Kirby Von Scrumptious

Okay L.A. people, where should I go to eat for my birthday with my man friend?!?!

2009-07-10T16:19:00.001-07:00

My birthday is no less than 35 days away, which means that I need to start thinking about where I want to go for a special birthday meal with my adorable man friend, Joe! This is a very important decision, people!!

I have already started extensive research on this matter, and I have narrowed my final list based on the following criteria:

1. I want to go somewhere on Jonathan Gold's 99 Essential LA Restaurants List. So I'm a name whore: sue me!! Bonus points for additional awards. (ie. Michelin stars, etc.)

2. I want to go somewhere with creative cuisine. And by creative, I mean dishes that I have not eaten before. I'm not really looking for L.A.'s best chicken piccata or the perfect pot roast or something normal like that.

3. I want to go somewhere expensive, but not too expensive. Naturally, dinner should never bankrupt someone; but at the same time, I don't want to go to a plain ol' $$ two-dollar-sign-on-Yelp restaurant because I could just go there tomorrow if I felt like it. I am thinking like $60-70 per person (entree, glass of wine, maybe sharing an app and a dessert?) (I am also down for good prix fixe menus.)

4. I want to go somewhere I've never been before. The best fancy places in L.A. that I've been are probably both Mozzas and AOC, so they are out.

5. No sushi. I love sushi, but I want something else for the ol' 26th birthday.

So here are some restaurants that I have placed on a short list...

Lucques
Hatfield's
Comme Ca
Providence? (this seems a little too pricey.... but maybe worth it if it's really awesome?)

What do YOU think???? Tips/experiences pretty please.

Spiced and Broiled Tilapia

2009-07-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

I don't buy a lot of meat, obviously. But every time I cook fish, I am like, "Why don't I do this more often???" Most types of fish can be cooked really quickly with delicious reults, all with little effort... exhibit A: this Spiced and Broiled Tilapia, with roasted peppers and onions and brown rice. It's very nutritious, and the longer you marinade, the more delightfully flavorful the fish will be.

Spiced and Broiled Tilapia
makes 4 servings

Ingredients

- 1 lb boneless tilapia fillets
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- juice of one lemon
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt

- 1 cup brown rice, uncooked
- 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- cooking spray
- salt and pepper to taste
- a few Tbsp of fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

Wash and dry the tilapia, then poke little holes in the surface with a fork (this will allow some of the marinade to seep in).

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and the next five ingredients. Then, lay tilapia fillets flat along the bottom of a large tupperware or casserole dish. Use a pastry brush to evenly coat all the fillets with marinade. Pour the remaining liquid across the top of the fish. Cover with saran wrap, and refrigerate overnight, or at least a few hours (again, the longer the better) (I let it sit for 8 hours, and it really packed a flavor punch.

When it gets closer to dinnertime, start making the rice according to package directions. I like to add a little grapeseed oil and salt while it's boiling to give it a little more flavor.

To make roasted veggies, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lay sliced onions and peppers on a foil-covered pan, spray with a light coat of cooking spray, and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Roast for about 20-25 minutes. Start checking on the veggies at 20 minutes because those thin little onions will go from roasted to plain ol' burned in a hot minute.

Now, to broil the fish. Preheat broiler. Lay fish on a broil pan and brush with a little extra marinade from the bottom of the dish you chilled it in. Broil for 7-10 minutes.

To serve, lay rice down first; then put down a tilapia fillet; top with several onions, peppers, and cilantro to garnish. Easy and tasty!

Simple Eggplant and Spinach over Pasta... and the Super King of Grocery Stores

2009-07-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

I have sort of a love/hate relationship with grocery shopping. Of course, going to the farmers market is ideal, but my busy schedule (and, uh, love of sleeping in) sometimes prevent me from making it to Hollywood on Sunday mornings: enter grocery stores.

I love the concept of grocery shopping: perusing the aisles, examining the produce, imagining what meals I'm going to make with my findings... and then there is the reality of the grocery store. And it's not pretty.

There are some very specific things that make my anxiety level go through the roof; this stressfest list includes riding in the car with reckless drivers, figuring out the restaurant bill for a large group of people, breaking rules/getting in trouble... and shopping in crowded grocery stores. Oh my GAH I nearly have a brain aneurysm during 9 out of 10 supermarket visits.

The worst offender is probably Trader Joe's. Damn you, Trader Joe's shoppers! You are the most enfuriating people in all the land!!! TJ's seems so great when you first go there, like, "Oh, look at all the different flavors of hummus!" and "Check out the price on this Fiber Explosion Flax cereal! What a bargain!" And of course, who doesn't love $2 wine? But TJ's is also a brain-searing nightmare land because it is so emeffing crowded. And the majority of people crammed in the aisles don't realize/care that they are totally in your way. There are always assholes like that girl who stands there reading the nutritional information on the Vegetable Chips bag for like 5 minutes, and I just want to shout, "Just because they're vegetables doesn't mean they're not still chips-- let's move it!!" Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about.
Anyway, upon the suggestion of reader Oddlyme, I looked up Super King Market in Glassel Park. The great Yelp reviews touted tons of insanely cheap, fresh produce and lots of ethnic cuisine goodies. Reviewers also warned that Super King is very crowded and sort of intimidating.

Despite my fear of busy markets, I am still on a hunt for cheap grub. So this morning, I did an hour of yoga, put on my most comfortable sneakers, and headed for Super King.

Whoa wowie WOWZERS, you can't understand the dynamic of Super King until you go there. Navigating the produce section is 100% like playing Frogger.
You park your cart on the perimeter, scan the area for what you need, and then make a beeline for it, dodging dozens of Armenian grannies and determined moms holding like 3 kids apiece. But the payoff for all this effort is worth it: 4 giant, beautiful grapefruits for 99 cents, a bag of fresh spinach twice the size of my head for just $1.99... and this is the good stuff, not close-to-mold bottom-dwelling produce that shows up in some markets (I'm lookin at you, Jons).

So, the moral of the story is: Super King scares the life out of me, but I am going to suck it up and continue shopping there, because 3 mangoes for 99 cents is just too ridiculously awesome to ignore.

P.S. They also sell hookahs, HOLLA!

This is the lunch I made with my Super King produce... it was simple, delectable, and, of course, on the cheap.

Eggplant and Spinach over Pasta
makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients

Eggplant:
- 1 large eggplant, sliced an inch thick, then cut into 1/8ths
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- dash of dried basil and oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- several turns of fresh ground pepper
- 4 Tbsp water

- 6 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
- 2 cups fresh spinach, washed and chopped
- juice from half a lemon
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- crushed red pepper
- sea salt to taste
- shaved Parmesan (optional)

Directions

Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add eggplant, dried herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the pan, and stir to coat. Add water to the pan, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and recovering.

Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

When eggplant is tender, add spinach and lemon juice to the pan. Stir to combine, and saute uncovered until spinach is wilted (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat.

To serve, divide pasta evenly between two bowls. Spoon eggplant and spinach mixture onto the pasta. Drizzle some olive oil over the top of each bowl. Sprinkle crushed red pepper, salt, and Parmesan to finish. Before eating, stir it all up so that the pasta is coated, and enjoy!

Peanutty Tofu Wrap, and other stuff white people like

2009-07-02T18:23:00.000-07:00

Dear wraps,

I love you, I really do! But you must admit, you are sort of lame. I mean, I once heard somebody refer to you as a white people burrito: you basically copied the concept, and chose to fill yourself with all sorts of wacky shit that does not really belong in a burrito. In fact, I am surprised that you have not shown up on Stuff White People Like, along with sea salt, ugly sweater parties, and standing still at concerts.

Anyway, I know you are not the fanciest cuisine, but I love you just the same, even when you are filled with a sort of fake-Chinese tofu and peanut mixture. Just because you are not authentically anything does not mean that you are not delicious; therefore, I will continue to make/eat/love you, wraps.

See/eat you soon!

love from Kirby!

Peanutty Tofu Wrap
makes 2 wraps

Ingredients

Marinated Tofu:
- 6 ounces extra firm tofu, drained
- 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp peanut oil
- 1 Tbsp honey
Peanut Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp almond milk
- 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/4 tsp chili sauce
- 1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger

- 3 napa cabbage leaves, thinly sliced and chopped
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced and chopped
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp roasted peanuts, chopped
- 2 whole wheat lavash wraps

Directions

After draining the tofu, cut into bit-sized pieces and lay flat in a tupperware container. Mix soy sauce, vinegar, oil, and honey in a separate bowl, and pour over the top of the tofu. Cover the container, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

For the peanut sauce, just mix all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth.

Chop the cabbage, radish, onions, and peanuts, and set aside.

After tofu is done marinating, heat a tiny bit of oil in a small skillet on medium-high heat. Then, pour tofu and all the marinade into the skillet. Make sure all the tofu is laid flat. The marinade will start bubbling in about a minute. Let the tofu cook for about 3 minutes on each side, so there is a nice caramelization.

To assemble wraps, lay cabbage mix on the lavash first. Next, remove the tofu from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain liquid, and lay on top of the cabbage. Drizzle peanut sauce on top. Wrap it up, and enjoy!

Broke 'n Hungry Summer Kickoff: White Bean and Roasted Tomato Fideos

2009-06-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Broke 'n Hungry Summer Kick-off! This white bean and oven-roasted tomato fideo dish is a great way to start because I only had to buy $8 worth of ingredients to make it happen! A lot of the ingredients (walnuts, almond milk, Parmesan) are always in stock in my kithen, so feel free to substitute what you have on hand.

Oven-roasted tomatoes are pretty much the most delicious thing in the world, and roasting is definitely the best way to pull the most flavor out of tomatoes. Also, you can use any type of pasta here; but if you use fideos, definitely toast them beforehand (I've explained how below) because that also increases their flavor. I learned that from Ilan on Top Chef!

This pasta has a lot of steps, but is still very easy to prepare. Last night, I whipped it up in just over an hour before rushing out to see UP and crying my eyes out!!! Old people are so adorable!!!

Look for more wallet-friendly recipes coming soon...

White Bean and Roasted Tomato Fideos
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

- 3 Roma tomatoes, sliced to 1/2 inch
- 2 Tbsp extravirgin olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 4 cups)
- a dash of dried herbs (I used basil and oregano)
- a dash of crushed red pepper
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

- 8 ounces fine fideos (feel free to substitute any type of pasta here)
- 1 15-ounce can of white beans (I used cannellini)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (you can use regular milk or cream if you want a thicker consistency)
- 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
- shaved Parmesan for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Lay tomato slices on a cooking tray covered with parchment paper. Pour olive oil in a bowl, and use a pastry brush to coat each tomato slice. Sprinkle a pinch of thyme, salt, and pepper on each slice. Place tray in the middle of the oven and roast for 50-60 minutes (Check on them at about 45 minutes. The width of your slices will determine when they are done... thinner slices will burn more quickly than thick slices. You don't want them to be black-- or even brown, really. Just wrinkled, cooked-looking, and melt-in-your-mouth tender.) (You can also make slow-roasted tomatoes by cooking them for 3 hours at a lower temperature, like 225 or so, but it is way too freakin hot in California to have the oven on that long.)

Next, start the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan at medium heat. Add garlic and saute for about one minute. Add tomatoes, herbs, red pepper, salt, and pepper, and stir. Reduce heat to low. Cover. About every five minutes, uncover and stir, using a big spoon to smoosh the tomatoes into a sauce. The sauce should be at the right consistency after about 20 minutes.

Lay dry fideos on a foil-covered cooking tray. To toast the fideos, I just stuck them in the oven with the tomatoes for about 8 minutes, until they were BARELY golden brown. While they are toasting, boil a pot of water. Remove fideos and throw them in the pot. Fideos only take 3-4 minutes to cook. When the noodles are tender, drain them and rinse with hot water.

Add white beans and almond milk to the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Keep the mix on low heat, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add fideos to the pan, and stir to combine.

After spooning pasta into each bowl, add walnuts and shaved Parmesan. Place 3-4 roasted tomatoes on top, and serve immediately.

Broke 'n Hungry? So am I... a look back on wallet-friendly posts

2009-06-26T13:08:00.001-07:00

I know that I probably complain about my financial woes too much, but the topic has come up yet again. I'm about to enter a period of extreme penny-pinching. I am a teacher, and I usually temp or do some part-time work during the summer--but not this year, and there are two reasons why. First, I am going back to school to get my Master's in School Counseling. I am taking two summer classes, so that will keep me at least a little busy. Second, I don't really feel like working. One of the perks of being a teacher is that you do get a summer vacation... so I am going to enjoy my vacation, damnit!

I have saved enough so that I don't necessarily have to work... but I will have to be extremely frugal. I don't normally eat out that often because I cook at home at least 4 days a week. Some nights, I will make simple dishes like baked chicken or pasta; then again, I also love to experiment. I don't really buy a lot of ultra-expensive ingredients, but it is not uncommon for me to spend more on a homemade dish than I would spend on a meal at a middle-priced restaurant.

This cannot happen on a regular basis this summer if I want to realize my dream of not working! Therefore, I am taking this opportunity to inform you of my blog's summer focus: cheap and healthy meals, with a big, dramatic emphasis on CHEAP. This blog has always had a wallet-friendly approach, but I am going to tell you right now that most of the meals I post for the rest of the summer will hopefully have a $10-or-less price tag. And that is cheap.

To kick off Broke 'n Hungry Summer, here are some of my favorite cheap (and I mean really cheap...) meals from the past 2 years of Kirby Von Scrumptious. Enjoy!

Lazy Summer Quinoa Grapefruit Salad
Zippy Zucchini Torte
Variations on Mediterranean Salad
Mustard Greens and Bulgur

Beluga Lentil Salad
Red Lentil Dal with Charred Onions (this may not be that cheap if you don't have a lot of spices on hand)
Bulgur Mishmash
I will be back this weekend with a new super cheap and delicious dish... stay tuned!

Feel like having a breakdown? Break into a delicious poached egg instead!

2009-06-20T12:30:00.001-07:00

Oh. Ma. GAW I am pretty stressed out, people. I am in my last week of teaching, so I have a bunch of projects to grade, and this is particularly difficult because MY COMPUTER CRASHED a week ago. If you are one of those lucky bastards who have never experienced a computer crash, then eff you and your freakin awesome fortune in life. There are fewer sights more soul-crushing than a black screen with an error message in ancient font screaming back at you. You see your computer's life flashing before your eyes: resumes, reference lists, teaching documents, digital photos, mp3s, ELECTRONIC GRADE BOOKS... all slipping away to the computer afterlife.

Luckily, our school tech guy was able to salvage my hard drive files, but I'm still at a pretty big disadvantage because I uhhhhh have no computer. I spend the whole day wondering longingly who has emailed me, wishing I could print extra copies of a study guide for my students, and fielding about 800 billion requests from kids who want to see their grades. Luckily, when I get home, I can use my brother's computer, but during the day, I am out of luck.

I sort of want to have a breakdown, but I have avoided it so far. I've been doing lots of yoga, going to bed early, and cooking. Fellow foodies know how therapeutic the kitchen can be. After a long and stressful day, one of my favorite things to do is flip on Larry King and whip up a tasty homemade dinner.

Poached eggs are perhaps one of the loveliest, most comforting ways to top off a dish. Before this week, I had never made them myself, though; so I used my bro's computer to look up the perfect method for the notoriously tricky egg preparation.

I used this website and video, and my poached eggs turned out perfectly!

Don't be scared of poached eggs because they are totally doable, and it is really satisfying to break into that perfect white surface and watch all the gooey yolky goodness running out.

Chickpea and Greens Bowl, topped with a Poached Egg
loosely based on this recipe from Bitchin Camero
makes 3 medium servings, or two big servings

Ingredients

- 2 cups medium bulgur, cooked
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 shallot, minced
- a few handfuls of fresh kale, stems removed and ripped into smaller pieces
- splash of extra virgin olive oil
- splash of white wine vinegar
- 15-ounce can of organic, low-sodium chickpeas
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- 3 Tbsp whole wheat breadcrumbs
- 3 organic, free-range eggs
- a couple of Tbsp of white wine vinegar (or other white vinegar)

Directions

Prepare bulgur according to package directions. I usually boil 2 cups of water, add the bulgur, reduce heat, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, then remove from heat, cover, and let it sit until ready to serve.

While bulgur is cooking, heat olive oil in a large sauce pan on medium heat. Add garlic and shallots, and saute for about 2 minutes. Add kale, and throw in a little more olive oil and white wine vinegar. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the greens are very tender. Periodically stir to make sure all the greens are cooking. If the pan gets dry, add a couple of Tbsp of water and recover.

When greens are almost done, add chickpeas to the pan, stir to combine, recover, and heat for about 4-5 more minutes, or until everything is warm.

To serve, divide the bulgur between three bowls. Put greens and chickpea mixture on top. Cover with breadcrumbs.

You should make your poached eggs last because they only take a couple of minutes, and you definitely do not want them to sit any longer than a minute before serving (lukewarm/cold poached eggs are not especially delicious). I used the following website and video to poach my eggs: http://www.wikihow.com/Poach-an-Egg
I'll recopy the directions below, just in case you are too lazy to click on the link.

Set a saucepan to boil that is about two-thirds full of water.
Add a dash of white vinegar (while it's not absolutely vital, it helps the egg's appearance - the vinegar coagulates the egg white turning it into a perfectly poached egg). Other vinegars (balsamic, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar) are fine, and sometimes taste great when poaching eggs, but will possibly affect the final coloration.
Crack an egg into a ramekin, small bowl or soup ladle.
Spin the boiling water to cool down the water before you drop in the egg. You will want to bring the water to a temperature of about 160-180ºF (71-82ºC).
Carefully lower or drop the egg into the center of the whirlpool. Make sure that you do not drop the egg into boiling water (100ºC/212ºF), as this will toughen the eggs and make them unpalatable.
Wait 3-4 minutes until cooked.
Remove with a slotted spoon. Work quickly to transfer each egg onto the plate, letting excess water drip back into the saucepan. Poached eggs should be served as soon as they are pulled from the water. Poached eggs get cold quickly, and cold poached eggs are decidedly less than perfect.

Add one poached egg to each bowl, and serve immediately.

Be sure to break the egg open and stir up the whole concoction before you eat.... very very delicious.

Naughty vs. Nice Cookies... Vegan Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Wins!

2009-06-14T12:23:00.001-07:00

Do you remember your nicest teacher ever? Mine was Mrs. Crouch, my 2nd grade teacher. She was young and pretty and adorable; she wore embroidered sweaters and talked softly. She gave us "smart pills" before tests, which were actually M&Ms. And she had a gold star board with all our names on it. Whenever we were helpful, or aced a test, or shared with our neighbor, or remembered our library book, Mrs. Crouch put a gold star next to our name. At the end of the semester, the person with the most gold stars got to eat McDonald's for lunch with Mr. Crouch, her equally adorable husband.

Now, I don't necessarily do all of that in my own class, but I try to offer incentives when I can. I started giving my homeroom brain teasers to keep them busy so they wouldn't make me insane when they didn't have homework to do during study hall. Every time they complete a brain teaser, they get a point, and everyone who gets 20 points by the end of the quarter gets homemade cookies, made by yours truly.

Usually, I just get lazy and buy Tollhouse ready-made dough, which is always a big hit. This time, however, I wanted to do a little experiment. I made one batch of Tollhouse dough cookies, and one batch of homemade vegan banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I gave each kid one of each, and asked which they liked better. It was close, but my homemade treats won, which is pretty unusual with my crowd of Hot-Cheeto-and-Snickers-lovin' kids.

These cookies have a great chewy texture and a yummy banana flavor. Plus, they are semi-healthy, with whole-wheat flour, old-fashioned oats, and no butter or margarine. Forget the ready-made dough, and whip these up instead.

Vegan Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

- 3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 3 Tbsp grapeseed oil
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup organic sugar
- 1 banana, mashed (I used a potato masher)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together dry ingredients first (flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt).

In a larger separate bowl, mix oil and sugars. Mash in the banana, add vanilla, and mix until smooth.

Slowly stir in the dry ingredients, then add the oats and chocolate chips, and stir until evenly combined.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and drop spoonfuls of dough on the sheets. Put oven racks on the first and third rows, and place one baking sheet on each rack. Bake for 10-11 minutes. Don't overbake, or the cookies will be crunchy instead of chewy.

Remove from the oven, allow 5 minutes to cool and set, then serve and enjoy!

Simply Delightful Date, Goat Cheese, and Bacon Toasts

2009-06-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

Recently, my adorable man friend and I had the honor of attending the wedding of our two pals Stacey and Michael. They are both really hip and cool people, so the wedding was completely awesome, but the food in particular was off the hook. I'm a lover of appetizers, so I really dug their choices of duck crepes, smoked salmon on wontons, lamb skewers with pesto.... but my favorite snacks were some perfect little fig and goat cheese toasts. The simple sweet and savory combo of fig and goat cheese is always a winner.

I wanted to make my own, but fresh figs were not available at the store--dates were, though, so I decided to concoct a similar small bite, adding extra seasoning and some bacon (of course, turkey or veggie bacon are both good to use here). And even though this was inspired by a wedding, it's simple enough to make as an everyday appetizer, snack, or even a rich full-sized sandwich.

Simply Delightful Date, Goat Cheese, and Bacon Toasts
makes 8-10 medium toasts

Ingredients

- 8-10 slices of wheat French bread
- 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts, toasted
- 2-3 slices bacon (real, turkey, or veggie, whatever your preference)
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 4 fresh Mejdool dates, pits removed
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp almond milk (or regular milk, soy milk, etc.)
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- several grinds of fresh cracked pepper
- butter or Earth Balance
Directions

After cutting bread, lay slices on a foil-covered tray and toast in a preheated oven at about 350 degrees for about 3-4 minutes, or until crisp. Lightly butter the tops and set aside.

Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet for about a minute, or until nuts are fragrant. Set aside.

In a frying pan lightly coated with cooking spray, pan-fry the bacon slices on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side, or longer if you like it crispy. Remove from pan and lay between paper towels to soak up excess oil, then set aside. After it has cooled for a few minutes, cut into small pieces.

In a food processor, blend cheese, dates, honey, milk, herbs, salt and pepper until smooth. Put the walnuts in the mix and pulse a few times until evenly combined.

To construct the toasts, place a couple of small pieces of bacon on each toast, then top with 1/2 Tbsp of date and cheese mix.

Recession-Friendly Shrimp 'n Seaweed Bowl

2009-05-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

I am really digging sea vegetables these days. In sushi, in miso soup, in salads... and I'm not just talking about nori seaweed. There are tons of other chewy oceanic delights like wakame, hijiki, kombu, arame...they are all salt-water-tastic! They add a lot of interesting flavor to dishes, plus they are packed with nutrients and are really low in calories.

Unfortunately, they are not so wallet-friendly. I had grand plans to make a seaweed dish with a mix of wild sea vegetables, only to discover that they all cost about $6.50 a package at my local Nature Mart. I love my sea veggies, but it would be pretty dumb to spend over $20 for variety's sake. Thus, I just chose to use nori seaweed in this dish: it's the most widely available type of sea vegetable, plus you can use the leftover sheets to make your own sushi.

This bowl is way scrumptious, and I think it would be an accessible dish for people who are wary of sea vegetables. And besides the seaweed, it's a relatively low-cost dinner.
Shrimp 'n Seaweed Bowl
makes 4 small servings and 2 big ol' servings

Ingredients

- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 16 ounces cooked shrimp, chopped
- 6 sheets nori seaweed, crumbled (or a mix of wild sea vegetables, if you're a moneybags)
- 4 green onions, chopped (about 3 Tbsp), plus more for garnish
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Dressing

- 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp white miso paste
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
Directions

Cook rice according to package directions (will probably take 40-50 minutes), and set aside.

I used pre-cooked shrimp, but if you have it fresh, you can simply cook it in a steamer or stir-fry it in a bit of vegetable oil.

Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.

Put all remaining ingredients in a large bowl, pour on the dressing, stir to combine, garnish with some extra green onions, and serve warm!

Yo-Yo-Yo Yogurt Tofu Salad and My Thoughts on Kanye West

2009-05-28T13:57:00.001-07:00

I would not call myself a hip hop aficionado by any standards, but there are many rappers out there who I like and respect.

Kanye West is not one of them.

I know that this is totally unrelated to food, but as an English teacher, I cannot stop thinking about this article on Kanye that I read yesterday. He talks about his new 52-page book, which includes "Kanye-isms" like "I hate the word hate." Now that is the voice of a generation talking.

The worst part is that Kanye also calls himself a "proud non-reader" of books. Even before I read this article, I have been feeling like someone needs to deflate his gargantuan ego, but now I just sort of want to punch him in the head.

"Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed," West said. "I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book's autograph. . . I am a proud non-reader of books. I like to get information from doing stuff like actually talking to people and living real life."

JEEEEEEEEEZ, are you kidding me??? There are like 9 billion things that piss me off about this statement. Here are a few:

1) I am an avid reader (and sort of writer), so this comment is insulting. I mean, I want plenty of books' autographs! Just kidding. But seriously, as an artist, he should know that generally labeling the thousands of authors out there as "self-absorbed" is just ignorant. Creative writing is a difficult process, and crafting a story for the sole purpose of sharing it with others is not self-absorbed, in my opinion.

2) WHY WOULD KANYE WEST EVEN BE CALLING ANYONE OTHER THAN HIS GIANT-HEADED SELF "SELF-ABSORBED"?

3) In case you didn't already know, kids nowadays do not like to read. Yes, girls of all ages are gaga for Twilight, but other than that, they don't like to read. Whether it's a classic like To Kill a Mockingbird, or a contemporary story about a teenager in the hood like Buried Onions, most kids seriously don't like to read. I don't know if it's all the video games or Yu-gi-oh or texting or whatever, but the point is, it doesn't help when someone they look up to tells them that books are a waste of time. Especially if it's the same person who has told them that college is a waste of time. (You have no idea how many times I have tried to explain that just because you don't go to college, doesn't mean that you will be as successful as Kanye West.)

4) "Talking to people and living real life" is important. Reading is also a great way to ensure that we don't turn into a country where literacy rates are less than 30%, like say, Sudan or Afghanistan! Non-reading seems to be working really well for them, huh?

5) Kanye is making rappers look bad by saying this type of nonsense. Hip hop is already one of the most misunderstood and under-respected genres of music. If you look past the artists who have made headlines for offensive and/or unintelligent lyrics, you'll find a wealth of smart, talented, and creative musicians. Kanye is not representing the community well with all his asinine bullshit!!

If you want to see a rapper who actually gives a damn about the kids who listen to his music, look at Common. His Common Ground Foundation has started The Corner Book Club, a website that gives reading recommendations to kids and offers them other tools, like discussion boards, scholarships contests, and celebrity interviews. This type of thing is probably more helpful than useless advice like, "Life is 5% what happens and 95% how you react!" (another gem from Kanye's new "book.")

Sorry about the rant. But what else are you supposed to do on a blog?

Oh yeah-- Talk about food! I have been putting yogurt on/in everything lately, and this yogurt tofu salad is no different. It's a cool and yummy choice for a hot day, and the potent spice blend gives it a little kick!

Yo-Yo-Yo Yogurt Tofu Salad

Ingredients

- 1 14-ounce block extra-firm tofu, drained
- 1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp plain yogurt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- several grinds of fresh black pepper
- olive oil
- 1 persian cucumber, diced
- 2 Tbsp walnuts, chopped and toasted
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- juice and zest from half a lemon
- 2 Tbsp agave nectar
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions

First, drain tofu of excess liquid by wrapping it in paper towels and laying a book on top of it for about 10 minutes. Then, cut it into small cubes and spread evenly in a large tupperware or shallow pan.

Then, mix 1/4 cup yogurt, plus cinnamon, coriander, allspice, cloves, garlic, sea salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Pour over the tofu, and mix the sauce around so that it covers the tofu on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Once tofu has marinated, heat a little bit of olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Remove the tofu from the marinade with a slotted spoon and add to the pan (in other words, don't pour all the marinade in the pan.). Saute until golden, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Once tofu has cooled for about five minutes, put it in a large bowl, and add the remaining 3 Tbsp of yogurt, cucumber, walnut, cilantro, lemon zest, cumin, agave, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is evenly mixed.

You can technically serve this immediately, but it tastes ten times better if you refrigerate it for a few more hours (preferably overnight). You can either put it in a wrap, serve it over some greens, or just eat it by itself. It's all tasty!

Tasty Sesame Cookies.... plus thoughts on Gluten-Free Diets

2009-05-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

If you follow the diet and health circuits, you have probably noticed the explosion of gluten-free recipes online and in cookbooks. With more and more people discovering that they have Celiac disease or wheat allergies, "gluten-free" labels are popping up everywhere.

You may have also noticed a few criticisms of the gluten-free craze. I've read at least a few articles lambasting the recent popularity of gluten-free diets. The reason? Some people who gravitate towards gluten-free foods may not even have Celiac disease or understand the real reason why people go gluten-free.

I am somewhere in the middle on this issue. I think it is awesome that awareness has risen on Celiac disease; as someone who has struggled with minor digestive issues in the past, I feel for those who have spent years of their lives wondering what the hell was wrong with their innards. The fact that there are so many more options for these people now is overwhelmingly positive, in my opinion.

On the other hand, I agree that a lot of people misunderstand gluten-free diets, and follow them simply to lose weight. Studies have shown that gluten in not harmful to those who aren't allergic to it. And many of the gluten-free products that are used as substitutions for flour and wheat have a lot more calories and fat than the alternative. Some people may see the stamp of "gluten-free" and think that it is something along the lines of "fat-free" or "low-carb", but that's not the case. Gluten-free products are typically not diet products-- they just don't contain gluten.

With all that being said, I think the main thing to remember is that gluten-free diets are great for those with Celiac and unnecessary for those without it. Don't go gluten-free just because you want to be skinnier, because there are other, more effective ways to do that, my friends.

Even so, we non-Celiac-people can certainly enjoy gluten-free products when they are tasty and worth eating! I found these sesame cookies on a great healthy, gluten-free recipe blog called Elana's Pantry. They contain blanched almond flour (otherwise known as almond meal) instead of wheat flour, which gives the cookies a different texture and flavor-- a little more chewy and robust. Even though almond flour was a little pricey, the substitution is definitely a worthwhile one, in my opinion. The cookies have a distinct sesame flavor, and they have a taste sort of similar to halva. They are really tasty, slightly salty little cookies; plus they are vegan and contain no refined sugar, so you should definitely give them a try if you're in the mood for something different AND delicious!
Vegan and Gluten-free Sesame Cookies
Courtesy of Elana's Pantry
makes 14 cookies

Ingredients

- 1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup agave nectar
- 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Directions

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda. In a smaller bowl, blend together agave, tahini, oil and vanilla. Blend the dry ingredients into the wet.

Form the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the sesame seeds. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and flatten.

Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes until lightly brown. Cool on baking sheet. Serve and enjoy!

Sweet 'n Creamy Yam Dip

2009-05-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the long absence. I have been very busy. And unfortunately, I am still really busy, so I'll just shoot you this recipe for a deliciously sweet and nutrient-packed yam dip that I concocted last week. Give it a try!!

Sweet 'n Creamy Yam Dip

Ingredients

- 1 large yam or 2 small/medium yams, baked until soft
- 1 large avocado
- 2 Tbsp agave nectar or honey
- 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil (or other vegetable oil of choice)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
- apples, pita chips, carrots for serving

Directions

Bake foil-covered yam(s) in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for about 40 minutes, or until tender. Remove from oven and allow about 5 minutes to cool.

Remove peel and pit from avocado, and add all ingredients (yams through sea salt) to a food processor. Pulse/blend until very smooth and creamy.

You can serve this at room temperature, but I liked it better after it chilled in the fridge for a couple of hours.
In my opinion, this is best served with homemade pita chips, but it's also tasty with apples, or even carrots if you don't want to overload on sweetness.

Craft Beer Fest L.A.

2009-05-10T18:05:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, there are few better ways to spend a hot afternoon than drinking cool, delicious beers! Therefore, when I heard about Craft Beer Fest L.A., put on by the L.A. Craft and Artisanal Beer Appreciation League, I bought tickets immediately!

Yesterday, Yo Soy Liz and I, along with some of our friends, spent the day at the Echoplex enjoying a plethora of local brews and chowing down on gourmet pub grub.

First things first: the beer. Fifteen California brewers were represented, including Uncommon Brewers from Santa Cruz, TAPS Brewery from Brea, Green Flash Brewing Co. from San Diego, plus old favorites like Sierra Nevada and Lagunitas.

There were varieties for every taste, from light and smooth TAPS' Belgian White, to Telegraph's bold 10% ABV Rhinocerous Rye Barleywine. The most unusual beer that I tried was definitely The Bruery's Cuvee Jeune Young Lambic: the sour notes were so strong that it tasted like orange juice. My favorite beer of the day also came from The Bruery: the Tradewinds Tripel (pictured at top of the page), an interesting Golden Ale with a touch of rice and Thai basil.

I also got to try most of the food, although it disappeared pretty quickly.
The LA Burrito Project provided belly-filling tortilla goodness, with the proceeds going to feed the homeless on Skid Row.
Pure Luck, everyone's favorite vegan gastropub, offered two tasty sandwich options (chickpea salad and pesto), plus these amazing little Hefeweizen cupckaes!
Scoops brought more sweet treats-- Chocolate Guiness ice cream and Peach Beer sorbet.

Golden State and Masa of Echo Park were also present, serving Persian cucumber salad and pizza, respectively. I also got a chance to meet Evan and Alex from Hot Knives, one of my very favorite L.A. beer blogs! The Knives were serving up delectable cheeses, which you can read more about here.
The festival also included panel interviews with the brewers, where they got the chance to give deets on their creations and talk about the brews that made them fall in love with craft beer. Local bands Triple Chicken Foot, Sausage Grinder, and Los Muertones provided the tunes. Best of all, proceeds from the festival went to 826LA, Dave Eggers' supercool organization dedicated to helping kids with their writing. Additionally, all the volunteers were really nice and very enthusiastic about serving lots and lots of beer!

I'm guessing that this will be the first of many future beer fests, so I would make one suggestion to the organizers: figure out a different arrangement for beer sampling. They had it set up where all the beer was served at the two bars, which resulted in really long lines. I think it would have been better if they had given each brewery their own table, like at the Monterey Beer Fest that Joe and I went to last summer.

Other than the lines, though, the Craft Beer Fest L.A. was a most excellent time. Flavorful beer, satsifying food, and cool people: this is why I love L.A.!

Tasty 'n Nutritious Fake-Mexican Bowls!

2009-05-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

Here in beautiful Southern California, we are lucky to have a lot of really awesome authentic Mexican food. You can opt for rich Latin cuisine at somewhere like Guelaguetza (which serves traditional Oaxacan dishes like mole and barbacoa), or just chow down on some killer carne asada from your local taco truck.

Then again, you can also opt for what I like to call fake-Mexican food, which is also plentiful in SoCal.

When I say "fake-Mexican", I'm not even referring to Tex-Mex, which is not real Mexican food either. (Fajitas? Invented in Texas during the stupidest time ever, the 1980s. Yellow chili con queso? That nonsense is just fondu, and you know it.) (This doesn't mean that I wouldn't pound both of these dishes to the face, if give the opportunity.)

"Fake-Mexican" restaurants are those that serve "healthy" Mexican dishes that are probably even further from true authenticity than Tex-Mex. The places I am thinking about don't use lard or dairy or significant amounts of salt-- places that use lots of organic vegetables, meat-free protein substitutes, and soy cheese. I'm thinking places like Alegria on Sunset, Hugo's Tacos, and Sharky's.

Now, I don't mean to talk trash about restaurants like this. I actually like Hugo's Tacos, and I've heard that the only problem with Alegria is that their delicious burritos are 11 freaking dollars.

To show that I have no hard feelings for fake-Mexican restaurants, I made my own fake-Mexican bowl of goodness, covered in a honey chipotle dressing modeled after the one at Hugo's. This was an amazing, filling, flavorful, nutritious, and crowd-pleasing bowl (even if it is in no way comparable to anything authentically Mexican). Because sometimes you want to be a little healthy. This is California, like ohmagaw.

Tasty 'n Nutritious Fake-Mexican Bowls
makes 4 bowls

Ingredients

Honey-Chipotle Dressing
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil of choice (I used grapeseed oil)
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (or more if you want to amp up the spice)
- 2 Tbsp adobo sauce from can of peppers
- juice of one lime
- zest of one lime
- salt and pepper to taste

Bowl of Goodness
- 1 16-ounce block of extra firm tofu
- 1 cup of cooked brown rice
- 2 cloves garlic
- half an onion, thinly sliced
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 14.5 ounce can of pinto beans
- half a head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled
- 2-3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

First, prep the tofu by cutting it into 6 slabs, laying them between a few layers of paper towels, and placing a book or a cutting board on top for about 10 minutes (to drain excess moisture). Then, remove paper towels and cut slabs into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Second, prepare the dressing. Do this by throwing all dressing ingredients into a food processor and pulsing a few times. Easy.

Then, lay tofu cubes evenly across the bottom of a large tupperware container and pour HALF the dressing over the top. (Emphasis on HALF. Save the rest for later.) Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Third, if you are not using instant rice, go ahead and prepare rice according to package directions (this might take like 45 minutes).

Next, prepare the tofu/zucchini mixture. After tofu has marinated in the fridge for an hour, heat a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 15 seconds. Add onions and zucchini and saute for about 3 minutes. Add tofu and saute for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare beans on the stove top by heating them with a dash of salt and pepper in a small bit of oil or water in a skillet until they are warmed through (about 5-10 minutes).
Finally, it's time to assemble your bowls. Here is the stacking order, from BOTTOM to TOP:

1. Rice
2. Lettuce
3. Beans on one half
4. Tofu/zucchini mixture on the other half
5. tomatoes
6. crumbled queso fresco
7. a few thin slices of avocado
8. chopped cilantro for garnish.
9. a drizzle of the remaining honey-chipotle dressing

Serve with chips of your choice. I baked my own using whole wheat tortillas. (So fake-Mexican.)

Feel free to substitute any protein if tofu is not your thing. Hell, substitute whatever you want. This sort of dish easily lends itself to modifications.

Questions about Bread from a Semi-Successful Baker

2009-05-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

I cook almost every day, but I don't do that much baking. When I do, it's usually sweets like cookies or cupcakes, and they usually turn out excellently! Occasionally, I'll make quick bread, which almost always turns out well because quick bread preparation is generally very simple.

But lately, I've gotten the itch to bake my own bread-- real, yeasty, 8-hours-to-rise bread. I decided to make a version of Tomato Quinoa Bread that I saw on three separate blogs (Cooking Books, Kitchen Confit, and Dishing Up Delights), rationalizing that it must be really tasty if it's that popular on the ol' blogosphere.

This bread has a delicious flavor, and it was pretty easy to prepare. It served as an awesome vehicle for a yummy cream cheese, basil, and tomato sandwich (pictured at top). However, the bread was extremely dense; and even though I left the dough in the fridge to rise for 12 hours, it did not double in size. It barely got any bigger at all, as a matter of fact.

I am asking for any knowledgeable bakers out there to examine the recipe, examine the modifications I made in bold, and tell me what exactly happened with my dough. Any insights would be appreciated: it's driving me crazy trying to figure out if I did something wrong, or if the bread is just supposed to be really dense and rich.
Tomato-Quinoa Bread
from Vegetable Harvest: Vegetables at the Center of the Plate (as seen on Cooking Books, Kitchen Confit, and Dishing Up Delights)
Von Scrumptious modifications in bold

Ingredients

- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar [I used 1 Tbsp agave nectar]
- 1/3 cup lukewarm water
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup seasoned vegetable juice [I used 1 cup tomato juice, then added a sprinkling of dried basil, oregano, thyme, and celery salt]
- 1/2 cup quinoa (uncooked) [I used 1/2 cup uncooked millet, which is very similar in shape/size/texture, and is often used in breads]
- 3 3/4 cup bread flour [I actually used more like 3 1/4 cups because my dough ball was already extremely dry at that point]

Directions

Mix the yeast, sugar and water together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy then stir in the oil, salt, juice and quinoa.

Fit your stand mixer with the dough hook, set it on medium-low speed and add the flour in a little at a time. Mix until most of the flour is encorporated and the dough comes together in a ball. Continue to mix for 4-5 minutes more, until the dough becomes soft and shiny, but still firm. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour. [I don't have a mixer or a dough hook, so I just did this by hand, adding a little flour at a time and stirring. Once it started getting doughy, I added flour and mixed it with my hands. Like I said above, the dough was extremely dry even when I had a cup of flour to add, so I added a few tablespoons of water to soften it up and make the process easier. It was still really dry, though, so I didn't use all the flour as instructed. When everything was incorporated, I kneaded the bread for about 10 minutes.]

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough has doubled or tripled in size, this should take 8 to 12 hours. [I waited 12 hours.] The dough may also be left in the refrigerator for up to two days, but you may need to punch it down a few times as it doubles.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and punch it down. Form the dough into a ball, return to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to double once again, this should take about an hour. [I didn't need to punch it down or do this step because, again, the dough didn't really rise at all.]

Punch the dough down one more time, then form it into a tight rectangle. Place the dough into a rectangular bread pan, cover with a cloth and let rise until double in size. One more hour. [Again, I didn't see the point in doing this because it hadn't risen up to that point. Maybe I should have done it anyway, though?]

Oven preheated to 450, slash the top of the loaf with a very sharp knife so that it can expand properly and place on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped. Turn the loaf out on a wrack to cool and wait at least 1 hour before slicing (it will continue to cook while cooling). Enjoy your magical bread! [Even after an hour, this bread is hard to slice thinly because the top/crust is extremely crisp and crunchy. My "slices" tasted good, but definitely were not pretty. They were also kind of misshaped because the dough didn't fill up the whole bread pan, so it was kind of lumpy and freeform.]
********
So what are your theories? Was it because I didn't have a dough hook? Did I not knead it for long enough? Should I have left it out of the refrigerator for an hour like the recipe said? Maybe it would have risen that way? I don't know!!! Ideas, please!

Screw the Recession! Eat a Nice Meal Out!! On a Weeknight!!!

2009-04-30T15:30:00.001-07:00

So I swear I'm not trying to be smug, but the recession is not really affecting me that much. I still have a job that will always be needed (English teacher), and I still have possession of my most valuable assets (laptop, kittens). I don't have any stock (I don't really understand what stock IS, to be 100% truthful...), and I'm nowhere near owning home, what with my $2,000 in checking. True, prices are going up all over the place for various economic-crisis-related reasons, but my overall financial life has not really changed much in the last year.

However, my financial life is always sort of cruddy.

I'm not really sure why I have such a small savings account. I don't shop; I'm not into expensive gadgets like iBerries or whatever; I avoid turning on my air conditioning unit at all costs; I continue to wear clothes with stains on them so as not to be wasteful; I drive a Civic; I drink beer, not martinis. My few indulgences are organic vegetables and HBO.

I think the problem is my heaping mound of student loans and my recently paid-off credit card debt that took two and a half years to dominate. Also, you might have heard that teachers are not exactly millionaires. And I don't always have a steady job in the summer months. So yeah, I guess my money woes sort of make sense.

ANYWAY, I have been feeling sort of blue and funky lately, so today, I was like "EFF IT!!!" and went out to a nice Thursday night dinner all by myself, for no particular reason. This was especially needed because, for a variety of reasons, I have been eating an abundance of unappetizing and unsatisfying food lately, and I was in need of some edible comfort. We all deserve a treat sometimes-- and it goes without saying that local eateries need our support more than ever in these tough economic times.

I know Hugo's is not fine dining by any means, but for me, the price of dinner there is significantly more than I am willing to spend on a weeknight meal. I went to the one in Studio City, and it was just as delightful and satisfying as a mid-week treat can be! Check it:
A crusty roll goes especially well with a nice glass of red wine-- so what if you're eating at 5:30! Throw caution to the wind!

I had the Very Green Casserole ($13.75), and it was my ideal comfort food fix. "Sautéed broccolini, spinach, asparagus, zucchini, with garlic and fresh herbs in a tomato basil pesto sauce. Topped with a veggie patty and melted goat and mozzarella cheeses. Served with organic mixed greens [pictured at top of page]. Vegan cheese substituted upon request."

Ohmagaw. I am going to remember the whole "baking mozzarella on top of goat cheese" thing for when I want that perfect cheesy combination of crispy baked cheese giving way to smooth, warm, melted, goat-y bliss! And the guilt of ingesting so much cheese in this dish is offset by the abundance of nutrient-packed green vegetables and the robust veggie patty beneath it. SCRUM DID, it really did hit the spot.

Add the delicious food to the relaxing ambiance of an early evening meal on the patio with a super sweet waiter who answered every request with, "Pleasure": Hugo's could become a $25 once-in-a-while weeknight treat that I could get used to.

Raw Kohlrabi, Apple, and Carrot Salad

2009-04-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

I teach at a really touchy-feely school. Don't get me wrong: our kids are from the inner city, so the teachers have to be firm and steadfast.... but we also loooooove talking about feeeeeeeelings.

In the spirit of lovey-doveyness, the school offers a yoga class taught by one of the coolest and most inspirational ladies on earth. Earlier this year, that teacher began leading free yoga classes for staff members twice a week before school.

Now, I had done yoga before, but it was always gym-style yoga, which involves a lot of extremely strenuous poses that burn with the heat of a thousand non-relaxing fires! This is why I was always confused when I heard people talk about the calming nature of yoga: in my experience, I spent most of yoga classes internally sreaming at myself, "Don't be the only person in this emeffing class to give up and go into baby pose!!! Be freaking zen NOW!!!!!!!!"

Despite all this, I decided to give my pal's class a try, and I am unbelievably glad I did! She does Kirby-friendly yoga: less focused on challenging poses, and more focused on simple movements and stretches. She also devotes a large amount of time for relaxation and meditation, which is infinitely helpful when I have a day of frighteningly frantic teen chaos/drama/attitude/insanity ahead of me. Every morning when we finish yoga, I feel like a million bucks-- this morning, the kids even said, "You are always so smiley on Wednesdays and Fridays!"

ANYWAY, the reason I brought up our yoga teacher is because she's also a vegan, and she's always bringing me delicious finds from the farmer's market. On Monday, she brought me a kohlrabi, a wacky root vegetable that I had heard of, but never tried.
Because she said it tasted like jicama, and because it's 95 frakkin degrees outside, I decided to make a simple, refreshing raw salad that is totally perfect for a day of dry heat. Make as much or as little as you want, but I would suggest a big batch beccause you can eat a ton without getting too full.

Raw Kohlrabi, Apple, and Carrot Salad
makes 4-6 servings Ingredients

- 6 cups kohlrabi, cut into fat matchstick-like pieces*
- 3 cups Pink Lady apples, chopped into bite-sized chunks (any apple variety would work here)
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 3 Tbsp grapeseed oil
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp agave nectar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp key lime juice

Directions

Combine kohlrabi, apple, and carrots in a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients.

Pour dressing on the salad. Mix to coat. That's it! Enjoy!

*I don't know if you're supposed to peel kohlrabi; I cut it into small pieces, so I couldn't even tell there was a peel on there. Thus, you can avoid peeling if you are lazy like me.

Mushroom Casserole Remix

2009-04-19T20:51:00.001-07:00

I defy anyone to find me a food blogger who isn't totally gaga for Heidi Swanson.

In case you have been living under a rock and don't know who I'm talking about, Heidi Swanson is the mastermind behind 101 Cookbooks, a monumentally awesome natural foods blog. She is also the author of Super Natural Cooking, an award-winning cookbook featuring more of Heidi's awesomeness.

I try a lot of the recipes that Heidi features on 101 Cookbooks, and they're always really tasty. Even though they are often the types of dishes where substitutions and additions are encouraged, I usually stick to the original recipe because they sound so yummy as is.

However, when I bookmarked Heidi's Mushroom Casserole, I made a mental note to change a bunch of things. I substituted Greek yogurt for sour cream (which is just not my favorite thing in the world); barley for brown rice (I'm trying to use as many weird grains as possible these days); and thyme/parsley for tarragon (licorice-flavored things make me want to puke my brains out). I also used shallots and Gruyere instead of onion and Parm, because those were what I had on hand.

I'm sure the original was mighty delicious, but my remix was pretty scrumptastic too-- kind of a healthier take on an old-school creamy mushroom casserole. It's not the most attractive dish in the world, but it sure is yummy. Give it a try!

Mushroom Casserole Remix
modified from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients

- extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 1 Portobella mushroom cap, de-gilled and chopped
- about 3/4 cup shallots, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups cooked barley
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 3 Tbsp fresh Italian parley, chopped
- 2 free-range organic eggs
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese

Directions

Remember to prepare barley first (for me, this took about 40 minutes).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat, and add mushrooms. Saute about 3 minutes. Add shallots and saute another 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, and saute another minute or so. Add barley to the mixture, stir to combine, and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, and salt until smooth. Add to the mushroom mixture, and stir until everything is evenly combined.

Pour the whole mixture into an oven-safe casserole dish (mine was a little small-- 7x9-- but it worked fine). Sprinkle about 2/3 of the cheese evenly over the top, and cover with foil.

Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil, and cook for an additional 25 minutes. Immediately after removing from the oven, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, and let it sit about 10 minutes before serving.

Adios to Sping Break: Olive-and-Fontina-Stuffed, Panko-Crusted Chicken Breasts

2009-04-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

Oh, I had big plans. BIG. I was going to clean out my car (which is seriously like my own personal dumpster), go to classes at the gym every day (Pilates was calling to me), and trim my cats' nails (which takes a surprisingly long time to do). I was going to do a hundred other productive things during my Spring Break... but that's not how it worked out, shocker of all shockers.

I actually got sort of sick, then used that as an excuse to do nothing but watch the entire first season of United States of Tara on OnDemand, take naps, and read about half of a magazine. Pathetic. One of my goals for the week was to finally use my year-old Anthropologie gift card, and I didn't even do that shit. How sad is it that I am too lazy to go shopping.

Although I didn't do as much cooking as I would have liked, I did make a quick, elegant little dinner on Sunday night to bid farewell to my week of lounging.

Olive-and-Fontina-Stuffed, Panko-Crusted Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 12 Kalamata olives, minced
- 2 Tbsp capers
- 3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- a few ounces of fontina cheese, cut into bite-size rectangles
- 4 free-range cage-free chicken breasts
- 1 free-range cage-free egg, beaten
- 1 cup panko
- assorted dried spices of choice (I used oregano, thyme, and basil)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

First, prepare the stuffing: combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Then, place each chicken breast between saran wrap and pound it with a mallet until very thin.

Lay each chicken breast flat in front of you. Spoon about 1 Tbsp of the olive mixture in the middle. Place a rectangle or two of cheese on top of that (depending on how large each piece of chicken is). Then, fold up each side of the chicken so that it is like a little square package. Feel free to be creative with the mechanics of this step.

Mix together the panko and spices in one bowl, and set it next to a bowl with the beaten egg.

Carefully coat each chicken bundle with egg, making sure not to let the little package unfold. Then, carefully roll each egg-covered bundle in the panko mixture, and lay on a foil-covered baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the coating on each chicken breast is crispy and golden. (If your chicken breasts are larger than the little ones I used, you might need to cook them a little longer.)

Remove from oven and serve immediately. I would recommend serving with a side of sauteed spinach, mushrooms, and garlic (you can also throw any of your extra olive filling into the skillet as well).

How Good is PB2? The Von Scrumptious Verdict, plus the Perfect Bowl of Peanut Buttery Steel Cut Oats

2009-04-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

Maybe you haven't heard of PB2, the new "powdered peanut butter" product from Bell Plantation. If that is the case, here is the gist: PB2 is basically ground peanuts that have been pressed to remove the oil, thus removing most of the fat in the process. The result is a dry powder that becomes "peanut butter" when you add water, but has only 53 calories and less than 2 grams of fat per serving.

When I first heard about this, my first thought was that PB2 was probably full of chemicals and weird shit. You can't just make something fat-free naturally. But then, I discovered that the only ingredients are peanuts, salt, and sugar: no laboratory nonsense!

My next thought was that PB2 probably wasn't very delicious; I mean, getting rid of all the oil must have a negative effect on the taste. I looked health-nut message boards, and most people said the same thing: it doesn't taste exactly like peanut butter, but it's not bad-- kind of like the cream in a Nutter Butter.

This was all too intriguing to pass up. I ordered a 4-pack online (maybe not the most affordable product in the world: $4 per jar, plus around $2 per jar for shipping, bringing it to a total of $6 each), and it arrived a week later.

So here is my take on PB2: it's pretty tasty! It definitely tastes like peanut butter, but with a tiny little something missing (the fat). However, the texture and taste are probably as close to the real thing as diet peanut butter can be. Of course, natural peanut butter is not necessarily "bad" for you, so I'm not going cold turkey there. PB2 is just a nice alternative if you're watching your waistline and can't stay away from that addictive peanut butter taste.

One idea that occurred to me is that PB2 is probably ideal for cooking and baking, when you want a strong peanutty flavor mixed into something else. I really like peanut satay sauces and things like that, and I feel like PB2 would probably be a good healthy substitute for the real deal in those situations.

I also used PB2 to make an absolutely scrumptastic bowl of steel cut oats yesterday morning, and it was the best bowl of oatmeal I've ever had. Plus, it's (mostly) healthy, and it will keep you full for hours-- give it a try!
The Perfect Bowl of Peanut Buttery Steel Cut Oats
makes 1 bowl (double, tripe, quadruple as needed)

Ingredients

- 1 1/4 cups almond milk (or any other milk)
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup steel cut oats
- 2 Tbsp PB2 (or about 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp agave nectar
- 1 Tbsp walnuts toasted
- 1 Tbsp golden raisins
Directions

In a saucepan, bring milk and salt to a boil. Add oats, stir, and reduce heat to low. Let it simmer, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent any oats from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

When oats have reached desired tenderness, add PB2 and cinnamon and stir to combine.

Pour into a bowl; drizzle agave and sprinkle nuts and raisins over the top. Enjoy immediately!!

Make your own Lara Bars!

2009-04-05T10:46:00.001-07:00

I jumped on the Lara Bar bandwagon like 100 years later than everyone else, but who cares? They are so tasty! And so healthy!

A few months ago, I saw Jeff Garlin do stand-up, and he talked about how Lara Bars are good, but not good enough to make you want to eat more than one. I think that's totally true, and that's why they're the perfect snack. He also made a good point when he said that they're better than Luna Bars or Balance Bars, because when you eat those, face it: you're basically eating a candy bar.

Anyway, Lara Bars are not exactly hard to find in my neighborhood, but it is often difficult to track down my favorite flavor, Cocoa Mole. The Nature Mart down the street carries almost every flavor, but they are often out of Cocoa Mole. I know I could drive all the way to a Whole Foods, but I generally avoid that place because it bankrupts me every time I go there. Even if I go in with a small, specific shopping list, I will end up leaving with a bunch of weird overpriced items like.... spelt-spirulina-wheat-germ-orrechiette, or frozen pumpkin-blue-cheese burritos.

Because Lara Bars are only made with a few ingredients, I thought it would be pretty easy to replicate them at home-- and I was right! With the help of a food processor, you can have your own Lara Bars in minutes. I made two of my favorite flavors (Cocoa Mole and Cinnamon Roll), and invented my own flavor (Mango Coconut). All three of my homemade Kirbo Bars were nearly identical to the Lara Bar taste and texture.

Making your own is not necessarily cheaper or easier than buying them at the store, but it's good for making your favorite hard-to-find flavor or experimenting with your own original recipes!

I've listed the ingredients for all three bars below, with visual packaging instructions in the first recipe.

Cocoa Mole Kirbo Bars
makes 2 bars

Ingredients

- 3 fresh Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 Tbsp almonds, chopped
- 1 Tbsp walnuts, chopped
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp chili powder

Directions

First, tear the dates into pieces and pulse in a food processor until it's a thick, sticky paste. Add the rest of the ingredients, and pulse a few more times. Remove from the food processor using a spatula; you might need to smoosh the ball together with your hands to make sure everything is evenly combined.
Next, lay down a piece of wax paper about three inches across.
Divide the ball in half. Take one half, and roll it in your hands until it is a log shape, and lay it down on the wax paper.
Fold the paper tightly around the log.
Then, press on each side so that it becomes more of a rectangle shape. Repeat with the other half.
Finally, refrigerate for at least an hour before chowing down.

Cinnamon Roll Kirbo Bars
makes 2 bars
Ingredients

- 3 Mejdool Dates
- 1 Tbsp walnuts, chopped
- 1 Tbsp almonds, chopped
- 1 1/2 Tbsp golden raisins (regular raisins would be fine too), chopped
- 1 Tbsp cashews, chopped
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

Same as above.

Mango Coconut Kirbo Bars
makes 2 bars
Ingredients

- 2 Medjool dates
- 2 Tbsp dried unsweetened mango, chopped
- 1 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened flaked coconut
- 2 Tbsp cashews, chopped
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1/8 tsp lime zest
Directions

Same as above.

Bulgur Mishmash

2009-03-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the tastiest dishes can start as an afterthought. The other night, I was driving home and almost stopped at my go-to, quick 'n dirt-cheap Japanese take-out place. But then, I was like, "No. I've got a bunch of leftover veggies at home... I'll figure something out."

I basically emptied my fridge for this little dish, thinking it would be nothing special, but it was actually really yummy (and a lot better than some take-out meal) (don't worry Tosa... I still got mad love for yo sweet ass!).

Anyway, here's the approximate recipe, in all its simple glory: I basically just threw a bunch of shit in a skillet. I suggest you do the same with the remnants of your fridge! You might be surprised at the outcome!

Bulgur Mishmash
makes 2 servings

Ingredients

- 1 cup prepared bulgur
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- half a red onion, thinly sliced and roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 15-20 grape tomatoes, halved
- a few big handfuls spinach (maybe like 4 ounces?)
- 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp chopped almonds, toasted
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Prepare bulgur according to package directions, then set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add red onion, and saute for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and tomatoes and saute an extra 2 minutes. Add spinach in batches, pour vinegar over the top, and saute until wilted (about 2 minutes). Add bulgur, and stir everything up.

Toast almonds in a separate dry skillet (about 1 minute, or until golden brown). Add to the bulgur mixture, stir to combine, and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Simply Delish Eggplant Balls

2009-03-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

*Spoiler alert!! I am going to say "balls" about 25 times in the following post. Get yer giggles out of the way now, pervs.*

I am a big fan of food that comes in ball form. I will enjoy a good meatball from time to time, but I have found that I usually enjoy vegetarian balls even more. For example, I could live off of falafel balls, and there is nothing quite as comforting as a pipin' hot bowl of matzo ball soup. Also, one of my favorite recipes on this blog is probably these crazy spinach balls I got from a crappy British cookbook on the bargain rack at Borders.

Recently, I felt like making more veggie balls, so I searched my recipe file and found this Eggplant "Meatball" recipe from Straight from the Farm, which I bookmarked almost a year ago. The original recipe is from the cookbook Totally Vegetarian.

With a few modifications, I LOVED these balls! They were better than any meatball, in my opinion. They were super moist, flavorful, and contain my all-time favorite purple food: eggplant! I LOVE ME SOME EGGPLANT. So yes, I would suggest making these balls if you love delicious grub.

You can get fancy and make your own marinara or roasted red pepper sauce like Jennie did, but I just served the balls over spaghetti and covered them with Newman's Own marinara with sauteed spinach mixed in. The balls are simply delicious on their own or with a simple sauce.

Simply Delish Eggplant Balls
modified from Totally Vegetarian
makes 15-18 balls

Ingredients

- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 large eggplant, diced (about 5 cups)
- 1 1/2 dried Italian bread crumbs
- 2 large free-range eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- vegetable oil spray

Directions

Heat a large skillet and coat with olive oil. When the skillet is hot, add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Saute until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. If the eggplant starts to dry out, add a bit more olive oil. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Place 2/3 of the softened eggplant in the blender or food processor and process into a smooth puree. Return to the mixing bowl with the rest of the eggplant. Add the remaining ingredients (except the vegetable spray) and mix well.

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Wet your hands with a little water and shape the eggplant mixture into balls, using about two large tablespoons per ball. Place "meatballs" on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown and slightly crusty. Do not overbake because they will be too dry. Remove sheet from oven and cover with foil to let the meatballs steam until ready to serve.

Place a few balls on top of pasta of choice, and drizzle with tomato sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Red Lentil Dal with Charred Onions

2009-03-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

Red Lentil Dal is one of those dishes that is mighty tasty, but looks sort of disgusting.

You know another dal/doll that I used to love, despite her terrible, whorish appearance?

BARBIE!!

As much as I would love to say that I played with cool stuff like robots and baby electric guitars all day long, it just wouldn't be the whole truth. While I did crack out the Transformers and my She-Ra sword now and again, I was seriously gaga for Barbie. Between the ages of 5-8, I probably played with Barbies like 3 hours a day. I spent the remainder of my time reading Baby-Sitters Club books and arranging my 800 stuffed animals. It's true: I was kind of a girly girl.
It shames me to think about my old love of Barbie, with her tiny waist and her giraffe legs and her cold, dead turquoise eyes. And how douchey was Ken? Why did I play with these horrible Stepford toys???

Because they were really fun! I would use them to act out elaborate dramatic scenes; for example, I enjoyed making two Barbies have lunch together, then they would get in an argument which would end with one Barbie flipping out and throwing things at the other one. I also liked making Barbie and Ken kiss; then, he would accidentally touch her boob, and be like, "Heh, oops, sorry, Barbie!" (Come on.... you know you did it too.)

Even so, if I had a daughter, I don't think I would buy her a Barbie. Not everything that is fun is good for you, obviously. Plus, there are too many other cool toys out there, like Super Soakers and Spiderman figures and iPods.

On the other hand, you don't have to feel bad about enjoying this Red Lentil Dal because it's super healthy and easy to make! I know it's not authentically Indian, but it's as close as I can get for a weeknight meal. The original recipe called for you to toast and grind all the seeds for your spices, but I don't have a mortal and pestle, so I just used preground spices. I'm sure that grinding them yourself would make it an even more potent and fragrant dish.

Red Lentil Dal with Charred Onions
adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
- 1 cup dried small red lentils
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; cook 2 minutes or until charred. Carefully turn over onion, and cook an additional 3 minutes or until charred. Remove from heat. Let cool; coarsely chop; set aside.

Heat remaining Tbsp oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in spices; sauté 1 minute. Add broth, lentils, and tomato to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover; add onion, and cook 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and juice.

You could serve this over brown rice, couscous, or quinoa, but I served it over some delicious fluffy bulgur with great results. Garnish with cilantro, and enjoy!