m•o•m : stir

marinated mushrooms

This recipe goes way back in our family. Mom use to make this for family get-togethers. She didn't cook much in those days (late 70's) and this was the extent of her gourmet offerings.

Behold the Marinated Mushroom

Ingredients

• mushrooms 1Lb, 454 grams
• olive oil 1/2 cup, 108 grams
• red wine vinegar 1/3 cup, 83 grams
• lemon juice 2TB, 31 grams
• chives 3TB, 10 grams -fresh, chopped
• tarragon 1TB, 5 grams -fresh, chopped
• garlic 1clove, 3 grams -minced
• sea salt 1/2 tsp, 2 grams
• sugar 1/2 tsp, 2 grams

makes 8 servings

Preparation

Combine all ingredients (except mushrooms).

Clean mushrooms.

Pour marinade over mushrooms and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, but it can be overnight.

We kept the mushrooms whole while they marinated, but then sliced them for serving because they were so large. If the mushrooms you use are small enough, it's nice to keep them intact.

spicy carrot salad

Hello Spring!

We've got a perfectly, perfect springtime salad for you tonight. It's full of flavor and simple to make.

Let's get started....

Ingredients

• red wine vinegar 2TB -or raspberry vinegar
• lemon juice 1/4 cup -freshly squeezed
• paprika 1/4 tsp -or hot paprika
• cumin 1/4 tsp -ground
• cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp
• olive oil 2TB
• raisins 1/2 cup
• grated carrots 4 cups
• cilantro 1/2 cup -roughly chopped

makes 8 servings

Preparation

Make dressing first, by whisking together the vinegar, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and olive oil in a large bowl. Add raisins and allow them to soak while you grate the carrots.

Add carrots to the dressing and toss to coat. Viola!

Hello? Could that be any easier? Wait until you taste it. We've had it as a side with chicken, pork chops, on top of mixed greens, along side a black bean and rice salad and I even added it to some quickie tacos I made with leftover roasted chicken the other day. So good!

This recipe comes from Cooking Thin with Chef Kathleen by Kathleen Daelemans

miso burger patties

these are a new fav.
definitely in the top 10 list.
and they are super easy to make. try them, we know you'll love them.

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express, we've really put that cookbook to good use lately. We tweaked the recipe a bit, opting to use Gluten Free oatmeal rather than panko, so I could eat it. This time around we paired the burger patties with quinoa and broccolini -it was a perfect trio.

Ingredients

• ground lean beef 1 1/2Lb, 680 grams
• oatmeal 1/2 cup, 40 grams
• green onions 3, 22 grams -chopped
• red miso paste -1TB, 15mL -we've taken a picture of the container to help out if you've never used it before.
olive oil 1TB, 15mL
• soy sauce 1TB, 15mL -low sodium
• sake 1TB, 15mL
• water 2TB, 30mL

makes 9 patties

Preparation

Place the ground beef in a large bowl.
Process the oatmeal in a Cuisinart; it will blend better when in smaller pieces.
Add oatmeal to the meat along with the green onions and miso paste. Mix well -the best tool for this would be your hands. Shape into burgers and brown each side in hot oil.
Discard oil.
Turn down heat and add the soy sauce, sake, and water to the pan. Cover and continue to cook until burgers are done.
Reserve the sauce to pour over the burger patties.

lemon salad

 Ingredients

• iceberg lettuce 1 head, 324 grams -torn
• green onions 4, 48 grams -sliced
• parmigiano reggiano (not parmesan) 1 ounce, 28 grams -grated
• lemon juice 1TB, 15 grams -freshly squeezed
• olive oil 3TB, 41 grams -doesn't need to be extra virgin, but it does need to be of a good quality

makes 4 servings 

Preparation

Clean the lettuce and drain; it must be completely dry for this salad. Slice the onions and grate the cheese. Combine the olive oil and lemon juice; add salt and pepper to your taste. Tear the dry lettuce into manageable sizes; place in a salad bowl along with the onions. Add dressing and cheese; toss well to coat the lettuce. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.

Because this salad has only a few ingredients and they are rather simple ingredients, each needs to be very fresh and of high quality.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice, parmigiano reggiano grated by you -not purchased already grated (believe us, there is a huge difference), a good quality olive oil, and of course the head of lettuce should be firm but not too heavy for it's size.

You might think it odd that we're being such sticklers for quality ingredients on a salad made with iceberg lettuce -the most average and arguably most tasteless lettuce out there. Well, that's okay because what this salad requires is a good crunch, which we get from iceberg. It is simply the vehicle to bring you the wonderful tart flavors of lemon and cheese. Perfect along side chicken or meat.

Mom was served this salad about 30 years ago at a house in Rancho Santa Fe, a neighboring town here in North County San Diego. The homeowner would request to her cook, "Ensalada con lemon, por favor." Mom liked it so much she came home and did her best to recreate it and we've been enjoying it ever since.

goat cheese frittata

Do you like frittata's as much as we do? They are so simple to make, keep really well, and are sooo versatile. Also they can be eaten hot, at room temperature, and cold; therefore they are a sure thing for lunches -if you actually have any leftovers.

This frittata recipe (from Mark Bittman's cookbook Kitchen Express) has some of our favorite flavors: tart goat cheese, sweet sundried tomatoes, and mild leeks.

Mmm, mmm, good!
Ingredients

• leeks 2, 178 grams -sliced and rinsed (do you know how to clean leeks?)
• sundried tomatoes 1/4 cup, 14 grams -chopped
• unsalted butter 1TB, 14 grams
• eggs 4, 148 grams -beaten
• soft goat cheese 2 ounces, 57 grams

makes 4 servings in an 8" frying pan

Preparation

Saute, at medium heat, the sliced leeks in the butter until softened. Add the sundried tomatoes near the end, just to soften them.

Beat the eggs and pour over the leeks and tomatoes. Turn the heat down and cover. After about a minute, remove the cover and add the goat cheese in clumps. Replace the cover and cook until eggs are set.

guinness stew

Guinness (and chocolate) Stew -say what? Yep, you read that right.

The Guinness and chocolate add a heartiness and depth to the stew. You can of course leave the Guinness out; simply substitute it with more chicken stock (or beef stock if you have it). I couldn't taste it, but some friends that had a bowl said they noted a hint of chocolate in the stew.

This recipe is definitely one to try.
Enjoy!

Ingredients

• chuck roast 4lbs, 1814 grams -cut into 1"or 2" cubes
• salt + pepper
• vegetable oil 2TB, 27 grams
• sweet onions 2, 662 grams -chopped
• chicken stock 4 cups, 960 grams
• guinness draught 1 1/2 cups, 12 ounces
• light brown sugar 1TB, 12 grams
• thyme 1tsp, 1 gram -dried
• bittersweet chocolate 10 ounces, 28 grams -chopped
• bay leaves 2
• carrots 5, 360 grams -sliced into 1" to 2" pieces
• parsnips 1lb, 454 grams -sliced into 1" to 2" pieces
• red potatoes 1 1/2lbs, 680 grams -sliced into 1" to 2" pieces
• parsley 2TB, 8 grams -freshly chopped

makes 12 servings

Preparation

After cubing meat, pat it dry before seasoning it with salt + pepper. Heat oil in a large saute pan, add the meat and brown on all sides. Transfer meat to a slow cooker.

In the saute pan brown the onions. Then add 1 cup of the chicken stock, the brown sugar, thyme, chocolate, and bay leaves -bring to a boil. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Add to the slow cooker the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, beer, and remaining chicken stock -cover and cook for 6-7 hours.

Remove bay leaves before serving.

Season with S+P.

Add parsley when served.

moroccan lamb with pasta

Moroccan Lamb : page 133 in Balanced Days, Balanced Lives.

Ingredients

• oil 2tsp
• onion 1 small, chopped
• ground lamb 15 ounces
• garlic 1 clove, chopped
• red pepper flakes 1/4 tsp, crushed
• cumin 1tsp
• cinnamon 1/8tsp
• stewed tomatoes 1 can -unsalted
• pasta 4 ounces
• zucchini 1 medium -sliced as you like
• fresh mint for garnish -chop just before using

Preparation

Heat oil in a saute pan, add chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the lamb and cook through.

To the pan, add the garlic, red pepper, cumin, and cinnamon; now add the tomatoes. Simmer, stirring occasionally.

Cook pasta.

When the pasta is about half way cooked, add the zucchini to the sauce.

Plate as you like, garnish with freshly chopped mint if you wish.

Ta-da!

Balanced Days, Balanced Lives can be purchased online at PrePak Products.
Mom and I prepared, styled, and photographed the food for the book!
BD,BL as we call it, tells the stories of 42 individuals that are using the free website tool nutrimirror.com to monitor their calories.

 

black beans

Almost everyone has a black bean recipe in their repertoire; I'm pretty sure we have more than one. So what made us want to try another? Well this one caught mom's eye because: 1) no jalapeno pepper, 2) the addition of vinegar, and 3) soaking the beans with a bell pepper. It turned out to be a good recipe and in particular, much better the second day; throughout the night the flavors really had a chance to meld together nicely.

Black Beans
(found on picturesandpancakes.blogspot.com as Cuban Black Beans)

Ingredients

• dried black beans, 1lb - soak and rinse
• green bell pepper 4 oz., 112 grams -quartered
• olive oil 1TB, 15mL
• garlic 4 cloves, 18 grams -minced
• onion 1, 190 grams -chopped
• green bell pepper 4 oz, 112 grams - finely chopped
• dried oregano 1/4 tsp, 1.25mL
• cumin 1/4 tsp, 1.25mL -crushed
• bay leaves, 2
• red wine vinegar 4 tsp, 20mL

makes 5, 1 cup servings

Preparation

Rinse dried beans and check for rocks.

Soak beans with the quartered green pepper overnight.

The next day, transfer beans, pepper, and soaking water to a large pot; simmer for about 45 minutes. You'll probably want to add more water to the pot, make sure it's hot water. Also, during this cooking time foam will rise to the top -make sure to skim it off.

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan, add garlic, onion, and chopped bell pepper and saute for about 10 minutes. Remove 1 cup of beans from the pot and roughly mash them, then add them along with the items in the saute pan to the mixture in the pot.

Add the oregano, cumin, and bay leaves, then simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Add the vinegar at the 1 hour mark. Taste and if necessary add salt and pepper to taste (we didn't use any salt). We chose to garnish with avocado, a little feta cheese, and warmed corn tortilla's.

And check out those nutrients! Hello Vitamin C (thanks to the green bell peppers), Fiber, Protein, and Iron. Enjoy!

yum.

flourless almond cake

This cake is moist and not too sweet. We've brought it to the shop before and it's been a hit with grown-ups and kids.

Ingredients

Cake
• Almonds, whole toasted, 1 1/2 cup (204 grams)
• Egg whites, 4 (138 grams)
• Egg yolks, 4 (64 grams)
• Honey, 1/2 cup (168 grams)
• Vanilla, 1 tsp (5 mL)
• Baking soda, 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL)
• Salt, 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL)
Topping
• Honey, 2 TB (32 grams)
• Almonds, sliced toasted, 1/4 cup (18 grams)

Preparation

Notes:
This is a gluten-free cake.

Eggs need to be at room temperature.
If you over beat the egg whites the cake may sink in the middle as it cools.

To toast whole nuts, spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350˙, stirring once until fragrant, 7-9 minutes.

Toast sliced almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring consistently, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2-4 minutes. Or place in a toaster oven as we did; stir once and watch over them (don’t leave the kitchen), about 2-4 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350˙ degrees. Coat a 9” spring form pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and then spray paper.

Process whole almonds in a food processor or blender until finely ground (you should end up with approximately 1 3/4 cups ground). Beat 4 egg yolks, 1/2 cup honey, vanilla, baking soda and salt in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed until well combined. Add ground almonds and beat on low until combined.

Beat 4 egg whites in another large bowl with handheld mixer (beaters must be cleaned off from prior use) or in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed until very foamy, white and doubled in volume, but not stiff enough to hold a peak (1-2 minutes, depending on mixer used). With a rubber spatula, gently fold egg whites into the nut mixture until just combined. Scrape batter into baking pan.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer (toothpick) inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and gently remove the side ring. Let cool completely.

To serve, drizzle cake top with remaining 2 TB of honey and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

2” piece, approximately 13 servings.

grilled fruit

originally posted august 3, 2011

It's summer and we're guessing that most of us have taken the cover off the grill, moved it to a more central location, and are getting our moneys worth out of it. We sure are!

Here is our latest obsession: grilled fruit!
Holy cow, such yumminess we have not known in a long time.

Peaches
Nectarines
Plums
Apricots
Pineapple
Figs - have you tried to grill these? First off, they grill really fast, so watch them. The flavor is mellowed by the heat. Give them a try.

There are so many ways to enjoy grilled fruit. Here are some idea's...

- in a salad.
- with ice cream.
- with yogurt.
- with ricotta and honey.
- a dollop of mascarpone.
- someone suggested blue cheese -hello!
- as a side with pork or chicken.
- in a rice dish (hot or cold).
- with your morning oatmeal.
- on top of pancakes or waffles.
- a fruit kabob.
- on top of toast.

For us, we found that brushing the grill with vegetable oil (not olive oil) worked best (rather than brushing the fruit).
Taste the fruit before grilling. If it's ripe and sweet, nothing more is needed than a light brush of oil on the grill. Is the fruit a bit unripe and a little lacking in flavor, but you still want to give it a try? Sprinkle a little brown or white sugar on the fruit after grilling.

We hope your summer is sweet!

tea-marbled eggs

Here is sure way to impress friends with your culinary skills, make these simple Chinese Tea-Marbled Eggs.

Everywhere in China small sidewalk shops sell Tea Eggs. People buy them for breakfast and for snacks. They are good for picnics and buffets as they can be served hot, cold, or room temperature.

The Jan/Feb 2012 issue of Saveur magazine listed these eggs as one of their 100 new classics. Here's what Saveur said, "Home cooks, chefs, and street vendors across China have their own takes on this centuries-old recipe. Some add soy sauce to the brew; others up the sweet and spicy quotient by mixing in sugar and peppercorns."

We're giving you a very simple recipe with only 3 ingredients today. This adds color to the eggs but it doesn't really add much flavor, at least it didn't in the ones we made, which was fine with us (I'm not a big star anise or clove fan). But if you would like to add spices to the sauce, here are a few classics to try: star anise, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves. Play around with amounts based on which you like best.

Tea-Marbled Eggs Cha Ye Dan

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 3 TB black tea, loose leaf
• 3 TB dark soy sauce

Preparation

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil, cover with a lid and turn heat off. Let stand for 15-20 minutes (based on how well you like your hard-boiled eggs cooked.

Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Gently roll the eggs on the counter top to crack the shells. Do not peel.

Place eggs back in the sauce pan along with the tea leaves and soy sauce, add enough water to cover the eggs.

Simmer for 10 minutes, remove from heat and let cool in the sauce. At this point you can add some ice to the sauce pan to stop the cooking.

these were a lot of fun to photograph.

quinoa chicken salad with peaches

Originally posted June 15, 2011:

Just Peachy. This is our second recipe using peaches in two weeks. Ain't it grand.

Quinoa and Chicken Salad with Peaches

It's peach season! Hip-hip-horray!
Here is a tasty, colorful, fulling, fragrant, and nutritious salad made with the lovely peach in mind. We hope you enjoy.

quinoa  2 cups, 444g -cooked
celery 2 ribs, 82g -sliced
red pepper 1/4 of whole, 30g -chopped
green onions 4, 1oz.  28g -sliced
1/2 breast chicken 6oz., 86g -cooked
peaches 2, 196g -sliced
walnuts 2 TB -chopped

Use our basic vinaigrette recipe for the dressing. Feeling fancy? Substitute raspberry vinegar for the balsamic.

We cooked the quinoa with chicken stock in a rice cooker this time. So easy and lots more flavor with the stock.
Stir fry the chicken or use roasted store bought.
Toast walnuts in a dry saute pan until just fragrant.
Mix everything together, except the walnuts, then pour vinaigrette over all. Add walnuts as garnish.

Have you ever thought of logging your food? My uncle and cousin created a free website for doing just that, it's called NutriMirror. Check it out.

cucumber salad

Hi everyone and happy new year!

Let's jump right into things with a super fresh salad mom whipped up the other day. Like many of our recipes, this one is adaptable. We've already added chicken to it and I can't wait to try it with thinly sliced steak. Toss some on top of a lettuce salad! Ooo, how about shrimp with it?

Cucumber Salad: with lentils, garbanzo beans, colorful peppers, jalapenos, and onions... just a few ingredients! :-)

Ingredients

• yellow pepper 1, 184 grams
• red pepper 1, 156 grams
• orange pepper 1, 210 grams
• jalapeno 1, 34 grams
• persian cucumber 1, 346 grams
• green onion 1, 42 grams
• lentils 1 cup, 240mL - cook them your usual way
• garbanzo beans 1 can (15oz), 425 grams -cooked
• lemon juice
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt + pepper

makes 7, 1 cup servings

Preparation

Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans and place in a large bowl. Add cooked lentils to bowl.

Chop all of the peppers into a small dice, and the jalapeno into a tiny dice.

Slice the cucumbers into rounds, about 1/8" thick.

Chop the green onion.

Place all of the chopped veggies in the bowl with the beans and lentils.

Squeeze lemon over the salad (amount is up to you) and add some olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time. Toss and add salt + pepper to taste.

Have you ever thought of logging your food? My uncle and cousin created a free website for doing just that, it's called NutriMirror. Check it out.