The Crust Stops Here

Pizza -- A food that needs no introduction.

Perfect at anytime of the day.  Practically gourmet with a bottle of cab.  Definitely craveable at 3am and possibly essential in warding off the lingering demons of last night's innocent overindulgence.

When I'm not making a 3am stop at Ben's or Artichoke, homemade pizza seems to fall on the menu for the end of the week.  The toppings are usually a grab bag of leftovers in my fridge -- and anticipating a late night rendezvous at a participating establishment over the impending weekend, I aim to keep it as guiltless as possible. 

I always buy whole wheat pizza dough.  It's also the last thing I buy at Whole Foods in Union Square since it's conveniently located right near the checkout.  A few weeks ago I was headed to the register about to grab the goods and I noticed they were all out.  I let out a sigh and (and an internal "wtf?!") but decided I was getting my panties in a twist for no reason.  Whole Foods does not run out of whole wheat pizza dough.  It's not possible.  There was definitely a back up stash.

Off to the pizza station I went and wailed to the girl working there that there was no more whole wheat dough on the shelf.  She shook her head and confirmed my suspicion.  I could tell she sympathized with me and was instantly given a sample of their pizza made with whole grain dough.  We did the obligatory "how do you like it?, it's great, right?" -- and she told me she actually prefers it.  It tasted good to me, so I grabbed my dough and headed for "The Line Ends Here" sign at the front of the store.

When I finally made it home, I put some pizzas together and the result was pretty awesome.  Pizza girl was right!  The whole grain dough was lighter, chewier, and crispier than my beloved whole wheat.  I'm officially a convert.

Pizza #1:  Tomato Sauce, Spinach, Roasted Red Peppers, Red Onion, Fresh Mozzarella

Pizza #2:  Goat Cheese, Spinach, Grape Tomatoes, Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Pizza #3:  Tomato Sauce, Basil, Kalamata Olives, Fresh Mozzarella

Bean There, Done That

Beans, beans are good for your heart. They're also one of my favorite foods.  When you think of beans, you probably think of mexican or latin style grub, black or red, pretty cut and dry. Claro que no!  Beans come in tons of varieties (lima, garbanzo, pinto, kidney, fava, lentil, the list goes on!) and are an excellent source of protein.  Studies show that incorporating beans into your regular diet can prevent and lower the risk of developing certain kinds of cancer.

I came across this mouthwatering recipe last week (thank you Giada!) and decided it was one to make pronto. Two of my favorite beans PLUS cheese -- I'd say that's close to perfection.

This protein packed impossibly delicious, undoubtedly healthy dish can be eaten as a meal or as a side dish.  It takes less than five minutes to make, marries well with any meat or fish and it's as pretty as it is tasty.  Definitely a crowd pleaser!

Choc This Way

Go ahead and do your best Steven Tyler impression.  Is it out of your system now?  Good.  This post was not meant to launch you into a Steven Tyler frenzy, but rather to make you feel good about eating something that's sinfully delicious and good for you too.  You guessed it.  CHOCOLATE.

As a member of one of the acceptable indulgent food groups (cheese, wine and chocolate, obviously), by eating dark chocolate you will not only send your taste buds to another galaxy, you'll satisfy that sweet-tooth and won't have to feel so guilty about it in the process.

Dark Chocolate.  Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause and chocolate (in moderate amounts!) can be good for you.  How you ask?  Sugar, fat, calories, what choo talkin' about Willis?  Well, it's not as bad as you think.

Chocolate comes from the cocoa plant, and contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables.  The benefits come from flavanoids, which act as antioxidants.  Unless you've been living under a rock you know that foods rich in antioxidants are all the rage right now (let's face it, the pomegranate is practically a celebrity).  They protect the body from aging, prevent heart disease, help relax blood pressure, and balance certain hormones.  Did you know that dark chocolate contains nearly eight times the amount of antioxidants found in strawberries?  It also contains the healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil. Thank me later.

In addition to being heart healthy, a nosh on some dark can also help the "air up there".  It tastes great and stimulates endorphin production which releases feelings of pleasure (ooh la la).  It also contains serotonin which acts as an anti-depressant, as well as caffeine and other mild stimulants for that little pick me up when you need it.

This past weekend I decided to put some dark chocolate to the test.  We know it's good on it's own -- but that's no fun.  I made a few minor changes to a "Balsamic Chocolate Truffles" recipe courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis.  Here's how they came out:

 

Wanna take a crack at it?  

8 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (try to find Valrhona, otherwise I like Green & Blacks)
1/4 cup light cream
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup cocoa powder + 2 tbsp.
2 tbsp. chopped toasted hazelnuts
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon

Melt the chocolate and cream in a double boiler over hot but not simmering water. Place melted chocolate in a small bowl. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Cool the chocolate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature until firm but moldable.

While the mixture is chilling, place a small skillet over medium heat, add the hazelnuts and toast until golden and fragrant, stirring and flipping them about for about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and finely chop.

Once the mixture is chilled use a melon baller (or a teaspoon is fine if you don't have one) to scoop out chocolate. Use your fingertips to shape into balls about the size of a cherry.  Set the chocolate balls on a parchment-lined tray.

Place the cocoa powder, cinnamon sugar, and chopped hazelnuts into three small shallow dishes. 

Place a few truffles at a time in the cocoa powder, cinnamon sugar mixture, or hazelnuts and roll them around to coat.  Return the coated truffles to the baking sheet. Continue with the remaining truffles. Place the truffles in a serving dish or airtight package and refrigerate until set. 

and...

Give them to as many people as possible, or you'll eat them all!

Nice Nicoise

I'm a lover of seafood, but tuna's not my top choice, and eggs -- well, you know the story there, so I've always been a bit dubious of the Niçoise salad.  It certainly looked good, but with the stars of the show being two ingredients I was not very fond of  I never gave the Niçoise a fair shot.

The Niçoise salad is a specialty of the Cote D'Azur region of France.  Originating in and named for the city of Nice, this French Riviera favorite was made famous by kitchen legend Julia Child. 

Here's Julia's recipe: (from Julia's Kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking)

1 large head Boston-lettuce leaves, washed and dried
1 pound green beans, cooked and refreshed
1-1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 to 2/3 cup basic vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 or 4 ripe red tomatoes, cut into wedges (or 10 to 12 cherry tomatoes, halved)
3 or 4 "boiling" potatoes, peeled, sliced, and cooked
Two 3-ounce cans chunk tuna, preferably oil-packed
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
1 freshly opened can of flat anchovy fillets
1/3 cup small black Niçoise-type olives
2 to 3 tablespoons capers
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter or in a shallow bowl. Shortly before serving, toss the beans with the shallots, spoonfuls of vinaigrette, and salt and pepper. Baste the tomatoes with a spoonful of vinaigrette. Place the potatoes in the center of the platter and arrange a mound of beans at either end, with tomatoes and small mounds of tuna at strategic intervals. Ring the platter with halves of hard-boiled eggs, sunny side up, and curl an anchovy on top of each. Spoon more vinaigrette over all; scatter on olives, capers, and parsley, and serve.

Basic Vinaigrette

1/2 tablespoon finely minced shallot or scallion
1/2 tablespoon Dijon-type mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon wine vinegar
1/3 to 1/2 cup excellent olive oil, or other fine, fresh oil
Freshly ground pepper

Either shake all the ingredients together in a screw-topped jar, or mix them individually as follows. Stir the shallots or scallions together with the mustard and salt. Whisk in the lemon juice and vinegar, and when well blended start whisking in the oil by droplets to form a smooth emulsion. Beat in freshly ground pepper. Taste (dip a piece of the salad greens into the sauce) and correct seasoning with salt, pepper, and/or drops of lemon juice.

A few weeks ago I was engrossed in my DVR'd episodes of The Barefoot Contessa.  Gold ol' Ina was cooking for some friends and was serving a salmon Niçoise platter.  Salmon is my one of my favorites.  It's not something you typically see on the menu at french bistro's but it could certainly make an appearance in my kitchen -- and DID IT EVER.  Instead of serving it deconstructed platter style like Ina, I mixed all the ingredients together.  This is definitely one of my favorite dishes to date.

So, don't shoot me, I didn't use eggs --but most definitely add them if you please!

(2 servings)

8 medium red creamer potatoes, sliced
6 ounces haricots verts, trimmed and halved
12 black olives, halved
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 cups mixed salad greens
12 small cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 6-8 oz center cut salmon
Preheat the oven to 475.

Place the salmon, skin down on a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil.  Season the salmon with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes or about 12 minutes per inch at the thickest part of the salmon. The internal temperature will be 120 degrees F on a meat thermometer when it's done.

Place a large bowl of ice water next to the stove. Bring medium sized pot of water to a boil. Place potatoes in the the boiling water, cook until tender when pierced with a fork, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer the potatoes with a slotted spoon to the ice water. Add the haricots verts to the water, and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the haricots verts with a slotted spoon to the ice water. Transfer the potatoes and haricots verts to a towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, dill and pepper in a large bowl. Add the potatoes and green beans, salad greens, tomatoes and olives.  Toss gently to coat.

[julia child] Bon Appetit! [/julia child]

The Incredible Vegetable Sandwich

I don't order in very often.  You know by now I love to cook, but there certainly days when I'm feeling less inspired or maybe just too tired (cute little rhyme right there, no?...) and luckily, in the great city of New York I can reach for the phone and have just about anything I'm craving delivered to my door in 30 minutes or less.

A few weeks ago I was having one of those days, and I couldn't decide what I wanted to eat.  I knew I wanted to keep it healthy, but my options were limited.  Sushi?  Meh.  I order sushi about once a week.  It's my staple "I don't want to cook, but I want to eat healthy" go to.  Greek?  Hmmm.  Mmmmaybe - but my local Aegean eatery, Ethos always includes a decadent and free (!) Galaktoboureko for dessert, and it would be rude for me to turn it down.  As I surfed Menu Pages, I found a spot I've walked by many times, but for one reason or another never got to try.  I double clicked and was transported to a world of great reviews and healthy goodness.  I was excited, but was now faced with a new challenge:  How could I choose just one thing. It all sounded so good.  What the hell am I going to order?!

I present to you my decision: (which I plated for your enjoyment, tyvm)

 

Incredible, right?  Would I lie?  Never.

Here we have Organique's Vegetable Panini.  This whopper of a sandwich is chock-full of portabello mushrooms, eggplant, roasted red peppers, squash, zucchini, and grilled onions topped with fresh smoked mozzarella and a schmear of sun dried tomato spread pressed between two slices of fresh baked, crusty, grilled to perfection focaccia. Add some of their baked sweet potato fries in the mix and that's a party in your mouth.  The best part?  You get the whole shebang for a recession friendly $11.

Your welcome.

Hakuna Frittata

When I was a wee little Lizz, I loved eggs. I ate them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fried, scrambled, poached, I couldn't get enough...or so I've been told. One day, when I was three years old I came home from nursery school and announced to my family that I no longer liked eggs. Apparently this sparked some controversy and I was immediately questioned on how I could so quickly change my mind about a food I loved so much. As far as I was concerned, the answer was plain and simple. An older classmate, Lissa Bolettino told me she didn't like eggs.

Until November of 2009 eggs, for me, were out of the question. The smell, the texture -- the whole idea of them really turned me off. One lazy afternoon I was watching Giada DeLaurentiis on Everyday Italian and she was offering up some breakfast recipes. I was very intrigued by her Linguine and Proscuitto Frittatas. As I watched her construct the dish from start to finish I began to crave eggs. As strange as it was, I decided to go with it.

I had some eggs in my fridge leftover from one of the Thanksgiving desserts I had made. I also had about half of the ingredients Giada used and a various potpourri of other vegetables and cheeses, so I decided to improvise. It didn't look that hard -- she just threw some things in a bowl, whisked them up and popped it in the oven. Surely, I could do the same. 10 ingredients and 30 min later, I was eating eggs again!

As I do with most of my recipes I (usually) try to take the healthiest approach with the ingredients I use. I made some substitutions and baked the eggs in one dish instead of muffin tins. I made one this morning, and snapped a pic so you could have a look at the end result:

here's the recipe I used:

Gorgonzola Mushroom Frittata

1 egg, 2 egg whites

1/3 c. milk (I used 1%)

1 tbsp. shallots

1 small clove of garlic

1 tbsp. italian flat leaf parsley

1 tbsp. roasted red peppers

1/4 c. gorgonzola crumbles

1/4 c. part skim, low moisture shredded mozzarella

1/2 c. cremini mushrooms

1/2 c. cooked whole wheat spaghetti broken in half (recommended brand De Boles)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 375.

Bring a medium sized pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Break the spaghetti in half, add to the boiling water and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 7 to 9 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander. The pasta should measure about a 1/2 cup.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and cheeses. Add the shallots, garlic, parsley, red peppers, mushrooms, salt, and pepper and stir until combined. Transfer the mixture to a medium sized (approx 7 x 2 inch) oven safe round dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until eggs are firm.

The best thing about frittatas is that you can use any ingredients you like. I really like the idea of adding the pasta because it makes the dish more versatile and can be served, and enjoyed at any time of the day.

"Grain A"

Barley. This nutritional powerhouse is a winner when it comes to eating healthy — but you can’t help but wonder, can this fiber rich grain really taste good too? I’ve always been a fan of barley in my soups and salads, but it wasn’t until a few weeks ago on the Upper West Side that I went from fan to fanatic.

Whenever I’m on the Upper West I feel like I’m in another state. Whenever I “travel” I love to take advantage of the local shops and fare. In this case it was, Zabar’s. This NYC institution known for it’s cheese selection and fish counter is not a place I visit often, but one that I won’t pass up when I’m in the ‘hood.

One hour, 20 some odd cheese tastings (I bought six), 3 loaves of bread (including a kalamata olive ciabatta fresh from the oven - YUM) and a box of rainbow cookies later I knew I had to remove myself from the store immediately before I pulled the trigger on a $65 dollar bottle of black truffle infused olive oil I was eyeing.

As I shuffled through the crowded store I made my way past the prepared foods and allowed myself to have a quick look since I’m always looking for new ideas. Needless to say there were lots of things that looked very appetizing but I found myself drawn to the container simply marked “Barley Mushroom Ragu”.

As you can tell by the empty container, I bought it and devoured it. It was delicious. I didn’t want it to end. Alas it did and but wasn’t about to go back upstate to buy more. I had a look at the ingredients and took a crack at it myself, and voila!

Just like Zabar’s! Here’s the recipe I used:

1/2 c. pearled barley
1 3/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. cremini mushrooms
1/2 c. shiitake mushrooms
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp. chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 tbsp. tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste (I recommend about a 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper)

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized pot and simmer for 1 1/4 hours or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Serve hot or at room temperature.

This can be made an entree, (like a risotto!) or as a side dish. Each serving is packed with 8g of dietary fiber which lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Enjoy!