My Favorite Parfait

I love to start the day with a nice bowl of yogurt, fruit and granola. In the morning, I like to keep it simple. For me, this is the perfect few bites before I head out the door to conquer the day. 

Because it is so simple there are a few rules that you must follow: 

1. ORGANIC - always. Especially with soft berries and yogurt it is very important to buy and eat organic. No one wants to start their day with pesticides. 
2. Local High Quality - Look for yogurt that gets you excited and is made locally. It will taste better and help out the local farms. 
3. Don't Eat Too Much - Yogurt is rich. Don't eat too much otherwise you won't feel so great. I like to minimize my dairy intake. 
4. INTENTION - when you make your breakfast, put intention and positive thought into it. Trust me it makes it taste better. 

Serves 2

Ingredients 

Greek Yogurt - 1 cup (I love NOOSA yogurt) 
Walnuts - 10 each 
Blueberries - Small handful
Raspberries - Small  handful
Pomegranate Seeds - 2 tbsp
Almond Butter - 2 tbsp each
Honey - 1 tbsp

Method

Put a layer of walnut and fruit on the bottom. Cover with yogurt, drizzle with honey and then cover with fruit! 

Grilled Shrimp, Arugula and Pepper Salad

Summer calls for a grill and fresh greens. This salad is simple and beautiful. Filled with a variety of amazing textures or crunch bell pepper, crisp and moist shrimp and a velvet dressing, the salad will excite, inspire and keep you energized for summer activities. 

Ingredient

Jumbo Shrimp – 1 lb (oxymoron I know)
Arugula – 1 bunch
Orange Bell Pepper – 2 each small diced

Dressing
Sherry Vinegar – ¼ cup
Extra Virgin Olive Oil -3/4 cup
Honey – 2 tbsp
Lime – 2 each juiced
Thyme – 2 sprigs picked
Salt and Pepper – to taste

Method

Preheat the grill on medium high heat. Season the shrimp with salt pepper and olive oil, and cook for 3 min. then flip and cook until the shrimp are curing. They will continue to cook so pull them off a bit early. Place the shrimp in a large mixing bowl. Dice the bell pepper and add to shrimp then top with arugula.

In a small mason jar, mix vinegar, oil, honey, lime and thyme. Shake and then add just enough dressing to coat the shrimp. Toss softly and serve.

Watermelon Feta Salad

The simplicity of this salad makes the preparation easy and quick. First take off each end of the watermelon and cut it in half. Turn so that the center of the melon is against the cutting board and take off the rind. Then proceed to cut it into cubes.  Next slice the shallot and lastly cube the cheese. Add the oil, honey, mint and season to taste.

Ingredients

Watermelon – 1/2 each diced into 1’’ pieces
Sheep Milk Feta Cheese – 2 cups  diced into 1’’ pieces
Shallot – 1 each sliced thin
Mint - 1/2 bunch chiffonade (thin shreds)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – ¼ cup
Honey – 2 tbsp
Salt and pepper – to taste

Method

Cut watermelon into ½ inch cubes. Do this by first cutting the watermelon in half. Then laying the flat side on the cutting board take off the rind carefully. Slice vertically to make planks. Lay the planks down, cut ½ inch so you have spears and then repeat to make cubes.  Place watermelon in a bowl.

Cube the feta cheese, slice the shallot as thin as possible. Add to bowl. 

Mince the herbs and sprinkle on top – add olive oil, honey and vinegar.

Mix using your hands. Taste and season if necessary – I love mine with a lot of black pepper. 

Cumin and Turmeric Roasted Carrots

 

Often overlooked, the carrot posses a magical ability to tantalize ones taste buds. The secret to a good roasted carrot is to really roast it. Roast it hard. A carrot that is lightly cooked is good, but a carrot that is charred, and dances along the line of burnt is amazing. I have found that dusting the carrots in a mixture of cumin and turmeric adds to the richness and depth of the roasted carrot. A beautiful yogurt dressing with herbs and lemon off set the richness and provide a bright and acidic counterpart that rounds out the dish. Follow your senses in the kitchen, but I will say that if you think the carrot is ready, leave it a little longer... scary I know, but it will be worth it. 

Serves 8

Ingredients

Organic Carrots (variety of colors) - 2 bunches unpeeled
Turmeric - 2 tbsp
Cumin (seeds toasted then ground) - 2 tbsp
Salt and Pepper - To taste
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup

Dressing

Greek Yogurt (Fage) - 1 1/2 cup
Lemon - 1 1/2 juiced
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Basil - 1 tbsp chopped
Mint - 1 tbsp chopped
Salt and Pepper - to taste
Pomegranate to garnish

Method

Start preheating the oven to 375 F. Begin to wash and peel the carrots. Take the stems off. 

Lay the carrots on a sheet tray and sprinkle with cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and mix with your hands, getting a nice coating of seasoning over each carrot. Lay them on the sheet tray evenly spaced. Place in the oven for 15 min. Check the carrot and if dark brown on the bottom turn over. Cook for an additional 10 min and then remove from the oven. 

Mix the yogurt, lemon, olive oil, basil, mint, salt and pepper, spoon over the carrots before serving. 

Cioppino - A San Francisco Fisherman Stew

 

Cioppino - A San Francisco Fisherman Stew

Close your eyes. Now picture yourself on the docks of San Francisco in 1880. Children in top hats perched on carriages trot by. The fresh air whips across the bay reminding you that your city never gets too hot. The fisherman are unloading their catch of the day. An old man with weathered hands carries a large pot down the docks, yelling, 'chip in, chip in!' The pot sings as clams, crab, and fish rhythmically strike the edges. The man places the soon to be stew over an open fire at the end of the dock. As the fire crackles he adds some wine, onion and tomato from just across the bridge and lets the catch simmer. The aroma thickens and wafts over the salty boats. The deckhands begin to look up at the man. Gratefully, they migrate to the source for  a taste of the stew. It was here that Cioppino was born. Truly a perfect for a cold San Francisco day. 

Serves 8

Collage By Inas Al-Soqi

Ingredients

White Onion - 2 each sliced
Fennel - 1 each sliced
Saffron - 1 pinch
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Canned Tomato - 1 1/2 quart (6 cups)
White Wine - 1/2 bottle
Fish Stock - 1 1/2 quart 
Thyme - 3 sprigs

Mussels - 1 lb
Manila Clams - 1 1/2 lb
Squid - 1/2 lb
Sea Scallop - 1/2 lb
Jumbo Shrimp - 1/2 lb

Dill for garnish.

Method

Start off by slicing the onion and fennel. In a pot over medium heat add the vegetables to oil, sprinkle with a bit of salt  and saffron, cover, and let sweat stirring occasionally until they vegetables begin to fall apart and become sweet. 

Add the tomato,  and wine. Let wine reduce. Add the fish stock and simmer for 20 min.

As everything is simmering, prepare the seafood by washing the shell fish and removing the beard from the mussel. A fun way to prepare the squid is to lightly score the bodies at an angle and slice them into thin strips. They will curl into beautiful little flowers. Lay the shrimp, scallop and squid on a tray and season each side with salt and pepper. 

Now blend the soup, either in a vita prep or with a hand stick blender. Return to medium/low heat and season with salt and pepper. 

When you are ready to serve, add the mussels and clams to the broth, after 3 min add the shrimp followed by the calamari and then the scallops. Taste the broth again and season if necessary.

When the clams and mussels fully open in the broth the soup should be ready. Sever in a large bowl, garnish with fresh dill and enjoy! 

Simple Summer Lentils

 

The lentil is a beautiful legume. My entire life, I have leaned on lentils as a comfort food and wonderful source of protein, fiber and flavor. As as a chef, lentils are ready to take on any flavor that you impart. Although, I traditionally crave lentils in the winter months, they are a great addition to light summer meals and summer salads, adding satisfaction while still keeping it light. This recipe is perfect for those breezy summer nights. Grab a bowl and head down to the dock. Dip your feet in the cool water and nourish yourself while you enjoy a bowl. I tend to make a batch and keep in in my fridge for the week; adding an egg on top for a great easy meal. 

Lentils are an awesome power food. These slow burning carbohydrates will:

• Help with cardiovascular health! Thanks folate and magnesium!
• Lower your cholesterol
• Give you energy while stabilizing your blood sugar
• Deliver iron without the bad cholesterol and fat found in meat. 

Serves 8

Ingredients

Mixed Lentils - 2 cups
Onion - 1 1/2 cups minced (1/4 cup reserved for garnish)
Garlic - 3 cloves minced 
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Vegetable Stock (or water) - 4 cups
Thyme - 3 sprigs
Rosemary - 1 sprig 
Star Anise - 1 star
Salt and Pepper - to taste 
Lemon Juice - 1 each 

The Method

Heat a large sauce pot over medium heat. Mince the onion and garlic and sweat them in the olive oil and a covered pot until they are sweet (about 10 min.)

Wash and visually inspect the lentils to make sure there is no debris. Add the clean lentils to the pot and stir so all the lentils are coated. Add the water, vegetable stock, herbs and spices. If you want to dabble in traditional French cuisine then wrap the herbs in spices in cheese cloth with a bit of twine to make a boquet garni. 

*SEASON the liquid! Lentils absorb flavor. If the water is not salty or flavorful enough then the lentils will not be either. 

Simmer uncovered for about 20-30 min. 

Taste and season! When ready to serve, top them with onion, some additional olive oil and herbs.  

Keep the lentils in your fridge for the week and enjoy whenever you want to smile. They are that good. 

. 

Dreaming Of Bondi Beach And Avocado Toast

There is nothing more Aussie than avocado toast...when I went to Australia a few months back the avocado toast craze was in full swing. Lucky for me, two of my favorite things in this world are a perfect avocado...and a crispy piece of gluten free toast. If I want to make anyone smile - this is what I make for them.

When I stopped eating gluten, the thought of never eating grilled bread again made me quite sad. Until I found some amazing GF breads. My favorite? 'Udi's' - a good old Colorado based company with awesome 'millet, chia - gluten free bread'. 

I tend to make this when I am craving a satisfying, healthy and light midmorning, afternoon, night or late night snack... really whenever. Get creative with it, I happened to pick up some beautiful watercress at the Union Square Green Market - so I decided to make a nice salad this time.  

The Ingredients

Gluten Free - Bread (Udi's Chia Millett) - 1 slice
Organic Avocado - 1 each
Cherry Tomato - 3 each 
Lemon - 1/2 each
Watercress - small handful 
Local Honey - 2 tsp
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - 1 tsp
Chili Honey (take 1/4 tsp of honey and pinch of red pepper and mix)
Olive Oil - 2 tsp
Apple Cider Vinegar - 1/2 tsp 
Salt and Pepper - to taste
 

Method

Avocado - First take your avocado, scoop it into a mixing bowl and mash it up a bit with the back of your fork. Next, season it with 2 tsp of olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. Avocados can take a lot of salt so don't be too shy. Slice the cherry tomato in half length ways and gently fold it into the avocados. 

Toast - simply take the toast and grill it or toast it... which every you desire...

Watercress - drizzle a teaspoon of oil, honey, apple cider vinegar and some salt and pepper over the watercress. Gently coat the leaves, using only your hands to mix. 

The Finish - Take your perfectly grilled piece of bread, and scoop a nice hunk of avocado on to it. . . top it with the watercress salad and drizzle with chili honey.

Serve to your self of your favorite crush. It will make them smile - guaranteed.