Lentils are good for me (and you)

***Side note: If you haven't seen the clip from wifeswap of the young southern gentlemen who gets upset with his "mom" for the week (or is it two?) when she throws out all of the junk food, I suggest you youtube it. (Yes, I just used youtube as a verb.) Just type in " bacon is good for me".

My nutrition professor asked that we all email her a recipe for a dish we think is nutrient dense, and more importantly one that we like, so that she could share them all with the rest of the class. A cookbook of sorts if you will. I am taking classes at a community college in Oakland, and a lot of my classmates come from low income neighborhoods where food security is of major concern. In West Oakland there are 53 liquor stores, and not a single grocery store. Fortunately, there are several initiatives taking place in order to bring healthy, whole foods into this particular neighborhood. I'm looking forward to volunteering with City Slickers Farms (I found out about them via this awesome person who started the edible garden on campus). City Slickers go into low income neighborhoods and build with a promise to maintain organic, urban gardens. Now that I have more time on my hands (I gave my two weeks at my brewery gig!!!!!!), I can't wait to get them dirty! Anyways, I am rambling. My point is a lot of these young adults were raised in neighborhoods where exhausted moms pick up a bag of Mickie Ds on the way home from a long shift, or stop at the corner store to grab a can of spam and a box of mac and cheese. Thus, my goal was to provide a recipe that included non evasive ingredients (okay maybe the spices can't be found at the local Oakland corner store), and I wanted to provide an idea for something that takes little time, is easy, and makes a lot that stores easily...and of course, is healthy. FYI, I started my Thanksgiving post a few days ago, but got distracted. I figured since I had to do this assignment for school, and it had to do with food, I'd go ahead and post it. So, without further ado..

Lentil Chili

Serves a few people for a couple of days

1 lb. lentils, rinsed and drained (I use green, but you can use brown. Green and brown lentils seem to retain their shape best with thorough cooking.)
2 c. veggie broth
3 c. water
1 tsbp. oilve oil
1/2 c. onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can fire roasted tomatoes (or two cups stewed tomatoes OR fire roast fresh tomatoes!)
1 can green chilies (or 1/2 c. chopped fire roasted chilies)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. minced cilantro

Combine lentils, broth, and water in a large pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes partially covered. Meanwhile, in a skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chilies, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Continue to saute for another 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce with the lentils. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes more, or until the lentils are tender. Add a bit more water if the lentils become too thick (I like mine thick!). Stir in the lime juice and adjust spices right before serving. Garnish with cilantro.

I adore this recipe. It is perfect as summer fades into fall and you start craving cups of soups, and other warm liquid-y dishes. Lentils have this incredible ability to absorb the flavors of foods they are cooked with, and trap the seasonings so that they do not fade into the background. Beyond being delicious, lentils are nutrient packed making them a mighty member of the legume family. They are a good source of cholesterol lowering fiber, and help with blood sugar disorders by preventing blood glucose levels from rising too rapidly post meal time. Lentils also contain high levels of protein, including the essential amino acids isoleucine and lysine. They also supply 6 important minerals, and two B vitamins. Lentils provide all of this with virtually no fat. Serve them up with rice, and you've got a complete protein. This dish contains little salt, which is a big plus for your body. The recipe is adaptable meaning that you can put whatever you have lying around in the pan (e.g. giner, corn, etc.), and it still tastes insanely good. The lime juice added at the end gives this dish just enough acidity to add a brightness often lacking in lentil soups/chilies. Serve this lentil chili over roasted vegetables for a heartier meal loaded with the macro/micro nutrients your body (and soul) appreciates.

Comfort Food

The temperature is beginning to drop here in Berkeley, and I finally feel like we have entered the fall season. My favorite things about fall are the crisp smell of the air, the color pallet that surrounds me, the sound of crunching leaves beneath my feet, the abundance of squash and wild mushrooms found at the local grocery store, and of course, Thanksgiving. 

I am hosting Thanksgiving in my teeny tiny apartment this year, and while I am looking forward to being surrounded by friends and family on my favorite holiday I am also feeling nervous! I love spending all day in the kitchen with good company and spirits (thus why it is my favorite holiday), but the perfectionist in me is taking over and yielding a stress byproduct. That is why I've been cooking up some potential Thanksgiving menu items, and testing them out on James. One of these potential menu items has found itself on not only the yes list, but on my list of all time best comfort foods. Its perfection is due to its simplicity. Hello fall, and hello happiness.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Parmesan

Serves approximately 8

2 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

3/4 c. heavy cream (or you could sub coconut milk)

3-4 sage leaves, chopped

1-2 large sprigs of rosemary, chopped

2/3 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Toss squash with cream, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Place in a shallow baking dish, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Uncover, stir in half of cheese, and sprinkle the rest on top. Roast uncovered for another 20 minutes or until the squash is tender, and beginning to brown. Let stand for 5 minutes, and serve. 

The fall smell

is absent here in California. What a bummer. The weather up until today (it was cool, calm, gray, LOVED IT!) wouldn't leave you to believe that fall is here. That old saying, you always want what you can't have, comes true in yet another facet of my life. This constant sunshine, and heat makes me miss Oregon. I never thought I would love cold, gray weather, but I do.... so while the weather here in good ole' sunny Cali-forn-ia doesn't clue my senses into fall, the Monterey Market sure does. 

The Monterey Market is famous here in Berkeley. It was opened up by a farmer and his family in 1961. It is iconic, and in my humble opinion, should be the blue print for all local grocery stores. Thank you Monterey Market for your continued excellence, providing our community with affordable, good whole food. I was obsessed with your peaches this summer, I'm thinking mushrooms this fall....

Days of Awe

On September 3rd, 15 days before the High Holy Days commenced, my grandmother, grandma to me, Rosene to some, and Ms. Rosey to most, left the physical world. In my world, her parting escalated the importance of the Days of Awe, the ten-day period of prayer, self-examination, fasting, and repentance beginning with Rosh HaShanah. 

My grandmother taught my mother, my aunt, and uncle (and it has trickled down to me) the importance of tradition. The traditions in my family, like many others, have been passed down from generation to generation. The tradition of cooking the meals for the holiday feasts is a BIG one. I remember Passover Seders, and Rosh HaShana dinners at my grandparent's house on Betty Jo Lane. I remember when my grandmother was no longer able to host these gatherings, and the torch was passed to my mother. I may not remember every meal, every conversation, or even all the people that have attended over the years, but I do remember the warmth, the energy, the smell of brisket baking, my dad or grandpa hurrying to hide the afikomen, and poking the infamous jello mold grandma always made to watch it shift and shake like only jello can. I hope my future children, grandchildren, great grandchildren etc. etc. etc. (G-d willing!) will have these memories as well.

My grandmother was a quirky lady with deep roots. Family was number one for her, and poker was number two. (I think. I might have gotten that backwards.) Just in case you're interested here is a link to a story about her written by a man who met her at the poker tables in Tunica, MS.

http://luckydogpoker.com/?p=509

I was very lucky to have gotten to spend the Rosh HaShanah holiday with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. The Days of Awe are a time of reflection, and I felt blessed to be able to sit and share memories within the walls of a loved one's home. 

Rosene Bloom was intense, she was straightforward, she was beautiful. Her love was endless, her light is forever as it is carried on through me and all of the people who loved her. She has instilled in me a sense of pride, self confidence, and most importantly tradition, and the sanctity of family. 

The recipes below exhibit some of the things my family cook for holiday meals. My aunt emailed me all of these, some have been re-formatted, and some haven't. This is Jewish cooking at its finest. Here is a piece of my heart, my family, my tradition. 

Brisket This recipe is a combination of my grandmother's, my aunt's mother in law's, and another Jewish cook's.

Serves a boatload of people

6 lb. double brisket

Teriyaki sauce (my aunt uses Trader Joe's soyaki)

2-3 onions depending on size

Sauce

2-3 cloves garlic

3/4 c. catsup or chili sauce (we use catsup in my family!)

6 generous pinches of brown sugar

1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix (It is basically dehydrated onions, some bouillon granules, and a few other spices. You can make it yourself, but I seem to always have a packet around for herbed potatoes.)

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 

1-2 tbsp. honey

1/2 bottle beer (I'd go with the lighter stuff, no stouts or porters. A wheat beer is probably your best bet.)

The night before: Marinate the brisket in the teriyaki sauce of your choice overnight in the refrigerator.

Day of cooking: Preheat your oven to 325F. Mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce. Slice the onions, you can either mince them or slice them thinly depending on your preference. Cover the bottom of a roasting pan with the onions; place the brisket fat side up in the pan on top of the onions. Pour sauce mixture over brisket, and top with leftover onions. Cover your roasting pan with aluminum foil, and place it in the preheated oven. Cook for 3 hours at 325F. Once the brisket is cooked remove it from the oven, and let it cool. Separate the meat from the juices. (Use the juice as gravy, but make sure to skim the fat off.) When slicing the brisket, slice against the grain. My aunt suggest making the brisket the day before you want to serve it. Reheat at 300-325F.

Matzo Ball Soup My grandma's secret for the perfect balls is revealed (I had to!). This recipe is my cousin's with a few modifications made by my aunt.

Serves a boatload of people for more than one day

The balls:

Make them from the Manischewitz box. I know a lot of people who have made a lot of balls in their days, from scratch, from matzo meal, whatever, and most all agree that the mixture in the box is the best. My grandma's secret, however,is to let them simmer for a long time, meaning hours. The box says 20 minutes, but if you want them perfect, do what grandma says. Another tip: use chicken broth instead of water. 

The soup (aka chicken broth):

12 lbs. whole chicken

6 quarts of water (possibly a little more)

2 lbs. carrots

2-3 large onions

4-6 parsnips

2 bunches of parsley, with end of stem trimmed

Sweat the chickens by pouring salt on them one hour before cook time. After the hour, wash the salt off the chickens with cold water. Put chickens in a large pot with water, onions, and a dash of salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling add remaining vegetables and 3-4 small bouillon cubes. (If using the larger ones, use 1 and 1/2.) Continue the boil for 15 minutes. Reduce heat, and let it simmer for hours. My aunt prefers to leave the chicken in during simmering, but in the end it is useless. She claims that is has a richer chicken flavor, and I must admit her soup is really, really good. If you want to use the chicken for something else (e.g. chicken salad, or slice it off the bone and add it back into the soup once it's done) you will need to remove it once you begin the simmer, or shortly into the simmer. Remember to keep skimming the fat off the top as the soup is simmering. You want a clear broth! My mom always serves her soup with the carrots and matzo balls. I prefer mine, two balls and one stick. (Again! I couldn't help myself.)

Great, now I'm craving chicken salad.....

Egg Salad (almost as good as chicken salad) This is strictly Rosene's recipe, and my friend Kathryn's favorite food. She loves egg salad and matzo. She's not Jewish, and she actually got us in trouble for having a party once when my parents were gone because she left a trail of matzo and egg salad in the kitchen. Priceless. 

Serves approximately 15

1/2 stick melted butter

1 dozen hard boiled eggs

2 tsp. regular mustard

1/2 c. mayo

1 tsp. salt

Mix all the above ingredients together and refrigerate. My aunt, mom, and I assume grandma always make their egg salad finely chopped by mixing it in the food processor. If you like it slightly chunkier I suggest chopping it by hand. I would say try it at least once in the food processor though, it is the consistency they serve it at that makes it extra special. Also, I am a fan of more mustard based salads so I would even hold back a little on the mayo and add more mustard, and I might even use a vegan mayo because to me the flavor is better. But then that wouldn't be staying true to grandma....

Carrot Souffle This is actually not a recipe that's been in the family for very long. Its first apperance was this year! It was too good. It felt naughty to be eating as a side dish, tasted more like dessert. My aunt made it to replace tzimis, a traditional dish with sweet potatoes and carrots. 

Serves approximately 10? My aunt made one doubled batch and had 19 people over for Rosh HaShanah, and there was still some leftovers!

1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced

1/2 c. butter

3 eggs

1/2 c. sugar

3 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Cook carrots in boiling water until tender; drain.  Combine carrots and butter in blender or food processor; blend until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients and blend well.  Spoon into lightly greased 1-quart casserole dish.  (You may separate eggs and beat whites before adding to carrot mixture for additional fluffiness).  Bake at 350F for 45 minutes.  

Honey Butter This is a new tradition my aunt started when her kids were little. I thought she was crazy, but then I tasted it and I'm slightly obsessed.

What's the secret? There isn't one. Honey butter = honey + butter. Mix honey into a soft whipped butter or smart balance to taste. Spread on challah, and enjoy!

There are a few other dishes that are commonly spotted around holiday time, but I think this is enough for now! I wanted to write about my grandma's jello mold, but my aunt couldn't find the recipe. It has something to do with orange jello, sherbert, and 7-up. I've always shied away from the jello molds at gatherings (i.e. I've never actually tasted one.), but everyone seems to really like them?

Gefilte fish and kugel are two absolute staples, but we don't grind the fish ourselves and a kugel recipe will come later. Also, a chicken dish is usually served, but how it is cooked ranges. My mom grills her's while my aunt bakes her's with a sauce.

L'Chayim!

Did I say September?

More like October. Lets not get all caught up in semantics (it actually is still September...) because I'm baaaaaaackkkk!!

I have returned in full force. James and I are finally taking off on our bread making adventure so keep checking back for pictures and our favorite recipes. Yippee!

Hiatus Announcement

When I wrote the title for this post I was thinking about how it feels when your favorite band that you've traveled the country to see night after night announces that they are going on hiatus. This probably doesn't feel like that....

Cooking has been almost completely absent from my life these past couple of weeks. I mean I still cook, I have to or James would starve, but it's nothing to write home about. I kid about James starving if I don't cook. If there isn't food around James is great at preparing a refreshing, soothing beer for dinner. 

James and I will be leaving on Wednesday for the mitten state. His cousin is getting hitched. I am really looking forward to the wedding, as well as relaxing on Lake Michigan with Oberon in tow, and adding some sun kissed highlights to my golden locks. The summer teases you here in San Francisco, and I often find myself yearning for some sun, heat, and water. A little sand wouldn't hurt either. We are also moving on the 9th, the day after James gets back from Michigan, so I've got a lot of packing to do. With the big move now in the foreseeable future, school around the corner, and the search for the holy grail (i.e. a job), I see myself having zero time to cook up anything worth posting. Thus, the hiatus.

Once I get settled in to my new sunlit kitchen, the cheese making and bread baking will commence. SO watch out! I'm already planning the reunion tour. 

These are a few of my favorite things...

I just had to post a link to one of my favorite blogs in cyberspace. Whoever is behind the operation is a genius. Not only are there recipes from home, but restaurant reviews. You might be thinking to yourself "yeah, I'm not sure it gets much better than that." Wrong my friend, it does. For ever recipe posted, and every restaurant review written, there is a musical pairing.

Music and food. Two of my favorite things.

Check it out: http://www.eating-sf.com/

Not only does the food put mine to shame, but I want this person's camera! That is the next big buy on my list. Maybe an early Chanukah gift? Enjoy!

Indian Pizzette

We'll see if I can get back on track with these posts. Looking for a new place to live, a new job, and starting school has contributed to months passing like minutes, and a lack of cooking. My concept of time feels totally warped. Life is nuts, but like the best nuts you've ever had. 

The weather in San Francisco has been so beautiful lately, who wants to stay inside and cook? Not us. My favorite summer treat this year definitely has to be grilled corn. I just can't get enough. It is bittersweet knowing that we will be moving over to the east bay in about a month, and all of the sweet corn I've planted and love will go to the squirrels...or possibly the new tenants, but at this point I'm not sure who would appreciate it more. My money is with the squirrels. My point is yeah life has been busy, but also contributing to my lack of cooking is the fact we have a big beautiful backyard and deck complete with a grill. A co-worker of James' just got back from fishing in Alaska so we've been gifted the most amazing salmon I've ever consumed. Salmon, corn, asparagus, squash. How do we cook 'em? On the grill.

So for today's post I've reached far back into the archives. James and I are obsessed with pizza. We love making our own, experimenting with all sorts of flavors and textures. I recently made a big dinner for my parents, and their friends when I was in TN. I made a crisp mushroom and feta pizza for an appetizer, and it was loved by all. James and I enjoy experimenting with our 'zza, and we've yet to make anything inedible. We also discovered some of the yummiest pizza to date, indian pizza. Just a quick 10 blocks from our house is the best (if not only) indian pizza in San Francisco. I couldn't believe that I had never thought of combining my two favorite foods. They are extremely enjoyable separately, but together completely divine. 

Here is my attempt at an indian pizzette. Perfect for one, or make a bunch and serve them as appetizers. FYI I did not measure anything when I made this so below is my best guess at a recipe. 

Indian Pizzette

1 package naan (Usually about 5 or 6 pieces come in a package. You could also make your own, it is super easy, and you can find a great recipe via google.)

1 jar curry simmer sauce, I suggest korma because while the flavor is mild, it is distinctly indian

1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes

8 oz. of mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

any vegetables you might enjoy on pizza! (seriously, anything! I used broccoli, peppers, and potatoes. I suggest squash, corn, asparagus, or yams)

2 tbsp. olive oil

salt

pepper

curry powder

cumin

garam masala

Pre heat your oven to 350F. In a medium sauce pan over low heat, mix together the indian simmer sauce and the crushed tomatoes to make your pizza sauce. Feel free to add fresh tomatoes to the sauce for texture. Season with salt and pepper to test. Let the tomatoes and the sauce cook over low heat until throughly mixed. (You can even keep it on low heat until you assemble the pizzas. You can't overcook the sauce.) In another large sauce pan heat 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add the sliced onions and vegetables of your choice. Once the onions become transparent add the garlic. ( I add the garlic later because I love garlic. If you like garlic to have a less intense flavor, add it in with the other vegetables.) Basically you are just sauteing the veggies, add more olive oil as necessary. Season the vegetables to taste with the curry powder, cumin, and garam masala. These are all really distinct spices so go easy. Curry powder is especially hot so I wouldn't use more than 1/2 tsp. On a pizza stone, or cookie sheet with aluminum foil, arrange the naan. Spoon your pizza sauce (the tomatoes and simmer sauce) on to each naan. Sprinkle some cheese, and then add the vegetables. Top with a little more cheese, maybe some fresh herbs such as oregano, and place in the oven. Cook in the hot oven for about 8 minutes until the mozzarella is bubbling. EASY! ***

***This doesn't have to be a vegetarian pizzette. Chicken would be great. If you are going to add chicken I would cube it, and cook it in the tomatoes and simmer sauce so that it stays juicy and absorbs the flavors of the pizza sauce. 

That's all folks. Hopefully I'll make some bread soon. I've got to make at least one loaf before we move out of our current apartment. Post to follow! 

Many, many blessings!