FOOD TRUTH: If you love garlic as much as I do....make this!!!!...and thank me later. And oh yeah, you're welcome!
And if you're not a fan here are but 5 reasons you might wanna reconsider. Then grab a pack of mints and get on board!
1. Boosting Immunity to Fight Disease. Garlic is rich in vitamin C and potassium. It also aids in the digestive process.
2. Garlic Naturally Reduces Your Blood Pressure. Thanks to the unique way in which garlic is able to affect the smooth muscles of the arteries and therefore cause them to relax and dilate, garlic can directly lower your blood pressure naturally.
3. It Beats Antibiotics in Fighting Common Illnesses. Got a cold? Two words: GARLIC TEA!
Listen, don't ewww! Add a little lemon, ginger, honey and drink up!
You're welcome!
4. It Effectively Combats Cancer
Garlic enhances the production of what is known as hydrogen sulfide. This increased production is effective in preventing the development of cancer — particularly prostate, breast, and colon cancer. Garlic smothered lamb chops anyone?!!
5. It Can Detoxify Your Body.
Containing multiple sulfur-containing compounds, garlic is able to stimulate liver enzymes responsible for removing toxins from the body. Get you some!
So here is a recipe of all recipes that'll defiantly kick up any salad, sauce, stew or..... just your breath!
But it's so good that you won't even mind the foul odor of your own breath.... with your mouth closed!
Devine Garlic Dressing
- 2 cups Nutritional Yeast Flakes
(You can find this product @ Whole Foods Market in the white "pay by weight" bins. They're also sold in tubs in some markets. And of course, there's also Amazon dot com.)
- 1 1/2 cup Water
Brags Liquid Amino (to taste)
- Healthy hand full if Garlic
- Vegetable,Grapeseed, Olive or Canola Oil.
In a blender, combine nutritional yeast flakes, water, garlic and a little liquid amino. Blend, taste, add more liquid amino, blend taste. Repeat until you're satisfied.
Now continue to blend.
As you're blending, it'll sound something like a small construction site and a cyclone will appear at the center of the mixture. Don't be alarmed!
Add a slow stream of oil as you continue to blend.
Gradually, the cyclone will begin to close. When it does completely, you're done! Easy!
The beauty if this dressing/sauce (besides its healing properties - duh!) is that it can be used in many ways!
- use as a dip for fresh vegetables
- a base for sauces
- added flavor to a pot of stew
- a base marinade for fish, chicken, beef and tofu.
- blend in reconstituted sun dried tomatoes and strain ( or leave it chunky), for a different flavor.
- you can also add chili peppers and fresh basil. Delicious!
- thin and add puréed blueberries or balsamic vinegar for an awesome salad dressing.
- INSERT YOUR OWN CREATIVITY HERE!
Oh, and don't forget....
- EAT WELL
Showing posts with label indulge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label indulge. Show all posts
Monday, March 25, 2013
Thursday, March 7, 2013
SPRING-SICLES
FOOD TRUTH: Ever have a
store-house in your neighborhood that sold "freeze cups" or "Lilly dillies"? (I know! It goes by another name, where you're from).
In Ft. Lauderdale we called the "freeze cups". And my dear mother, instead of paying for them from a neighbor, would make them for us. In fact, it was the only time we had an unnatural juice in our home (or than an occasional vat of sunny d - yuck).
True story: Once, without consent, my sister polished off an entire batch of Freeze Cups. I guess it wasn't enough sugar/juice, since they were made in the tiny mouthwash rinse cups!
Well, not long after her binge, my mother discovered the melee. We were summonsed to answer "who dunnit"?!!! The rest of us genuinely shrugged, clueless as to what happened. But my dear sister. Puppy dog eyes. Sincere sadness on her face. And with sticky lips and a KoolAid red pouty mouth!....denied any wrong doings! ...to the very last swat of the belt on her behind! Lesson learned. Brush before lying.
Well, we're grown now. So we can have all the freeze pops we want. In fact, make them for friends. While you're flipping and basting things on the grill this spring, the crew can enjoy your frozen delights. But go grown & sexy!
A few tips:
- Please. No KoolAid. And no styrofoam or mouthwash rinse cups. I found a simple Popsicle mold at a Dollar Tree. For a cooler one, check out amazon, target or Walmart.
- For healthier versions of a nostalgic fav, try apple, carrot, acai juice or add pomegranate seeds to its juice before freezing.
- "Simply" has a refreshing and delicious line of juices. From raspberry/mango to lemonade. Add lemon zest, raspberries or mango chunks before freezing.
- Crushed cucumber is delightful in lemonade. It's the perfect treat for an in-house spa day with the girls.
- I once shared a recipe for a "Grand Mimosa"! Put it in a pop and add a little orange zest for flare. Mojitos make great frozen treats too.
-jellied ginger candies, sour patch kids or edible flowers are a great surprise too.
- juice up some watermelon and add julienned mint. Perhaps a little rum or vodka #wink.
- green tea w/ honey or ginger is nice and light. Or even your moms sweet Georgia/church tea will freeze into a spring treat.
Recipes:
Chipotle Raspberry Cocktail
Raspberries
Chipotle spice
Mescal
Sugar
Lemon juice
Blend all ingredients except mescal. Stir in mescal. Pour into molds. Freeze and enjoy.
Blueberry Mojito Pop
Blueberries
Lime or Lemonade
Sugar
Lime juice from 1/2 - 1 lime
White Rum
Blend all ingredients except rum. Stir in alcohol. Pour into molds. Freeze. Enjoy!
- Relax Dine Indulge
store-house in your neighborhood that sold "freeze cups" or "Lilly dillies"? (I know! It goes by another name, where you're from).
In Ft. Lauderdale we called the "freeze cups". And my dear mother, instead of paying for them from a neighbor, would make them for us. In fact, it was the only time we had an unnatural juice in our home (or than an occasional vat of sunny d - yuck).
True story: Once, without consent, my sister polished off an entire batch of Freeze Cups. I guess it wasn't enough sugar/juice, since they were made in the tiny mouthwash rinse cups!
Well, not long after her binge, my mother discovered the melee. We were summonsed to answer "who dunnit"?!!! The rest of us genuinely shrugged, clueless as to what happened. But my dear sister. Puppy dog eyes. Sincere sadness on her face. And with sticky lips and a KoolAid red pouty mouth!....denied any wrong doings! ...to the very last swat of the belt on her behind! Lesson learned. Brush before lying.
Well, we're grown now. So we can have all the freeze pops we want. In fact, make them for friends. While you're flipping and basting things on the grill this spring, the crew can enjoy your frozen delights. But go grown & sexy!
A few tips:
- Please. No KoolAid. And no styrofoam or mouthwash rinse cups. I found a simple Popsicle mold at a Dollar Tree. For a cooler one, check out amazon, target or Walmart.
- For healthier versions of a nostalgic fav, try apple, carrot, acai juice or add pomegranate seeds to its juice before freezing.
- "Simply" has a refreshing and delicious line of juices. From raspberry/mango to lemonade. Add lemon zest, raspberries or mango chunks before freezing.
- Crushed cucumber is delightful in lemonade. It's the perfect treat for an in-house spa day with the girls.
- I once shared a recipe for a "Grand Mimosa"! Put it in a pop and add a little orange zest for flare. Mojitos make great frozen treats too.
-jellied ginger candies, sour patch kids or edible flowers are a great surprise too.
- juice up some watermelon and add julienned mint. Perhaps a little rum or vodka #wink.
- green tea w/ honey or ginger is nice and light. Or even your moms sweet Georgia/church tea will freeze into a spring treat.
Recipes:
Chipotle Raspberry Cocktail
Raspberries
Chipotle spice
Mescal
Sugar
Lemon juice
Blend all ingredients except mescal. Stir in mescal. Pour into molds. Freeze and enjoy.
Blueberry Mojito Pop
Blueberries
Lime or Lemonade
Sugar
Lime juice from 1/2 - 1 lime
White Rum
Blend all ingredients except rum. Stir in alcohol. Pour into molds. Freeze. Enjoy!
- Relax Dine Indulge
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Cow vs Goat!
Ever walk into a petting zoo and swallow a mouthful of fumes before you were able to temper your breathing to avoid such travesty? It's that pungent, earthy flavor that kinda makes you think of what a bowl of animals' dwelling would taste like in an episode of Fear Factor. Well, that's akin to the experience of goat cheese, for some!
Goat's milk cheese, in my humble opinion, is one of those things that you either like or....completely abhor. For most, the taste, in fact, is something to be reconciled rather than loved.
But in all fairness to the sacred goat, his milk and cheese offerings, there is some amazing varietals on the market that change the minds of even the most discerning critics. I promise.
Listen, I could easily run down a plethora of reasons to opt for goat cheese:
Like for instance, it's lower in fat and calories yet higher in calcium and protein, it's good for your brain and supposedly metabolism boosting. And while some of us may be a slight adverse to regular dairy cheese (ahem,...lactose intolerant), goat cheese is far easier to digest.
But when all is said and done, with as many cheese options, one could easily navigate the avoidance of any goats milk derivative.
The bottom line is here: Like wine, cheeses have very distinct personalities. It is very specific to the consumer and often aligned with ones cultural identity. Cheese, for one who appreciates it beyond that interesting slice of orange accompaniment to bologna,... is an indulgence. And like wine, you sniff, sample and indulge in the one best suited for your palate. What greater joy than to walk into The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills and have my senses completely assaulted....with options!
But for you, for your own reasons like myself, that may sometimes opt for that rudimentary "outdoor" flavor of goat cheese, here are a few ways to tackle it:
* offset the earthy taste, when added to salads, with dried cranberries. Trader Joe's has an amazing citrus flavored cranberry that pair well with even the most pungent of goat cheese
*Inquire! Some goat cheese varietals are milder than others and rival some of the best dairy products.
*For a healthier version of a great familiar: crumble goat cheese over sliced tomato and basil. Drizzle with flavored olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add fresh cracked pepper and enjoy.
*Goat cheese crumble is a creamy alternative to garnish winter soups. Add some to a creamy split pea, pumpkin or tomato soup.
-EAT WELL
Goat's milk cheese, in my humble opinion, is one of those things that you either like or....completely abhor. For most, the taste, in fact, is something to be reconciled rather than loved.
But in all fairness to the sacred goat, his milk and cheese offerings, there is some amazing varietals on the market that change the minds of even the most discerning critics. I promise.
Listen, I could easily run down a plethora of reasons to opt for goat cheese:
Like for instance, it's lower in fat and calories yet higher in calcium and protein, it's good for your brain and supposedly metabolism boosting. And while some of us may be a slight adverse to regular dairy cheese (ahem,...lactose intolerant), goat cheese is far easier to digest.
But when all is said and done, with as many cheese options, one could easily navigate the avoidance of any goats milk derivative.
The bottom line is here: Like wine, cheeses have very distinct personalities. It is very specific to the consumer and often aligned with ones cultural identity. Cheese, for one who appreciates it beyond that interesting slice of orange accompaniment to bologna,... is an indulgence. And like wine, you sniff, sample and indulge in the one best suited for your palate. What greater joy than to walk into The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills and have my senses completely assaulted....with options!
But for you, for your own reasons like myself, that may sometimes opt for that rudimentary "outdoor" flavor of goat cheese, here are a few ways to tackle it:
* offset the earthy taste, when added to salads, with dried cranberries. Trader Joe's has an amazing citrus flavored cranberry that pair well with even the most pungent of goat cheese
*Inquire! Some goat cheese varietals are milder than others and rival some of the best dairy products.
*For a healthier version of a great familiar: crumble goat cheese over sliced tomato and basil. Drizzle with flavored olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add fresh cracked pepper and enjoy.
*Goat cheese crumble is a creamy alternative to garnish winter soups. Add some to a creamy split pea, pumpkin or tomato soup.
-EAT WELL
Monday, January 14, 2013
The Challenge to be Better.
Every Chef gets the question at least once,…a month: What’s your favorite thing to cook? To the day, I’m always at a loss for words. Though I brandish my most diplomatic face and go into some suedo intellectual rant about not being pigeonholed, exploration, blah, blah, blah, beneath the veneer burns a few reciprocal questions: Would you dare ask a painter of his favorite one picture to paint? Or an architect his favorite one building to manifest. You see, while the technique is almost always applicable, the joy with any great artist is in rediscovering and challenging one’s ability to the beyond. But to earnestly answer the question, my favorite thing to cook, is food.
Sometimes something enters your life so profoundly and changes you forever: a child, a pet, a great bottle of wine. For me, it was the moment I realized the endless possibilities of food. Not only is it the skilled choreography that is bringing a culinary idea to life. Nor is it simply the melding of spices, products and protein to become a masterpiece of consumption. But too, it’s the universal ability that food has in bringing people together to love, express, share ideas, laugh and well, just be.
For the concept alone, I’ve navigated my way through Philadelphia’s 9th Street Italian Market, hurried shoppers bumping against me, us all in search of finest sea bass or scallops, salmon, duck or tuna. Years later, it was New York’s Chinatown that captivated me with it’s activity of fish sailing through the air (tossed by the markets men), buyers, barterers and early morning onlookers. Today, that very concept, even greater it’s lure and is akin to a melody wafting from a magic pipe, beckoning, imploring me to meticulously scour row upon row of the freshest produce at Los Angeles’ farmer’s markets.
And as I look beyond the movement of people, in search of exotic fruits, fine vegetables, pea tendrils and the like, there’s something else there that I keep an eye peeled for: inspiration!
I palm and smell the fruit, begging it to reveal to me what it would like to be- come. Or while bagging the sexiest of all of the chanterelles, I consider them at their finest hour, all dressed up in demi glace. And
with the same level of passion and angst I think about my diners and what it is I desire their experience to be. Before it happens, I imagine the emo- tion and, if all goes accordingly, the joy of each morsel— each well planned bite.
It goes without saying that one of favorite things about cooking is the crea- tivity. I love everything about it: the thoughtfulness and consideration, the inspiration, the ingredients and the smell of the menu coming together. But one aspect of this process that sometimes moves me to emotion is the chal- lenge to be better than the last dish.
Long before this became my thing or a career, I'd subscribed to the belief that your presentation should be the voice when there are no words. There’s such magnificence and care that’s shared when you’ve taken a specific amount of effort to pull something together. Whether it’s an extra arch of a brow, matching lingerie for the significant other, the perfect shade of red lipstick or a heel just high enough that he notices your sexy but still feels empowered to guide. For me, this attention to detail is found in the flavor and presentation of food: A grand symphony of piquancy placed with the deft hand of an art- ist. I would hope, that for whomever encounters my food or dines with me at a dinner party, you get the undeniable sense that this attention to detail means, in all of it’s simplicity, I care deeply about your ex- perience: and thus, about you.
It is there that I find the best me. In that place of thinking in fast forward about being better than the last time and always putting the client, the guest, my family and friends first, I find the best part of myself being claimed and shared. In that place of forward thinking, beyond what we are right now, I believe that we can all put forth our best selves. Because when all is said and done, what’s there on the plate, on that day, is the best that I’ve got!
Thursday, December 13, 2012
The New Bartender
Mix.o.logy: the art or skill of preparing mixed drinks.
At first glance, the term may appear as but a synonym for bartender. However upon closer inspection one should acknowledge the operative words here as defined by free dictionary: art and skill
A visit to any pub, bar or restaurant spear headed by one of Los Angeles' top or celebrity chefs and you'll quickly see what differentiates a bartender from well,...a mixologist.
It's not enough to arm yourself with recipes from long ago. Those ancient cocktails that your grandfathers father drank. No. Today, one must have an artistic ease, a deft hand and a palate as refined as the executive chef himself. These artists are creating concoctions that infuse fresh herbs, spices, peppers and even cured meat.
This new wave of artistry is quite the temptation. The recipes read like a tantalizing meal. And the ingredients are as complex as those found in the entree: chipotle pepper, beef bouillon, Serrano infused liqueurs, smoked salts, fresh ginger, agave nectar, egg froth, crispy prosciutto, and cilantro. I've even seen a bloody mary with an entire burger skewered atop it. Umm,...thanks. But no thanks.
The bottom line....is really about the bottom line. Top restaaurants can not rightfully compete with other establishments' happy hours by selling the same cocktails for excessive prices. So they got creative in order to "justifiably" charge $14.00 for one cocktail.
So let's do the math. The average consumer that will indulge in a cocktail with dinner will partake in a minimum of 2. Multiply that to include a dinner party of but 2 and drinks alone are a gulping $56.00!
True there's an artistry to this. But just as I recommend that you experiment in the kitchen with cuisine, why not here as well. How cool to have a signature cocktail for your next holiday party. Make it as exciting as cured meats and chipotle spice or as elegant as orange and cilantro added to a mimosa.
Begin with your choice of alcohol: tequila, vodka, mezcal, rum etc.
Then lay out the accoutrement. Start with whatever you have handy: chili peppers, herbs, juices, Tabasco, Soy, coconut water, cucumber, peaches, cumin, curry, etc.
Be adventurous and grab a few things from the market: rosemary, passion fruit, watermelon, sugar cane, etc.
Then muddle around and see what works best! Id recommend that you:
1. Start with the base and leave out the alcohol. Once you've invented your mouth watering recipe, then add the spirits.
2. Sometimes this is not possible, depending on the concoction. That being the case, work in very small "tasting" portions.
Of course all of your guests will be begging for the recipe. Type it up, roll it scroll style and secure with ribbon. Send your guests away with a gift that keeps on giving.
Here are a few pairings to get you started.
*not to be mistaken as recipes
WHAT GOES WELL WITH:
Watermelon: basil, cilantro, chili powder, mint, Tequila
Cumin: apples, cardamom, cayenne
Chipotle: cilantro, lime, cured jerky, lemon juice, smoked paprika, Mezcal or Tequila
Pears: cardamom, butterscotch, fennel, ginger, honey, rosemary, crispy prosciutto, orange zest, Rum, Brandy, Bourbon
Passion Fruit: cilantro, egg whites, vanilla, mango, ginger, lemon, lime, Dark Rum, Cointreau, Tequilla
Oranges: cloves, thyme, rosemary, saffron, star anise, ginger, honey, basil, cilantro, cumin, apricots, lemon grass or zest, cinnamon, Brandy, Kirsch, Armagnac, Rum, orange liqueurs
*avoid all night mixing by making pitchers of your signature cocktail. If herb muddling is involved, save it for service. Ice and shake when serving.
Now grab your shaker, muddler and be armed with imagination. And keep us posted on your award winning concoctions!
-Relax. Dine. Indulge
At first glance, the term may appear as but a synonym for bartender. However upon closer inspection one should acknowledge the operative words here as defined by free dictionary: art and skill
A visit to any pub, bar or restaurant spear headed by one of Los Angeles' top or celebrity chefs and you'll quickly see what differentiates a bartender from well,...a mixologist.
It's not enough to arm yourself with recipes from long ago. Those ancient cocktails that your grandfathers father drank. No. Today, one must have an artistic ease, a deft hand and a palate as refined as the executive chef himself. These artists are creating concoctions that infuse fresh herbs, spices, peppers and even cured meat.
This new wave of artistry is quite the temptation. The recipes read like a tantalizing meal. And the ingredients are as complex as those found in the entree: chipotle pepper, beef bouillon, Serrano infused liqueurs, smoked salts, fresh ginger, agave nectar, egg froth, crispy prosciutto, and cilantro. I've even seen a bloody mary with an entire burger skewered atop it. Umm,...thanks. But no thanks.
The bottom line....is really about the bottom line. Top restaaurants can not rightfully compete with other establishments' happy hours by selling the same cocktails for excessive prices. So they got creative in order to "justifiably" charge $14.00 for one cocktail.
So let's do the math. The average consumer that will indulge in a cocktail with dinner will partake in a minimum of 2. Multiply that to include a dinner party of but 2 and drinks alone are a gulping $56.00!
True there's an artistry to this. But just as I recommend that you experiment in the kitchen with cuisine, why not here as well. How cool to have a signature cocktail for your next holiday party. Make it as exciting as cured meats and chipotle spice or as elegant as orange and cilantro added to a mimosa.
Begin with your choice of alcohol: tequila, vodka, mezcal, rum etc.
Then lay out the accoutrement. Start with whatever you have handy: chili peppers, herbs, juices, Tabasco, Soy, coconut water, cucumber, peaches, cumin, curry, etc.
Be adventurous and grab a few things from the market: rosemary, passion fruit, watermelon, sugar cane, etc.
Then muddle around and see what works best! Id recommend that you:
1. Start with the base and leave out the alcohol. Once you've invented your mouth watering recipe, then add the spirits.
2. Sometimes this is not possible, depending on the concoction. That being the case, work in very small "tasting" portions.
Of course all of your guests will be begging for the recipe. Type it up, roll it scroll style and secure with ribbon. Send your guests away with a gift that keeps on giving.
Here are a few pairings to get you started.
*not to be mistaken as recipes
WHAT GOES WELL WITH:
Watermelon: basil, cilantro, chili powder, mint, Tequila
Cumin: apples, cardamom, cayenne
Chipotle: cilantro, lime, cured jerky, lemon juice, smoked paprika, Mezcal or Tequila
Pears: cardamom, butterscotch, fennel, ginger, honey, rosemary, crispy prosciutto, orange zest, Rum, Brandy, Bourbon
Passion Fruit: cilantro, egg whites, vanilla, mango, ginger, lemon, lime, Dark Rum, Cointreau, Tequilla
Oranges: cloves, thyme, rosemary, saffron, star anise, ginger, honey, basil, cilantro, cumin, apricots, lemon grass or zest, cinnamon, Brandy, Kirsch, Armagnac, Rum, orange liqueurs
*avoid all night mixing by making pitchers of your signature cocktail. If herb muddling is involved, save it for service. Ice and shake when serving.
Now grab your shaker, muddler and be armed with imagination. And keep us posted on your award winning concoctions!
-Relax. Dine. Indulge
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