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Braised chicken with caramelized fennel and endive

June 18, 2014 by Moira

chick with endive3

I’m sorry I’ve been a bit absent.

It’s the end of the school year for the children, and it seems I’m on campus every day for some activity, outing or celebration. It’s been difficult finding time to cook anything particularly interesting, and even when I do, I’m usually rushing to get food on the table and simply can’t manage to snap a photo or two to share with you. (And no one wants a recipe without a photo!)

Even though the children will be home with me every day for the next two months, the slower pace will hopefully allow me to post more regularly.

But back to the dish at hand…I’ll admit this dish might seem more appropriate for cooler autumn months, but I’ve made it twice recently and I think it’s delicious in any season. Maybe I’m also romanticizing France–where we’ll be going later this summer. I love French food for its simplicity and for the memories it brings back to me of many a meal, slowly enjoyed (pre-kids!) late in the evening on the banquet seat of a Parisian bistro. (Now that we have children, I feel as though all our meals are taken at 5:30pm, when most people are still at work.) For me, simple chicken dishes, Pernod and endive are unmistakably French, and I love how they combine here. The dish feels hearty without feeling heavy, and it’s a cinch to prepare. I love fennel and endive year-round, so if these two often overlooked pale green vegetables are available where you live, why not combine them in this surprisingly sophisticated, simple to prepare dish.

 

Ingredients

4 whole chicken legs (leg and thigh) or 8 leg and and thigh pieces (about 2 lb)

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp fresh-ground pepper

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, halved and thinly sliced (reserve some fronds for garnish)

4 heads Belgian endive, washed, trimmed and cut lengthwise into quarters

1-2 shallots, peeled, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/2 cup Pernod or good white wine*

1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

*I think the Pernod really boosts the anise/licorice flavor of the fennel and adds more depth to the dish, but you can use white wine if you don’t have any  Pernod available.

 

chick with endive1Preparation

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large cast-iron or other heavy, oven-safe frying pan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add chicken in a single layer, skin side down, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the pieces over and cook the second side until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and drain most of the oil from the pan.

 

chick with endive 2Set the oven to 375F.

While the oven is heating, return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the Pernod or wine and broth, and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Add the chicken. Sprinkle the fennel, endive and shallot. Drizzle the remaining tbsp of oil. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid, pour in the cream and place the pan in the oven. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the vegetables begin to caramelize and the mixture has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on a large platter and finish with a sprinkling of parsley and reserved fennel fronds.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Enjoy!

 

chicken endive 4

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Smashed potatoes with kalamata pesto

June 10, 2014 by Moira

smashed potato

Since I was raised by a Japanese mother, potatoes only made rare appearances at our table. It’s not that any of us outright disliked them–although my mother may have considered them an inferior food, but many cooks tend to cook along the same lines as their “teachers,” who in in my case was my mother.

Then I married a Dutchman. Naturally, he loves potatoes and considers them an essential part of any diet (although potatoes are one of the first things I would suggest eliminating if one was going to attempt to “diet”). I cook regular “white” potatoes very infrequently since I am predisposed to consider them an inferior food–certainly inferior in taste and nutritional value to the delicious and colorful sweet potato. However, in order to appease the Dutchman, I keep alert for interesting ways to prepare and serve traditional potatoes.

I recently stumbled upon a recipe in one of my Sunset magazine issues that I’ve modified slightly here. The recipe is similar to one I used to make where you “smash” the potatoes then sprinkle them with parmesan and parsley. These potatoes are easy to prepare and very flavorful thanks to the tapenade-style pesto.  And this dish uses small red or Yukon Gold potatoes which are certainly superior in texture and flavor to the regular old white potato. These potatoes make a nice accompaniment to grilled meats or a substantial fish dish.

 

Ingredients

12 small red or Yukon Gold potatoes (approximately 2 inches in diameter), scrubbed clean

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn

1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and patted dry

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for the pan

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)

 

Preparation

Put the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with water, add a large pinch of salt and put on the stove. Bring the potatoes almost to a boil and cook until easily pierced with a knife, about 15 to 20 minutes then drain them.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the “pesto.” Puree the garlic and basil in a food processor. Add the olives and oil and pulse to a paste. Scoop everything into a small bowl and stir in the cheese.

When they potatoes are cool enough to handle, set them one at a time on a large cutting board and “smash” (slightly flatten) each one using a small pot or skillet. Place them in a lightly oiled skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat. Pan roast on the first side until slightly brown. Flip. Spread each potato with about 1 tbsp of the pesto and continue to cook until crisp on the bottom.

Serve warm with a sprinkle of parsley if you like.

 

Enjoy!

 

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Lemon olive oil cake

June 6, 2014 by Moira

lemon cake abovelemon cake closeOlive oil cakes are essentially the only cakes I eat any more. They tend to have more flavor, better texture and less “saccharin” sweetness than regular cakes. I usually make exceptions for the kids’ birthdays by baking them my favorite gluten-free birthday cake (which uses butter or olive oil), in which case I use butter.

I astonished myself last weekend when I suddenly realized–more like discovered, I’ve never shared my favorite olive oil cake recipe (with rosemary and chocolate) on this site. Shame on me! I have two birthday cakes to bake in the next three weeks, but I will get the favorite recipe up in the next month or so.

In the meantime, try this easy recipe for a deliciously moist and flavorful cake that goes with anything and can be served any time. It has wonderful texture and a subtle lemon flavor.

 

Ingredients

Cake:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole grain spelt flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/3 cup olive oil (I used extra-virgin but regular would tone down the olive oil taste if you prefer that)

1 1/4 cup milk of your choice (I used a combo of cow and coconut, but you can make the cake dairy-free by using all coconut or a combination of milk “substitutes”)

3 large eggs

2 tsp grated lemon zest

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Glaze:

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

 

Preparation

Heat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a 9-inch cake pan (use one that’s 2″ tall). Insert a disk of parchment paper on the bottom.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder and sugar. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then add in the olive oil, milk(s), lemon zest and lemon juice, whisking to blend after each addition.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet, whisk only until incorporated. (Do not over blend!) Pour into the prepared cake tin and place in middle of the oven. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

When the cake has baked, remove it from the oven and set it on a rack to cool. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp lemon juice and drizzle the mixture over the cake.

Let cool to room temperature before serving. Note, this cake is its most “cake-like” when it’s still warm from the oven, but the flavors are better incorporated when it’s served at room temperature. You choose!

 

Let us eat cake!

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Summer skin savers

May 26, 2014 by Moira

skin savers

 

Like many other places around the country, we are already experiencing beach weather and the kids have been spending most of their time (outside of school) playing outdoors–including in pools.

These basics will help keep your skin moisturized, protected and nourished without breaking the bank!

First, a word about sunscreen.

With skin cancer rates on a dramatic rise, it’s more important than ever to protect ourselves–especially our children–from the sun’s damaging rays. Did you know skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States? And each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon. In fact, 1 in 5 of us is expected to get skin cancer.

Burn Out sunscreen ($13) continues to be my favorite for the third year in a row. It’s light, lotion-like consistency makes it easy to spread, and of course, it’s SPF 35 and mineral-based, not chemical, using only zinc-oxide (18.6%) in a non-nano form which has zero “casper” effect. It comes in three formulations, KIDS, Ocean Safe and Sensitive. They’re all great and vary only a little in formulation. I use Burnout on my face and body, but if you want something specially made for the face, try one of the BB creams below.

Beauty Balms are all the rage now, and I searched and tested high and low to find a natural BB product I liked. Andalou Naturals came out on top, and I’ve been using it daily for over a year. In addition to an impressive list of ingredients, this cream is also SPF 30, and uses only non-nano zinc-oxide. It comes in two formulations–a beautiful moisturizing sheer tint which is yellow-based instead of the weird peachy-pink hues you usually find, and a moisturizing but oil-controlling formulation. Both are excellent products and smell wonderful!

Get your skin glowing for beach weather by sloughing off the dead skin cells from winter. A body brush feels invigorating and when used in quick, light strokes helps your lymphatic system function properly. If your skin is more sensitive, use a natural loofah mitt or delicious-smelling body scrub. My favorite is the Cocoa Butter Body Scrub by Queen Helene Naturals. It leaves my skin soft and silky smooth, and it’s a bargain at $7 a tube! You can also make your own scrub at home by mixing 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice with 2 tbsp coconut oil and 1 tbsp honey.

Three additional items to have on hand this summer include aloe, coconut oil and a good hat. Aloe plants are drought-resistant, easy to grow and the juice treats any number of ailments including sunburn, rashes, insect stings and dry skin. Coconut oil is an excellent, incredibly inexpensive moisturizer with anti-microbial properties. I cook with it regularly, but I also keep a little bowl of it near the kitchen sink to quickly moisturize dry hands. As for the hat, shielding your skin from the sun’s rays with clothing that has an SPF 50 or higher is the best protection against skin cancer and premature aging. Whether it’s a floppy beach hat, a smart-looking fedora or a baseball cap–anything is better than nothing!

 

Welcome summer!

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Instant guilt-free ice-cream

May 15, 2014 by Moira

ice cream

 

Do you like the title of this posting? It contains three of my favorite words!

Seriously, if you live in the U.S., you’re probably experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures right now. Here in Northern California it’s downright blazing hot–at least in my part of the Bay Area just north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

We don’t have a swimming pool in our yard, and I’ve been too busy to drive my little ones to the beach to cool off. But I want to appease the little monkeys some way, and this super easy to make, healthy ice-cream (slightly modified from Nom Nom Paleo’s) does the trick. It literally takes less than 5 minutes to prepare (if you have frozen fruit) and they love it. We all love it. What’s more, it’s dairy-free and contains no added sugar!

I also love that it doesn’t “violate” our Sweet Sunday rule, so when my children ask, “Mama, can we have some of that ice cream?” I can feel perfectly good always answering “Yes!”

I’ve made two flavor suggestions here, but obviously you can make whatever flavor or combination of flavors you and your family like. I don’t happen to have any frozen mango, but that will be my next flavor to try.

ice cream blue

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut milk (I recommend Native Forest)

2-3 frozen bananas (I keep a large stash in the fridge at all times now)

1 cup frozen strawberries (or frozen blueberries or other fruit of your choice)

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

 

Preparation

Place all ingredients in a VitaMix or other high-powered blender. Using the “plunger” tool, blend the ingredients until thick and creamy. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

 

Stay cool!

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Happy Mother’s Day!

May 11, 2014 by Moira

mom

Another use for yarrow blossoms!

 

Mothers. Before I became one myself, I didn’t fully appreciate them–my own, my friends’, random ones I encountered in the checkout line at the grocery store, etc. Quite frankly, I’d see some–with their hair unkept, practically still in pajamas trying to control a screaming, flailing child, and I’d think: Wow! She needs to get her act together.

And then I became a mother. Evidently a pretty lucky one because I’ve never gone to the store in pajamas, I believe in wearing a ponytail on a near-daily basis, and my kids have only screamed and flailed once or twice (publicly) in their combined 14 years of life.

If you’ve never been a mother, it’s difficult to describe how great your mental and physical fortitude is tested. If you are a mother, you will know exactly what I’m trying to say. You can feel the most incredible, overwhelming love for a child–distinctly different from the love you feel for your partner. Mother love is truly bottomless, truly unconditional and fiercely protective, primal actually. But on the flip side, children can also send you desperately low–just the knocked out and dragged down low you can get at moments of motherhood. Those moments tend to occur when you’re already on the edge–when you’ve been sleep-deprived for days if not weeks or months, and the normal frustrations and trials of life occur, such as your car breaking down, learning your friend has cancer, etc. and your child has a “moment,” becomes ill or too frustrated for words, and the whole combination can literally bring you to your knees. But instead, you rise up, hold and try to calm your screaming, flailing child, and later, make his (or her) lunch and dinner, gently bathe, and then rock your baby to sleep with a lullaby or soothing words.

Becoming a mother has brought me the greatest joy in life, and has made me appreciate my own mother much more as well as every mother I encounter. Being a mother comes naturally to many, but I’ve known many mothers who struggled with the role–struggled with the responsibilities, the sacrifices, the inevitable change in identity.

What all of them shared though is a fierce determination to be a good mom, to be the best mom they could be given their circumstances and their own individual natures. Some appear to do a better job than others. Some are more visibly and physically loving to their children, while others operate quietly behind the scenes. Some seem strict while others seem to overindulge their children. Some appear to sacrifice themselves for their children. Some indeed do.

I hope you will join me in honoring all mothers today.

 

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Grilled asparagus with celery root puree

May 9, 2014 by Moira

cel root closecel root above

 

Cooking for your mother or someone else’s this weekend? Consider serving this dish alongside an herb-roasted chicken or grilled salmon. Both dishes are insanely simple to make but will impress even regular consumers of haute cuisine. And if you want to impress that mother even more, consider finishing the meal with a simple to make but beautiful strawberry tart (recipe here)!

straw tart whole

I’m still getting celery roots in my weekly organic produce box, and I haven’t yet tired of the funky-looking vegetable. There’s something warm and comforting about the taste and texture of dishes made with celery root, yet the taste and texture is light and refreshing enough to serve on a hot day with grilled meats and vegetables.

 

Ingredients

2 bunches asparagus with tightly closed tips, washed and trimmed

Zest of 1 lemon

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 head celery root, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (roughly)

1 large shallot, peeled, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup milk (I use coconut, but cow’s or almond is fine)

Sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400F.

cel root grill

Scatter asparagus spears over a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the lemon zest, a pinch or two of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Place in the oven and cook, stirring once or twice, until the spears are bright green and the tips are beginning to char, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large cast-iron or other skillet over low heat. Add in the shallot and garlic and allow the mixture to “sweat” for about 5 minutes, or until the shallot slices turn translucent. Add in the celery root and milk of your choice, and turn up the heat to medium. Add in 1 tsp sea salt, cover and simmer until the celery root is soft.

cel root pan

Transfer the celery root mixture to a blender and process until it’s wonderfully creamy. Spoon the puree over 4 plates or low bowls and top with the asparagus. For a finishing touch, add a drizzle of olive oil or truffle oil and/or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

 

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Nutty fudge

May 3, 2014 by Moira

fudge abovefudge closeI’m officially addicted to this stuff!

It tastes incredibly rich and creamy and satisfyingly sweet, yet I have no guilt eating it! Packed with heart-healthy nut oils and containing very little sweetener, this nutty fudge tastes like a dessert but can be eaten any time.

It’s also super easy to make–about 5 minutes of actual “work” plus time to chill in the refrigerator.  Lately, I always have some on hand in the fridge for when I’m craving something sweet, or when I simply need a quick but filling snack. It immediately staves off hunger pains.

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw cocoa butter, melted

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup raw almond butter

1/4 cup raw cashew butter

1 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup or raw honey

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 pinch of sea salt

1 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped*

*Variation: 1/2 cup macadamia nuts (roughly chopped) and 1/4 cup Enjoy Life Vegan Chocolate Chips

 

fudge choc

 

Preparation

Prepare a standard loaf pan by inserting a length of parchment paper into the pan. Fold the excess paper accordingly so you essentially have a paper-lined loaf pan.

fudge stir

Put the almond and cashew butter in a medium-size mixing bowl. Add in the maple syrup (or honey), vanilla extract and about 1/4 cup of the melted cocoa butter/oil mixture. Whisk together until well blended. The heat from the melted oil will help soften the nut butters and allow you to mix them easily. Whisk in the remaining melted mixture. Stir in the nuts (or nuts and chocolate chips).

fudge mix

fudge pan

Pour the whole mixture into the prepared loaf pan and put in the refrigerator to solidify. Chill until very hard, about 2 hours for best results.

 

When ready, simply lift out the paper “cup” and set it on a cutting board. Slice the fudge into 1-inch chunks and store in the fridge in an airtight container. Serve chilled.

fudge slab

Enjoy!

fudge hand

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Celery root soup

April 30, 2014 by Moira

c soup aboveCelery root happens to be one of those often forgotten vegetables that’s really quite delicious–just rarely on our minds. Celery roots are also rather ugly, hence, you’ll notice there’s no photograph of one here. (I tried!) But they also offer good amounts of potassium, Vitamin C and Vitamin B-6.

This odd-looking vegetable makes a delicious, thick and creamy soup, so I thought I’d share a recipe I like.

 

c soup eatIngredients

1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced and washed carefully

1 to 1 1/2 lbs celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

6 oz Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 medium apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp sea salt

fresh-ground pepper

1 cup water

1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (preferably homemade)

1/4 cup coconut milk (or almond or cows milk)

 

Preparation (30 minutes)

Heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add in the leeks and let them “sweat,” stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes until they become soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Add in the chunks of celery root, potato and apple along with the water and stock. Stir in the salt and a couple grinds of pepper. Bring to a low boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until the celery root and potato are tender when pierced with a knife or fork.

c soup cooking

Puree the contents of the pan in a Vitamix or other high-speed blender until very creamy (or to your liking). Return to pan. Stir in milk of choice. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil. (Truffle oil would work well here, too!)

Enjoy!

c soup leeks

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No time? Breakfast in a shake

April 25, 2014 by Moira

breakfast shake above

Time is precious, and we seem to have less and less of it these days. I’m a big proponent of starting the day with a full meal. Studies show it’s a critical component of weight management (or loss!), and can help keep energy levels where you need them to be.

I’ve shared several recipes for shakes and smoothies before, but they’ve all been drinks you’d have along with your regular meal (or to supplement your meal). But since my husband’s been traveling a lot lately, and I’m taking care of the kids all on my own morning, noon and night, I’ve had less time (and certainly less energy!) for preparing elaborate breakfasts. My kids’ school starts super early. (I think our chickens are still asleep!!) As I’m rushing around making their breakfasts, lunches and snacks, it’s my breakfast that gets short-changed. But I also don’t want to simply snack on something small just to find myself ravenous by mid-morning, especially if I have meetings or errands away from home.

So I’ve started making this shake, which is a complete breakfast in a cup. It tastes creamy, rich and satisfying, and it is creamy and rich tasting (thanks to the coconut milk and nut butter), and satisfying (thanks to the hefty amount of protein and good fats that keep you filling full until lunch. Plus the cinnamon is great for balancing blood glucose levels.)

You can obviously add other ingredients to it to change up the flavor, but include the basics as that’s what makes it a meal that lasts until lunchtime.

 

Ingredients

3/4 cup coconut milk

1/3 cup almond or cashew butter

1/2 apple

1 small banana

1 Mejdool date, pit removed

1 rounded tsp honey (preferably local and raw to help ward off seasonal allergies)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 generous dash ground cinnamon

2-3 ice cubes (optional for those that like their smoothies cold)

1 tbsp ground flaxseed or chia (optional)

breakfast shake blender

Preparation

Put everything in your Vitamix or other high-powered blender and blend for 30 seconds.

Enjoy!

breakfast shake apple

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