Cauliflower, potatoes and pea curry

8:03 AM AirplaneFoodCritic 0 Comments




In my veggie box this week I got a whole head of cauliflower. I do not like cauliflower so it was a particularly exciting challenge for me. The bf loves the veggie and wanted to make something with it that his mother used to make for him. From past experiences with his family recipes I have learned that the food is very tasty but FULL of butter, cheese, grease and fat. All things I love but it sort of defeats the purpose of having a box of veggies sent to me every other week. After a brief explanation of my thoughts on the subject the bf conceded and allowed me to make up a recipe for the cauliflower.
As I said, I do not like cauliflower so I had to come up with a dish that masked the flavor and perhaps the texture too. I can see how cheese and butter would make that happen. I decided that I did need some sort of fat and if I also added some spice I could mask the vegetable pretty well. I also figured a cooked cauliflower florete might have a similar texture to a potato. I looked on line and found the perfect idea. A potato curry! A traditional cauliflower and potato dish in Indian and Pakistani cuisine is called Aloo Gobi. I took the idea and made it in more of a Thai curry way. I cooked it in about 15 minutes so this is a very easy dish to make. The recipe is below:

Cauliflower, Potatoes and Pea Curry

7 or 8 small potatoes
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
17 ounces of light coconut milk
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tbsp Mae Ploy Green Curry paste (or other curry paste)
1 tsp Turmeric
1 handful basil, chopped

1. Cut the potatoes into 3/4 inch squares and boil until slightly tender, about 5 minutes
2. Sauté onions on medium high heat in olive oil until onions are tender then add the coconut milk, peas and cauliflower.
3. Stir in the curry and turmeric and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Add cooked potatoes and stir until blended.
5. Top with basil and serve
Makes 4 large servings. Per serving: Calories: 510, Fat: 20g, Fiber: 11g, Protein: 15g

My secret ingredient that makes this dish so simple to create is the Mae Ploy curry paste. I love this product because it is packed with spice and flavor and it costs next to nothing. One little package of it can last months and months or more depending on how often you make curry. All you need to do is all coconut milk and you have an instant Thai curry dish that tastes like it is from a local restaurant.
Another good thing about this meal is that it is a vegetarian dish. The protein from the potatoes make it a well balanced meal. There is a higher amount of fat than I usually allow to have in my dishes but the coconut milk is so delicious and adds that creamy texture I wanted in this dish.

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Almost Harvest!!!

8:32 AM AirplaneFoodCritic 0 Comments



My job has seasons. It is something I love about my job. I am not doing the same thing year round. We just came out of Tirage season which is when we bottle the wine then let it sit for a year or more as the yeast forms the bubbles in the bottle. The season we are heading into now is Harvest. Harvest is when we actually harvest the grapes. The grapes come in, get dumped into a press and pressed. The juice is collected and allowed to ferment in giant tanks. My job is quality control throughout the entire process. Harvest lasts about three months and during those three months I work 16 hour days six or seven days a week. Needless to say, I will be blogging a little less during this season.

These next few weekends are precious to me because they are the last of my summer. They are the last time I will have two days off in a row until at least Halloween. I try to really pack in summer activities. I had one activity that I didn't quite finish the last time I tried. This past weekend I had to take care of unfinished business. I am talking about Alamere Falls. If you recall in my last blog, I ended up going on the wrong trail and hiked 14 miles total. This time around I only hiked 11 miles but I made it to the falls. It took us about 5 hours to complete and I am sore today for it but it was totally worth it. I am posting some pictures below to prove I did it:



We hiked way past the falls (you can see them in the distance) then doubled back along the beach

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Crazy Good Hike - Alamere Falls

8:07 AM AirplaneFoodCritic 0 Comments


I love summer. It was another fun-packed weekend for me. I discovered a beautiful new hike and spent time by the river. I did things that you are supposed to do when it is summer. My weekend began with a hike with a couple friends of mine. I had heard of Alamere Falls before and have been wanting to go there for a long time. I found hiking maps and driving maps and printed them out in color. I traced with a highlighter the path.
We met at my house and filled a back pack with Cliff Bars and Coconut Water. For those who do not know about coconut water, look it up. It is better for you than a sports drink and totally natural. When buying a coconut water make sure you look at the ingredients. Make sure the only ingredient is coconut water. No sugar or water added. Coconut water is naturally isotonic so it absorbs into your body faster than regular water. Coconut water is low in fat, low in carbs and low in sugar but it contains more electrolytes than most sports drinks and more potassium than a banana. It is excellent at re-hydrating the body and at helping the body maintain a cool temperature. It also boosts your immune system, raises your metabolism, cleanses your digestive tract, detoxifies your body and it even treats kidney stones! I love it so much that I buy it by the case when I find it at a reasonable price which is around $1.75 for a 17.5 ounce can. A few of my favorite brands are Amy & Brian's because they have ones with coconut pulp in it, C2O because it is pure and can be found for cheap and VitaCoco because they come in smaller containers.
I digress....so we packed our stuff and headed to Whole Foods for some sandwiches and the BIGGEST breakfast burrito you have ever seen. It was at this point that I realized I left all my fancy maps at home. We decided to wing it, a decision that would come back to haunt us even to this day, three days later.
A good omen for the start of our hike.

After a couple wrong turns we found the trail head. The parking lot was full, an indication that we were not the only people who have heard of this hike. We set out along the trail and after about 5 minutes we came to a split in the trail. We decided to veer off the trail towards the ocean because it said it was only a 0.6 mile path. We ended up at the ocean on a secluded rocky beach. We walked along the shore until we were no longer able to do so due to lack of beach. We were the only ones out there. It was very nice. The waves were crashing. The air had the sting of salt in it. We found all kinds of shells and we found whole crabs, starfish and jellyfish washed ashore dead. After we had some fun at the beach, we backtracked up to the main trail. Now with 1.5 miles under our belts.

We hiked along the coast line on a beautiful trail that led us across a couple bridges and near the coastal cliffs. The fog had not lifted yet and made for a beautiful misty feel.
Fog burning off along the trail

Even though it was foggy I was glad I wore shorts. We traveled for another 2.2 miles before we got to another intersection in the trail. I thought back to the map and remembered we needed to stay on the Palomarin trail. The sign pointed us to the right so we took that route. We hiked for perhaps an hour or so along this trail, not seeing any other people. "Where are all those people who belong to the cars we saw in the parking lot?", I asked. "Why are we moving away from the ocean?" was also asked. We hiked so far inland that we were out of the fog and getting pretty warm. It was a lovely sunny day and I was sweating, looking like I had just stepped out of the shower, save for the dust and mud on my legs. Finally, after about three or so miles into the new trail we happened upon some horseback riders who, over their laughter, told us we were WAY far away from where we were trying to be. They wished us "good luck". Not in a nice way, but in that sarcastic way, and rode off, horses pooping in mockery of us as they went.
Mist around a mossy tree along the wrong trail.

We backtracked to the fork in the trail. By this point we had trekked 9.7 miles but have gotten nowhere and were still 2.5 miles from our car. Of course, we couldnt give up and go back so we trekked on along the PROPER trail. Now, in my defense, the trail sign at the fork was bent and twisted so the trail I thought I was following was actually the trail we had just come from from the parking lot. So, it wasn't REALLY my fault, right? The sign was pointing the wrong way!

We are not quitters so we moved along the trail towards Alamere Falls. We came to Bass Lake next. Bass Lake is wonderful. It is a big, clear, fresh lake that you can swim in. We were back into the fog by this point and with how wet I had gotten from the wrong turn hike, I was cold but the boys stripped down and were in the lake before I could blink. I sat and held their clothes and cameras while they swam out to the middle. It looked lovely. There is even a giant rope swing that can carry you out practically to the center of the lake.
The boys swimming in the lake

We played around the lake for a while and ate lunch. Then we had to make the decision: do we continue on to the falls or head back? We looked at the fact that we had no idea how much farther the falls would be, the fact that it was nearly 5pm, the fact that we were exhausted and the fact that we still had several miles to go even if we turned around right then. We decided unanimously to turn and head back to the car. By the time we reached the car we had logged 14 miles onto our bodies and we felt every inch of it.

I guess we will have to take the hike again only this time, we will have to actually see the falls. Until then, here is a picture from someone who actually made it there:

The next day I was up early and very sore. I got ready for another adventure. My friend picked me up and we headed out to the Russian River for some laying out. I was in need of a good laying out because my body was broken from the day before. We rented an umbrella and made a large laying out area with blankets. We drank wine and beer and gabbed like girls do. When it got too warm, we dipped into the river. It was a perfect way to relax after a crazy hike.
Our view at the Russian River

It feels good to actually act like it is summer.

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Greek Veggie Salad - Summertime goodness

7:24 AM AirplaneFoodCritic 0 Comments




Whole Food's Greek Salad

Every day I try to use some of the fruits and vegetables I received from Farm Fresh To You. I hope this excitement never goes away. I spend my afternoons day dreaming about ways to eat, cook and serve the different varieties I have in my box. Last night was the bf's turn to cook. (We both love to cook so we have to switch turns.) He used up the carrots in a pretty tasty way which is a rare thing for me to say because I think carrots taste horrible. I do not know what recipe he used but I found several similar ones online. He cut the carrots into one inch chunks and boiled them. He added honey and sesame seeds. I liked them a lot. I think if I were to make them I would add some savory flavors. Maybe some soy sauce, ginger and hot pepper flakes. If I get more carrots, I will make something up and share it with you.
Carrots with honey and sesame
I was up very late last night. I usually go to bed around 8:30pm because I have to get up at 4:00am for work. Last night my ear was hurting me really bad so I took a pain pill. Pain pills are good and they are bad. They are good at stopping the pain. They are bad because I can not sleep when I have taken one. So there I was in a catch 22. I can't sleep with ear pain but I can't sleep on the pain killers. I opted for being awake with no pain over being awake and in pain. I lay on the couch watching Cheers until about 10:00pm when I started getting the late night munchies, another phenomenon I rarely experience. I rummaged through the kitchen looking for snacks. I found crackers but no spreads or cheese. I found kettle chips but that was a bit fatty for me. Then I came across my box of veggies. I thought, how can I use these as a snack? I ended up making a veggie salad that I totally devoured. It was so good! I found the recipe on the Whole Foods website here. I used the recipe as a guideline for the ingredients but did not use the volumes suggested. I used up my cucumber, two tomatoes, a bell pepper and half of an onion from my veggie box. I also got to use oregano from my new herb garden. I am posting the recipe below.

Greek Vegetable Salad

2 slicing tomatoes
1/2 onion
1 bell pepper
1 cucumber
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
1/2 cup crushed feta cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
coarsely crushed pepper and salt.

1. Cut tomatoes, onion and bell pepper into bite sized pieces and place in a bowl
2. Cut the cucumber in half then strips and dice into bite sized pieces
3. Add the olives and feta
4. In a separate bowl whisk the oil and vinegar with the salt and pepper.
5. Pour dressing over vegetables and mix gently

It's very yummy and it has nothing bad for you in it. I ate about half of the salad last night and didn't feel terrible about it the next day. I refrigerated the left over salad and brought it to work today. It had time to marinade so now the flavors are melded. I can't wait for lunch time!
Lunch Time at Work

Granted, my picture taken at my desk with my phone camera isn't as pretty. Plus, the salad has been in the fridge over night. It still tastes fantastic. I love the bits of oregano.

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Chicken and Mushroom Wild Rice Risotto with White Truffle Oil

7:28 AM AirplaneFoodCritic 2 Comments




Last weekend we went grocery shopping at Whole Foods for the first time. We had been there before to check it out but this time we actually did some buying. There are a ton of awesome things there. We had just eaten and so we didn't buy as much as we had planned but because we were not hungry, we only bought the most delicious looking stuff. One of the things we bought was a little box of mixed mushrooms. I think I have cooked with mushrooms only once in my life, in college I believe. They looked so yummy that we couldn't resist even though we are not giant mushroom fans.
Mixed Variety of Mushrooms from Whole Foods

Once home, I was faced with the question of what to cook with my new mushies. I initially planned on chopping them up really small and mixing them with ground turkey and some cheese to make mushroom burgers. Then I thought that I really wanted to showcase them in a dish because they were kind of fancy and a bit expensive. I decided on making a mushroom risotto. I have never made risotto before. I know, I am Swiss-Italian and I have never made risotto. Oh, sure I have made rice with cheese in it but I have never made actual risotto where you are slowly adding the liquid and stirring constantly.

In my pantry I only have brown rice, wild rice and long grain rice. I decided while day dreaming up the recipe in my head at work earlier that day that I would use brown rice instead of the traditional Arborio rice. When I got home I found that, no, we did not have brown rice. There I was standing with all my wonderful mushrooms and onions...and when I went to the cupboard to get my rice, no dice, no rice. I had to use the wild rice. It took me a long time, a lot of stirring, a lot of worrying, but in the end it was fantastic so I thought I would share the recipe here with you.
Wild rice

I decided to add some chicken for protein to make it a whole meal. Also, the process of adding the broth in batches and stirring the rice as it absorbs the liquid is meant to release some of the starch in the rice which gives the risotto that creamy texture. I was afraid that wild rice would not release the starch in the same way as the traditional rice would so I added little sprinklings of flour every so often to make up for it.

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto with White Truffle

1 lb Mushrooms chopped (preferably mixed varieties)
2 tbsp butter
3 chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Salt and pepper (if you have truffle salt, you can add that for extra flavor)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion
1 1/2 cup wild rice medley
1 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
fresh oregano, if desired
White truffle oil, if desired (recommended!)

1. Melt butter in large pan and add mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes
2. Add chicken, salt and pepper and cook until chicken is just cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Set aside
3. In a medium sauce pan heat the oil and add the onions. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
4. Add rice to onions and cook on medium heat until lightly toasted.
5. Add wine and stir until it is absorbed into the rice.
6. Add a half cup of the broth and lightly sprinkle with a little of the flour. Stir until absorbed.
7. Continue adding the broth a half cup at a time until the rice is tender. This may take over an hour. You may add more than the six cups or less depending on how the rice reacts. Add light dustings of flour until you can see the rice begin to look creamy.
8. Add the rice to the chicken and mushrooms and mix in the cheese.
9. Serve in bowls and top with chopped oregano and a drizzle of white truffle oil. If you do not have truffle oil you can just drizzle a good olive oil over the top.
I calculated the basic nutritional info and found that wild rice is high in calories. Not that that really matters because it has other great nutritional qualities. It was just interesting to me. Assuming this makes 4 servings (we ate the whole thing between the two of us, but for normal people it should feed 4)

Calories: 495; Fat: 17g; Fiber: 5g; Protein:39g

This may be a bit of an indulgence but it also has some really great ingredients in it. Mushrooms are a healthy source of potassium, calcium, iron and copper. Wild rice is very high in fiber and protein as well as potassium, phosphorous, antioxidants and B vitamins.

2 comments:

Surviving the Summer

10:30 AM AirplaneFoodCritic 0 Comments


Since I got back from Hawaii I have gained a couple pounds. I try to keep a healthy eating life style but allow myself indulgence on the weekends. It seems that I have let my weekends spill over into the week as of late. I do not feel terrible about it though because I only have gained a few pounds and I have had a lot of stresses in the past month which have distracted me from my diet. Note: remember, when I say "diet" I simply mean the food I am eating, not some fad method of losing weight.

The past few weekends have been the opening floodgates for summer and I have been running rampant all over the state eating, drinking and having fun. A couple weeks ago I spent the weekend in Santa Cruz for Woodies on the Wharf.

Our car at Woodies on the Wharf

We have a car in the show and every summer we go to the wharf to show it off. It is a fantastic time we spend with the other Woodie owners. We do a parade, there is a raffle with all kinds of cool stuff, we go to the Boardwalk and we eat and drink ourselves silly. My favorite thing to get is a crab melt and eat it on the wharf looking out to the boardwalk and listening to the seals bark below.
My crab and shrimp melt

The Boardwalk at Santa Cruz

Last weekend was the Fourth of July weekend. I spent that in the Anderson Valley wine country camping. I drank tons of wine and ate really good camping foods like hot dogs, chips and dips, cheeses and, of course, s'mores.
My deeeelishous hot dog.

Snack time at camp.

You can't go camping and not eat a s'more.


I did go for a hike in the Hendy Woods but besides the hike, I have been being very unhealthy and enjoying every minute of it.
The hike in Hendy Woods


But I am no longer enjoying it. Time to climb back on the healthy train. Today is my first day. Today is a special day because it is the day I get my first delivery of farm fresh fruits and vegetables.

I went grocery shopping yesterday and it was very strange to not buy any fruits and vegetables. I am not really sure what to expect when my veggies arrive so I figured I would buy a bunch of proteins and figure out later how to combine what I have to make a whole meal. I already have a ton of grains like brown rice, long grain rice, lentils and bulgur so I am covered there. I bought catfish (thinking it was tilapia. I need to read labels better), shrimp, salmon, scallops, chicken breasts and ground turkey. With what I have in my home, I don't think I can go too far astray from a well rounded, healthy diet.

Obstacles are coming my way though. I go camping again in two weeks and my pot luck group meets the following weekend. I will keep you posted on how I try to go about making those both as healthy as I can but don't expect too much!

One thing I am going to do is completely cut out alcohol for a few weeks. This always is a good way for me to lose a pound or two with little effort.

I am going to survive this summer and I am going to do it as healthy as I can.

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