Au Natural

A couple days ago, I decided my diet needed a serious overhaul. I've been busy and stressed lately, which means that I crave caffeine, sugar, and processed carbs. I've been getting home late, so I eat bar food for dinner, or inhale the first thing I find when I finally get back to my place - often, that's chocolate chips and brown sugar. I tend to eat on the go, and havn't bought vegetables in WAYYY too long. And I feel it. I havn't been sleeping well. My blood sugar peaks and falls during the day, leaving me tired and dragging. And my skin has gone into revolt.

So I decided enough was enough. I took a little trip to Whole Foods and loaded my basket up with fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and antioxident-rich juice. I'm even going so far as to cut out sugar (which for me is like cutting out oxygen). Call it a detox treatment, if you will. Feeding my body good stuff is step one to being a happy, healthy, and productive human being. (After that, it gets a little more complicated, so stay tuned. Once I discover the key to bliss, I'll be sure to pass it on!) For now, enjoy the the beautiful wholesomeness of my little shopping trip.

Dinner tonight: Pasta Primavera, with whole grain pasta, zucchini, yellow squash, and bell pepper. This is one of my favorite vegetarian dishes! You just throw some olive oil in a pan, then saute garlic, Italian herbs, and veggies of your choice. When they are seared, throw in the marinara sauce and simmer for about a minute. Then toss in the cooked pasta, garnish with cheese, and enjoy!

P.S. I'm not giving up caffeine, just trying to cut back a bit and drink more black tea and less coffee. I may be healthy, but I'm not crazy!

Decadent Delights

Can food be sexy? Mais oui! Edible objects are sensual in their own right - the velvety skin of a ripe peach; the sharp energizing aroma of fresh ground coffee beans; the earthy, buttery sweet taste of a bite of rich chocolate. And humans have been using food as an aphrodisiac since time began. Figs, oysters, truffles ... and the modern favorite: strawberries and champagne.

So when a friend of mine told me she was planning a party themed "La Nuit de Decadence" and needed appropriate bite-sized food for the occasion, I got a little hot and bothered just thinking about all the decadent and tasty options! In a joint menu-planning effort, we decided upon:

*Champagne*

*Strawberries dipped in chocolate*

*Tiny lemon bars*
>>see recipe below<<

*Peanut and almond blossoms*
(nut flavored cookies w/ a Hershey's Kiss on top), and

*Mini quiches*

Tropical Lemon Bars

Bottom Layer:
1 cup shredded or flaked coconut
1 cup flour
2 T sugar
1/4 tsp salt
Ginger (1 tsp if powdered, 1/2 tsp if fresh grated)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Combine coconut, flour, sugar, ginger and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Gather particles and with lightly floured fingertips, press evenly and firmly over bottom of 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven until golden, about 15-20 minutes.

Top Layer:

2 eggs - - 3/4 cup sugar - - 2 T flour - - 1/4 cup lemon juice

In small bowl, beat together above ingredients. Pour over baked crust and continue to bake until set, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on rack, then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

*Note: These bars will turn out very thin, as they do not contain a leavening agent.

Classy Comfort Food

Sometimes food is a way of reaching out to new people. My Foreign Service class (the 143rd) was in charge of welcoming and mentoring the newest class, the 145th, as they embarked on their Foreign Service career a few weeks ago. We threw them a traditional welcome reception the day before they started orientation, and decided to make it extra special by serving home-made food. I was the "caterer" for the event, and another classmate baked a whole bunch of delicious and delectable cupcakes.

My main criteria while planning the menu were: finger-food-friendly appetizers, minimal prep time, and ease of transport. But I also noticed that my selections included a number of traditional and homey items, like a cheese dip, cereal-based treats, and old-fashioned sandwiches. Wanted to make people feel at home, you know?! However, I tried to modernize them and class them up a little bit for the occasion.

The menu:

*Fresh guacamole, w/ stone ground chips

*Rice Krispie treats (so easy to make!)

*Marbled Fudge Bars

*Spinach Parmesan Dip w/ Pita Chips (link to recipe included below)

*Mini Sandwiches with Ham or Turkey and Apple Butter

*Sliced Crusty Loaf Bread w/ Red Pepper/Eggplant Spread

Diplomats and dips

This recipe for Parmesan Spinach Dip is the ultimate party comfort food. It tastes delicious, smells heavenly, and is served up warm. http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=523652

Memories of Meals Past

A few memorable food moments in my recent history:

Organic apples grown on a farm in the Hood River area of Oregon. This picture brings back memories of a weekend with old friends. I drove from Seattle, deciding at the last minute to take the scenic (i.e. long) route past Mt. St. Helens and along unlit Forest Service roads. I arrived 3 hours behind schedule, but driving through the mountains, in the light of the full moon, with spectacular views (and steep drops) on either side, was exhilarating. For about an hour it felt like I was the only person on earth, that the grandeur of the Cascade Mountains on a crisp October night was on display just for me. Once I made it to the Columbia Gorge, Hannah treated us to homemade soup and apple cobbler, and the next day we drove around the Gorge visiting farms and roadside stands. I bought a jar of jalapeno jelly - which turned out to be delicious on Wheat Thins with goat cheese.


My first home-cooked meal after the bar exam, prepared in
Colorado, at Mom & Dad's place. Fresh grilled salmon, blanched asparagus stalks, and rosemary flatbread with olive oil. I wanted to cry it looked so good. And it tasted incredible too.

Dessert at Ella's Woodfired Pizza, in DC - lemon wafers w/ lemon cream filling and strawberry garnish. Had just watched the most recent Bond movie with friends (featuring eye candy of a non-food variety). This dessert practically melted in my mouth. It was the perfect mix of tart and sweet and fresh and fruity. Definitely sigh-worthy.

Family Events

Christmas morning breakfast, 2007. Fruit salad w/ pomegranate garnish, scrambled eggs, bread and Nutella.

Christmas dinner, 2008. Kevin planned the menu. I helped execute it.


Endives topped with spicy cream cheese and smoked salmon, 4-cheese mac & cheese w/ truffle oil, pork tenderloin w/ blackberry sauce, and a sauteed summer squash/carrot combo.



Law school graduation celebration brunch with Dad. Mimosas and frittatas and a rare appearance of Seattle sunshine. It set the tone for the whole day. If you have to speak/present an award at your own graduation, I highly recommend a little champagne first.

Food w/ Friends

Road trip 2008, Memphis stop. Becky took me to her favorite little dessert place, called Sweet. I ordered a large slice of the peppermint chocolate cake. Mint and chocolate are a pairing dreamed up in heaven. So refreshing, and decadent at the same time!





Some friends are like family. Mel opened up her home in Portland to me for my first stop on the great 2008 cross-country road trip. She served whole grain bread, fresh produce, and other nutrient-filled goodies, along with generous helpings of wine. I hope these women are still in my life when we're in our 80s.

Nesting

Moving seems to bring out my need for wholesome comfort food. After I moved to the East Coast, I took great pleasure in my grocery shopping routine. Fresh bread at a little Italian place, the Antique Bakery, fresh produce from Eden Market, and coffee from Panera.




















Pumpkin pie, hot out of the oven.
Thanksgiving 2008.

Bon Appetit

What you eat is a reflection of who you are. It is also a source of comfort, a creative outlet, a form of cultural identity. Food and drink help us to mark seminal moments in our lives, to celebrate friends and family, to make connections with new people. The smell of food is deeply connected to memory. Partaking in it is often a shared activity. Food is deeply tied in to human relationships, to the fabric of daily life as well as special occasions.


Lately I have been spending more time in the kitchen, trying new recipes and revisiting old favorites. What I choose to cook, eat, and share with others seems to be a barometer of what is going on in my life and in myself. So I thought I'd try out a blog that is less a diary of daily activities and more of chronicle of my life as highlighted by the dishes that are featured in it. It's also a chance for me to share favorite recipes and to show off pictures of successful kitchen ventures. Enjoy!