Hiatus: Autumn Allergies

I'm taking a short break from the blog, namely because I'm sneezing. Outside of work, I'm spending my time on antihistamines in a horizontal position. Sleep is wonderful. Be back soon!

Life with Brian

It was a little more difficult to get out of bed this morning. It's raining, kind of grey outside, and a little cooler than usual. I am happy it is autumn, but because this summer was so enjoyable, I am sad to see it end. However, when I finally managed to fill up my gardening pot to water my plants, I discovered something wonderful. Brian, my basil plant, is thriving! Yes, I do name my plants; I think that's an entirely different post altogether.

Brian was given to me as a cutting by my work colleague, who has managed to nurse Brian's mom for four years! She warned me that he may not actually sprout, but he did. I replanted him into a bigger pot and have watered him consistently. Currently, a couple of Brian's stems are not green - ie they are not functional - yet the plant keeps growing. Brian is currently my most successful plant; although given my black thumb, it's amazing that all four of my plants are still alive. The situation reminds me of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, in which Francie Nolan is in awe of her neighborhood foliage, which manages to grow through all types of weather, urbanization patterns, and negative treatment, just like herself.

Tuesday Night with Rupen Rao

I spent this evening at Simply September, Simply Indian, a cooking class hosted by Whole Foods. Our teacher this evening was Mr. Rupen Rao of Simply Indian, LLC. Check out his website if you have a chance; he has tons of easy-to-follow recipes.

Because this was my first cooking class ever, I had no idea what to expect. The Whole Foods store near my house is enormous and looks like it has plenty of space, but I still didn't bet on each student having his/her own cooking station. I was right, but instead, the format of the class was excellent in terms of facilitating group discussion and Q&A.

Mr. Rao featured a few dishes: kaddu ka shorba (masala pumpkin soup); matar hoosal (Marathi-style green peas curry); dahl murg (yogurt chicken); and kesaribath (sweet saffron rice). Below are images from the evening:

The kaddu ka shorba was my favorite of all the dishes! Slightly sweet with a nice kick of garam masala. Mr. Rao mentioned that any autumn or winter gourd would suffice for this soup.

The dahi murgh was very spicy. Mr. Rao advised using bone-in chicken thighs for optimum flavor. Though the chicken was marinated in yogurt, the final product did not taste of anything resembling yogurt. He mentioned that yogurt tenderizes meats, and this chicken was no exception; it completely melted in my mouth.

The matar hoosal was very easy to prepare, and I think it would taste perfect with some red chilis thrown in for heat. The secret ingredient in this dish is amchur, or dried mango powder.

Kesaribath is a sweet rice prepared with ghee, or clarified butter (butter without water). If you plan on creating this dish, be certain you boil it long enough for the rice to cook completely.

Mr. Rao mentioned a few helpful tips:

1. Thicker oils, like olive oil, burn faster than its canola or vegetable counterparts.
2. Red onion is preferred to white onion in Indian sabzis (curries).
3. Always use the stalk of the cilantro plant; the stalk contains the most flavor.
4. When preparing Indian sabzis, always add your spices in whole form to heated oil, then add onion and crushed spices. If you add crushed spices directly to hot oil, they will burn rather quickly.
5. Yogurt-based marinades can be replaced with papaya paste if preferred.
6. DO NOT USE LOW FAT OR FAT FREE dairy products in Indian recipes. They simply add too much water to each dish.
7. Do not replace milk products with cream in all of these recipes; that will affect the cooking process. Specifically, the kesaribath will not cook thoroughly if cream is used instead of milk.

All in all, a very enjoyable Tuesday night activity. Can't wait for the next one; Mr. Rao already promised murgh makhani.

Risotto: A Rice Among Pastas

The weather switched overnight from hot and humid to autumnal and windy here in DC. In my efforts to eat with the seasons, I'm working to create hearty, nutritious dishes as winter approaches. Growing up with mother who lived for years in Roma, pasta was a staple in our household. Risotto, however, was something I didn't have the pleasure of sampling until I went to college. While scrummaging around for healthier versions of risotto, I came upon a recipe for barley risotto.

Barley is a whole grain which contains all eight essential amino acids. Like other grains, there are many strains of barley: two row, six row, and hulled. For cooking, I've found the easiest type of barley to work with is pearl barley, which has the hull and bran removed. Barley - unlike arborio rice (which is used to make traditional risotto) - has a much lower glycemic index, which means it takes longer to digest, keeping its diner fuller for a longer period of time.

My first autumn run to the farmers market yielded a beautiful butternut squash and a bunch of beets. After a lengthy conversation with a farmer, I learned that I can use beet greens as a substitute for spinach in any recipe. With these items and knowledge in tow, I embarked on this fabulous dish, which was served recently at a going-away party for my friend Felix, who moved back to Spain a couple of weeks ago.

BARLEY RISOTTO WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, BEET GREENS, AND GOAT CHEESE
Serves 5-6

Ingredients:
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced into small cubes
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 quarts organic vegetable broth, divided into three
2 quarts water, divided
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 medium white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup pearl barley, raw
beet greens collected from 1 bunch of beets
1/3 cup goat cheese

Directions:
1. Coat butternut squash cubes in 1.5 tbsp olive oil. Roast in the oven at 350* for 20-25 minutes.
2. In a small pot, boil 1/3 of vegetable broth with rosemary for 10 minutes.
3. In a large pot, saute onion and garlic with remainder of olive oil.
4. When onion mixture is golden, add pearl barley and saute for a few minutes.
5. Crank heat up to high and add rosemary andvegetable broth mixture.
6. When the liquid has evaporated, add the second 1/3 of vegetable broth and remainder of water.
7. When the liquid has evaporated, add the final 1/3 of vegetable broth and remainder of water.
8. When the majority of remaining liquid has evaporated, add in the butternut squash and stir gently.
9. Reduce heat to medium.
9. Taste to see if the barley is cooked.
10. Stir in beet greens until they are wilted.
11. Remove from heat and stir in goat cheese.
12. Enjoy!

Green beans paliya

While wandering around farmers' markets this summer, I've seen a lot of beans. So many that it's overwhelming. There are regular green beans, yellow wax beans, borlotti beans, and my personal favorite, the cranberry bean.

After doing some digging, I uncovered the following. The cranberry bean is somewhat related to its aesthetic cousin, the borlotti bean. Cranberry beans are also not related to cranberries, but rather are named after the fruit due to their brownish-reddish-pinkish color. These beans were among the first cultivated beans in North America (all the credit goes to the Aztecs and Incas). Through the wonders of globalization, they traveled from North America to Italy around the 1500s, where they were promptly planted, celebrated, and renamed "borlotti." Of course, due to differences in climates, these two beans are not the same and do indeed taste a little differently.

The most interesting - and kind of heartbreaking - aspect of this bean is that when cooked, it loses its pink coloration in favor of a muted brown.

After some consideration, I decided to forgo cooking experiements (aka disasters) with the cranberry beans and settled on some beautiful, traditional green beans. My initial instinct was to make minestrone, but our summer days were still experiencing 80* of heat. Instead, I settled on preparing a super easy green beans curry. Using fresh beans means spending a little more time in the kitchen, but if you choose to use frozen French green beans, this dish will go from the stove to your dining table in 15 minutes flat. Pair with parathas, chapatis, or even wheat tortillas if you don't have time to fuss around with shopping for South Asian breads. I've included a recipe with frozen beans below; the only adjustment necessary when using fresh green beans is to boil them until cooked yet crisp before doing anything else.

Green Beans Paliya
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
16 oz. packet of frozen French green beans
1-2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
A few dried red chilies
1 pinch asofoetida/hing
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp channa dal
1 tbsp split black gram dal
salt
2 tbsp frozen coconut, dessicated

Directions:

Heat oil on high heat in a large saucepan.
Add mustard seeds and heat until they sputter.
Add both dals, the chilies, asofoetida, and turmeric to the oil.
Stir to avoid burning!
Once the dals look golden-brown, add the frozen beans.
Cover with a lid and stir once in awhile to make sure the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Once the beans have cooked, add salt and stir in coconut.
Serve!

Preview: the best is yet to come!

Here's a little look at what is coming this week:

Clockwise from top left: green beans curry; barley risotto with butternut squash, beet greens, and goat cheese; smoked chipotle peppers; homemade baked corn tortilla chips with watermelon-peach salsa; brie, tomato, caramelized onion and basil panini; blackberry-peach compote; tomato bruschetta; chocolate peanut butter whoopie pie

Intermission has ended!

Life at the koppakabana has been busy as of late, which is why I haven't updated the blog in awhile. My sincere apologies to all of you readers! I will be updating with numerous recipes over the next few days, so brace yourself!

Food and nutrition worthy items of note include:
*purchasing a watermelon and figuring out what to do with it as I live by myself!
*a bon voyage dinner party for a dear friend who is now trouncing around Germany
*some thoughts on running, fitness, body image, and integrated wellness
*ruminations on the role of nutrition in addressing abuse
*experiments with heirloom tomatoes!
*a recent roadtrip across North Carolina for the NC Apple Festival, a quick drop-in at a Moravian bakery, and blueberry picking in the Blue Ridge mountains

To whet your appetite, here's a sneak preview of the Apple Festival. The contraption below is a mini-doughnut machine. Lovely O's of dough drop into a chute of oil. As the dough blobs travel down the chute, they are flipped twice and eventually wind up on a drying rack, where they are doused with apple-cinnamon sugar. YUM!

Reading on Running

After one more run, I'll be one month into a beginner's marathon training schedule. It's amazing to think that in just four weeks, a person can go from not running at all to continuously running five miles. My routes around the DC area are so visually stunning that I run without headphones just to absorb all of the structures and people who pass by. In three miles, I see not only the Washington Monument but also the White House. Last Friday when I went past, the U.S. flag was at half mast for Sen. Kennedy's funeral. My four mile route takes me from Dupont Circle through Georgetown and across the Key Bridge to Rosslyn and back, which is absolutely stunning as I get to see people sailing in their kayaks across the Potomac. Tomorrow, I am running five miles, which will take me past all of the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol. Gorgeous.

I find training for a marathon requires a particular type of discipline. One has to be dedicated to a training plan because it's not a small thing at all. 26 miles can take up to six months to train for, and in my case, a little longer as I'm building in a cushion in case I experience hiccups along the way. Outside of work, I find I think about running often - so often that I'm even incorporating running-related books into my library. Most recently, I've identified two to buy:



I can't wait. The first book by Christopher McDougall is about a tribe in Mexico that lived isolated from "Western" influence. Due to their geographical location, members of this tribe are ultramarathoners, running barefoot through the canyons of Mexico. The second book reminds me of my own runs as it outlines Haruki Murakami's internal dialogue while he trained for a marathon. He identifies when he is inwardly dissociating, externally dissociating, and everything in between. Running provides an opportunity for a participant to only benchmark him or herself against the self, and Murakami very cogently explains how 'normal' long distance runners are of the mindset "it doesn't matter how long as long as I finish."

I haven't read Born To Run but I did watch an interview between Jon Stewart and McDougall. Like Murakami's book, I'm sure it will inspire me to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Marvelous Makeover: A Chicago Favorite

One of the few drawbacks to living alone is that one cannot cook foods with days and days worth of leftovers, unless one is prone to eating mold. Ick. An example of this type of food is pizza.

I adore pizza. I've tried all variations. The convenient single-serving English muffin pizza. The pita pizza. The tortilla pizza. One day, I'll try a Japanese version of a pizza made with a cabbage crust.

None of these comes even close to the fluffy, buttery, sauce-laden Chicago deep dish pizza. While some die-hard Neopolitan pizza lovers swear by the thin, brick oven baked crust as being the most important component of a pizza, I think that somedays, you want sauce. You want cheese. You want chewy, moist crust, not something thin and dry and slightly charred. You want deep dish.

I brought up my desire for deep dish deliciousness to a community of health-conscious folks, and I was pointed to this recipe from The Pampered Chef. Called Bubble Up Pizza, I instantly recognized this as a close parallel to that Chicago favorite I craved. However, I ran into that same problem of having leftovers for ages if I made this in its casserole form. Then, in a flash of creativity akin to Priori Incantatem, I realized what to do!

I hope you really enjoy this recipe. It's one of my favorites! Feel free to switch things up with some pesto sauce with parmesan, a salsa-based sauce with cheddar, and I even think for Thanksgiving flare, a mashed potato-and turkey filling with cranberry topping could be wonderful.



MINI DEEP DISH PIZZAS
10 servings

INGREDIENTS

Crust
10 count refrigerated biscuit dough

Sauce
15 oz. canned tomato sauce
6 oz. canned tomato paste
2 tbsp beet pesto
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
oregano, to taste
basil, to taste
crushed black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
Whatever you wanna add; I used 1 cup of chopped mushrooms but you could easily add a non-vegetarian item
1/2 medium sized onion, chopped
2 tsp olive oil

Topping
1 cup low fat mozzarella, shredded
Whatever else you want! Turkey pepperoni and roasted zucchini are examples

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350* F
2. Oil spray 10 muffin tins.
3. Press an individual refrigerated biscuit into the shape of the muffin tin. It will be approximate; just make certain that the sides of the muffin tin are covered with dough.
4. Bake biscuit dough pizza crusts for 3-5 minutes; remove and let cool.
5. While the pizza crusts are cooling, add 2 tsp olive oil to a pot over medium heat.
6. Once the oil is hot, add onion, garlic, basil, and oregano.
7. Saute onion mixture until transparent.
8. Add mushrooms and saute until mushrooms shrink in size.
9. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and beet pesto.
10. Let simmer for 10 minutes; stir occasionally.
11. Fill each biscuit dough pizza crust with sauce.
12. Top pizzas with 1-2 tbsp cheese and pizza toppings.
13. Bake pizzas at temperature stated biscuit dough package for 10-12 minutes.
14. Broil pizzas until cheese is brown.
15. Enjoy! Pairs well with green salad.

Vangibath (South Indian eggplant rice)

On left: vangibath; On right: vangibath dry roast

Armed with some eggplant, I decided to try out a dish my mother made when I was growing up. Vangibath, or eggplant rice, is a dish which originates in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It is sweet, spicy, and sour at the same time, and pairs well with plain yogurt.

You can purchase vangibath powder from any Indian supermarket - look for the MTR brand - but as I do not live near one, I made my own. Additionally, I used basmati brown rice instead of white rice to include additional fiber. In terms of eggplants, use fresh ones. I had some Asian eggplants, so I used those.

I used a recipe from Dil Se, but made a few modifications. While I used 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate, I would recommend only using 1 to cut down on the sour flavor. To compensate, I wound up adding some brown sugar into the mix.

Here's the recipe:

VANGIBATH

2 medium sized Asian eggplants, cut into bite-size pieces
4 cups cooked basmati brown rice
2 tbsp Tamcon tamarind concentrate
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp brown sugar
Salt to taste

For masala powder:

2 tbsp dry coconut

1 tbsp channa daal

1 tbsp urad daal

For seasoning:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp channa daal
1 tbsp urad daal
2 red chilis
1 tbsp cashews, in small pieces

Directions

1. Cook the rice with enough water and seperate the grains with a fork.
2. Fry the eggplants with a little oil in a saucepan until it almost gets cooked.
3. Dry roast the masala ingredients and grind them into a fine powder.
4. On medium heat, saute all of the ingredients for the seasoning together. When it starts spluttering, add the tamarind concentrate and the ground masala.
5. Simmer for 5 minutes
6. Add the eggplants and salt.
7. Cover the vessel and allow the eggplants to cook until tender.
8. Mix the prepared mixture with the cooked rice and brown sugar.

Zucchini daal

I love food from South Asia. Most of the food I ate growing up was nutritious - not like restaurant fare - and chockful of vegetables, lentils, a little fat, and complex carbohydrates.

This week, I had the urge to make a very simple daal reminiscent of what my family would eat in times of illness. It's relatively bland compared to other Indian foods, and it's filled with the stapes of Indian cooking. You can add whatever vegetables you wish to this; I had zucchini and tomato available. Also, feel free to experiment with the wide variety of lentils available. This daal can be eaten by itself, with flatbreads, with rice, or even with plain yogurt. In particular, daals are very good for people trying to stablize their blood sugar levels.



CHANNA DAAL WITH ZUCCHINI
Inspired by Show Me The Curry

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked channa daal, soaked overnight and drained
1-2 zucchinis, sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 medium white onion, diced
Water - 3 cups
Salt - to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin seed
a pinch Asafoetida/hing
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger, grated or finely chopped
Tomato - 1 med, chopped
Cilantro - for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Boil channa daal for 30-40 minutes in a large pot with water and a little salt. Once the daal is soft and nearly falling apart, drain in a colander.
2. In another pot, add oil on high heat. When oil is hot, add onion, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, zucchini and chili peppers. When onion becomes transparent, add turmeric, hing, and tomato. Continue to saute until zucchini is soft and tomato juice boils away.
3. Add channa daal and 1 cup water to zucchini mixture. Stir well.
4. The daal is finished when it has a little water let for moisture.

Mini Summer Vegetable Gratin

Inspired by a recent recipe from the New York Times and the abundance of summer corn, I tried this out:

MINI SUMMER VEGETABLE GRATIN

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

2 red chilies, chopped

Salt to taste

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/2 pound summer squash, thinly sliced

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Kernels from 2 ears sweet corn (about 2 cups)

3 large eggs

1/2 cup 1% milk

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and coarsely ground in a spice mill, or slightly crushed in a mortar and pestle

1/2 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shreded

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil 6 muffin tins. Set aside the kernels from one of the ears of corn. Heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the onion and chilies. Cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about three minutes, and add the red pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers are tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and the squash, stir together and add another generous pinch of salt and some pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini is just beginning to look bright green and some of the slices are translucent. Stir in the kernels from one of the ears of corn. Stir together for a minute or two, and remove from the heat. Scrape into a large bowl.

2. Place the remaining corn kernels in a blender jar, and add the eggs, milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth. Pour into the bowl with the vegetables. Add the cumin and the cheese, and stir everything together. Scrape into the muffin tins.

3. Bake 25-30 minutes, until the tops are browned and the gratin is firm to the touch. Serve hot or warm.

Notes: I loved these mashed up inside a tortilla. Kind of a breakfast burrito. They also pair well with salads and fruits.

I recommend these before they are brown on top; because they are in muffin tins, they cook quickly.

Whole Wheat Peach Ginger Muffins

The one bad thing about peaches is that they tend to squish easily. Without fail, I always manage to squash a peach in between purchase and storage in my vegetable box. On Saturday, I arrived home with an extremely juicy peach complete with dent. It looked to be in such a state of disrepair that I decided to use it immediately. Continuing with my experiments using whole wheat pastry flour, I settled on peach muffins laced with ginger and cardomom. Here's the visual:



I will say that these didn't turn out exactly as planned. While the ginger and cardomom were in full presence, the peachy undertone was much more subtle, so subtle that I wished I had added an additional peach to the batter. Next time, next time...regardless, the muffins are still spicy, fruity, and sweet. On the nutritional side, they're not bad, either, coming in at 3 WW pts each.

Here's the recipe I followed:

WHOLE WHEAT PEACH AND GINGER MUFFINS
Approximately 6 very large muffins, or 12 medium muffins

1 Freestone peach, diced with skin
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tbsp ginger, minced and sauteed until fragrant (crystallized ginger preferred but regular is fine too)
3 tbsp cardomom pods, crushed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 egg
1 cup skim milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp light butter with canola oil, melted and cooled for a few minutes
Turbinado sugar, to sprinkle

1. Combine peach, ginger, and cardomom in a blender and puree until smooth.
2. Combine milk and lemon juice; let sit.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt in a large bowl.
4. In a separate smaller bowl whisk together the eggs and the buttermilk. Whisk in the melted butter.
5. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients, leaving adding peach mixture by folding in the end.
6. Fill muffin tins with batter; sprinkle tops with Turbinado sugar.
7. Bake at 400* for approximately 30 minutes. I prefer these slightly underdone, served with a little butter, apple butter, or just piping hot with tea.

Free cupcakes in Dupont!

Via Twitter...

Cupcakepocalypse @ Red Velvet Cupcakery/Tangysweet

It's been a little slower than normal in the free food department this summer. Perhaps the tight economy is to blame? Luckily, the folks at Tangysweet are opening up another Red Velvet Cupcakery at their DuPont Circle location. To celebrate, they will be giving out free red velvet mini-cupcakes starting at noon on Friday until closing, which is 1 a.m. on Fridays. The cupcake recipes were developed by pastry chef David Guas, known for his work at the Passion Food group of restaurants.

Recreating a classic: Eggplant Stacks

After going to Homestead Farms a couple of weekends ago, I had a huge supply of vegetables in my fridge. Supplied with my craving for eggplant tian but the limitation of lack of tomato sauce, here's what was concocted.

The stacks are delicious! I've eaten them for breakfast (poached egg on top a la benedict), for lunch (plain), and dinner (served over cheese ravioli or pasta. I also think they will make a great filling for a panini. The eggplant is roasted to sweetness while the green tomato is transformed from firm to soft in the oven. Enjoy!

EGGPLANT STACKS

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 lime
salt and pepper, to taste
2 small eggplants
1 large green tomato
1/2 cup beet pesto
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, juice of 1/2 lime, salt and pepper.
2. Slice eggplants and tomato into 1/2" rounds
3. Using a pastry brush, apply oil mixture to both sides of eggplant and tomato slices.
4. Lay eggplant and tomato slices on a baking sheet.
5. Bake for 30 minutes at 350*.
6. Remove and cool for 10 minutes.
7. On a baking tray, build stacks in this order (bottom to top): large eggplant slice, tomato slice, 1 tbsp beet pesto, 1 tbsp parmesan cheese, small eggplant slice, 1/2 tbsp beet pesto, 1 tbsp parmesan cheese.
8. Once all stacks are built, broil for 3-5 minutes (until cheese is melted).

Food for Fuel: A Night in Review

Confession: I am a horrible runner. Honestly, I think I walk faster than I run. I'd much rather be dancing, weight lifting, doing yoga, cartwheeling in the grass...

However, as my finger is still burnt, I've had to revise my fitness program. I have taken on an enormous personal challenge: to run a marathon for a charitable cause. I have identified a potential marathon to register for; it's taking place April 2o10. I've also started a six month beginner's marathon training program. Today, I finished week 1. Feeling good.*

Like many athletes, I have some superstitious beliefs about what makes me perform better. All of my beliefs are magenta, namely my workout gloves and my cloth headband. On days when all I want to do is watch TV, I only have to put on my workout gloves and no matter what, I will get in my workout. The headband is a recent addition, but it is extremely useful and quite stylish :)

Here's a picture of my gear:



*In case you doubt my ability to stick to a running schedule, don't. In 2004, I successfully completed the Couch to 5K program from Cool Runnings magazine.

Of course, now that I am running, I must nourish appropriately. Food is fuel, after all! Health literature I recently read claims that one should eat carbohydrates before a workout and a carbohydrate/protein mix afterward. After today's run, I munched on this:

GENOVESE THIN CRUST PIZZA

Ingredients

1 red-skinned potato, in thin slices (like chips)
2 tsp olive oil
1 whole wheat tortilla
2 tbsp beet pesto, as per earlier recipe
2 tbsp parmesan cheese, shredded
salt and pepper, to taste

This recipe is inspired by my favorite pizza at Pizzeria Paradiso, which includes potato, pesto, and parmesan. Delicious!

Directions:

Spread potato on a baking sheet and coat with olive oil.
Bake potato slices for 7 minutes at 350*, flipping over halfway.
Spread beet pesto evenly over tortilla, top with potato and parmesan.
Bake pizza for 7 minutes at 350*.
Season with salt and pepper.

Tonight I had water, but were it the weekend, I imagine a nice red wine would be a perfect companion. Also, this pizza is great to serve as hor d'oeurves.

And lastly, a quick preview of what is to come. Today, my colleague gave me some beautiful chilies from her garden. I am so appreciative. A lover of Indian food, she made me promise to allow her to sample whatever subcontinental fare includes the chilies. Check out these peppers:

5 Senses: Screen on the Green

Last night, despite warnings of rain, a friend and I went to Screen on the Green, a weekly summertime screening. The film du jour was Close Encounters of the Third Kind. We walked in a little late so I missed the first part of the plot line, but my friend quickly caught me up. Amidst the aliens and Jiminy Cricket, I reveled in a 5 Senses moment, a technique I learned in my yoga classes to stay fully present:

SEE: Well, aliens, of course. But also the bright lights of the US Capitol, which served as the backdrop of the theatre. Lots of people, including a couple seated in front of me who clearly prioritized romance in their relationship.

HEAR: Movie sounds, which for Close Encounters included a triumphant cacophony of alien-human communication a la Big with Tom Hanks on the giant keyboard. My friend cracking jokes through the screening. Also, quiet screams of people attempting to cross an empty stretch of grass near us, only to find it to be incredibly muddy. Finally, helicopters spinning overhead from time-to-time.

SMELL: Mud. Fresh air. Lavender, from my body spray. Grass, a scent I love.

FEEL: Blades of grass. Dirt. The softness of my raincoat, which we were using as a blanket.

TASTE: The lingering flavors of beet and pasta from my earlier dinner of whole wheat asparagus ravioli with beet pesto.

A Sunday feast

After yesterday's berry picking adventures, I spent today relaxing at home. Being Sunday, I prepared a number of meals - all of which were made with my new purchases - to eat through the busy work week. I am challenging myself to eat meals throughout the day that are as far down the food chain as possible, ie, mostly vegetables, fruits, plant proteins, and a little dairy. Here's the rundown on today's creations:



BLACK-EYED PEAS AND CORN FILLING (for burritos, lettuce wraps, or as salsa)
Courtesy of the Mayo Clinic

4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried black-eyed peas, picked over and rinsed, soaked overnight, and drained
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper (capsicum), seeded and chopped
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels, cut from about 1 ear of corn
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, chopped
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon light balsamic vinaigrette
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or fresh coriander
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the peas, water and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer until the peas are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain the peas, rinse with cool water, drain again and transfer to a large bowl to cool.

In a large nonstick saute or frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the corn, tomato, jalapeno, and garlic and saute until the tomato is softened and the corn is tender-crisp, about 4 minutes.

Add the corn mixture to the peas along with the lime zest and juice, vinaigrette, cilantro, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Toss to mix.

BAKED SWEET POTATO FALAFEL
Courtesy of 101 Cookbooks

Yield: Approximately 13 falafel balls

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potatoes (orange inside), around 3/4 pound
3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 small clove of garlic, chopped
3/4 teaspoons ground coriander
1 big handfuls of fresh cilantro/coriander, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp concentrated lemon juice
a scant 1/2 cup chickpea/gram/besan flour
a splash of olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425* F and roast the sweet potatoes whole until just tender - 45 minutes to 1 hour. Turn off the oven, leave the potatoes to cool, then peel.

Put the sweet potatoes, cumin, garlic, ground and fresh coriander, lemon juice and gram/chickpea flour into a large bowl. Season well, and mash until smooth with no large chunks. Stick in the fridge to firm up for an hour, or the freezer for 20-30 minutes. When you take it out, your mix should be sticky rather than really wet. You can add a tablespoon or so more of chickpea flour if necessary (the water content of sweet potatoes varies enormously).

Reheat the oven to 400*F. Using a couple of soup spoons (put a well-heaped spoonful of mix in one spoon and use the concave side of the other to shape the sides) or a falafel scoop if you have one, make the mixture into falafelly looking things and put them on an oiled tray. Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes, until the bases are golden brown.

RAITA
Adapted from Show Me The Curry

Approximately 4 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups plain yogurt
1 cucumber, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
salt
1 handful cilantro

Directions:

In a small saucepan, heat oil. When hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds sputter, add cumin, chili powder, and garam masala. Toast the spices but do not burn.

In a separate bowl, mix yogurt, cucumber, and tomato. Add oil mixture and stir thoroughly. Add salt to taste and top with cilantro.



SCOTTISH BLACKBERRY CRANACHAN
Adapted from Gastroanthropology

Cranachan is a creamy, fruity dessert originally from Scotland. It is usually made with raspberries, but as I have only blackberries, I used them. It is delicious! It is typically made with double cream (full fat whipping cream in Americanese) and whiskey. For those of us who put on weight easily, you can substitute light whipped topping for the whipping cream and omit the booze.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup light whipped topping, thawed
10 blackberries
2 tsp light pancake syrup
1 tbsp toasted oatmeal, cooled

Directions:

Mix everything together, breaking the berries so the cream turns purple.

Use cranachan to top Scottish whole wheat shortbread (recipe to follow).

WHOLE WHEAT SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD
Adapted from Gastroanthropology

Yield: approximately 10 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whipped butter, room temperature

1 tbsp light pancake syrup

1/4 cup raw sugar

1 scant cup whole wheat pastry dough

1/4 tsp sea salt, will need more for sprinkling

Raw sugar and sea salt for sprinkling

Directions:

Cream butter, vanilla, and sugar for about one minute. Add flour and salt and mix in with a wooden spoon. When the dough forms into one, put onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the shortbread dough for at least one minute. Add a bit more flour, but only if the dough is really sticky. Pat into a quarter-inch high disk and cut out with a 1 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Arrange on a sheet pan and sprinkle with sugar and sea salt. Bake at 350* F until the edges turn slightly golden.

Word of Mouth: Homestead Farm and Eatonville Restaurant

No recipes today, but lots to report on the food front! Today began with my friend Rupa and I heading to the Adams Morgan Farmers Market. On the way, we discovered a gem: individual hawkers selling papusas, arepas, tacos, taquitos and much, much more in a nearby plaza. We stopped for a delicious lunch. I recommend the chile relleno if you are heading that way.



After purchasing some lovely tomatoes, we moved onto the U St Flea Market at the corner of 9th and U St NW. We met up with my friend Felix, who is working at the Embassy of Spain for the next few months. Again, we bought more produce as this market features specialty items like jicama. On the way to my flat, we passed by the U St Farmers Market. At Dolcezza, an expectant Argentinian lady gave us free half-pints of some amazing gelato flavors: blackberries and cream, Thai coconut milk, and chocolate. Delicious! When we finished, we met up with yet another friend, Sriram, and headed out to Homestead Farms in Poolesville, MD. In the shop at the farm, we saw some gorgeous produce.


(yellow wax beans)


(aubergines)

On the farm, we picked beautiful blackberries from both thorny and thornless vines. We also picked peaches, but none of these were ripe. All the while, I imagined using these fruits in oatmeal, in pies, in crumbles. Mmmmm!



After driving back to Washington, we stopped at Eatonville to grab some delicious Southern food. If you go there, order the chipotle sweet potato bisque. You will not regret swallowing this delicious, sweet, creamy with a kick of spice at the end soup du jour. While the main dishes are spectacular, what truly shines at Eatonville are its appetizers, specifically the white cheddar tart and leek and shrimp-stuffed giant hushpuppy, and side items like the macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and mashed potatoes.

I don't eat enough purple foods.

When one lives alone, cooking can seem like the endless search for what dinner can be created with a can of vegetables, leftover bread, and the last fruit cup in the pantry.

Today, I realized that I've had a can of pickled beets in my cupboard for ages. I also have a LOT of frozen ravioli, but what I do not have is sauce. After being offered some basil leaves from a work colleague this afternoon, I thought about making a pesto, but not one overpowered by the dramatic scent and taste of basil and pine nuts. After some brainstorming, here's what I came up with:



BEET PESTO

Ingredients:

1 can pickled beets (15 oz), drained
1/4 cup cashew pieces
1/8 cup cilantro
1/8 cup basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Blend thoroughly, adding olive oil at the end. Enjoy!

Ok, I know it's fluorescent purple. But it's GOOD! A hint of basil, a little sweetness from the beets, and a smooth texture. If you are watching your waistline, the oil isn't necessary as the beets provide enough moisture.

So go on. Jazz up your pasta with this pesto and a little goat cheese. Spread it on pizza, or just enjoy it on melba toast.