiting in a Space Mountain--like line.  Love the poster in his truck's window: "If you're not shaking, you need another cup."  He's not kidding!  Good and strong (I'm referring to the coffee, but I'm sure Carlos is, too).

So here's my plan today: I'm looking for something I've never cooked before, even better if I've never heard of it.  I walked around for a while, but found mostly familiar things: summer squash, tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, blah blah blah.  But then I stumbled upon John Xiong Farms, and this odd looking thing:

This is sinqua.  I'd never heard of it, so I'm in!!  I asked John what the heck it was, how to prepare and cook it, and what it resembles that I'd be familiar with (talk to your farmers; they love to tell you about what they grow- they're better than google).  He told me it's a sweet veg, to peel it, it's best used in a stir fry because it cooks quickly, and that it's a lot like a zucchini.  OK, so I guess I'm making a stir fry tonight...do they have anything else I've never heard of??  Well, yes they do....yu choy:

I'd never heard of it, but I have used bok choy before, so I figured it isn't a stretch (Johm confirmed).  And it'll be perfect in my stir fry. 

I was content with my "never befores" and went on to buy some of  "the regulars."  Then I got to thinking about the colors in my stir fry...lots of green going on here and not much else.  So I thought I would hit one of the many bell pepper vendors for a red or purple bell. Along the way I found a new vendor at the market,  Boua H. Vue Farms.  Jenny introduced me to these sweet Italian Long Peppers, and threw in a gorgeous eggplant...

So now I'm happy, and I'm done.... or so I think.  On my way back through the last row (I have to walk every row no matter what), I happened upon Angie from Zuckerman's Farm.  Don't ask her where Wilbur is, she's over kid's asking that (no, I didn't ask).  I told her to have a mason jar filled with creepy spiders, and offer the kids a good look at Charlotte instead!  Amused, she gave me a bite of a Canary Melon.

 It has a bright yellow skin (hence "canary") and a sweet flesh that tastes like a tangy blend of honeydew and cantaloupe.  She says this one feels like it'll be good and juicy, so I'm going to make my wackadoo pasta sauce with it (you have to check back....trust me!). 

But there's always one stop I have to make...Triple T Ranch & Farm.

It's always packed.  And in addition to their great produce, they sell staters at certain points in the season.  A lot of my veg garden came from them.  I met the Tarantino men Larry, Larry, and Larry (don't make the erroneuos Bob Newhart reference; that was Daryl, Daryl and Daryl) when I was doing cooking demos at farmers' markets in Sonoma and Marin last summer.  One of the Larrys introduced me to padron and shishito peppers, which I hadn't heard of at the time.  So I would always go back and ask Larry "What do I have to have today?", and he always says the same thing: "How about a hot Italian?!"  Never gets old, even a year later.  Sorry to have missed him today.

Now I was really done and started back to the car, filled with ideas of new dishes to share with you this week.  And the last booth I walked by was this one (also new to the market)...

"Susanne's Farm Kitchen"

Why didn't I think of that?!  Too bad she spells it wrong.

Check back, peeps.  Got some gooood cooking going on this week!  Definitely gonna yum it up!

When's the last time you cooked something new? What was it???

A New Year



I've been a bad kitten with this blog, but today is a new day, and it's a new year.  My resolution is to write about good food and good health, giving you lots of ideas and resources to live a happy, healthy and delicious new year.  So let's start with my top three list of simple, healthy things to do in 2012...

#1 Visit a farmers' market at least once a month or subscribe to a CSA.

If you only shop in your local supermarket, you never know what's truly in season.  You'll find tomatoes, berries, peppers, corn, etc. year-round.  But when you shop at a farmers' market you get to experience what really grows seasonally in your area, generally within 100 miles.  There are many reasons I encourage this: you're buying fresh produce at the peak of flavor and most nutritious; you support local farmers who, by nature of their farming practices, often turn out more nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables; you reduce your "carbon footprint" by not purchasing produce flown in from other countries and then trucked across the states.  They are all reason enough to visit a farmers' market, but my biggest reason is that if you're willing (and I hope you are) you will try something new, something that isn't on your usual shopping list.  I used to buy the same things every time I went grocery shopping, but when I started frequenting my farmers' market I began buying things I never would have tried otherwise.  Things I had never used before, some that I'd never even heard of.  Farmers love to tell you about their produce and how to store and cook them, and google will give you a wealth of recipes for whatever you find.  Make this the year you start cooking outside the box.  To find a farmers' market near you or to find a farm that will deliver to you (CSA) visit http://www.localharvest.org/

#2  Wean yourself off "the white stuff"

White rice, white bread and white (you probably know it as "enriched") pasta all started out as whole grains, but then the germ and bran were removed, and along with it most of the nutrients.  These "white" versions spike your blood sugar and offer little to no nutrients.  Trust me, this is an easy change....

Think you can't live without white rice?  Try Trader Joe's brown basmati rice.  My mother practically walked away from me every time I said that she should try brown rice instead of white rice. Truth be told, I probably said something along the lines of "white rice is the devil!" so I can understand her walking away.  But then she took one of my cooking classes where I used TJ's brown basmati rice, and I heard her tell one of her friends the next day "I'll never buy white rice again."  If you knew my mom, you would realize what a ringing endorsement that is.  And I don't care what the package says, it cooks up in 25 minutes, so don't think that it's more time consuming that your old stand-by.

Love pasta?  Try quinoa pasta.  Ancient Harvest makes a fantastic line of pastas that are gluten-free and naturally packed with protein.  I used a couple different varieties in my cooking demos this summer at the Marin and Sonoma farmers' markets, and people overwhelmingly told me how delicious it was.  If you live in Marin, United market has a great selection.  Definitely worth a try.  Or hit the link above to order online.

#3 Try Meatless Mondays

Not only is it obviously better for your wallet, it's also better for you health, and if you follow suggestion #1, it's better for the planet, too.  Having a meal filled with local, seasonal veggies gives you a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants.  For me, it's also a chance to "cook outside the box."  I get a little more creative when I prepare a vegetarian meal.  It's so easy to grill a chicken breast or whip up a burger, but met with a kitchen counter filled with kale, squash, onions, mushrooms, fresh herbs, etc. it challenges my brain and my senses to figure out how to bring it all together into a delicious, satisfying dish.  After reading Skinny Bitch and watching Food Inc. almost three years ago, I tried to give up all animal protein.  I lasted about 6 months.  I think it takes a lot of planning and knowledge (neither if which I had enough of) to be a devoted vegetarian (or vegan ), so I just try to incorporate more meatless meals (I'm not just talking salad for lunch here) into my week.  Two great sources for recipes and ideas are Eating Well (search their vegetarian collection) and Vegetarian Times.  Don't be afraid....

If I could add a 4th, it would be "Take a Cooking Class."  Sure, shameless plug for my classes, but I really believe that getting comfortable in the kitchen and learning some new tricks and tips is so good for you, your health, and your soul.

Here's to happy cooking and a happy, healthy 2012!