Salade Nicoise

Nice, France

During the hot months of summer, heavy hot food just doesn't appeal to me. Ok, sometimes it does. But more often than not I find myself craving salads, fresh fruit, seafood. Salads are such a great summer option because the variations are endless and can be tailored to your mood and what ingredients you have on hand.  Another favorite summer past time for me is going to the local farmers market. The one nearest to my house, the Columbia City Farmers Market is amazing. Tons of organic produce, specialty products (caramels, cider, canned salmon), handmade cheese, local eggs and meat....it is lovely. When I want to make a really fresh, brightly colored and flavorful salad, this is my go-to place.

The other day I was craving salade nicoise, which was odd, because I had never had one.  But many of the ingredients had recently entered my "will eat" list - soft boiled eggs, canned tuna, capers, and the idea of the salad sounded amazing. These ingredients have now entered my "obsessed with" list.  Here is my first attempt at the salad:

I used a combination of two recipes, one from Epicurious here and the other from Martha Stewart here.  The dressing was absolutely phenomenal.  I really prefer to make soft boiled eggs as opposed to hard boiled, but that is a personal preference.  This is the method I use to cook the perfect soft boiled egg, and it works every time. I also prefer to use high quality olive oil packed tuna, the flavor is so much better.  You can get your veggies, eggs and sometimes even tuna from a good local farmers market.  The vegetables taste so much better when they are fresh, local and in season.

On another occasion recently, my mother and I decided to recreate the salad, following another nicoise recipe from Saveur here.  It was even better!  Although significantly more time consuming.  I recommend following this recipe if you are cooking dinner for 4 or more people.  It is the perfect dinner for a warm summer night.

We added local cherry tomatoes, roasted red and golden beets, and nicoise olives.  

Bon Appetit!

Les Huitres! Otherwise known as my new obsession.

I was a picky eater.  

Sadly I wasted many amazing meals as a child, and let's face it, a young adult.  How did I do this?  By ordering well-done steaks at the Four Seasons.  Eating only the chicken breast, no dark meat!  On our family trip to Italy, I would order prosciutto e melone, hold the prosciutto.  Who does that??  I refused to eat any seafood whatsoever.  

Then something started to happen.  I moved to France in college and it was just not cool to refuse to try food that was offered you.  I quickly learned that I love foie gras, liver of any kind, pate, blood sausage, mustard and pickles, steak tartare, to name a few.  So if these seemingly weird things were so delicious, what else was I missing out on?  My new policy is that I will try anything once.  This is a genius policy folks, you will find all kinds of things you love.  Truthfully the only thing I have found that I don't care for are anchovies.  I can handle them in sauces or dressings, but I can't do a whole filet.  It's just too fishy.

New things I've discovered I love - crab, lobster, raw shrimp, beets, fish (every kind), head cheese, rabbit kidneys, eggs, bone marrow, tongue, mussels, clams, and OYSTERS!

This is dedicated to my new found love of oysters and where I have found some particularly delicious ones.

State Bird Provisions, San Francisco

 Seattle Area Oysters

Kumomoto Oysters, Kumquat Mignonette

Hitchcock, Bainbridge Island

Kumamoto Oysters, Lemon Juice & Horseradish

Poppy, Seattle

 Poached Oysters

Mashiko, West Seattle

 Three types of local oysters

Emmett Watsons Oyster Bar, Pike Place Market

Shigoku, Kumamoto & Olympia Oysters

Taylor Shelfish Farms, Melrose Market Seattle

Kumamoto Oysters

Marche, Post Alley Seattle

Other amazing oyster eating locals - Walrus & the Carpenter, Boat Street Cafe, Coastal Kitchen, and Anchovies & Olives (great oyster happy hour)

Bay Area Oysters

I cannot more highly recommend visiting the Tomales Bay Oyster Company if you are in the Bay area or plan to visit.  The place is an absolute riot and it's a special experience.  You pack a picnic, bottle (or two) of wine, pick up some cheese and charcuterie at the near by Cowgirl Creamery and head over.  There you set up camp at a picnic table on the inlet and buy your oysters.  It's quite the party atmosphere with gypsy music blaring, people drinking wine and shucking their many many oysters.  To me, it's paradise.  

Tomales Bay Oyster Co.

Marin County, CA

Kumamoto Oyster - fresh from the inlet

Mignonettes & Cowgirl Creamery Cheese

Tomales Bay Oyster Co.

Favorite All-Time Oyster

Oyster on the half shell with kohlrabi and chilli oil

State Bird Provision, San Francisco

 EAT OYSTERS!

Hitchcock, Bainbridge Island

Now this is quite belated, but totally worth sharing.  Cord took me to Hitchcock on Bainbridge Island for my 29th birthday last August.  We had an incredible meal and a wonderful experience taking the ferry over to Bainbridge.  I highly recommend you check this restaurant out.  You could spend the day exploring Bainbridge and finish up for dinner.  Or ferry over just for dinner.  Ferries leave from the downtown Seattle waterfront every 45 mins.  You can park your car at the waterfront, enjoy a beautiful ferry ride and walk to the restaurant from the landing (a couple blocks away).  Also worth noting is there amazing bartender and specialty cocktails.  I don't have the exact menu, but I will do my best to describe our delicious dishes!

On the ferry on our way to Bainbridge Island - lovely warm summer day

 Hitchcock Menu - changes weekly

Kumamoto Oysters on the Half Shell, Kumquat Mignonette

 Japanese Roasted Turnip

-Foie Gras Terrine-

(not pictured)

Pastured Beef Marrow Bone - Onion Mustarda, Toast, Fleur de Sel

Potato Gnocchi w/Summer Squash & Butter

Albacore Tuna Steak - Potato Dumplings, Root Puree

We are headed back for Valentines Day <3

Foodie Paradise - Asian Cuisine

The Pacific Northwest is a wonderland for those of us who love Asian food.  From Portland to Seattle to Vancouver, BC - we have the best of the best if you know where to go.  I am no expert, but I'm an adventurous eater, have my ear to the ground and try new places just about every week.  Our area literally has every type of Asian cuisine you could want - Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indonesian, Laotian, Cambodian, Nepalese, Indian and Philipino.  You name it!

I am a huge fan of Asian cuisine.  My boyfriend is equally, if not more, adventurous than me and has spent a lot of time in Asia.  So we try many things!  He has lived in Japan for almost 4 years and has opened my eyes to the complexity of Japanese cuisine. I implore you to explore our area and try these different delights.  You will experience flavors you didn't even know existed.  Here are some highlights of the last year:

 Korean  - Revel (street food style), Korean Tofu House,

Kimchi Bistro, Joule (french fusion)

Bi Bim Bap - Albacore Tuna, Fennel Kimchi & Escarole (Revel)

Sushi - Shiki, Kappo Tamura, Mashiko, Maneki, Bamboo (Portland)

Nigiri Assortment (Kappo Tamura)

Tempura'd Lobster Tails - Part of Omakase Dinner (Shiki)

Flight of Salmon Nigiri - Coho, Sockeye, King, 

Tasmanian Trout (Bamboo - Portland)

Taiwanese - Facing East, Henry's Taiwan, Chiang's Gourmet, Fu Man Dumpling House

Taiwanese Pork Burger (Facing East)

Japanese Shabu Shabu - Shabu Chic, Seven Star Pepper

Shabu Shabu - Sukiyaki Broth, Rib-Eye Steak, Veggies, 

Chicken Dumplings w/Goma & Ponzu Sauce (Shabu Chic)

Japanese Udon - U:don Japanese Noodle Station, Tsukushinbo, Maneki

On-tama Udon - Dashi-Shoyu Sauce, Hot Spring Egg, 

Sliced Green Onion & Fresh Ginger (U:don)

Japanese Hot Dog - Japadog, Gourmet Dog Japon, Tokyo Dog

Okonomi (mayo and topped with bonito flakes) & 

Negimiso (miso sauce, green onions & cabbage) (Japadog - Vancouver)

Japanese Ramen - Kintaro, Kaname, Aloha Ramen, 

Kukai Ramen & Izakaya (tonkotsu shio), 4649 Yoroshiku (shio)

Miso Ramen (Aloha Ramen)

Miso Tonkotsu Ramen (Kaname)

Miso Ramen (Kintaro Ramen - Vancouver)

Spicy Miso Ramen - Rich Broth, Fatty Pork, Egg (Kintaro Ramen - Vancouver)

For a full list of my favorite joints, click on my page "Favorite Restaurants." I am always looking for new spots, so if you have something to add to my list, please leave a comment!

1,000 Views!

Today my blog reached 1,000 views!  I cannot tell you how exciting that is to me.  I have always loved to read others blogs and have a number that I follow on a regular basis.  Check out the "Blog Roll" section on the lower right to see which ones I love.  This started out as a small project, something to do in my free time and has turned into a real joy for me.  I love sharing the amazing food I've been eating, what I'm up to, and creating possibilities for myself.  Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to check it out!

Recipes & Restaurants to Support a Cleanse

I'm 9 days into the cleanse and feeling really good.  I've gotten past any of the side effects of detoxing from gluten and dairy and it's lovely.  A big part of why I feel so good, is that I've been eating incredible food.  It really is true, we are what we eat, and I've been eating whole mostly organic foods for 9 days.  Whenever I go into a cleanse, I'm racked with worry about what I'll be able to eat.  I have anxiety about following strict guidelines, not "treating" myself and getting sick of eating healthy.  Last year I wasn't so successful.  I spent the whole thing planning the meal I would eat, pizza and beer, for the moment I got done.  So everything felt like a punishment and I wasn't living in the present.  I was living in the future when I could get back to my idea of normal eating.

I decided to do things differently this time.  I decided to spend money on quality products that taste delicious.    Learn how to make some simple recipes that use great ingredients, are affordable, give me energy and taste great.  I've taken myself out for an occasional meal to a restaurant that can support my restrictions.

Start the day out right!

Most cleanses recommend a homemade smoothie or juice to start out the day.  I love this idea, but after trying it briefly, I realized it wasn't sustainable for me.  I have a Vitamix, which is amazing, but buying fresh produce, prepping it and making the smoothie every morning was too time intensive for me.  My solution, Evolution Fresh which can be found at Starbucks and most health food stores (Central Co-op, PCC, Whole Foods, etc.)  There are a number of flavors, but Sweet Greens with Lemon is my favorite.  On the side of the bottle, they tell you everything that's in it and the quantity.  You can start out your day with a jump start on your veggies or fruit!  Plus they are delicious!

Evolution Fresh - Sweet Greens

What I drink every morning

Another key, for me, to a successful cleanse, is to treat yourself now and again.  Luckily living in Seattle, there are many vegetarian and vegan restaurants who have perfected the art.  My top spots right now are Cafe Flora, Plum Bistro, Healeo and Tamarind Tree.  I have had delicious and satisfying meals at all these restaurants in the past 9 days.  

Chantrelle, Leek, Pickled Pepper and Mascarpone Pizza - Cafe Flora

(Great gluten free crust and soy cheese that was amazing)

Learn to make satisfying and easy recipes that combine healthful ingredients.  Here are a couple examples of the food I have been coming up with.  See my last post for more examples.  One of my favorite sources is my nutritionist Sarah Adler's blog "Simply Real Health."  Everything I've made from there has been easy, inexpensive and very tasty!

 Spaghetti Squash "Pasta" w/Chicken Sausage, San Marzano Sauce, Mushrooms & Zucchini

 Poblano Chicken Chili - from Simply Real Health Blog

Cental Co-op Deli Selection - Raspberry Beets, Roasted Carrots, 

Falgeolet Beans and Herb Turkey Breast

Get creative and eat food you love!  

Ah January...time for a detox

Hello January!  I always have mixed feelings about the month of January.  I am a self proclaimed Christmas freak and December might just be my favorite time of the year.  So I am always a bit sad when January comes around.  The Christmas lights come down, the tree is put away, people are less social and more broke.  But there is also something magical about January in its own right.  The days start getting slightly longer, the excess of December is behind us and New Years Resolutions are fresh.  There is a certain feeling of possibility, letting things go and starting fresh.

This is the second year that I have planned a detox/cleanse for January and right now I'm 6 days in.  I don't particularly believe in resolutions, because I think that mindset doesn't support long term change.  To be honest, I haven't exactly determined what leads to long term change, but I think I'm starting to get it.  The single biggest component seems to be determination.  Will power only last so long, in my case, till about 4pm.  Enthusiasm can and will surely wane.  But making a commitment to oneself to do something regardless of will power, regardless of mood or desire, that's determination.  It is the only thing that seems to work for the long term.  It's what gets me up at 5:45am to work out in the cold and rain.

I really sincerely overdid it this holiday season in terms of eating and drinking.  It was glorious, don't get me wrong, but it took a mighty toll on my digestive system.  It also made me feel sluggish, headachey, irritable and unhealthy.  By Christmas Day, I had pretty much had it.  So I decided a couple things about the month of January and about the year ahead.  First, 2013 is going to be the best year of my life in every way.  Second, I am going to kick start it by taking care of my body and mind by increasing my energy and vitality.  Here is the cleanse/detox guidelines I decided to prescribe to for the month of January.

January Cleanse

• No alcohol for the entire month (yikes!)
• Gluten free
• Dairy free (for 2 weeks)
• No processed foods
• No added sugar
• No red meat
• Minimal caffeine - one green tea a day permitted
• Supplement Combination:
• Upon Waking
• 1 Tablespoon Raw Apple Cider Vinegar diluted in water 
• 1 Tablespoon Omega 3, 6, 9
• At Meals (3 times a day)
• Water w/the juice of half a lemon
• Enzymes taken before each meal
• At Bedtime
• 2 Probiotics
• 1 teaspoon CALM Magnesium in hot water
• 8 glasses of water per day minimum

This hasn't been easy for the past 6 days and I can't imagine it getting easier.  But I have had a blast sifting through recipes, trying to new foods and cooking techniques and ingredients.  Here are a couple of my favorite finds.

Roasted Golden Beets w/Arugula, Spinach and Marcona Almonds

Sauteed Portobello Mushroom Caps w/Aged Modena Balsamic

Radish, Cucumber, Carrot and Celery Salad w/Miso Vinaigrette

Chantrelle Mushroom & Leek Soup w/Gluten Free Toast (at Healeo)

Coconut Green Tea - Healeo (on 15th Avenue)

I am already feeling significantly better and lighter.  Unfortunately I have had a bad cold for the whole thing, but I'm on the mend and got back to my workout regiment yesterday with the Resolution 5K + Fitness Challenge in Redmond, WA.  I cannot wait to see the full effects of this cleanse at the end of January.  But most importantly, to find a way to incorporate the spirit and lesson of it into my everyday life beyond the new year.