All posts filed under: Food

Food: Dinner Tonight- Spicy Eggplant Pasta

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I love eggplant and have incorporated the veggie in many pasta dishes, similar to this recipe I found online. Just a hint for the meat-lovers – you can saute and add ground Italian sausage to the mix and serve it up with freshly crated Parmesan cheese Ingredients  2 medium eggplants 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more as needed 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups chopped plum tomatoes or one 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, or 1 1/2 teaspoons dry oregano 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, plus extra for finishing 1/4 cup fresh, chopped basil, plus extra for finishing 1 pound linguine pasta  {more}   Although I normally buy ready-made apple dumpling from Trader Joe with every visit, I have found a recipe here which I am going to try over the weekend.    {photo and recipe source}

Food: Mashed Potatoes 101

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For the most part, I’ve taken off the side dish from my everyday life – staying true to eating less starch and more plant based  – but of course, the holidays are upon us, and one staple for a Thanksgiving dinner is mashed potatoes. But as I have learned over the years, there is a trick to making the best mashed potatoes and then there are mistakes to creating a lumpy goo easily mistaken for a mixture of cement or grout for that tile work you plan to install. So on to the perfect mashed potato from this wonderful site I turn to learning all the tricks of the trade. and the winner or the traditional mashed potatoes in my household is combo hand and fork mashed, with heavy cream, garlic, grass-fed butter, light sea salt, ground peppercorn and chives to taste. Simple, easy and the best tasting of all mashed potatoes I have ever had. How do you make your mashed potatoes?

Holiday Series: Thanksgiving Appetizers

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Normally my appetizer set-up trumps the actual ‘non-turkey’ oh alright, a sliver of turkey dinner.  The reason for that is, most folks arrive at my doorstep very hungry, and very thirsty for a cocktail, so the ritual begins, munching away at appetizers while cocktailing.  So by the time dinner rolls around, folks are too full to indulge. I haven’t yet figured out how best to settle this matter except perhaps try an array of light appetizers. But that doesn’t mean I won’t share some of the appetizers that are making their way to my list for this year’s dinner gathering. For the rest of of the 123 recipes which by the way are great suggestions for any parties, including Christmas, or New Years, go here   And how to host Thanksgiving or any party without the stress – although I welcome the stress – it is invigorating I think

Food: Chai Infused Carrot Cake

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I love carrot cake, and it is probably the only one I won’t pass up on if I were anywhere in the world offering the option. So a carrot cake recipe is always in order, and this chai infused one is one I am trying on Saturday: For the cake: 1/4 cup of almond milk 1 tbsp of Assam tea 1 cup of sugar 3/4 cup of ghee, melted 3 eggs, room temperature 1 tsp of vanilla extract 2 cups of flour (310g) 3 tsp of baking powder 1 tsp of salt 7 – 8 turns of fresh ground black pepper 1 1/2 tsp of cardamom 1 1/2 tsp of ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 2 cups of fresh shredded carrots, about 2 large carrots For the frosting: 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 8oz of cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar 1/2 tsp of vanilla 1/2 tsp cardamom 1/2 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp cinnamon pinch of salt  {more} Do you have a favorite cake? And a well-tested recipe you wish to …

Holiday Series: Thanksgiving Preliminary Prep

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I start out with one menu – and then shift it throughout the week leading to Thanksgiving, so with that mindset, here’s what I am considering for the holiday, perhaps even leading to smaller dinner parties up to New Year’s eve. {featured source and inspiration for this blog post}

Holiday Series: Vegan Pumpkin Mousse

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I am not a fan of pumpkin pie, or cake but I am a fan of pudding or mousse alternative, so I feel like this year, we are going to have this vegan pumpkin mousse on our dessert table for thanksgiving.  So easy to make and naturally spoon right out of the blender. Okay, no I’ll do my best to scoop the masterpiece into serving bowls for a more civilized way of indulging. Ingredients 1 cup (225g) full fat coconut yogurt or coconut cream* 1/2 cup (125g) pumpkin puree  1/4 cup (80g) maple syrup 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 tsp salt  {more} On another healthier alternative to desserts – here’s a banana Chia pudding recipe – although this one I’m considering for breakfast come Sunday morning.  {featured image source and inspiration for this post}

Food: Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies

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I don’t bake too much, but I do help my mother when she is in the mood to bake a batch of brioche and other Mediterranean pastries. But this cookie recipe is worth a share, and one I am going to bake for the office holiday party this year – or in our case, they are calling it a fall festival party at the office set for next Thursday. INGREDIENTS 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) salted butter, at room temperature 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar packed 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 2 eggs at room temperature 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more as needed 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon cardamom 1/4 teaspoon ground all-spice 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper BROWNED BUTTER FROSTING 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 2 cups powdered sugar 1/3 cup real maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract melted white chocolate, for dipping (optional) chai sugar, for …

A Lazy Saturday Topics of Interest

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This time of year, I prefer the indoors, spending most of my weekends in my pajamas craving hot chocolate, baked goods, and naps. Don’t misunderstand. I have a list of chores I need to tackle, but for some reason, the gloomy outdoors has me needing to find inspiration… {featured image source and inspiration for this topic}

Food: Carrot Cake

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This morning I had a craving for carrot cake with my coffee. But finding a tasteful slice at the early morning hours in downtown San Francisco is pretty challenging. So, I settled for a scone with the complete intention of baking tonight using this must try carrot cake recipe. INGREDIENTS For the cake mixture • 2 eggs • 125ml/4 1/2fl oz maple syrup • 75ml/3fl oz mild vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing • ¼ tsp black cardamom seeds • 4 cloves • 150g/5oz wholemeal spelt flour, plus extra for dusting • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • A pinch of grated nutmeg • 2 tsp baking powder • A pinch of salt • 300g/11oz carrots, peeled and finely grated • 60g/2 1/2oz dried apricots, chopped • Grated zest of ½ organic orange • 40g/1 1⁄4oz pumpkin seeds For the icing • 150g/5oz full-fat cream cheese • 150g/5oz yoghurt of your choice • 25g/scant 1oz acacia honey • 2-3 drops vanilla extract • 1 tbsp lemon juice  {more} {featured image source and inspiration for today’s post} …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Beef Stew Updated

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My mother is so cute. She attempted a beef stew last night and when I walked into her kitchen to check in on her after the craziness called my life, she told me she had no idea why the meal tasted bland. I took a peek into the pot and noticed, a dozen pieces of cubed beef simply boiled with a few slices of onion and peppercorn – which makes the best of broth, but not really the ideal beef stew without the veggies and some sort of sauce. I reassured her that I could salvage the boiled beef cubes by turning it into a mouth-watering meal with a side of mashed potatoes (her eyes lit up). So guess what’s happening for dinner tonight? INGREDIENTS 3 pounds beef chuck, trimmed and cubed kosher salt and black pepper 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 shallots, thinly sliced 6 carrots, chopped 2 cups apple cider 1 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon can also use beef broth 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons tomato …