 Here's a quick, cost-conscious and of course, healthy meal ready in less time than getting take out. Escarole has a wonderful texture, with its white stems providing a satisfying crunch, similar to bok choy. This dish is packed with lean protein from the chickpeas to your choice of poultry sausage. Also, like other greens, escarole is an excellent source of calcium, iron and vitamins A, C and K. You can find escarole right now in your local farmer's market, and because it's in season, escarole is very affordable in your regular supermarket, sometimes for less than a dollar. Makes 4 servings 1 head escarole 1 13-oz can chickpeas 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons chopped garlic, about 3-4 medium cloves 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2-3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup white wine 1 package of your favorite chicken or vegetarian sausage, sliced lengthwise for faster cooking, Apple or Italian style pairs best Begin by filling your sink with cold water. Slice the end of the escarole to release individual leaves. Soak leaves in water for a minute or two to allow grit to fall to the bottom. Shake excess water vigorously, but don't worry about getting all the water off. Using the largest saute pan you have, a wok would be ok as well, add enough oil to coat the bottom the pan. Then, add the garlic and turn heat to medium. Once the garlic starts to sizzle, stir to prevent it from burning. After 2 minutes, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Stir to coat, then add your escarole and wine. If the leaves do not all fit in the pan, cover and let sit for a few minutes to allow leaves on the bottom to wilt down, then you may add the remaining escarole. Stir every so often to bring wilted leaves to the top. Tongs are the best tool for this job. While the escarole is cooking, add 1 tablespoon oil to your grill pan and use a paper towel to coat evenly. Preheat pan on the highest setting until it begins to smoke. Place sausage on your grill pan on an angle. Think of 2 and 10 o'clock just like your driver's ed class. Following this method will give you beautiful grill marks. After 2 minutes, turn the sausage on the opposite angle, grill for another 2 minutes. Turn over and repeat. While the sausage is cooking, add chickpeas to the escarole and stir to coat evenly. Let cook uncovered on medium to high heat until most of the liquid on the bottom has evaporated. About 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and adjust salt if necessary. Serve in a large bowl, with sausage atop greens for a great presentation. Sorry for not having a picture - making a quick meal also means eating quickly too! Add Comment Coconut Sweet Potato Soup 11/22/2010
 One my favorite things to do is to take a recipe that I have been using for a while and give it a tweak to create something even more special. I've taken my business as usual sweet potato soup and added some uber health-supportive coconut milk and turmeric for a soup that would be a welcome addition to Thanksgiving dinner. 3 cups chopped sweet potato, about 3-inch pieces 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg, separated 1/2 cup coconut or olive oil, separated 2 large shallots,chopped (3/4 cup) 1 cinnamon stick 1 bay leaf 1 sprig fresh thyme 1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 -15oz can coconut milk 4 cups vegetable stock or low sodium broth 1 tablespoon maple syrup zest of half a small orange or tangerine dried unsweetened shredded coconut Preheat oven to 400.
Fit, Food, Sleep 11/17/2010
 It’s alive! Actually, I mean me. It’s true I am still alive and kicking. This past year – wow it’s almost over – has certainly been a test of my endurance. We recently purchased and moved to a new apartment in a completely different neighborhood, and Jay and I were married! Phew! I get tired just thinking about how much has happened this past year. Now that I am looking back at the past ten months I am first relieved, but very happy that so much was accomplished. But what got me through all that craziness? Three very important things: I exercised more than I ever have (the dress was tight!) I stayed committed to a healthy diet and got plenty of rest. I can’t imagine how I would have handled all the stress of moving to a new home and wedding planning without my consistent reprieve in either the gym or my new favorite way to workout, Zumba! While I am always talking about the importance of healthy food as medicine, being fit and including exercise in your routine is also part of the recipe for health. I am the first to admit that I’m a little embarrassed about my new obsession with Zumba, a Latin dance/aerobics class, but it’s a lot of fun! That should be what being fit is all about. My husband, a triathlon coach, was the first person to teach me that being fit is not about finding the hardest thing on your body and hating every minute of doing it. You will never stay committed. Also, start slow with short intervals. I used to hate running because I could never run for more than five minutes without a cramp. Withstanding my doubts, I took his advice and started with simple five to ten minute walk/runs on the treadmill. Soon, I actually craved how I felt when I ran, and I even built enough endurance to run a marathon! The second important rule to keeping your sanity during a stressful period: keeping your diet consistently healthy. Notice that I used the word “consistently.” That means that no one expects you to be perfect. I certainly had my episodes with butter, chocolate and flour this year. It’s easy not to stay consistent after a few bouts with fat and sugar, but forgive yourself (perhaps even enjoy that treat) and move on. Make the majority of what you eat be fresh vegetables and fruit. Eat plenty of clean protein such as organic or grass feed meats and wild caught fish, or vegetarian proteins like nuts, beans and tempeh. It's okay to indulge every so often. Believe me, my honeymoon in Italy was an exercise in indulgence, but after two weeks of pasta, wine and gelato, my body was begging for kale. Finally, and this won’t come as a surprise to you, getting enough sleep is vital. This was really tough for my husband and me to commit to, and it still is. We both work evenings and it's quite difficult to go to bed just a couple of hours after getting home. What I have learned is that not getting proper amounts of sleep affects everything: your diet, your desire to be active, and even your whole outlook on the world. Low energy, stress and depression all work hand in hand. ...... I want to thank to everyone who remained patient and supportive of me during our crazy year. I’m looking forward to the final delicious months of 2010 and welcoming a new year of health and food adventures. xo Kristine Last minute grilling tips 05/31/2010
 I'm sure you've been bombarded with tons of grilling recipes and how to's the past few days in prepration for today's festivities. The more I read these articles, the more I realize that there's a few things that most home cooks forget to do to ensure great grilled food and a fun filled day out. 1) Marinate your meats! I know it's easy to buy something at the store, throw it on the grill and let it absorb all that smokey goodness. Well, try and marinate your meats 2 hours and even 2 days ahead. Use a medley of fresh herbs, shoyu or all natural soy sauce and cracked pepper. Marinating will provide grilled foods with a depth of flavor that makes all the difference. 2) You don't have to cook your meats to death to ensure they are fully cooked. Often chicken comes out dry when grilled because most people are so freaked out by salmonella poisoning. I like to poach chicken first - not fully cooked mind you, but about 3-4 minutes shy - then pop it on the grill. An alternative, and what many restaurants often do, is to grill your meats first to achieve everyone's favorite grill markings, and then finish in a 350 degree oven. 3) If you don't make your own barbecue sauce, and most of us don't, don't be afraid to doctor up your jarred sauces with some fresh herbs, molasses, chiles and even fruit preserves. 4) Be sure to have a cooler on hand. Not all bbq foods are created equal and can stand under the sun all day. As a general rule, you have up to 4 hours to keep food at room temperature before food poisoning becomes a take home present for your guests. If food is sitting out in the sun, 4 hours may even be pushing it. 5) Don't forget about the meat free! Vegetarians and red-meat freers are no longer infrequent. Expect to have at least 1 or 2 people that will not eat meat. Have vegetarian options that everyone will enjoy like grilled vegetables, whole grains and bean salads. Burger alternatives are also great, such as portobellos, black beans burgers, veggie, turkey and fish burgers. 6) Have an assortment of alcohol free beverages such as herbal iced teas, flavored seltzers and virgin cocktails. 7) Don't forget your fresh fruit! Some fruit absolutely delicious grilled, caramelizing their natural sugars. Try grilling peaches, plums, strawberries, pineapple, mango and pears. Want to try them all? Make fruit kebabs! I love to serve them with a dark chocolate dipping sauce. Why not? 8) Don't forget the sunblock and bug repellant. Trust me. 9) And most importantly, don't forget to have fun and relax! Have a great memorial day! Berry Curious 05/14/2010
 Dear Kristine, I'm making a fruit salad-- mostly mixed berries, with some grapes --do you recommend putting any kind of a dressing/topping/whatever on it? If so, what? I've tried googling, but there's too many variations. From, Berry Curious Dear Berry, I don't really think you need anything for this kind of fruit salad. Any dressing will start to dessicate the fruit, unless you add a fat which defeats the purpose of a fruit salad, unless you're Paula Dean. I like adding some torn mint leaves and maybe some orange juice. You only really need to add a dressing to a fresh fruit salad if you were using fruit that turns brown such as apples or pears. Using an acid like orange, lemon or lime juice will prevent discoloration. Also, seasonal fruit will most likely provide all the sweetness and flavor you'll need for a great fruit salad. Phosure! 05/07/2010
 I didn't even have to make up that title. That's the name of this unassuming Vietnamese sandwich and pho shop in the heart of the West Village. We had an incredible meal sampling the Catfish banh mi (the signature sandwich), Flank Steak Pho, and chicken and crispy tofu spring rolls. My banh mi represented everything wonderful about vietnamese cuisine - a medley of textures, salty, sweet, tangy, spicy and crusty french bread! The pho had beautiful clean flavors and the spring rolls were interesting and filling. Inevitably I loved it! Check it out... 120 Christopher St (between Bedford and Bleecker Sts) 212-929-0877 Subway: 1 to Christopher St. http://www.baoguette.com  Happy Cinco de Mayo! 05/05/2010
 Apart from a celebration filled with margaritas and cheesy enchiladas I’m ashamed to confess that I never really thought about what Cinco de Mayo meant. So to remind us of this freedom-filled day, I want to make sure you readers know what exactly Cinco de Mayo is. According to Wikipedia (not to say that wikipedia is really all that factual): Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a holiday celebrated in the United States and primarily limited to the state of Puebla in Mexico. The holiday commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. Cinco de Mayo is not "an obligatory federal holiday" in Mexico, but rather a holiday that can be observed voluntarily.While Cinco de Mayo has limited significance nationwide in Mexico, the date is observed in the United States (also voluntarily) and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day which actually is September 16, the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico. So Congrats General Seguín! Good job defeating ze French! We’ll return on September 16 – the non-voluntary holiday – to celebrate Mexico’s Independence. But for now, we’ll get some baked tortilla chips and make this delicious salsa. Roasted Tomatillo & Corn Salsa 1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed 3 jalapenos 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled a good handful of fresh cilantro 4 green onions chopped coarsely 2 tablespoons coconut oil or other high temperature oil such as sunflower 1 cup fresh or frozen corn Squeeze of lime juice Sea salt to taste Optional: Mexican crema (or sour cream) and cotija cheese Preheat broiler. On a foil lined broiler pan, lay tomatillos, chiles and garlic about 3-4 inches apart top side down. Broil for 5 minutes and turn over. Continue broiling for another 5 minutes or until tomatillos are soft and its skins are chard. Meanwhile, add oil to a heavy saucepan – such as cast iron – and heat until pan just begns to smoke. Add corn and stir continuously. Once corn has become chard remove from heat. Let cool for a couple of minutes and remove skins from garlic. Then, transfer to blender by lifting only the foil from the broiler pan. Be careful not to burn yourself with the hot juice. Add cilantro and green onions to the blender and puree. Transfer to a large bowl and add corn. Season with salt to taste. Top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, Mexican crema, and cotija cheese for a creamy and salty finish. Note, if you can't find fresh tomatillos, try the canned. Skip broiling them and add two cups, without the canned liquid. Add straight to the blender. Be mindful of your salt when using the canned. The Incredible Edible Coconut Oil 05/03/2010
 For those of you who know me, you know that I’m fairly addicted to coconut oil. I was recently invited to share one of my natural skin care secrets and, yes, I brought a pint of coconut oil. I also try my best to incorporate it when I can to my menus. It’s an incredibly healthy oil for both your insides and out. Go ahead, I dare you to google it. You will be amazed! Not to mention that it is a godsend for culinary use. It helps to sear and fry things beautifully, and using the right amount can even give you a buttery flavor for non-dairy dishes. I just used it today to glaze gorgeous spring carrots. It’s also wonderful for making tender non-dairy pastries. Now my latest revelation, which I kind of already knew about is how great it is for your hair. I've already switched to coconut oil based products for my moisturizers, but, recently I tried something that I hadn’t done before: use it is a hair conditioner. All I have to say is that I can’t stop touching my hair! Since I knew I would be home all day testing recipes (and cleaning the apartment before my fiancé came home from his trip), I thought I would comb some coconut oil through my hair and let it moisturize all day. My hair was probably marinating in all that delicious coconut goodness for at least 6 hours. I shampooed, conditioned and dried as usual. Truly, my hair is silky and shiny, and just feeling really healthy. I tell you, this coconut oil is INCREDIBLE!  For “beautifying” purposes I like to use cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil with both the scent and flavor of coconut still intact. I don’t mind smelling like a coconut. I also love Organic Fiji’s coconut lavender oil to continue my other addiction, which is lavender. However, while I like to generally use this for cooking and baking, I don’t always use extra virgin oil. I may not always want that flavor, so I use refined coconut oil. The scent and flavor has been removed, making it usable for higher cooking temperatures.  Ramps! 04/29/2010
 It’s finally ramp season! And I don’t mean the kind for teens on skateboards. These delicate wild leeks have incredible flavor. Think garlic, shallot, and spinach all at once. Unlike leeks, ramps have tender edible green tops that taste very much like spinach when wilted down. To boot, they are high in Vitamins A and C, iron and because they belong to the onion family are great in protecting you against certain cancers. How to prepare ramps? Ramps impart a garlic and onion flavor so are great used as an aromatic for soups, stews and stir fries. I love them quickly pan roasted in olive oil and mixed in with pastas or raviolis. I also love them as a filling for enchiladas or fajitas, and even quiches. For an easy side dish, ramps are wonderful braised – see recipe below! Braised Ramps 12 cleaned ramps with roots sliced off ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra ½ cup dry white wine Approximately 1 ½ - 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock ¾ cup parmesan or pecorino cheese Salt and pepper to taste Squeeze of lemon juice Handful of parsley, chopped Preheat oven to 350° In a 9x13 pan (aka brownie or lasagna pan), mix the cleaned ramps with olive oil and salt and pepper. Add wine and chicken stock. Make sure that ramps are just submerged in the liquid. Top with cheese. Braise for 25-30 minutes or until ramps are tender and the cheese is golden. Let sit for 3 minutes. Serve with chopped parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice and an extra drizzle of olive oil.  Food allergies are getting to be a fairly ubiquitous subject in the foodie world. One of my former posts was my absolute shock with Ming Tsai, a well-known mainstream celebrity chef that got serious about food allergies through sanitation and using alternative ingredients in his renowned restaurant, Blue Ginger. While Erin McKenna has become the belle of the gluten-free ball with her bakery, Babycakes, that produces gluten-free, wheat-free, refined-sugar-free, soy-free, egg free, caseine-free vegan goodies. I’ve been experimenting on a few dishes that ordinarily contain at least one of America’s most common allergy sources – peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, dairy, egg, and shellfish. My first project was to recreate one of my favorite condiments: Chinese peanut sauce. It’s an amazing sauce for soba noodles, a crunchy slaw, makes a great marinade, and a great dip for virtually anything. Most importantly, I almost always have the ingredients handy. I wondered what I could possibly substitute for peanut butter and came up with three possible alternatives – tahini, almond butter, and cashew butter. Tahini, sesame seed paste used to make hummus and other delicious Middle Eastern dips, came out bitter on the palate without sufficient sweetness. While cashew butter imparted way too much sweet and overpowered the other savory ingredients. Almond butter came out as the clear winner, providing the right amount of sweet, nutty and richness. And after a few experiments in the kitchen, here’s a tasty recipe for a peanut-free sauce! Chinese Not Peanut Sauce Yield – approximately one cup ¼ cup brown rice vinegar 2 tablespoons shoyu 1 tablespoon agave 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 1 small garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon dried ground ginger ½ cup almond butter salt and pepper to taste Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until fully combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stay tuned for more delicious allergy-free alternatives! | 
Follow Kristine on Twitter @ kristinechef
 ArchivesDecember 2010 CategoriesAll |
RSS Feed