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Cucumber salsa! Easy + fresh [amazing on fish and everything else]

Cucumber Salsa!

I can't say enough about how much of a party is going to happen in your mouth refreshing and satisfying this is... and so EASY to make!  Try it over your favorite fish, (l did mine over baked salmon- yum), add it to tacos, put that sexy salsa over quinoa... Anything! This spices up any dish and makes it look colorful and exquisite. Enjoy this as an easy go-to to make any meal fabulous all summer long. 

Ingredients: 

Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups - Can be made a day in advance, stored in the fridge.

- 2 Cups of peeled and diced cucumber (lemon or english cucumber, preferably)

- 1/2 to 3/4 cup diced red onion

- 1 jalapeno finely chopped (include seeds to give it a little kick) 

- 4 tablespoons of lime juice, (about 1 lime)

- 1/2 cup finely chopped mint

- 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

- Salt and pepper to taste

Easy as 1-2-3:

1- Combine cucumber, onion, jalapeno, mint, and cilantro in a bowl

2- Add lime juice, salt, and pepper

3- Toss everything together and add more lime juice/salt, etc. to taste! 

Healthy, fresh, light ~ ahhh summer.

for the love of grEAT food,

Rachel

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Shrimp Scampi done right by Lindsey

We are very excited to have Lindsey Meehan, the world's hottest Mama and wifey (<- but really, it's true) as our guest blogger for this delicious-o dish!  Lindsey also is the creator of Shabby Chic Life where you can find the most adorable and unique shabby chic items to make your kitchen as cute as hers.

This is an easy breezy kind of meal ~ savory but light and just perfect for lunch or dinner during the warm days of spring and summer.  Thank you Lindsey for this beautiful shrimp scampi recipe! 

Shrimp Scampi

Should serve 4-6 normal people. We're big eaters in my house so this served about 3  Ingredients 3 Tablespoons Butter 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced 25 Raw Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined 8oz Linguine 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice ¾ Cup White Wine (Plus more to drink...obviously.) Italian Parsley Parmesan Cheese (The good stuff, baby!) Salt to Taste, Pepper to Taste

1. Start off by boiling some water for the linguine and throw it in there. 2. Heat up a large heavy pan (or in my case, Dutch Oven) on medium heat and melt butter and olive oil. 3. Sprinkle your shrimp with a little salt and pepper and throw those puppies into that luscious butter/olive oil mixture. 4. Flip them over to cook on both sides. Once cooked, add the wine, lemon juice, and garlic. Turn the heat down to low, and let the alcohol burn off for about 10 minutes. 5. By this time the pasta should be about cooked. Drain the pasta and throw it into your large skillet with the shrimp. Stir it around, dish it up, and top with copious amounts of chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Do me a favor, don't use the Kraft grated Parm...splurge on the good stuff..you won't regret it!

Lindsey writes, "I've always loved cooking as far as I can remember. The kitchen is where I feel most comfortable..it's my place to escape, learn, and challenge myself daily. I pride myself in home cooking a healthy meal for my family at least 6 nights a week. (That doesn't mean I spend hours in the kitchen.. it IS possible to cook an amazing meal without slaving all day!) I'm very happy to say that my 18 month old, Giuliana, has never eaten any canned/jarred baby food. I am a firm believer that when you eat better you feel better. Talk to anyone who eats well, they'd never disagree!"

Lindsey looking beautiful and enjoying her delish recipe at her home in Michigan. Don't forget to check out Shabby Chic Life!

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Wedge Salad w/ Blue Cheese + goodies {crowd pleaser}

In an effort to make my contribution to the super bowl festivities somewhat healthy, I started with lettuce.  Then I thought about one of my fave all-american classics: The wedge salad.

I did this as a "make-your-own" style, which is great for groups or if you're serving a meal buffet style.  It's easy, quick, and a crowd pleaser. 

Ingredients:

Serves 8 or so depending on how you cut the wedges.Total time: 10mins.

- 2 heads of iceberg lettuce

- 1 bottle of your favorite blue cheese dressing (look for the good stuff in the refrigerated area of your grocery)

- 1 small block of blue cheese, or container of crumbled blue cheese

- 12 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves or fourths

- 1 bunch of chives, chopped (I like to use clean kitchen scissors to make it easier and create more even looking little pieces)

- 1/2 purple onion, finely shaved/sliced into bite-size pieces

- Optional: 3 pieces of bacon pan cooked or baked... Then chopped into bite size pieces.

Directions:

1. Peel away any wilted layers of your iceberg lettuce.  Using the base of the head of the lettuce as your guide, cut directly in half splitting the bottom stem (that holds all the leaves together).  Then cut those halves into halves or thirds depending on how many people you're serving.  Plate the wedges onto a large serving platter.  Tip: Try to cut so that the base stem is at the base of each "wedge" you make.  It will help keep the leaves all together in the wedge formation!

2. Place all your salad toppings, (dressing, blue cheese crumbles, tomato, onion, bacon) in small bowls/serving dishes with utensils for your guests to serve themselves. 

That's it!  An easy way to satisfy everyone from veggie lovers to football crazies. 

In grEAT health! ~Rachel

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Yummy Yam Chips {warning: addicting}

There seems to be a craze right now of detox, cleansing, and all things healthy- Maybe it's because it's the start of a new year, or maybe I'm just noticing it because I'm kinda in the craze myself having just finished a detox and now changing many of my eating habits for the much healthier.  

My si-star from another Mister, Mikaela and I had a lovely retreat like weekend and talked a lot about the foody experimenting we've been doing lately to satisfy our cravings while sticking to our new and improved lifestyle... 

She reminded me about something I've been wanting to try that she's been loving: YAM CHIPS.  I admit, it didn't sound like the most appetizing thing when I first heard it, but will all the other crazy veggie goodness and supplements I've been putting in my body- I figured what's another hippy healthy recipe to try!?

And OH WOW- I'm glad I tried. This is the EASIEST munchie you can make, it's satisfying, addicting, and FULL of fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium.  Try making these along side a veggie/turkey burger, as a snack for whenever, or maybe even your healthy chip alternative for your superbowl party?  I can promise you that will be the first empty chip bowl on the table ;) 

Ingredients:

- 2 or ? Yams or sweet potatoes (You say tomatoe I say tomato... These two are interchangeable) Serving size will depend on how many chips you want to make. For 1 or 2 people use 2 yams... For a group do a few batches and get 6+ yams.

- Olive oil

- Salt and pepper

Directions:

*Preheat the oven on bake at 375

*Cut the yams into thin rounds- about 1/4" thick. Note: If you have a mandolin slicer or attachement on your food processor that rotates the blade and does the slicing for you- try it!

*Toss the sliced yams in a bowl with enough olive oil, salt, and pepper to give a good coating to each chip.  (If you want to add cayenne pepper for a kick, or some other season, go for it! I did my just with S&P and they were very flavorful).

*Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spread out the yams evenly

*Bake at 375 for 15 minutes then check them... More than likely there will be some cooking faster than others.  If some are already brown, pull the sheet out of the oven, and put the browned ones aside on a plate. Put the baking sheet back in the oven and check again in 5-10 minutes on the others.  Total bake time should be no more than 20-25 mins.

^Before they go in the oven^

And after...

Enjoy your yummy (and-oh-so-healthy) yam chips!

Cheers to your grEAT health ~ xo Rachel

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Purple silky chicken + kale veggie soup {healthy & hearty}

It's that chilly time of year when most of us want something that's healthy and cleansing, but also warming and hearty.  This soup is simple, full of nutrients and protein, and it's a bit purple from pureed kidney beans that give it a silky and delicious texture!

~ Ingredients:

Please adjust the veggie and chicken portions based on what you like! Add more kale or broth if you feel like it, less chicken... Whatever, these are just suggestions- OR make it veggie. No chicken... Will still be great!

* Chicken or vegetable stock, 6-8 cups 

* Cooked, shredded chicken, I used about 2 cups. (To make it easier on yourself, buy a rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods).

* Organic dark red kidney beans, 1 can rinsed then pureed

* Garlic, 3-4 gloves finely chopped

* Shredded carrots, 1 cup

* Shredded or chopped kale pieces, 3 cups (it cooks down quick)! 

* Leeks, 2 small or 1 large leek cut into 1/4" of less pieces

* Onion, 1 yellow, white, or purple- pick your fave! Chopped into bite size pieces.

* Scallions, 4 scallions chopped 

* (optional): Purple cabbage, 3/4 cup shredded

* EVOO, (extra virgin olive oil) S&P as needed...

~ Directions:

1. Prep all your ingredients... Shred the chicken, carrots, kale. Chop the leeks, onion, garlic, scallions. Rinse and puree the kidney beans.  This can be done using a food processor, emersion blender, or even a regular blender or magic bullet. If the beans get stuck, add a bit of chicken or veg stock.

2. Heat your soup pot on medium. Add a couple tablespoons of EVOO. Add the onions and leeks. After a min. or two add the carrots, garlic, and S&P to taste.

3. After a few more mins. add the kale and purple cabbage (if using). Toss it all together, turn heat down to med-low and cover with a lid for 3-5 mins.

4. Add pureed kidney beans and chicken. Incorporate as best you can, then add the chicken or veg. stock. Turn heat back up to medium. Stir. Cover with a lid for 5 mins. 

5. Add scallions and serve!

Before you add the stock... It looks something like this:

Cheers to this year being healthy and heart(y) in all aspects of life!

~Rachel

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Juicyyy.

At the end of last year, my mom purchased a Hurom Slow Juicer. The benefits of having a slow juicer compared to those juicers that sound like a leaf blower when you turn them on, is that the juicer itself does not heat up the veggies or fruit (or whatever you may be juicing), causing a loss of nutritional value to the juice. If you don't have a slow juicer, I'm not judging, you can get so many health benefits from juicing nevertheless... Just juice! I juice about 5 days a week in the AM. I've almost substituted juicing with coffee...Bible.

There are soooo many recipes on juicing; tons of books, blogs, and websites you can go to to get yummy ideas. But this one is my new favorite that I made the other morning...

~ Two apples

~ 2-3 handfuls of spinach

~ a handful of wheatgrass

~ a lemon or lime

~ an orange or a few cuties (in this recipe I used a blood orange)

~ fresh ginger (very important for the AM juice drinkers, wakes ya right up!)

~ 3-4 stalks of celery (great for PMS and cramps, ladies!)

~ a medium sized beet (raw, of course)

~ 5 stalks of dandelion greens (a new beautiful weed I've found to be SUPER anti-inflammatory, and many other health benefits)

~ 3-4 carrots

I have found that the dandelion grass can be bitter, so make sure you use sweet fruits and veggies to counter act the tangyness (such as carrots, apples, oranges, and beets).

The Hurom!

a few ingredients..... it's important to cut the veggies and fruit into small pieces, especially dealing with a Hurom-Slow Juicer.

One side, all the pulp comes out, and the other side, the JUICE :)

Don't be afraid of the green color, it won't taste bad, I promise! (Unless you totally eff up the recipe I gave you above and added like a whole bunch of dandelion greens or something). In the summertime, I plan to juice peaches, raspberries, and all of the summer fruits!!! Stoked on that. You can also substitute the spinach with kale, or collared greens. I have seen a dramatic change in my face, my energy, and my over all energy level since juicing. I highly suggest you try this if you have a juicer, and if you don't, go buy one!! It's one of the steps you can take towards being healthy.

Your juicy friend,

Allison :)

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Paris ~ Chicken melody + couscous dinner by Sarah

I was in Paris a couple weeks ago, eating my way through the city, and the first night I arrived was no exception!  Life is funny in how you can meet someone in the most absurd circumstances, (like at a race track in Sonoma) and end up 2 years later on the other side of the world together, making chicken, talking about moving to the south of France, and moaning "mmmm-ing omfg!" inappropriately over dessert. [The neighbors probably thought Sarah switched sides that night - I almost did after that dessert!!!]

So, in true Parasian style, I'm not going to give an exact recipe for this beautiful dinner Sarah prepared for me at her flat.  Instead, I'll let the pictures do the explaining and give a bit of insight on ingredients and the loose progression of things I tried to keep track of... 

Ingredients for Sarah's Chicken dish:

- 2 chicken legs (or whatever you have)

- red onion

- garlic

- cherry tomatoes

- lemon

- cilantro

- olives

- couscous for the side

like every good meal... She started with garlic. Brilliant. Then... She broke out a coveted bottle of champagne from her wedding (!!!) I missed about a month earlier.  Now, I'm really feeling parisian... And so SPECIAL! Sarah has a sexy aussie / frenchie way of doing so...

  getting the du person party started... Oh, and handsome Bob Jaxon, of course:  

Ok- back to the cooking... Can you see why I wasn't paying much attention to the exact process of Sarah's magic in the kitchen?!! 

First, she sauteed the onion and garlic, then added the chicken to begin browning...

While catching me up on everything, she twirled around and graceful added the tomatoes and garlic...

Lots of lemon juice!!!

After she added some slice lemon, cilantro, and olives... she let it all cook together into the sweet melody it became.  Chicken was tender, zesty, hearty, and fresh... Served with couscous, salad w/ toasted nuts, and champagne- it was perfection! 

... Then Sarah struck with her "I'm not fucking around" side and brought out beautiful cheeses... This goat cheese being one of them...

It wasn't over there- I was deep into champagne, a love filled meal, and a cheese selection that would bring tears of joy to any dairy connoisseur... And then she brought out a dessert that ruined all future desserts for me. thanks biatch! This combo of dark chocolate mousse with creme fraiche is french for "crack". 

...and that was it.  The perfect end to effortlessly loving meal with a lady I adore- Near or far.  As much as I love cooking, it felt so nice to have someone else create a some deliciousness for me. 

PS- I left a piece of my heart is in that chocolate mousse if you ever miss me Sarah!  

~*Bisous Sarah and Jaxon! ~Rache

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Gluten-Free Matcha Cupcakes with Matcha & Mint Buttercream

I've been watching a lot of Cupcake Wars lately, and have become extremely turned on inspired. When watching, I can almost taste each ingredient they are putting into the cupcakes and carefully watch as they decorate. It's art and baking mixed into one - two things that I absolutely love. I'll be honest, baking was intimidating at first, but after today, I feel like a master. Especially because I have mastered the perfect gluten-free batter that doesn't taste gluten-free! Also, this batter came out fluffy and moist, which is hard to accomplish when using gluten-ree ingredients.

I went to William-Sonoma today and stalked up on some cupcake necessities.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BASIC BATTER: (makes 12 cupcakes)

• 3/2 cup white rice flour

• 1/4 cup & 2 tablespoons sorghum flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1&1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (yes, ya read right, mayo)

• 3/4 cup half and half

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Matcha powder

• Fresh mint

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Preheat oven to º350F. Mix the rice flour, sorghum flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum, and 3 tablespoons of Matcha powder in a bowl. Mis the eggs, sugar, and mayo with a hand mixer until fluffy. Add the flour mixture slowly, then the milk, and vanilla extract. Mix well, but do not over mix! Your batter should look like this:

Bake the cupcakes for 13-17 minutes. Always poke the biggest cupcake with a toothpick, and if it comes out clean, they're done!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MATCHA MINT BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

Warning!! : VERY sweet :)

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 cup butter (two sticks)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1-3 tablespoons whipping cream

• 2 tablespoons Matcha powder

• 2-3 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh mint

Mix with a hand mixer and voila! This buttercream should look extremely green as well and you should be able to prominently taste the mint and matcha.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Extremely proud of my creation. This is my personal recipe but took some hints from online sources.

Youre either going to LOVE this recipe or hate it - matcha does kinda taste like grass, but in a floral-y, yummy way. & when baked into a cupcake - it's perfection to my tastebuds.

btdubz: There was no artificial food coloring used in this recipe.

Happy baking!

Allison :)

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Mini apple pie/turnovers (in 25 mins!)

This is an easy way to make the ultimate comfort food dessert (or decadent breakfast) in 25 mins., (or less depending on your caffeine intake for the day)!  There's nothing better then a nest filled with the smell of baking apples, cinnamon, sugar, and a touch of butter.  Nothing.

So naturally, when I invited my Mom over for dinner last night I wanted to make these for her.  We ended up making them together- the best kind of food to make with Mom: Easy, fun, and comforting <3

Mini Apple Pie/Turnovers

Serves: 2 - 4 people depending on how you cut the puff pastry.  You can make 4-6 small ones, or 2 big ones!

Equipment: Cutting board, sharp knife, bowl, baking sheet, and brush (for egg wash... you can get creative w/ how to apply egg wash if you don't have a brush)

Ingredients: 

- 1 sheet of puff pastry (yes- the secret weapon to make people produce inappropriate noises whilst they're eating your creation) This can be found in the freezer section of almost any market.

- 1 apple 

- 2 heaping tablespoons of sugar; brown or white

- 2 heaping tablespoons of cinnamon

- Butter for "dolloping" 

- Juice from 1 wedge of lemon, (about 2 teaspoons or so)

- 1 egg yolk + 1 tsp. of h20 for egg wash

- Optional: small dash of nutmeg in the sugar/cinnamon mixture

Do it:

1. Preheat your oven to whatever it says on your puffy pastry box.  Usually it's 400F. Butter your baking sheet.

2. Flour a cutting board or clean surface and lay your sheet of puff pastry on it

3. Core and cut apple into very small pieces.

4. In a bowl mix sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg (optional).  Add pieces of apple and toss while squeezing in the juice from a wedge of lemon.

5. Decide how your going to divide up your dough: small square shapes?  Or big triangles?  Use your sharp knife to cut the desired shapes. 

6. Since you're going to fold the pastry dough over, pick a side to put your filling on.  Dap a few bits of butter on that side.  Add apple mixture.

7. Take your brush, (or whatever creative tool you're using), and apply the egg-wash to the inner boarder of the dough- this will help it stick together when you fold it over.  Then, fold one half over the top of the other and use a fork to press all sides together. 

8. Once you've sealed your pillows of apple heaven, egg-wash the all around the outer sides and a bit on the top... Pop them on the baking sheet and stick them in the oven for 15-20mins. depending on the size -->Look at the instructions for your particular puff pastry on the box. Basic rule is to remove them from the oven when the edges are brown'ish and the middle is golden. 

Here's a few pics. to make you drool  walk you through...

Serve with vanilla ice cream or naked.  They're great all by themselves!  Be prepared to be adored by whomever you make these treats for as dessert or decadent breakfast... Delicious comfort at its best.

Chow for now! ~ Rache

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This is my cat, Figaro, doing his exercises for the evening whilst I was making my quinoa salad... I thought I should introduce him because he is a huge part of my life and I love him dearly. He also helps me cook sometimes....... what?

Allison :)

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Quinoa Salad

For those of you who don't know what quinoa is (pronounced "keen-wah"), it is a super healthy and protein rich (& GLUTEN-FREE) grain cultivated in Peru and Chile.

To get started, you'll need 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water. Put it all into a pot and bring to a boil. Once it boils, let it simmer with the top ON until the quinoa is tender and the water is all gone. Add a little salt to the water to flavor the quinoa a bit more, or even substitute the water for chicken stock (like I did in this recipe). It's kinda like making rice but it's easier.

Next: Mince one garlic clove and mix it in the quinoa. & when I say minced, I mean MINCED, such as this next photo depicts; you really don't want to bite into a huge piece of raw garlic.

  now that is some miiiiiiiinced gahlic!

Next: Mince a shallot (or onion if you prefer). I used a shallot because it's not as strong as an onion. A shallot is like a small onion, with a milder taste and a softer smell. (I'm hella into mincing in this recipe, if you couldn't tell).

This is what shallots and onions do to me, I cry every single time I cut one of those suckers. I cry HARD.

ANYWAY, next step is the AVOCADO! Cut the avocado open and take out the pit. Slice the "meat" of the avocado into little squares so it's easy to spoon out and plop into the quinoa salad. If you're from California, you know how to do this. All the other folks, well, here's how this should look:

Next step is the lemon & olive oil dressing. I usually just eyeball my olive oil and then use a whole lemon. I do this step after the avocado because the lemon juice will keep the avocado green!

Next and lastly, I like to add a bit of a crunch factor. The more texture in your recipes, the more interesting :) Add one chopped up cucumber. Done and done baby. You've got yourself a healthy, yummy, super satisfying lunch or dinner.

Allison :)

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this sh*t is BANANAS!

We all love bananas. Well, most of us anyway. Scratch that; just remembered, my own mother doesn't like bananas (?????) DO YOU KNOW HOW GOOD BANANAS ARE FOR YOUR HEALTH? Amongst other things, that I shall talk about in this blog...

I got all of this banana info in an email from Rachel, actually! A banana a day keeps the doctor away, for real.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose, and glucose, combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Bananas are low-glycemic.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the #1 fruit in the WORLD.

According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood, and generally make you feel happier!

Forget the pills ladies - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 they contain regulates blood glucose levels, which can effect mood and help with PMS.

High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin and so helps in cases of anemia.

Bananas are extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat high blood pressure. So much so, the US FDA has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Wouldja look at that!

High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help keep us.....ahem.... regular :)

If you have a hangover, have no fear, the banana is here! Make a banana milkshake sweetened with honey... The banana calms the stomach, and with the help of honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Bananas are a natural antacid! Got heartburn? Eat a banana.

Now, I have personally tried this next trick and it worked. Very impressive banana.

Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. It helps with swelling and irritation.

That's all folks! It's amazing how many years I've taken bananas for granted. I've always loved them, but now I am IN LOVE with them. I have at least two a day. This might be inappropriate, but eating bananas (and lots of fruit in general) makes you taste better. If you know what I meannn. That goes for both men & women. So eat up!

Just make sure you promise me one thing... Never make eye contact with anyone while eating a banana. It's awkward.

Your "meal in a peel" expert,

Allison xx

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Spaghetti squash w/ brown butter, sage + parmesan

3 Reasons to be obsessed with LOVE Spaghetti Squash:

1. It's easy to make, hard to screw up

2. It's super healthy!  Whether you want to add more veggies to your diet, are looking for a  gluten-free alternative to pasta, or want to trick your kids into eating squash...

3. It actually tastes really good, has an amazing pasta-like texture, and looks fancy.  This is one of those dishes that people will say, "I'm not mad.  I'm impressed."

So, when it comes to spaghetti squash, the only basic thing you need to know is how to roast it, (described below), which is great for all you lazy sucka's because the oven does all the work.  Once it's roasted, you can really get creative with the ingredients!  

Personal side note: I remember making this for the first time when Allison and I lived together.  I waited until she got home to scrape the "spaghetti" out of the squash when I was done roasting it.  We both starred with excitement and giggled at the awe-inspiring spaghetti squash, marveling out how such perfect strands come out of a squash!  Point being, this is absolutely f*ing fascinatingly fun to make. 

Below is just one recipe I've tried and loved!  You really can treat this as a pasta and add anything you like with it.  One suggestion is replacing the herb and cheese listed here with Basil, fontinella, or ricotta! Or, add a little garlic, toasted nuts, etc into the mix! Get playful Ms. Impressive!

Spaghetti squash w/ brown butter, sage + parmesan:

Arm yourself: Cutting board,sharp knife, large baking sheet, fork, large mixing bowl, medium-size Saucepan.

Ingredients: 

1 medium size spaghetti squash, (2 1/2 to 3 lb.)

4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

4-6 sage leaves roughly chopped (or if using basil: 6-8 leaves)

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

*optional: toasted walnuts or pine nuts (Directions: add nuts w/ a tiny bit of oil to a medium-heat pan- move around a lot and stand there the whole time, otherwise: they will burn. When you start to "smell" them and they turn a bit golden brown'ish- Done)!

Let's do this:

- Preheat over to 400 F

- Cut squash length-wise in half and remove seed with a spoon, (don't worry-they come out easily after roasting if you miss any).

- Use a tsp. of butter or EVOO to "grease" the cut sides of the squash. Sprinkle a little salt.  Place the squash cut side down on baking sheet.

- Roast the squash for 40-45 mins. or until you can poke easily with a fork. 

...While the oven is working it out for you... Time to make the sauce:

Brown butter + sage sauce:

- Over medium-low heat in the saucepan melt the butter. Once the butter has melted- hang tight.  Don't go anywhere otherwise you'll end up with nasty burnt butter sauce.  Continue to heat the butter and swirl it around in the pan a bit every 30 secs. or so.  Butter will turn light golden brown and you'll smell a bit of a "toasted" aroma. Watch it even closer at this point... it will start to turn dark golden brown at which point: DONE! Immediately remove from heat. (Depending on your stove, pan, etc. this will take about 5-7 mins.)

- Add nutmeg and sage, (or whatever herb you're using) to the pan.  Swirl. Sauce is done! 

- Fork the spaghetti strands out of the roasted squash into a large bowl.  Add salt and pepper.  Pour brown butter sauce over the spaghetti and toss gently.

Serving: Put the spaghetti back into the hollow squash, or on a platter if you're doing fam style.  Finish by generously sprinkling parmesan over the top (and nuts too if you like)!

You're done!  Squash is no longer a side dish, but a fascinating feast!  

ps: sorry I don't have a "finished" pic. for you- Next time I make it I'll post one- It's truly a beautiful sight.  See for yourself! with veggie love, Rachel

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Simple homegrown garden (even if you don't have a yard)

Spring has kind-of sprung!  So let's rejoice with a kick-off about apartment-stizzle gardening! 

First off: I do not have a green thumb.  So, please know that having your own simple garden does not require mad skillz so long as you set yourself up right.  Don't be scurred... You will be hooked after you make your first glorious salad from your lettuce. Some of my pickin' from my "garden":

Growing my own herbs, veggies, and fruit is one of my favorite things in the spring/summer.  Last year, between 2 pots I had everything I needed for a salad every night, fresh tomatoes for anything, mint for mojitos, and herbs for fancy fun!  I grew wild strawberries for the first time, and although they don't produce baskets of fruit- they are tiny and delicious in yogurt, desserts, etc. and I'm pretty sure there are faires living in my mini strawberry garden because the plant has survived through this strange winter with virtually no water ...Says Ms. Bad Thumb.

I live alone, and only have a deck, (no yard space at all), so really- You can do this in a pot or two- Give it a shot!  Here's where I suggest you start:

~ DO: buy organic legit plants and soil. DON'T buy the cheap crap from the front of RiteAid.

Depending on where you live, find the most hippy, grass roots garden center within your tie-die radius.  If you live in the Bay Area my favorite is either the Zen Center in Mill Valley, (not a huge selection, but what they do have dropped straight out of buddha heaven- just going there is an experience) or, Green Jeans in Mill Valley. Ask for Kevin... He is the owner and a natural, organic garden Master!  This is the type of guy that goes out in the woods foraging for a week at a time.  He knows all about the bayarea climates and will set you up with plants that will be happy growing in your zone.  Green Jeans Abundance:

~ Other good garden suppliers in the bay:

- Sloat Garden, Mill Valley + Fairfax

- Sunnyside Nursery, Fairfax

- Cottage Gardens of Petaluma

... And the list goes on...

Cost: You should anticipate the initial investment for pots, soil, and plants (assuming your doing 1-2 pots of lettuces, tomatoes, herbs, etc.) to be approximately $40 - $140. If you're thinking "Woah! That sounds like a lot!" Think about how much you spend in 1 trip to a farmers market. 

Wild strawberry tasting at Green Jeans:

Suggestions and tips for planting with pots:

- Put your pot on a pot stand, like this one from Ikea:  http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/70173894/

- If you're planting in medium to large size pots: Do not fill the entire thing with soil!  Line the bottom with rocks... This will help the water flow through better and won't require as much soil. Talk to the person at the gardening place where you buy your plants and take their advice about adding nutriets, etc. to the soil.  I don't get too crazy with that stuff, but some extra natural added nutrients/fertilizers are bueno!

- Get a watering can you like.  Look for one that pours out like a light rain shower.

- Ask a lot of questions!  Don't be shy when you're at the gardening store!  They love helping new gardeners.  Many garden experts, depending on how busy they are, will become a personal plant shopper for you and walk around to pick the best with you.  Takes notes- You will forget whatever they say even if it makes complete sense at the time.  You only have to do this once- trust me- take notes.

- Plants like water. So water them. It's your only job. Early mornings and evenings is when they prefer their shower.  If you're going away on vacation: Make sure you have someone to water them at least every other day. Every day is necessary if it's a heat wave time.

- Pick lettuce leaves from the outside-in.  Leave the center always in tact.  You'll have salads for months this way.

- If you want to get in serious mode about this, I love this local ladies tips on her blog, 'Edible Goddess': http://ediblegoddess.com/2012/02/must-know-steps-growing-food/

Here's a pic. of my "plot" from last summer.  I had so much abundance at one point I thought of having a pop-up farmers market on my deck for my neighbors. ;)

There's nothing like the enjoyment of running your hands through a basil plant on a warm summer day and smelling your fingers... While you kick back on your deck with your cold home-made mint mojito. Have fun!  You're bringing health and well-being to yourself and the whole world, really. :) rache

Photo credit of bee & flower, Green Jeans, and me: my talented artist of a sister, Katharine Rasmussen!

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Spicy Home-Brewed Chai

So... my mom's friend came up with a brilliant idea of brewing her own chai. I have always used Oregon Chai as my go-to chai. It's perfectly balanced between sweet and spicy.

Home brewed chai sounds difficult, but it's actually fun and easy, and makes the whole house smell like cardamom.

(I'm not sure if 'home brewed' is the right lingo, but I'll go with it because it sounds awesome)

Step 1: You can either go with a cup of milk, or as I like to do it, 1/4 cup of water and the rest half and half. (I just like the taste of half and half better and have the metabolism of an 11 year old boy) Put it into a small pot and start heating it up. You never want to boil milk or half and half, so keep the flame (or coils) on low.

Step 2: Add approximately 8 cardamom cloves, two or three tablespoons of Peet's Masala Chai mix to your dairy of choice (you can of course substitute the milk or half and half with soy milk, almond milk, hemp milk, etc...) and three slices of freshly cut organic ginger root. At this point in time, I usually add honey to make the chai sweeter. If you don't add some sort of sweetness, it'll be very very spicy. I like to use organic, raw, local honey.

Step 3: Stand in front of your stove for about 10 minutes and wait impatiently for the chai to turn a beautiful golden brown. OOps, uhh, well..... you get the point. Just don't let the mixture boil!

Step 4: When the chai is nice and brown and hot and steeped, you're going to sift the "goodies" out of the liquid into a mug or cup.

I drank a cup this morning. It has caffeine in it due to the black tea that is in the Masala Chai mixture, but just the taste alone will wake you up! 

Enjoy :)

Allison

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Puff pastry w/ Scallions + Goat Cheese = easy num nums

Who doesn't love the flaky, golden, buttery delight that IS puff pastry? I had a small girls din party the other night where I made a hearty veggie soup and I wanted some side nibble to go with it.  All the time  In these situations my mind says, "grilled cheesy something!" but, when I opened my freezer I realized it was full of puff pastry.  Even one that I bought at some specialty store for $20.  Why? Because I have issues when I'm in fancy supermarkets I always believed they would have their glory day-saving moment from some last minute soiree I would throw, or twisted into some swan shape with margarine popping out of it's head like a crested duck floating on my boring dessert plates a sugar rose! 

But alas, it hit me: It was morphin time for my puff pastry fantasy... Something simple: Like scallions and a bit of goat cheese.  Yum with soup.  So, Allison came over and we got it on the best way we know how: In the kitchen.

This receipe is great becuase you can use what you have.  If you look in the fridge and you have chives or another herb, use that!  Get freaky with the cheese!  Don't stress- The puff will handle it for you.  

Puff pastry w/ scallions + goat cheese:

Yields about 16 little squares

Ingredients:

- 1 sheet of puff pastry

- 3-4 Scallions- chopped

- Some goat cheese

- 1 egg yolk, beat and mixed with a teaspoon of h20

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to whatever the directions say on your puff pastry box. 

2. Dash some flour over a cutting board or clean surface you can take a knife to.  

3. Take your chopped scallions and evenly distribute them all over your sheet of puff.  Press them in a bit so they become a little squished into the puff.

4. Brush the puff sheet with a light coating of the yolk/h20 mixture

5. Cut puff pastry sheet into even squares- You can be creative on how big or small you want them... The ones we did were about 2" x 2".

6. Clump a bit of goat cheese into the middle of each square.  You're done!  Pop those bad boys in the oven and make sure you set the timer as the directions for your puff reccomend- they puff up pretty quickly.  

This will make the whole house smell amazing and you'll want the oven light on so you can watch the magic happen!  Or, at least that's what we did.  But, then again, puff pastry turns us on.

This is one of those "Sexy but rustic" apps (not the kind on your phone), or a great side nibble for salads, soups, etc. Enjoy!-rache

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WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER WHEN YOU ARE IN A BAD MOOD?

ice cream!