Month: October 2018

Dinner Tonight: French Onion Soup With A Twist

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The weather turned or as everyone would say, has become ultra unpredictable – where one day it is in the high 80’s and the next, down to the low 50’s.  I would say, I guess this is Fall, but the weather in San Francisco is a toss-up every day of the year. Hardly sun, some sun, wind, and fog – I call it unpredictably consistent. So, I already announced while bolting out of the front door this morning, that we were having soup for dinner. At first I was planning chicken vegetable homemade soup, but now I am leaning towards this French shallot soup, with my twist – and yes a slice of bread included. INGREDIENTS 6 tablespoons salted butter 6 medium shallots, thinly sliced 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar.     {exclude for my recipe} 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour   {exclude for my recipe} 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc 2 quarts low sodium chicken or vegetable broth 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 bay leaves 1 pinch black pepper 6 slices french bread …

Sundays Are For Playing Catch Up

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American football season is in full swing and while some folks gather around the television set to watch a game or two or three, the rest of the folks aim to catch up on chores, planning outfits for the week, paying bills and even finishing up homework. But if you are the lucky few without a care in the world on this Sunday, then play catch up right here:

Winding Down For The Week and a Few Interesting Reads

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What are you up to this weekend? I’m looking forward to a game of tennis, a walk across the city, and a trip to Napa and maybe, just maybe, time to myself to cuddle with my dog on the sofa and read one of the many books I’ve stacked up next to the nightstand. I am having trouble accepting the fact, we are nearly 2 months away from Christmas and the discussions about Thanksgiving feast with family are now in full-planning. One goal I have set for myself for this weekend and that is to stay away from social media, minus Instagram of course for posting photos, I want to share a few interesting finds online to keep you entertained: There is a list of seven earth-friendly beauty products to consider using, if you are not a creature of habit like myself. I’ve started watching this show on Amazon Prime and so far, so interesting. I love the idea of a different story each episode, with a different location and a handful of actors. My …

A Funny Thing Happened While Waiting for the Train

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Billboard advertisement still exists in most train stations – I suppose because those of us waiting to embark, have ample time to see the ad, and sometimes during delays and such, even glance at it enough times to remember the product or the message, sending you to click buy or react emoji via the luxury of your smart phone. A few days ago, I noticed, even fixated on a number of billboard ads by Lufthansa while waiting for my commuter train to screech to a stop at Montgomery Street station in San Francisco.  Since the announcement overhead stated the norm these days for our ultra-busy city, (delays upon delays), I decided to pace the platform and read every single billboard, eventually jotting down all the questions posed by the airline aiming to entice potential travelers or those longing to plan a trip-somewhere, in this case, destinations where Lufthansa flies.  And then of course, I decided to answer the questions-out loud-right here: Is somewhere else always the right place?  It can be  – when one is …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Coconut, Sweet Potato Soup

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Who says Keto diet is boring? All of the folks that I have introduced the option to over the past year. But that’s because they complicate the meal prep and then find it frustrating. Cooking is an art, and creating meal plans is a challenge that I welcome in my otherwise very hectic life. Believe it or not, cooking is therapeutic for me, and finding recipes such as this one to switch-up a bit to fit my dietary need is worth every effort once the soup hits the taste pallete. INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 1 inch fresh ginger, grated 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed  {Omit for Keto} 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water  {No water if you plan to omit a few ingredients for a Keto friendly meal}  3/4 cup red lentils  {you can keep if  you can stomach lentils} kosher salt 1 can (14 ounce) coconut milk 2 cups baby spinach 2 cups cooked basmati rice  {use shredded chicken instead} 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving fresh Naan, …

Lifestyle: For the Wine Lover

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I realized I haven’t yet ventured out to Napa for the Fall season. Meaning, I go four times a year, once in late winter, mid Spring, anytime summer, and a trip in October for a glimpse of the harvest season . I love capturing photos of the colorful vineyards blanketing  the rolling hills and acres of land surrounding the perfectly maintained villas. So, from one wine lover to another, I share with you a list of eight vineyard homes that are available to move into apparently.  Except of course the ones I’ve put a claim on… Do you have a local favorite winery? Mine are here, here, and here to help introduce you to the pop culture. If you are new to the art of wine appreciation – here’s a list of 100 wine recommendations for 2018   

Food: Dinner Tonight – Personalized Pizza

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I have a weakness for pizza and could very well eat a personal size one a day – with a variety of toppings. My current favorite pizza places in San Francisco being here for a get-together traditional pizza experience, here for a quick bite to eat at the mall, and here, and here when we venture out of San Francisco and do not have the time to search for a local Yelp reviewed five-star restaurant. The trouble with Pizza is that since I have cut down or eliminated as much as possible, carbs from my diet, I try to minimize the consumption to once a month or twice and maybe three times, but only on a cold and rainy day. 🙂 So when I found this recipe here, I felt the need to  switch-it-up to fit all of my dietary restrictions and I am forcing the family to follow along. INGREDIENTS 1/2 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought {I switched to cauliflower ready-made dough} 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil  1 yellow onion, thinly sliced kosher salt and pepper 3 tablespoons crème fraîche …

Monday Morning Recap

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Happy Monday everyone! I don’t know about you, but I feel refreshed and ready to tackle whatever this week has in store er…well I mean, some things I have planned as well. I have started to workout again and it feels amazing – because – instead of the gym and the same old routine, I have decided to go about my working out in the most conventional way: Walking, tennis, swimming and even shooting hoops/ pretend basketball. I didn’t realize what was lacking in my drive to workout until I started doing more of it outdoors. I also finished reading this book, with high hopes of getting some insight. When I called the public library to extend borrowing the book for a few extra days, just to give me the chance to revisit some of the chapters, I was told that was ‘not possible’. As the book was in high demand – 37 people were waiting to read it; the librarian added. I suppose the book perfectly titled had done its job of directing folks …