New Year's Pantry Challenge: Hosting a Pantry Party, Day 1

Today's Menu:

Breakfast -
Smoothie (persimmon, banana, cranberries, pineapple juice, raw milk)
Veggie Egg Scramble (with collard greens and onions)

Lunch -
Leftover Southwestern Bean & Barley Soup
Whole Wheat Quesadillas
Tangerines/Cuties

Snacks:
Apple slices
Zookies

Dinner -
Salad with
Stuffed Manicotti
Garlic Bread
Zookies

Today was the first official day of cooking through our New Year's Pantry Challenge. The first day is always a fun day in my mind. I'm flush with the thrill of the challenge, surveying my goods and feeling like it's all manageable. Today was especially ripe with inspiration because I hosted the Pantry Party with some of my friends. I invited people to survey their own pantries, make a list of items they would like to use creatively, and pack a few things to share with others at the party. I wasn't sure how the whole thing would go over.

 Susan (who joined me for the last Pantry Challenge), Mary, Carrie and Forest showed up. We were all surprised by the abundance of food there was to share. My 4-year-old Meilani right away started lining up all the goods on a table and we had our own "Trading Grocery Store." We had fun perusing each other's pantry leftovers. Would you like Chai Tea? Would you use Pad Thai Noodles? How about some Organic White Wine Vinegar? Do you need more oats or lemons?

Mary really cleaned out her pantry - even donating Ziplock bags and toiletries - because she is having her hubby build her a new organizer for her pantry space. That benefitted all of us. We even had an extra bag of groceries that we plan to share with our church's food pantry. These items will be given out to people in the community who are in need.

I got out my favorite recipe binder and my binder of Cooking Club faves to share with our friends. We all dove into my cookbook collection and even searched out some new options online. Susan brought her planned month of meals to inspire us. Forest had a great cookbook to share as well. As a group we brainstormed how to use certain items like lentils, sweet potatoes and apricots that different people had in abundance. Can't wait to taste Carrie's Apricot Chutney using frozen apricots she got from a friend's tree.

In the end, I think we all solidified a week of planned dinners, gathered some new recipes and went home with a bag full of "new groceries." I was pretty stoked about pita bread, Trader Joe's barbecue sauce and a bowl full of lemons and tangerines. Talk about living in community! Today I was struck anew by the abundance we all have in our pantries. I know our finances are limited this month but we truly do have so many resources, especially if we share with other families.

For today's meals, I was able to use ingredients I had bought earlier to bless two other families. Our friends, Troy and Allison, just had a baby and my mom just had surgery. I made one of my favorite "Meals for Company," which is Stuffed Manicotti. I generally make this meal with a Tomato-Meat Sauce but this time I made it a Marinara Sauce. This saves a little money on extra meat and it's really not necessary since there's already meat and cheese in the filling along with spinach. Both of these sauces are great for making in batches and freezing. I was able to give an extra container of sauce to my friends for their fridge and freeze one of my own. I can use Marinara for pizzas at lunch or over pasta for a dinner on a different day.

What's in your pantry? What ingredients do you have that you need to use up? How were you inspired to use what you have or trade with others? Please share your stories.

January Resolve: Great Pantry Challenge, Part 2

The beginning of a new year is the natural time for resolutions. The time for creating goals. The time for assessing and reviewing and reorganizing. Our family likes to use this time of year to reflect on the past and make new plans for the future.

We started our healthy living journey and this blog in January 2008. How far we have traveled in these past three years in terms of what we eat and how we live a "health-full" life! It's been all about baby steps for us but those baby steps add up over months and years. (That's exciting to think about!) We've been able to save money and spend less time sick and going to the doctor's office.

This year we're taking on some new baby steps to continue the journey. Our big goal is to try and eat 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day and continue exercising regularly (3 or more times a week). We also desire to experiment more with gardening and eating more raw fruits and vegetables.

To start off, we're pressing the reset button so to speak on our pantry. Some of you might remember we did the Great Pantry Challenge in October 2009. This was a fun way to embrace the very real challenge ahead of us - to live off the abundance we already had instead of buying excess. The best part was - we survived and we learned some amazing lessons in the process. We also came away with some new favorite recipes. We're hoping for the same this time around.

For the last week, many in Fresno have been consumed by Walmart's "Fighting Hunger Together" contest. I thought it was a cool contest. I clicked "Like" several dozen times on my Facebook account in an effort to help Fresno win the $1 million. That contest also got me thinking: what if we all put our heads together and creatively worked as a team to feed the hungry in Fresno? What if we each gave a few extra dollars to a local homeless shelter each month? What if once a year or once a quarter or once a month we each surveyed the excess in our own pantries and donated it to a local food bank? What if we just ate what we have in our pantries for an extra week and the money we saved was available to bless someone else? What if?

Looking ahead, we know for our family that January is going to be a tight month financially. We also have in mind the goal on the horizon, which is to move to Haiti to serve among the people there for a year. We want to continue to challenge ourselves to live simply, but allowing good food and community to be our medicine.

Our goals:
1. To save money in the month of January, while still maintaining a healthy diet.
2. To think about ways to use, recycle and share food and recipes with our community of friends.
3. To challenge our family and others to brainstorm creative ways to feed the hungry in Fresno.

The following is what our family is taking on for the next few weeks. We invite you to join us. You feel free to make your own plans, your own rules. Maybe you want to take on one of these plans. Maybe you want to tweak it to fit your needs, your lifestyle. The challenge is all yours. We're not here to be the pantry police; we just love to share with friends.


Our plans:
1. To avoid grocery shopping starting today and continuing through Jan. 14 (approximately 2 weeks). The exception for our family will be to buy our regular 1 gallon of raw milk, 1 flat of eggs, fruits and vegetables at our local farmer's market. We still believe these items need to be fresh and local.
2. To host a Pantry Party at our house where friends can swap pantry items, extra produce and brainstorm meal plans together. (Monday, January 3 - let us know if you're interested.)
3. To donate unused pantry items to a local food bank.
4. To share at least one meal with a homeless person in Fresno or volunteer at one of Fresno's shelters.

Check back in. We plan to share our recipes, our meal plans and our lessons learned. We invite you to share yours.

Thanksgiving Menu 2010: Grateful for the bounty

Thanksgiving 2010 Menu

Fall Butternut Squash Soup

Nana's Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls

Nama's Armenian Pilaf

Green Bean Casserole

Southwestern Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Mary's Free-Range Herb Roasted Turkey

Wild Rice & Goat Cheese Stuffing

Pomegranate-Pear Cranberry Sauce

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Nana's Blueberry Pie

Vanilla Ice Cream

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it's a chance to celebrate two things I love: family and food. At the Gilmore Home, preparing the Thanksgiving feast is just as much fun as eating it because we all get together to prep and cook together. This year our table will be filled with our family, my parents, Ericlee's parents, my brother and sister-in-law and niece, a cousin and her baby and any of my hubby's students who are brave enough to join the party.

Our healthy journey over the last several years has meant seeking out and creating new healthy versions of Thankgiving faves. We've tackled our menu little by little, one dish at a time. Last year we ditched the traditional sweet potatoes with marshmallow sugar overload and added a Sweet Potatoes dish with Pomegranate & Mint. This year I'm serving up a new spin on sweet potatoes that I learned from my friend Sam Jessup at our church's "Taste of Friendship" event a few weeks ago. His Southwestern Roasted Sweet Potato Salad has a memorable Chipotle pepper kick. It's also a great addition because it can be made a few days ahead and still maintains that pop of flavor and healthy ingredients.

The biggest change or step we took this year was ordering a turkey through Whole Foods. Ericlee did a little research and found out that these cage-free birds are from a local Sanger family. Mary's Free Range Turkeys eat a vegetarian diet. They never have antibiotics or hormones. No preservatives are added to them. The little brochure explains, "Mary's Free Range Turkeys are raised the old fashioned way: with plenty of space. In the sunny San Joaquin Valley of California, the turkeys are humanely raised by allowing them to roam in a stress-free environment. With cleaner living quarters, a healthier and happier turkey is grown resulting in a wonderful taste." Sounded impressive to us. The cost was only $1.99/pound - We thought it would be much more.

Maybe you're like me and you're already skipping ahead to all the creative ideas you can employ with turkey after Thanksgiving. Here are some of my fave Thankgiving Leftovers options. This year I'm going to try out Turkey Mole - a recipe from my chef friend Willie Bezemer. I can hardly wait for the meal after Thanksgiving!

Leave us a comment. What's new or traditional on your menu this year? How are you using local ingredients to celebrate?

Budget Bites: Haitian Squash & Sauce Beans with Rice

This week's "budget bites" feature comes compliments of our Haitian friend, Peter Constantin. Peter is staying with us for a week and he wanted to cook us some Haitian regulars. The Haitians live on rice and beans and prepare it many different ways, depending on what's available. Rice and beans are amazing together because they are a "complete protein," which means they contain all 20 amino acids that are bodies need. 

Another of our favorite side dishes is this squash dish using chayote. Squash is is full of beta carotene (great antioxidant) and Vitamin C. Those are two germ-fighters we want in our diet, especially during cold season. 

Both of these dishes are packed with nutrients and inexpensive to eat. We like to eat Haitian food and remember to pray for our friends in Haiti. Find more Haitian recipes here.

Pwatann Militon (Squash cut in sauce)

2 chayote, peeled

6 cups of water (approximate)
2 garlic cloves
1 green onion stalk
2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1. Boil water.

2. Meanwhile, peel to chayote and cut into match sticks.

3. Add chayote to water. Boil until tender. Strain leaving about 1 cup of water/liquid.

4. Smash green onions and garlic in mortar & pestel (or blender). Add to chayote mix.
5. Add thyme and tomato paste.
6. Simmer approximately 5 minutes in sauce.

Haitian Sauce Beans with Rice

FOR BEAN SAUCE:

Ingredients:

2 cups pinto beans

4 cups water

4 whole cloves

2 stalks fresh thyme

3 stalks fresh parsley

1/4 green pepper

1. Boil 2 cups beans in 4 cups water.

2. Add 4 cloves and 2 teaspoons salt to boiling water for flavor.

3. Boil until tender (you can press together with your fingers). 

4. Set aside to cool.

5. Take 1/2 beans from the water and add to a blender. Blend until smooth.

6. Add back to the beans in water.

7. Quarter green pepper and add one quarter piece to sauce. Add thyme and parsley.

8. Boil an additional 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.

FOR RICE:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 stalk green onion

5 cups water

2 1/2 cups jasmine rice

2 teaspoons salt

1. Add olive oil to large pan. Break onion in half and saute in oil until fragrant.

2. Add 5 cups of water to pan. Bring to boil.

3. Meanwhile, rinse rice in a strainer under water. Add rice to boiling water.

4. Add salt.

5. Allow to boil until most of the water has evaporated. Then cover and lower temperature to simmer for approximately 20 minutes rice is fluffy.

Functional Fitness: Local moms' group tries new workout

On Thursday night, my hubby and I got another chance to share our passion for fitness and wellness with a group of local mamas. Our church hosts a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group twice a month and they invited us to speak and lead a workout for the 50-some moms who attend. We had the chance to speak at a different MOPS group last year and it was a lot of fun so we jumped on the opportunity.

As I shared with the moms on Thursday, my goal is always to be an encouragement to other women on the journey. It's so easy to get caught up in the world of comparing our bodies. Sometimes we set the bar so high that all we can ever achieve is failure. I know for myself that I need baby steps on this road to overall health and wellness. I also know that I want to honor God with my body. He created me; I want to embrace that. A good workout (even a short one) is a great stress relief for me. A workout helps me feel better about myself, and ensures I will be strong for the future for my kids and grandkids.

As a mom who has been through two pregnancies and births, I have experienced lots of changes in sizes and the shape of my body. During my first pregnancy, I gained more than 40 pounds and I had a rude awakening after the birth and those pounds didn't just melt away. I had the desire to exercise and get back in shape but my body had two months of recovery after a difficult birthing process so I couldn't exactly jump out there and start running or going to kickboxing classes again. I would stand in front of my closet and cry, knowing my pre-pregancy clothes were not going to fit for a long time - if ever. I went through a kind of depression that a lot of first-time mothers experience in that post partem period.

When my second daughter Giada was born almost 21 months ago, I knew I wanted to be a little more intentional about many things. I knew I wanted to eat healthier, drink more water and get more exercise during the pregnancy. After I had Giada, I begged my personal trainer hubby to help me come up with some workouts I could do at home in a short amount of time. Now with two kids (and providing childcare for two more) I knew I had to forego long cardio workouts. That's how we came up with the idea of the "Go, Mama Workout." At the time, my husband was really getting into CrossFit and the theory behind doing workouts that work on both strength and cardio at the same time. Ericlee used his knowledge of CrossFit and functional movements and wrote up a workout plan for me. I've been doing these workouts for almost two years now.

The basic idea is to make my workout "functional." In other words, I don't waste time trying to do exercises that aren't going to really benefit me as a mom. Why in the world would I sit on a machine at the gym and do a butterfly with my arms when that is something I will never do in real life. I'd rather do a squat, which is something I do every day when I pick up a baby. I want to learn how to do that properly and be strong so I don't injure myself.

On Thursday, Ericlee led the group of mamas in a basic 10-minute workout using some of the concepts of CrossFit. The great part of this workout is that no expensive equipment or gym membership is required. It's something you can do right at home. We had a lot of fun laughing together and spurring each other on to finish.

We did:
-5 pushups
-5 situps
-5 squats

We had to do it for 10 minutes straight without stopping but you could go at your own pace, depending on your level. Ericlee also offered some modifications for doing these basic movements. For example, pushups could be done against the wall, on your knees or traditional-style. Also, several pregnant mamas opted to do "dips" on a chair instead of pushups to avoid bumping their bellies on the floor.

Ten minutes doesn't sound to bad, eh? Try it. If you talk to any of my mama friends who worked it Thursday night you will hear testimony after testimony that this is a very intense workout. And that's my favorite part - it's short and intense. The reality is: I'm a busy mama. I don't have time for the 60-90 minute classes I used to take at the gym. (That doesn't include all the time it takes to pack up the kids and get them over there to the childcare and the money you pay each month.)

Wondering where to begin? Here are some tips Ericlee wrote up to keep in mind. You can create your own workouts or use some of ours for free. You might also want to read my initial blog on the Go, Mama Workout and check out the first workouts. If you like to take classes, Ericlee also coaches at Fresno's Speed Sports Performance/CrossFit Combat Fitness gym on Shaw and Cedar. (His Boot Camp class at 5:30 a.m. on Mondays costs $3 and you don't need a gym membership to participate.)

“Go Mama” Workout Tips:

• Keep the workout short and speedy so it combines cardio and strength training.

• Constantly change it up because your body adapts to a stimulus.

• Focus on the gymnastic exercises (body weight) first and then move to weight lifting exercises.

• All exercises can be done anywhere – you do not need expensive equipment.

• Plan to do the workout two days a week to start and work up to five days a week.

• Repetitions and rounds should always be different.

• Compete against yourself for motivation. (How long does it take or how many rounds can you finish?)

• Consider putting 2-3 gymnastics together and that could be your workout or add one from each of the following categories.

• Remember it is about intensity and duration. If you want it easier, then lower intensity and duration. If not, then raise it.


Mix and match the following exercises: You can pick two, three, or even four exercises.  You can pick all exercises from one category or one from each category (gymnastics, weights, cardio).  You can pick 3-5 rounds or how many rounds in 10-20 minutes.  Be creative everyday.



Gymnastics:

-Push-ups

-Sit-ups

-Air squats

-Dips

-Lunges

-Pull-ups


Weight lifting:

-Shoulder press

-Chest press

-Bicep Curl

-Tricep Extension

-Squats

-Medicine ball


Cardio:

-Jumping Jacks

-Burpees

-Box jumps

-Jump Rope

-Running

-Cycling

-Swimming

For Example:

1.     How many rounds in 10 minutes

                        (G) Pushups x 5

                        (G) Situps x 10

                        (G) Squats x 15

                        (C) Jumping Jacks x 20

2.     Time 5 rounds

                        (G) Air Squats x 30

                        (W)Shoulder Press x 10

                        (C) Jump Rope x 50

3.     Time 3 rounds

                        (C) Burpees x 10           

                        (G) Dips x 20

                        (G) Situps x 30

                        

Any questions? Leave a comment. We'd love to share more. If you're in Fresno, we might just start a "Go, Mama Workout" meet-up if there's enough interest. Kids would be welcome!

Chai Cheesecake wins 2nd place at the Big Fresno Fair

I always love entering the cooking contests at our Big Fresno Fair. It's a fun challenge to make something unique with the designated food product - not to mention a little extra dough if you win. This year I entered the Malt-O-Meal Creations contest. I thought it would be using something porridge-like Malt-o-Meal hot cereal we all grew up on. But the company is out to promote their cold cereals so I had to come up with a unique recipe using on of their cold cereals.

After visitng three local grocery stores, I finally checked the web site and found the cereals were sold at our local Walmart. I came home with a huge back of Honey Nut Scooters, which are similar to Honey Nut Cheerios or Honey Trader O's, which I prefer. Then I had to dream up something to make.The contest is judged on Creativity, Taste and Ease of Recipe.

I have to admit I let weeks go by. I was stumped. Then one day my friend Bev showed up at my house with a slice of cheesecake. We marveled at how inexpensive cheesecake is to make and how glorious and rich the result. I decided to rev up a cheesecake using the cereal in the crust. I knew this couldn't be just any cheesecake. It had to be different. I decided to employ one of my fave flavors - Chai Tea.

I'm a Chai lover. If you haven't had Chai, it's a tea using Indian-inspired spices. The word chai literally means tea. This tea feels very fall to me - full of cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. Everyone mixes their chai a little differently. I've noticed Chai is becoming all the rage in local cafes and even Jamba Juice serves a Chai-licious smoothie that's inspiring.

I made a couple of cheesecakes to perfect the crust and Chai filling mixture. Of course, I cut the sugar used in most cheesecake recipes in half. The following recipe was the result. My family and I had fun heading down to the Big Fresno Fair and watching the judging. Surprise, surprise - 100 percent of the entries were desserts. The judges did deliberate. 

They announced the winners and my "Chai Cheesecake with Honey Nut Crust" was awarded 2nd place and $50. I was very excited to stand next to Pearl, the first place winner. She was the sweetest old lady who was blind and had entered 20 other desserts in the fair as well. Her Raspberry Crunch Pie deserved first!

Chai Cheesecake  

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups cereal, crushed (I like Trader O's, Honey Nut Scooters or good old fashioned graham crackers will work too.)

½ cup butter, melted

4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup organic sugar

4 cage-free large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ pint whipping cream

1 tablespoon honey


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Crush cereal in a ziplock bag with a mallet or in a food processor. They should look like coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in melted butter to coat cereal.

3. Press into the bottom of a greased (round) spring form or other cake pan and bake for 5 minutes to set. Remove from oven and cool.

4. Blend cream cheese and sugar with hand mixer. Add eggs one at a time and blend until mixture is smooth. Add vanilla, ginger, cardamom, allspice, cinnamon. Pour over crust.

5. Bake for one hour. Remove and cool. Chill at least one hour before slicing.

6. Whip cream and add honey. Spoon a dollop on top of cheesecake slices with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Budget Bites: Love 'em Lentil Burgers

It's crunch time. We're in the process of selling our house and preparing for a year of serving in Haiti. My hubby is only working part-time for these few months. That means our budget is tight, tight, tight these days. I'm tempted to whine about it but I'll try the high road and make it into a food challenge. I'm starting a new occasional series on this blog called "Budget Bites," which features healthy, scrumptious foods that is cheap to make. I did something similar last fall when I took on the Great Pantry Challenge. I discovered lots of fun recipes just by scavenging through my own pantry. Only this time it will be individual recipes and the inspiration to possibly try out some new ingredients - not just your familiar staples.

A few months ago my hubby's cousins from Spain came to visit. I have a foodie friend in Maribel and she introduced me to some of her family's favorite eats including homemade Spanish Paella and Tapas (Spanish appetizers). On the simpler side, we also served up a lunch of lentil burgers together. I was shocked to watch her three kids and my two girls gobble these babies down.

What struck me later was how cheap these are to make and you still can have the "burger experience." Sign me up. If a "veggie burger" or anything "lentil" sounds blah to you, don't be a hater until you've tried these out. My carnivore soul was surprised. (Our family tries to eat vegetarian two to three times a week to save moolah and for health reasons but my Italian-Filipino upbringing still has me savoring my meat.) If you really want it to taste like a burger, skip the yogurt sauce and add your favorite condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayo or salsa.

We welcome all positive (and even negative!) feedback from our eaters!

Lentil Burgers

Ingredients:
-2 cups dried lentils
-1 onion, chopped
-1 green pepper, chopped (You could substitute zucchini.)
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-2 red cherry peppers, finely diced (My mom had these in her garden and my hubby likes the extra kick that's not too overpowering for my kids. You could try out a jalapeno for more heat or red bell pepper for a sweeter taste.)
-2 teaspoons sea salt
-1/2 teaspoon paprika
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-3 cups panko breadcrumbs (Japanese-style breadcrumb sold in most stores that add an extra crunch when you're breading something or other whole wheat breadcrumbs will work)
-1/2 cup olive oil

-1 cucumber, thinly sliced
-1 tomato, sliced
-8 whole wheat pita bread pockets or whole wheat buns
-1 cup plain yogurt mixed with a few drops of lemon juice
-mint or basil leaves for garnish

Directions:

1. Put lentils into a large mixing bowl. Cover with water & let soak for an hour or overnight. (They will grow in the bowl so make sure yours is big enough.)
2. Chop onion, green pepper, garlic and hot pepper.
3. When lentils are soft, mix with immersion hand blender or food processor. You want the mixture to be a very coarse paste, not runny like hummus.
4. Heat skillet and add 1/4-inch of olive oil.
5. Stir chopped vegetables and spices into the lentils.
6. Pour half of the breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl or dish. Spread out along the bottom of the bowl.
7. Form a "hamburger pattie" in your hands with the lentil mixture. Immediately press into the breadcrumbs. Use a spatula to flip in breadcrumbs and help you transfer the pattie into the sizzling olive oil. Saute until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining lentil mixture.
8. Serve on a whole wheat pita bread or bun with slices of tomatoes and cucumber. Garnish with whole leaves of mint or basil and yogurt sauce.

Makes 12 burgers; Serves 6-8

Living out of the Garden: The Wonder of Eggplant

I planted late so our garden is ripe for the picking later than most in Fresno. My summer season veggies are officially ready now. Since we were traveling most of July and August I'm not complaining. In fact, I am marveling at the wonder of growing my own veggies. My first garden (as in my very own with no help from mama) started last winter with a few easy greens, some bok choy and some herbs. That's nothing compared to summer's bounty. Now we have cucumbers coming out of our ears, two varieties of eggplants, green peppers and several heirloom tomatoes that are not quite ripe but tantalizing me.

This week I'm on a hunt for new creative ways to eat eggplants.

Never had an eggplant? Suprisingly, they come in a lot of varieties. The classic eggplant are plump and a shiny deep purple color. Eggplant is a member of the potato family.

According to EatingWell.com, eggplant helps lower blood cholesterol levels. The deep purple skin contains anthocyanins and proanthocyanins, antioxidants that may play a role in heart health and improve brain function.

My all-time fave use of eggplant is a classic Italian recipe: Eggplant Parmigiana. Think thinly-sliced eggplant slathered in marinara sauce and topped with melty cheese. I grew up filling my belly with my grandma Sara's version of it. Three words: to die for. Unfortunately, my Grandma Sara can't cook anymore and she lives in Michigan so I'm on my own with an abundance of eggplants.

My go-to eggplant dish is to saute it with some onions and zucchini and incorporate it into an omelette. Top that baby with some fresh salsa and you are good to go.

Our cousin who lives in Spain roasts a whole eggplant along with other vegetables like red peppers and onions and then cuts them into strips for a Spanish tapa or appetizer. Just mix in some fresh garlic and drizzle with Spanish olive and voila!

For my Cooking Club one time we made this Eggplant Caprese Salad, which is easy to assemble and a lot of fun to make. The colorful stacks of thinly-sliced eggplant, tomatoes, basil and fresh mozarella oozing over the side make for impressive presentation. This is also primo on a sandwich. We grilled up some eggplant the other day, sliced some orange heirloom tomatoes from our garden and stacked on the cheese and basil. The result was an easy and elegant lunch.

Last night we made a vegetarian version of Moussaka. It's a Greek dish that showcases eggplant. It's a little involved to make because it includes a red sauce (with fresh tomatoes and cinnamon) and a cheesy white sauce on top of layers of eggplant. The aroma in the kitchen was divine. Definitely worth the extra time. And now I have new appreciation for the moussaka I've had in Chicago's Greektown. My Greek friend Mark used to take me to the Parthenon and we would order moussaka and other Greek delights. Opa!

Eggplant Parmesan inspired by Grandma Sara

Ingredients:
-2 large eggplants
-1/2 teaspoon sea salt + more for sprinkling
-1/2 teaspoon oregano
-1/2 teaspoon basil
-2 cups whole wheat breadcrumbs (I love panko because they are crispy and light.)
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-3/4 cup olive oil
-3 cups mozarella cheese, shredded
-1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
-4 cups marinara sauce (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel and slice eggplant 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 15 minutes. This helps take some of the initial bitterness out of the eggplant.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the breadcrumbs by mixing in a shallow bowl with salt, garlic powder, oregano and basil.
4. Spray olive (or wipe with paper towel) onto 9x12 pan or casserole dish.
5. At this point, heat up or make the marinara sauce in a skillet.
6. In a separate skillet, heat up about 1/4 cup of olive oil.
7. Rinse salt off eggplant under cool water. Pat dry with paper towels.
8. Beat eggs in separate bowl and add parmesan cheese. Dip eggplant in egg mixture, then breadcrumb mixture and saute in olive oil until golden brown on both sides.
9. Spread one cup marinara sauce to the bottom of the pan. Layer eggplant on top. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozarella cheese and repeat. (This will feel like you are making a lasagna.)
10. Bake for approximately 30 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling slighlty in the bottom of the pan. Serve over pasta or with rice or bread.

Makes 8-10 servings.
A few other great recipes:
Garlic grilled eggplant & zucchini

What do you do with eggplant? Please share.

Berrylicious: Pick-your-own Berry Adventure

I'm a little giddy over berries these days. I guess it's because I've had the opportunity to pick my own berries twice in the last week and just getting out there in the field makes me appreciate these delectable treats all the more. On Thursday we went to Rancho Notso Grande Farms in Hanford with a group of six other families. The drive was just 30 minutes from our home in Fresno. Meilani and I enjoyed the view out the window as we passed so many Valley farms and ranches. We tried to guess the kinds of plants and trees along the route. 

When we arrived Farmer Jon gave a us a quick tour of his myriad of berries, including blueberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, tay berries, blackberries, raspberries and many special varieties within those categories. He explained they use organic practices for farming, which was great to hear since berries have one of the highest amounts of pesticides of any fruit. After we did a taste test on all of them, he handed out paper baskets and the kids and mamas and daddies went to work. We started out in the blueberries mostly because these had the least amount of stickers and thorns. The bushes are low so they were perfect for my 1-year-old Giada to pick and pack them in herself. Picture this: one ripe berry, one handful of sandy dirt. Two ripe berries, one handful of sandy dirt. Yeah, that kept her busy for a while.

Admittedly, blueberries are a bit of a pain to pick because you have to search out the ripe ones one by one. Blueberries are pretty small so plucking them off the branch of the bush one by one can take a while. I tried to find my own technique of running my fingers down the branch to get several at a time. Meilani, my 4-year-old, had more fun eating what was in my basket. But I'm glad it took a long time to pick these babies. What I learned was a new appreciation for the men and women who pick berries in our Valley. Sitting out there in the hot sun, trying to find the ripe berries and fill baskets is hard work. Next time I buy berries at the market or at the grocery store I will understand the value of this "natural candy" so much better.

For Father's Day Weeekend we drove over to the Central Coast with our good friends, the Schultzes. We discovered a hidden gem: Rutiz Family Farms. It turned out to be a little organic U-pick place just around the corner from the beach house where we were staying Arroyo Grande. They also are a CSA (if you live in that area) with great boxes of food for pick-up.

We had four adults and six girls in tow and we started out Saturday morning combing the rows for ripe strawberries. These organic berries were unbelievably sweet. You've got to understand: I grew up in Chicago eating not always ripe berries that needed sugar added on top. (Gasp!) Apparently the cool Coastal air and sandy soil is just perfect for a berry crop. We picked for about and hour and then brought our loads of baskets in for the weighing. Much to our surprise we had picked a lot! The good news was: the price turned out to be about $1.25 per basket of organic berries. Now that's an amazing deal!

I've been swooning over a sea of berry recipes. We made berry pancakes for Father's Day morning along with a berry smoothie for the daddies after their run. We also baked up a Berry Crisp with crunchy oatmeal topping. We adore Blueberry Muffins and Blueberry-Lemon Tarts for something a little more fancy. One of my most elegant and easy berry desserts is Puff pastry cut into squares and topped with whipped cream and fresh berries. Yum-o! (Picture below on the May Menus.) 

Tonight I'm trying out a recipe for Strawberry Tiramisu. This is a summer version of my all-time fave Italian dessert - Tiramisu. Fresh fruit is the main event for this dessert instead of the usual splash of coffee flavor. Should be berrylicious!

What's your favorite way to eat a berry? Please share.

Mediterranean Cooking Class: Healthy eats with fresh taste

For my birthday my hubby treated me to a Mediterranean Cooking Class hosted at our local Whole Foods. I have never taken an "official" cooking class so I was thrilled. My friend Yasmin (Right) signed up with me and we chose a Healthy Mediterranean class taught by Wafa Aranki (Left).

The menu included:
Lentil Soup
Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini
Fatoush Salad
Chicken Kabob

When we arrived at the class, which had about 15 other cooks in training, we got right to work. Wafa assigned me to the job of toasting the pita bread. Meanwhile, I spied on all the other jobs and took pictures so I could remember the steps of the recipes.

We started out with a Lentil Soup made distinct with the juice of a lemon and a whole lot of garlic.

CREAMY LENTIL SOUP

Ingredients:

-2 cups red lentils

-1 large onion, diced

-4 cloves garlic, minced

-lemon, juiced

-1 1/2 teaspoons salt

-1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1. Put the lentils in a large pot and cover with water. Boil.

2. Add onions.

3. Continue to boil approximately 45 minutes until lentils are soft. You may need to add more water to the pot if it evaporates quickly.

4. Add garlic, salt, cumin.

5. Use immersion blender or regular blender to mix soup to a creamy texture. Boil 5 more minutes.

6. Juice lemon and add to soup before serving.

Another group of cooks in training made this yogurt marinade for our chicken. Then they set it to grilling on a panini maker. Of course, a regular grill or George Foreman work just fine as well. I personally prefer the regular outdoor grill because the chicken maintains its juiciness.

Chicken Kabob

Marinade Ingredients:

-1 pound boneless chicken breast

-5 cloves of garlic, crushed

-1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped

-1 teaspoon sea salt

-1 cup of plain yogurt

1. Combine marinade ingredients.

2. Trim fat from chicken and mix in marinade. Refrigerate 15 minutes or more.

3. Grill chicken 5-6 minutes.

Our menu also included grilled eggplant and zucchini with a marinade similar to the chicken. These are easy to prepare ahead and then just throw on the grill when you get home from a busy day.

Grilled Eggplant & Zucchini

Ingredients:

-1 large eggplant

-2 large zucchini

-2 tablespoons lemon juice

-1/2 teaspoon sea salt

-1/2 teaspoon fresh basil

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-1 teaspoon sumac

-1 cup plain yogurt

1. Peel eggplant and slice 1/2-inch thick.

2. Cut zucchini in 1/2-inch thick slices.

3. Create marinade with salt, basil, garlic, sumac and plain yogurt.

4. Add vegetables to the marinade. Refrigerate 15 minutes or more.

5. Grill until tender.

Probably my favorite dish we learned to make was a Fatoush Salad - very popular in the Middle East. The blend of flavors in this salad is truly amazing. I also love the pita chips on top that provide a yummy crunch with each bite.

Fatoush Salad

Ingredients:

-3 medium tomatoes, sliced

-1 medium onion, sliced

-1 bundle green onions, diced (approximately 1 cup)

-1/2 head of romaine lettuce (chopped)

-1 head of butter lettuce (chopped)

-5-6 radishes, sliced

-3 cucumbers, sliced

-1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped (approximately 1 cup)

-1 cup mint, chopped

-1 jalapeno, diced (Optional)

Dressing:

-10 cloves garlic, minced

-2 tablespoons vinegar

-1/4 cup olive oil

-2 lemons, juiced

-1 tablespoon lemon zest

-1 1/2 teaspoons sea slat

-1 teaspoon sumac

-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

-2 pita breads, toasted and crumbled

1. Chop all vegetables and add to salad bowl

2. Combine ingredients for dressing.

3. Dress salad.

4. Sprinkle pita chips on top.

Recipe of the Week: Thai Beef Curry & Coconut Rice

This recipe was inspired by my friend Evelyn deGallery. At a recent talk I did for my Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group, I asked the audience to bring one recipe to share with the other mamas. Evelyn says this recipe is her kids' favorite dinner. I tweaked the recipe a little bit to simplify it. This dish is great for employing some of those fresh summer vegetables like peppers, fresh basil and onions.

If you don't have time for homemade curry sauce, you might try the Trader Joe's brand of red curry or yellow curry sauce. Both are mouth-wateringly good. If you are not using brown rice, use only two cups of liquid to cook every one cup of rice.



Thai Beef Curry

Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 onion, sliced
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
-2 steaks, thinly sliced
-2 organic red or yellow peppers, cut into 1-inch strips
-8-10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Sauce:
-2 large cloves garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
-2 tablespoons fish sauce (available at Whole Foods or in the Asian section of grocery stores or R-N Asian market)
-1-2 teaspoon red curry paste (available at Whole Foods or in the Asian section of grocery stores or R-N Asian market)
-1/2 teaspoon cumin
-1 tablespoon honey
-1 cups organic coconut milk

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a skillet. Add onions, ginger and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add sliced steak and brown. Meanwhile, mix ingredients for sauce in a bowl.
3. When steaks are browned, add cut red peppers and torn basil leaves. Saute peppers with meat for 2-3 minutes.
4. Pour sauce mixture on top of beef and vegetables. Allow to simmer until sauce thickens slightly about 5-7 minutes.

Coconut Rice

Ingredients:
-2 cups brown jasmine rice
-2 1/4 cups water
-2 cups coconut milk (usually 1 can)
-5 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
*rice cooker

1. Combine rice, water and coconut milk in rice cooker.
2. Cook in rice cooker (or on stovetop) as you normally would. Takes approximately 15 minutes.

May Menu Planner

The late Spring produce has hit the market, which means berries are in full force along with snap peas, asparagus, herbs like basil and oregano, and even some small zucchini. For Mother's Day we have a tradition of serving up a special lunch after church for the grandmas. This Sunday our feast will showcase some fresh strawberries and cherries from the farmer's market - not as dessert, but heaped on top of our main dish - Strawberry-Balsamic Chicken - and our salad. The Strawberry Salsa can be made ahead so firing up the grill on the chicken is all we have to do for that dish. Our advice: skip the long lines to take Mom out to eat and make a special meal at home. It saves money and everyone can help out!

Sunday - Mother's Day Lunch
Sparkling Pomegranate Juice
Mini Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tarts
Baby Greens Salad with Pecans and Cherries
Strawberry-Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Wheat Berry Salad
Chocolate Chip Cannoli

Monday
Mahi Mahi Green Enchiladas
Baby Greens, Black Olives, Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

Tuesday
Grilled Portabella Sandwiches
Tomato-Basil Bisque

Wednesday
Thai Curry Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas
Coconut Jasmine Rice

Thursday
More-Please Meatloaf
Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Avocado Sauce

Friday
Luscious Leftovers
Whole Wheat Blueberry Bars

Saturday - Paul's 30th Birthday Bash
Fondue Party
Dessert: Chocolate Dipped Strawberries & Cream Puffs

P.S. If any of these recipes look tempting to you, click on the link or leave us a comment and we can send them to you.