Kongnamul: Soybean Sprout Salad

Sundays are sometimes a blur. There is laundry, grocery shopping, bills, sifting through piles of random paperwork and receipts (why do I even keep these?) and cleaning the kitchen floor and then suddenly it's 4:30pm and I haven't even thought of what I should make for dinner.

I did manage to sneak in a wonderful Anusara Yoga class at Yoga Tree. It was hard work, but I felt so proud of myself for stretching through the tight spots and taking some time to breathe and clear the clouds, so to speak.

The rain clouds have been rollin in this week and it's been a little cold and gloomy around here. Perfect for some Korean Tofu Kimchi Stew. And definitely some banchan, which I like to call vegetable snacks that are generally very easy to prepare. You know I love me some Korean food.

Kongnamul is one of my favorite types of banchan. It's a crunchy soybean sprout salad with a hint of sesame.

It's really cheap, too-you can buy a whole pound of sprouts at almost any asian grocery/market for about $1.20. I like to buy the loose ones and not pre-bagged sprouts because those tend to get soggy and rancid very quickly.

Note: I made that cute little ceramic plate at Color Me Mine.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 pound of soybean sprouts
* 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
* salt to taste
* Optional: small amounts of chopped green onion, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, soy sauce


DIRECTIONS:

* Fill a medium pot about 2/3 full with water and 1 tsp. of salt and bring to a boil.
* Rinse the sprouts and discard any wilted sprouts.
* Toss in the sprouts, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.
* Drain and rinse in cold water until cooled (or plunge them into a bowl of ice water if you like it extra crunchy).
* In a bowl, combine the drained, cooked sprouts, sesame oil, salt and any other optional items you may be using.

Ta-da! So easy.

This dish will not keep more than a day or so in the fridge (it becomes soggy pretty quickly), so I highly recommend eating it up fresh!

Product Review: Kaia Foods

I like raw food because I can appreciate its incredibly creative and interesting raw versions of familiar non-raw foods like pizza. Like making something creamy or cheesy out of cashews! Or using ground nuts and seeds to make delicious crumbly crusts for dessert. But I don't like raw food when it involves large amounts of coconut oil or the torture of delayed gratification while things soak for hours or slowly sprout or that many inventive recipes become inaccessible to the average household that doesn't own a food dehydrator. In addition to the occasional meal at Cafe Gratitude, I like to keep an eye out for tasty raw snacks that I wouldn't be able to make at home.

My latest raw obsession is this breakfast bowl sold at a stand at the Saturday Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. The name escapes me (but I will find out and update), but the guy makes a lovely collection of raw smoothies, raw chocolate mousse and raw sushi rolls wrapped in nori or kale leaves stuffed with all sorts of goodies. But the breakfast bowl has this addictive flavor that outshines the rest. It is simply coconut water, coconut, apples, salt, vanilla beans all blended together and then topped with some fresh blueberries (or other seasonal fruit) and flax oil. So freaking delicious.

Since I am not into waiting for things to sprout and don't own a dehydrator, I had been wanting to find some local raw snacks that I could take with me to work. So when the good people at Kaia Foods in Oakland asked me to try some of their sprouted products, I jumped at the chance.


Buckwheat Granola (Cocoa Bliss):
This tasty sprouted granola contains sprouted buckwheat, agave nectar, raisins, flax seeds, sprouted sunflower seeds, cacao powder, sprouted pumpkin seeds, sprouted walnuts, dried coconut, vanilla extract and sea salt. I loved the crunchy texture of the buckwheat, but I wanted the cocoa flavor to be stronger. I ended up using it as the base of a delicious trail mix to which I added some chocolate chips and almonds. I really want to try the Dates & Spices granola!

Raw Fruit Leathers:
My favorite thing about these 30 calorie gems is how simple and pure they are--the ingredients are typically a pureed blend of 2 or 3 fruits and either a spice or vanilla extract. That's it! Gluten-free, raw and vegan. They are not as moist as traditional fruit leathers, but they have a clean and natural flavor that really lets the fruit shine. I tried Goji Orange, Vanilla Pear and Spiced Apple. The vanilla pear was my favorite although I wished it had vanilla beans instead of extract--I think seeing those little black specks makes me really believe in the presence of the vanilla. I really want to get my hands on the lime ginger one made with orange, banana, kale, lime juice, and ginger powder.

Sprouted & Dried Sunflower Seeds:
These came in very creative flavors: teriyaki, cocoa mole, garlic & sea salt and sweet curry. I was not a fan of the teriyaki flavor--it had an odd sweetness that I just could not get used to. The cocoa mole was a little bland in flavor, but a great addition to oatmeal or trail mix. The garlic and sea salt flavor was the best candidate for being a snack all on its own. And, surprisingly, I really enjoyed the sweet curry flavor--it had good a nice flavor of cumin and curry powder rounded out with a pinch of cayenne pepper. I made a big green leafy salad with carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocado with some green goddess dressing) and then sprinkled on some of the sweet curry sunflower seeds and some garlic and sea salt sunflower seeds. Kaia also has a nice little recipe booklet with some great salad dressing ideas such as Agave Lemon Dressing or Thai Dressing.

I also heard that they will be making kale chips, which I am really excited about because homemade kale chips involve some tedious care (think of washing and drying each leaf by hand) and have a very short shelf life.

Kaia Foods has a motto I can stand behind: keep it simple. I appreciate the thought and effort they put into making creative and healthy snacks. They are making a good effort to ship all over the country, so check them out at a store near you!

Vegan Thai Red Lentil Soup with Lemongrass

I don’t make a lot of Thai food at home. Despite my fantastic success with the occasional pad thai and summer spring rolls with peanut sauce (I should really tell you about that sauce later), I’ve failed miserably at tom kha soup and a few other Thai dishes. So I would never go out of my way to just make up a Thai recipe on the fly and hope for the best. Except for this past Monday night. I was with my friend Eli, who always inspires cooking confidence. Maybe it’s because she went to culinary school; maybe it’s because she is a good friend that cheers you along no matter what your goal is.

Eli and I listened to a little Nina Simone, and within minutes of dancing around the kitchen, I was on my way to making a Thai red lentil soup. This soup is a bit unconventional in its method. A rebel to authenticity even. It starts with a flavorful “soup base” made with garlic, ginger, lemongrass and spices. And then develops that fragrant base in to a silky soup with the addition of onions, red lentils, coconut milk and a hint of cinnamon. Trust me (I say that a lot, huh), once you taste the final product, you will understand the method to the madness.


INGREDIENTS FOR SOUP BASE:

* 1 shallot, chopped
* 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised and minced (only use up to 2/3 of the stalk from the white bottom up towards the green tops)
* 1/4 or 1/2 of a small Thai red chili (cut in half and remove seeds and then quarter; use more or less for desired heat level)
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 two-inch piece ginger (or galangal if you can find it), sliced
* 2 Tbsp. tomato ketchup (told you this wasn’t authentic)
* 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
* 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
* 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper (or black pepper)
* 3 Tbsp. soy sauce (omnivore option: you can use fish sauce)
* 1.5 tsp. sugar
* 1 tsp. chili powder
* 1/4 can good-quality coconut milk (reserve remaining liquid for the soup)
* Juice from 1/2 lime

DIRECTIONS:

* Puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender (it won’t be completely smooth—it will have a more gritty texture).

Note: This will make about 3 portions of soup base so divide it into thirds and the remaining base will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week or you can freeze it. I imagine the base would work nicely with curries or just a thinned out simple sauce for stir fry with tofu and veggies!

INGREDIENTS FOR SOUP:

* 3-4 Tbsp. oil (light extra virgin or vegetable oil)
* 1 large onion, sliced finely
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 2 stalks of lemongrass, gently bruised to open up flavors
* 2 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
* 4 tbsp. of soup base (about 1/3 of what you made for the soup base; see above)
* 2 cups vegetable broth (omnivore option: chicken broth)
* 6 cups water
* 3 cups red lentils (rinsed and picked over for debris)
* 3/4 can of coconut milk (using the rest of the unused can from making the soup base)
* Juice from 1 lime
* 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
* 2-4 tsp. soy sauce (to taste)
* Cilantro or fried shallots (optional garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

* In a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat until glossy.
* Add onions and sautee for up to 10 minutes or until softened.
* Add in the cinnamon stick, lime leaves, lemongrass stalks and soup base and cook for another 3-5 minutes to release all the flavors from the soup base.
* Add the broth, water and lentils and turn the heat up to medium high to bring to a boil.
* Carefully remove and discard the cinnamon stick, lime leaves and lemongrass stalks.
* Cover and turn the heat down to a medium simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils are soft.
* Using an immersion blender (or food processor in batches), puree the soup until silky smooth.
* Add in the coconut milk, lime juice, salt and soy sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary.
* You can add more water to achieve desired consistency—the soup will thicken considerably when cooled so you would want to add a little more water when reheating.
* Garnish with cilantro and/or fried shallots if desired.

Note: This recipe makes about 8 servings. If refrigerated, the soup will thicken considerably so you can just thin it out to desired consistency before re-heating.

BBQ Chopped Salad at California Pizza Kitchen

I am not sure I have ever been so excited about a post before! Are you ready for this?! I have successfully made the BBQ chopped Salad from California Pizza Kitchen, which I have been smitten by since I first had it several years ago. And even more exciting--I made a vegan version by omitting the chicken and making a vegan garden herb ranch dressing. Since I know I am not the only one who loves this salad (and CPK's miso salad), I thought I should show you how you can make it too!

I should probably point out that I am not vegan and it isn't generally my mission to veganize things, but there is a really easy explanation for making vegan versions of things. You can usually make vegan versions with the stuff that you already have in your kitchen, refrigerator or pantry! It's true. That's how this salad came about--I didn't have any chicken in the house or ranch dressing.

My friend, Eli, says that the best restaurants are those that create dishes that inspire you to want to figure out how to make the dish yourself in your own kitchen. I have to agree. I am not a trained chef and I often eat wonderful, delicious things that make me think "I have absolutely no idea how to make that". But what really makes me excited is when I eat something and I can detect all or most of the ingredients. Then I feel pretty confident that if I just gather those familiar ingredients up, I will likely be able to recreate that dish even without a recipe. That is what makes me excited about cooking in my kitchen or sharing those experiences and knowledge with all of you.

At CPK, a half order costs $8.99 and a full order is $12.49, plus $2.00 if you want to add on a half of an avocado. It's a pretty pricey salad, which is partly why I desperately wanted to make it at home. Here is the thing about this salad--it does have many ingredients, but it is not necessarily labor intensive. It's just a matter of assemblying it all together. Of course, I am sure that it's much easier at a restaurant when all the items are prepped and chopped and the prep cook just mixes up a serving when ordered. But since you and I don't have prep cooks in our kitchen (or, if you do, can I come over?!), just put a little music on and chop away and it will be pretty simple to mix altogether once you have all the items ready. Also, if you aren't vegan and already have some ranch dressing, go ahead and use that! And if you want to add some protein to the salad, you could throw in some cubed or marinated tofu (or even brown up some diced tofu and simmer it for a couple minutes in some of the bbq sauce).

Now, the star quality of this salad is its crunchiness--every element is meant to give the salad a great, satisfying crisp crunch. All of these crunchy bits are what saves it from the fact that it is a fairly wet salad, as salads go--the ranch dressing is pretty thin and then it is topped with bbq sauce. This is why I don't recommend putting any tortilla strips or chips into the salad to be mixed in because it tends to become soggy too quickly--just keep it as a garnish for the top!

BBQ CHOPPED SALAD
Adapted from the original recipe from California Pizza Kitchen

INGREDIENTS FOR VEGAN RANCH DRESSING:

* 6 oz. silken tofu (like Mori-Nu) or 1/2 package of tofu
* 1/2 cup vegenaise
* 1/4 cup green onion, chopped (about 2-3 stalks)
* 4 tsp. lemon juice
* 1 Tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
* 1/4 tsp. dried dill (or 1/2 tsp. freshly chopped dill)
* 1.5 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
* 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
* 3 tsp. red wine vinegar
* 3 tsp. agave nectar

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

* 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce (about 1/8-inch-wide strips)
* 6-8 fresh basil leaves, shredded into 1/8-inch-wide strips
* 1 medium sized jicama, diced into small cubes
* 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 cup sweet white corn kernels (freshly cut off the cob if possible)
* 3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
* 2 large ripe fresh tomatoes, diced (save a handful for garnish)
* 1 ripe avocado, diced (garnish)
* 1/2 cup good quality bottled barbecue sauce (for garnish; I like Trader Joe's Kansas-style BBQ sauce)
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (for garnish)
* large handful of tortilla chips, lightly crushed (for garnish)
* lime wedges (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS FOR ASSEMBLY:

* In a blender, whizz all the ingredients for the salad dressing together until smooth. Don't worry, it will be a little runny.
* In a large bowl, mix together all of the salad ingredients except for the garnish items (some tomatoes, bbq sauce, tortilla chips, and lime).
* Add the ranch dressing to the salad in small increments until it is dressed to your liking. I used less than 1/4 cup so there will be plenty of dressing leftover.
* Pile the salad onto a large plate or serving platter. Add the diced tomatoes around the edges of the salad, top with the avocado, scallions, tortilla chips and lime wedges. Drizzle some bbq sauce over the whole thing.

Ta-da!

Green Chai and Almond Smoothie from Parsley: Denver

When I was in Denver visiting my friend Chelsea (and pouring beer at the Great American Beer Festival), we had lunch at this quaint little organic cafe called Parsley.

Jason ordered a sandwich with Applegate Farms roasted turkey, Croatian fig spread, organic lettuce and brie cheese. I got myself a veggie sammie called the Tree Hugger: marinated artichokes, tomatoes (instead of the red peppers), fresh mozzarella, organic lettuce and balsamic dressing. The sammies at that place are delicious, but what I really wanted to tell you about is their smoothies.

I ordered this Green Chai smoothie made with bananas, soy milk, agave, green chai tea and organic almonds that they roast and grind to a fine powder.




I knew I would try to replicate this as soon as I got home. This smoothie is earthy with subtle chai notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger and allspice--a really nice change from my usual berry-laden smoothie routine...




INGREDIENTS:

* 1.5 to 2 bananas, frozen in chunks
* 2 Tbsp. pure all-natural almond butter
* 2 Tbsp. almond meal
* 3 Tbsp. agave
* 1/4 cup soymilk
* 3/4 cup cold green chai tea

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. You can adjust the amount of tea and bananas to alter the consistency to your liking. I would also add in a quick little shake of some of the chai spices if you really want a stronger chai flavor.

Welcome Home Salad with Nectarines and Roasted Cipollini Onions

In the midst of drafting memos and reading discovery requests (are you yawning yet?), I often find myself thinking about food--from what I am going to make for dinner to menu planning for some event that doesn't even exist yet. I don't think you understand--I love menu planning. I think that it should be a national policy to ask every person--maybe on graduation day from high school or college--Tell us, graduate: "What do you like to talk about?" This would be the perfect steer-you-in-the-right-direction question because when people love something-when they are passionate about something, it shows. Their eyes light up. Their voice becomes animated and excited. You can just tell. Then you hand them a card with their destined profession (matched up to their passions, of course, this isn't a caste system!) and dust your hands off and send them on their way!

So, the only problem with this scenario is that, in my case, if you had asked me this profound question on the day I graduated from college, I don't know what I would have said. Maybe my love for writing. But what I liked to talk about would not have been food. Because that didn't fully develop until about my second year into law school--when I was already full speed ahead on a one way path down a certain raging river, if you catch my drift. Ha!

So there it is. The lawyer who loves to talk about food.

My form of daydreaming frequently consists of menu planning. Sexy, I know. So when two of my friends, Aja and Erin, drove up from Los Angeles to San Francisco, they arrived weary and hungry--and full of junk food and candy eaten out of boredom and/or desperation along the way. I decided to make them something light yet comforting: some polenta cakes and a simple salad of mixed greens topped with heirloom tomatoes, slices of sweet nectarine and roasted cipollini onions.
Cipollini onions are sweeter than yellow or white onions, but not quite as sweet as shallots, but they are also small and flat which makes for perfect roasting. Instead of following a recipe, I gave them a good rub of olive oil, sea salt and pepper and then a quick douse of balsamic vinegar and put them in the oven at 350 degrees until they turned soft and melted, about 20-25 minutes. For the greens, I drizzled a little bit of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and some sea salt and pepper. Keep it simple because the "dressing" and flavor will all come from the juices from the onions, which you can drizzle over the salad after the onions are roasted. Now, I added a last minute quick grating of some Parmegiano Reggiano, but you can leave this out if you want to keep it vegan...

Welcome.

Vegan Avocado "Cream"

If you got caught doing something naughty (we won't get into the particulars, okay?), would you feel better about it if, in fact, it wasn't actually naughty--but just seemed naughty?! I would. That's kind of how I feel about some of my attempts to make "healthier" versions of things--especially vegan versions of things. Like when I make "sausage gravy" that is-get this-made with fat-free "sausage" and fat-free cannellini beans. It's like I am tricking my mind--and I'm not talking about the kind of mind trick Heintz is playing with their green ketchup. That's just wrong--I don't care if it "tastes the same". It's more like a gentle coercion of my mind and tastebuds into thinking that I am being incredibly indulgent on a Sunday morning when I scoop gravy over warm biscuits.

Same thing goes for using silken tofu to make vegan dishes creamy and rich like fettucine alfredo or even flourless chocolate cake!

This avocado "cream" blends silken tofu and avocado with a healthy dose of fresh parsley, scallions and basil to make an incredibly decadent topping. Depending on what you want to use it for, you can adjust its consistency by adding a little more water or lemon juice. Suggestions for use: sopes, salads, tacos or taquitos, sandwiches, dip for veggies, and tortilla wraps...

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 shallot, minced finely
* 1 clove garlic, minced finely
* 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
* 4 tsp. lemon juice
* 1/2 ripe avocado
* 6 ounces silken tofu
* 1 scallion, chopped
* 1.5 Tbsp. fresh parsley leaves, chopped
* 2 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, chopped
* 1/4 tsp. sea salt
* 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked pepper
* 2 Tbsp. water

In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth. Add more water if necessary to thin it out.

Vegan Hijiki Barley Salad

I have a childhood friend named Jamie. When we were young, Jamie and I spent many of our afternoons playing in a sandbox at her grandmother's house. We would stay in that sandbox for hours (creating all sorts of elaborate stories and role-playing adventures) until her grandma called us in for lunch. Being from Japan, her grandmother would make up lots of little dishes that, all together, would create a total sum of delicious. Maybe some broiled fish, some steamed rice, some sushi, some sunomono or namasu (pickled vegetables salads), some pickled daikon, a handful of sliced tangerines in a cute little flower shaped cup, some hard-boiled egg maybe. All arranged in dainty little ceramic plates and cups.

I love this style of eating (same prinicple goes for Spanish tapas!). Luckily, California--and San Francisco especially--has also cropped up with lots of "small plates" restaurants like Andalu and Cortez and Alembic.

I am lucky to work in the San Francisco financial district, which has a plethora of lunch options to cater to all sorts of clientele. And one of the best spots is grabbing some lunch at one of the vendors at the Ferry Building. I got the idea for this cold barley salad from the Japanese "deli" called Delica rf-1. Why you would name your restaurant Delica rf-1 escapes me, but I eat some potato korroke and forget all about the name.Barley really is an ideal grain--its nutty in flavor with a toothsome chewiness that is quite endearing. This salad is also packed with nutrients--hijiki is naturally rich in calcium, iron and fiber (for food safety reasons, be sure to buy the best quality you can find from a natural food store)!

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

* 3 or 4 radishes, shaved thin
* 1 cup pearl barley
* 1 cup shelled edamame
* 2-3 Tbsp. dried hijiki or arame (or mixture of both)
* Other optional additions: grated carrot, daikon, lotus root, arugula or mizuna lettuces, or cubed tofu

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MARINADE:

* 1 Tbsp. walnut oil (or other neutral oil)
* 1 tsp. sesame oil
* 3 tsp. miso paste
* 2 Tsbp. rice vinegar
* 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
* 2 Tbsp. Braggs (liquid aminos)
* 1 tsp. agave (or honey if you'd prefer)
* 3 Tbsp. mirin
* 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

* Whisk togther all marinade ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
* Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. When cooked, barley expands to 4 times its size so you want the grains to have plenty of space to roll around! Cook the barley in boiling water for 35-40 minutes or until tender and chewy. Drain, rinse and place in a large mixing bowl.
* In a small dish, soak the dried seaweed for 10-15 minutes in warm water. Then boil in a small pot for about 2-3 minutes. Drain, rinse and roughly chop.
* Grab your bowl of barley and add in the shelled edamame, shaved radishes, and chopped seaweed (and any other ingredients you may want to add).
* Pour the marinade mixture over the salad and stir until mixed.

Vegan Flourless Chocolate Cake

Right around my second year of law school, I developed a deep obsession with flourless chocolate cake. I would get a slice from Whole Foods, pop it in the fridge and have a fork standing by to just take a forkful (or three) every few hours or whenever the mood strikes. I think part of the obsession had more to do with my confidence in the food-as-positive-reinforcement-rewards-program I implemented while studying 12-15+ hours a day. Flourless chocolate cake is really quite sexy when you think about it—its dense in texture, and incredibly rich, silky, and chocolatey. I was pretty surprised when I found out that it only contained four simple ingredients: chocolate, butter, sugar and eggs.

Only problem with that scenario was the “butter, sugar, and eggs” part if I wanted to keep eating it as frequently as I honestly did want to keep eating it without such a grave catastrophy to my health. Since beans have become quite trendy in desserts (think black bean brownies), I figured I would set out to make a vegan flourless chocolate cake. With black-eyed peas. Yes! It can be done! First, you must accept—in your heart of hearts—that you do, in fact, LOVE the texture and flavor of beans. Because if you do not, there is no amount of flavor or ingredient masking that could save you from the cold hard truth that there are beans mixed with your chocolate. I understand-I feel strange about it, too.
At first, I thought there was no way this cake would rise even a millimeter—it was so thick and heavy. But ah, the power of baking powder and soda. (Speaking of baking soda, I hope you aren’t reaching for that 7-month—or even 1-year-old (gasp!) stale box of baking soda you have sitting in the back of your fridge to “absorb odors” thinking you can do double duty by absorbing nasty refrigerator odors and for use in baking…because, guess what, that baking soda will be lifeless and yes, full of your refrigerator odors which cannot be a good flavor for your baked goods! I have to admit that I was guilty of doing this until the light-bulb went on making my mistake was painfully obvious). In the oven, the cake lifted itself up just like a souffle, and then, when slightly cooled, it gave way to gorgeous cracks around its edges with rugged valleys and ridges.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups dried black eyed peas (soaked overnight, rinsed then boiled till soft)
1 12-oz. package silken tofu (I like Mori-Nu brand)
1 cup cane sugar (all natural)
1.5 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup cocoa powder (natural, unsweetened)
2 tsp. instant espresso powder (or 3 if you really like a little coffee flavor)
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup soymilk (chocolate soymilk, if you have it)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a blender or food processor, blend together the black-eyed peas with the tofu until smooth. You may have to do this in batches, but it is critical that you get it as smooth as possible. If you need to, you can use some of the soymilk to help loosen it up and blend better.
Add the sugar and blend again.
Over a double boiler (or pot with a small amount of water and a glass bowl sitting in it), melt down the chocolate chips until smooth.
Add the melted chocolate to the bean mixture and blend again.
Add in the cocoa, espresso, baking powder and soda and blend again until smooth.
Add in the soymilk to loosen up the batter. You can use a little bit less if you want to—Ideally, the batter should be smooth and slightly runny when pouring but this depends on the quality of your blender or food processor. My beans stayed a little chunky so I had to resort to a hand mixer to really smooth it out--the soymilk really helps this process.
Lightly spray a 9-inch spring form pan (or larger if you like a thinner cake) with cooking/baking spray.
Bake in oven for 70-80 minutes (or a little less if your cake is thinner) or until done. You can check it with a toothpick or knife to see if the center is still runny. Even when cooked and a toothpick comes out clean, it might still wiggle a little bit because the warm cake needs to settle into itself once cooled.

Serving Suggestion: Lightly dust with confectioners sugar.

Note: If you make this cake and, like me, find yourself oddly enamoured by the beguiling duo of beans and cake, you could also try my vegan friend Lindsay's White Bean Strawberry Blondie's.

Tofu Steaks with Miso-Pinenut-Pistachio Glaze

I have to share something with you because I am a little unnerved about the whole situation. I went to bed. And I woke up. With 12 spider bites. T-w-e-l-v-e! Little sequential red splotches; very itchy. I was so freaked out, I immediately stripped the bedding, washed everything in sight, vacuumed the floors, scrubbed counters, and took a hot shower. No sign of any spider. Gross. I can't even let myself imagine what happened while I lay sleeping because I get too creeped out at the slightest thought of it.

Okay, I feel a little better now, not just because I shared my horrorifying experience, but because my apartment is clean. I mean, I always like a clean apartment (who doesn't?), but if for some reason it wasn't clean, it certainly is now.

Now that that is out of the way, I can talk to you about tofu. Tofu is like a blank canvas just waiting for some creativity to come rescue it from the depths of boredom. It begs for anything at all, so forgiving and so grateful for any little improvement you can offer. A friend of mine told me she wanted to eat more tofu, but didn't know what else to do with it besides soaking it in a little soyaki sauce.

So, I thought I would share my rendition of these creative little tofu steaks served up the lovely Medicine Eat Station in San Francisco.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 block extra firm tofu
* 1.5 Tbsp. pinenuts, ground
* 1.5 Tbsp. pistachios, ground
* 1/2 Tbsp. white miso paste
* 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
* 1/2 Tbsp. agave nectar
* 1 Tbsp. water
* 1/4 tsp. rice wine vinegar
* 1/2 tsp. mirin

DIRECTIONS:

* Cut the block of tofu in half lengthwise and then in thirds so that you have 6 rectangles.
* Combine the ground pinenuts, ground pistachios, miso, soy sauce, agave, water, rice wine vinegar and mirin in a bowl and mix until it forms a paste. Set aside.
* In a skillet over medium high heat, heat a couple teaspoons of oil and cook the tofu steaks until the edges brown on all sides. Remove from heat and put into a heat safe dish.
* Spread out a scoop of the miso paste onto each tofu steak and place under the broiler for a few minutes until it bubbles a little and browns slightly on the top. Take care not to burn it because the miso topping will burn very quickly if left unattended!

Note: Serve over brown or red rice and a side of steamed edamame!

Vegan Fettucine Alfredo

Why are starchy carbs so comforting?! I don't have pasta often, but when I do, I like to try something creative. Since I have a rule of never having heavy cream on hand, I thought I might try out a vegan version of alfredo since I had all of the ingredients on hand. This happens often, I find, where I can easily whip up vegan meals using common ingredients I normally buy anyway (granted, there are all sorts of ingredients that vegans use that I wouldn't normally have on hand). I was surprised at its similarity in creamy texture and taste to traditional alfredo sauce, although I don't remember the last time I had traditional alfredo sauce. Maybe years.



VEGAN ALFREDO SAUCE
Reprinted from Lachesis' Amazing Alfredo Sauce
1/2 c Earth Balance
2 cups unsweetened soymilk
1 package Extra firm silken tofu (I like Mori-nu)
2 Tbsp. white wine
2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. sea salt
pinch of nutmeg
3 T.bsp arrowroot or cornstarch mixed in with equal parts of water
1/2 cup nutritional yeast

DIRECTIONS:

* Put all ingredients except for nutritional yeast in a food processor and blend until smooth.
* Heat over medium heat until hot, stirring often.
* Whisk in arrowroot/cornstarch mixture and heat until just bubbling. Do not let boil.
* Add in nutritional yeast and let the sauce simmer until thickened to desired consistency.
* Add in a little water from the boiled pasta if you want to loosen up the consistency.
* Serve over al dente fettucine noodles. Feel free to add in frozen peas or broccoli or top with parmesean and parsley!

**If you want to try a virtually fat-free version, try a recipe from my vegan friend over at Happy Herbivore.

Lentil Barley Soup

It rained today. And it is supposed to rain tomorrow. And the day after that.

I got to work this morning literally minutes before the ominous dark clouds flooded in between the buildings of the financial district and dumped huge droplets of water on the unsuspecting people just going about their business trying to get to work. I don't mind the rain, really. And what I mean by that is I don't mind the rain as long as I am indoors where it is warm and cozy and I have a mug of tea and a sleepy kitty on my lap. If I have to go outside to run errands and get around in said rain, well, then that's a different story and then I completely mind the rain. Rain calls for what I like to call "the 4 S's": shower, socks, soup, and sleep. It's the perfect recipe for rainy weather.

So, dear friend, here is a soup recipe that I am sure you will love. The lentils and barley puff up to give a nice chewy texture throughout the rich tomato broth and chunky vegetables.
I have to warn that it makes a really big batch, which is just perfect because you can freeze it in individual servings for later when you need something comforting and hearty. So, what's so good about this soup recipe? Well, let's see...

* Inexpensive
* Healthy
* Easy
* Good use of barley and lentils!
* Fat Free
* Low Calorie
* Vegan
* Flavorful
* Hearty
* Yummy


INGREDIENTS:

* 2 celery ribs, diced (about 1 cup)
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water for cooking the onions
* 7 cups water
* 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce (low sodium)
* 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes, including juices
* 3/4 cup dried lentils, picked over for debris and rinsed
* 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed
* 4 Tbsp. vegetable stock powder or 5 cubes
* 1/2 tsp. oregano
* 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves (preferably ground into a powder)
* 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
* 1 large carrot, diced (about 1 cup)

DIRECTIONS:

* In a large stock pot, heat the 1/4 cup of vegetable broth and cook the onions, garlic and celery over medium-high heat until tender.
* Add the water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and juices, lentils, barley, vegetable powder or cubes, oregano, rosemary and pepper.
* Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 40 minutes until lentils and barley are nearly tender.
* Add in the diced carrot and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes until tender.

Serving suggestions: Serve with a salad and nice crusty chunk of bread...

Vegan Zucchini-Flax Muffins with Golden Raisins

I owe you an apology. I have been absent for an inexcusable amount of time and you have been incredibly patient and understanding. I had all the good intentions of keeping you in the loop with lots of holiday goodies throughout the holiday season, because there were a lot of good parties and there were some amazing foodies going on. But things just got so busy. (And my mom's best childhood friend passed away suddenly just days after Christmas, so I was doing my best to offer support to my mom and friends and family. Which, since she lives in Hawaii, involves lots and lots of phone calls.)

Anyway, I wanted to give you a healthy and delicious recipe for the best zucchini muffins I have ever had as a little bit of a peace offering...and because you will definitely want to keep this recipe in your stash of "indulgent yet healthy" recipes (if you haven't made such a label, you really should!). It is the new year after all, which means people are likely thinking of ways to eat more vegetables and less cookies (unless they are these ones. So no more cookies. For at least a week. I mean, let's be reasonable.

I was out on a walk and I passed by this tiny little family-owned produce store selling a large bag of white zucchini for only 75 cents! I have never purchased white zucchini before because I have heard that they tend to be bland and are better when cooked down. But, certainly the bargain price of 75 cents warranted finding something to yummy to do with them. And, honestly, you can't go wrong with muffins. Despite the fact that there is no dairy, no butter, no eggs, these muffins are moist, hearty and delicious! I promise.

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
* 1/2 cup white flour
* 3 Tbsp. ground flax seed
* 1.5 tsp. baking soda
* 1.5 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 cup sugar (I use organic evaporated cane sugar from Trader Joe's)
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp. cloves
* 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
* 1 tsp. sea salt
* 2.5 cups shredded zucchini (I used white zucchini)
* 1/2 cup golden raisins (or dried cranberries)
* 1/3 cup canola oil
* 2/3 cup soymilk (or milk if you prefer)
* 1/3 cup maple syrup
* 1 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

* Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
* Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl (flours, flax, baking soda and powder, sugars, spices and salt).
* In another large bowl, use a whisk to combine the oil, soymilk, maple syrup and vanilla.
* Then add the dry mixture into the wet mixture in small batches, gently folding it all together.
* Fold in the shredded zucchini and golden raisins.
* Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Flying Apron Bakery: Seattle, Washington

Baked goods put a smile on my face. Who doesn't love a good bakery?! When I visit a new city, I like to explore the different levels of bakeries (and restaurants) and always pay attention to recommendations from locals. Always. Always.

There are famous places like Mike's Pastry in Boston where millions of people (including President Bill Clinton) clamor for their traditional italian cannoli's. My friend, Laura, used to live right across the street from Mike's and said that the constant flow of people coming and going was mind boggling. Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of the goodies and thought that the popularity was probably continued by their name and reputation. But I was quite impressed with their immaculate and creative selection of Marzipan. Yes, that is a homemade chunk of marzipan shaped and decorated like a hot dog.
And then there are little hole-in-the-wall places like Magnolia Bakery in New York City that start out perfecting one simple item like a cupcake in a way that is pure, mystifying magic and then can barely keep up with the demand of people lining up around the corner and down the street. In fact, Magnolia's is so completely amazing that I will have to save its review for a separate post (but suffice it to say that I am in awe of these little cupcake gems).

During my recent Seattle visit, my friend Alex took us to this vegan bakery in Fremont in Seattle for a little breakfast goodie buffet.
It's a vegan "sustainable bakery" that uses local ingredients, wholesome organic and unrefined ingredients and all of the ingredients are gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free and mostly soy-free. Instead, they use all sorts of creative ingredients like garbanzo bean flour, brown rice syrup, palm oil, molasses, arrowroot powder and evaporated powdered cane juice.

Luckily, I was there with friends so we got an assortment of goodies because it really was impossible to narrow down the selection. We got an assortment of scones, maple bars, cookies and other indescribably yummy things!
I liked the bakery for its originality and plethora of interesting flavor and texture combinations, but all told, I wouldn't return because I have had better vegan pastry such as the People's Donuts, the vegan apricot almond cookie at Arizmendi Bakery and, of course, the all time best vegan pumpkin scone I have had in my entire life at Mana Foods in Paia, Maui. 

Vegan Lemon-Basil Aioli

I love a good panini. Like any good sandwich, you need something wet to moisten all the dry ingredients and give the sandwich a good "mouth feel". Here is a recipe for simple aioli that I like to use when I make paninis or other sandwiches...

VEGAN LEMON-BASIL AIOLI

* 1/2 cup Vegenaise (I like the grapeseed oil version)
* 3 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
* 1 tsp. lemon juice
* 1 garlic clove, minced finely
* sea salt to taste

You can combine all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor for a smoother texture, but I like to bash up the basil in a mortar/pestle with the olive oil and then scoop it into the a bowl with a rest of the ingredients and mix it by hand for a more rustic texture and look. Also, it is vegan because I use Vegenaise not because it is egg free and dairy free, but because I genuinely prefer its creamy taste to commercial mayo (but it's a whole other story if we are talking about homemade mayo, which can be outrageously luxurious)...But you can just use mayo instead if you prefer.

Note: In case, technically an aioli isn't just flavored mayonnaise--traditionally, it is a blend of garlic and olive oil with other additions...

Ethiopian Mushroom Lentil Stew

Hello again.

Thank you for being so patient while I was gone on my roadtrip to Seattle and Portland...and would you believe that we did so much in the span of one week that I came home and needed a week vacation from that vacation?! I'm sure you know how that feels.

I still haven't uploaded my photos yet (but I will!), but I wanted to mention a cute little Ethiopian restaurant in Portland called Queen of Sheba (recommended by the nice man at Powell's City of Books) that literally saved us from starving as we got into the city late and didn't know where to go to fill up our empty bellies...If you aren't familiar with Ethiopian food, remember that it tends to be quite spicy (lots of jalapenos and other peppers are used)...order the vegetarian sampler platter and you will get a huge platter with 8 or 9 dollops of their various vegetarian dishes over layers of that distinctively sour Inerja crepe-like bread (no utensils are on the table so you roll up your sleeves and use the inerja to scoop up the food!). Do a google image search for ethiopian food and you will see some awesome stuff! The food and presentation really is lovely and the flavors vary from restaurant to restaurant so it's always fun to try new places. For the record, Portland's Queen of Sheba was DELICIOUS (the Inerja was outstanding!) and I highly recommend it if you get the chance!

I live right across the street from Axum in San Francisco and I adore their vegetarian platter. I have gone with a big group of 6 friends and we can get a HUGE platter of food to feed us all for $45!!

Most Ethiopian dishes are made with a traditional spice blend called Berbere. Since I am generally not a fan of spicy food, I've decided to take up cooking some Ethiopian dishes at home (and then just run across to Axum and buy some Inerja) so that I can control the amount of spice! Berbere blends can be either a dry mix or a wet paste and vary greatly from region to region (or restaurant to restaurant), but here is one that I use:

BERBERE SPICE BLEND:

* 2 tsp ground cumin
* 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
* 1/4 tsp turmeric
* 1 tsp ground fenugreek
* 1 Tbsp paprika
* 1/2 tsp dried thyme
* 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
* 1/8 tsp cloves
* 1/4 tsp ground coriander
* 1/8 tsp allspice
* 1/8 tsp cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit if you don't like it spicy!)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

So, with all this talk of Ethiopian food, I thought I would leave you with a very special recipe I created for Ethiopian Mushroom Lentil Stew. It's the least I can do. I walked right across the street to Axum and bought some Inerja for this meal (because from what I can tell by reading recipes, it is not very easy to make).

Clockwise: Mushroom Lentil Stew (recipe below), Shiro Alitcha (slow cooked split peas cooked with turmeric and onions) and Okra Tomato Stew served with Inerja and some salad and a scoop of plain yogurt:

ETHIOPIAN MUSHROOM LENTIL STEW

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 Tbsp. canola oil
* 1 large yellow onion, diced finely
* 2 cups diced mushrooms (baby bella or cremini have great texture for this dish)
* 1 cup cooked lentils (brown or green)
* Berbere spice mix (see above)
* 4 or 5 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated finely
* 1 can tomato paste
* 1.5 cups vegetable stock

DIRECTIONS:

* Heat oil in a deep pan on medium-high heat.
* Sautee onions for 5-7 minutes until they become slightly transluscent.
* Add in diced mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes
* Mix in the minced garlic, grated ginger and spice mix and stir well.
* Add in the lentils and mix together.
* Add tomato paste and stock and stir thoroughly.
* Allow to simmer for 25-35 minutes or until most of the liquid has reduced down (should have the texture of a fairly thick stew).

Assembling a platter of ethiopian food is so much fun! I put a big round piece of Inerja on the biggest plate or platter I can find, scoop the stew or various dishes onto the inerja. Then I like to do something a little less traditional--I put a small heap of lettuce leaves tossed with fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper and then a little dollop of plain yogurt thinned out with fresh lemon juice just to cool things down a bit....

I still don't know much about Ethiopian food and cooking preparations, but do know one thing--it is best when shared with a group of friends. Dive in and get your hands messy!

Homemade Raw Bars

I have been a big fan of LÄRABARS--the purest form of energy with only unsweetened fruits, nuts, seeds and spices. Raw. Vegan. Kosher. Gluten free. Dairy free. Soy free. Delicious. Now that raw bars have become quite trendy, there are lots of companies that make them! So I started accumulating brands to find a favorite and, while I still stock plenty of LÄRABARS, I am truly in love with Raw Revolution bars because it adds agave nectar as a sweetener, but more importantly, it makes the bars a little wet and stickier (now, who doesn't like that?!). For the record, the Spirulina & Cashew flavor is my favorite... But, like most things, raw bars are even better when they are homemade!

The ingredient lists for these raw energy bars are so simple that I figured I would try to make them myself! I really like food "bars" where you get to mix and match lots of ingredients to make your own creation--from ice cream sundae bars to oatmeal bars to pasta bars to salad bars...So, I gathered lots and lots of different ingredients and laid it all out on the table along with a cutting board, knives, wax paper, mixing spoons, a nut grinder and some mixing bowls...and poof! Homemade Raw Bar Success.


I went by texture and flavor, so I am sorry to report that I don't have a precise recipe other than the ingredients list, but I am positive you won't need one--just trust your instinct and be creative and once you start mixing things, you will know whether more dry ingredients (nuts and nut meal, flax, seeds and spices) or wet items (dried fruits, honey (lots of antioxidants!), agave syrup (vegan option), etc.) are needed, etc. and every bar will be a unique creation!

I probably should mention one ingredient in particular so you aren't completely startled. After eating ground flax seeds regularly, my friend James introduced me to the magic of chia seeds. Yes, it IS from the famous Chia Pet--those little animal shaped pots that grew mini forests! Remember those?! Turns out, those little seeds are rich in omega-3, fiber, antioxidants, minerals and lots of other healthy goodies (they even help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar)! It's kinda like Jack and the Beanstalk and chia seeds are the magic beans! I have to point out they have some funny properties--when a seed gets wet, a gelatinous coating forms around the seed (and after eating them you will sometimes find a stray seed in your mouth an hour after eating...). I highly recommend you get your hands on some--I put them in oatmeal or yogurt and bake with them any way you would use poppy seeds (muffins, pancakes, etc.).

I had so much fun making these--maybe I will host a raw bar "pot-luck" where everyone brings a few ingredients and we all make some and share the bounty...

APRICOT-ALMOND-CARDAMOM: dried apricot, cashew, almond, honey, cardamom, ground clove, cinnamon, almond paste, ground flax.

DATE-PECAN-FENNEL: date, pecan, cashew, poppy seed, chia seed, honey, sesame seed, ground fennel.

SESAME-APRICOT-GINGER: dried apricot, cashew, almond, sesame seed, ginger sugar, flax, honey, cardamom.

PISTACHIO-FIG-POPPY: pistachio, dried mission fig, cashew, chia seed, poppy seed, almond paste, honey.

CHOCOLATE-CHAI-ALMOND: dates, cashews, almond meal, almond butter, honey, chia seed, poppy seed, cocoa powder, chai powder, almond paste.


They were all amaaaaazing, but the general consensus among my gracious testers was that the Pistachio-Fig-Poppy was the belle of the ball...and it was.

Note: These beauties have no preservatives (and stuff like flax seed spoils easily) so you will want to refrigerate them and eat them within 1-3 days or freeze them for longer storage.

Spinach Salad with Toasted Nuts, Asparagus and Roasted Beet Chips

I've always completely understood Popeye's fascination with spinach. Now, its true that what Popeye ate seemed to look like an amorphous heap of green goo that claimed to be spinach, but in reality, spinach is so versatile and healthy that I never grow tired of it and, between you and me, I eat my way through huge 3 pound bags of baby spinach weekly (unfortunately, a lot does not go a long way when you steam it so it is pretty easy to chow through that much spinach). Steamed. Sauteed. Raw. Baked. YUM.

(My 5-year old niece recently sang me a song she had learned at school about hating soggy greens, but all I could think of was how much I adore steaming a huge pot of spinach and serving it with a squeeze of lemon juice and spritz of apple cider vinegar...try it!)



Now, what I have never been known to like is beets. Beets. Deep red, messy beets that dye everything it touches and seem too messy to even bother. But then a friend of mine stayed at my apartment, went to my local farmers market and suddenly there were beets in my refrigerator that she had left behind with a recommendation on how she likes to prepare them. And every time I opened up the fridge in the next two days, there they were--sitting there, sad and lonely. Ok, fine. Beets it is. Here is where i have to admit to my friend (and you) that I followed her recommendation (sort of) and made a delicious (and I mean taaaaasty) meal using those beets...

It is easy to prepare, super healthy and the combination of flavors in this salad is most definitely a happy accident...

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/2 cup of raw, unsalted mixed nuts (I used almonds, cashews and peanuts, although I highly recommend adding a small handful of salted marcona almonds)
* 4 or 5 cups of raw spinach (thoroughly washed)
* 8-10 spears of asparagus, cut into 4 inch segments
* 1/2 cup edamame, shelled
* 3 beets, washed and peeled and thinly sliced
* 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary (leaves taken off the twig and chopped)
* 1/2 tsp. of coarse flakes of sea salt (or to taste)
* 2 Tbsp. olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

* Place the thinly sliced beets on a baking tray, drizzle half of the olive oil over it and sprinkle some of the chopped rosemary on top on them and bake in the oven at 425 degrees for about 20-25 minutes (careful not to burn them--you want them to be thin and crispy on the outside with a little bit of soft give when you bite into them). Note: the beets pictured here were cut a little too thick and I wished I had used a mandolin to ensure thin wafers.

* Lightly toast the mixed nuts and set aside.

* Blanche the asparagus segments for 30 seconds in boiling water, strain and then sautee them with the edamame beans on high heat with the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil for about 2 or 3 minutes (you want them to brown a little bit without overcooking the asparagus, which should retain a slight crunch for the salad!). Sprinkle the flakes of salt over the asparagus and edamame just before you plate it.

* Put the spinach on the bottom and top with the asparagus and edamame mixture, toasted nuts and surround with the beautifully-colored baked beet chips!

Serving suggestion: I used a simple balsamic vinaigrette on my salad, but just about any salad dressing would be fabulous on this salad!

Theo Chocolates, Seattle

Okay. Hold up the Cacao Train...because a stop in Seattle is warranted. Behold the latest organic-fair trade-sustainable chocolate trend for the cacao purists: Theo...brought to my attention by my lovely Seattle native friend, Alex (no amount of thank you's would suffice for all the varieties, shapes and forms of joy that Alex brings)...and, if you can believe it, Theo is so good and so trendy that it even has its own blog, theonista.

I should probably preface this entry (read: rant) with the fact that I am an avid fan of cacao....such a fan, in fact, that--at any given moment--I could host a cacao tasting of anywhere from 6-8 different cacao courses, if you will, with cacao amounts that vary anywhere from 60% to 99% pure cacao... Dark chocolate might even be the currency in the State of Morgan's Menu.

Anyway, I was first spoiled by a truffle sampler of some of the best truffles I have *ever* had in my life. And if you ever get to visit Theo at 3400 Phinney Avenue, I highly recommend inquiring about the Jasmine tea trufffle. or perhaps the scotch whiskey. or lavender (which will make you think you've literally been chewing on a lavender twig). or salty caramel. or peanut butter and jelly. The truffle flavors are unique, sometimes seasonal and in limited supply so you never know what flavors will be available--but i am certain that you will not be disappointed with the bursting flavor that can only be described as perfection...

Perhaps you have seen their 3400 Phinney line of chocolate bars at Whole Foods (or all the other smart hip-and-with-it places that carry Theo)...if you have, grab one immediately! They make a Coconut Curry Milk Chocolate that will confuse your tastebuds like the twisted streets of Prague...But my favorite is one called "Bread and Chocolate" which doesn't sound like much but, in reality, it was a smooth bar of dark chocolate augmented by little, delicious, buttery french baguette crumbs complemented by the perfect amount of salt...ohhhhhh, it is so delicious! And, for my vegan friends out there, they also make a Fig, Fennel and Almond dark chocolate that is really, really good--the fennel seeds bring such a unique flavor to the chocolate that you wonder why this combo isn't more widely available or known...instead, its a delicious secret...

And if you aren't already sold by now, Theo also produces a full line of vegan chocolate bars that use imported cacao beans from different parts of the world and it uses organic beet sugar grown in Sweden!!! I felt ever so fortunate to try:

Theo Ghana Dark Chocolate Bar (84% cacao)
"The Fair Trade Certified™ cacao used in this single-origin dark chocolate bar is from the fertile growing region surrounding Kumasi, Ghana. The perfectly fermented and dried beans yield slightly floral notes over golden and round chocolate flavors." I thought the flavor of this bar was mellow and delicate, with a very subtle but real sweetness...

Theo Venezuela Limited Edition Dark Chocolate Bar (91% cacao)
"This special bar is available for a limited time only and it will change the way you think about dark chocolate! It features the delicate flavors of a blend of cacao from Barinas, Merida and Tachiras, the remote western regions of Venezuela, and offers 91% cacao content without any of the bitterness typically associated with such a high percentage dark chocolate." For me, this bar had personality: a sassy girl with a touch so soft that you forgive her for being slightly bitter...

And though, ultimately, it didn't come down to a Ro-Sham-Bo contest, my friend James kept the Madagascar bar while I gratefully absconded with the Ghana-Panama-Ecuador blend, which is sitting patiently on my desk because we all know I have consumed more than my fair share of chocolate in the past couple of days...

Oh, Theo, I love you.

Herbamare

Herbamare is one of my absolute *favorite* condiments!



It's a natural sea salt blend that contains:

* sea salt
* organic celery leaves
* organic leek
* organic cress*(water and garden)
* organic onion
* organic chive
* organic parsley
* organic lovage
* organic garlic
* organic basil
* organic marjoram
* organic rosemary
* organic thyme
* kelp (with trace iodine).

All of these magical ingredients combine to make a flavorful salt that adds a delicious flavor to everything and anything! You will be able to find this wonderful product in most health food stores.

(and if you like a kick, they made a spicy version)