I saw a bag of multi-colored potatoes at the farmers’ market and couldn’t resist. We don’t eat potatoes often here, but when we do we do it right. A nice variety of purple, yellow, and red potatoes provide a slight variation of texture and flavor while you’re eating these tasty tots. When it’s rainy (or snowing!) and chilly there’s nothing better than a crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside roasted potato and it doesn’t get any easier than this. Getcha some;)
- 2 pounds multicolored potatoes (red, purple, yellow)
- ~1/4 cup rosemary infused extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra drizzle if needed
- 1 Tablespoon smashed garlic
- 1 Tablespoon+ fresh thyme leaves
- 5 sprigs fresh rosemary
- fresh ground salt and pepper
~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
~ Wash and halves potatoes. Toss potato halves with olive oil, garlic, thyme, and rosemary sprigs. Spread on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until crisp on the edges and tender on the inside ~40-45 minutes depending on size, tossing halfway through cooking. When tossing, drizzle more olive oil if necessary.
ENJOY!!!
food photographer, food photography, los angeles, crystal cartier
We’ve never been big bean eaters in our house. Neither of us were ever vegetarians and never got much into bean culture but this recipe is the one bean dish that makes its way to our table fairly regularly. It’s a very healthy go-to meal that freezes well for later. A great way to get a warming and hearty dose of veggies, this soup is surprisingly rich and satisfying given it’s vegetarian status. The texture variation between the starchy beans, chewy spelt berries, crunchy veggies and buttery avocado give this soup a delightful bite. I use dried beans and power soak them (described below) to remove most of the phytates and complex bean sugars that cause beans to be the “musical fruit” and contribute to “bubble guts”, the immature way to say gastrointestinal issues. So make sure you never skip this part of the process, you’re guts will thank you for it;)
- 2-3/4 cups (19 oz) dried black bean and navy bean mix
- 2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons smashed garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2+ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 sweet potatoes, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
- 1 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup barley or spelt berries
- 10 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (you can also use kale instead or in addition)
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- salt and pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- hard aged cheese (goat or parmesan)
- ripe avocado
~ Rinse beans thoroughly, boil in plenty of water for 2 minutes, let soak in the hot water for 2+ hours, then cook at a simmer for 2 hours or until done.
~Rinse barley/spelt, bring to a boil in plenty of water, reduce heat and simmer for 30 or so minutes until tender.
~ Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven and saute onion and sweet potato for a few minutes until fragrant and a bit tender. Remove from pot and reserve.
~ Put red pepper flakes and rosemary in a tea ball or cheesecloth. Bring stock, garlic and all herbs (including thyme and bay leaves) to boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Remove tea ball.
~Mash 1 cup of cooked beans. Add mashed and rest of cooked beans and vegetables (except for the spinach) to the pot. Bring to a boil then simmer 15 minutes, adding water if needed.
~ Stir in spinach until wilted and add bell pepper. I do this now because I like the fresh crunch of the mostly uncooked bell pepper.
~ Top with shaved aged cheese and sliced avocado.
ENJOY!!!
You may remember the Thanksgiving recipe for wild rice stuffing where we used black “forbidden” rice from China. Well this week we’re using that same nutrient rich rice for a truly decadent rice pudding. “Forbidden” rice has a natural sweet flavor and is slightly glutinous. You can make your rice pudding even thicker using Thai black rice which is more of a sticky rice. If you choose to use wild rice instead (which is a grass and not glutinous) you may have to cook it a bit longer to reach the right consistency and, though it won’t achieve a custard texture, it will be delicious and chewy with a great texture all it’s own.
As rice pudding goes, this one is warming, rich and heavenly without all the baking and the eggs needed for a custard. It’s a one pan stove top job, perfect for those nights when you hadn’t planned on that crazy sweet tooth you just can’t seem to shake!
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup Thai black rice, china black rice
- 1-1/2 cup homemade (or light) coconut milk plus more for adding during cooking
- unsweetened toasted coconut chips
- 3 Tablespoons evaporated cane sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 Tablespoons quality maple syrup
- large pinch salt
~ In a pan, mix water, rice and coconut milk. Bring to boil and reduce to a simmer cooking uncovered for 45 or so until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
~ During last 10 minutes or so of cooking check the rice mixture and add more coconut milk if it gets too dry. Keep doing this as it finishes cooking to achieve the right consistency.
~ Add sugar, maple syrup and salt and simmer for a few more minutes until the pudding is the right texture.
~ Spoon into dishes and top with coconut chips and a splash more coconut milk.
ENJOY!!!
There is no reason on this beautiful green earth not to love kabocha squash. I know I’m coming on a little strong right out of the gate this week, but I’m pretty excited about squashes in general and kabocha is no ordinary squash. Kabocha is a squat, knobby skinned winter squash that is sweeter than butternut and has a texture and flavor that falls between a pumpkin and a sweet potato. It’s picked while still growing and then matures in storage for a couple months to develop a complex sweet flavor. Some people also refer to kabocha as Japanese squash. Give this homely little winter special a whirl. If you can’t find a kabocha you can substitute an acorn or carnival squash instead.
The burrata cheese imparts a delightful creaminess to this recipe which layers nicely with the floral sweetness of the lavender infused honey.
- 1 kabocha squash, seeded and cut into quarters lengthwise
- extra-virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 8 oz fresh burrata (I’ve also top these with goat cheese and plain yogurt blended to a firm but creamy consistency, also delicious)
- lavender honey for drizzling
- ground nutmeg
- ground cinnamon
~ Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
~ Brush kabocha quarters with olive oil and sprinkle with nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
~ Roast for 45+ minutes or so until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork and begins to caramelize on the edges.
~ Remove from oven, top each with a hunk of burrata cheese and drizzle with lavender honey.
ENJOY!!!
food photographer, food photography, los angeles, crystal cartier
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
What a year 2012 was! This holiday season we were chock full of festivities as we hosted Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and New Year’s Eve. With all the celebrating, it was a great time to test out a bunch of recipe ideas. This recipe was a winner (admittedly among a stinker attempt or two) and who couldn’t use a few more really impressive looking appetizer recipes up their sleeve. When you think of gorgeous, delicate appetizers I’d wager that the humble potato doesn’t come to mind. Dowdy and unassuming, the potato can be easily overlooked, but with a little slicing and herbs it is easily transformed.
I recommend a mandolin for slicing the potatoes so the slices are fairly uniform in thickness and cook evenly. Trust me, I think mandolins are scary as hell and a couple years ago even cut the tip of my thumb off trying to use one on a butternut squash! Seriously. Super duper gross. This recipe was the first time I’ve touched that menacing little torture tool since it took a hunk of my flesh. I’m glad I did because I’m pretty sure it’d have taken me a lifetime to thinly slice all of those potatoes! So here’s to the humble potato and overcoming kitchen fears in the new year! HA!
- 1-1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes – each slightly larger than a golf ball
- coarse sea salt and ground pepper
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves (or finely chopped fresh thyme)
- 2 diced green onions or 1 diced shallot
- 1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese
~Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 6 cup muffin tin or a large baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
~Thinly slice potatoes, preferably with a mandolin to ensure uniform thickness. Place a few slices in each cup and top with cheese, onion, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Continue layering potatoes and seasoning every few slices, until stacks reach top of baking dish.
~Pour roughly 1 tablespoon heavy cream over each. Cover and bake until potatoes are golden brown and tender, about 40 minutes, removing cover half way through baking to get them nice and crispy on the edges. Gently scoop them out and serve immediately.
ENJOY!!!
food photographer, food photography, los angeles, crystal cartier
Happy Holidays to you and yours. I hope your homes are filled with warmth, love and delicious treats this holiday season!
Eat, drink and be Merry!!
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Pumpkin Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt with Maple Praline Pine Nuts
One of the best things about fall and winter is the abundance of pumpkin inspired recipes and sweets. Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, and today pumpkin cheesecake frozen yogurt. It’s the best of two already delicious worlds combining the decadent smoothness of cheesecake with the tart chewiness of frozen yogurt. This recipe was one of those tests that was either going to be a triumph or an icy, glob of frozen failure. I’m happy to say that it was a true winner and may very likely find it’s way to our Christmas dinner table this year! So good! It’d be unbelievable on top of pies too. The maple praline pine nuts are optional but really quite amazing and super easy. You could also use pecans instead like the toasted maple pecans from last week’s post.
Give this sweet baby a try!
ICE CREAM
- 8 oz neufchatel cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1-1/4 cup quickly strained full fat yogurt
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup evaporated cane juice (unrefined sugar)
- 1/4 cup high quality maple syrup
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch salt
~ In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of the coconut milk to make a slurry.
~ In a large bowl, place cream cheese, yogurt, pumpkin puree and a pinch of salt.
~ In a heavy bottomed pot heat the rest of the coconut milk, sugar and spices stirring CONTINUOUSLY. Bring to boil, add slurry, whisk for one more minute.
~ Remove from heat and pour into the bowl with cream cheese, yogurt, pumpkin puree and salt. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth.
~ If still warm, cool in an ice bath. Spin in ice cream maker for 20 minutes or until done.
~ Spoon frozen mixture into air-tight container, sprinkling in 1/3 cup of praline pine nuts as you go if desired, and freeze.
~ Remove from freezer 15-20 minutes before serving to allow to soften.
MAPLE PRALINE PINE NUTS
- 1 cup pine nuts
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
~ Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
~ Melt butter and heat syrup, mix in salt and spices, add nuts and toss to coat.
~ Spread on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes. Stir and bake for 4 more minutes. Stir once more and bake for 2 minutes.
~ Stir to break up any clumps as the nuts cool.
ENJOY!!!
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Herb Toasted Pecans Candied with Maple Syrup
My-oh-my did I underestimate this simple, thrown together idea! I guess it just seemed too easy to be that good but I stand corrected. Make these. Period. Don’t even think about it just go in the kitchen and whip up a batch! Then try not to eat them all in one sitting. Go on, I double dog dare you!!! I even pretended to save some for later, putting half of the batch in a little ziplock bag. My charade was shattered pretty dang quick when I was busted gobbling down my “saved for later” stash by the handful. Oh well, could be worse for you, right? 
This version of candied pecans is light and crunchy, unlike it’s thickly sugar-coated cousins. It has a great balance of sweet and savory and the maple syrup lends a richness to the flavor that sugar never could. All the while you can still really taste the nuttiness underneath it all, a perfect balance. A teeny tiny pinch of cayenne or some smoky pepper heat might be a nice addition to this recipe as well.
AND they’re pretty to boot! I got a little carried away because I enjoyed shooting them so much. Look at that gorgeous glisten;) haha!
- 2 cups raw pecans
- 2 Tablespoons butter (I think it would work with coconut oil too for vegans)
- large pinch sea salt
- small pinch pepper
- 1/4 cup high quality pure maple syrup
- 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
~ Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
~Melt butter, add salt, pepper and maple syrup.
~Remove from heat, add pecans and herbs and toss well to coat.
~Spread on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until fragrant, stirring halfway through.
ENJOY!!!
food photographer, food photography, los angeles, crystal cartier
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Chewy Dark Chocolate Fudge with Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk
So I’m way over here on the left coast and my mom and her delectable homemade fudge are all the way on the right coast. ‘Nuff said, I’m sure you see my problem. This week I’ve remedied the fudge part of that equation. Mom is still on the east coast, a total bummer, but a slightly tweaked version of her holiday fudge is in my fridge. Mmmmmm happy day! She makes hers with a can of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz) and 3 cups of semi-sweet morsels. I altered the recipe just a bit to make it even darker and shockingly vegan but it is just as rich, chewy and smooth as mom’s very own!
I make homemade coconut milk which is thinner than the commercial canned version. This recipe will outline how to make sweetened condensed homemade coconut milk with notes on using the canned version as well. That said, feel free to use regular sweetened condensed milk if your short or time or don’t really care to make your own coconut version.
If you’re far from family like I am, you know how these little tastes of home can make the holiday season a bit warmer. I hope you all enjoy delicious homemade fares from the ones you love this season.
SWEETENED CONDENSED COCONUT MILK
- 4 cups homemade coconut milk or 2 cans full fat coconut milk (~14oz each)
- 1/2 c Honey
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder (*ONLY if using homemade coconut milk)
~In sauce pan, combine coconut milk and honey.
~Simmer vigorously in a large heavy sauce pan until liquid is reduced by half and color is pale amber. Stir regularly. Liquid should have a light syrup consistency.
~If using homemade coconut milk, whisk in cornstarch/arrowroot powder and simmer vigorously for another minute. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until use.
*Makes just under 2 c
FUDGE
- 4oz unsweetened cocoa baking bar, broken up
- 2-1/3 cup semisweet chocolate (1- 12oz bag plus 1/3 cup)
- 14 ounces (just under 2 cups) homemade sweetened condensed coconut milk OR 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- large pinch of salt
- 1 cup chop nuts
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- unsweetened toasted coconut chips (or shreds)
~In a heavy sauce pan over low heat melt chocolate with chosen condensed milk then add salt. Whisk thoroughly.
~Remove from heat, add vanilla and nuts. Spread evenly into wax paper lined 8 or 9 inch square pan. Sprinkle top heavily with coconut chips.
~ Chill for two hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off paper and cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator.
ENJOY!!! (thanks Mom;)
food photographer, food photography, los angeles, crystal cartier
This little ditty is a rainy day pick me up, a perfect treat as rainy season approaches here in SoCal and a lovely warming winter drink in those snowy regions. Not only is it a spiced hot cider but the bourbon gives you that warm tingle going down. One thing I really miss about the east coast is incredible crunchy, sweet apples. I have a hell of a time finding a decent cider over here so I mulled the pants off of this drink until it was a spicy, sweet, bourbon-y delight. As a bonus, it makes the house smell incredible!!!
What hot drink recipes do you stand by when the cold weather creeps in and the holidays approach?
- 1 quart (4 cups) apple cider
- 3 large cinnamon sticks
- 1/3 cup dried oranges OR the peel and slices of 1 orange
- 12 pods of cardamon
- 15 allspice berries
- 3 whole star anise
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary (optional)
- 1 cup quality bourbon
- sliced small apples
- tiny pat of butter, 1 per drink (optional)
~Simmer cider, cinnamon, orange slices and orange peels, cardamom, allspice, star anise and rosemary in a saucepan. Simmer until liquid has reduced by half, 15-20 minutes. Add bourbon and stir until warmed. Can be kept over low heat partially covered to keep warm.
~Pour into mugs and garnish with a cinnamon stick and a thin slice of apple. Top with a small pat of butter if desired.
ENJOY!!!
food photographer, food photography, los angeles, crystal cartier
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