All posts filed under: healthy foods

healthy recipe: white bean and shitake mushroom soup

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Every year I collect  a dozen or more soups to try during the winter months and this year is no exception.  I found this recipe here mostly because I love anything made with white beans and what better way then to incorporate them in a light soup. White Bean + Shitake Soup with Herb Oil Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 small white onion diced 2 large cloves of garlic finely chopped 1 box of organic chicken stock. Equal parts water 1 parmesan rind 2 cans of white beans drained and rinsed 5 to 7 Shiitake mushrooms sliced very thinly Salt + pepper to taste mint parsley basil meyer lemon Sauté the garlic + onion in a stock pot with olive oil over a medium heat until the onion is translucent and fragrant. and the beans and sauté for a few minutes adding salt + pepper to taste. Add the broth, water + rind and raise heat slightly, allowing the soup to simmer for 20 minutes. For the last five minutes add the sliced shiitakes. Once …

healthy recipe: artichoke soup with salami, quinoa, lemon and parsley

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Usually during the colder months I tend to eat heartier, but this year, I have decided  to try and stick to a leaner meal plan (well at least as much as possible). I figured soup is a good way to start and I have found a recipe here,  which I couldn’t wait to try and one that I highly recommend. Artichoke Soup with Crispy Salami and Lemon-Parsley Quinoa Serves 4 For the soup: 2 (14-oz.) cans artichoke hearts, drained 2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup heavy cream 2 tsp fennel seeds Salt and pepper For the quinoa: 1/2 cup dried quinoa 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 tsp. lemon zest (from about 1 lemon), plus 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice Extra-virgin olive oil 4 large thin slices genoa salami Preheat the oven to 350º. In a medium saucepan, add the artichoke hearts, the garlic, half of the chicken stock and half of the cream; cook over medium heat until warmed through. Add the fennel seeds and season …

healthy recipe – fig chutney

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I have to admit, I love figs, fresh ones or otherwise. When they are in season, I gorge on them until I am sick to my stomach and just when I swear I wouldn’t eat  anymore, I find myself always in the gourmet section of a grocery store searching for anything made with figs. So, of course, it’s not a surprise that after finishing a jar of fig jam and eating a dozen or so fresh ones out of a basket, like an addict, I began a desperate search for fig chutney to make during the impending holiday season. A good excuse to eat figs again 🙂 Although I search the internet extensively for most any recipe to compare the ingredients so that I can create my own version, for the fig chutney, since it’s my first time making it,  I have decided to go with my favorite chef/author/connoisseur/online mentor if you will and follow the recipe he suggests to the exact just to make sure it’s the right balance in flavor. Fig Chutney Two …

healthy eating: israeli or mediterranean salad – a twist to salsa and chips

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I took a couple of days off to run inland just to see sun and visit with a  very special person in my life. The only trouble going from 50degree foggy weather to a 102degree muggy hot dry weather is that I, not only don’t want to do anything, but I also don’t want to eat. So to solve the eating dilemma, the first thing we do was go to the market and buy fruits and vegetables to make salads , which would last us throughout my visit plus a couple of days more.  Before the market and while I waited for her to wake up in the morning,  I scrolled through my favorite recipes to see what I want to try next. I came across this recipe and decided to try it. It reminds me of fresh salsa, which I love to eat with tortilla chips. So what I plan to do is, instead of tortilla chips,  eat them with toasted pita chips to stay in tune with the mediterranean theme. Israeli Salad  Try to …

healthy eating: roasted eggplant sandwich

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Eggplant is definitely one of my favorite vegetables but I am particular on how they are prepared.  Although most restaurants and delis pride themselves in offering eggplant sandwich on their menus, often times I find how they have prepared them isn’t  pleasing to my seasoned pallete.   I think the key to serving a successful eggplant dish or sandwich is  slicing them thin enough to cook or roast properly and so they absorb the  flavor they are often times soaked in. Of course, my eastern european culture offers many vartiations of preparing eggplants, but I think I am going to only share a favorite sandwich of mine from here: Roasted Eggplant Sandwich Eggplants and onions are caramelized in the oven then refreshed with a sprinkling of lemon juice and chives. For a gourmet spin on this roasted veggie sandwich, slather the bread with pesto* on one side and rosemary cannellini bean spread* on the other INGREDIENTS •2 medium eggplant, quartered & cut into 1/4 inch slices •2 red onions, quartered & cut into 1/4 inch slices •1/4 …

healthy recipe: grilled kale ricotta and plum salad

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I love fruit, especially summer fruit, so when I stumbled upon this recipe, I grabbed the listed ingredients from one of the many San Francisco farmer’s markets and now am anxiously waiting for the weekend to try the recipe out with a bottle of Beringer chardonnay and a slice of old world Italian bread toasted of course. Ingredients 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 1 teaspoon honey Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper 4 medium plums, halved, pitted, thinly sliced 12 large or 16 small curly kale leaves 3/4 cup fresh ricotta Preparation Whisk 3 Tbsp. oil, vinegar, thyme, and honey in a medium bowl. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Add plums and toss to coat; transfer plums to a plate. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Brush kale leaves with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt. Grill kale, turning once, until crispy and charred at edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a work surface; let stand until cool enough to handle. Remove large center stems …

san francisco weekend social calendar – june 29 to july 1

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I have decided to include a new entry on my blog called San Francisco Weekend Social Calendar.  The purpose of this entry is to loop you in on what I recommend  to do over the weekend in San Francisco. Tourists are welcome of course. So for this weekend, being June 29 thru July 1, I recommend the following  {click on photo for details}: Friday, June 29, 2012 – AT&T Park For The Garlic Festival. Need I say more, Garlic, The Giants, good times 🙂 Saturday, June 30, 2012 – Private Garden Dinner for 10 at Regazza. This is a special offer which in my opinion is amazing if you have a group of friends on a budget (or not) Sunday, July 30,2012 – Eurocup Final Italy vs Spain (Go Italy!!!) at Lalola Bar De Tapas . Whether you are a fan of soccer (a.k.a. football) or not doesn’t matter. It’s a fun filled experience for sure.

pizza with potato and blue cheese or greek cheese – you pick

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I love pizza and although I watch everything I eat, I do occasionally cheat by going to my favorite pizza place here, in San Francisco and order a slice of their pesto, red skin potato and whole garlic pizza.  It is truly delicious. Lately I have been on a mission to recreate some of my favorite eats at home, so I found a recipe here somewhat similar  to my favorite pizza. The only problem is I hate blue cheese, so I used Greek cheese instead.  Now if I could only learn to  eat just one slice, then I will be  just fine. For the pizza dough: 4 cups (560g) bread flour 2 teaspoons sea salt 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast (see Notes) 1 1/2 cup (375ml) water, at room temperature For the topping: 2 medium onions, peeled 1 pound (450g) small, firm potatoes, such as Yukon golds or fingerling 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, plus a handful of thyme branches 6 to 8 ounces (170g-225g) blue cheese Garlic oil: 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons olive oil Additional ingredients you’ll need: …

healthy recipe: beet salad

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I love beets and will eat anything made with beets, which means mostly all salads. I actually think I have turned everyone around me into appreciating the vegetable. There are of course health benefits to them and although I was forced to eat them as a child because of the fact and of course because my father loved them,  I now make a conscious effort to include them in my weekly diet plan without any parental threats ;). Here is yet another recipe I found and have tried t and love it as usual, so I wanted to share it with you ladies and hopefully some gents. Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think? The only thing I changed was the blue cheese, I am not a fan so I used Greek cheese, it works just as well French Roasted Beet Salad Consider serving this as a first course. And if you don’t think you like beets, try them roasted. You may just change your mind. Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds beets (4 …

healthy maybe recipe: lemon almond coconut ice cream sandwich

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I normally don’t indulge in ice cream and only eat gelato in Italy, so when I came across an ice cream sandwich here with lemon, almonds and coconut, I figured it would be as healthy eating as I wanted it to be. A girl should be able to cheat once in a while on a diet plan. Anyway, I figured since I don’t have the patience to make my own coconut ice cream, I can find some at the grocery store, but the cookie part, I have no problem making.  Check it out: coconut ice cream 1 can coconut milk, preferably full fat 3 tablespoons maple syrup 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract pinch of salt In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Process according to your ice cream maker manufacture’s instructions. Place in a freezer safe container and allow to freeze for at least 3-4 hours before assembling the sandwich cookies. lemon almond cookies 2 1/2 cups almond flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 …