Fudgie Cookies with Maldons

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brownie-cookies-with-maldons

This Sunday kicked off holiday baking for me and today, I had originally planned to make ginger snaps. However, I noticed a Facebook post by Michael Symon of the The Chew for these double chocolate cookies with a sprinkling of flaked sea salt. They looked absolutely delectable and I’m so happy I decided to go with these cookies, which are so chocolatey, it’s almost as if you’re biting into a brownie.

Yield: about 20 cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons maldons (flaked sea salt)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugars until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.
4. Gradually add in the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix in chocolate chips.
5. Form dough into balls, using a 1 ½ tablespoon ice cream scoop. Space out dough about 2 inches from each other. Sprinkle a generous pinch of maldons onto each cookie.
6. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the cookies have somewhat flattened and cracked a little at the top.
7. Allow to cool for a few minutes on sheet pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup!

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butternut-squash-soup

I made this soup as part of our Thanksgiving feast and wanted to share the very simple recipe. Although there are few ingredients, this soup is truly delicious and perfect for autumn!

Ingredients:
1 (2-3 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced into 1” chunks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
pinch of nutmeg
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1. In a large pot, melt butter or add oil. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes.
2. Add squash and stock.
3. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in blender to puree.
5. Return blended squash to pot and stir.
6. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
7. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Double Chocolate Crinkles!

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double-chocolate-crackles

I typically make these cookies around the holidays for friends and family, but I wanted to bake something special to bring into the office this week. These are pretty simple to make and don’t require any out of the ordinary ingredients, but the dough does need to chill before it is shaped to bake. This has been one of my favorite recipes and is perfect for anyone that loves chocolate 🙂
Ingredients:
2 cups (12oz bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
½ cup powdered sugar

Procedure:
1. Microwave 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a bowl, uncovered for 1 minute and stir. Microwave at additional 10-15 second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl. Stir. Beat sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in large bowl. Beat in melted chocolate. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Then mix in the remaining chocolate chips. Cover; refrigerate just until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and roll in the powdered sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes or until sides are set but centers are still slightly soft. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes and move to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe is adapted from Nestle’s Firecracker Fudge Cookies.

Rice Pudding!

Jennifer 2 Comments

rice-pudding-10-11-16

Today, I was trying to think of what to do with my abundance of leftover rice, besides make fried rice. Somehow, I thought of rice pudding, which I’ve never made before. The recipe is really simple and produces a rich, creamy rice pudding! This was a touch sweet for me so next time I may try to cut back the sugar to ¼ of a cup instead of 1/3 of a cup. Nonetheless, it’s delicious!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups cooked white rice
2 cups milk, divided
1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
cinnamon

Procedure:
1. In a saucepan, combine rice, 1 ½ cups milk, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, about 15-20 minnutes. Stir in remaining ½ cup milk and beaten egg; cook for 2 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
3. Serve at preferred temperature (warm, room temperature, cold..). Sprinkle with cinnamon
4. Enjoy!

Granola!

Jennifer 5 Comments

granola

One of my friends made this for me a couple of years ago and shared the recipe. It’s been a while since I’ve made it because I would consume the batches way too quickly. This time around I’m trying to exercise some self-control which is not an easy feat. It’s such a simple recipe and can be adjusted to personal tastes as well as what mix-ins you have around the house. Sunflower seeds, diced dried apricots, and pistachios would work really well in this too. This morning, I made a parfait with blackberries and raspberries. For a snack or breakfast, I like to also have it in warm almond milk. It’s really soothing and satisfying 🙂

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups regular oats (not instant)
1/2 cup roasted coconut chips
1 cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup dried blueberries or cranberries
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup honey or agave nectar (vegan)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line a large sheet tray with parchment paper or a silpat.
3. Combine oats, coconut chips, pumpkin seeds, blueberries or cranberries, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
4. Combine honey or agave, coconut oil, and vanilla extract in a measuring cup.
5. Add oil mixture to oat mixture and combine well.
6. Spread on baking sheet in an uniform layer to allow for even baking.
7. Bake 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway. Cool completely in pan, allowing the granola to crisp up and form clusters.
8. Store in airtight container.

Spicy Thai Carrot Ribbons!

Jennifer 1 Comment

spicy thai carrot ribbons

The creaminess of the peanut butter tames the heat of the crushed red pepper flakes in this yummy sauce for gently cooked carrot ribbons. No spiralizer needed! It could easily be bulked up into an entree with the addition of edamame or some crispy tofu over jasmine rice. Enjoy!

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¾ cup vegetable broth
2 tablespooons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 medium size carrots
thai basil
toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the sesame oil.
2. Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook just until fragrant, stirring constantly.
3. Add broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, and vinegar. Increase the heat to high and stir constantly until the peanut butter melts into the sauce.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 5 minutes.
5. In the meantime, use a vegetable to first peel off the skin and discard. Then shave carrots into thin ribbons.
6. Add ribbons to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Stir to coat thoroughly in sauce.
7. Serve warm and garnish with thai basil and toasted sesame seeds.

*Follow me on Instagram for more delicious photos!*

 

 

 

Summer Bean Salad with Fregola!

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summer bean salad with fregola

Fregola is an oven-toasted Sardinian pasta, shaped like little pearls. A special pasta-making method, using bronze drawplates give it a rough, porous texture that captures sauces and dressings very well. If you can’t find fregola, you could substitute Israeli couscous. This shallot dressing is so delicious, as the shallots are cooked slowly in oil to bring out their natural sweetness. Be sure to mix in the dressing while the pasta is still warm, as it will be better absorbed. This is the perfect summer salad to bring to your next barbecue or potluck!

Ingredients:

Dressing:
2 large shallots, chopped
¼ cup avocado oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon salt

Salad:
1 cup fregola
½ pound green beans, trimmed and blanched
½ pound yellow wax beans, trimmed and blanched
½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
½ teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. For the dressing: Place the shallots and avocado oil in a small saucepan over low heat and cook gently until completely soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
2. In a food processor, add the cooled shallots and oil, the apple cider vinegar, broth, mustard, honey, and salt. Pulse until the shallots are finely chopped and the dressing is thick. Set aside.
3. For the salad: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the fregola and cook for 8-9 minutes or until cooked through. Drain well, then place in a large bowl. While the fregola is still warm, add the dressing and toss to coat. Allow the fregola to cool slightly before adding the green beans, wax beans, tomatoes, basil and salt; toss gently to coat.

fregola

Quick Pickles!

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quick pickles

I love pickles and all types of pickled veggies. This recipe calls for persian cucumbers instead of the typical kirby cukes. While both types of cucumbers are nice and crunchy, the persian variety has a thinner skin which I prefer. Cucumbers are a good source of vitamin K as well as potassium. These are incredibly simple to make and refreshing in the summer heat. Just simmer the pickling liquid long enough to dissolve the sugar and pour over the quartered cucumbers. Fresh pickles really beat what you can buy in the store and are much more economical. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
5-6 Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise
2 sprigs of dill
1 clove of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds

Directions:
1. Fit the cucumbers, dill and garlic into a 1-quart Mason jar.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
3. Pour the hot mixture into the jar with the cucumbers and allow to cool to room temperature.
4. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.
5. Pickles will keep, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

*Recipe adapted from Food Network show Valerie’s Home Cooking.

Broiled, Butterflied Chicken!

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broiled butterflied chicken

First of all, to everyone who is a father, Happy Father’s Day! A couple of weeks ago, I was watching an old episode of Good Eats and Alton Brown was making this chicken recipe, which I’ve adapted. Instead of roasting a trussed chicken, he chooses to butterfly it to allow for more even cooking as well as a reduction in cooking time, which is always welcome in my kitchen. This recipe is really simple and can be easily modified to one’s own tastes.

Ingredients:
1 ½ teaspoons black peppercorns
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 lemon, zested
olive oil
1 large onion, large dice
3 carrots, peeled and ¼ inch slices on the bias
3 stalks of celery, ½ inch slices on the bias
2 small yukon gold potatoes, ¼ inch half moons
3 – 4 lb broiler/fryer chicken
sea salt
1 cup white wine
1 pint chicken stock
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
olive oil

Directions:
1. Position oven rack 8 inches below flame/coil and turn broiler to high.
2. Crack peppercorns with a mortar and pestle until coarsely ground. Add garlic and salt and work well. Add lemon zest and work just until you can smell lemon. Add just enough oil to form a paste.
3. Add onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes to deep roasting pan.
4. Place chicken on a plastic cutting board breast-side down. Using kitchen shears, cut ribs down one side of back bone and then the other and remove.
5. Turn chicken breast-side up and spread out like a butterfly by pressing down on the breast and pulling the legs toward you. Loosen the skin at the neck and the edges of the thighs. Evenly distribute the garlic mixture under the skin.
6. Drizzle the skin with oil and rub in, being sure to cover the bird evenly. Drizzle oil on bone side of chicken as well. Salt both side. Arrange bird in roasting pan, breast up, atop vegetables.
7. Place pan in oven and check bird in 10 minutes. If the skin is nicely browned, flip over and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees and juices run clear. Remove chicken and allow to rest on cutting board.
8. Set roasting pan over 1 or 2 burners on high, depending on size of the roasting pan. Deglaze pan with wine, scraping bits from bottom. Add chicken stock and thyme and reduce to make a jus. While the liquids are reducing, the vegetables will have more time to cook.
9. Slice chicken onto plates or serve in quarters. Sauce lightly with jus and serve.

Socca Flatbread!

Jennifer 2 Comments

socca flatbread

Socca originates from Provence, France and the neighboring region of Liguria, Italy. It is similar to a large pancake, but savory and naturally gluten-free. These can be topped with just about anything and are a great brunch idea. On this particular day, I was making them for breakfast, so I added an egg, ramps, arugula, and roasted tomatoes with a little balsamic drizzle. Be sure to add enough oil to the pan, so that the socca will get crispy. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups chickpea flour
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking
Salt

1. Whisk together chickpea flour, olive oil, and 2 cups of water. Season with 2 big pinches of salt.
2. Heat an 8-inch nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and when hot, add in about ¼ cup of the batter. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the bottom is crispy and the top is almost set. Carefully flip the socca and cook for another minute.
3. Transfer to plate and repeat with remaining batter.
4. Add desired toppings and serve.

Chickpea Pancake with Ramps!

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chickpea pancake

It’s ramps season! I’m embarassed to say this is my very first time actually cooking ramps, but they are so delicious. Hence, the excitement over ramps season, which is only a few weeks during the spring. They are very limited in supply, as they grow very slowly, requiring up to four years to flower and reproduce. Ramps have a garlic and onion flavor, reminding me of Chinese chives. Get to your local farmer’s market before they’re gone! They really don’t need much, as they’re full of flavor, and complement the chickpea pancake perfectly. Simply saute the ramps in some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

I had been meaning to try this pancake recipe over the last month. It’s supereasy and also very versatile. You can vary the different spices in the batter and/or top it with some whipped greek yogurt and lemon zest. The pancake is also superfilling and packs in 9 grams of protein per piece. This would be a perfect weekend brunch item 🙂

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground spice, such as cumin, sweet paprika, curry powder or garam masala
1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil

Procedure
1. Whisk the eggs in a bowl until well blended, then whisk in the water, chickpea flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, and the spice of your choice, until well combined and lump-free. Or to guarantee a lump-free batter, place all ingredients in a blender.

2. Heat the oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Pour in the egg mixture; cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes. Once the underside is set and lightly browned but the top isn’t fully set, carefully flip the omelet. (It helps to use one of those large pancake spatulas).Cook for about 1 minute more; the omelet is done once the second side is set.

3. Cut into quarters and divide between plates. Enjoy!

Home-brewed Kombucha!

Jennifer 2 Comments

kombucha_ready to brew

Like many other health foods, I was first introduced to kombucha while attending the Natural Gourmet Institute. We were learning about the benefits of living foods, including fresh/raw, sprouted, fermented, and dehydrated foods. Fermented foods were of particular interest to me when I learned that they introduce beneficial bacteria (probiotics) into your digestive system that have been shown to slow or reverse some diseases, aid digestion, and boost immunity. In order to nourish or feed the probiotics, it’s important to eat plenty of prebiotics, which are abundant in fruit and vegetables. Through Kombucha 101 class I also learned that it’s not just the probiotics that we benefit from, it’s also the seven different acids created through fermentation that are beneficial to the body. These acids help detoxify the body, balance a number of critical systems, and increase nutrient absorption, among other benefits. The microbes in kombucha transform the sugar and other compounds into highly accessible polyphenols and other antioxidants, B vitamins, vitamin C, organic enzymes, amino acids, and organic acids. Kombucha is a true superfood!

When I began to drink a bottle of kombucha on a daily basis, it started to get pricey at $4 or $5 a bottle, so the cost motivated me to learn how to make it myself. The SCOBY, symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, kind of freaked me out, but after taking the Kombucha 101 class at Kombucha Brooklyn (located in Kingston, NY), I realized that the scoby is a beautiful living thing. With each batch of kombucha, a new scoby is produced, so you can give them to friends or family to begin their own brews. It’s kind of an amazing process and I’m so happy that I’ve begun to make my own. Brewing kombucha is surprisingly easy! I found the Kombucha! book by Eric and Jessica Childs to be incredibly helpful. I purchased this kit to start: http://www.kombuchabrooklyn.com/kombucha-home-brewing-kits/kbbk-super-kit.html.

Once you start brewing, all you really need to buy are tea and sugar to continue the process. This recipe is adapted from Kombucha Brooklyn’s recipe with some of my additional notes. It takes you through the primary fermentation process. In order to carbonate your kombucha, secondary fermentation is necessary. You can also experiment with flavoring. I’ve only gone as far as putting some sliced ginger in bottles, which I enjoyed. The book provides more guidance on this process and also if you can make it to Kingston, NY, I really loved the Kombucha 101 class. It definitely made me feel more confident that I could successfully brew my own at home. They also offer more advanced classes for brewing kombucha which I may look into once I become a primary fermentation pro 🙂

Equipment:
1 gallon glass brew jar
Cloth cover and rubber bands
temperature strip
6 – 16 oz glass bottles

Ingredients:
SCOBY with starter liquid
1 cup organic evaporated cane sugar
12 oz. tea bag (black, white, and green tea blend)

Procedure:

1. Boil 4 cups of filtered water.
2. While the water is boiling, clean the brewing area, jar, hands and utensils and make sure the items are well-rinsed and free of soap residue.
3. Steep tea bag in hot water for 20 minutes, making sure to stir the tea every 5 minutes.
4. Remove tea bag and stir sugar until fully dissolved.
5. Add 2 quarts of cold filtered water to the gallon brew jar; add the sweetened tea. Stir.
6. Stick the temperature strip on the side of the brew jar and make sure the temperature is below 90 degrees before adding the scoby with its starter liquid (a temperature of 90 and above could kill the scoby)
7. Cover the jar with the cloth cover with 2 rubber bands (in case one breaks). Make sure the cover is pulled tightly over the rim of the jar to prevent contamination/fruit flies.
8. Keep the brew jar in a warm environment between 72 and 80 degrees, avoiding direct sunlight. If your home is not warm enough, you can buy a small heating mat to either wrap around or put under the jar, depending on how cool your home is.
9. Within 2-4 days, you should see a new scoby developing on the surface.
10. You should start tasting your kombucha by day 7 to see where it’s at and whether or not you want to continue fermenting. This is really a matter of personal preference. Also, remember that your kombucha will ferment faster at warmer temperatures. In order to taste, you can use a clean shot glass to gently push the scoby down and scoop a little from the surface.
11. Once your kombucha is to your taste, you’re ready to bottle. Remove the original and new scoby and 2 cups of kombucha to use for your next batches. If you don’t plan to make a new batch right away, place these in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator. The original and the new scoby can each be used to make their own batches.
12. For bottling, I used a funnel for my first batch and that was a little messy. For the second batch, I may invest in an auto siphon to avoid spillage. Place bottles in the fridge, unless you plan to continue into secondary fermentation.

scoby and starter

If you’re buying a scoby, it will come in a plastic bag with starter liquid.

new scoby_first batch

In my first batch of kombucha, the original scoby was vertical and the new scoby developed at the surface, as it should.

new scoby_second batch

In my second batch, I used the new scoby that was created from the original. This new scoby sat at the top and another scoby is developing right on top.

new scoby

This is a photo from class: Eric Childs at Kombucha Brooklyn is removing his picture-perfect new scoby on top from the original one. Exciting stuff!

Happy brewing!!

 

Roasted Garlic-Harissa Yogurt Dip!

Jennifer 4 Comments

roasted garlic harissa yogurt dip

Harissa is a blend of hot chile peppers, garlic, olive oil and spices and commonly used as a flavor base for curries and stews, as well as a condiment in the Middle East. Use it to add some spice in place of your regular hot sauce. The heat of the harissa, creaminess of the yogurt, sweetness of the roasted garlic, and acidity of the lime juice perfectly balance each other. This is versatile and works well as a dip or sauce with crudite, roasted veggies, and chicken.

Ingredients:
1 bulb roasted garlic, peeled and mashed
1 tablespoon harissa
2 cups plain full fat greek yogurt
juice from ½ lime
salt
mint leaves, garnish

Procedure:
1. In a food processor, add roasted garlic, harissa, and greek yogurt. Pulse until smooth.
2. Stir in lime juice and season with salt to taste.
3. Garnish with mint leaves
4. Enjoy!

Shiitake-Ginger-Miso Soup!

Jennifer 1 Comment

shiitake-ginger-miso soup

I made this soup today in an attempt to beat the sniffles, but even if you’re not fighting a cold, it’s really delicious and soothing. If you prefer not to eat the ginger, you can peel and leave in large chunks so that they can easily be removed later. Boost your immune system with the help of shiitakes, garlic, and ginger in addition to the healing powers of miso. Add some leafy greens to the pot before serving for extra vitamins!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
2-3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 onion, diced
1 head of garlic, peeled and minced
3 carrots, diced
10-12 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup white miso paste
1 head of roasted garlic, peeled and mashed
Directions:
1. In a large dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat and saute ginger and onion until onion is translucent.
2. Add raw garlic and carrots; saute for a minute before adding 1.5 quarts of water.
3. Bring to a boil, add mushrooms, and lower heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Remove pot from heat and add miso paste, making sure all of the miso is dissolved.
5. Add roasted garlic paste and stir well.

Gochujang-Red Lentil Hummus!

Jennifer 2 Comments

red lentil hummus

This week, I’ll be traveling to LA to visit some friends, so snacks for the plane ride are on my mind this weekend. Often, the airports don’t have great healthy food options or they’re pricey, so I like to pack my own if I can. Along with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans and pistachios, I will be munching on crudite with this hummus. It was my first time making hummus with red lentils, which are great because they cook up so quickly and don’t require soaking. Although I used gochujang, a staple Korean fermented red chili paste, harissa or sriracha would also work very well. This would be a perfect, vegan option to have at the Super Bowl table too!
½ cup red lentils, rinsed and picked through for stones
1 teaspoon gochujang
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
juice of ½ a lemon
salt, to taste
chives, garnish

1.Place the lentils and and 1 cup of water into a small saucepan. Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until all the water is absorbed, about 10-12 minutes. The lentils should be mushy and thick.
2. Pulse the garlic in the bowl of the food processor and then add all the other ingredients. Blend until completely smooth.
3. Enjoy!

Burdock Kimpura!

Jennifer 1 Comment

kimpura

I had never heard of burdock root before the macrobiotics class at Natural Gourmet Institute. Our chef instructor said that in culinary school, he was reprimanded for peeling it, so I always remember to leave the skin on. It looks like it should be peeled with some dirt embedded in the skin, so I usually gently use a vegetable scrub brush to get any excess dirt off. The antioxidants and flavor are concentrated near the surface, so you want to make sure you preserve the skin. The root has a unique, sweet flavor that’s complemented by the savory sesame oil and shoyu. It is believed to serve as a blood purifier and strengthen the intestines. And it’s delicious!

2 tablepoons sesame oil
burdock root (about half pound), matchstick cut
medium onion, saute slice
2 carrots, matchstick cut
2-3 tablespoons shoyu or soy sauce

1. Heat a heavy skillet and coat with sesame oil.
2. Add burdock matchsticks and saute over medium heat until they no longer release their strong aroma. Stir constantly to coat the slivers evenly with oil and prevent burning.
3. Add thinly sliced onions, then the carrot matchsticks, mixing ingredients together. Saute for 1-2 minutes, and then add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.
4. Cover pan and reduce heat, allowing to simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, making sure the bottom of the pan does not get dry. Uncover and add shoyu or soy sauce to taste and simmer until most of the liquid is cooked out.

Jicama Nori Rolls!

Jennifer 1 Comment

nori roll

Over the summer, my friend Lucy and I fell in love with this recipe that we learned through Matthew Kenney’s raw food program. Jicama is a starchy, root vegetable that is really crunchy, like water chestnuts and a good source of vitamin C. It’s refreshing and much lighter than rice in a normal handroll. This can be enjoyed as a sushi roll as well.

For Jicama Rice:
4 cups jicama, peeled, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey (non-vegan) or agave (vegan)

nori sheets
leafy greens
julienne carrot
julienne beet
sunflower sprouts

1. Put jicama in food processor and pulse until there are small pieces about
the size of rice. Using a nut milk bag or mesh strainer, strain out excess
water. Toss with remaining ingredients in a bowl.
Optional: Place sushi rice on non-stick sheets and dehydrate until slightly
sticky, about 2-3 hours.

2. Cut nori sheet in half. Place flat on dry cutting board with long side facing you, shiny side down.
3. Layer leafy greens in bottom left corner. This helps keep the moisture from the jicama from making the nori sheet soggy.
4. Then spoon about a tablespoon of the jicama rice on top of the greens, flattening it out.
5. Layer the julienned vegetables and sunflower sprouts on top..
6. From the bottom left corner, carefully fold at a 45 degree angle up to meet the top of the nori sheet, forming a point at the bottom of the roll. From here, just roll towards the right side and seal with water.
7. Enjoy immediately.

Lucky Lentil Soup!

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lentil soup

Happy New Year!! Many years ago, my boyfriend (now husband) shared this recipe with me and we would make it on New Year’s Day. Since lentils look like small coins, they are supposed to bring good luck and prosperity. Lentils contain one of the highest amounts of protein found in plants and are also a rich source of folate. This recipe can easily be made vegan by eliminating the bacon and simply sauteing the veggies in about a tablespoon of oil. While the ingredients are very simple, all of the flavors really come together into a delicious soup.

Ingredients:
4 slices of applewood-smoked bacon, diced
1 medium onion, small dice
2-3 carrots, small dice
2 stalks celery, small dice
8 cups water
1 lb lentils
1 bunch parsley, de-stemmed and chopped
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1  14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Directions:
1. In a large dutch oven or pot, brown bacon.
2. Add onions, celery, and carrots. Saute until veggies are softened and add garlic.
3. Add water, bay leaf, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, and lentils. Bring to boil and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and red wine vinegar. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf. 
5. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Cookies with Vanilla Bean Glaze!

Jennifer 1 Comment

chocolate chip gingerbread cookies

Gingerbread cookies scream Christmas to me, but I’m not a fan of rolling out cookie dough and cutting out gingerbread men, although I love to eat them 🙂 This is a simple, drop cookie recipe that is enhanced with orange zest and topped with a vanilla bean glaze. Molasses gives gingerbread its distinct flavor and unlike white sugar, it provides some nutritional value in the form of essential minerals and trace amounts of vitamins. Using a mini ice cream scoop, these come out uniform and puff up into perfect rounds. Spread the holiday cheer!

Ingredients

Cookies:
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Zest of 1 cara cara or navel orange
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 large egg whites
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out

(Special equipment: a piping bag or squeeze bottle)

Procedure:

1. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice and ginger in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Beat the butter, brown sugar and molasses together in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, eggs and orange zest. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until incorporated. Add the spiced flour mixture and beat until the dough just comes together. Fold in the chocolate chips. Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls and refrigerate on baking sheets, lined with parchment paper, until firm, about 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to the top and lower third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.

4. Bake until the tops of the cookies are no longer glossy and the edges are firm, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

5. While the cookies cool, mix the confectioners’ sugar, egg whites and vanilla seeds in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth and shiny.

6. Transfer the glaze to a piping bag or squeeze bottle and pipe stripes onto the cooled cookies. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

*Adapted from Geoffrey Zakarian’s Hermit Cookies

Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti!

Jennifer 3 Comments

cranberry-pistachio biscotti

Every year around the holidays, I break out this recipe, which is a favorite of family and friends. I first learned this recipe when I assisted with culinary classes in The New School Culinary Arts program, which were held at The Inn on 23rd St. Grand Marnier enhances the rich dough with an orange essence, which complements the almond extract. The pistachios and cranberries are not just festive, but are full of antioxidants, evident from their bright colors. Hope you’ll enjoy these and share with loved ones over the holidays!

4 ounces (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
2 ounces Grand Marnier
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups shelled pistachios
1 cup dried cranberries

Procedure:
1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add Grand Marnier, salt, extracts, and eggs, one at a time. Beat until smooth.
3. Add the flour mixture, a third at a time, folding it into the wet ingredients.
4. Fold in the pistachios and cranberries until combined. Cover bowl and chill in refrigerator for about 1 ½ hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Form the dough into 2 slightly flattened logs, about 2-3 inches wide. Use the parchment paper to help form the logs, since the dough will be pretty sticky.
6. Bake in the oven for about 30- 35 minutes, until they are golden. Remove from the oven and slide the parchment onto a wire rack to cool.
7. Once the logs are cool, slice them crosswise about ¾ inches thick. Bake again at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes, flipping over once.
8. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.