Roasted Veggies with Organic Mixed Greens & Herbs

As I mentioned previously, I enjoy roasted vegetables--they are easy to prepare and provide a more intensified flavor due to being caramelized. I cubed a peeled sweet potato several carrots, and an onion, and then tossed them in olive oil, salt, pepper, whole grain Dijon mustard, and garlic. They were roasted at 425 degrees for approximately 25 minutes. After slightly cooling, I used them to top off a salad of organic mixed greens with fresh herbs including dill, cilantro, and Italian parsley. A light drizzling of honey mustard dressing was the perfect pairing with the sweetness of the roasted vegetables.

Gnocchi Nicoise and Roasted Asparagus

This was my first attempt at Gnocchi Nicoise and I must say that it was one of the most flavorable dishes I have ever made! I was thoroughly pleased with the robust and well-rounded flavors produced by the bacon, orange peel, carrots, nicoise olives, shallots, and brandy. It was also a quick and easy recipe to prepare. For a side I roasted asparagus with salt, pepper, and olive oil, (400 degrees for 10 minutes) and then added grated Parmesan and heated for an additional two minutes. I love roasting vegetables due to the way it intensifies their flavors, and the rich saltiness of the Parmesan finished off the asparagus quite well.

Black & White Chili with Beer Bread

Prior to our move, I spent a few minutes during my lunch break one day browsing the magazine section in UCSD's campus bookstore. As usual, I eventually gravitated to the food and cooking themed section. The cover of Cook's Country Best Lost Suppers from America's Test Kitchen caught my eye. While giving it a quick flip through I couldn't help but be intrigued by their Black & White Chili. I immediately liked the flavor so much I've now made it a couple of times. I even took a crock pot full to work for a potluck lunch (where it was a big hit). It's a very fresh and light brothy chili compared to what most of us think of when we hear chili (not a heavy thick tomato based concoction). It was especially enjoyable paired with a slice of hot from-the-oven beer bread made which I'd prepared from a mix purchased at Trader Joe's. Now that it's been a few weeks, I am ready for another bowl of it!

Wine Brownies

A few months ago I discovered Irvine's Marche Noir bakery which incorporates "wine flour" into pasta and baked items. I hadn't previously heard of wine flour, so I was intrigued and decided to check out their selection. According to their web site, when grapes are squeezed during the wine making process, the skins and seeds (known as pomace) "not only imparts flavor to the wine, but also gains flavor in the process", and "if dried and milled properly, it becomes a nutritious fragrant flour. High in iron, fiber, and Res-V as well as antioxidants."

I was able to easily order from their web site a sampling of each their brownies: Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut, and Currant & Cherry. The brownies offered a rich chocolate complexity (like any good brownie), while also providing a unique undertone from the wine flour. The brownies went fast, so I'll be curious to try some of their other products soon.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Shitake Mushrooms & Chicken

I'm really embarrassed by how long it's been since my last posting. We spent much of March packing for the big move from San Diego to the Bay Area. Since our arrival on April 1st, most of my time has been spent acclimating to the new job (at Cal Berkeley) and surroundings. Since we're also in a one bedroom rental condo until the closing of our house on May 21st, there hasn't been much of an opportunity to cook with the limited resources of the kitchen.

I love almost any pasta dish, especially those with a cream sauce, which I try to avoid due to the fat and calories. This dish was my attempt at a creamy white sauce that was a bit more guilt-free. I sauteed an onion with chicken, garlic and shitake mushrooms, then added sour cream and a can of cream of mushroom soup (thinned slightly with the pasta water). Garnished with Italian parsley and freshly grated Parmesan, it was satisfying, delicious, and pretty simple to throw together.