Sweet Potato and Zucchini Frittata

I’m counting down the days until I leave for Malta. It’s strange, almost like a dream, to be planning for a year abroad. The semester is half over, and there is so much to consider: medication, budgeting, schoolwork along with a 40-hour workweek. It’s all so surreal, but it’s typical of me. I never do things at half-mast. If I’m going to experience change, it’s going to be a ton of changes all at once, like a Band-Aid being pulled off quickly to avoid the prolonged suffering.

Thirty-eight days. I have just over a month and a week until I fly to Europe. Thirty-eight days to see as many people as I can, to make as many memories as I can, and to get as much schoolwork and paperwork done as possible before I board that plane. What books do I bring? What clothes do I pack? Would I be able to pack the large teddy bear that CK (the boyfriend, that is) gave me for Christmas last year? Could I pack my hobbies and paint, sew, rock climb, and photograph while I was away? What about the Insanity workout and yoga? What about gardening?

Volunteering as a Photographer for MD's Halloween Bloc Party

It’s all so daunting in an exciting, holy crap sort of way. I’ve never been to a place that didn’t have leaves change or snow fall during months that usually do in my neck of the woods before. Actually, I’ve never been to the Mediterranean before either, but I’ve heard wonderful things from CK (you can get to know him here). For one thing, the cheese and the wine are famous for reasons taste buds can accredit; for another, local food sources year-round would be in abundance. These things excite me almost as much as the internship and being in the same time zone as CK do. There’s an entire culture I get to be part of, with recipes to make to further understand the country I’ll be living in.

But what about the autumn weather I so enjoy here on the east coast? What about the fall flavors of root vegetables and warm spices to fill you up and ground you: will it be the same over in Malta? Will baked apples, squash, and other slow-cooked foods provide the same satisfaction in Mediterranean weather as it does around this time of year back home?

I have no idea, but I’m excited to find out. Until then, I have a series of recipes that are perfect for the autumn season: warm, filling, nutritious, and (as always) gluten-free.

Sweet Potato and Zucchini Frittata

1 tbsp. Ghee*
1 tbsp. Olive oil
600 g / 3 small Sweet potatoes, shredded
1 Green zucchini, shredded
1 Yellow onion, halved and sliced into thin crescents
4 Garlic cloves
100 g Fresh kale, coarsely chopped
9 Large eggs, blended
Sea Salt, to taste
Herbs, to taste**
3 Small tomatoes, sliced thinly

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large, deep skillet (or stainless steel wok) on medium heat, pour the oils and spread along the bottom of the pan.
At smoking point, add the onions and sauté for a minute or so, and then the sweet potato, zucchini, and garlic.
Cover and let soften for five to ten minutes, stirring periodically to make sure it cooks thoroughly but doesn’t burn.
Once softened, turn off the heat and toss in the salt and herbs, followed by the eggs (you may need to turn the mixture in the pan to ensure even coating).
Place the tomatoes on top in a design of your choosing.
Cover the pan with foil and baked in the oven for 30 minutes.
Take the foil of the top and allow the frittata to bake for another 20 - 30 minutes or until done.
Remove from the oven and let it sit for a couple minutes.
Slice into wedges and serve hot.

Makes 4 Servings.

*If you don't have ghee, you can substitute with regular butter. If you want this to be completely dairy free, you can just use 2 tbsp. olive oil instead.

**You could do just about anything with this dish regarding herbs. I mean, I considered allspice and cinnamon. But I ended up with a couple dashes each of tarragon, basil, and Parisian Bonnes Herbes.

A September Monday Brunch

Autumn has begun to show its colors as we firmly settle into September. Certain fruits and vegetables are no longer in season, and more and more vendors at the farmers markets have signs that say, “This is the last week we are selling ___. Buy now for canning and freezing in the winter.”

Never before has my heart clenched over such an announcement. I feel that my first year of blogging was experimenting with how to make food; but as I am a quarter into my second year writing Meals with Morri posts, it has transformed into food activism, health, and gardening. I have more than recipes swirling around my head. I have plans on changing the way we look at food and where it comes from.

Farmers markets have really shifted my priorities on the food budget. Buying local, sustainable, and organic food, both from the weekend markets and stores like Trader Joe’s, are really not that much different in price when I bought solely from international markets and other stores (cheaper, even). Even more disturbing is how the quality differs, how the farmers market’s garlic is crisp and strong while the ones we used to by at the international market trekked from far lands and severely lacked in texture and flavor. You can say the same thing for just about any fruit, vegetable, dairy/meat product: the celery is greener, the mozzarella is soft and stretchy, the apples are beautifully imperfect and significantly more filling, the tomatoes are sweet and wonderfully varied in color and texture, and the herbs taste like they came from the garden that morning (which, coincidentally, they probably had).

I have my compost pile underway, and I have plans for gardening for the following year. I have graduate school to officially apply for, and I have much to study. So what better way to start a Monday morning with all of these plans and adventures in the making than a brunch to celebrate a new month and season?

When my good friend CB and I went to Toledo for the weekend, the drive was starting to get to us. By hour eight, we were tired, hungry, and the highway started to look like it would never end. Then he mentioned having a friend living a Cleveland and asked if we could make a stop to visit. I was determined to get to Toledo, but I did need to get out of the car and nap, so I agreed.

Whatever misconceptions I had about Cleveland were completely turned upside down when we entered the city. Our friend took us on tour to visit the nooks and crannies that left me in awe. Truthfully, had I eaten and slept throughout the trip, I would have been more excited to walk around and take photos. But the fact that I could walk on hour ten of our journey was a miracle in itself. Ah, well. I guess that means another trip to Ohio is in order…

He took us to this plot of land by the projects, where acres of beautiful fruits and vegetables grew in rows of outstanding abundance. I saw hops, hanging high overhead, and Brussels sprout stems bare from harvest. Carrot greens shyly rose above the soil, and kale in its confidence was lush and green.

(source)

And then there was The West Side Market and his own little garden (with chickens!), two places I really wished I had been well rested and with a camera to share their marvels with you. He took us back to his cozy apartment where I napped in the guest bedroom while the two men made breakfast for lunch. When I awoke, I came out to see them sitting on the porch with a buffet of delightful foods: fruits and cheeses, banana nut pancakes (alas, the gluteny kind), and omelets.

Now, I must mention that my appetite is wonky on long travels. I prefer to not eat, at least not too much, because I figure my lack of motion would balance it out. We had been on the road since two-thirty that morning, and having eaten at odd times, I wasn’t sure how hungry I was. And though I kept saying I wasn’t hungry, I grabbed cubes of succulent mango he purchased from the West Side Market, as well as various slices of cheese and berries. My new friend wouldn’t take no for an answer: I was eating.

He made me this amazing omelet (did I mention he was a professionally trained cook?): eggs with half and half, rainbow chard, fennel sprigs, and Havarti with dill (my absolute favorite cheese). It tasted amazing, warmed my empty stomach and tired body, and I was a brand new Morri for the remainder of our drive.

When we came back to Virginia, I was determined to recreate that delectable omelet and share it with you. Today was the perfect day to make it for the household. Where it was made for us to ease our travels, I made it for the same reasons: warmth, love, and intentions of well-being wherever my family was going.

Thank you, dear David from Ohio. I dedicate this recipe to people such as yourself and the food movement Cleveland has embraced.  

The Baked Cleveland Omelet

8 Large eggs
340 ml Whole milk*
100 g Rainbow chard, stems removed and sliced into long strips
1 Garlic clove, finely chopped
120 g Havarti with dill, divided in half and thinly sliced or grated
1 – 2 tbsp. Fennel sprigs, finely chopped
Sea salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a medium-sized bowl, thoroughly blend the eggs and milk and set aside.
Grease a deep dish 8 x 8” pan with coconut oil and layer the ingredients in the following order: chard, garlic, 60 g of the Havarti, the egg mixture, the fennel sprigs, and the remaining 60 g of Havarti (or more if you want a cheesier top).
Bake for thirty minutes, until bubbling and firm when pierced in the center with a knife.
Turn off the oven and let it sit there for an additional five minutes.
Slice to the serving sizes of your preference and serve warm over rice.

Makes 4 – 8 servings, depending on meal.

* As I said, you can also use half and half or whatever "milk" you happen to have on hand. The raw milk we purchased from the Amish was starting to sour, so I used it for this recipe. 

The First Vacation of the Summer

Spending Father’s Day in North Carolina as part of a five-day adventure with Grandpa B, Grandma D, and Mama Dazz was just the vacation I needed. I thought about bringing my laptop along, to blog whenever I found a quiet moment, but those quiet moments had other plans for me.

For one, without the computer screen glaring at me, tempting me with social media and “Bisy Backson” tendencies, we traveled around the state to a centuries old graveyard, ate watermelon at the beach, bought freshwater fish for Grandpa B’s lacking aquarium, fed leftover breakfast toast to his chickens, and cooked amazing dinners without recipes.

 

I had the opportunity to take in the beauty of a June morning without a camera in between, and breathe in the summer air without a care in the world.

It was a great vacation.

I came back to Northern Virginia on Sunday, wishing many of the amazing fathers in my life a happy day. And for the second Sunday in a row, we took out our new charcoal grill and I can happily say my first time grilling bone-in New York strips were a delicious medium-rare. And after cooking veggies with Grandpa B on his grill, I can’t wait for grilling more than just meat on Sundays (now the official Grill Day in the family for as long as the seasons and weather permits).

A few things came out of this vacation: one, learning about Mama Dazz’s side of the family tree; two, how to take photos with my iPod touch and Nikon D50 interchangeably; three, I’m in love with W. B. Yeats and his work; four, I am officially starting a garden this summer, and finally, I really, really, really want chickens.  

If I had chickens (and ducks and goats and horses…), I wouldn’t have to go to the store for eggs ever again, and all I’d have to do is go to the coop and get what I needed for this recipe.

Cast Iron Skillet Custard with Veggies & Ricotta Cheese

30 ml Coconut oil
100 g Carrots, grated
175 g White mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 Medium red onion, coarsely chopped
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp. Sea salt
1 tsp. Cracked pepper
1/4 tsp. Thyme
1 pinch Tarragon
200 g* (4 Large) Eggs
400 ml Water
120 g Ricotta cheese
3 Small tomatoes, quartered

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the coconut oil.
At the oil’s smoking point, cook the carrots, mushrooms, onion, and garlic cloves until softened and slightly browned, and stir in the seasonings.
Turn off the heat and set aside.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the eggs until frothy and a light yellow color and fold in the ricotta so it is fully integrated.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan and place the tomato wedges around the edges (much like the numbers on the face of a clock).
Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or when a knife runs clean from testing the doneness in the center.
Serve warm (or cold) over your favorite side dish, preferably rice or quinoa.

Makes 4 servings.

One Eggtastic Year

On my one-year blogversary, I meant to write the things I learned along the way. But as you recall, I spent those days fighting off something I’d never wish upon anyone. I had recipes lined up for that week, most of which I couldn’t even muster the energy to write them down (let alone make it). But today is the last day of taking the antibiotic, and hopefully I’ll be back on my fitness regimen and social calendar by Monday. 

For now, I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned these last twelve months. For instance:

• I learned that measuring ingredients by weight makes recipes easier to follow and more precise.
• I learned that there is a huge difference between healthy food and eating healthily.
• I learned that taking things too seriously is not the same as seeing them as they are.
• I learned to accept the mistakes I’ve made, both in and out of the kitchen, and that the best way to move on is to let it go.
• I learned that life is one huge experiment that has more than one equation and more than one answer.
• I learned to work around my “weaknesses” instead of denying ever having them at all, making me a stronger person as a result.
• I learned that comparing myself to others is a disservice to both parties involved.
• I learned that my dreams are enormous… and so are my plans to seeing them through.
• I learned that food is a philosophy in of itself and that making a recipe is as rewarding as writing poetry. 
• I learned that grain-free flours are my favorite to use and how applesauce makes a great sugar substitute.
• I learned that progress is still progress, no matter how small you think it is, and that I’ll get to where I want to be soon enough.

As for what I hope to learn, I plan:

• To enhance my cooking technique and plating skills
• To really understand how digital photography and editing works
• To become a better writer
• To write many restaurant, book, and product reviews
• To go on food-related adventures (i.e., farmers markets, food/health/environment festivals, conventions, etc.)
• To understand as much as I can about hypothyroidism, how it relates to my health (eating and fitness included), and how it can help others find healing
• To accept that I am human, that I do make mistakes, and that I don’t have to be perfect
• To make delicious confections, desserts, and finger foods that holds to the Meals With Morri motto
• To focus on being happy and healthy and not on how much I weigh
• To be relaxed and able to handle whatever stress comes my way
• To continue avidly rock climbing and running, and to also balance my activity with meditation, yoga, and the right food intake

And I invite you all learn along with me.

This recipe is one I’m particularly proud of, because it has everything you like about egg foo young without all the stuff you don't like. Back in my BGF days, we used to order Chinese takeout often. We consumed vast amounts of fried chicken wings, fried rice, fried egg rolls, and we would switch egg drop soup for hot and sour when the mood struck us. But once in a while we ordered the egg foo young, an eggy mass completely submerged in gravy of indiscernible origins. It was a way of feeding me vegetables without my catching wise, but I have a feeling it wasn’t the healthiest option on the menu.

Initially I was going to make separate the mixture into individual servings, cooked one at a time for every plate. My biggest concern, though, was that one person may not get an equal amount of the veggie goodness in their omelet. So I did the next best thing: I turned it into a frittata.

It had to be done.

This recipe doesn’t include gravy, simply because I felt it didn’t need it. Instead, I drizzled the top with sesame seed oil, providing a lovely flavor that didn’t overpower the rest of the ingredients. The dish turned out to be light and filling in all the right ways, and a great new way to keep egg dishes interesting.

Veggie Love Egg Foo Young Frittata

3 Carrots, coarsely grated
1 Celery rib, coarsely grated or finely chopped
1 White onion, finely chopped
100 g (around 2 c.) Mung bean sprouts*, cleaned and patted dry
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Cracked pepper
1 tbsp. Black sesame seeds
8 Large eggs, lightly beaten (yolks and whites still separated)
Coconut oil, for greasing
Sesame oil, for garnish

Combine the veggies in a mixing bowl and fold in the eggs and spices until evenly distributed.
Place the coconut oil in a large iron skillet pan on medium heat, and then pour the egg mixture and cook until the sides begin to bubble.
Place the dish under the broiler until fully cooked (about five minutes… but watch it closely!).**
Slice into the desired number of servings and garnish with sesame oil.

 Makes 1 frittata, 4 – 8 servings depending on if it is a main dish or an appetizer.

* Can’t find mung bean sprouts? For those who tolerate soy, they can be substituted with soy bean sprouts.
** If you don’t have a broiler, or feel uncomfortable using this method, look to my crustless quiche recipe and follow those instructions.

Missing my Kitchen Groove

After the various “Oh, crepe!” moments mentioned in my last post, you could say I’ve lost my groove in the kitchen. Z from Z’s Cup of Tea called it her “kitchen confidence”, and I could relate to what she was going through. My various pancake recipes smoked up the house. My experiments lacked something crucial in every recipe I tried. Multiple meals stuck to the bottom of the pan. Even my fitness regimen seemed to be lacking something.

"You threw off my groove!" (source)

I don’t think I’ve lost my kitchen groove (mojo, confidence, or whatever floats your boat), but it has been misplaced and I miss it terribly.

Despite being thrown off my game, I do what I can to remain positive. For instance, my runs seem less exhausting, and although my face is often the color of a sunburned tourist who couldn’t tan to save their life, my breathing is less haggard and I’m running faster for longer periods. As for rock climbing, I seem to have hit a wall (ha.), but I can go up and down E4s – E6s in seconds and I’m falling significantly more gracefully than before. There’s a V0 that requires transferring from one wall to another with a protruding corner, and then using that wall to get to the incline with the remaining holds to reach the top (this is the same one that I fell off of and my chin and chest collided with each other) that I want to conquer next week. That, and the E5 right next to it that is similar in difficulty, only without an incline.

Anyway, it’s Sunday. It’s daylight savings. We’re one hour closer to next week, and one hour closer to getting my groove back. In the meantime, I want to share a lunch I had earlier in the week that’s high in protein, keeps you full, and isn’t wasteful of leftover batter.

I was intrigued by Ashley’s use of leftover French toast batter and turning the “cinnamon eggs” into scrambled deliciousness or a fruit-filled omelet with yogurt on top. Still in a crepe-y mood, I wanted to embody that waste-not mentality. Thus, after lightly breading egg washed chicken tenders in almond meal, I combined the remaining amounts of both and turned it into a wrap for my chicken, green beans, and leeks.

Garnish with tomatoes, and you’re good until dinner.

Almond Meal Omelet with Chicken Tenders, Green Beans, & Leeks

3 (187 g) Chicken breast tenderloins
1 (52 g) Egg
52 ml Water
25 g Almond meal
Pinch of salt
85 g French cut green beans
50 g Leeks, thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Cook the green beans and leeks together until tender over medium heat and set aside.
Mix together the water and egg thoroughly to make the egg wash, and set aside in a bowl.
Pour the almond meal in another bowl of the same size and also set aside.
Generously dip the chicken tender meat into the egg wash and transfer them to the almond meal to cover with “breading”.
Lay them on a baking pan lined with greased tin foil and bake for twenty minutes*, flipping them over midway (you can also pan-fry them, in which case the oven is not needed).
Combine the remaining egg wash and almond meal together, and place a skillet pan (or in my case, a cast iron griddle pan) over medium heat.
When ready, grease with your cooking oil of choice and cook as you would a crepe (the crepe is very delicate, so I found it handy putting it under the boiler instead of flipping it).
When cooked all the way through, plop the crepe onto a plate, line the center with the greens and the cut up chicken tender pieces, and cover the edges.
Garnish with tomato wedges and your favorite savory condiments like sour cream or mustard.

Serves 1.

*Note: the meat came out a tad dry, and I'm not sure if it had to do with me leaving them in the oven after it was turned off or if it needed something else to keep it moist. Thoughts?

Spiced Butternut & Carrot Stew with Herbed Quail Egg Custard Cups

I must have thought up the following post over a dozen times, some of which I had written and some that I had thought up when there was time to spare. I thought of mentioning Mother Nature’s sense of humor, my travels, my hectic schedule, and other things that I feel may interest you (well, to amuse you, anyway). But for the moment, because I’ve missed blogging, I’m just going to say this: I’m glad I have a scale.

Artful Dodger makes a mean Americano!

When I visited the boyfriend in Harrisonburg (he’s at JMU for his job), I sadly left my scale behind. For one excruciating week I tried *shudder* baking by volume, and all my recipes that I had been successful in simply turned out floppish and unappealing. It occurs to me that when I bought my scale, I used it for cooking, yes. On a darker side, I also used it for portion control, so that I’d know just how much was going into my mouth and what. Recently, however, I realized that it helped me keep track of my eating in a positive way. I wasn’t eating nearly enough for my fitness regimen, and last week was quite all over the place. By Friday I couldn’t take it anymore.

I had a decision to make; either I drive two and a half hours to get my scale from him or buy a new one. After weighing the pros and the cons, I figured it would be easier and more economical (I mean, have you seen gas prices lately?) to buy a new one. It’s shiny and sensitive and has that new scale smell, but I still like my old one better. We have a history, it and I. Though I happily say I broke the new one in with not one, but two recipes, and it has become what looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

The stew-soup hybrid (stewp, perhaps?) itself was something I’ve wanted to do for a while now. It’s not exactly what I expected, but it was still delicious. I plan on tinkering the recipe and trying again, because I think it needed more carrot and ginger, maybe an extra helping of coconut milk. But when you blend it, don’t put it all in at once! You’ll end up with a boiling hot mess all over the blender and counter-top. Believe me, I know this from experience.

The herbed quail custard cups were merely an experiment to celebrate the awesomeness of having a scale again. I can’t tell you enough how amazing recipes are with the accuracy of measuring by weight, and then assuring those wanting to try it out themselves that it will work for them also. I do think they were in the oven a little longer than they had to be, but it was something new and different to have for dinner. 

Spiced Butternut and Carrot Stew

567 g Butternut squash, peeled and cut
191 g/ 4 medium Carrots, peeled and cut
16 g Fresh ginger, peeled and cut
4 Garlic cloves, whole
240 ml Water
400 ml Coconut milk
1 tsp. Sea salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Turmeric
1/2 tsp. Cracked pepper
1/2 tsp. Cloves
1 Bay leaf

Put all of the ingredients in a pressure cooker or large pot on medium heat until the vegetables have softened.
Pour the mixture into a blender in batches until completely pureed, and then back into the pot to reheat.
Serve hot and garnish with homemade bacon pieces* and a dollop of sour cream.

Serves 4.

Herbed Quail Egg Custard Cups

183 g/ 18 Quail eggs
366 ml Water
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp. Powdered rosemary
Dash of Paprika
Homemade bacon pieces*, optional

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
Place 6 small oven-proof bowls or ramekins in a large roasting pan and fill the pan so that the water comes three-fourths the way up the sides of the ramekins.
Remove the ramekins and carefully place the pan of water in the oven.
Combine the ingredients for the custard (except the paprika and bacon pieces) and blend until the mixture is uniform and evenly fill the ramekins.
Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until the custards are almost set.
Remove them to a rack to cool, and either refrigerate to serve chilled later or serve warm.
Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and bacon pieces on top.

Makes 6 small custards. Serves 3 – 6.

Bacon pieces*: For bacon I can eat, I simply buy thinly sliced pork belly at bake it in an aluminum foil lined baking sheet, covered also, at 400ºF until it takes on a bacon-y crispness. That’s usually when I season it with sea salt and cracked pepper.

Instant Quail Mayonnaise with Dijon Mustard & Fresh Dill

Wow. My 100th post. Already? It seems like it was yesterday I was posting about pancakes.

Moving on.

There are some things in the food world that people feel is tedious to make, hard to make, or unnecessary to make. Thus, it has been brought to us in millions of brands, with different ways of making it, and different prices based on the quality of the ingredients.

Off the top of my head I can think of two food categories that fit this description: baked goods and condiments. The Gluten Free Ratio Rally helped me see the error of my ways for the former. As for the latter, well, let’s just say I have a fairly condiment-free existence.

And I’m okay with that, despite the fact I love various nut butters, sour cream, and Dijon mustard. But there is one condiment that I think everyone at some point in their lives has a love-hate relationship with. That, my friends, is mayonnaise.

A great condiment for this recipe.

Most of us were introduced to mayonnaise as a white, oily, and, in my personal experience, foul smelling concoction posing as what mayonnaise used to be from the olden days. As a kid I put a little on my ham and cheese sandwiches, and [sometimes] a teeny bit in my tuna salads. But after a while I just couldn’t manage that… that stuff anymore. Burt-man loves the store-bought brands, and we joke that he looks for things to put on it instead of the other way around. Recently, though, we’ve noticed that some of the things we make for dinner are missing something where hot gravies, broths, and other condiments wouldn’t work as well.

The mayonnaise I’m referring isn’t store-bought, and there’s something else that adds to its uniqueness. As the title of this post has told you, this form of mayonnaise is made with quail eggs.

[source]

Quail eggs are the cutest things. It takes five of them to equal the calories and weight of a large chicken egg. Their shells are a pain to open, and don’t get me started on attempting to separate the yolks from the whites. Besides that, they have a marvelous taste to them. For some reason, they taste rather “blue” to me.

The beauty of quail eggs, and the reason why I chose them to make mayonnaise, was because of the bird itself. Since the birds have a higher body temperature as well as various other awesome things, it is impossible for salmonella to be present in the eggs. Therefore, it is completely, totally, and utterly safe to eat them (the eggs) raw… within reason, of course.

Hence, mayonnaise. The instant (albeit epic) kind. My recipe is adapted from Ruhlman’s book Ratio, so of course it turned out awesomely.

Instant Quail Mayonnaise with Dijon Mustard & Fresh Dill

3 Quail eggs (the whites give it a lighter color and airy texture)
2 tsp. Lemon juice
1 tsp. Water
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. Sea salt
90 g (> 3.15 oz or 1/2 c.) Olive oil
1 Dill sprig, leaves removed from the stem
1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Combine the quail eggs, lemon juice, water, and salt in the food processor’s smallest work bowl and pulse until mixed.
Add a few drops of oil, hold the pulse button and blend until an emulsion forms (a few seconds at the most).
With the blade running, pour the remaining oil slowly into the chute for the mixture to incorporate the oil.
Once the mayonnaise has solidified and opaque, add the dill leaves and Dijon mustard and pulse until thoroughly merged.
Use immediately or store up to three days in the fridge.

Makes roughly 1/2 c. 

Socca Donuts

Sometimes you find foods that were meant to be together, foods that have a compatible relationship in the mixing bowl, in the oven, and most importantly, in your body. Eggs and socca have that kind of bond, for two very different recipes.

When I prepared socca with an egg for the first time, the taste and texture was a cross between a crepe and a tortilla. It had those beautiful air pockets much like a tortilla has, and if it been kept under the broil a little longer it would have been perfect for a quesadilla lunch.

All you need is a single serving socca recipe and one large egg mixed in the batter. 

Now, in my search for socca inspiration, I was thinking about using my donut pan for my socca addiction. This is where the socca and the egg marry once again into a beautiful outcome. The first time I made them, they were airy and savory. The second time I made them, they were moist and sweet. Next time I will add the teaspoon of maple sugar to the airy and savory recipe and see how it goes without half an ounce of unsweetened applesauce.

Socca Donuts

2.1 oz Garbanzo bean flour
3.25 oz Water
1 tsp. Olive oil
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/4 tsp. Baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and place the greased donut pan in the center.
Mix together the ingredients (sans the baking powder and baking soda) and let it sit on the counter for half an hour.
Take the donut pan out of the oven, add in the baking powder and baking soda, and pour the batter in the molds (I was able to make four).
Bake for thirty minutes until done.
Top with your choice of savory spreads, like peanut butter, cream cheese, hummus, etc.

Makes 4 donuts.

Huevos Rancheros

Inspiration overload. And before you say anything smart or sarcastic, yes, it does exist.

Maybe it feels overwhelming because I’ve been feeling a bit blah since last week. It could be the August Blues or Mercury in retrograde. It could be the lightning that struck so close to my house last Tuesday that a sharp, intense pain like abrading glass passed through my skull while cooking dinner.

Whatever it is, I’m behind three blog posts.

Today, I went out to lunch at a Thai restaurant with my dad, though all I had was green tea due to a tender stomach. The rest of his side of the family is in Pennsylvania for the week, but he had to stay behind for work (and help his wife’s youngest pack up for another year at JMU) and I have a Boston wedding to attend this weekend. I arrived rather early to his office, and we took the opportunity to browse the nearby Border’s bookstore, one of the many locations that is going out of business. But for less than twenty dollars, I bought three cookbooks, all of which give readers the ability to cook and bake by weight and/or volume. The best part about the recipes was that many are naturally gluten free, and I’m confident I can substitute unfriendly ingredients with friendly ones.

The Books:
Comfort food: More than 120 easy recipes for every day. (2010). Sydney: Murdoch Books.

Rodgers, R. (2010). The world kitchen: Favorite international recipes to cook at home. San Francisco, CA: Weldon Owen.

Williams, C.; Kidd, K.; Kolpas, N.; & Williams-Sonoma. (2010). Cooking at home. San Francisco, Cal: Weldon Owen.

As I glanced through the books with a sense of wonder and veneration, a few of the recipes called out to me. Whenever I use someone else’s recipes, I tend to stray away from doing it exactly as they had. I may change the ingredients I use, sometimes even going so far as altering how I prepare the dish, because good recipes enable you to make it yours. You can add or remove elements of the dish. You can change how you cook it, or use recipes as insight to making something totally different.

Being gluten free gives me that innovative freedom, and the Huevos Rancheros recipe (Comfort Food, p.20) is the first of many recipes from these books where my creative license will be incorporated.

Huevos Rancheros (Served Over Polenta Disks* & Refried Beans)

1 tbsp. Ghee & 1 tbsp. Olive oil, for greasing the pan
1 Yellow squash (sm.), halved vertically and thinly sliced
1 Green squash (sm.), halved vertically and thinly sliced
16 oz Chipotle-Garlic salsa
1 Red onion (sm.), halved and thinly sliced
1 Shallot, thinly sliced horizontally
1 Orange bell pepper, julienned and coarsely chopped
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 Eggs
2 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Put the ghee and olive oil in a large frying pan (one with a lid) over medium heat.
Add the vegetables and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
After turning down the heat to medium-low and including the salsa, cover with a lid and let simmer gently for 8-10 minutes.
Smooth the surface of the mixture and make 8 hollows with the back of a spoon or small ladle.
Break an egg into each hollow and put the lid on the pan, cooking for 5 minutes or until they are set. (Be sure not to overcook the yolks… like I did. :D)
Serve the eggs over polenta disks (or tortillas) and refried beans with Parmesan lightly sprinkled on top.

*To make the polenta disks, I used Trader Joe’s 18 oz Precooked Polenta. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the polenta tube into 8 equal circles and lay them flat on a greased baking sheet, lightly coated with olive oil or cooking spray on top. Cook for 45 minutes, flipping them over halfway. Turn on the broiler and crisp each side until golden brown.

Serves 4.

Prosciutto & Basil Crustless Quiche

I just found out that I would have to provide my own meals throughout my internship at George Mason University with the Benjamin Franklin Summer Institute of South and Central Asia. My job is to watch over the kids after hours, like a camp counselor, and sleep in the commons on campus. I will have a community sitting room to my disposal in a different building (and likely only at certain times of the day), but I’ve never had to deal with something like this. The whole reason I chose off-campus housing was having my own kitchen (that, and it was extremely cheap in comparison with the suites on campus), because the university lacks in allergy-friendly dining and labeling.

So, for the last week of June and the majority of July, I’ll be hanging out with awesome kids from south and central Asia, teaching them the art of conflict resolution, teamwork, and the beauty found in the differences we as individuals (and countries) have. I have a feeling there will be a lack in posting recipes, but you can bet July will focus on how to survive in the dorms gluten-free. I am looking forward to the challenge, but I’m still… uncertain.

How will I deal? The answer is simple: simplicity is key. 

I have a feeling oatmeal smoothies are going to be my go-to breakfasts for a while...

I’m used to making simple and easy meals. It only takes a fresh salad, a bed of rice, and a slab of meat to make my household happy. Simple, right? But it’s going to be a whole new level of “simple” I’ll be attempting. I don’t use the microwave, so I’ll have to use different forms of cooking and preparation.

Here’s what I plan on bringing to survive in the dorms:

• dorm-sized fridge,
• rice cooker,
• coffee maker,
• cutting board and knife,
• plate, bowl, and mug,    
• fork, knife, and spoon
• Mason jars for storage
• lunch bag and Bento box
• dish-washing soap, sponges, and drying towels

Is there anything I’m missing, or things I should put into particular consideration? Any pointers? Advice? Concerns? Anyway, I’ve learned one particular method that’s perfect for college students, beginner and professional cooks alike: one-pot meals.

Prosciutto & Basil Crustless Quiche

6 Large eggs, beaten
8.5 oz So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
2 oz Parmesan, grated
1/2 Red onion, finely diced
1 Tomato, halved and finely sliced
3 Garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 oz Prosciutto, shredded
18 Basil leaves, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the beaten eggs and coconut milk using a hand blender or whisk.
Stir in the Parmesan, salt and pepper, and pour into a greased 9-inch pie pan.
Sprinkle the garlic and onion throughout the filling, “sinking” the prosciutto, tomato slices, and basil leaves just underneath the surface.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the mixture has set.
Serve immediately, garnished with sour cream or salsa.

Serves 4.