a dancer's asado (buenos aires 2.1)

All the nights of dancing didn't do much for my figure in Buenos Aires... When it came to an asado, I didn't hold back.

This particular night, we enjoyed four different salads, roasted red bell peppers, steak ribs, another cut of meat that I forget the name of, and chicken. (and cheese and eggs and wine.. for everyone else)

salad 1. cherry tomatoes and pesto
salad 2. shredded carrots, hearts of palm, lemon, oil, and salt
salad 3. arugula, oil, and salt
salad 4. lettuce, onions, oil, lemon, and salt

Can't tell you what he did with the meat, but oh my god.. I wish I could.

shoot. it's been a while. my favorite juice.

So the last time I posted something new, I was getting ready to go back to Buenos Aires. Hope you weren't expecting me to keep up the blog while I was enjoying some summer weather in February :)

I've also been cooking a lot of my older recipes, so I don't have as much new material for the blog. But I have a file full of pictures, and I'm going to start chipping away at them... I just hope I can remember the recipes :)

Ready? Here we go.
I got a juicer, as a gift.. thank you (you know who you are).

The juicer is perfect for when I go out of town because I can juice all the produce left in my fridge and not let anything go to waste. I've been going out of town a lot.. so the little juicer has proved it's worth already.
When I'm not making random I'm-leaving-town juices, I like to make a version of Main Squeeze's "ginger tonic."

Celery
Apple
Lemon
Ginger
Carrot

I'm not going to put amounts, because I change it up depending on my mood. Don't be afraid. There's no wrong way. :)

Sometimes I add other things.. like kale, parsley, beets, oranges, or pineapple. Anything goes...

this is what's up

truffles.
equal parts:
-honey (or agave)
-almond/peanut butter
-cocoa powder

ok, a little extra cocoa powder.
put mix in fridge. then, after some time, roll.
in: coconut, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts, and cacao nibs

keep in fridge. devour.

more pumpkin oatmeal cookies

I think I made 6 batches of these cookies in the two weeks over the holidays. Everyone loved them. They look different from the very first batch I made, because I didn't grind the oats into a fine powder in my coffee grinder. Instead I just chopped them up in a food processor.. and they turned out much better.

hello? am i still there? yep.

Sorry for the lack of posts, so prepare for a little flood here. Lately, I've been traveling, and cooking a lot of dishes that I've already posted. And, I don't feel the same pride after "creating" a "new" dish, that I used to. Now, it's just cooking. It's still fun and delicious, of course, but it's become... normal. Nothing to "blog" about.

So what, I take whatever is fresh and in season, and I use some olive oil or schmaltz, heat it up in my iron skillet, sauté the veggies with a little salt and whichever spices I feel like, and maybe I add a little homemade broth to steam them too. Big deal.

BIG DEAL? It's delicious. And when I look back, not even a whole two years ago, it's such a huge change in my life, that it deserves some recognition. I'm patting myself on the back, publicly. I know :) Thanks for reading my blog. Hope it's been as enjoyable for you to read as it has been for me to create.


Photo: Sautéed maitake mushroom, onion, and spinach.

pumpkin oatmeal cookies

I made Ali and Tom's (Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen's) pumpkin oatmeal cookies for a dinner party I had. Pretty sure I ate way more than my fair share.. They were amazingly soft, and spiced so deliciously :)

I followed their recipe exactly.. And I'm feeling lazy tonight, so I'll quote:

"Use canned pumpkin, baked pie pumpkins or other winter squash. You may need to add extra flour if your baked pumpkin is very moist. I used coconut oil in all four batches I made but I imagine that unsalted butter would work too ~ of course they wouldn't be vegan then! Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temp before mixing. Your coconut oil will be soft enough for this if your house is in the mid 60's (Fahrenheit). Do not melt your coconut oil or use another liquid oil."

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

1 cup softened virgin coconut oil (or unsalted butter)

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cups coconut sugar, maple sugar, or brown sugar

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups oat flour

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

3 to 4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a large bowl beat together, using an electric mixer, the coconut oil, pumpkin, sugar, flax seeds, and vanilla extract. Add the remaining ingredients and beat together again.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. While your oven is preheating let your cookie dough rest on the counter for 20 minutes. The oat flour will absorb some of the liquid during this time which helps the cookies hold their shape.

Drop by the spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges. Remove cookies and place them onto a wire rack to cool. Cookies are best after they have cooled."
Source: www.NourishingMeals.com

massive purple cauliflower

Just look at the size of that thing! I ate purple cauliflower for a couple weeks...

Puréed into soup.

Sautéed in soup. (This soup is made of sautéed leeks, carrots, maitake mushrooms, cauliflower, and kale in a mixture of lovingly vegetable broth and chicken broth)

Simply sautéed with fresh maitake mushrooms and leeks, with a drizzle of truffle oil on top.

restaurant review - M cafe

I taste tested M Cafe on my last night in Hollywood, CA. (This was in early November.. I'll probably be back in LA before I finish catching up with old photos!) The food was.. good. Maybe I didn't choose the food they make - or maybe my taste buds are getting more and more demanding. They serve "Contemporary Macrobiotic Cuisine" so I was pretty much able to choose anything on the menu. None of the dishes contain any refined sugars, eggs, dairy, red meat or poultry. There were also many many gluten free choices.. my favorite being dessert. It's not often I get to order dessert at a restaurant (but this was more like a deli..) Anyway.. They sell Babycakes NYC's desserts there. It was my first time trying any of their sweets.. and unfortunately there is no photo of the smile on my face. It was big.

bs as inspired salad and my aunt's kitchen

Just days after returning from the southern hemisphere.. I was in a nostalgic mood, and concocted this salad with my aunt Allie. One thing I found interesting was, in Argentina, carrots were almost always eaten in the grated form, and usually in a salad. They were always very finely grated there.. and it makes me want to get a special blade for my food processor.

Here's what we threw together:
We had no hearts of palm, but we had artichoke hearts.. and quartered them
Grated carrots
Random salad mix from the fridge, which included celery and little broccoli trees
Sprouts of some kind
And an avocado that was too mushy to cut, so we each got a half to spoon ourselves.
Dressing: Olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and a pinch of salt

My aunt's kitchen is a fun place.. later that night I got to help as she made some salve for her organic and super healing skin care line, madre tierra. It's still in the works - as far as getting products on shelves in different shops - but if you're interested in ordering things from her, just contact her through the website :)

restaurant review - cru

Back in LA.. I visited Juicy Ladies in Woodland Hills and got a piece of truffle cake that lasted me 4 days. Ok 3 days. Ok.. 2 1/2 days. All girls exaggerate.

This amazing treat made by Cru contains: organic raw cocoa powder, organic raw agave nectar, organic raw coconut butter, organic raw almonds, organic spices, and Celtic sea salt.

Sorry it's not a full restaurant review - I didn't actually get to go to the restaurant. Maybe next time I'm in LA.. I'll try anyway. Not much left to say... Was it as good as it looks? Yup.

still catching up from october.. and baba ganoush

Hey there :) I still have a handful more posts left before I've finished updating you with food and life from my trip to Buenos Aires...
1 - My grandmother's bana ganoush
2 - Artwork on a building, down town Bs As
3 - Sneeky picture of a tango orchestra. (There is a free tango orchestra concert every Thursday at Teatro Presidente Alvear!)

How do you make this delicious dip? It's really easy.
Here's how my grandma taught me: (remember.. October is spring time in Bs As. For all you in the states, I recommend waiting some more months before buying - or growing - or trying to grow eggplants)

Oven! 450. (So hot! I know.. but there's no oil.. so it's ok)

You will need:
2 eggplants
1 lemon
1/2 yellow onion
olive oil
vinegar
salt

Poke the eggplants all over with a fork. Don't forget! Cook on a baking sheet for 30 minutes. Flip them, then cook for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool.

Peel eggplants and get all the insides into a bowl, squeeze lemon juice all over. Cover and put in the fridge until you feel like continuing.

Feel like it? Ok. You can do it tomorrow, if you want. Just letting you know.
Dice up however much onion you want (don't you hate recipes like that?! But that's what my grandma said.. so it has to go into the post. If you're an onion person, add more.. if you don't feel like onions today, then add less.) Add the diced onion, along with a splash of olive oil and vinegar (again.. to taste) and a pinch or 2 or 3 of salt.

Serve on crackers and enjoy! (There are fresh chives sprinkled on top in the photo)



btw: Eggplants are on the "avoid" list for the blood type A's... But sometimes, you just have to let loose.. you know?

restaurant review - el mirasol, and some more buenos aires photos

I enjoyed this swanky salad at El Mirasol, a restaurant in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires. I've made it at home a couple times now.. it's somthing special. I recommend making it for someone you like.. (as opposed to someone you don't) because the ingredients are all pretty pricey. Boy, I'm on a roll with the alliterations tonight...

Ingredients:
1. Golden delicious apples.. or a different variety, as long as it is crunchy and not too too sweet. Peel apples and dice into little cubes.
2. Avocadoes - not too ripe! Dice into bigger pieces.
3. Hearts of palm :) mmm... sliced, and broken if they are too big around.
4. Carrots, finely shredded.
6. Walnuts. It isn't necessary to soak and dehydrate them.. but they taste SO much better that way. Up to you.
7. Ideas for additions: spinach (just a little)... I can't think of more now.. I'll come back to this list.

The Dressing:
Olive oil with a squeeze of lemon and a SMALL pinch of salt. There may have been a little vinegar used as well, at the restaurant.. but.. I'm not positive.

See the man in white in the corner of the photo? He's wearing really tall stilts.

Caminito

Yep, there's me, getting my dance on.. pretty much everywhere I could.

steamed artichoke and a dip

I don't know why, but I never made steamed artichoke myself before my trip to Buenos Aires. I don't think it's a staple food there or anything.. but my grandma made it as a snack, and I soaked up as many recipes from her as I could while we lived together. Also.. it was spring there, and artichokes were everywhere. Missouri isn't lucky enough to host artichokes.

Here's how ya do it:

1. Slice about 3/4 inch to an inch off the tip of the artichokes.

2. Pull off any smaller leaves towards the base and on the stem.

3. Cut excess stems, leaving up to an inch on the artichoke.

4. Rinse the artichokes in running cold water.

5. Pour a couple inches of water in a pot. Add the artichokes.. (I put mine in so they would stand up.. but I don't think that's necessary)

6. Juice 1/2 a lemon over the tops of the artichokes and add the juiced lemon to the pot. Pour a tbsp or so of olive oil over the tops of the artichokes. Add a 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed. And lastly, add some salt (and any other spices you'd like).

7. Cover. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 25-45 minutes.. the time depends on the size of the artichoke. You can test it by tasting the outer leaves.


I made a simple dip out of olive oil, dried herbs, and a little vinegar.

And if you don't know how to eat an artichoke... youtube it.

a day in buenos aires

Photo 1: Breakfast of soaked oatmeal with ground flax seeds, cinnamon, and raisins. And yerba maté. I'll do another post soon, to tell you all about maté..

Photos 2 & 3: Getting my feet measured for tango shoes. Yes.. I had some made just for me :)

Photo 4: One of the many ombú trees.. this one's in Recoleta.

getting used to a different kitchen

For the first couple of weeks, my cooking in Buenos Aires was pretty simple. Mostly just sautéed, or steamed veggies pared with leftovers from one of the many restaurants my grandparents and I visited. During the month there, I missed my friends back home.. but when I was in the kitchen, I missed my knives. Maybe I'll travel with them like a real chef next time I go. I see it causing a problem at the airport though...

One day I found rice paper and rice noodles at a Chinese market and decided to make spring rolls! But.. they didn't turn out the way I wanted. So I decided it would be better to try to make new food, as to not let down my expectation-ful taste buds.

restaurant review - spring

My view from Deby's.

After a visit with Deby, my personal guide into milonga* land, I went to lunch at a place she recommended. Spring Restaurante is a vegetarian place in Palermo, Buenos Aires. The food was surprisingly good for a buffet, and the price is 30 pesos for all you can eat. (Including dessert.. which I decided to leave for another trip.) So in dollars.. that's about $7.50 with the current exchange rate. :)

As I was bringing my mountain of food back to the table, (avocado, fresh greens, steamed carrots and mushrooms, hearts of palm, lentil salad, and rice noodles) another couple stopped to look at my plate. "Wow, we should eat like that," they said (in spanish). It was a nice compliment... I didn't even realize that my new-ish healthy eating habits had become second nature.


*Milonga is the term for a place or an event where tango is danced.

restaurant review - pura vida

In the beginning of my 1 month in Argentina, it was a little difficult adjusting to the food situation. Luckily, I stayed in a nice apartment with a usable kitchen. The vegetables all tasted different, of course.. and so did the olive oil, the salt.. and even the different water made me miss the taste of home. I got over it, don't worry :) But when I found this little place downtown during my first week there, I was so excited! I think I missed organic-y people.

PuraVida Juice Bar is on Reconquista, at Tucumán. They serve salads, sandwiches, wraps, muffins, juices, smoothies, and wheatgrass. I enjoyed their Todo Verde Salad: organic mixed greens, avocado, parsley, alfalfa sprouts, green onion, celery, and cucumber, with a tahini based dressing. And, the drink I went back for, a few different times, was the anti-resfrío: made with pineapple, apple, ginger, and wheatgrass.

I'm no scientist - but I'm pretty sure wheatgrass is gluten free. Incase you were wondering.

restaurant review: follow your heart & juicy ladies (a day in the valley)

Follow Your Heart is a sweet little, well, not that little, vegetarian health food shop and cafe in Canoga Park, California. If I'm in LA and need a specialty health food or supplement or medicine, or anything item - I can find it at this place. In the back of the store is a cramped (not because it's small, but because it's crowded) café. They had a gluten free menu.. which I'm pretty sure is becoming more and more popular, even in non-healthy restaurants. I had the wok stir fry, of fresh vegetables and organic tofu, stir fried with garlic, ginger and tamari on a bed of brown rice.

A little while later, my aunt and I ventured to Juicy Ladies.. a cute little place on Ventura in Woodland Hills. They serve lunch, snacks, desserts, juices, and smoothies. I had them make my favorite juice of red apple, celery, ginger, and lemon (the ginger tonic from Main Squeeze) and my aunt got a carrot.. apple, ginger, lemon? I can't remeber now.. but they were delicious. Don't let the tasteless logo throw you off.. the food at this place is great. :)

simple lunch at caite and john's

Sorry the posts have been sparse.. I'm traveling again. Right now I'm in Los Angeles, and in a couple days I'll be in Buenos Aires! Here's a little view of a visit I made to my childhood best friend's new loft in Long Beach. It was simple and delicious.. just like our lunch of sautéed onions, zucchini, mushrooms, and broccoli - with strawberries for dessert.

The third photo is just strange.. and.. I felt like I needed to share it?