I was visiting some friends at Intelligentsia (super cool coffee shop) a few weeks ago and I decided to stay and work through lunch after they left. There was a farro salad on the menu which sounded amazing.

I normally don’t order grain salads when I’m out, but the Warm Farro & Artichoke Salad on their menu sounded too good. As luck would have it they were out, so I had the pear salad (also delicious) but I couldn’t get the Farro & Artichoke Salad out of my mind. And when that happens, I usually find myself needing to make it the following day.

You may be wondering – what is farro? It was certainly my first time cooking with farro and I’m not even so sure that I had ever eaten it before! Farro is a whole grain that is similar to barley. It has a nice chew to it – like al dente pasta – and is related to wheat. Nutritionally speaking, farro has 100 cal, 27 g carbohydrates, 3.5 g fiber, 4 g protein per 1/2 cup cooked. More fiber than quinoa and almost as much protein!

This warm grain salad, with marinated artichokes, shallots, leeks and parmesan was just the salad I was craving. And it was really good. Really good! I packed it in Richie’s lunch (yes, I pack his lunch), I ate it for lunch, I ate it for brunch with wilted arugula and a fried egg on top (amazing!) and we ate it alongside vegetables for dinner.

Food was the main priority at our wedding. Well, I guess you could say our priority was that our guests have a great time, and to me, that means eating and drinking well.

We didn’t have a sit-down meal, but instead had stations – each station had a few different items (salad, entree, sides) with lots of passed hors d’oeuvres. One of the sides that our catering planner strongly suggested was angel hair pasta cakes. She said that they were a big crowd-pleaser and while I thought it would go over well with kids, I really didn’t think adults would be into it. I cut the order way down, but somehow she convinced me to order more and I’m so glad we did. Everyone loved them. It was actually one of the only things I ate that night and even I thought they were delicious.

Sometimes the simplest foods are the best.

When you combine the pasta with an egg, some cream and parmesan, it bakes into portable little cups that can work as an appetizer, main meal or packed in a lunch. I served our spaghetti cakes with some roasted tomatoes (tomatoes + olive oil + s & p), but marinara or a drizzle of pesto would be delicious as well.

(source)

Pesto is one of those staples that everyone should always have on-hand. It comes in handy for so many things and adds such fresh flavor to everything it meets!

While homemade pesto is usually better, I rely on prepared pesto from the store a lot. Here are some of the ways I use it:

• Tossed with pasta (tortellini is my absolute favorite, but any pasta is good)
• Spread on a tortilla, topped with a little cheese, rolled up and microwaved for 30 seconds
• As a sauce for pizza
• Thin with a bit of olive oil and serve with roasted vegetables
• As a sandwich spread
• On meat, chicken or fish
• Blend into white bean dip
• As a crostini topping with parmesan or goat cheese
• Mixed into shredded chicken with a touch of mayo (recipe)
• Tossed with a grain, topped with goat cheese crumbles

What is your favorite way to use pesto? 

I need to start this post by saying that I’m absolutely in love with the food here in LA.

I know, we’ve only been here a month.

I haven’t even spent a week at our new place, and yet, so quickly I’ve fallen in love with hills, the endless streets with amazing restaurants, and sun every day. (Ok, today was actually cloudy, but still 70 degrees.)

Yesterday I had lunch at fresheast with Juliana, who handles their PR, and now I’ve got another great restaurant to add into the rotation. Not as though I really need another one, but this one is in our hood.  I’m not sure if I should even admit this, but as I write this post, I’m here again.

Yes, you read that right, for the second time today. We’ve been trying to find a place that has wifi (still no internet at home) and something to drink. And I’m not talking about coffee. So when Juliana mentioned that they have wifi and happy hour and I mentioned that to the Taster – it was a done deal. Along with our wine we had an avocado roll (avocado, sun dried tomatoes, rolled in egg roll paper and pan fried) that we wouldn’t order again. In the Tasters words, “I’m just not sure the flavors work.”

What a food snob, sounds like a Top Chef judge! But back to lunch…

Fresheast is a fast casual, asian fusion restaurant featuring cuisines from China, India, Thailand, Japan and Korea. They are committed to health and sustainability and believe that food can be flavorful and healthy (just like me!) – they also source produce locally, use natural meats and seafood, recycled packaging, utensils and create their amazing food without msg, refined sugars, butter, nuts or artificial sweeteners.

Which is all amazing. But for me, a restaurant has to deliver good food for me to come back. Thankfully, fresheast can deliver on all of their claims. Their food is flavorful, fresh and exciting and I love that you can customize any of the bowls, noodles or sandwiches depending on what meat or protein you want and what it is served on.

I started with the fresheast juice, made from orange, lemon, apple, cucumber, spinach, kale and red beets. The color was a beautiful deep magenta and although I’ve always been hesitant to juice beets, and kale for that matter, it didn’t taste “earthy” at all.

Then the food started coming.

First was the spicy garlic noodles. Super flavorful and loaded with vegetables like zucchini, carrots and broccoli, I was a fan, although was feeling a little bad after my paleo day yesterday. Oops. The Taster was an even bigger fan and I scored major brownie points when I brought leftovers for him. These noodles just might be the reason he was so eager to come back…

Next was the 5 spice salmon, the seasoning on this was spot-on and the salmon was crisp, just how I like it. I loved the beautiful presentation and large portions of all of the components – protein, whole grain and vegetable.

My absolute favorite of the day though, was the Mongolian Beef Bowl, served with brown rice. The beef was so flavorful, and served up with lots of veggies and brown rice. I don’t think I could ask for a more ideal plate of food. Juliana was sweet enough to let me take those leftovers home too and I had to use all of my will-power to not devour all of the meat morsels. Quite honestly, my will-power wasn’t that strong.

Thank you fresheast for an amazing meal.

I still can’t believe I live in this city…

fresheast

8951 Santa Monica Blvd

West Hollywood, CA 90069

310.859.9989

www.fresheast.com

Please tell me that summer isn’t over!

If it must come to an end, I can’t think of a better way to enjoy the long weekend than celebrating with friends; sitting by the pool and sipping cocktails. Oh and of course, eating amazing foods.

Labor Day Weekend Eats

Snacks & Starters: 

• Burrata Cheese
• Veggies and hummus
• Cheese and crackers (duh)
• Smoked Salmon Dip 
• Pimento Cheese 
• Grilled Vegetable Crostini

Main: 

• Grilled Chicken Za’atar
• Bahn Mi Hot Dogs
• Salmon Burgers with Greek Salsa
• Brats (on our menu)
• Crispy Shrimp Sandwiches (How Sweet It Is)
• Peach Whiskey Barbecue Chicken (The Pioneer Woman)

Sides: 

• Orange & Ale Vinaigrette & Arugula Salad
• Greek Potato Salad
• Spicy Crunchy Asian Slaw (Eat, Live, Run)
• Sweetcorn, Bacon and Tomato Saute (Eating for England)

Cocktails/Desserts: 

• Mango Cucumber Wine Cooler
• Cucumber, Basil & Mint Vodka Spritzer
• Coffee-spiked Chocolate Caramel Bars (Satisfy My Sweet Tooth)
• Grilled Peaches and Pound Cake (Fake Food Free)

Add your favorite links/ideas below!

Some good friends just had their second baby boy and we couldn’t wait to go visit them! I had to try to give them a few weeks to settle in before pleading to come and visit. “We’ll bring dinner!” always sweetens the deal.

Is it obvious that I’m a tad anxious to be a Mom? (I am.)

How precious is he?!

After much thought, I decided to make a lasagna because I could make it ahead of time and comfort foods are still in full force here in chilly and snowy Minneapolis. I also made them some bacon & broccoli quiche and spicy pork for them to eat and/or freeze for a different time. (I’ve heard that the weeks after having a baby are a tad crazy and wanted to do whatever I could to help!)

The Taster was especially happy that it made an additional 8×8 pan – I’m fairly certain all of his meals when I’m gone this week will contain some sort of pasta. (Except for that quiche.)

Chicken, Artichoke & Mushroom Lasagna

• 16 oz lasagna noodles
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 rotisserie chicken, chopped
• 1 egg
• 15 oz part skim ricotta cheese
• 16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1.5 – 25 oz large jars of marinara

Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water as directed.

Pre-heat oven to 375°.

Heat olive oil in large pan. Add mushrooms and saute for about 3-4 minutes, until lightly browned.

Combine chicken, mushrooms, artichokes, egg, ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in large bowl.

Spread 1/2 cup marinara on bottom of pan. Layer noodles, chicken mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are gone. (I used a 9×13 pan and an 8×8 pan)

Cover with foil and bake for about 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes until cheese is golden brown.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that most Americans are lacking in the whole-grain department. But it really isn’t that hard to fit whole grains in your diet! It is recommended that we should be eating at least 3 servings of whole grains/day. I say there’s no reason that most of your grains can’t be whole ones.

Whole grains are nutritionally superior to their white counterparts for a number of reasons: they are higher in fiber and contain more nutrients; they reduce the risks of stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes; they can even help maintain weight among a number of other benefits.

Serving Sizes:

• 1/2 cup brown rice or whole grain pasta
• 1 slice whole grain bread
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup whole grain cereal
• 1 small whole grain tortilla

A day of all whole grains may sound like a lot, but I promise you it isn’t! Start swapping whole grain bread for white; oats and whole grain cereals (like Barbara’s Shredded Oats and Kashi Go Lean) for sugary cereals and whole grain pasta for white. I know some of you aren’t “used” to whole grains, or may have spouses/kids who don’t “like” whole grains, but start incorporating them or using blends and before you know it, the swaps are painless!

While I eat mostly whole grains I still enjoy white baguettes, fresh white pasta and cookies from time to time. It’s all about what makes up most of your diet.  (For the record, I would never turn down fresh, homemade pasta.)

Here is what a days worth of whole grains looks like:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal, prepared as directed. Try my apple cinnamon oats and get in a serving of fruits too! (1 serving)

Lunch: Brown rice – try my Brown Rice, BBQ Tofu & Kale (2 servings)

Dinner: Sesame Noodles (1 cup) with 2-3 cups mixed Asian veggies and 4 oz baked chicken. (2 servings)

Snack: Cheese and crackers. Mary’s Gone Crackers and Triscuits are two of my favorite 100% whole grain crackers! Paired with some cheese and you’ve got protein and fiber. My favorite food. (1 serving)

See, wasn’t that easy?

I’m a huge fan of mixing up the types of grains – so don’t limit yourself to wheat – try quinoa, sprouted breads, oats, millet, etc!  And there’s no issue in all of your carbohydrates/grains are “whole” ones. I do it all the time.

Visit the Whole Grains Council website for more information.

I’ve never had Cincinnati Chili before and it hasn’t been until recently that I’ve even been tempted to try.

But when Bon Appétit featured a story about different regional chili recipes, it wasn’t the Squash and Black Bean California-inspired Chili that caught my eye, it was the thinner Cincy Chili, customarily served over spaghetti that had me add chili to next weeks menu. Proud? Not exactly. But totally honest.

It was delicious. And although you may scoff at the idea of adding cocoa and cinnamon (like the Taster), I promise it doesn’t taste sweet. I wasn’t initially crazy about serving it over spaghetti, but with all of the appropriate toppings it was an amazingly filling meal. Best served with a salad.

Cincinnati Chili - 4 hearty servings - inspired by Bon Appétit

• 2 white onions, chopped (reserve 1/2 – 1 cup for topping)
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 1.5 lbs ground beef (I used 90% lean)
  
• 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  
• 1 Tbsp hot chili powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  
• 2 cups beef broth
• 4 servings spaghetti (I used a quinoa/corn pasta)
• shredded cheese for topping
  
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  

Chop onions and garlic. Don’t forget to reserve some onions for topping the chili.

Heat olive oil in large pot…… add onions; saute until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic; stir for about 1 minute.

Add ground beef; cook until brown, breaking into pieces, about 10 minutes.

Add all spices, apple cider vinegar and tomato paste. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for about an hour.

Serving Options:

In Cincinnati, there are 5 different options for serving.

1. Plain
2. Two Way: Chili and Spaghetti
3. Three Way: Chili, Spaghetti and Cheddar Cheese
4. Four Way: Chili, Spaghetti, Cheddar Cheese and Onions
5. Five Way: Chili, Spaghetti, Cheddar Cheese, Onions and Kidney Beans

But in my house, the Five Way is the only way to go. I just can’t imagine it any other way.

The real question is fork or spoon? We went with forks but any Cincy people know what it is served with? Or does it depend on how you order it?

It’s not often that I would feature a white flour pasta…I rarely even buy pasta made with white flour. I’m a whole wheat kind of girl. Not to mention a Nutritionist, remember??

But this bionaturae traditional egg pasta just looks special. I know I bought it with something in mind, but a few months passed and finally it made it into a spaghetti & meatball dinner. Dare I say that it reminded me of home-made pasta?

My inexperienced fresh pasta palate, probably shouldn’t make that comparison. But I swear it came close.

Now I just have all the more reason to buy this pasta again. And even though it’s made with white flour it actually has a decent amount of protein (7 grams per serving) and I told you that it tastes amazing, right?

For a simple meal, I tossed some of the pasta with pesto and parmesan and let me just say…go get some.

Meals like this just make me happy.

It’s healthy but filling; comforting but exciting; delicious but simple. The meatballs are flavored with a classic Korean sauce, the pasta tossed with a simple dressing of toasted sesame oil and soy sauce. It’s the perfect combination lean protein, whole grains and vegetables and the ultimate in clean eating.

Asian Spaghetti & Meatballs - 4 servings

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Gochujang sauce
• 1/2 cup whole wheat panko
• 8 oz brown rice noodles (I used Brown Rice Mai Fun sent to me by Annie Chun’s)
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce

Combine chicken, peppers, green onion, gochujang sauce and panko.

Mix until just combined.

Form into little balls and place in muffin tins. (I used a mini muffin tin)

Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare noodles as directed and toss with sesame oil and soy sauce.

Top noodles with meatballs and serve with sriracha or additional gochujang if desired.

Veggies for the meal were sautes of bok choy and snow peas with peppers.