Kale Salad with Mango, Dried Cherries and Toasted Pecans
(aka- kale salad for people who hate kale salad)

Confession time: I'm extremely late jumping aboard the kale bandwagon. In fact, just as this food trend is taking its last gasping breaths, I'm finally realizing that kale is in fact, pretty fantastic. There's good reason for this. Is it because I didn't recognize the food trend had staying power when it first reared its ugly head about 2 long years ago? People, I'm in the biz. Of course I recognized the trend. The simple fact was, I really, really hated kale. To me it seemed I might as well be chewing on a mouthful of shredded Watergate documents. Good for you or no, I just couldn't stomach it.

Not long ago a friend of mine at work recommended a kale salad recipe and I told her of my aversion. Which, because I work for Whole Foods, is it's own kind of blasphemy. In fact, part of me is terrified to write this post because I'm certain there's a clause in the team member handbook that could get me fired for kale hatred. *I'm not actually terrified of this- see hyperbole.  Anyhow, once her shock and disbelief passed, she asked me if I knew about massaging the kale. "Massaging the kale?" I asked, skeptically. "Yes, she repied. I know it sounds crazy, but I promise it will change the way you feel about kale."

Turns out, she was right. It's a super simple technique where you squeeze a lemon and sprinkle some salt on your stemmed and chopped kale and then massage the whole lot. The process breaks down the fibrous nature of the kale, making it not only palatable, but enjoyable. Toss in some perfectly ripe mango, sour and chewy dried cherries and toasted pecans, and you've got a real winner on your hands. 

               Kale pre-massage               Kale post-massage

This is a variation on this recipe from Arti Sequeria of the Food Network. Feel free to play around with the add-ins as much as it suits you. I've used all kinds of different nuts and I especially enjoy dried cranberries as a substitute for the cherries. 

Please give it a shot, and kale haters- let me know what you think!

Kale Salad with Mango, Dried Cherries and Toasted Pecans
Serves 5-6

Ingredients:
2 Bunches of Kale (I like Dino Kale)
1 or 2 handfuls of dried sour cherries
1 or 2 handfuls of toasted pecans
1 lemon
Generous pinch of salt

Dressing:
Juice of 2 lemons
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Honey
Fresh cracked pepper and salt to taste

Method:
Stem, chop and wash your kale well. Kale is one of those vegetables that likes to hold on to dirt, so make sure you give it a good once-over. No one likes to bite down on a grain of dirt. Yuck. 

Peel and slice your mango into whatever size bites you like. If you're one of those people (like me) who hates to cut mangos, check out this tutorial for a little guidance.

Toast your pecans. I put mine in a 350 degree oven for about 6 minutes and I set a timer. YOU WILL FORGET ABOUT THE NUTS. So, do yourself a favor and just set the dang timer. 

To make the dressing, put all ingredients into a lid with a nice, tight cap and shake like the dickens. 

Massage the stemmed and chopped kale with the juice of one lemon and the generous pinch of salt as described above. One note- try not to go too overboard on this part. You're breaking it down, yes, but you don't want it to turn into mush either. 

Throw in the cherries, mango and perfectly toasted pecans and drizzle with the dressing. Careful not to go too heavy on the dressing- just a light coating is all you're looking for. 

Toss and enjoy!

Secret ingredient protein waffles

I've wanted to share this recipe for a long time now. In fact, I've made these waffles three times in the last week in an attempt to perfect them. I first heard of these waffles from my friend and coworker who happens to be a nutritionist and an incredible resource for all things delicious and nutritious. 

I didn't put the secret ingredient in the title because I didn't want people who hate it to take one look at the name of post and never give it a second thought. The secret ingredient is cottage cheese. Some people have a serious aversion to it, I understand. However, I swear, if you can taste the cottage cheese in these bad boys, I'll be a monkey's uncle. 

A few things about this recipe:

• No waffle maker? No problem. Pancakes work just as well and taste just as great.
• Every time I make these, I whip up the whole batch, eat a few for breakfast and freeze the rest. When you're ready for another, pull one out of the freezer, pop it in the toaster... perfection. 
• These waffles are baby and husband approved. In fact, I've never fed them to anyone who didn't love them. 
• If you'd rather skip the first step, just purchase oat flour from the grocery store and combine it with the other dry ingredients. 
• The first recipe I found for these waffles instructed to put all of the dry ingredients into a food processor and blend, dump them into a separate bowl, then blend all of the wet ingredients, dump them into a separate bowl, then combine the two in batches. You can certainly do that if you're so inclined. I blend the dry ingredients in my Vitamix, then just add all of the wet ingredients on top and buzz them all together. Once upon a time I may have followed the detailed instructions, but now my attitude is, "ain't nobody got time for that." 

Secret Ingredient Protein Waffles

Makes 9 waffles

Ingredients:

2 and 2/3 Cup Rolled Oats

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1 Cup Cottage Cheese

4 Eggs

1 Cup Water- or your favorite alternative milk- I like coconut milk

4 Teaspoons Coconut Oil- or light olive oil

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1 Ripe Banana

1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup- more or less depending on your sweetness preference

Method:

Blend the oats, baking powder and cinnamon in a blender or food processor until it looks like flour. 

Add the cottage cheese, eggs, water or milk, coconut oil, vanilla, banana and maple syrup and blend all ingredients together until a smooth batter is formed.

Pour 1/3 cup of batter into the waffle iron in batches and follow instructions for doneness. I like to top them with butter, fresh strawberries, and maple syrup.

Eat what you like and freeze the rest. Super easy and super delicious. 

I'm baaaack!

Well, that was quite the hiatus. If you don't know me, you'd wonder where the heck I've been. If you do, you know that I've been navigating my way through the first year of motherhood. It has been the most incredible year of my life. Our little gal brings so much light and joy to our lives and the lives of her family. It is such an honor to be her mommy. 

Last weekend we hosted her first birthday party, which also happened to be her Golden Birthday party. This because she turned one on the 1st. Did your family do Golden Birthdays? It was always such a big deal in my family, I'm shocked when people say they've never heard of it. My Golden Birthday was my 9th birthday, and I'm pretty sure it was the very best day of my childhood life. My mom (crazily) let me invite EVERY single girl in the 3rd grade to my SLEEPOVER. What the hell was she thinking?! 

Anyway, in the same spirit of going over the top in honor of the Golden Birthday... I did. The theme was gold. I hate to admit it, but I've actually had a Pinterest board for 1st birthday inspiration since August of last year- she was 3 months old. Seeing photo after photo of beautiful dessert tables on Pinterest made me want to make that the focal point of her party, so that's what I decided on. We had lots and lots of dessert, raspberry lemonade (with vodka for the non-children), balloons, crepe paper, a happy birthday banner, a ton of presents and most of all, enormous love for the birthday girl. 

I decided to make Sloan's smash cake myself, as I didn't want her to have too much sugar and end up getting sick or super crabby on her special day. I searched and searched for recipes on the internet and turns out, there are lots of other mommy bloggers out there who also felt passionately about sugar-free first birthday cakes. The recipe I decided on is from the blog Fit Mama Real Food.  The only change I made was I used half whole wheat flour and half all purpose. 

The cake turned out very well. I was sure that it would have that "there's no sugar in that cake" taste, but it really didn't. As you can see, the recipe calls for a ton of bananas, so it's got lots of natural sweetness without added sugar. Sloan did not hesitate to dig right in. My favorite part of watching her smash the cake was when she pushed the two layers apart and picked up the entire top layer of cake to take a bite. That's my girl! It was a great day and one I will remember forever. 

PS- all of the amazing photos were taken by my very lovely and talented sister, Emily. Thank you, Auntie Em!

No sugar smash cake: 

*I used a 6" cake pan for a two layer cake and it worked out perfectly.

Ingredients:

• 4 or 5 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup natural no sugar added applesauce
• 3 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:

Mash the bananas in a medium bowl.

In a separate large bowl, mix the flours, baking soda, and cinnamon together.

Add the mashed bananas, applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla to the flour mixture. Mix just until incorporated.

Coat your pan(s) with oil.

Spread the batter into the bottom of the pans.

Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes.  Check with a toothpick for doneness.

Cool the cakes before frosting.  

No sugar cream cheese frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) no sugar added apple juice concentrate
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Method:

Soften the cream cheese.

Whisk the cream cheese with the apple juice concentrate and vanilla extract until creamy.

http://www.fitmamarealfood.com/babys-first-smash-cake-healthy-no-sugar-banana-cake/

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Nothing goes better with green chili than a batch of homemade flour tortillas. I know the foodie in me should prefer corn tortillas, but when I'm being really honest with myself, I realize that I don't actually like them at all. I will always choose the soft, chewiness of flour over corn. These turned out really well, and I was happily surprised at the lack of lard or large amounts of fat. 

A couple quick things about this recipe: First, it's not mine. I lifted this one straight from a blog called Homesick Texan (http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/), which has a lot of great recipes, so check it out if Southwestern food is your jam. Second, these are a bit of a pain in the butt, so I would definitely recommend making a double batch and freezing them... or eating twice as many.

  

Homemade Flour Tortillas
(adapted from The Border Cookbook by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison)

Ingredients:
Two cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
3/4 cups of warm milk

Method:
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil. Slowly add the warm milk. Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed. Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.

After the dough has rested, separate into eight pieces and roll into small balls, place them on a plate and then cover with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s very thin, about eight inches in diameter. Don’t over work the dough. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.

In a dry skillet heated on medium-high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. Large brown bubbles will form when it's done. Keep cooked tortillas covered until ready to eat.

Green Chili a la Gringa

Comfort food means different things to different people. To a girl from Colorado, there is nothing more comforting than a bowl of green chili with fluffy, homemade tortillas.

First things first- if your local grocery store has fresh Hatch Green Chiles, get some! And if you're lucky enough to shop at a store where they not only have them, but roast them on-site, get lots and freeze them. They are the reason I decided to make green chili on a Tuesday... at 7pm... after working 8 hours. Which, by the way, I would not advise. Although it turned out great, it will only get better with additional simmer time. Two hours on low is what I'll recommend, but one hour would definitely suffice.

I started with a traditional green chili recipe and then made some changes that are simply a matter of preference. Feel free to add, subtract or change major ingredients as you like. As long as the basic recipe and proportions stay the same, you'll end up with a delicious finished product.

 

Green Chili

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed (I would probably be ridiculed relentlessly in many (ok most) circles for using chicken instead of pork, but I prefer chicken, so that's what I used).
2 1/2 Cups roasted, chopped green chiles
1 14.5 oz. Can of diced tomatoes
1 Large white onion, diced
1 Teaspoon of garlic, minced
5 Tablespoons of flour (3 or 4 if you'd like it thinner- I did 5 because I wanted it more stew-like)
32 oz. Chicken stock
1/2 Cup water (or more depending on desired thickness)
1 Tablespoon oil (Olive, Canola, Vegetable, whatevs)

Salt and pepper to taste
1 Can black beans (optional, I added them because I wanted the chili to be a complete meal)

Method:

Heat oil in large stock pot. Add onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until fragrant and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add cubed chicken, and pinch of salt and pepper and stir until chicken is cooked through.

Sprinkle flour over the chicken, stir in and cook for about 3 minutes. This will cook out the flour, so your finished chili doesn't taste pasty. 

Add diced tomatoes, green chiles, chicken stock, water, black beans, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Then reduce to low and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. *This recipe can also be made in a slow cooker if that's more convenient. 

Peach Butter with Cardamom and Ginger

    

This recipe is so sexy, I gave the finished product its own photo shoot.

It's a long story, but the basic gist of it is, I was supposed to go to a food swap last weekend, (which I WILL do at some point, and blog about it, so stay tuned) and I had very grand plans to bring lavender peach butter for my first offering. At the grocery store, I searched high and low for fresh or dried lavender (I got so desperate at one point, I was considering buying camomile/lavender tea) but to no avail. 

When faced with the decision of driving another 20 minutes to a different market or changing up the recipe, I chose the latter. I smelled all of the spices in the bulk spice section and eventually decided that cardamom would be the best substitute for the lavender. It's exotic and slightly floral and it turned out to be the perfect complementary spice when paired with the acid in the peaches and lemon.

In the end, this recipe was insanely delicious, but made much less than I needed for the swap. So, it was both a success and a failure. I will absolutely make it again and I would encourage anyone with peaches on hand to try it. 

Peach Butter with Cardamom and Ginger

Recipe makes about 2 1/2 8oz. jars

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs. fresh yellow peaches

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Zest and juice of one large lemon

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

Method:

Blanch and peel peaches. This is a super simple technique, but if you've never tried it before, here's a short video how-to that I found very helpful: http://video.about.com/homecooking/How-to-Peel-a-Peach.htm.

Pit and chop the peaches roughly and combine with all other ingredients in pot on the stovetop. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the peach butter clings to the back of a spoon. 

Remove from heat and cool. When the mixture has cooled, run through a food mill or sieve, or blend with a food processor or immersion blender. Package in cute mason jars, or that disposable tupperware stuff, whatever floats your boat. Store in the fridge for about 10 days. Yummy on toast and pancakes, or just eat it out of the jar with a spoon.

2012 Summer Favorites: Grilled Vegetable Salad

The day I realized not all salads are made from raw, leafy greens, was a day that changed my life. I like a big ol' bowl o' roughage just as much as the next gal, but I'm not always in the mood for it. 

That's why this recipe is so fantastic. It takes the best things about summer: Produce at its peak, lots of fresh herbage and cooking on the grill, and marries all of the flavors in one scrumptious salad... without the rabbit food.

Easy peasy, beautiful and delicious, this dish will impress dinner party guests and possibly, even your husband. Mine loves it.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:
2 Red Bell Peppers (orange or yellow will also work) 
1 Large Zucchini
2 Large Portobello Caps
1 Bunch Asparagus (buy the bunch with the fattest stalks you can find, that way they won't fall through the grates)
     *I also used eggplant, until I realized I hate it. Other veggies welcome. 
Drizzle of olive oil
Sprinkle of garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:
About 1/2 cup of olive oil
About 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
Juice of one lemon
Lots of fresh herbs: My favorite are Thyme, Basil and Oregano (careful with the Oregano, a little goes a long way).
1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle of sugar or a few drops of honey if needed 

Method:
Light grill and preheat to medium.

Wash, and prep all veg by cutting into large pieces. You see from the photos that I left mine quite large, just cut in half. This will keep them from falling through the grates and makes the grilling process much easier. 

     *A produce guy once told me that the gills on the underside of a Portobello mushroom are like its intestines, so it's best to scrape them out before eating. I have never noticed a difference in the way Portobellos taste when I take this extra step, but I've also never been able to get those words out of my head. Now, neither will you. You're welcome.

Next, trow everything into a very large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, (not too much) and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Lay vegetables directly on your grill grates and turn after about 10 minutes of cooking. Cook an additional 10 minutes or so on the second side. You're not looking to cook these vegetables to death, you still want some crunch, so use your best judgement. If they look like they need to come off sooner, go ahead and remove them. 

Once off the grill, squeeze the juice of one lemon over all of the veggies and toss with a large spoon. While the vegetables are cooling, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh herbs, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk with a fork. 

When the grilled veggies are cool enough to handle, cut them into smaller bite-sized pieces, put them in your serving bowl and drizzle with dressing. Toss everything well and sprinkle with extra herbs, if you've got them. Enjoy!

Grill Roasted Sausage and Veggies

One of my favorite chefs to watch on TV is Jamie Oliver. First and foremost, I love listening to him talk. And as far as cooking styles go, I relate most to his. Keeping things simple and clean, using beautiful ingredients and no ego. Love that. 

A while back I was watching an episode of "Jamie at Home" where he made a roasted sausage and veggie dish in his outdoor wood-fired oven. I spent the entire episode coveting that oven, and slightly bummed that I wouldn't be able to achieve the same flavors at home in my boring, old, electric version.

Recently, while I was trying to decide what to make for dinner, this dish crossed my mind. First I thought I could just crank up the broil in my traditional oven to achieve the same char, but then it occurred to me that the best way to get the smoky flavor I was looking for, was to cook the dish over the fire of the grill. So that's exactly what I did. Turned that grill up to "full whack" (as Jamie would say) and hoped for the best.

The result was exactly what I wanted. Nice char on the sausages and all of the ingredients seemed to completely melt together with the high heat. The best part about it? This dinner couldn't have been easier. Toss everything together in a sheet or roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and cook. I made a simple stove-top tomato sauce because I felt like it needed some moisture. The dish looked beautiful when plated family-style and it would be an excellent dish to serve at a dinner party. Enjoy!

Ingredients
4 Italian Sausages (you can use any combination of spicy/mild, pork/chicken/turkey you like)
3 red bell peppers- cored, seeded, sliced
1 pint baby bella mushrooms 
1/2 large white onion, sliced
4 or 5 medium yukon gold potatoes, quartered
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 buch fresh basil, torn roughly
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 sprigs fresh oregano
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
About 3 tablespoons of good olive oil (don't go overboard here, just coat everything lightly)
Salt and pepper to taste

Stove Top Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup of Marsala cooking wine
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 28oz. can of diced tomatoes (I like the fire-roasted kind, but regular will work)
salt and pepper to taste
3 or 4 basil leaves, torn roughly

1 teaspoon of fresh oregano, leaves removed from stalks

Method
Light grill and adjust to medium-high heat. Combine sausage, bell peppers, mushrooms, onion, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, thyme, oregano and rosemary on sheet or roasting pan. Sprinkle the whole mess with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss with hands to evenly coat. Place on grill over medium-high heat and cook for about 30 minutes.

Note: After everything has been cooking for about 15 minutes, pay special attention. Things will really begin to get interesting at that point and you'll want to be sure everything is getting nice color, but not burning. Consistent turning and stirring is definitely necessary.  

To start your pan sauce, combine the Marsala cooking wine with minced garlic over medium heat. When the wine has started to boil, add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil and oregano and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove the sausage and veggies from the grill and move to a serving platter. Top with tomato sauce and parmesan (if you've got it) and eat up!

First time for everything

It's no secret to those who know me best- cooking's my favorite. There is no other way I would rather spend my time. It's creative, therapeutic, and when you're done, you get to eat delicious things.


The only thing that makes cooking better for me, is cooking with the people I love most. I think my love of all things culinary really stems from watching my mom in the kitchen. I would sit at the island on a tall stool and we'd talk while she went, chopping, browning, sauteing and refining flavors. I didn't realize it at the time, but those experiences shaped my core beliefs about food. Food was at the very center of what made us such a close family. It was a reason to gather every Sunday, and it served as a background for learning to truly enjoy each other's company.


So, last night my sister Em came over and for no reason at all, (or because I needed fodder for my first blog post.. you decide) we made an easy and delicious summer meal together. The whole menu started with Em's suggestion of a strawberry shortcake with those delicious homemade sweet biscuits. You know, the kind you get in fancy restaurants when you order strawberry shortcake expecting those round, concave disks of sponge cake. Not that I've ever done that.


Anyway, when we got to the market, our local peaches had just arrived and we needed a reason to buy them. Thus, peach shortcake was born. Acidic and sweet, crumbly biscuits with smooth whipped cream and slightly firm peaches. It was a great combination of flavors and textures. Here's the recipe, please enjoy and let me know what you think!

Summer Peach Shortcake
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (we used Kosher and it was just fine)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

4 oz Mascarpone (optional, but definitely delicious)

1 pound of yellow peaches, peeled and sliced

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, zest and salt. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3/4 cup cream with a fork to make a rough dough. Drop onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet to make four biscuits. Brush lightly with cream and bake until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Whisk remaining cream with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, juice of half an orange, and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Stir in 4oz. of Mascarpone for extra decadent filling. Add more powdered sugar and/or orange juice to taste.

Halve biscuits, spoon on whipped cream mixture and peaches and sandwich with tops. Enjoy!