Just one more figtastic recipe...

Things are pretty wild in St. Paul tonight. Watching the U.S. Open... eating some cereal... Casper is sleeping.

Not sure if I'll be able to handle this crazy lifestyle.

However, today was productive and I'm getting to watch a beautiful sunset right now.

I successfully installed and activated my internet all by myself, which was no easy feat since the Comcast customer service girl gave me about 20 different instruction manuals that are ALL in Spanish. Gracias, Comcast.

After a nice long run down Summit Avenue I cleaned the kitchen and organized my gluten free flours!

I hope those of you who are gluten tolerant have a new appreciation for all purpose flour.

Here's a great snack that can double as a dessert.

Check in tomorrow for lavender vanilla bean scones!

Baked Pears with Brie and Fig Spread

Ingredients:

1 pear (any kind you prefer)

6 oz brie cheese

Trader Joe's Fig Butter

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

Quarter the pear and remove the core. Place in an oven safe baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, place an inch long slice of cheese on each pear and bake until bubbly and melted.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. 

Spread the fig butter over the pears and serve. Perfect midnight snack!

J'aime la galette... avec du beurre dedans!

Finished my first week of classes!


I would bore you with the details, but I'm super worn out.
I'll let this do the talking for me!




Fig Galette with Mascarpone Cream

Makes two 8 inch galettes

Crust:
1 1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup potato starch
2/3 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon guar gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons of butter
1 large egg
6 to 8 tablespoons ice-cold water

Approximately 15 medium sized black mission figs
2 teaspoons heavy cream

Cream:
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Everyone develops their own way of making a pie crust. If you have, do your thing. If you're still working on it, this is how I make them:

1. Place a stick of butter in the freezer

2. Whisk together the brown rice flour, almond meal, tapioca flour, potato starch, and sweet rice flour. Once combined, thoroughly whisk in xanthan gum, guar gum, and salt.

3. Cut the butter into 10 small pieces and add to dry ingredients. With a pastry cutter or your hands, mix until the chunks of butter are no bigger than pea-sized. It is important to move quickly during this step because you want the butter to remain cold.

4. Combine the egg with about 3 tablespoons of icy water. Gradually mix in using a rubber spatula, and then continue to add ice water until the dough holds together but isn't sticky.

5. Pat into a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer while you prepare the fruit.

Quarter the figs and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Once the dough has chilled for at least 15 minutes, place it on a piece of parchment paper dusted with brown rice flour. Lay another piece of parchment paper on top of the dough and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough in a circular shape until it is thin but can still be worked with without breaking.

Once rolled out, transfer the dough from the paper to an ungreased baking sheet. Brush the surface of the dough with heavy cream using a pastry brush. Arrange the sliced figs in the center, leaving a space of three inches from the edge.

Fold the outer edge of the crust over the fruit, pleating the dough, starting in one place and working your way around the galette.

Brush the edges of the galette with heavy cream and place in the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.


For the mascarpone cream, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

Allow the galette to reach room temperature. Spoon cream on top and enjoy!

Indian Summer

Ohhh did I create a masterpiece tonight.

I was finally able to do some grocery shopping today, so a lot of terrific recipes will be posted soon.


Including this little taste of India.


Indian culture has presented itself to me in different forms throughout my life. I've always been extremely interested in the customs and culture, and I've been privileged enough to study Hinduism. I've even been lucky enough to have read a first-hand account of someone's travels through India. Someone who has deeply impacted my life and continues to inspire me every day.

I look forward to possibly traveling to India someday and experiencing all that it has to offer. But, this recipe will keep me completely content for the time being.




Chicken Tikka Masala
Makes two ridiculously delicious entree sized portions

Ingredients:
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken (I used breasts)
8 oz plain yogurt (I used nonfat, but full fat would make the dish richer)
1 medium onion
2 medium tomatoes
1 thumb-sized chunk of fresh ginger root
3 garlic cloves
Fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

1 teaspoon of the following spices:
Turmeric
Cumin
Paprika
Cardamom
Cinnamon
Red chili powder
Curry Powder

1 cup uncooked basmati rice



Dice onions and mince garlic and ginger (use a food processor, if desired). Set aside.

Finely chop the tomatoes. Set aside separately from the onions, garlic and ginger.

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Drop into a bowl and add yogurt, turmeric, cumin, paprika, curry powder, and salt. Mix until evenly coated and combined. Empty into a roasting pan and cook under a broiler on high heat, tossing occasionally, until the chicken begins to brown. About 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the rice by following the directions on the package.

In a medium sized pan, add olive oil and turn heat on to medium. Add the onions, ginger, and garlic, frying until soft and translucent. Then, add cinnamon and cardamom. Stir well.

Next, add the tomatoes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Finally, empty the chicken into the pan, stir well, cover and cook on low/medium heat for 10 minutes.

Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and spoon over the rice.

Time to tend to the Taj-Mahal-sized mess I made in the kitchen!

Phileo Food

I suppose today was my first official day as an Augsburg "Auggie."

Even have an I.D. to prove it.

I left each class with a different opinion. French had me feeling like I was back in high school again, but I suppose that could be expected since it is a beginning course and all students are required to take a year of foreign language. My other courses have more upperclassmen, which was a relief.

The most rewarding feeling I had today was realizing that I was BORN to take philosophy.

The professor's entire lecture seemed as if it was tailored and edited specifically for me. I can honestly say I was bummed when the hour was up, but then I realized I'll get to return three times a week for the entire semester! I was amazed at how much of the subject matter has been frequenting my mind lately. Throughout the whole class I was thinking of someone who would have enjoyed and related to the conversation just as much as I did.

We discussed how wisdom and hope stem from philosophy, and how you must know thyself, your talents, your interests, and your hopes to gain what everyone is always in pursuit of: happiness.

"Human beings either face a challenge and grow stronger, or they allude the challenge and perish"
                                                                                     -Josef Pieper

Watch out everybody. I'll be dropping some knowledge this semester.



Made some delicious snacks the past two nights!


Thyme Roasted Carrots and Zucchinis with Goat Cheese

Anybody pick up on my love of goat cheese?

Ingredients:
1 carrot
1 zucchini
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup goat cheese crumblies

Preheat the oven to 400

Dice the carrot (peeled, if desired) and zucchini to fry-like slices and place in a large bowl with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Mix until the vegetables are evenly coated. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, stirring half way through.

Sprinkle the thyme and goat cheese on top and serve!

What I made tonight was a repeat, but I cannot emphasize how delicious and easy this is! I'll include the link below.

This time around I omitted the orange zest and added a dash of cinnamon to the honey balsamic.

Try this before all the figs are gone!

Honey Balsamic Roasted Figs with Goat Cheese

Keeping my fingers crossed that my cooking gas bill isn't astronomical.

The Most Underrated Dessert Ever

During my freshman year of college I was fortunate enough to experience New York City in the springtime. After what felt like the coldest, wettest winter ever, the city slowly shook off it's dark gloom and blossomed. When you walked through the streets you could feel this strong current of light and energy. Washington Square Park felt as if it was a living organism, supporting life that had been hibernating for months. I've never experienced anything remotely equivalent and I don't expect to.

I had a magical experience one spring evening. It was my favorite time out of the entire nine months I spent in New York, and it included a night at Veselka's. Veselka's is a Ukranian diner in the East Village, and sports a colorful crowd once midnight comes around. I've only been once, but I highly recommend stumbling in around 2 am if you're craving toast. 

To be completely honest, I don't recall much about the visit. I don't remember the conversations that were had, or how long we were there, or what their menu offered. But I remember the rice pudding.

At that moment in time, that rice pudding was the best thing I'd ever eaten. I believe a couple witnesses would claim that I didn't look up or put my spoon down until it was gone. 

I've tried many times to recreate the deliciousness I experienced that night, but I've come to accept that it's best to just hang on to that memory and be glad that I have it.

I've managed to come up with a recipe that is satisfying for myself, and I imagine it's quite a bit lighter (Veselka's definitely had some help from heavy cream).

Almost Perfect Rice Pudding

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice (short grain is best)

1 1/2 cup milk (2% or higher)

3 tablespoons agave nectar (can substitute 1/4 cup sugar)

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cardamom 

1 teaspoon vanilla

dried fruit

toasted almonds

In a medium sauce pan combine milk, agave nectar, butter, vanilla, and spices over low heat. Stir in cooked rice and turn the heat up to medium. Once boiling, allow to boil for one minute before removing from heat.

If desired, stir in toasted almonds, dried fruit, or anything else that sounds good to you!

Good hot, warm or cold. I prefer cold. 

A less than laborious Labor Day.

Something about the changing weather is really making me realize the amount of time that has lapsed since I left home. Its been two weeks, but I still don't feel like I've really established much up here yet. My feelings of just floating through everyday are understandable, I suppose. Without work, school, or people, the days tends to feel the same.


I'm definitely ready to start classes on Wednesday.


I started up a Facebook page for this blog today. I would greatly appreciate anyone and everyone who "likes" my blog page or posts any feedback or recipe requests on the page. I'm still getting the hang of things on here, and there are a lot of things that I'm still working on (i.e. photography...). The "Like" button is in the top right corner of this page, and here is the link for the Facebook page.


Thanks to all supporters! It makes this transition a little easier.


Decided to get spicy for dinner tonight. Enjoy!


Moroccan-Inspired Quinoa Salad
Serves 2 entree portions or approx 4 side dish portions


Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa (I never rinse mine)
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (a dash)
1 half of a medium size onion, chopped
1 large carrot, grated
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted


In a medium sauce pan, bring vegetable stock and water to a boil. Once boiling, add quinoa. Lower heat to a simmer and cover. The quinoa should take approximately 10-12 minutes to cook. Once the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid remove from the stove and let sit for 5 minutes while still covered.


While the quinoa cooks, add olive oil and spices to a medium sized pan over medium heat. Once you can smell the spices add the grated carrot and chopped onion. Stir frequently and cook until the onions have softened, for approximately 5-7 minutes.


If you don't have almonds that are toasted, you can toast them yourself by placing them in a small pan over medium-low heat. As soon as you smell the almonds remove them from the heat and allow them to cool before serving.


Once the quinoa and spiced vegetables are done, stir together until the quinoa has a golden color and the vegetables are evenly distributed throughout. Top with toasted almonds and serve hot.

Later on I decided to make myself a little snack. Nothing too complicated. It is Labor Day after all.

Greek Yogurt with Peach Balsamic Reduction

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 cup nonfat, plain greek yogurt (or your own preference)

1 half of a ripe peach

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of brown sugar

Slice peaches thinly. In a small sauce pan combine all ingredients (except the greek yogurt) and bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Stir for about 5 minutes and remove from heat.

Spoon over greek yogurt and enjoy this delicious, healthy snack!

This would be a great topping for ice cream too!

Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Fall is here!

Apparently I was really excited about getting to sleep under the covers last night, because I decided to sleep an extra few hours this morning. Totally worth it though because I'm almost over my cold!

Today was a nice, lazy Sunday. I went for a jog, bought a few groceries, and then went and saw a movie. 

It was the first time I'd gone to see a movie by myself, and it was kind of nice. Something about sitting down for two hours and just focusing on something that is completely separate from my own life helps me clear my head and relax. 

Zucchini bread was a perfect way to embrace the fall weather and also take advantage of the summer vegetables while they're still in season. I adapted this recipe from the Gluten Free Girl, changed it up with some walnuts and cocoa powder. Unfortunately, I don't have all of the gluten free flours she uses, so I had to take a risk and use what I had. The results weren't disappointing! The texture was a little dense, but overall I was satisfied. 

Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill brown rice flour, sifted 

1 teaspoon guar gum

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 eggs at room temp, beaten

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup agave nectar

2 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups fresh-grated zucchini

2/3 cup (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Sift the flower into a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk in the guar gum, xanthan gum, spices and cocoa powder. Stir until combined and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, sugar, agave nectar, and vanilla. Fold in the fresh grated zucchini and melted butter. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt on top, gently stirring it in but not over mixing. 

Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture, until the smooth and well combined. Stir in the walnuts.

Fill two 9x5 greased loaf pans with even amounts of the batter. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes. To test, stick a dry toothpick into the center of the bread. If the pick comes out clean the bread is ready.

Enjoy with a nice cold glass of milk!