Summer Salad

Just made one of my favorite summer salads this weekend.

1 can black beans, drained

1 can chickpeas, drained

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/4. cup chopped cilantro

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

Add salt & pepper adjust olive oil to taste

7-Minute Workout

This workout is getting a lot of buzz everywhere.  It was originally printed in the ACSM Journal, and the NY Times has picked it up as well.  I just tried it and broke a sweat very quickly:

You do each exercise in the routine for 30 seconds with 10 seconds rest in between each exercise.  Great, I think, for those days when you know you have very little time.

Philosophy for Life

My best friend and her husband have a philosophy for life that involves 4 tenets:

• Be happy.
• Do the right thing.
• Help others.
• Expect success.

Simple but spot on.

What I’m Cooking – Gwyneth Paltrow’s Brownies

I love this recipe, which is very chocolatey, but gives you no sugar high or sugar cravings.  It’s from her cookbook below.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Fudgy, Chocolaty Brownies

 INGREDIENTS

2 cups white spelt flour (preferably King Arthur)

1 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup brown rice syrup (or light agave nectar)

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

1/2 cup soymilk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

 

PREPARATION

Heat oven to 350°. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Whisk maple syrup, oil, brown rice syrup, coffee, soymilk and vanilla in another bowl. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients but don’t overmix. Pour half the batter into a greased 9″ x 11″ baking dish; top with half the chips. Pour remaining batter into dish and top with remaining chips. Bake until knife comes out with crumbs adhering to it, 30 minutes. Let cool.

Quote of the Day

“Everyone is born an original, but sadly most die copies”–Abraham Lincoln

 

8 Signs You’re A Food Nerd

From:  ZAGAT.COM

 

Fancy kitchen gear = a food nerd essential

To the everyday eater, the term food nerd might seem like an insult. Nope. True, this brand of avid diner may take their love of obscure ingredients a little too far (mmm – salsify) and overload on pictures at the dinner table (fact, you just can’t make headcheese look good), but food nerdiness is a badge of honor. These gastronomic geeks may be extreme, but their exacting standards raise quality across the boards.

 

Photo Mania

Because what fun is being a food nerd if you can’t document it for everyone to see (and by “everyone,” we mean your social media followers). Everyone we asked agreed that excessive photography is sign numero uno of nerdinesss. One reader said the title dictated that your friends should “know better than to start eating before you’ve Instagrammed it.” If you’ve lost all shame for setting off your flash at a crowded restaurant (and if you lose track of the conversation because you’re too busy checking how many people liked your update), you’re on the path to proper geekery.

Fancy Condiment Fanaticism

If you’re looking to identify a food nerd, take them to the condiments counter. Once they reach for sriracha, bingo – nerdiness confirmed. Regular ketchup and mustard just don’t cut it anymore – food nerds slather this spicy sweet Thai sauce on pretty much everything. If you use a non-Heinz ketchup or stone ground dijon, you may just be a geek deep down.

Meat Heritage Obsession

The more you want to know about the source of your meat, the more nerd you have lurking underneath. Pork? Boring. How about mangelista pig that was raised on a local farm and only fed acorns for the last two months that it was alive? True geeks will also have a deep appreciation for the custom meat blends in their burgers. For example, nerd-level carnivores know that the Black Label burger at New York’s Minetta Tavern wouldn’t be as tasty without just the right blend of skirt steak, brisket and New York strip in that patty.

You’re a Food Truck Follower

Food nerds know that food trucks rock – if you have had days when you score more than one meal from a mobile eatery, chances are you fall into this category. Another piece of evidence that your love of eating on the go may bring you into the geek category is your social feeds. If you use Twitter to stay on top of the trucks, and will up and run from wherever you are when you find out one is close to you, you might as well hashtag #FoodNerd when you at-reply them to say you’re coming.

Proper Gear

There’s two places to look when your snooping around someone’s pad trying to determine their food nerd cred: the kitchen counter and the bookshelf. In the kitchen, you have to look for tricked-out gear that you think seems like it would rarely have the occasion for use. The more expensive, the more devoted you are to geekery  An at-home sous-vide machine is the perfect example – shiny, not that functional and expensive. The bookshelf is similar – the heavier the instructional tomes, the better, with Nathan Myhrvold’s Modernist Cuisine being the food nerd’s ultimate bible.

You Have a Restaurant Bucket List

Hitting every new restaurant that’s worth going to is pretty much impossible, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try. Food nerds are passionate about going out, and they are always looking for new place to hit. Once a new hole-in-the-wall Thai joint or crazy-expensive fine-dining establishment is found, it goes on the list. The selection of potential restaurants is always getting updated, and by its ever-expanding nature it’s impossible to hit every one. When looking for a place to go on a random night, they will consult the list (and new friends with similar tastes will compare lists to make plans).

Those that take food geekery to the extreme will peruse their list, not find anything appealing and continue to look for new options elsewhere.

Cocktail Geekery

Whether you’re making basil gimlets at your home bar on a Monday evening or debating Campari vs. Aperol at a high-end lounge with a mustachioed bartender, a fine appreciation of cocktail culture is pretty much a sure sign of food nerd-ness. To be fair, cocktail geeks are not always food nerds – some liquid lovers don’t care about anything other than what’s in their glass. But, if you’re trying to elevate what’s in your glass to the level of a dish you’d order at your favorite restaurant – nerd alert!

Discretionary Income, and Then Some

If you’re still doubting your food-nerd status, look at your bank account. If you’ve paid rent a few days late because you wanted to splurge on that impossible-to-get reservation or if you’ve racked up the bills paying for ingredients like starfruit and saffron at Whole Foods, chances are that you’re laying out the dough to satisfy your inner geek. If you go to a restaurant and you think it’s no big deal to spend $4 extra for them to put fresh ramps on your salad, chances are your wallet will be bare, but your cupboards anything but. Food geekery is expensive – cha-ching!

Quote of the Day

“I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.”

–Arthur Rubenstein, Polish born American composer and pianist

 

Travel: Marfa, Texas

I just came back from a long weekend in Marfa, Texas.  I loved the place!  Marfa is a small town in West Texas with about 2000 residents.  It is an art center – there are about 9 galleries and 3 museums there.  The last work by Andy Warhol (The Last Supper) is permanently installed in Marfa.  We also saw some great work from a local Marfa artist:  Julie Speed.  Speed moved to Marfa in 2006, where she has a studio downtown.  Speed said, “I keep hours just like a real job, only longer, and in my spare time I read books, drink tequila, garden, and drive around West Texas.”  To see more of her work, go to juliespeed.com.

Marfa is also a foodie town and we had some great meals.  We had great Italian food at Maiya’s and some of the best pizza we’ve ever eaten at Pizza Foundation (perfect crust!).  Most everyone agrees that some of the best food in Marfa is at Cochineal.  The 2 chefs had a Michelin rated restaurant in New York City, came to Marfa for a visit, and decided to stay.  Cochineal rotates their menu constantly based in part on what they are growing in their garden out back.  They offer small plates and large plates – we started with the homemade pate, and it was one of the best pates we’ve ever eaten.  A bold wine list has 250 selections in every price range.  For more info, go to cochinealmarfa.com.

Cochineal’s two star chefs:

 

 

What I’m Eating – Chicken Srirachi Stir Fry

I love srirachi sauce and am always looking for recipes that use it.  I love this one, which is full of power foods as well.

Chicken Srirachi Stir Fry

2 (8 oz) chicken breasts, pounded thin and sliced in thin strips

1 cup (or 1 small can) red kidney beans, drained

2 cups broccoli florets, blanched. 2 cups sweet potatoes, match-stick cut, 1 cup red bell peppers, thinly sliced

2 tbsp grapeseed oil, 2 tbsp sesame oil

Sweet and Spicy Sauce:  1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce2 , tbsp sriracha

2 tbsp fresh garlic, chopped, 2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped

2 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp agave honey

Directions:  In large non-stick pan on high heat, add oil and begin to sauté chicken strips until golden brown for 4-6 minutes (do not crowd pan or layer chicken). Remove chicken and place on plate to rest.

Add bell peppers, sweet potatoes, broccoli and kidney beans, and quickly sauté for 3-4 mins.  Whisk all sauce ingredients together and add sauce and chicken back to pan (with juices). Toss until coated.

Pour over prepared brown rice and enjoy!

What I’m Reading

This book comes out on October 30, and I have already pre-ordered it:

The book is Crazy Sexy Kitchen by Kris Carr.  

I am eating a much more plant-based diet these days.  I still eat meat but it’s usually every other day and not every meal or every day.  Vegetarian cooking has evolved so much, and I don’t miss meat at all when I have great vegetarian recipes.

Kris Carr became interested in nutrition when she developed cancer, and she believes than changing the way she eats had a lot to do with her recovery.  She is an extreme advocate for good nutrition.  She also loves green smoothies, which I also drink daily.

From Amazon.com:  Crazy Sexy Kitchen is the Veggie Manifesto for plant-empowered gourmands and novices alike, and it’s filled with inspiration, education, cooking tips, and over 150 nourishing, nosh-worthy recipes. Crazy Sexy Kitchen redefines the kitchen as headquarters for America’s wellness revolution. The goodness born in the Crazy Sexy Kitchen will reach deep into the rest of your life—enriching your health, your home, your heart, and the planet.

Crazy Sexy Kitchen gives readers all the tools and know-how needed to adopt a nutrient-dense, plant-happy approach to eating and living that harmonizes your body at the cellular level. It’s a celebratory way of life that’s deeply connected, healthy, awake and engaged.