In life, take time to smell the roses

A few days ago, when the weather was so beautiful in Boston, instead of going straight home from work, I walked towards Back Bay and stopped off at Antropologie.  A dear friend of mine, P first talked to me about this store, and we've enjoyed a handful of meet ups there every since. This time I flew solo, and though being with P would have been much more fun, it was also nice to persue in solitude and take in the beautiful sites .  As I walked around, I felt the day melting away, my blood pressure dropping and my happiness quotient going up.  It was so nice to take a moment, let myself enjoy a few minutes with just me, before life took over again.

Throughout the store, I saw so many cute things.  I saw the most adorable little bowls.  Perfect for company, or ice cream, or fruit, or even cereal. 

I stumbled upon adorable monogramed cups, perfect for you and a sweetie to enjoy tea in the morning, or coffee in the evening.  

I saw cute cookbooks to perfectly complement my beverage.

Cupcakes, or donuts.  Maybe one of each will be the best bet. After all, too much chocolate or sugar? Is that even possible ;)

As I finished the downstairs level of the store, I made my way up the stairs to the highest level, where the clothes were so cutely arranged by color.  I absolutely loved the vibrant orange dresses I saw.

So I kept looking and browsing, and was so happy and so destressed that I was ready to face the rest of my evening and day and that never ending to-do list again ;) As I walked down the stairs I glanced at one last table, and found a book, that was too eerie of a sign. I took it to be confirmation that I was on the right track and that I should just keep following it. 

After all if you follow your heart and strive to find happiness from within, life will always be whatever you want it to be. (Even if there are bumps and stumbles along the way)

Maybe I really should pick up a copy of this book while I'm at it too.

Smiles & love everyone. Hope you're enjoying your special moments no matter how crazy or busy the days can be.

All photos above, are copywrited and compliments of the Antropologie website located here.  Have fun, persue the site, and maybe you too will fall in love with this store just as I have. 

Ooey – Gooey Goodness

There are some people that are red sauce people, some that are white, and some that dable in a bit of both. Me, I’ve always been a red sauce girl. I love the comfort and tang it provides, and a few years ago, when I realized white foods (sugar, flour, lots of cream) had little nutritional value, I started loving red sauce even more! Plus tomatoes have lycopene (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycopene) which is claimed to prevent certain types of cancers.


If you work in downtown Boston, you may know of an amazing sub shop Al’s near south station and on State Street (http://www.alsstatestreetcafe.com/) . Their breads are to die for and their sandwiches delicious! And of course they make a mean eggplant parm with all the richness of the aforementioned red-sauce. It’s a treat, but like most eggplant parms it is deep fried, and it is breaded. Something that’s great for a once in a while indulgence, but not a healthy regular food item.


So a couple months ago, when a dear friend was hosting a dinner party, and I was assigned to make the veggie entrée, I found myself wondering if there was a healthier version of the ooey-gooey eggplant parm that I so love from Al’s. Something that would be just as loved and not be so bad for you. As I soon found out, there is of course. That’s the wonder of google, anything you dream of can be found there with any requirements you have.


A quick google search, baked eggplant parmesan, brought me pages and pages of results. There were the baked kind, the baked and breaded kind, those with fresh sauce, those with the bottle, with herbs, sans herbs, the possibilities were endless. And yes each recipe was slightly similar and slightly different from the next. I skimmed them and sort of combined different recipes, ultimately creating a dish with baked and breaded eggplant slices, layers of fresh tomato sauce, shredded parmesan and mozzarella cheese and a low and slow bake in the oven. It got rave reviews and was loved by everyone!


So naturally I wanted to recreate it at home for myself and couple near and dear a few weeks later. The only problem? No breadcrumbs at home, and no parmesan. I just didn’t feel like making fresh crumbs, and the lack of parm (the ingredient that gives this dish its name!) wasn’t going to stop me. So I decided to try the dish sans crumbs, and with just mozzarella. Its quick, it’s simple and I thought it was just as delish! (maybe even a little more healthy) I loved it and got yummy reviews so I just couldn’t wait to share.

Ooey-Gooey Eggplant Parm (er mozzarella?)

Ingredients:


1 eggplant
1 block of mozzarella cheese (I used a lower fat version)
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (or your own homemade variety if you like)
crushed red chili flakes (the kind you put on pizza)
olive oil to coat the baking pans



Method:

Wash the eggplant and slice it into very thin round slices. (Thinness is key, thick slices will make you taste the bitterness of the eggplant without the breading. Also, technically you’re supposed to salt the eggplant and let it sit to release its water and bitterness. I didn’t for the quickness, and the thin slicing helped here too!)1 block of mozzarella cheese (I used a lower fat version)

Layer the slices onto a baking sheet greased with a 1 teaspoon of olive oil and bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes (flipping over every 10 minutes to prevent burning and sticking) You’ll probably need two pans for all the eggplant.

Slice the mozzarella into thin slices (you could shred, but I find slicing the cheese allows you to control the amount better and not over do it on the cheese)

When your eggplant is cooked, layer a baking dish (I used a round nine inch pan) with sauce on the bottom. (If you’ve ever made lasagna or any baked dish, and have skipped this step you know it’s so important to prevent your dish from sticking after it has baked)

Place a layer of the baked eggplant on top of the sauce

Place a layer of cheese on top of the sauce

Sprinkle with chili flakes for a spicy kick

Repeat with sauce, eggplant, cheese and chili ending with sauce. (you can skip the chili flakes on any or all of the layers if you'd rather keep the dish mild)


You’ll probably have 3 layers, and have used ½ your bottle of sauce.

Cover your dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 45 minutes. Keeping it for 45 minutes will ensure your eggplant it thoroughly cooked through and will leave it amazingly tender. You can also remove the foil for the last 5 – 10 minutes to get a nice browned top. I didn’t this time.


In the end, you’ll have a wonderful comfort dish that’s healthy and can be eaten alone for a wonderful dish, or with a side of pasta and salad! You could even put it into a sub role for a sandwich! I won’t claim it’s the same as Al’s but it is super tasty and healthier for you!

The next time you’re looking for a little comfort, maybe you’ll enjoy the ooey-gooey goodness of cheese, sauce and spice that make this eggplant parm finger lickin good!

Its just another manic Monday .. woah .. oh .. wish it were Sunday ..

Okay, I realize its Tuesday, and the punch line above doesn’t have the same effect, but doesn’t it feels like every Sunday Night we’re just a little sad :( I mean, the weekend is over, the whole work week lies ahead, and somehow Friday seems so so far away! Generally all Sundays are like this, and some are a little bit more gloomy than others.

But a recent Sunday night wasn’t like that. In fact, it wasn’t even close. Sunday night was actually exciting and Monday was one of the best Mondays ever! No, it wasn’t because work was amazing (or that I got a raise ;)), it because a dear dear friend was visiting from Geneva and we, her friends and husband had planned a Monday day night meet up at Myers + Chang!

If you’ve never been there, it’s a must visit! Located at 1145 Washington St in the South End, the place is the brain child of Joanne Chang, and her husband Christopher Myers and is “a funky indie diner setting offering Chef/Owner Joanne Chang and Executive Chef Matthew Barros's very personal interpretation of Chinese, Taiwanese, Thai, and Vietnamese specialties (http://www.myersandchang.com). (If you don’t know, Joanne is also a celebrity in the pastry world in Boston, with multiple locations of her bakery Flour, and a new cookbook out too!)

We started out the night around 7 with a cocktail as we waited for the staff to arrange our table. They were so gracious and the cocktails were yummy! I started with the Ginjo Gimlet (ginjo sake, housemade ginger syrup, fresh lime) since I love my ginger! The rest of the party enjoyed other various drinks including the Asian Mojito, the Mai Tai, and the Margarita. If the drinks were good, the laughs and catching up was even better. I guess that’s just always how it is with good friends. We were having such a blast, that we were probably the most jovial table in the restaurant that day. Even the wait staff loved it, and totally laughed and joked with us too. They were so kind.

Knowing I was going there that night, I had already checked out the menu, and I LOVED that they had a specific vegetarian menu with so many options – YAY! Most restaurants have a few dishes, and some have a special section, but I was super excited to see the spread here! A friend and I (the only other vegetarians in the group) settled in to order our dishes and the rest of the carnivores decided on theirs.

Unfortunately I don’t have pictures to do all the food justice (just pics courtesy of from my friend N), but we ordered:

- crispy spring rolls
- garlicky spicy coal-black wings
- chicken and waffles

- genmai fried rice

- shiitake and chinese greens potstickers
- mama chang's pork and chive potstickers

- vegetarian wok-charred udon noodles

Everything we ate was amazing! The wok-charred udon noodles absolutely, positively, most unequivocally captured wok hei or the breath of the wok! In two words – so yummy. The genmai fried rice was a treat because it was made with brown rice and finished with an egg, that we mixed table side to create ribbons of cooked silky egg in our fried rice. I’ve never had brown rice in my fried rice and was so excited. My companions raved about the garlicky spicy wings and the chick and waffles as well! And of course mama chang’s pot stickers were a huge hit.

By the end of the night were stuffed, happy, and caught up in the events we missed over the past couple weeks that we wished the night wasn’t coming to a close. In fact we decided for once Mondays could just be the new Thursdays. Maybe not every week (but at least every other). After all, good friends, great company and delicious food make for a wonderful night any day of the week. That Monday was especially special thanks to the food and wonderful staff at Myers + Chang.

Little pillows of heaven

A couple years ago, when I worked closer to Faneuil hall, a dear friend and I would always meet up for lunch when our schedules permitted. She - ms. Math professor extraordinaire and I – her long time friend – used to spend the entire lunch hour, chatting, and laughing and sharing our silly stories about the day or life at that time. Of course we’d eat, and sometimes even do a bit of window shopping, but really, the entire time was dedicated to what girls do best – laugh and chat!

I remember one afternoon, after having lunch, we found ourselves inside Godiva craving a sweet ending to our lunch. Now I know what you’re thinking, Godiva almost always equals chocolate, but surprisingly, not on that day. You see, we didn’t settle on a chewy caramel, or a luscious truffle, or even an iced chocolaty drink. Instead we chose a coconut macaroon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaroon) and in turn, tasted a little pillow of heaven that afternoon.

Right after buying our macaroon, the two us, just stood there, in that store, ooing and aaing as we gobbled up and enjoyed every single coconutty luscious bite. Much to the laugh of everyone around us I’m sure.

When a couple months later, said lovely friend having her bridal shower, I knew I wanted to remind her of that special macaroon we shared; and bring a little extra magic to one of the most magical days in her life. In all the time we’ve been friends, we’ve shared so many memories and so many laughs that reminding her of a recent event seemed to be the best way to let her know the best memories were yet to come!

Having never made a macaroon before, I looked online for a while and finally found the perfect recipe for those yummy treats from our friends at Krafts foods.
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/chocolate-dipped-coconut-macaroons-64373.aspx

I followed the recipe to a T, without changing any ingredient. The only difference was in the shaping of the macaroons. I chose to shape them into cute little pyramids, whose bases I then dipped in chocolate. I just thought it helped dress up the macaroons and make them extra special for a wonderful celebration!

So whether you’re craving a coconut treat, looking for a reason to make someone smile, planning a black tie event, or just staying home on a lazy Sunday there is always a reason to share a coconut macaroon and enjoy a little pillow of heaven with someone wonderful in your life.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (14 oz.) BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut 2/3 cup Sugar 6 Tbsp. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
4 Egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tsp. Almond extract
1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Method:
Heat oven to 325°F.
Combine coconut, sugar, flour and salt.
Add egg whites and extract; mix well.
Shape mixture into small pyramids with your hands and place 2 inches apart, onto greased and floured baking sheets.
Bake 20 min. or until edges are golden brown.
Cool 3 min. on baking sheets; remove to wire racks.
Cool completely.

Melt chocolate as directed on package, approx 1 minute in the microwave in 2 square increments.
Dip the base of the macaroon into chocolate, shake excess and place on a sheet lined with wax paper to firm.

Quinoa Salad for a Scorcher of a Day

It’s hot!! Boston is in the midst of another heat wave and temperatures are rising! Humidity is at an all time high, and some local towns have even affected water bans for their localities. (Even though we experienced some torrential rain this spring!). With all this heat, it’s natural to want to eat light, cooling and refreshing things. And this morning, while reading the New York Times, I stumbled upon just such a dish: a spicy quinoa, cucumber and tomato salad.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/health/nutrition/13recipehealth.html

The only problem? I didn’t have all the ingredients to make it. So, I improvised and I compromised and eventual I wound up with something pretty close, and hopefully just as refreshing and tasty.
I deemed it quinoa salad for a scorcher of a day, inspired very closely by the article above. Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa) has been dubbed the gold of the Incas and although an ancient grain, is actually the seeds of a plant related to the beet, chard and spinach family.

Quinoa which is highly rich in protein, is the only ‘complete’ protein and contains all 9 of the essential amino acids. This makes it an excellent choice for healthy consumption, and a wonderful addition to a salad in the summer months. Cool crisp veggies and the nutritious quinoa fill you up and do absolutely nothing to your waist line! So that means, you can enjoy your salad, and still have room for an evening ice cream treat!

Here’s the recipe for you to enjoy!

For the quinoa salad (which serves 8) you’ll need
Ingredients:
½ cup uncooked quinoa
1 fist full of dried cranberries
½ red onion1 small cucumber

½ large roma tomato

1 ½ ear of corn - steamed

3 inch large piece of daikon radish

1 – 2 green chillis

2 limes juiced
6 tsp olive oil

½ inch of ginger
cracked pepper
salt
Method:

Wash the quinoa thrice with cool water in a bowl to cleanse it and remove its saponins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponins).

When draining the quinoa after each wash, pour it through a sieve to remove the water and prevent the quinoa from flowing away into the sink.

Then soak the quinoa in cool water for 15 mts to further aid in saponin removal.

After 15 minutes, drain the quinoa again (remember the sieve method) and add 1 cup of fresh water to it.

Pour the quinoa and water into a pan, add ½ tsp of salt and let the quinoa cook on high until the water boils and barely a thin layer of water is left on top of the grain.

At this point, add the cranberries, cover the pot and let the quinoa cook undisturbed for 10 minutes on a low simmer.

Once done shut off the stove.

In the meantime, cut the onion, tomato, cucumber, daikon radish and green chilli into bite size dices. Try and make each piece the same size so that every bite in the salad will have a little bit of everything. Once you’ve finished your chopping, place all the vegetables into a large serving bowl.

Next, steam the ears of corn until tender and then cool. Once cool, cut the kernels off and discard the ears. Add to the serving bowl.

Then wisk together the juice of 2 limes, freshly cracked pepper, 6 tsp of olive oil and salt to taste to create a light dressing for this salad. After combined, thinly slice a ½ inch piece of ginger into bite size pieces and add to the dressing. Set this aside for all the flavors to combine and become bright and light.

Once the quinoa had finished cooking, remove and place in a bowl to cool. You’ll know when the quinoa is done, because it will have increased in size, become moist and fluffy and most of all sprouted a characteristic thread out of each grain. (The first time I cooked quinoa I thought I had spoiled it because of this very thread!)

After the quinoa has cooled to room temperature, add the quinoa to the serving bowl and toss to combine with the other ingredients.After combined, spoon ½ of the dressing over the quinoa salad and mix. Add the rest and toss fully to incorporate all the ingredients.

Now let the salad sit for a few minutes as all the flavors combine, and then serve a couple heaping serving spoons to each person and enjoy!

The quinoa salad will keep fresh for a couple days in your fridge, so in case you have any leftover, just store it away for later!

And be sure to beat the heat and be good to yourself in these hot and humid summer months!

Squash soup for the soul

If you’re from the northeast, you’re used to having four distinct seasons which break up the year (sometime just three short seasons, with winter overpowering the rest). Whichever the case, the cold winter months always seem to create a longing for warm comfort food. This winter has certainly been no different as its turning out to be of the coldest and snowiest, in the recent past.

Every week seems to bring a day of snow, followed by bone-chilling temperatures। And that really just leaves two things to do: head north for the slopes or hibernate til spring. If outdoor winter sports aren’t your thing, or you’re taking a break for the weekend, maybe you’ll want to go into your kitchen some afternoon and try a s oup recipe to warm your soul.

I was recently flipping through the pages of my Cooking Light magazine from Jan/Feb 2008, and found a fun recipe for golden winter soup. What drew me to the recipe was that in addition to the standard potato base, the soup is mostly comprised of squash. I absolutely love the creamy flavor of this vitamin rich vegetable and decided to give it a try one weekend. I changed the recipe a bit and added in one of my most favorite flavorings, ginger juice. If you’re never added ginger, or ginger juice to a recipe, you’ll have to give it a try! This aromatic root, brightens and picks up just about any dish. (Maybe it’s the Indian-ness inside me that thinks so, so definitely experience it for yourself! )

Golden Winter Soup: makes 8, 1 cup, servings
(originally published in Cooking Light, January/February 2008 magazine. Modified slightly from original publication)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
5 cups (1/2-inch cubed) peeled butternut squash
2 cups (1/2-inch cubed) peeled pototo
1 tsp salt (more to taste if desired)
½ tsp freshly ground pepper (more to taste if desired)
1 cup sliced onions
4 cups water
3-4 tbsp fresh ginger juice (grate ginger and squeeze to get juice, you can add more or less to taste)

Method:
Melt button in a large pot over medium high heat
Add onion and sauté until translucent
Add squash, potato, salt and pepper to pan; sauté for 3 minutes
Stir in water and ginger juice; bring to boil
Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally
Place half of the potato mixture in a blender
Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape) and secure blender lid on blender
Place a clean towel over the opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters)
Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally
Place half of the potato mixture in a blender
Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape) and secure blender lid on blender
Place a clean towel over the opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters)
Blend until smooth
Pour into a large bowl
Repeat procedure with remaining potato mixture
To serve, ladle 1 cup of soup into each of 8 bowls; and garnish with more pepper

Enjoy!

A new year, A new you

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you all enjoyed a very festive holiday season and ended the last few days of 2007 making life long memories! Welcome to 2008! Bet you’re looking forward to the clean slate a New Year offers. Isn’t it a great way to dust oneself off and start afresh? So what type of person are you? Are you the type that makes resolutions and is out of the gate running on January 1st in their pursuit? Or do you prefer to not make any knowing far well that most resolutions never come to fruition anyways. Many of us use January 1st as an effort to better our self in one aspect or another. And year after year there seems to be no resolution more common than becoming healthier. On the ride back from New York a couple days go, I couldn’t seem to get away from this fact; every where I looked there were ads for weight loss programs and gym membership. And sure enough when I got to work, my office mates swore that salads and soups are the only way to go during the month of Jan. So to help everyone along on that path, I thought I’d post a light veggie soup to help wean off those holiday pounds.

My mom actually shared this recipe with me about five years ago when I used to work in Texas. It’s so light and flavorful and chock full of veggies. The version below is an even easier way (than her original) to make this simple dish. Although the recipe doesn’t include this, you can always embellish this basic soup with some cooked penne pasta and truly make it a filling meal.

The last time I made this soup, I chose to compliment it with a simple cheese with mint chutney sandwich. (I’m one of those people that don’t consider a meal complete without a carb component, so this was my way of completing it. The recipe for the sandwich is not included, but honestly its just two slices of toast with a slice of cheese, and mint chutney.)


I hope you enjoy this vegetable soup and make it a hearty part of your winter diet. Fell free to add more vegetables or items as you wish. Your new body will thank you!

Best wishes for 2008!
May it be your best year yet.

Vegetable Soup: Serves 3 to 4 people

Ingredients:
1/2 onion chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 stalk of celery chopped
1 handful of mushrooms chopped
1 can crushed tomatoes
1/2 brick of firm tofu chopped
5 to 6 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 tsp salt (depending on taste)
water
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
½ lime

Method:
Melt butter in a large heavy bottomed stock pan
Add the chopped onion, peppercorns and bay leaf and saute until translucent
Add carrot and stir for one minute
Add celery and stir for one minute
Add tofu and crushed tomatoes and enough water to cover all vegetables in the pan
Add salt to taste
Bring soup to a boil
Once it has boiled, cover and continue to simmer, checking every 10 minutes until the vegetables are to your desired tenderness. If the water is evaporating, don’t worry about having to add more
Once the soup has cooked, taste and add salt and/or pepper to taste
Finish by squeezing ½ lime juice into the soup
Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly

Note: most soups you’ve probably made have some sort of meat or vegetable stock. This is something different so definitely give it a try!