Orange Blossom Chili Glazed Tofu Hush Puppies with Cilantro Cashew Pesto

Hey Everyone! I have a really simple recipe to transform tofu. Hush puppies are a cornmeal fried sphere often accompanying cat fish. Though I am only using cornmeal or semolina for the exterior of this recipe, we're going to call it a hush puppy. Clearing the air for the politically correct bored guys out there.
Fishing as a kid, I was in charge of scaling, and gutting. I was never a huge seafood fan, I just wanted the hush puppies. The plain ones too! I have a fun vegetarian friendly recipe using tofu for "hush puppies". I glazed them with an orange blossom chili, and topped them onto a cilantro cashew pesto.  Very simple, and fun dish to serve as an appetizer, topped with stir fry veggies. Fun Asian vibe.

Ingredients:
14 oz firm tofu (not extra firm)
6 oz All Purpose flour
3 eggs
Semolina flour or Cornmeal
Orange blossom water (Asian market/Ethnic food section at grocer)
Sugar
Serrano chili
Kosher salt

In this recipe, it's all about the technique. I tried defrosting in different variations in order to get the right consistency, since defrosting plays a huge factor with tofu. Yes, freeze and defrost tofu. This way, it expands, and when you drain it, you'll have an easier time expelling that water, which will allow your tofu to absorb flavor more efficiently, and maintain a non rubbery texture

1. Defrost tofu overnight in fridge. Do not nuke it in microwave unless you want rubber balls for dinner.
2. Gently expel water from tofu. Press down and gently squeeze. When most water is expelled, place tofu on a lined plate with paper towels. Place a plate on top of tofu, with added weight, and let the rest of the water gently escape.
3. Take room temperature tofu, flour, salt to taste, and room temp eggs, combine.
4. Shape into golf ball sized bites.  Roll onto semonlina or cornmeal.
5. Set in freezer. YES! If you fry them now, they're going to fall apart. Chill for about 20 minutes to set up
6. In a large, always deep pot, oil should be around 350-375. If you do not have a thermometer, no problem, test out a tofu ball.
7. Deep fry for about 4-5 minutes. Tofu balls should be golden brown, and crisp.
8. Place on paper towel lined platter/plate.

Orange Blossom Chili Glaze

1.Take your orange blossom water, heat up in sauce pan.
2.Score serrano pepper (cut little marks into it) This will help infuse heat.
3.Heat and reduce
4. Add equal part sugar.
5.Cook until dissolved.
6. Kill heat.
7. Baste Fried Tofu "Hush Puppies"

Cilantro Cashew Pesto 

Cilantro
Roasted Cashews
Peanut Oil  (Be sure guests do not have a peanut allergy)
Minced shallots
Kosher salt
Kaffir lime

1. Blanch cilantro for 5 seconds in boiling water.
2. Transfer to iced water to stop cooking
3. In food processor, pulse cilantro, minced shallots, roasted cashews
4. Season with salt and kaffir lime (regular lime is fine to use if you cannot find kaffir)
5. Drizzle in peanut oil until all ingredients are combined into a nice pesto.

There you go! A few components to make a really memorable snack, or meal. Have fun with the flavor combinations, just remember that techniques are significant. Recipes, guidelines! If you don't like cilantro, use another herb, or a combination of some.

Enjoy!

Amber~











                                                                                 

Tzatziki is easy! Don't miss this step!

Hey everyone! I love tzatziki. It's really simple, refreshing, and DUH, healthy. I have a quick recipe for you guys, and you can finish with any fresh, bright herb as you choose, to personalize it. I cut my cucumber into a small dice. This is personal preference. It makes for an easier to handle dip or spread in my opinion. Do what YOU like!

I was inspired to share this recipe do to seeing how many people forget this important step when sharing their recipe for tzatziki...

They forget to draw out moisture from the cucumber!

If you let your yummy tzatziki relax in the fridge, it will water down. Plus, the light amount of salt will season the cucumbers themselves. Remember, season lightly in layers. It takes about half an hour.

That extra moisture will cause separation, and dilute flavor! Here is a super simple recipe!
1 English Cucumber
1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt
Lemon Juice
Koesher or sea salt
White (or black) pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (just a drizzle)
Fresh, bright, minced herbs mint, cilantro, or parsley... etc etc etc

Lentil Curry & Dumplings

Lentil Curry & Dumplings  

I know traditional curry is a culturally sentimental dish. Here she is, Americanizing it by adding dumplings.It's a guilty pleasure. My best friends demand this all of the time, and I'm always more than happy to make it for them. It has created a lot of bonding with us, so it's a part of me, and that is the purpose of food, and sharing a part of myself, right? Yea, I bastardized it didn't I? At least I admit it! 

Ingredients:

Vidallia Onion: small diced

Red Bell Pepper: small diced

Coconut Oil:  Coconut oil is traditionally used in Western Indian cuisine, but if you can't find it use what you'd like. 

Lentils

Vegetable Stock: Homemade preferred. Store bought is great, just remember, STOCK not BROTH (broth is seasoned with salt) You want to be in control of your salt seasoning! ;)

Coconut Milk: I used So Delicious because it isn't overly sweet, and isn't too rich like the canned variety which contains a lot sodium.  

Garam Masala: Garam Masala is a mixture of spices used in Indian cuisine. Many families have their own blends. Take time to smell your spices and see what you'd like. This is what I use: 

Black Peppercorn

Cardamom 
Cinnamon
Coriander 
Garlic Powder
Ginger Powder
Mustard Powder
Tumeric (is not the same thing as commercial curry powder)
Other spices you can use: Cumin, Star Anise, Nutmeg, Fennel Seed, Feungreek (Methi)...

What about Curry Powder? Curry Powder is premixed and not traditionally used. 

My personal preference is my own Garam Masala, but feel free to use just curry powder and a few other spices you feel comfortable with.  Remember that recipes are guidelines

Be creative. Use what you like. Use what you distinctively taste in favorite curries of yours.

What is best? Pre powdered or whole spices?  Here are a few options:

1.Toast whole spices on low heat, until you smell them. Blend them in a coffee grinder (preferred method). Fresh spices taste completely different. Grate fresh nutmeg. Don't toast it! 

2. Combine pre powdered spices (shelf life is 6 months. Spices lose potency & become stale)

3. Buy a garam masala blend at a gourmet food store!

Broth:

1.Medium heat, warm up oil  

2.Add onions & mildly season with salt (always season in layers so each ingredient is highlighted) 

3.When translucent, add bell pepper & mildly season with salt

4.Add your lentils along with spices. This way your spices are incorporated in your broth properly, and you aren't left with floating dust by adding in after liquid has been added. 

5.When lentils have absorbed oil and spices thoroughly, add vegetable stock 

6.Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes

7.Turn heat down to a low/medium low

8.Add warm coconut milk (do not add coconut milk in when stock is boiling or cold milk to warm stock. your milk  will separate and turn into flakes)

9.Adjust seasoning (salt)

10.Drop in dumplings and cover with a lid

When dumplings are floating, kill the heat, and put the lid back on the pot. Dumplings will continue to cook, and lentils will not over cook. 

Dumplings:

Unbleached All Purpose Flour: 2 cups

Salt: 1 tsp

Baking Powder: 1/4 tsp

Cold Water: About 3/4 cup

1.Mix dry ingredients together and form a dome in the center of the flour. Gradually mix in cold water and incorporate until a dough ball forms. 

2.Dust dough ball with flour if needed to prevent an impossible to prevent completely sticky mess. 

3.I don't knead my dumpling dough. If you have a super family dumpling method, use it! 

4. Rest dough.  

Make your dumpling dough first. You'll have alighter, fluffier dumpling, instead of a bunch of dense cannon balls from not letting it rest. 

If you want curry with rice, or bulgar wheat, cook separately. Grains are greedy! When left over lunch time comes, you'll have exploding curry rice. No broth! 

Garnish with fresh cliantro (coriander), mint, Thai basil, etc. Get creative! 

Risotto Cakes

Hey Guys!

I am sharing with you a really simple way to make risotto a little more user friendly. Many of us are fans of risotto, but it would seem a bit impractical to serve it at a party. This method makes for a great appetizer, or for your mini buffet for guests to help themselves, and stay out of your kitchen. You know there is always one person who has to snoop around your cabinets. Best friends don't count.

If you have a risotto recipe already, use it! If you need help learning how to make risotto. CLICK HERE
The only difference here is, you will not cook it all the way, but 7/10 of the way. There should still be a bite to it, but not so much to where it gets stuck in your teeth.

Lay it out on a sheet tray. This is actually how it is done in restaurants. What? Did you think we made your order from scratch? No way! We par cook it half way and finish it when it's time to order. When your risotto is cooled down to room temperature, transfer it to the fridge. Notice how there is still liquid in my sheet tray? It will absorb into your high starch rice (I used Aborio since it is most commonly available).

If you were to completely cook rice, it would dry out, and have a mushy texture once cakes were done. Not good!


Why can't I just cool it off in the fridge instead of keeping it out first? You never want to use your fridge to bring down a temperature from something straight out of the oven/pan because you raise the temperature of your fridge, which can lead to food borne illness. Cool down first, then transfer into fridge to chill.

Get a bowl of water for your hands. Just like a sushi chef/sushi bartender would do. Keep hands damp and clean. 

1. Gently form a small ball, and lightly press to flatten it out a bit.
2. Gently press onto plate of preferred breadcrumbs (Don't recommend panko for this. Absorbs too much moisture from risotto!)
3. Sheet tray, parchment paper lined, place breaded risotto balls into freezer.

Why can't I just fry them now? I'm a food snob, and frozen food is not fresh or fancy! Okay, food snob. Next time you go to your favorite steak house, remember your fried apps are frozen! If you don't freeze them, they will fall apart. Freeze them for a half an hour- an hour. This prevents them from falling apart, and from them absorbing so much oil. It doesn't mean it's bad quality.

Oil, canola. Why? It has a higher smoke point. Peanut oil is amazing. However, you have to keep your guests into consideration. What if someone has a peanut allergy? What if a child who wants to taste a yummy treat has an allergy? Canola is a neutral oil meaning it has no taste. You want YOUR recipe to shine! 

Temperature? 350-375. Do not add in your cakes if your oil isn't ready. Test one out, if it isn't sizzling immediately, do not submerge it and wait. You're just absorbing all of that oil. We don't want grease cakes!

Olive oil isn't good for deep frying, in my opinion. Lower smoke point, which means the properties break down quickly, and it leaves a big crumbly mess in your pot. This is why when you're finishing up your last batch, it will have a bitter after taste.

Risotto cakes should have a light, crispy exterior, and a creamy interior.I used a variety of minced mushrooms and clarified onions. I seasoned with truffle salt (no truffle oil please for the love of god) and freshly grated nutmeg. Nutmeg really enhances the sweetness earthy mushrooms have. It compliments the entire bite tremendously without overwhelming it. Just a touch, but don't be too shy!

I hope you found this information useful. YOU need to be the conductor, and your imagination & ingredients, your orchestra.

Enjoy!

Amber~

Hey Puddin`!

I love bread pudding. It isn't super popular or appreciated like it should be. I guess it would be like the Alice in Chains of food.

There is an issue I've come across with people and their bread pudding. They mix everything together and carelessly throw it into the oven.

There are a few steps to keep in mind, in order to have the most amazing bread pudding. Light, yet rich, and a balance in sweetness.

1. Use good bread. I've totally made bread pudding years ago using old ass sandwich bread. Hey, use what you have, but if you want to put some thought into it, get the good stuff. I love using sourdough from Boudin based out of San Francisco. Their yeast strand is over 100 years old, and the bread has the perfect consistency. Your bread does matter! Use what YOU like.

2. Day old bread. I think this is why I got into making bread pudding. Shocking as this sounds, I always have left over bread. I make bread pudding (or croutons, stuffing...). The reason we use day old bread is because it absorbs liquid sufficiently, so you aren't left with this dense, mush.

3. Custard Method. I hate the thought of just whisking some eggs, adding milk and sugar and blah blah blah. Put some thought into it. Cooking is about connecting with your food. Elevate your ingredients by making a custard base.

Heat up cream, milk etc, add in a little sugar (this prevents the lactose from scalding) Once heated up, take a bowl of egg yolks and sugar, ladle in a little hot cream, whisk, a little more, whisk, then add in the rest. BOOM! THEN your extract (it will evaporate out if you add it to your milk when it's cooking. )

4. Save your egg whites. whisk them, with cream of tarter until stiff peaks. Fold into your cooled down custard base. Now your bread pudding will be extra light and fluffy. Kinda like a souffle (but not).

5. Soak for 20 minutes. You want everything absorbed nicely. Make sure your cubed bread is consistent in size!

6. Baste. WTF? Yea, I do this simply with a little sugar water, or a reduced amaretto liquor. I love those gorgeous peaks of crust popping out on a good looking bread pudding, but they tend to try out quickly. This way, you will maintain a nice texture, without burning the shit out of your puddin'.


7. Get Creative. Go nuts with your flavor profiling. Things like vanilla, candied citrus rind, nuts, bitters, coffee... not all combined, come on now. Make it savory, or sweet. Top it off with a good quality ricotta or mascarpone, gelato, or even greek yogurt slightly sweetened with honey, or a streustel.

Recipes are guidelines guys. I say this all of the time. It's all about technique.

Amber~

How to motivate picky little eaters into trying new things

Hey everyone! I am asked often how I get my kids to eat so well. It isn't about making them sit at the table until every green bite is gone. I don't bribe them with sweets, or toys. I don't ask them to eat their veggies.

I cook with them. Let them pick fresh basil, or taste raw garlic. You would think that trying a little raw garlic would make your kids run for the hills and never look back, right?

Aside from biology playing a role in kids refraining from bitter foods, or foods that look bitter, familiarizing themselves with something new can change their perspective. Holding a bulb of garlic, peeling it, watching you chop it up and letting them smell the difference between garlic in it's whole form,  in comparison to it's crushed form, gives them a sense of comfort with that ingredient.

Allowing them to approach food and create a meal (with a little guidance and lots of safety) gives them a sense of accomplishment and excitement. I talk to my kids about understanding food and their developing taste buds.

Choices.  Hey, tonight should we cook broccoli, or asparagus? Most kids are familiar with broccoli so they'll choose broccoli. Okay, should we cook up some asparagus, or beets? They recall hearing about asparagus, so... let's try asparagus, please!

I do not believe in making a separate meal for the kids. You're developing an expected routine, and segregating the meal. If you don't agree with serving the kids the same thing as you eat, add little bits of what the grown ups are eating. They may look at it, huff and puff, and not want it on their plate. That's when you say, "It either remains on your plate, or in your tummy."  You're giving your kids a choice. After a few times, they'll recognize wtf that shit is on their plate, and they'll try it. 

Think about it from an adult's perspective. You go to a foreign country. They're serving boiled duck's ass. You're like, WTF? If you move to that country, after a while, boiled duck's ass isn't going to seem like a huge deal anymore. You're used to being around it. It isn't even funny to joke about. It's all in the mental. 

 Let them choose something from the grown up's menu. I know some of you are rolling your eyes. "I'm not wasting money". Order something together. Order small appetizers, or from a small tasting menu. Sometimes they may want to, other times, they just want pizza. Adults are the same way! Respect that.

Understand your kids, just like you, may never like something. I hate brussel sprouts. I can cook the hell out of them. I can braise, chiffonade, render lardon and toss them in. Super dooper. I have an understanding as to why people like them, but I don't. 

Your kids do not dictate what they eat. Neither do you. Don't let your kid be a little Veruca Salt, and don't be Hitler at dinner time.Let them be a part of dinner. Even if it's ridiculously simple. It means the world to them, and you're creating memories. When you're not in the mood to have them tottering around you, give them a simple decision to make. Let them help set the table. Family meal will become important to them.

Let them be excited. Even if they don't like eating it at first. My daughter was super excited about sushi. She loved how cute it looked. She would taste little bites, and beam about how much she loved it. She wouldn't eat an entire piece, which is proper mannerism in Japan. Eventually, she did! She loves sushi now. She especially loves the miniature sushi with salmon and avocado. It just took a while for her to familiarize herself with it. New textures, new flavors.  


Last, here is a super recipe by my kids! Summer Pasta! ;) 

You will need:

Noodles. Let them choose the shape!

Asparagus. Let mom or dad blanch in seasoned water and cut on the bias.

Sun Dried Tomatoes. These are super sweet!

Black Olives. Make sure to leave some for alien fingers.

Cheese: We liked mozarella!

Parsley: It smells like fresh grass, but fun to sprinkle in a little bit.

Season with Koesher Salt. Mom, please do this part, because, us kids like to add stuff.

                                                               Finish with good quality olive oil.

                          Let marinate in the fridge for a few hours. It will be even better the next day!

Enjoy! Try one, some, or all of these tips that I use. It's about experiencing new things together.

Artichoke Risotto

Risotto is one of those dishes that requires close attention. You can't set it and forget it, and you cant throw everything in at once. It requires a gradual layering of ingredients, and a gradual addition to liquid. If you over cook it, you'll end up with mush. If you add everything in at once, you'll miss out on the creamy texture that makes risotto so loved and adored. It makes for a perfect starter to a meal, or a meal in itself.


Even though it requires your love and attention, it is quite simple. I have a guidelined recipe for risotto with artichoke bottoms. Remember to stay creative. Omit a certain ingredient for something else. One rule of mine is, if it is a vegetarian type dish, stick with vegetarian stock. Personal opinion.

Ingredients:
Olive oil
About 1/8 Cup minced shallots
2 TBS minced garlic
4 artichoke bottoms. (Fresh is best, but use what is available in your area.
Vegetable stock
1 cup aborio rice
Flat leaf parsley
Koesher salt to season
1 TBS butter

I garnished my risotto with a poached hen egg yolk, and aged smoked cheddar grated finely on top. Use what suits you best and what you have on hand that will go well with your risotto.

In a small pot, heat up your stock. Heat up about a quart. If you only have a large pot, try more. We are going to poach our egg yolk in the left over stock.  It depends on how much you need until the risotto is fully cooked. I use a 2 oz ladle, the small but not tiny sized if that helps.

Recipes are guidelines. Once people realize that, life will become much easier. Even in the most consistent restaurants some base ingredients are prepared this way. If you follow a recipe (that doesn't require a scientific necessity), you're intimidated. Don't be intimidated. Just flow with it.

In a sauce pan lightly drizzle olive oil, enough to cook shallots. You want them translucent, not caramelized. Keep your pan at a medium low heat to prevent burning.

Season very lightly with salt. We season in light layers. This way all ingredients are showcased. It makes such a difference.

Add dry risotto. Quickly stir it as it absorbs the fat. Ladle in your first two ounces of stock. if your heat is too high at this point (depending on your pan) adjust it. You don't want to over cook your risotto. It will lose its creaminess, and the rice will lose its integrity.

Continue to stir. Let it relax for a few seconds, and keep stirring. Be sure to grab every little grain of rice that is holding on to the side of your pan for dear life. He won't cook, so if he gets left behind, he'll end up stuck in someone's teeth. No fun!

Add in another ladle when liquid is almost absorbed. Add your garlic. I purposely did not add in the garlic with the shallots at the beginning. Garlic cooks quicker. It will burn before you're shallots are translucent.

When your risotto doubles in size, add in your medium diced artichoke bottoms. Continue to stir, season lightly.

This is when things start to slow down, and it is a good time to start seasoning every so often. You don't want to season all at once. If you do, the salt will be ridiculously concentrated, and absorbed fully into your rice. BLEH!!!!!

When your risotto is about 90% cooked (soft, but a tiny bit of a bite) kill the heat, and finish with your butter. Adjust your seasoning one last time. It will continue to cook, but you'll lose the risk of over cooking. You want your risotto to remain a perfect consistency as it hits the plate, and your guests enjoy this meal slowly.


To Poach an egg yolk.

Unlike poaching a whole egg, we do not need to create a funnel in our poaching liquid by whisking vigorously. Also, the addition to vinegar is not needed.

Your left over stock should be hot, but not simmering, not boiling. It should have this calm, steamy release.

Do you have an obnoxiously large spoon in your silverware drawer you never use? This would be the best time to bust it out.

Gently crack your cold egg (this will help keep your egg yolk in tact) over your hand. Let the egg whites gently release between your fingers. Please do this over a sink or bowl if you're saving your whites.

Carefully place your little golden wonder into the stock. Its ok. Drop him in. Just be gentle. Give him about 45 seconds/minute. Around that time frame. Kill the heat, and gently fish him out with your Previously useless spoon.

Carefully place your yolk onto your gorgeous, creamy risotto. If a little stock is on the spoon. Its ok. It will get absorbed.

Finish with fresh, minced parsley and aged smoked cheddar grated with your microplane (zester)

You're done!


Remember, cooking should be enjoyable. The energy you put into your food shows. If you're confident and take your time, you're food will reflect that. If you rush and are afraid, it will be a reflection of you in the kitchen.

Don't short cut it. Cooking isn't about making delicious food in a hurry and reap all of the credit for. Good food takes time, takes patience and a little understanding. Relax. I'm not here to give you an easy quick fix to a dish that needs attention. You're either willing to put in the effort, or not.

Enjoy!

Amber~

PS I only garnish with parsley if parsley is in the dish. Garnishing with parsley when there is no parsley in your dish is tacky. Just my opinion based on common sense. 

Black Bean Sopes w. Avocado Mousse, & Petite Tomato Salad

                                      

Petite tomato salad tossed in cilantro oil, avocado & lime mousse, crema, queso añejo, Napa cabbage & black beans.

If you aren't of Mexican decent, or not familiar with Latin American food, sopes are fried chewy corn cakes filled with basic ingredients. In my home, we used potatoes, beans, crema, cabbage and salsa. You can add whatever you'd like to them. I refined the ingredients a bit, for the sake of creativity.  They're really fun to make with the family on a cozy Sunday. 

Sopes:

3 Cups Masa de Maiz (corn flour) You can find this in the ethnic food section of your grocer. 

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/4 TSP Baking Powder

1 TBS Kosher Salt

2 Cups Warm Water (using warm water helps keep the sopes chewy and yummy after they've been fried.)

Combine ingredients. You may need to add a little more warm water since corn flour tends to absorb it quickly. What I do is I add it to my hands and work it into the dough gently. 

Let dough rest for about 10 minutes under a damp cloth

If you want your sopes to be uniform in size, I suggest weighing your masa (dough) and  dividing it by the amount of sopes you'd like. You don't have to do this though if you don't have a gram scale. Rustic food is great anyhow ;) 

Gently form a little cup. You can make a square one or the traditional circle ones. If you need more water, wet your hands.

Do not be intimidated. Connect with your food. 

Let sopes set in the fridge for at least an hour before frying. This way they won't break apart and will be sturdier to handle. 

I use canola oil for frying these.  Remember to always fry in a large pot to avoid over spilling and only fill large pot half way with oil. Oil should be around 375. 

Fry sopes for about a minute. They will turn a golden blonde and float. Drain excess fat on a paper towel covered plate. 

Petite Tomato Salad

Making a petite salad, and concentrating the flavors will make for an amazing product. This is the perfect time of year to work with tomatoes. I took a few tips from The French Laundry to make this simple salad to a memorable level. 

To thinly slice your pearl onions and peppers, use the first 1/3 of your favorite kitchen knife. This portion of your knife is used for precision. Remember to take your time. Always start out slowly. There is no need to slice and dice with so much flash like you see on tv. 

This is my take on pico de gallo. 

Ingredients:

Variety pack of petite tomatoes
2-3 Red Pearl Onions
1/2 -1 Serrano Pepper
1/2 English Cucumber
Kosher Salt To Taste
Black Cracked Pepper To Taste
1/2 TSP Red Wine Vinegar
1 TBS Cilantro Oil (recipe below)

To skin the tomatoes, score an X on the bottom of each tomato. Drop into oiling water for no longer than 5 seconds. Immediately drop tomatoes into an ice bath Once cooled, carefully peel the skins of. The X makes peeling much easier.

Set tomatoes in a strainer (chinois) shin•wah over a bowl, and add salt. Let the excess liquid slowly drain out. This will take about an hour.

While that is working, seed and small dice half an English cucumber.

Thinly slice your red pearl onions. An easy way to get the husk off is to quickly blanch them, like we did with the tomatoes. Exact method. The husk will pop off easily when you slightly pinch the little onion.

Thinly slice your serrano pepper. The slices should be paper thin. Texture is key. 

Cilantro Oil:

Blanch cilantro in boiling water for 10 seconds. Transfer to ice bath to shock. Remove from ice bath onto a paper towel. 

Removing most of the water, add cilantro to a neutral oil such as canola. Blend together at low speed. 

When you're ready to use it, drain out the cilantro. You will be left with a vibrant, fresh green oil. 

Always use infused oils within 48 hours. Do not store for months in a container in your dry storage. 

When tomatoes are ready, combine ingredients and add salt and pepper to your liking. Add 1TBS red wine vinegar. Finish with some of the oil we made.

Set in the fridge for at least two hours before serving. This will give the salad time to marinade.

Avocado Lime Mousse

If you are uncomfortable with using raw eggs in your cooking, you can skip the egg whites. Mousse is traditionally made with stiffened egg whites. It makes for a luxurious product, but it's quite uncommon for home cooks to use raw eggs. Skip this step if you are uncomfortable. Your mousse will still be super velvety. 

Ingredients:

2 Hass Avocados

1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Egg Whites

1/8 TSP Cream of Tarter

Kosher Salt to taste

1/2 TBS lime zest

1/2 Lime Juice

In a mixing bowl, whisk heavy whipping cream until whipped cream consistency. Set aside in the fridge. 

In separate mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until peaks form. Add Cream of Tarter to stabilize egg whites. 

In another separate bowl, smash Hass avocados and lime juice. The lime juice will prevent the avocados from turning brown, and help soften them up. Use a sifter or siv and rubber spatula to smooth the avocado mixture. You should be left with almost a puree of avocado and lime. You can use a food processor as well for this. I suggest straining even if you use a food processor. 

Add Salt. 

Fold gently, the whipped cream and avocado mixture, adding a little whipped cream to the avocado at a time. After completely combined, gently fold in egg whites. Adjust seasoning and zest lime over mousse right before serving. 

You can use these recipes for other dishes as well.  

Get creative! 

Amber~

Almond & Mascarpone Mousse

Hey everyone! Mousse is something so important for cooks & savory chefs to know, because it is simple to prepare, and extremely diverse. It can range from savory to sweet. Most often considered a dessert when it comes to mind.

I had a few random ingredients in the fridge, and thought this would be a practical dessert that anyone could accomplish and prepare. Mousse is sophisticated, yet comforting and approachable.

I hope you enjoy this decadent recipe. Feel free to ignore the egg whites, since it seems to be quite intimidating to most people to eat raw egg. Traditionally mousse does consist of whipped egg whites and heavy whipping cream, but many modernized recipes leave egg whites out.


Ingredients: Yields 4 Servings

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 Cup Fresh Almond Milk + 2 tsp cocoa/chocolate almond milk
2 Egg Whites
1/2 Cup Mascarpone Cheese
1/4 Cup Confectioners or Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Almond extract
White Chocolate & Pink Himalayan Salt to garnish

Place mascarpone cheese out at room temperature. Set this aside in a separate bowl

In another bowl, combine by whisking cold, heavy whipping cream, sifted confectioners sugar (to take out lumps), and almond extract.

Once you have the consistency of whipped cream, stop whisking. If you continue whisking, thing will cause separation. If this does happen, add more heaving whipping cream and whisk momentarily. It should save it. If not, you're way past the point of saving. Simple recipe or not, I've seen it happen. I've had my fair share of making whipping cream at work, and forgot the mixer was on. I got into trouble for that too! OOPS!

In a separate bowl, combine softened mascarpone cream cheese, and your fresh almond milk with a hint of cocoa powder or chocolate almond milk. Whisk lightly. All ingredients should combine gracefully.

If you are the one of many impatient or hungry cooks, and decide to outsmart my advice by using mascarpone cheese while it's still chilled, your mixture will separate. You're going to momentarily freak out in frustration and embarrassment, but no worries. It can be fixed. It's just going to take two extra steps...

Bust out blender. Add broken mess into blender. BLEND LOW SPEED FOR 30 SECONDS. Any more, you're finished! You can't save it.

Oh... you mean its still slightly separated?? I KNOW! CALM DOWN!

Get your sive/strainer. Strain mixture into whipped cream and fold. SAVED! Just avoid this please by keeping cheese out until it's at room temp. About 30 minutes

So if you were patient and waited, your creamy mixture can now be folded delicately into your whipped cream. Fold, lightly, gently. We want to maintain the light consistency. If you're too heavy handed, it will collapse. NO WORRIES THOUGH! Seriously, it isn't as bad as it sounds.

Cover and place your whipped cream into the fridge.

 Next we will whip our egg whites. I suggest using a hand mixer for this, but it is very much doable with a manual whisk. Just a bit more time consuming than whipped cream. So do not expect it to come together as quickly. Once you have soft peaks (lift whisk, peak should fall gracefully like the tip of soft serve ice cream)

Now fold that a little at a time with a rubber spatula into your yummy whipped cream cheese almondy chocolate mixture. Gently as before!

Now take your favorite serving dishes, or keep it family style, and have fun. If you want to use a piping bag and make a pretty presentation, add mousse into piping bag and let it set about 10 minutes before going to town. This will help maintain the airy texture and body of the mousse.

You're plated! You can enjoy now, but I suggest waiting half an hour. Garnish as desired. I used grated white chocolate and pink salt. A tiny bit. You don't have to garnish either, of course.

Even simple recipes aren't error proof. I hope you see my improvised advice as a second chance, and not as an indication of this recipe being super hard. I promise it isn't.

I hope you enjoy! Get creative, and feel free to leave your photos of your gorgeous or favorite mousse recipes or combinations on our Facebook page!


Amber~

Roasted Tea Ramen

Food is amazing when you give it a little time and have patience. Ramen broth, traditionally made with rendering pork and marrow, is complex. You want to smell certain aromatic notes, taste spices, taste a little sweetness, and discover new flavors within the broth. Here is my second take on ramen broth. You can use this broth for any type of noodles, rice, etc. I used ramen egg noodles. Fresh is best. Use what you have, and most importantly, what you love the most.


Ingredients for broth:

1 gallon vegetable stock (not broth)
Kombu seaweed
1/2 Cup Roasted Green Tea  (you can buy these in ready to use baggies)
1/2 Bulb Garlic
Star Anise
Coriander Seeds
Cinnamon Stick
1 Serrano Chile (add more if you like it spicy)
1/4 Cup Fresh Ginger

Bring your stock to a boil, and lower it down to a simmer. Simmer for 3 hours.

Strain ingredients out. Strain again. You want your stock to be nice and gem like.

Add back into cleaned out stock pot, and simmer, and now season with sea salt. Season to personal preference.

Broth should remind you of the earth and the sea. It should be aromatic with bright coriander, and a little deep with star anise and cinnamon. It should be rounded out and lightened thanks to the garlic and ginger.

In a separate pot, bring water seasoned with salt to a boil. Remember, when boiling noodles or pasta, your water should be salty like the sea. This is going to bring out the flavors of your pasta, which will round out your entire dish.

Cook them until they're a little under cooked. Add them to your bowl, and ladle in hot broth. Top with anything you prefer. I kept it simple with a fried chicken egg, scallions and pickled radish. A fried egg of duck, chicken, or quail is fun, and popping the yolk will give you a nice, rich broth.


Pickled Radish:
1/2 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Water
2 TBS Sugar
1 tsp Salt

Bring pickling liquid to a boil. Please make sure your kitchen is well ventilated, and windows are open. Pickling can be overwhelming, and can choke you out! lol

Thinly slice raw radishes. Carefully use a mandolin, or the first 1/3 portion of your chef's knife. Be careful when making thin slices, and always take your time. If you aren't a professional cook, please do not get over enthusiastic about speed. Focus on precision. Always take your time, and remember to tuck in your guiding hand (hand you aren't cutting with) into the form of a claw to protect your fingers!!

When pickling liquid is cooled down to room temperature, add in your radishes. Do not add in hot liquid. This will only cook your radishes, and closing a container with hot food is not safe or recommended. Always let food cool down before placing a lid over it.

Refrigerate over night. They will be sharp, sweet, tangy and earthy.

What are your favorite ingredients when topping off ramen?

Caramelized Shallot Stuffed Mushrooms

Hey guys! I thought I'd share a really yummy, and simple recipe for mushroom lovers. Simple food requires paying attention to your ingredients. A little love and patience, and you'll have amazing food. Enjoy! 

Caramelized Shallot & Sautéd Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Quick, Simple, & Filling.

Ingredients: 6 Baby Bella Mushrooms

2 Cups Cooked Spinach

1/2 Shallot

1/8 Cup ( 2 TBS) Sour Cream (organic is best)

1 Slice Muenster Cheese

Butter

Kosher Salt

Nutmeg (freshly ground is BEST)

Gently pop out stems from mushrooms and set aside. (do not throw these away) Season the inside of the mushroom caps lightly with salt and turn upside down.

This will help draw out moisture & season your mushrooms. You may also bake mushrooms at a low temp for about 5 minutes to draw out a ton of moisture. Just be careful not to over cook ;) 

Small dice stems & shallots. In a saucepan, low heat & about 2 TBS of butter, add shallots & lightly season with salt. ALWAYS season in layers!

When they are translucent & slightly golden, add stems. Lightly season.

When mushrooms & shallots are halfway done, add fresh spinach & crank up the heat. Season & add nutmeg. Nutmeg will highlight the spinach. Freshly ground nutmeg is the best option. It isn’t overwhelmingly potent.

Kill the heat and let mixture cool down. In a mixing bowl add veggies and sour cream.

Distribute mixture to mushroom caps evenly & top with Muenster cheese. Bake in oven at 325 degrees F (163 C) for about 10-15 minutes. Mushrooms will be tender and delicate! Enjoy~

Ginger Honey Chili Tofu w. Jasmine Rice & Sweet Potato Confit

Hey guy! YES! Another tofu post. It's really simple too, which I find readers and followers on my Tumblr love the most. So here you go!!! 

                                                           

You will need: 

For Tofu:

1 brick of firm tofu

1/4 cup of honey 

2 TBS grated, fresh ginger

1/2 TBS chili flakes

1/2 TBS grated garlic 

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

sea salt to taste

1 cup cooked Jasmine rice

 For Sweet Potato Confit

Neutral flavored oil such as canola or vegetable

1 Sweet Potato super small dice or "brunoise"  pronounced "broon woh"

1/4 yellow onion also brunoise

sea salt to taste

 Have your rice cooked and set aside. Follow the directions on the bag. Only tip I could give is to rinse your rice a few times to get rid of the starch. This makes the grains of rice fluff up easier without causing it to turn into paste. 

 For Sweet Potatoes: Add a little oil to your pan. On low heat, add in onion, and sweet potato at the same time. We usually add our onion first, since it infused a lot of flavor into our food. However, by the time the sweet potato is cooked, our onion will be nicely caramelized. To confit is to cook in fat at a very low temperature. This gives a gem like look to our food, and cooks it evenly. You get the ingredients full potential this way, in my opinion. Add in remaining ingredients and don't forget to season! I love using sea salt since it is so mild, but feel free to use what you have! Cook for about 15 minutes. Since we have such tiny dices, it is a quicker cooking time. Drain your yummy sweet potatoes and set aside. 

 Don't throw out that oil. Save it for later. It isn't broken down since it was cooked at such a low temperature, and it is FULL of flavor!

 For Tofu: Prep tofu as I've shown you guys on my previous post: Tofu Manipulation Use the dry heat method I mentioned for braising. Even though we are sauteing today, it will help absorb lots of yummy flavor. 

 For Honey Ginger Sauce: Take your honey, and simmer on a low heat setting. The honey should have a diluted consistency. Add in your grated ginger and garlic. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, then add in your chili flakes. Kill the heat and add in your rice vinegar. This will cut the sweetness from your sauce, and give it dimension.

Heat up your pan and add that confit oil. Just a little bit. Now we are going to do a quick saute. Remember, saute means high heat, low fat! 

 Add your previously cooked tofu to a pan, give it a few tosses in the pan, and about a minute later, add in your sauce. Toss, so it is completely mixed. 

 I garnished mine with green onion. I cut it open, and sliced it into thin strips or, "julienne". Get creative! If you want to garnish, use what you'd like. Cilantro/coriander, green onion, leeks, whatever it is you love! Add or omit ingredients from this recipe! If you decide to make this at home, PLEASE share!!! I'd love to see what you did! Link your blog post, photos, etc. 

You're done! 

Remember, recipes are a guideline! So taste your food! If you like your food super spicy, by all means, add as much or  as little as you'd like! My way isn't perfect. YOUR way is! 

Have fun!

Amber~

Mango: Is it REALLY Safe for your Skin?

Hey Everyone!

As you know, I'm a lover of using yummy food to fight time and gravity when it comes to my face. I love to be well informed and know exactly why and how something is good for my skin. Research motivates me to share what I've learned with you. I don't believe in pumping out info that sounds good. I want to share knowledge with confidence.

I have a BUNCH of yummy mangos right now, and have been on a mango kick for the past month. Of course I want to make a mask out of something so wonderful because it's delicious and healthy, and it's most likely good for my face too, right?

Nope! There are cautions you must take and research that should be done before smothering your face with deliciousness. Just because it's natural and healthy to eat, doesn't mean it will be healthy for your skin OR effective at all.

I see so many blogs and videos on how wonderful mango masks are, but they have the potential of harming your skin. Here are some facts you may find interesting:


1. Mango butter is NOT puréed mango.
I am tired of so called experts blogging this to people. Mango butter is derived from the mango seed of the mango tree.

2. Mango peel contains urushiol, a compound that causes your skin to break out. Mango peel and sap are actually related to poison ivy and poison oak, which contain urushiol.

If you've had a reaction to poison ivy or oak, most likely you'll have an allergic reaction to mango if you're using the peel to scrub your face. This research has been documented. Also be careful when eating mango straight out of the skin. If you've had an allergic reaction to poison oak or ivy, please use caution!

3. Do NOT use the pit as an exfoliant. I've seen this done as well. It seems like a great idea. The pit has all of that left over juicy mango. Why not? Well, do you want to break out in a rash?

So what's the solution? It sounds like I'm giving mangos a bad rep. I'm not! I love mangos! I eat them all of the time, but I have to be responsible if I'm going to blab out super recipes. I want it to be known that just because I use yummy food on my skin, I'm not ignorant. I do my research.

My suggestion. Eat or drink your mango. THAT will be beneficial for your skin.

If you want to make a mask, and have and you swear by it, by all means, I can't argue with you.

I'd rather buy mango butter, which can be found in a health food store or purchased online for relatively cheap. THAT will make your skin feel and look amazing.

Using mango butter as your night cream is wonderful. It's inexpensive, and so concentrated, you don't need much. It reduces redness and acne due to its emollient properties and high oxidative capabilities. Leaves skin super soft, and contains natural UV protection.

So in this occasion, save your mangos for your smoothies, and invest in some amazing mango butter. It smells amazing as well. I'm not trying to sound like a neurotic person. Don't be afraid of they yummy, sweet, mango. Just make sure to do your research before making a mask out of super yummies on your skin. ;)

Take care!

Amber~

Kill Your Cold/Flu Symptoms Naturally

KILL YOUR COLD/FLU SYMPTOMS 

Everyone around you is getting sick this cold season, and you can’t afford to get sick. How can you lower the duration of your cold/flu, and still be able to function without feeling like your head is going to explode? 

Here are a few tips I suggest using, that have helped me ward off sickness this season. Keep in mind, you may not be able to kill a cold completely, but when the first signs of a cold come on, you can strengthen your immune system, and be left with minor inconvenience during this chilly season. 

Apple Cider Vinegar Gargle

I know it sounds brutal, but if you are reluctant, dilute your apple cider vinegar in warm water. Two TBS to 1/2 cup warm, filtered water. If you use a straight vinegar solution as I do, this will speed up recovery. 

Apple Cider Vinegar will kill a sore throat quickly, and also contains antibacterial properties that offer immediate relief due to sore throat infections that cause pain and swelling, and neutralizes the infections. 

Rinse with water as often as needed. 

Garlic

Garlic is nature’s antibiotic and antivirus medicine.  Crushed garlic cleans the blood, aids in inflammation, and boosts immunity. 

Green Tea (honey optional)

Why not green tea? We all know it’s ridiculously healthy for you. Loaded with antioxidants, flavanoids, aids in digestion, & has just the right amount of caffeine to keep you going without feeling wired. Adding raw honey will add extra nutritional benefits and comfort. 

Kombucha

Kombucha tea is my super food. It’s anti inflammatory properties aid in congestion & regulates digestion, fights free radicals, cleans blood and aids in headaches. Other than that there are MANY claimed benefits to drinking Kombucha, and I am a fan myself. 

Miso Soup 

Miso is a fermented soybean paste that tastes slightly salty and has a buttery texture. Miso & Seaweed combined means a jam packed nutritional soup that comforts, battles viruses, regulates good bacteria for great digestion, provides B vitamins, protein & helps you stay young by blasting free radicals out of your body. 

Neti Pot

A Neti Pot is a nasal irrigation system found in MANY health food stores. PLEASE do not use tap water because your tap water contains a lot of crap you don’t want in your nasal cavity. Use distilled/filtered water ONLY. There have been two cases of brain eating bacteria killing people from Neti Pot usage. Though this is rare, it’s best to be super safe with super clean water. 

Most neti pots come with a sodium solution and there are solution packets sold separately for a very low price. Do not make your own please, especially if you don’t know what the hell you’re doing. 

Nasal Irrigation cleans the crap out of your nasal cavity. It’s kinda gross, but in a cool way. You’ll feel so much relief when all of that hard mucus and gross crap growing in your face is long gone, and you’ll be able to breath clearly and sooth congestion. 

Sleep

Ok, I know this might be impossible if you have a demanding job, kids, responsibilities, LIFE. TRY to get some rest. Even if it’s a ten minute nap, rest as much as possible when you get the first symptoms of a cold. I’d rather take a day off than 3-5+ 

Your body is working hard to fight this cold/flu when it first begins. By not resting, you’re just weakening your immune system, which is why people feel like a train wreck the next day. 

Sleep sleep sleep!! Zzzzz (~,~) 

Vitamins

The obvious, but don’t go nuts and take a billion vitamins that you’ll most likely piss out. Take your B vitamins, Zinc and yes the overrated but scurvy fighting C. No, I’m not implying that scurvy is at a greater risk when you have a cold or flu, but I’d bet money you’d find somewhere online stating it… (which is why the internet is scary when you don’t feel well!)

Water

Stay hydrated. You don’t have to be ridiculous and chug a gallon at a time, but keeping hydrated will help your body recover faster. You lose a lot of water when you’re sick.

In no way is this information intended to diagnose or cure any illness or disease, nor should it be completely replaced with needed medical attention. Please consult your child’s pediatrician before attempting these methods on them. 

Even though this information is holistic and all natural, it is best to consult your doctor, whether they are a modern physician or a master herbalist. Medicine in nature should be treated and respected the same as over the counter medicine. 

In my opinion it is MUCH safer, healthier and beneficial, it should still be respected and used with care. 

Stay Well! 

Amber~