The salad bar garnish.

Kale. Le Superfood.

Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala

 

A delicious and extremely nutritious vegetable. Kale is a member of the headless cabbage family. Other members of this family include brussel sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower. It also belongs to a specialty group that includes collards.

 Kale is thought to have originated in Asia Minor and brought to Europe about 2,500 years ago. It made its way to the United States when English settlers immigrated in the late nineteenth century. Good work ancestors!

There are many different types of kale to choose from. Personally, my favorite variety is Tuscan (Lacinato) kale. Others include Curly or Scots kale; leaf and spear; rape kale; and cavolo kale. They all come in different shapes, sizes and color.

Why should we eat kale? Many, many reasons. Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods that you can add to your diet. It contains high amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. It also is an excellent source of calcium, iron and folate. Furthermore, kale's phytochemical components have proven to enhance eyesight and lower your risk of lung cancer, esophageal cancer, mouth and pharynx cancers and bladder cancer. That's pretty great news if you ask me.

If you have never tried kale before, I highly recommend trying it soon. You might surprise yourself with how much you'll like it. For you newbies (or experienced kale eaters), here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Selection & Storage:

1. When purchasing kale, make sure it is organically grown, or grown with no pesticides. Look to make sure the kale leaves are deeply colored with tenderness for optimum flavor. Avoid wilted leaves and tiny holes, which may be an indicator of insect damage.

2. When storing kale in your fridge, make sure to keep it in the crisper. Place a damp paper towel in the bag to keep moisture in the leaves. Always cook within a few days of purchasing your kale.

Preparation & Serving Suggestions:

1. When you're ready to prepare your kale, you may want to remove the center vein in the leaves and stems, as these tend to make the leaves much chewier.

2. If you plan on eating your kale raw in a salad, wait to chop the kale until you are ready to eat it. This preserves the vitamin C content.

3. Other ways of preparing kale is to steam, saute, simmer, bake or blanch it. Cooking kale takes on average about 10 minutes, depending on the method.

4. If possible, eat kale in conjunction with foods that are also rich in vitamin C (citrus fruits, vinegar, peppers, and dried fruit) to increase the absorption of iron.

5. A simple and extremely flavorful way of cooking kale is to saute it with lemon juice, a little olive oil and a sprinkle of chili flakes.

mmmmmMMmmMmmmm. Try it- I dare you.

This post is dedicated to my dear twin, Tara Fuller, who appreciates, loves and sings about this glorious vegetable.

the provincial star

the Blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum

Blueberries are native to North American and eastern Asia. There are two major varieties available in the US: lowbush and highbush. Wild blueberries are one of the three native berries of North America; the others being cranberries and Concord grapes.

As we all know, blueberries are very good for you. The smaller wild blueberries contain less water and therefore tend to be more nutrient-dense. Fresh blueberries have an Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) value of 2400 per 100 grams. They are also rich in phytochemicals, including phenolic acid, anthocyanins (the blue pigment), and ellagic acid (a natural compound that has shown signs of inhibiting tumor growth). Furthermore, frozen blueberries also contain high amounts of anthocyanins.  However, dried forms show a less amount of vitamins and phytochemicals.

Recent studies have also shown other benefits of consuming blueberries.  Some of these include improved balance, coordination, and memory (even in Alzeimer's disease). In addition to this, blueberries contain compounds that prevent the bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections from attaching the bladder wall. Basically, blueberries are awesome.

Nutritious & Delicious.

A Blueberry Muffin:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (although I'd recommend substituting a gluten-free flour, such as quinoa or buckwheat flour).
• 3/4 cup white sugar (or substitute a little stevia for less sugar)
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 1/4 cup quick cooking oats (gluten free)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1 cup almond or coconut milk
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons a vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of almond extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan, or line with paper muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, oat bran, quick-cooking oats, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently stir in the blueberries and walnuts. In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed banana, almond milk, egg, oil, and extracts. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix just until blended. Spoon into muffin cups, filling all the way to the top.
3. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly touched.

Mussels with Mama

Having been in Santa Barbara for the weekend, I was spoiled by my mom's culinary expertise. She likes to cook, I like to eat- it works out well.

Since our latest trip to New York, the two of us have been craving clams & mussels like crazy. You can imagine our excitement when we found an astronomic amount of mussels for a very inexpensive price.  A feast it would be.

..And Bobby doesn't like shellfish. Perfect. 

More for us.

This is the recipe that we attempted to follow, with a few added twists:

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds mussels
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 2 pinches of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• Dash of Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley

Directions:

Rinse the mussels under cold running water. Discard any with broken shells. Heat olive oil in a 6 to 8-quart stockpot. Saute the shallot and garlic to create a strong base flavor. Add the mussels and give them a good toss. Add wine, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes; cover the pot and steam over medium-high for 5 minutes until the mussels open. Toss in the parsley and steam for another minute to soften. Make sure to remove each mussel once it has begun to open at least a third of the way.

Mr. Goodwin, etc.

There are many, many great things about Matt Goodwin. Just look at his last name.

Moving to San Francisco a few months ago, I was looking forward to getting to know this kid that I'd soon be living with. I had heard many rumors of his excellence, notably his passion for FOOD. Knowing this,  we were most-likely (definitely) going to get along.

Yesterday afternoon, Matt shows up at the house, bike in one hand, and something colorful in the other. Having just left his community garden plot a few blocks away, Matt had just pulled up some beautiful beets. 

I still have yet to try these B-E-E-T-S...I think I'll head to the fridge, now.

bon appetit for dinner

Tomato & Cheddar Tart

I was at my parent's house this past weekend. That means many things, most importantly: an available kitchen stocked with every cooking ingredient, utensil, spice and spatula color imaginable. 

On the kitchen counter, there were about 1,342 tomatoes. All shapes, varities and sizes. They were perfect, but not going to last many more days. Something had to be done.

Sharon (yes-chef Sharon) & Jasmine was coming to stay with us for a night, so I anticipated doing something with the tomatoes in honor of their arrival. When I heard the back door open, Sharon bounded into the kitchen with a handful of what look like the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes. They were from Chino Farms. Well, no wonder.

So, that was it. I had to do something, and it had to be quick. My mom had her copy of bon appetit lying around on the kitchen table. Flipping through the pages, I found a lot of delicious recipes. With my busy schedule and lack of an attention span, most of these recipes looked like a project I was not ready to tackle. BUT, I soon found what they termed a "Tomato and Cheddar Pie." Sounded awfully rich, but this would do.

Didn't matter. It was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S.

Not to mention, Alice Waters would have been proud.

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 cups quinoa flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Filling

• 2 pounds large ripe organic tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4" slices
• 2 1/2 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar (8-9 ounces)
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (1/2 ounce)
• 1 scallion, trimmed, chopped
• 3 chives, chopped 
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon red wine or apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornmeal

• Use a 9"-diameter glass or ceramic pie dish

Preparation

Crust

• Whisk first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in butter until coarse meal forms and some small lumps remain. Stir in buttermilk and knead gently with your hands until dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for 1 hour.

Filling

• Lay tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with 2 layers of paper towels. Place another 2 layers of paper towels on top of tomatoes. Let stand for 30 minutes to drain.
• Preheat oven to 425°. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to an 11" round. Remove top layer of plastic wrap. Invert dough onto pie dish. Carefully peel off plastic wrap.
• Toss both cheeses in a medium bowl until evenly incorporated. Reserve 1/4 cup of cheese mixture. Whisk scallion, mayonnaise, dill, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Sprinkle cornmeal evenly over bottom of crust, then top with 1/2 cup cheese mixture. Arrange 1/3 of tomatoes over cheese, overlapping as needed. Spread half of mayonnaise mixture (about 1/3 cup) over. Repeat layering with 1 cup of cheese mixture, 1/2 of remaining tomato slices, and remaining mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese mixture over, then remaining tomato slices. Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup cheese mixture. Fold overhanging crust up and over edges of tomato slices.
• Bake pie until crust is golden and cheese is golden brown, 35-40 minutes (check crust halfway and tent with foil if it's getting too dark). Let pie cool at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours before slicing and serving.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/08/tomato-and-cheddar-pie#ixzz1To6xFqOa