Arborio Brown Rice Risotto

KNOW YOUR RICES!

I think chefs around the world will criticize me for even attempting this. However I don't care. I love risotto and I have to have it one way or another. I think they'd think me crazy because traditionally white Arborio rice is used for risotto as brown Arborio will not hold up well. It is not creamy enough to really reach the right texture. But if your like me and white rice is not on the good food list, then this stuff will taste amazing. I actually prefer it. Brown Arborio Rice is a short, plump grain, which makes it perfect for a side dish, or as a bed for sauces. It retains the bran that surrounds the kernel. This means it will be slighlty chewy, nutty and higher in nutrients than white rice.

	Leek and Pancetta Risotto with Fried Egg Recipe adapted from Cindy Pawlcyn and Darren McRonald, Brassica, St. Helena, CA

Yields 6

	INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 leeks, cleaned well and finely chopped 1 cup finely chopped pancetta 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion 3 cups Arborio rice ⅓ cup dry white wine; at room temperature 5 to 6 cups hot chicken stock Olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 6 large eggs

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium skillet set over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add the leeks and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Remove the leeks to a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, add the pancetta and cook until it begins to render its fat and is soft but not dried out or crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pancetta to the reserved leeks. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook, stirring, until all the butter has been absorbed, about 4 minutes. Add the wine and reduce until dry, about 2 minutes.

3. Add enough stock so that the fluid level rises just above the rice. Continue to simmer, stirring frequently. Continue adding stock as it is absorbed so the stock just covers the top of the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is al dente, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in a bit more stock and the Parmesan. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest while you fry the eggs.

4. In a small skillet set over low heat, melt a tablespoon of butter. Crack the egg into the pan. Fry over low heat until the whites and yolk are set, about 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining 5 eggs.

5. To serve, stir the reserved leeks and pancetta into the rice, divide the risotto among six bowls and place a fried egg on top of each serving. Serve immediately.

Gluten Free Turkey Day!

Detox Day 20: One more day, I can't believe its almost over. I can't get too down on myself for not having more "SHOCKING" results. But i still think i didn't do badly. Its humbling to know that it may never get easier, that it is a life long commitment. My rashes have stopped and I know for a fact now that its a result of eating wheat. Gwad that sucks, as a baker and pastry lover it really bl...ows. However not suffering is even better. I wanna extend my heart to my two friends who have taken the leap of faith to start detox during this holiday season. It will be the hardest experience of your life esp starting at this time. But its like an addict sobering up, hopefully you'll dust the cobwebs from your eyes and realize how amazing and beautiful you are. Be strong, don't give up and just so you know, I really do care and I really do love you!

Because I care, I'm going to simply direct you to another blog, only because she's done it so well, its a waste of time to try to steal it and make it better, its already great! So enjoy The Gluten Free Godess

Thanksgiving substitute

I am currently on Detox Day 15: Lost 8 lbs or so- I think nothings official till i get on Dr. Nancy's scale. 6 more days to put my all into this fight. lately keeping a good and clean diet is enough of a fight so i'm not going to even stress about working out. you can always work out, that is never a negative, but once you add bad food to your system it causes a domino effect. Therefore if you had to choose, choose to eat right first and everything else is secondary...to partying, drinking, holidays. I would even tell someone if you really care about detox, start the day before thanksgiving...power through and if you can really muster that much courage to resist the temptation, you'll never be more proud of yourself, you will deeply love yourself and it will be the best accomplishment you've ever made for yourself. Don't delay progress, never delay. Food will always be there, your health may not. esteem yourself and start today!

Not all is lost on detox, the revolving question of "what do you want to eat and I'll find you an alternative" is still there. I know mashed potatoes is a guilty pleasure for many. that creamy salty sweet flavor that melts in your mouth, I get it. So I was at wholefoods one day. Staring at the cauliflower I thought hmm they make cream of broccoli...what can i do with this..and when I think of it blended up, it would logically look like mashed potatoes, and voila, I decided that's exactly what I'd do.

The recipe is quite simple. The only difference is rather then mashing, you blend! I discovered later on, Dr. Nancy told me that its an atkins recipe. EVEN BETTER! Because then I can say that I spotted this recipe and I'm making it better!

CAULIFLOWER THANKSGIVING MASH

Ingredients:

Butter 1/4 stick

sea salt

mashed garlic

crushed red pepper

green onions (one bunch)/ or chives

2 heads of cauliflower

Instructions:

1. Cut up cauliflower and put it in a pot to boil.

2. once boiled and soft enough to your liking, drain out the water and throw it into the blender while still nice and hot.

3. blend slowly without any liquids, it might take awhile but it will start to look smooth and creamy.

3. add in the stick of butter to melt while blending

4. add in the red pepper, garlic, and sea salt to taste.

5. instantly serve or store in Tupperware to slowly consume.

Passion Fruit Boba Tea

Had a talk with my brother. He inspires me. He told me how proud he was of my accomplishments with all this wt loss, and what strong will it takes for one to get this far. Sometimes I forget how far I've come and how drastically my life has changed. If you can, today make a short list of hard things you need to do to change your life for the better. Then work harder then ever to do it. Live your dream, even if it nearly kills you.

What is the key to achieving such success? Well, as I mentioned, a strong will, so strong no one can sway you or move you. Like a stone boulder, only you can get up and move yourself. I've had people tell me that I'm crazy, or that its just one bite of cookie. These people are all Jealous or lack understanding. They will casually try to knock you down albeit not on purpose, I've learned that once you make a decision to do something, if your not hearing words of support then they are not worth hearing. Regardless of how crazy your decision is, and how much your loved ones may disagree, they still need to agree to be supportive of "YOUR" decision.

I am inspired today my the late Steve Jobs. He once said, "Find what you love to do, and go out and find a way to make money doing it, and you will be successful." So I am a broke ass photographer trying to make her way. what do I have? Nothing but my iron will, a desire in my heart and love in my soul to carry me through.

I started detox again. This time around my goal is just to "get clean" like an addict whose fallen off the wagon, so do I need to get back on track.

Its good to have love in your life. The kind that makes you want to live longer. This detox has sort of been a lazy one. At most I try to run a few miles a day some days of the week. In the past I'd push my self to the limits physically to try to be hard core. This time around I realized its more important for me to learn how to eat right once again. Eat cleanly and well. It's been pretty easy in a strange way..maybe its because love has carried me through.

This recipe was spotted when my sister-in-law taught my mom how to make passion fruit juice. I decided I'd make this into a pearl tea drink.

Passion Fruit Pearl Tea

(all images on this post are not my photos) This recipe is quite simple but yummy. Will definitely wet your whiskers and put a smile on your lips.

Ingredients:

Passion fruits (4)

Stevia Sugar

Jasmine tea brewed

Boba

Ice

Directions

1. scoop out the insides of the fruit with a spoon over a siv into a glass. you can't really save the meat, you just want the juice.

2. Add the juice to your brewed Jasmine tea. Then add stevia sugar to sweeten. Stevia is a plant sugar derivative. It is much healthier and does not immediately convert to fat like cane refined sugars.

3. Boil some boba tapioca, you have to look for this at the asian market, comes in a bag or box and the dried version looks like

4. Add boba or whatever condiments you wish to your mixture, flavor it as you wish, add crushed ice on top and enjoy!

10 Steps to eating cheap/ Gluten Free Red Velvet

Dear readers,

I apologize for my long blogging hiatus. It has been quite the whirlwind of a summer. The season hit and with all the soiree’s and stress of changes I put on about 10 lbs. Hopped across the pond to France, ate my way through it. Came back and lost most of the weight with body shocking. I basically ran my ass off then ate nothing but mostly raw vegetables. On a timetable to train for my marathon. Most people don’t understand what this mean. Training days sometimes I’m delirious and just plum fresh out of energy for anything more than zoning in front of the tube. The culmination of trying to drop serious lbs while trying to run miles is one I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. Been teetering at the same lbs for a few weeks now and its time to kick it into gear. But oh wait I’m unemployed now did I tell you? Yeah if you haven’t heard the latest gossip. I have decided to venture into a new chapter of my life and hope that I come out victorious. So there poses the question, being healthy costs money. So how does one do it without breaking the bank. While I wish I was more extreme couponing savvay, I’m also content doing it in other ways. Bottom line is if you want to invest into yourself and he healthy you have to take the time and effort.

1. 1. Eat what’s in season

Eating whats in season is way cheaper then trying to eat it later when you crave it. Summer is the best time for all this “in season” stuff. When things are in season they are cheaper of course. And they taste better as well. So its only logical to do so. Venetians have been doing this for centuries. So you wonder why Italians eat so well. I hope to go to Italy someday when their avocados are in season. A few examples of in season summer goodies are cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, avocados, basil, berries and most fruits.

2. 2. Eat what’s on sale

I was at a natural food store and wasn’t looking for olive oil but wandered into that aisle. It’s a good thing I did. I saw cold pressed organic olive oil on sale. Usually 15 bucks a bottle on sale for half. So I bought 3. When at the store it’s a good idea to look around to other aisles even if your not looking to buy those items. Sometimes the sale is worth the effort.

3. 3. Cook in bulk and freeze

I eat a lot of the time for sustenance. Not for culinary pleasure. There’s no point in that when I’m eating alone at home. So I cook in bulk, I section it out and freeze it. If you do this with several different dishes then you can have your pick each night. Its like having a microwave dinner from Marie calendars.

4. 4. Use healthy fillers

While a lot of people will fill their plate with rice, or pasta, try healthier alternatives that are just as cheap. Beans, lentils, quinoa pastas and brown rice are good examples.

5. 5. Shop at farmers markets.

So this is where the time investment statement comes in. not only is eating in season key, but doing it at a farmers market. It can be a time consuming process since their busy and early morning type places to venture to. But it’s worth it if you want to get the best bang for your buck.

6. 6. Learn to make things

Not just cook, but to make things. Such as gone are the days I’ll be buying 15 bucks a lb for sprouted almonds. Gawd I miss those. Their amazing and buttery. But the next best thing is to buy regular raw almonds and sprout them yourself. The process is long and boring. Literally like watching grass grow. However the benefits are deliciousness.

7 7. Don’t skimp because your weak minded

By all means you could be broke as a joke (take it from me). But skimping isn’t really the answer. Eating less would be. Eating more frequently, definitely . but if you skimp your just causing dissatisfaction in yourself and therefore unhappiness. I find myself using the best ingredients but less of it. Becoming more satisfied and happy. The mental motivation is nothing to take lightly. All of what we do takes mental satisfaction and if we don’t get that we are killing ourselves. Don’t be weak minded it’s not an attractive quality. If you think that getting fit doesn’t require 150% total mental focus…then you’re an idiot and should get off this blog immediately. You’re not just a robot on the treadmill, each step is to attain a goal to achieve great success whether it’s a hot body to pick up hot girls or a healthy heart to play with your kids. If you don’t have what it takes mentally you will fail eventually.

8. 8. Don’t buy organic

Do buy “All natural.” Small and local famers sometimes cannot afford the expensive “organic” patent that is put on their labels. Therefore they opt to put “all natural.” So essentially it is organic. This allows the price of their items to be cheaper while you get the same value as the FDA approved “organic.

9. 9. Do Trader Joes

While I usually don’t like to name drop, TJ is a name I’d drop any day. Unlike their big brother whole foods, Trader Joe’s may not have the plethora of selections. However they do have the essentials. I’d go to WF and get two heads of cauliflower and a bar of chocolate. My tab was about 18 bucks. I nearly died. At TJ’s I’d shop my heart out and for about 3 bags of stuff would run me about 35 bucks. And there is always the tasting stand with coffee that’s always got something yummy waiting for me faithfully.

10. 10. Good storage

A lot of complaints I hear are “my food goes bad too easily.” This is due to a few things. First off, poor planning. Don’t buy more then you know you can eat. That’s just poor judgment. Don’t buy a shit ton of broccoli if you know you can’t cook it in time. What I normally do is either cook it right away. Or I let it sit for a few days and if I don’t feel like eating it. Cook it anyways and freeze it. The second thing is to know how long of a shelf life an item has. Carrots if kept dry and cold will last a hellova long time. Tomatoes too. Other things like basil wilt within the day or so. Spinach maybe 3 days. Just think, the harder the item the longer it takes to break down. The fragile the item the faster it falls apart. Thirdly. Check your fridge and make sure its cooling at the right temp. too cold and it’ll frost bite your food. Too warm and it’ll let bacteria brew and overtake your goodies. The right temp will allow your cooked foods to store for a week or two. No joke.

11. 11. One last thing

10 is a great number to stop at but I remembered one more thing. Store foods in places your dog can’t jump up and eat them. I still will never get over my dog stealing my French sausages. Travelled 7,000 miles only to become dog food. I still hate you Winston.

So I'm bored and restless...what do I end up doing? Well bake of course. I also discovered that my oven is 25 degrees off... always a good idea to have a oven thermometer if you at all serious about baking. I don't actually own one I sorta guessed since my cookies were turning into scones.

So in the mood for simple easy but tasty I opted to make Gluten free, sugar free, dairy free Organic Red Velvet cupcakes. whew what a title eh?

As always I spotted this recipe from babycakes cookbook and made it better.

Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

History lesson: so back in the days when bonnets were worn and cocoa powder was still all natural, it would react with the acid in the buttermilk and baking soda by turning a reddish brown color. So precolonial dubbed it "Red Velvet." Historically red velvet was appreciated for its bland flavor, being used as a vehicle for frosting which traditionally is cream cheese.

You'll be happy to know I fixed this problem to make the cake more moist with a bit of a unique kicking flavor.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice milk

4 tbs apple cider vinegar

3 1/4 cup whole or white spelt flour

1/3 cup unsweetned cocoa powder

1 tbs plus 1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2/3 cup medium heal melted cocoanut oil

1 1/4 cup agave nectar

2 tbs pure vanilla extract

5 tbs of natural red food coloring or as needed to achieve color depth.

Frosting:

8oz (one packet) cream cheese

1 cup agave nectar

1/2 stick butter softened

Directions: preheat oven 325f

Mix milk with apple cider don't stir let it sit to develop into buttermilk

in a mixing bowl add all dry ingredients to sift

then add wet ingredients. spoon in all of buttermilk

mix in well.

pour into cupcake tins and bake for 14 mins. rotate on rack and bake for another 10

in another bowl mix together frosting ingredients. for added lightness grab some egg whites and beat them in a separate bowl until you reach soft peaks. gently fold into the cream cheese mixture.

let your cakes dry, frost and enjoy.

Sexy Sexy Sweetness

Pour vous

I think There are certain times in your life you should be allowed to be a jerk. To make mistakes. Its the only way to learn how to be a better person. In a world that loves to swindle, and back stab. I have come to the conclusion that when push comes to shove, weather it feels good to or not, I need to hang on to every ounce of moral fiber that is within me. Life exceeds money and fame, it is a call to rise above the influence.

This recipe is one that I've worked on a number of times. This time I've spotted my own recipe and made it better. I never thought it was possible, but it was. It kicked up to another level of decadence and luxuriousness that I never knew possible. It could not have come to volition without the help of some very unique yet rich drama in my life. It made me cling to my faith and pray that I'd be vindicated. When things happen in your life that causes you pain, let that inspire you, let yourself create. And if all else fails, go back to the one thing your damn good at and you'll feel golden once again. For me...that's cooking and working out...I'm damn good at it and it feels amazing. So today I ran till I dropped, came home and baked. Do I really have time for this? Hell no, but its something I've needed and craved. So never skimp out on yourself. Invest in yourself and do something that makes you happy.

If you'd like the full recipe refer to Feb's post called "Sweet Decadence" or the second modification "Cream Cheese and Ricotta Dark Chocolate Brownies"

Modification:

Inside rather then Chocolate chunks I chopped into half inch squares Trader Joe's Walnut and heath dark chocolate bar. that goes into the brownie batter

I used 8 oz of cream cheese since I was too lazy to go to the Italian Market for ricotta. so its a tad sweeter then usual (but this is for a reason too...keep reading for reason.)

Once you've poured the last half of the brownie batter, grab a fork to make designs with by brushing the fork atop. the cream cheese will come up and create flowers.

I cut up a bar of Black Caramel and sea salt dark chocolate also from Trader Joe's and place it on top. about 1/2 by 1/2 squares. be sure to place it so that when you cut a chocolate square will be included to every slice of brownie.

Once the brownie bakes...today I went purely on feeling, from my room I could smell that it was done, poked it with a toothpick and took it out. I let it cool for a bit. then on top of the caramel chocolates that have melted a bit i dusted the brownie with fleur du sel. A delicate and refined sea salt from France. --Hence why I didn't mind the extra sweetness of the cream cheese.


Eat this brownie if your desiring rich, complex, decadent, heart-stopping dramatic, sexy, and excitingly provocative flavors.

Don't eat this brownie if you are happy with box made pastries. You will hate this recipe and then I will hate you. I will call you names and tell you your tongue is not refined enough for my friendship. (Just kidding, maybe). --oh one last thing...this recipe is gluten free.

Butter me up with Avacado Chocolate Mousse

Its a California thing, you wouldn't understand



So I've been told that there are two things you can add to a plate and call it "Cali styled." One is BBQ tri-tip. The other is natures butter...the beautiful, sweet, silky, avocado. Can't argue there. It's great alone, but its fantastic prepared in just about any way! I once lived near Carpenteria in Sunny Santa Barbara. I was spoiled, they'd have the avocado fest in about October. There was anything from Avocado ice cream to bacon maple guacamole. I could eat this stuff everyday and I'm sure I did. Can't say its 100% safe to do that. Since it is a fatty fruit, moderation is always necessary. 1/4 of the fruit a day is all you should really have.

I scoff at midwesteners who see this scrumptious fruit as exotic. Shame on you! It's not exotic, its a way of life. -Because I simply can't live without it in my life... so what did I do? I found a simple way to combine both my love of chocolate to make an amazingly healthy dessert!

I spotted this recipe on Dr. Oz's show. I was running at the gym and glanced up to see this marvelous invention, I fell in love and knew instantly I had to have it for myself. Being busy and unable to cook it took me a few days to get around to it, but I couldn't get it out of my mind. I longed to feel its creamy silk on my tongue.

The disclaimer is that I'm on the Standard Process Detox right now therefore cheating with sugar and chocolate is a big no no. So really, I make this for you, reader. As I get to only look but not touch.

Although if I were to want to cheat, I wouldn't feel guilty with this pleasure. Its healthy! This is for the person whose looking for a raw, dairy free dessert, as those are hard to find. So happy eats! As always, I spotted this recipe, but I guarantee you I will find a way to make it better!

(avacado can have its nice own unique flavor and sweetness. Depending on the chocolate it can have sweetness too, so you can skip the sugar if you wish!)

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Ingredients

12 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp chili powder

1 large, ripe Hass avocado, pitted and peeled

3/4 cup light brown cane sugar (or sugar subs such as stevia, agave etc.)

6 egg

Ok all things fair trade is good to me, pricey but worth it.

But if you don't want to pay top dollar, refer to TJ's

But if your feeling extravagant and luxurious, buy a nice bar of xoxo...there's even a love poem inside, I simply cannot live without!

Directions:

-Melt the chocolate with the cinnamon and chili powder in a double boiler over hot water and set aside.
-Purée the avocado and brown sugar in a food processor until smooth.
-With the machine running, pour in the chocolate mixture.
-Using a stand mixer or whisk, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
-Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites.
-Pour the mousse into 6 small serving bowls or wineglasses and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or covered overnight.

Optional (but phenomenal)

-Get mexican chili powder and dust atop your serving cup
-dust a few sprinkles of fleur de sel, it will really bring out the flavors.

Serve and enjoy!

This has nothing to do with food, but this is an art installation I spotted and its simply fantastic what this artist did with shadow play. I love shadow puppets and this has elevated my love!



These are french (Macrons), not to be confused with the coconut (Macaroons). --This is just a preview of whats to come in my next post. So keep reading!

Training Day

Carb up? Carb up!

So I started to take training for my half marathon half seriously. I decided today was the day to carb up just for a day to see if I really could push myself to the limit. Short answer to that is yes. It made me more confident to know that if I eat enough and push hard enough, I can run mile after mile.

While my ultimate goal is to draw my energy from protein and carbs from veggies. Sometimes a quick fix from some good old pasta will do the trick too. I don't recommend doing this too often. However if you do I'm here to pave the way to pasta alternates.

Just as this was a quick fix recipe so are the photos. I do apologize for the lesser quality. I assure you it tasted good nonetheless.

There are ton's of options when your trying to stay gluten free. The option I tried out for the first time today was brown rice pasta. This, like all white flour based pasta alternates are very finicky. Essentially you can not boil and walk away. It requires for you to stand there and stir. Be mindful to pull a strand out every so often to taste for aldente. Once you've reached that point it needs to be taken out of the hot water immediately and thrown into your pan. This is crucial? Why? Because I didn't take the time to care for my brown rice pasta and I ended up with brown rice mush.

If you plan on eating this on the day of your run give yourself three hours to digest. rice is rice and carbs = sugar, sugar can = food coma. ( I also learned this the hard way). I am amazed that this worked like a charm. I had enough energy to run 5 miles, do weights, stair master, yoga and I feel I could do it all again. AMAZING! This might sound elementary to you, but for me who hasn't had this much energy in a week due to lack of a desire to eat, its amazing to me. Again, this is the easy way out...But now that I've gotten this kick start, I'm going to revery back to my protein supplements and taking the time to measure out exactly what I need to get through the day and train.

Starting Tomorrow I've got 3 weeks of detoxification ahead of me. One last hoorah before I take off to France for 4 weeks. I hope to drop 10 lbs and drop to the low 20's in body fat %. I will eat like a rabbit, I will train harder then I could possibly imagine and I will be unstoppable.

Ok so this recipe is super super simple, for the person on the go. I made this one up, but learned that its a pretty basic Italian tomato and olive oil sauce that is very common in a average Italian kitchen. What can I say, I might have been European in my former life.

Brown Rice Pasta with Tomato & Olive oil sauce

Ingredients:

-Brown rice pasta -Basil -heriloom tomatos -garlic -sea salt -cold pressed olive oil -red pepper flakes
-pine nuts (optional)

Instructions:

Into a boiling pot of water: salt and olive oil. Brown rice pasta, stir constantly so the strands don't stick together.

In a frying pan or sauce pan a generous amount of olive oil, roast the pine nuts

Then add garlic and the tomatos. Season to taste.

toss pasta directly from pot to pan. The pasta water will give the dish a nice starchy kick.

add the basil and stir.

simple and to the point. Enjoy...

GREEN FOOD!

Speaking of training, it brings me to the answer to everyone's question, "what is that green stuff you drink?"

It is simple my spinach shake. Spinach is amazingly adaptable. It virtually takes on the flavors that are added to it and it smells like a fresh garden. Today I happen to have papaya too. Yum! I discovered this recipe through Dr. Nancy Le D.C. --She'll also emphesize that although this is a great meal, we still need to chew...So don't go drinking this for every meal you'll ruin your innards!

Into a blender

-put Sp Complete supplement,
-1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil
-5 oz of baby organic raw spinach
-1 banana
-1 apple
-any other fruits you like
-16 oz of water

I drink this to supplement a meal sometimes when i'm on the go, in the fridge it'll last all day. blend the night before if you must.

I promise you you'll like this. The greenness if fun. It's just like a mojito..but there's no mint..and its not alcoholic, and its a smoothie...hmm...

From France with love

Care package from France

My best friend is living abroad and I think I get to reap the benefits, this just came in the mail over the weekend and I'm so excited to break it open. Unfortunately there were German Ginger cookies inside I already consumed before I photographed...So all I can say about those is that they were a buttery, gingery perfection.

These are delicate strawberry jam filled wafers. The jam is chewy and a bit gummy. Its a nice little midnight snack.


This cracks me up! Quinoa chocolate from Ethiopia, I think the one person who has my taste in adventure and food, buys me this! Quinoa is in chocolate is great because its used as a rice crispy substitute. YUM!

I used the herbed fleur de sel today to dust my salad dressing yum!!! Fleur de sel is delicate tasting sea salt, its in the name. I'm so excited to use this!!


So I'm going to have to save this for like some sort of life milestone! How cool is this! It's got nuggets of flower in the chocolate. I can't wait to try it. I've had pepper, chillies, bacon, lavender, salt...basically you name it I've tasted in chocolate. But I can't wait to dive in to this beauty!

When its rainy and cold outside because I'm living in the land of rain and fog, its nice to have a taste of warmth from across the pond.

Spring Salad with Modena Balsamic Vinaigrette

So I call this a spring salad because its colorful and light. I wanted it to show off my cheese...and I think it made my cheese look rather sexy. I used spinach because the flavor is light and dry so it doesn't overwhelm the citrus of the fruit or the creaminess of the feta. I added mixed nuts with cranberries. I sliced the mangoes thinly. I dusted the feta with some black pepper, the specks of black just look so pro. A few items that make this salad superior then your McDonald's verity I promise!


Black truffle oil, I hate mushrooms and swear with my life I can never eat them. The smell and texture makes me want to gag! But, for some reason olive oil infused truffle makes me salivate.

White truffle oil, a lighter more delicate taste, not as popular as black but a just as good in my book!
A good friend of mine was so sweet to buy me Wustof Santuko knives. I used the pairing knife to slice the mangoes paper thin. It was the most gratifying experience! After all, love is in the details.

The Dressing is just as important as the produce! For this recipe I used a simple vinaigrette, however the technique is pretty sweet. I spotted this recipe while watching a chef make Ceasar Salad dressing. I adapted the recipe to suit my balsamic needs.

Recipe Spotting's Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients: serving size two

Your choice of Balsamic vinegar
Cold pressed olive oil
1 small egg
sea salt
black pepper
a pinch of cane sugar or agave juice

Recipe:

1. In a small bowl add 3 table spoons of balsamic
2. add a pinch of salt a dust or pepper and a pinch of sugar, mix
3. Separate the yolk from the white, add the white to the balsamic beat with fork
4. Add in olive oil until the mixture is loosened

You'll notice that the mixture will be fully incorporated and will the oil will not break away from the vinegar. The protein in the egg white allows the oil to bond with a non oil. Spoon over your salad and enjoy.

Fromage Blanc

I MADE CHEESE!

So there are a few things in life that one should simply never have to live without. One is amazing quality chocolate, the second is well cultured cheese and the third is love. What one needs to remember is each in moderation. While I'm trying to live by the 80/20 rule still (eat healthy 80% and indulge mildly 20% of my week). This doesn't exclude me from trying new things. I basically live mostly dairy free, sugar free, gluten free and wheat free. I do this because it helps me drop body fat. But mainly because my body doesn't tolerate these things well and neither does yours.

However upon pondering, if I did eat cheese, I'd want to know what goes in it. So it was quite refreshing to know just how easy it was to make my own organic cheese. It also gave me a deep appreciation for my local cheese farmer. Basic mozzorella is pretty simple. But moving on to Gouda, I think I'll have to block out a whole day. When I do attempt Gouda, you'll be the first to know about it...but I'll need to barrow a 45lb weight. Anyone in the market for free Gouda in return for loaning me a weight?

A few things in life that are priceless, a kitchen full of friends celebrating with you joking about "cutting the cheese" is one of them. So whatever choices you make in life, make sure you share it. --This is by far the best health advice I could possibly give you, because no amount of weight loss in the world can substitute authentic Love.

A few tips on the ingredients purchasing:
Ok so on to the cheese. I used Humboldt creamery organic milk. Cow's milk is easy to start with, its favor is mild and its a good choice to start with if your a cheese newbie like me. I am after all a city slicker and this is all new to me too.

For the one who wants to splurge a little and put the health consciousness a side for a min, also buy organic CULTURED buttermilk.

Thirdly you can squeeze two table spoons of lemon juice but if you've got some cuts just go buy organic lemon juice. It'll be useful later on when I move on to Gouda making. This way you don't have to worry about straining out the seeds and pulp.

Condiments: favoring the cheese is key at this level. Since there's no aging involved you'll need some sea salt or your cheese will be flat. you can also add any herbs to your leisure. For this first go, I'm going to keep it simple. I'll drizzle it with pepper and cold pressed olive oil upon serving. Eat it with crackers, bread, fruit etc. So as usual I spot recipes and make them BETTER. With this one, the key is freshest milk possible, the best salt and above all cold pressed olive oil. My other secret? White truffle oil. Yeah a few drops go along way!

Recipe Spotted: Fromage Blanc

Ingredients:

1 quart fresh organic, local whole milk (for newbies, pasteurized)
1 cup active-culture buttermilk
2 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar, more if needed
3/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Tools:

Cheese cloth
Medium pot
whisk
chopstick
rubberband or kitchen twine
strainer
medium bowl

Recipe:

1. Bring milk to a slow boil. Be sure to whisk so milk doesn't burn. To be accurate stick a thermometer in and measure milk to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Once milk boils or reaches that temp turn off heat

3. Pour in buttermilk and stir to make sure buttermilk is thoroughly incorporated. At this stage you'll see the curdles happen.

4. Pour in lemon juice, stir and let sit for 15 mins.


5. Strain pot into cheese cloth lined strainer.


6. pour out the whey (liquid)


7. Wrap up the curds, do not squeeze. I use a chopstick and rubber band to hang the sack so it can continue to strain out the liquid.


8. let it strain for 30 mins.

9. check on your cheese and take it out of the cloth. You'll see sexy cheese cloth marks. Then you know that you did a good job.


10. Add seasalt to taste, mix it into the cheese or pat on top, the salt will develop flavor and work its way to the middle of the cheese. If you have a ramekin, mold your cheese to the ramekin and cover with saran wrap to chill in the fridge overnight. It's ready to eat but its at room temp and isn't well developed yet.


11. Cheese is a cottage cheese consistency but has a mozzarella taste. Serve on a plate drizzed with cracked pepper and olive oil. slice it up and make Bruschetta. Either way you have just made yourself the freshest cheese on earth! enjoy!