Here figgy, figgy!

It's fig season!  Sweet and chewy, plus a little bit of crunchy from the seeds.... so delish!  I saw ripe, beautiful figs at Whole Foods this morning and my mind started wandering to some of my favorite creations: puff pastry with fig, gorgonzola, walnuts and honey drizzle (oh that one makes my mouth water just thinking about it)

 And prosciutto, fig and mozzarella quesadillas.  No picturee here, cuz they're so dang good that I've never had the patience to wait and take a picture before I gobbled it up!  Someday.....

And this little gem.....Arugula, fig and goat cheese pizza:

I like the mix of hot and cold so I dig putting some fresh greens on top of a piping hot pizza.  It's pretty (you know I like that!) and there's such great texture involved, playing around in your mouth.

The fig tree is the world's first cultivated tree. And there are now about 150 different varieties.  It's believed to be originally cultivated in Egypt and later brought to the Mediterranean.  Not until the late 19th century, did it come to California.  And it didn't take too well at first, but now Cali is one of the largest cultivators of figs.  They're pretty delicate and need to be eaten within just a couple days of purchase, which is why you often find them dried - those last for a few months in your pantry.

They're high in fiber, and therefore help nourish the intestines.  They also help control blood pressure and balance the body's ph balance... you never really think about this, but it's important to keep the acid and alkaline balanced in our bodies.  Here's a yummy way to do it.....

Start with Mario Batali's pizza dough.  Drizzle dough with extra virgin olive oil, then top with a little goat cheese, then sliced, fresh figs, a sprinkling of crushed red pepper and more goat cheese ( no more that 5 ounces needed for the whole recipe).  Bake about 12-15 minutes and then remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes.  This allows the yummy juices to absorb into the crust.   Now top with baby arugula or maybe micro greens.

Oh baby!!  This will blow your skirt up.  Oh wait, that's me...if you're a guy, it won't do that.  But you'll dig it nonetheless.

yum it up!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Oh sure, it may be weird that following my post lamenting the ills of animal protein, I decide to blog about a roasted chicken.  But A) I have a little ADD and B) I've encountered so many people lately that are intimidated by roasting a whole chicken.  I have to admit, I was a little intimidated by it myself at one time, but I found my way, learned how to truss (that was always confusing to me, but it's soooo easy; Youtube it!) and now I'm a chicken roasting fool.

Roasting a chicken is perfect for entertaining or if you're cooking for a family.  It's also great if, like me, you live alone.  I can roast a chicken and then feed off of it for days, putting together a different dish each night.  Last month I taught a College Cooking class, in which I taught the college-bound group how to roast a chicken and then use the meat to create three different dishes later from it.  We made Chipotle Chicken Tostadas, Chicken Green Curry and Rosemary & Walnut Chicken Salad (I'll post those at a later date,  I'm sure, but if you can't wait, just let me know on my facebook page and I'll send recipes to you).  But it all started with this delicious, easy roasted chicken.  They were a little nervous about getting under the skin and "feeling up" the chicken, but in the end it all worked out......don't be afraid to play with your food.  It's nourishing you; show it some love.

It doesn't look all that pretty, but MAN does it ever taste fantastic! 

Couple of things that are key here.  First, buy a pasture-raised chicken. Don't fall for all the other marketing hype:  no hormones, cage free, etc, it. doesn't really mean much.  If it's pasture-raised, that is the real deal.  If you can afford it, Whole Foods has a fantastic one; it's a #5 on their scale, which is the highest on their scale of "compassion" for an animal, raised in the best possible environment, making it healthiest for you.  One of my favorite Michael Pollan "rules" is  to only eat animals who have themselves eaten well.  Pasture-raised chickens eat well .  If you're on a budget (and who isn't?) I'm a new fan of the Trader Joe's Kosher chicken.  Might be less "compassionate", but a darn good bird!  And they are both small, which I dig, because they cook faster, and y'allI know I don't like to wait hours to eat.

The other thing is, don't be afraid of fat.  I put butter (you can also use olive oil) on the outer skin and under the skin.  Really crisps it up!  And the butter adds a ton of flavor.  I'm not eating the skin, but the flavor permeates through the meat.

Lastly, this little lemon-garlic-rosemary mixture happening in, on and under the chick is the killer secret.  You are definitely going to pat yourself on the back....

Roasted Chicken                                                                                                     Serves 4-6

One 3-4 lb chicken, neck & gizzards removed

¼ cup butter or olive oil, divided

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

6 fresh rosemary sprigs

1 lemon, zested & then punctured all over with a fork

·         Let chicken rest  at room temperature about 30 minutes .

·         Preheat oven to 375°.

·         Rub skin of chicken with 2 tablespoons butter or oil, and rub remaining 2 tablespoons under the skin.

·         In a small bowl combine garlic, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon lemon zest.

·         Rub mixture all over chicken (over & under skin, focusing the greater amount of rub under the skin to enhance flavor).

·         Place the rosemary and punctured lemon in the cavity.

• Truss chicken with kitchen twine & place breast-side down in roasting pan
• Roast chicken for 50-60 minutes, until juices run clear and internal temp reaches 160°.
• Allow chicken to rest (bird will continue to cook once removed from oven) at least 10 minutes before carving.

Yum it up!

A healthier pesto...

Fellow food blogger Karen Pavone asked me for a recipe using basil for her Food for Thought blog.  I shared my Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe with her readers.  Still makes my mouth water, that one!

When she first asked me for a recipe highlighting basil, my first thought went to pesto, of course.  But she already had a classic basil pesto recipe, so I had to whip something else up for her.  But I have a little spin on pesto that I wanted to share with you...

First thing I do is use walnuts instead of pine nuts.  I started doing this because when I went to buy pine nuts I was shocked at the price.  What the heck???  I always have walnuts in my freezer because I throw them in salads and pasta all the time, so I decided to save a few bucks and use what I had.  Nuts really only add texture and fat, so I'm not sure why pine nuts get to hold center court.  Give another nut a chance!

Second thing in my flip is a reduction in the amount of oil.  I use a little over a 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, and then stream in water until I get the consistency I want.  No one I've made this for has ever thought it was less than a classic pesto. Shhhhhh...don't tell anyone that it's actually healthier for them.

After watching Forks over Knives and reading The China Study, I can't help but think about my indecent little love affair with cheese.  Basically, the China Study shows the direct correlation between cancer, heart disease and obesity and our diets.  No big surprise there, really.  It is our dependence on animal protein that is at the heart of this study.  Pretty compelling, but pretty disturbing to a girl who loves an ice cold glass of milk and cheese, cheese, cheese (not at the same time).   I'm a pretty good master of creating interesting, delicious plant-based meals.  I can get by with just a little bit of chicken or fish every now and then.  I could do without pork and red meat pretty easily.   But cheese.....really?  I need to give up cheese?  What are you trying to do to me?  Oh yeah, keep me healthy.  The China Study shows how cancer is retarded, even reversed, in lab rats who are given a diet comprised of only 5% animla protein.  So once again, I am going to try to break up with cheese.  OK, I tried that before, a full break up in unrealistic (we've been together for decades!), but when I can make a simple change, I'll do it.

Oh for Pete's sake, how did I get so serious when we started out talking about basil????  So here is my dairy free pesto.  I simply replace the parmesan with nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast adds a nutty, buttery flavor to sauces, soups, dressings, etc.  It's also delish sprinkled on popcorn.  And because it's full of B12, which we generally only found in animal protein, it's a great addition to people on a plant-based diet,  It started out as a vegetarian supplement.  Give it a try; you'll be surprised at how you can get the same wonderful flavor without the cheese (weep, weep, sniff, sniff).

Dairy-free Pesto Sauce

3 garlic cloves, peeled

¼ cup walnuts

4 cups packed basil leaves, stems removed

3-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ cup water

Salt & pepper to taste

·         Place garlic and walnuts in a food processor and pulse to finely chop.

·         Add basil, nutritional yeast and oil and process until a paste begins to form.  Scrape down the sides.

·         With the motor running, slowly add water until desired consistency, scraping down the sides as necessary.  You may use less or more water depending on your preference.

·         Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Yum it up!

Happy, squash-lovin' girl!

Look at the cute little (well, not so little) eight ball zucchinil.  And guess who grew it all by herself???  If you know me, you're impressed, because as previously reported, I have not been blessed with a green thumb.  I watched this plant grow for months, excitedly saw lots of blossom sprouting....but no zucchini.  I kept watering and watching, but nothing. Then the other day I walked out and peeked beneath the mountain of leaves and saw 3 not-so-little eight balls.  All my nurturing had finally paid off.

There is something so gratifying about walking out your back door and picking something you grew yourself, and turning into something delicious.  My plan for this guy is to stuff it and bake it.  Haven't quite figured out with what yet, but stay tuned...

In the meantime, I have a tasty Summer Squash & Corn Soup that I created for a cooking class yesterday.  My summer squash plant offered up its first beauties this past week, and I immediately got the idea for a fresh summer soup.  With sweet corn popping up at the farmers' market, it seemed like a likely match.  Here's a little tip for getting the kernels off the cob: if you've got a bundt pan, place the ear of corn (husk removed, of course) on the middle thingy (technical culinary term) and use a sharp knife to cut the kernels loose into the bowl.  Then run the back side of your knife down the cob to release all the delicious "milk" from the cob.  If you don't have a bundt pan, you can just turn a coffee mug upside down in a large bowl and get the same effect.  If you don't have a coffee mug or a bowl, well then, you have issues!  Why are you reading a food blog????

Summer Squash & Corn Soup

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 lb. yellow summer squash, diced

1 cup chopped yellow onion

½ cup chopped celery

2 cups fresh or frozen corn, divided

2 cups Straus family half & half

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons chopped chives

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Salt & pepper to taste

·         Heat coconut oil in large pot over medium high heat.  Add squash, onion and celery to pan and cook until vegetables are soft, about 6-8 minutes.

·         Place 1 cup of corn and the milk in a blender and process until smooth.

·         Add milk mixture, vegetable broth, thyme, chives, and paprika to the cooked vegetables.

·         Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

·         Place half the soup in a blender and puree until smooth.  Add back to pot and continue cooking 5 minutes.

·         Stir in remaining cup of corn and season to taste with salt & pepper.

Yum it up!

Brown Thumb No More!

I am notorious for killing any growing thing (ecept my dog).  The suggestion has been made that maybe watering would help my stats.  I took it under advisement, and a couple summers back I tried growing tomatoes.  Shockingly, I was pretty successful.  Would have been more successful if I didn't live in an area flooded with little critters who coveted my crops and made off with the( literal) fruits of my labor each night while I slept, dreaming of the new recipes I would try.  But I was successful enough to get a little cocky and go for it again last summer, and added squash to my efforts.  Unfortunately it turned out to be the return of the brown thumb.  I blamed it on the weather; others blamed it on my lack of fertilizer and water.  Either way, I got nothin' (but neither did the critters).

I gave up, filled my raised bed with sand, popped in a beach umbrella, a couple loungers and some tiki torches and called it a day!

But the more I got into the idea of local and seasonal cooking, the more I thought of having my own kitchen garden.  But I was unsure and felt a little defeated.  Then a couple months ago, I helped a friend plant his beautiful vegetable garden: tomatoes, melons, squash, peppers, you name it, we planted it.  And I saw it explode in no time.  Sure, I wasn't the one tending to it, but I did plant a lot of it.....so why not try dong it for myself??

So I did, and here's what's happening in my little backyard.....

This is an "eight ball" zucchini.  I'll be using this to make my raw "raviolis".  I think I probably posted that recipe a year or so ago, so it may be time for a new and improved one.  But basically, I slice thin discs with a mandoline, soak them in a little olive oil and salt to loosen them up until they are pliable,  put a dollop of  lemon and chive infused chevre on top, fold over like a little ravioli and top with a some fresh pesto.  Sooooo tasty!  

This is my summer squash.  I already picked a couple larger ones for the Summer Squash & Corn Soup I'm making in tmorrow's cooking class.

Here's one of my peppers; not sure which kind yet, as they all look alike at this stage.  I have 3 varieties: banana peppers and sweet yellow and red.  These guys are going to be great stuffed and put on the grill when the time comes!
And of course.....my tomatoes:

Next week is supposed to get wicked hot, so I'm hoping my 4 plants start bustin' out the fruit and I see some red ones soon!  Hard to not just eat them right off the vine, but I've got lots of plans for them.  Here's one of my salsa recipes to try when these guys are good and juicy....won't be long!

Heirloom Tomato Salsa                                                                                                Makes 2 cups

2 cups diced heirloom tomatoes, about 2 large

¾ cup diced red onion

1 teaspoon diced jalapeno pepper

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons tamari

1 teaspoon cumin

·         Toss tomatoes, onion, jalapeno pepper and cilantro in a medium sized bowl.

·         Whisk the vinegar, lime juice, oil, tamari and cumin in a small bowl.  Pour over tomato mixture, stirring to combine.

·         Let stand 10-15 minutes (or longer) for flavors to develop.

·         Delicious with chips, as a Bruschetta topping, or served over grilled chicken or fish.

Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can do it!!  (Turns out they were right about the watering thing!!)  Nothing like walking out into your garden, porch, deck, balcony, whatever, and picking someting fresh to make for dinner!

Yum it up!

Comfort me....

Every once in a while you just need a little comfort food.  Bad day, bad week, bad whatever, there are just those days when you crave a little comfort.  And sometimes it comes in the form of food.

I've been cooking for my friend Randy for years.  She's the perfect client because she loves everything I fix.  Today she asked me if I would cook for a friend of hers who lost her husband and days later was told she had breast cancer.  Puts your own silly problems into perspective when you get a call like that.  Felt like someone needed comfort food more than I did.

One of Randy's favorite meals that I make is my Green & White Manicotti.  With fresh oregano and basil growing like mad in my garden, I thought this would be a lovely offering.  It would be made with love, for sure, but adding fresh ingredients grown with care and tenderness could only make it better.  It may be a silly idea to most people, but I believe that your emotions, your "energy," goes into your food when you prepare it, which is whay I never cook for someone when I'm angry or upset. So today I would cook with love and compassion.

As you know, I try to take familiar dishes and make them a little healthier.  So the key to lightening up my manicotti is cottage cheese.  Traditional manicotti is heavy on the ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheese.  I reduce the quantities and replace ricotta with cottage cheese.  And I don't add eggs.  No one can tell the difference; it's still little bundles of creamy goodness.

I mix cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, basil, oregano, chopped spinach, salt and pepper and stuff manicotti shells until they're bursting.  I use fresh chopped tomatoes this time of year to create my own marinara sauce (you can use your favorite bottled sauce if it's easier) and line the bottom of a baking pan with it's chunky goodness.  Then lay the stuffed shells on top of the sauce and cover with more sauce, making sure all shells are fully covered (about 4 cups total should do it).  Then I pour a cup of water around the sides and top with a little sprinkling of mozz or parm.  Bake, covered, for about an hour and your mouth will be watering when you open the oven door.   The smells coming out of that oven will be amazing!  Let it rest for about 10 minutes to absorb some of the liquid and then dig in!  Oh, and try to stop yourself from going back for seconds.

Bad day, bad week, bad whatever.... someone else's journey is harder than yours.  We all just need a little comfort.  If you have the chance to cook for someone who really needs it, do it with love.


Green & White Manicotti
Serves 4-6

3 bunches spinach, stems removed
16 oz cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 package manicotti shells (usually 14 shells)
5 cups chopped heirloom tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons each dried basil and oregano
1 teaspoon grade B maple syrup
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt & peppper to taste

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Wash spinach (don't dry it) and steam in a large, covered pot until fully wilted. Drain and when cool enough to handle, squeeze out all liquid and finely chop.
• In a large bowl mix cottage cheese, mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the parmesan, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and chopped spinach.  Stuff shells with filling.
• In a separate bowl mix chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried herbs, maple syrup, pepper flakes, salt & pepper.
• Cover bottom of baking pan with tomato mixture.
• Add stuffed shells and cover with remaining sauce, being sure to fully cover tops of all shells.
• Add a cup of water around all sides of the pan.
• Top manicotti with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan and bake, covered, for 1 hour.
• Remove from oven and let stand uncovered for 10 minutes before serving. (This allows the liquid to be absorbed, don't get greedy!)

Enjoy and be well....

Roll with it!

That's my new mantra these days.  Lots of things getting thrown my way, but I'm just going to roll with it.  So why shouldn't my food do the same???

My friend and fellow food blogger, Karen Pavone, asked me if I had an entree using basil for an upcoming post she was working on. Of course my first thought was a delicious pesto chicken recipe that is my go-to dish for entertaining.  But Karen already had a pesto recipe that she was going to use, so I had to think of something different.  This is the perfect season for that though....becasue it's tomato season!  Basil always makes me think of tomatoes; they dig each other and are the perfect culinary couple. If you know me, you know my absolute love of a Caprese Salad, so I thought why not stuff that perfect combo into a chicken breast??  Oh yeah....

Start by pounding boneless, skinless chicken breasts very thin.  If you had the kind of weekend I did, here's a delicous chance to get out some frustration!  Pound the heck out of it, until it's about a 1/4" thin.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then layer tomatoes, basil. mozzarella cheese, and lemon slices.  Be sure to remove all the pith from the lemon or it will leave a bitter taste in your mouth, and no one likes that.

Then roll the breasts from one of the short ends, tucking the filling in as you go.  Secure with toothpicks (don't use colored ones or your chicken can end up with blue and green spots - so not pretty).  You could stop here and just coat with a little olive oil and pop them in the oven.  But I want more.  So I dredged the rolls in egg, flour and a panko mixture with garlic, lemon zest and parmesan.  Oh yeah, more is good!

Brush with a little olive oil and bake at 375 for about 45 minutes, or until chicken is heated through to 165 and lightly browned.  Slice the chicken breasts to expose the beauty inside, then pat yourself on the back for a job well done!  Pretty food!

I served this over summer squash thinly sliced into "noodles" (inspired by my dinner at Pican the other night) tossed in a tomato & basil cream sauce.  The picture is a bit of a hot mess, but dang, it was soooo good!

Yum it up!