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Salad Delicious

When I look at this, all I see is guacamole.

I also made myself a cappuccino. Someone invented a lovely handheld milk-foamer-thingy that turns your milk into frothy deliciousness. I put my milk in the microwave first, but you can also be fancy and use a machine that does both steps in one. Works excellently with soy milk as well. Here is a just-made shot and a just-made-but-also-stirred shot, because I like the juxtaposition. I always take one sip before I mix it, and then I stir it up and destroy its layered beauty, because it's tastier that way.

For an aptly priced milk frother, as I've discovered they are called, click on the picture. Or go here to be fancy pants: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/electrics/coffee-makers-teakettles/coffee-milk-frothers/?cm_type=lnav

My coffee mug is from a cafe my mom's friend used to own. It sponsored their softball team, of which I was the mascot. I dig the logo.

#coffee #cappuccino

Following my recent addiction to all things coconut, I found a way to use it in my breakfast even though I ran out of oatmeal yesterday. (I know I know boring. But I just love it, and there is plenty of time for other breakfast foods at other parts in the day). I love making omelettes because I never have to plan for them. As long as I have some eggs, I just use whatever I find in the fridge that could work. And really, almost anything can work. Today it was green onions, cheddar cheese, button mushrooms, or whatever they're called...you know, the regular kind, and cherry tomatoes that I sliced up a bit.

I like to add a salad to the side of my omelettes because they add nice color. Really, I like my meals to be pretty, and colors are pretty. And bright green lettuce looks quite nice next to a soft yellow egg. And you really can make them wonderfully good, I promise. I was too lazy to make a dressing from a recipe, because let's be real, it's the freaking morning and I don't care how long I've slept for. I am not fully functional unless there is a PM on the clock. Or if I'm getting paid. Who wants to pay me to make breakfast? I promise I'll whip up the best salad dressing recipe you've ever seen! Salad dressing for breakfast......scratch that. I'll create for you a pumpkin gingerbread french toast masterpiece with caramelized walnuts and a honey butter sauce. I don't even know if walnuts are caramelizeable, but damnit, I will find a way!

But for now I am feeling lazy and recipe-less, so I adapted and freestyled. I put a handful of rucola (arugula) on half the plate and topped it with the rest of the chopped scallions and tomatoes that didn't fit in the omelette. I also added some basil leaves, since I had them. I had some coconut oil left over in the pan from cooking the omelette, and no addict wastes the object of addiction, so I poured that into a jar, added some dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar, a little salt and pepper, and just a tad of olive oil, and whisked it all up with a fork before pouring it over my salad. When I transferred the omelette to the plate there were some abandoned mushrooms and tomatoes in the pan, so I added those to the salad as well. Then I got down with my salad.

Anytime you use mushrooms in a meal, it's a good idea to give them some alone time in the pan so they have a chance to work out their issues about being a fungus. This way they have a chance to brown and develop their flavor so that they don't feel inferior when you toss them in with all the other vegetables. Add some oil so they have something to cook in. Obviously I used coconut.

without further ado: 1 whole egg + 3 egg whites, beat those babies up with a fork or a whisk and add some salt and pepper. Poor into pan with some heated oil. Once the underside seems to become more solid, throw in the sliced scallions and shredded cheese. When it's nearly ready to fold over, add the mushrooms and tomatoes to the less-cooked half (if there is one). I also added basil leaves. Then flip that sucker in half and heat 'er up and eat 'er up!

#salad #omelette #coconut oil #omelet

Clearly I'm still not over my early return from pasta land. Caprese salad, while not much of a salad at all, is one of my favorite additions to any meal. When done right, it is nothing short of refreshing. I always use the freshest ingredients I can find because I'm food-snobby like that, but honestly if you make this with aged dry mozzarella and a can of sundried tomatoes, it would still taste pretty bomb. Just make sure you don't skimp on the fresh basil leaves. That would hurt my soul.

As for the balsamico, there is no need to search (or pay) for the most aged and fancy kind out there. One of these days I'll do a post dedicated to the masterpiece that is balsamic vinegar, complete with when and where to use what and with whom and why and maybe even why not :)

Also, it's ka-PRAY-zay. Don't say ka-PREESSE like my mom does. That also hurts my soul. But the Italian part of my soul, so it's more dramatic.

Insalata Caprese: sliced fresh mozzarella (it comes immersed in water); sliced tomatoes (buy the kind still on the vine, or better yet, grow them yourself); fresh basil leaves, cut or torn into whatever size you prefer; sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper; drizzle with olive oil and balsamic

Pesto: roast 1/2 cup/75g almonds in the oven at 375°F/190°C for 5-8 min. Once cool, chop in a blender or food processor (or grind it up with a mortar and pestle like I did when I couldn't afford a blender...); add a couple cloves of peeled garlic, a couple handfulls of basil leaves, and drizzle in olive oil until you reach the consistency you like. I like about a cup. Then stir in 1/2 cup/56g grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

If you're using a mortar and pestle, (no, that wasn't a joke), crush the garlic and basil leaves with course grains of salt to save yourself a lot of trouble. Just remember not to add salt later, you've already done that part!

Toss with pasta, spread on toast, use in a wrap or sandwich, dip something in it, like a spoon.

#Italian #caprese #pesto #farfalle #balsamico

And for dessert, a crispy apple and pear galette with fresh kiwi. A simple pie crust and some brown sugar are all you'll need to bring this tasty pastry together!

#galette #dessert #kiwi

Pizza Night!

Next time we will go the extra mile and make our own dough from scratch, but Trader Joes provides some herb infused varieties that are quite delicious! We used two rounds of dough and divided each one in half to create 4 unique pizza masterpieces.

Apple and goat cheese white pizza. Skip the tomato sauce, garlic and olive oil are a fine combination.

Yellow peppers and feta. Sometimes simple is best.

Red onions and feta topped with prosciuto.

Red onions, garlic, and broccoli. Where there is broccoli, there should always, ALWAYS be garlic.

Finally, an oversized glass of red wine completes any meal.

Buon appetito!

#pizza #italian

I thought I could just grab my paring knife and go to town chopping this baby up as if it were a blown up strawberry. Turns out there's a big hard oval pit inside these delicious juicy balls of tang. Here's how you get around it. I hate wasting any food, but it's a special kind of tragedy when it's a lip smacking piece of tropical fruit like a mango. So all the little close-to-the-heart (I mean pit) bits that my knife couldn't master were in perfect reach of my teeth.

#mangoes

Roasted Cajun salmon on a bed of steamed spinach and Meyer lemon risotto

Mango Salsa: 2 Mexican Champagne mangoes, diced (any guesses on the Mexico-Champagne relationship?); sugar plum grape tomatoes, halved (I always thought it was either plum OR grape...), sliced scallions, lime juice, Meyer lemon juice

More on how to chop up that mango to come!

#mangoes #mango salsa #risotto #salmon #Meyer lemon

I made this wonderfully healthy wrap on lavash bread for lunch. Okay it was close to 6:30 in the evening, but after 3 months in Italy, that is far too early for dinner, so lunch it is. I made it vegan, but you could add some strips of tenderloin if you're into that sort of thing.

Whole wheat lavash bread. Dijon mustard. I'd start with a very thin layer if you're not big on it, and add more if you crave that spicy flavor in your mouth. I certainly do. Balsamic vinegar. The older the better. Old does not mean it's been sitting in your kitchen cabinet since haight street was dominated by hippies instead of occupiers. Vinegar ages, like wine, and becomes thicker and sweater with every year. Mine aged 25 years. Avo, obviously. Avocado is natures way of saying, "Hi. I made you and I made this too. Eat it and be merry. Then use it on your face and hair and be radiant". Nature gave us coconut for this too. More on that later. Freshly ground black pepper. No pre-ground shakers please. Fresher is better. It just is. Also lemon pepper. I suppose you could skip this and add some lemon juice instead, or sprinkle some zest over the avo. But there's just something about lemon pepper that gets my juices flowing. I thank bagel cafe. Tomato slices Red onion. So you can't kiss anyone for a while. It's worth it. Arugula. But actually it's called rucola because I lived in Italy and I know better. Broccoli sprouts, but they smell funny, so I'd recommend alfalfa Love. Because I'm cheesy like that. If you want even more, I'd recommend feta.

#lavash #vegan #wrap #avocado

"Typical foodie interests and activities include the food industry, wineries and wine tasting,breweries and beer sampling, food science, following restaurant openings and closings and occasionally reopenings, food distribution, food fads, health and nutrition, cooking classes, culinary tourism, and restaurant management."

#foodie #Paul Levy #Ann Barr

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