Real Food Rehab...Because Beautiful Food Is Your Birthright

Introducing KinEats on YouTube

2011-12-06T08:22:00.000-08:00

So, a girl moves out to Los Angeles and within one week (thanks to an old friend), lands a great gig as the culinary talent on a new Web TV lifestyle channel that just launched on YouTube called the Kin Community.

This actually happened to me! And it's been a great experience. I am so proud because the people behind it care about putting out high quality, original content as well as being very gracious and fun to work with. It's a young crew of people who are really talented - check out the sets, great camera work and beautiful lighting in each video.

The Kin Eats section is what I worked on and you'll notice me (my hands, sleeves and shirttails, mostly) doing the cooking in just about all the videos that are set to music. I also shot 6 videos as the "personality" and here's the first one, above. It's a recipe for olive stuffed cheese puffs, which make a fabulous hors d'oeuvre for the holidays. They were inspired by my mom's glamorous, Seventies cocktail parties. Speaking of the Seventies, maybe I should do a video on bringing back Harvey Wallbangers - its time has certainly come and it doesn't get more Seventies than that!

Each video recipe is not only user-friendly and accessible but they all use Real Food. Hurray! To me, that's what makes this channel really shine.

The other 5 videos I shot will be coming out steadily through December. Please note that in each one I will be wearing a different piece of fabulous vintage statement jewelry. Hey, these things matter.

There's also some very creative content on fashion already up and more soon on parenting and personal storytelling. I hope you'll tune in and let me know what you think.

Real Food Rehab in Chicago Sun Times Food Section

2010-09-29T18:25:00.000-07:00

Today I am so proud to share that my article (and photos) on eating for one that originally appeared on Melissa Graham's blog, Little Locavores, was picked up by the Sun Times Food Section. Click HERE to read it in full.

All The Single Ladies: Cooking For One

2010-09-02T07:36:00.000-07:00

This is excerpted from a guest blog post I just wrote for Melissa Graham's Little Locavores blog. She is a passionate writer and real food activist and I hope you will click through and check out her site.

I'm a single gal and I work from home so, on average and with the exception of dining out, I have the luxury of preparing my own meals two or three times a day. Some of you may think I must be joking - luxury? But I'm dead serious. I do consider it a luxury to prepare my own meals. Why? Because I never have to question the quality of my food since I source it. I never have to compromise on what I feel like eating because it's me I'm satisfying. I also welcome the chance to break up a day spent inside my head in front of a computer, to get back into my body and work with my hands in an intuitive, tactile and sensual way.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the article...

So Long, Mr. Coffee

2010-07-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

I have a love hate relationship with coffee. I love it and it hates me.

It's like an abusive relationship. I'm addicted to the ritual of making it, intoxicated by the smell that permeates my home, the deep, rich flavor and how the caffeine highs can make me feel almost invincible. But then, the euphoria gives way to the heart palpitations, the extreme blood sugar dips and the fits of anger - but yet I stay - I love him anyway and convince myself we're good together. The angst, I tell you.

Recently, I switched to decaffeinated for the sake of my health and only treat myself once or twice a week. I treasure our times together and make sure I purchase only the best coffee I can find. Just a year ago, it was hard to find good decaf, but that's not the case anymore.

Coffee, like other foodstuffs these days, is going through a renaissance. All across the country, specialty purveyors are roasting limited-edition coffee beans using artisanal methods and sustainable practices. These are the beans you should seek out, whether going out for coffee or bringing the beans home. Because of the attention to detail, the taste is incomparable.

Here are some of the best artisanal coffee roasters in the country who will ship you beans online tout suite:

Intelligentsia Coffee
Metropolis Coffee Company (They make my absolute favorite - Decaf Redline.)
Blue Bottle Coffee
Gorilla Coffee

The real question is: Are you willing to give up your relationship with Mr. Coffee? The seemingly indefatigable, saggy-assed octogenarian who piddles out his weak-brewed love day after day? You really want to settle for that?

I didn't think so.

You need an Italian Stallion. One who has proven his mettle time and time again creating a dark rich brew that really satisfies.

Stovetop Espresso Maker, $39.95 by Bialetti

To learn more about what you need to make a great Latte or Cafe Au Lait at home (inexpensively!), click to read the rest of the article on The Possessionista.

Also, be sure to read my post on Maria Callas & Coffee. It's a goodie.

The Quick Fix: Baby Tomato Recipes

2010-07-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

Brace yourself for the onslaught of summer tomatoes. I especially love baby tomatoes. They're versatile, easy to use and as the band Cameo says, "They taste like Can-day." Get them at your local farmers' market now through September. Baby tomatoes come in a vibrant array of varieties, so the more you mix and match, the more colorful, tasty and healthy your meals will be.

Here are some super quick and easy recipes you can make with baby tomatoes throughout the season.

One Recipe, Many Uses
Slice the tomatoes in half and catch their juices in a big bowl. Mix with minced fresh garlic, torn basil leaves, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for a few minutes to let the flavors meld. Then, toss over:

A piece of fish, chicken or steak hot off the grill.

Hot pasta like farfalle or spaghetti and finish with lots of grated parmesan or pecorino cheese.

Some garlic-rubbed, grilled bread for a great bruschetta appetizer.

Salsa
Slice tomatoes in quarters, catch their juice and mix with chopped red onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice and zest, salt and pepper to taste. Let the flavors meld and use as chunky salsa for chips, over grilled quesadillas, or fish or skirt steak tacos.

Also, check out this 15 minute roasted tomato pasta recipe I wrote last summer.

The Beginner's Guide To Homemade Salad Dressing

2010-06-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

Antico Frantoio Muraglia 'Intenso' Extra Virgin Olive Oil at Dean & Deluca

Consider this an intervention. Those of you still buying bottles of Paul Newman's or Annie's or God forbid, Wish Bone salad dressings at the grocery store - it's over. I'm sorry but it's over. Additives? Corn Syrup? Xanthan Gum? That's not who you are.

You are someone with exquisite taste who appreciates and understands quality. And, you're about to become someone who confidently knows how to dress their own salad. Do not underestimate how important this is. I want you to experience real pleasure and satisfaction when you sit down to eat. The days of settling for mediocrity are over. Now, let's get down to business.

Buy the best ingredients you can afford.
Every time you use quality ingredients, your food is going to taste better. Period. You can buy the inexpensive extra virgin olive oils at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's and use them to cook with, that's fine. But if you are buying the freshest, best tasting produce for your salads at your local farmers' market, I want to suggest that you spend more money for high quality oils and vinegars. Ones that you use only for drizzling over foods and making into vinaigrettes, not heating.

Ratios of oil to vinegar
The traditional ratio for vinaigrette is three parts oil to one part vinegar. This ratio doesn't really work for me. I enjoy a brighter flavor. The ratio for my palate is almost equal parts oil to vinegar. To find the right acidity level for you, simply taste the dressing as you're adding the oil and stop or add more to your liking. Know that if it's too acidic, you can simply add more oil to balance it out. You are the master of your dressing domain.

The quick drizzle method
Some days, I don't feel like making a full-on vinaigrette; I want super quick results. So here's what I do: Take the bottle of olive oil, cover the spout part ways with your finger and slowly drizzle lightly over your salad. Do the same with the vinegar, sprinkle some good sea salt, fresh ground pepper, gently toss with your hands and you're done. It's might seem like a crap shoot but it works. If you're unsure, start by adding less versus more because you can always add but you can't take away.

The authentic vinaigrette method
Grab a clean, empty jar with a lid. Add your minced garlic or shallots in the jar with your acid (i.e.vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, verjus, yuzu, etc.) and your salt. The acid will help mellow the sharpness of the garlic and shallot, deepen the flavors and also help "melt" the salt. Salt doesn't melt well in oil. Let it sit for a few minutes - say 5 to 10. Then add your oil, screw the lid on tight and shake like mad. You can also make the dressing in a bowl and whisk the oil in slowly. You want to make sure it's emulsified. Do not make dressing in a metallic bowl unless it is stainless steel. Your acid will be altered in flavor and not in a good way.

RECIPES
Here are two simple recipes to try from the great new cookbook, Michael Symon's Live to Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen

Sherry Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the shallot, garlic, vinegar, mustard and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk in a few drops of the oil and then begin adding the oil in a thin stream, whisking continuously until all the oil is incorporated.

Lemon Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (optional)

Combine the shallot, garlic, lemon juice and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk in a few drops of the oil and then begin adding the oil in a thin stream, whisking continuously until all the oil is incorporated. If using dill, add right before serving.

Storing your dressing
According to Michael Symon, if your homemade dressing contains aromatics - garlic, shallots, herbs, it will only last about a day. If not, it will last up to one week in the fridge.

ADVICE FROM THE PROS
I asked some talented food professionals to offer up their tips on salad making as well as some of their favorite oils and vinegars.

Christine Cikowski, Chef/Founder of Sunday Dinner and Eat Green Foods

Favorites
Olio Verde Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Estate bottled in Sicily, unfiltered and made from Nocellara Olives.

Villa Manodori Balsamic
Made in small quantities, matured for 10 to 20 years. Aged in barrels of juniper, chestnut and oak.

Salad making tips
Mix your salad in a large bowl with your hands for even coat of the dressing. Don't over dress your salad. Start with a little and add slowly.

Iliana Regan, Artisan and Chef of One Sister Pierogi and the underground dining sensation - Mermaid Dinners

Favorites
BLiS sherry vinegar - BLiS ages extra old, fine sherry vinegar in 18 year old, maple cured, single bourbon casks. It's AMAZING.

Salad making tips
As for sourcing, I use my own garden. Most people probably don't know that you need fairly little soil - just a two inch even layer of moist soil - and you can just throw lettuce seeds on top, no rows or planting - to have an awesome patch of lettuce. And I use lots of my own sprouts and microgreens, like sunflower and radish in my salads at home. HERBS, fine herbs, tarragon, chervil, parsley and chive, make an awesome addition of flavor on top of any salad. And, I keep it simple: lettuces, sprouts, bright herbs, a touch oil, touch vin, a little lemon or citrus zest - Grapefruit is awesome if it's hot and you're outside drinking sauvignon blanc - and finally salt and pepper. I like to play with peppers. I use a five pepper blend. One of my many favorite kitchen tools is the juicer. How that works for salads? Juice the greens, season with salt, and pour the juice onto a lined sheet tray and freeze. After it's frozen, drag a fork along in rows to make granita, mist with a little sherry vinegar and serve as a palate cleanser for a summer barbeque!

Alisa Barry, Creator/Owner at Bella Cucina

Favorites
Bella Cucina's Taste of Tuscany. It's an estate grown and bottled oil, made exclusively for Bella Cucina that evokes my favorite flavors of the Tuscan hill towns. In Tuscany, the olives are picked in November while they are still green. This gives the oil its rich color and fruity, peppery and green flavor. Another fave is Bariani California Olive Oil. Estate grown and bottled in northern California.

Verjus from Terra Sonoma in Northern California. This California winery lets nothing go to waste. Fine wine is left to age into a delicate and slightly sweet vinegar in the traditional French style. I love it as a seasoning for cooked bitter greens like lacinato kale and escarole.

Kim Shambrook of Bespoke Cuisine

Favorites
Some of my favorite olive oils are by Yellingbo – produced in Australia and quite tasty – herbaceous, yet not too heavy. I’m also a big fan of the Greek extra-virgin olive oils. I find them to have a great depth of flavor, the color is beautiful, and all you need is a little lemon juice and salt & pepper to make a simple vinaigrette.

Salad making tip
I use a Microplane grater to add lemon zest to my vinaigrettes.

Chef Paul Virant of Vie

Favorites
I love Spanish olive oils made from Picual or Arbequina olives. As far as vinegars, we use Champagne or Cava vinegar the most in conjunction with leftover preserving liquids that usually have infused flavor. (read idea, below) Our source for Spanish olive oils and Cava vinegar is La Tienda.com.

Salad making tip
Say you've made or bought some pickled dilly beans and the liquid is garlicky and spicy. Bring up the the acidity level by adding some fresh lemon juice and add some oil and your done. This could be a nice marinade or dressing.

Terra Brockman, Farmer, Speaker and Author of The Seasons on Henry's Farm

Favorites
Napa Valley Naturals extra virgin organic olive oil.

Salad making tips
Buy salad greens from a local farmer you know, and to ask them which variety of lettuce is best at the time you are buying, since some varieties are much better in the cool, wet spring, but get bitter in the summer. Add Herbs! To liven up your salad, add some fresh herbs -- parsley, dill, tarragon, thyme or sorrel . . . whatever strikes your fancy. Add Flowers! You can find these at some farmers markets, or grow your own: johnny jump-ups, calendula, chive flowers, sage flowers, nasturtiums.

Tracy Kellner, Wine Babe & Owner of Provenance Food & Wine

Favorites
Right now anything by A l'Olivier - I've tried their passion fruit, tomato, espelette, chili & fig...mild acidity and lots of the fruit's pulp is left in for a thicker, more flavorful texture. I've used them with any oil because the flavor is so good.

Salad making tips
I save small jars with lids and use them to make/shake/store my homemade dressings in smaller amounts so there is less waste. However, in summertime when there are so many great tasting veggies at their peak, I tend to use either one really high-quality oil OR vinegar, depending what flavor I want to complement or enhance in the dish or salad. That with a sprinkling of good salt and freshly-ground pepper, is all I need!

Flora Lazar, Artisan at Flora Confections

Favorites
I love the Cassis Balsamic vinegar from Old Town Oil.

Salad making tip
I love, like Balthazar in NYC, to put a tiny bit of truffle oil in my salad dressing. I also love cut up pate de fruit in my salad, especially the raspberry and blueberry varieties. (Flora makes these beauties by hand using local, seasonal fruit. They're available online and Saturdays at Green City Market.)

The Quick Fix: Butter, Radish and Sea Salt Sandwiches

2010-06-22T14:53:00.001-07:00

This was my dinner last night. This was also an appetizer I served to friends last week before a big, fried chicken dinner. It's incredibly delish, simple, fast and you will surprise and delight your friends and loved ones when you serve it.

You will find radishes on the scene at your local farmers' market right now. There are different varieties out there; you might want to try one you haven't tried before. They will vary in color, shape, size and flavor. Try French breakfast radishes if you can find them. They're oblong and red with a white tip. They have a crisp texture and more delicate flavor than some other varieties.

You can go about this a few ways: You can slice up a great loaf of bread, slather it with room temperature butter, throw some thinly sliced radishes on top, sprinkle it with sea salt (try Maldon or maybe a chunky, high quality grey salt) and call it a day. For the bread averse (I know you're out there), you can simply dip your trimmed radishes in the butter, sprinkle some sea salt and enjoy it that way. Your call. On a hot summer day, these babies go great with a glass of Rosé.

It goes without saying you'll want to use the best ingredients you can find. Find an artisan loaf of bread. Nope, sorry, Panera, doesn't cut it. Check your farmers' market. Check your food coop. Check smaller gourmet shops and bakeries. Is there someone in your area making gorgeous hearth loaves of bread from scratch? That's the bread you want to buy. In Chicago, we have some great options which include Anne at Crumb, Cook au Vin, and the prolific Pamela Fitzpatrick at Fox & Obel.

There are also local creameries making small-batch butter with sweet cream from cows grazing on pasture! Once you taste pasture butter you will never go back. And ahem, this butter is loaded with good fat! Did you know that milk from pastured cows also contains an ideal ratio of essential fatty acids or EFAs including Omega 3s and 6s? Read it and weep, people! It's healthy for you! Consider yourself unshackled.

The award-winning Nordic Creamery in Wisconsin is selling their Summer Butter right now at Green City Market and at Provenance Food & Wine. You can also buy it online. And it is not simply hyperbole when I say this butter is life changing.

This is butter that killer hostess gifts are made of. Enjoy!

Salads That Will Blow Your Mind

2010-05-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

The farmers' markets are beginning to open everywhere and it's got me very excited about eating again. My body is craving fresh, bright, green flavors. This is a natural rhythm for me: every Spring I feel like I'm coming alive again. I've been on my cleanse, which is finishing up this Sunday. So far, the only thing I've really missed is great bread. Like Cook au Vin's baguette or Crumb's Walnut Bread.

For the last two weeks, I've been hauling home bags of spinach, sprouts, microgreens, all kinds of young, tender lettuces, watercress, pea shoots, spring onions, asparagus and radishes. Everyday, I've been tossing together a simple salad made with these ingredients. I put very little thought into it honestly because I don't have to. I take out whichever greens suit my fancy, throw them in a bowl and gently toss them with my hands: a little sea salt, fresh ground pepper, great olive oil and vinegar and I'm done. Or, I might also add some asparagus, radishes and microgreens too. I am eating enough salad for 3 people in one sitting, it's like I can't get enough - it's that good.

Here's a quick recipe.
Today, here's what I added to my fresh lettuce: some tuna packed in olive oil, capers, lemon zest, chopped Kalamata olives, spring onions and boiled, sliced new potatoes and it was pure heaven.

I feel like I do a lousy job of getting across in a strong, visceral and effective way how mind-blowingly delicious local produce is. There is no way to understand how vastly different that organic spinach or arugula in a plastic clamshell box at the grocery store is, compared to the greens that were just picked and delivered to your local market until you do yourself a favor and taste them.

At the end of winter, I feel like my senses are deadened. The produce I'm buying at the grocery store tastes like pablum compared to the fresh, juicy and alive flavors at the market.

I am working every Saturday this summer for Tiny Greens at the Green City Market. They're an organic farm in Champaign-Urbana that specializes in microgreens, sprouts, homemade, Japanese-style tofu and wheatgrass. They also sell radishes, spring onions and herbs. Yesterday, a swell of school groups invaded the market. All afternoon there were kids coming by our stall and gawking at our microgreens, asking questions and taking LOTS of pictures. I realized that local food systems are becoming a part of their curriculum, which is great. Most of them had no idea what our stuff was, but the comments I kept hearing were about how eye-pleasing everything was; "That is so pretty. What is that? I love the colors!" It made my heart happy to answer their questions, give them samples and turn them on to new flavors.

Why farmers' markets feel so good.
It's no wonder farmers' markets are a revelation for those used to shopping exclusively in grocery stores. They're aesthetically beautiful - the food itself is fresh, visually stunning and abundant. They provide an authentic experience: you're outdoors buying food grown outdoors. That's a no brainer. It feels 'right' and far better than the artificial environments in a grocery store. They also create community and connection which I believe we are all unconsciously craving right now. There's an essential goodness and trust I feel while shopping at my farmers' market that I don't feel at the grocery store. I'm very skeptical of all the bogus claims on packaged products and rightly so. There's no small print to read at the farmers' market and you are often times locking eyes with the people who grow your food. Closing that gap makes sense to me.

So, taste these things. Have an experience. And by all means scoop up these greens for your salads while you can. Even if you don't cook, you can throw these salads together very easily with little to no time and basic pantry staples.

Caring for your lettuce.
Be gentle with your bags of lettuces, they will crush and bruise easily. If you notice any moisture on them in the bag, when you get home, take them out, gently wrap them in a paper towel, stick them back in the bag and place them in your crisper drawer. Do not wash them until you are ready to eat them. Call me a heathen but unless the leaves are noticeably gritty with dirt, I don't wash them. When you do wash them, put them in a clean sink full of water or a giant bowl of water and gently toss them about with your hands, then spin them in your salad spinner until they are dry. Dress your salad when you're ready to eat it and not before.

If you're doing a cleanse yourself, eating these salads are the best possible way to enjoy it. Trust me. Eating these greens will change your life. And the beautiful thing is, you can never unlearn a learned truth. So once you try them, you will keep coming back for more.

21 Day Spring Cleanse: Tips and Techniques From Chef & Wellness Consultant Amanda Skrip

2010-05-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

I asked Real Food Rehab fan, natural foods chef and wellness consultant, Amanda Skrip to give us some practical tips and inspiration for getting through a food-based cleanse. She's also got a blog with some great resources - I particularly enjoyed her eye-opening post on soy. If you are based in Chicago, Amanda is offering a great deal on her wellness consulting services to all Real Food Rehab readers - look for more info at the bottom of this post!

Are your mid-day energy slumps, food cravings, and restless nights all symptoms you have accepted as part of a ‘normal’ life? These common complaints can all be attributed to the accumulation of toxins that build up over a lifetime. And believe it or not, it is entirely possible to reduce or eliminate any undesirable ailments by completing a simple and safe food-based cleanse.

As a natural foods chef and wellness consultant, I have cooked and coached many people through cleanses, and have years of personal experience to boot. I have heard (and had!) every excuse about why detoxing was too difficult or simply unnecessary; and I reassure you that anyone, regardless of their current diet, can follow a food-based cleanse and reap the amazing benefits of doing so. So if you have had luck with cleanses in the past, or have kicked around the idea of completing one, read on for tips, techniques, and tricks of the trade that will set you up for success, and re-introduce you to your most vibrant self.

Scheduling Smarts
Planning a detox is almost like planning a vacation; you need to look at your calendar and see when you can take ‘time off’ from food and alcohol indulgences. Chances are you will never have a few weeks free of social commitments and mealtime obligations but be strategic and choose when temptation will be at a minimum. When dining out, try to have a look at the menu before hand. Check what best supports your cleansing plan. Salads tend to be good choices at most spots, but often times they may require a few omissions: croutons, bacon, creamy dressings, sugar-laden dried cranberries, etc.

Pre-detoxing
Sugar and caffeine are the two culprits that cause the most withdrawal symptoms. If you are particularly sugar and/or caffeine dependent, I recommend working on weaning off of them fully before starting to cleanse. A sugar and caffeine-free diet helps to keep cravings in check, energy levels up, and will make the removal of other ‘favorite’ foods much easier and less tempting. To successfully break undesirable habits usually requires the addition of a more positive one. If you love the ritual of your morning cup of coffee, try getting a great tea pot and some herbal loose-leaf teas to switch up your morning routine. And if you reach for a cookie at your 3pm energy slump, try subbing in a handful or raw almonds and raisins, or a piece of fresh fruit, to get you over the hump.

Kitchen Cleanout
It helps to have some sort of a menu plan in place before embarking on a detox. To make it easier to stick to, give your refrigerator and pantry a (probably long overdue) makeover. Get rid of the foods that tempt you. Do you like to mindlessly munch on candy after dinner? Trust me, if it’s not in the house, your habit becomes much easier to break. Once cleaned out, take a trip to the market and stock up on leafy greens, citrus, berries, and cleanse friendly snacks so you can stay on track. Plan on trying a few new cleanse-friendly recipes with ingredients you haven’t tried before. This helps to keep your palette interested, and adds fun and variety to the challenge.

Extra Boosts
To get the most bang for your cleansing buck, there are a few simple tips I recommend to everyone. Upon rising, start the morning with a warm glass of lemon water. This helps to alkalize your body, and many clients have reported feeling that it decreased their appetite and cravings throughout the day. Also, try to get as many leafy greens into your diet as humanly possible. Whether raw in salads, blended into smoothies, or pureed into soups, greens are the most amazing natural cleansing agents and are also work to oxygenate the blood and boost energy levels. And lastly, while cleansing, make a point to give your body a 12-hour rest between dinner and breakfast. I picked this tip of from Alejandro Junger’s book Clean, and it has stuck with me since. Our bodies finish processing our food 8 hours after our last bite, and it takes another 4 hours for an automatic clean to occur.

Exit Strategy
How you end your cleanse is just as important as how you begin. Give yourself a few days or a week to gradually re-introduce the foods you have omitted. You have just diligently worked to clean out your body, so it would be foolish to start throwing all sorts of toxins back in. People sometimes find that they have previously unnoticed sensitivities to wheat or dairy, and they feel so much better by continuing to leave them out of their diets. Others are shocked that their once overwhelming cravings for coffee, sweets, cheese, and/or bread have vanished.

About Amanda
Amanda Skrip is a natural foods chef and wellness consultant in Chicago. She works with clients to empower them to create a relationship with food that will allow for optimal health and wellbeing. She customizes cleanses for clients and offers support, menu planning, and recipes to make for a seamless and enjoyable process.

Amanda is offering a 50% discount for a comprehensive wellness consultation for all Real Food Rehab readers. The session can be used to discuss a potential cleanse or to address other health and wellness goals. Contact her for scheduling or more information.

RECIPE

Supergreen Soup
Yield: 1-2 servings

I have made this recipe with a variety of greens: spinach, kale, zucchini, broccoli… the options are truly endless. The variety below takes advantage of seasonal spring produce, and happens to be my favorite.

Ingredients

1-2 teaspoons olive oil
½ yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ lb asparagus, chopped
1 small-medium bunch of watercress
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ lemon
Purified water
sea salt + pepper

Procedure

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Saute onion for 3-4 minutes, add garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and sauté until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add asparagus, and sauté for another 4-5 minutes, just to take the raw edge off.

Gently transfer onion and asparagus mixture to a blender. Add enough water to cover the vegetables (about 2 cups, more or less according to preference). Add watercress, lemon zest and juice. Blend. Add extra water to thin (if necessary), and season with salt and pepper to taste.

21 Day Spring Cleanse: The Desire For Change

2010-05-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

In the midst of this Spring Cleanse, I thought I'd write a short letter of encouragement to those of you who are trying to make some kind of positive change in your life.

And yes, I'm going to get metaphysical here, so hold on to your hats.

If your desire to change comes from an undeniable and authentic yearning in yourself; if it is something that is ever-present in the back of your mind and pops up from time to time to remind you that it hasn't left, then consider yourself fortunate. Listen to it. It's your truth. Allow it to guide you.

The change you're desiring might not happen in the time frame you want it to. It might not play out the way you were hoping for. It might look and feel completely different, which isn't a bad thing. It might make you consider options you hadn't before and widen your world in ways you could of never imagined. Be open.

Change isn't easy. It can bring up lots of fear and we can distract ourselves so easily with food, alcohol, sex, drugs, social activity, the internet, gadgets, TV and a million other ways. So, if you take some not-so-healthy diversions from time to time, big deal. You're not bad, you're human. We all do it. And by the way, it is a huge waste of time to beat yourself up, not to mention completely undeserved. It breaks my heart to think of all the time I wasted by being so mean to myself.

You know, I had this career not too long ago and I was completely self-taught. I had no prior experience, no one to show me how anything was done. I was great at it, a real natural. I worked very hard and was always striving to be better, but you know what got in my way? I was always comparing myself to everyone else. I was always trying to figure out what they were doing so that I could do it, too. I never fully trusted in my way of doing things. I had great ideas but denied them too often by looking outside myself for answers.

What I'm trying to say is this: Trust in your ideas and your way of doing things. Don't deny, devalue or be afraid of your ideas and strengths because they don't jibe with the status quo or because they don't look like anyone else's. That's a good sign! That's what the world needs more of! Trust in it. And stay connected to that inner yearning, that voice, whatever it is.

In my humble estimation, the single greatest thing we can all do right now is to become who we really are. To begin to shed those skins that no longer align with what we truly want or who we want to become. To be free from the past and old, knee-jerk responses and trusting in fresh, new life and new ideas.

This Spring cleanse is symbolic of new life and new ideas. It also offers an opportunity for change. But like I said before, what I'm attempting to provide here is simply an outline. This is my process but you are free to use it, riff on it, make it your own.

I was compelled to write this, not just for you but also as a reminder to myself. We all need a little boost every now and then, right?

Thank you for being here.

Dana Joy

21 Day Cleanse: Green Smoothies

2010-05-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

I discovered green smoothies this past winter. I've been learning more about the Raw Food movement and I happen to think there's a lot of validity to what they espouse. I have also met a few raw foodists in my day and damn if they don't look amazing - years younger than their age. I don't know if I see myself as a full-time raw foodist but there's some great resources and ideas I've adapted for my own diet that have made my life better. Green Smoothies are one of them.

Everyone agrees that adding more fresh fruits and veggies to your diet is important for good health. These smoothies are loaded with them and taste great! For this Spring cleanse, I have committed to having one of these a day. I typically have them in the morning but I've used them as a meal replacement for lunch and dinner too if I didn't feel like cooking. You can make one, put it in a travel mug or in a large glass jar with a lid and take it anywhere.

Kids love these by the way. This is a GREAT way to get them to eat their veggies. This is also a great way to use leftover fruits and veg you might not get around to using.

Sourcing Your Produce
If you can source your greens at least, from a local farmers' market or a store that carries local produce, that's best, but organic from the store is a good second option. Click HERE for a great list of the fruits and veggies you should by organic and the ones you can safely buy conventional based on pesticide residue.

As spring and summer fruits come into season - especially local blueberries, raspberries and blackberries - use them!! They are loaded with good health.

Young Coconuts
I am a young coconut junkie. You may have seen them in the store and not recognized them because they look nothing like the brown hairy variety. They are large and white with a flat bottom and a conical top. They are usually wrapped in plastic. While their carbon footprint is pretty atrocious, I'll admit, they are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. Last year I wrote a piece about young coconuts, here's the LINK. They are definitely worth trying. The coconut water inside is incredibly refreshing and full of electrolytes and the spoon meat is full of healthy fat. They are both perfect to add to your smoothies. What spoon meat I don't use, I save for later in a container in the fridge and when I get a sweet craving, I eat that instead and it really satisfies. Click this LINK to check out a whole website devoted to them.

Tips For Making Green Smooothies
The best way to make green smoothies is to put the fruits and liquid in the blender first, blend a little and then add the rest of ingredients. You can always add more liquid to get everything moving. Ice is also optional if you like your drinks cold.

You want a decent blender for sure, but keep in mind I am using a 25 year old Oster and it blends everything great so don't sweat it if you don't have the top of the line Blendtecor Vita-Mix.

If you need to sweeten your smoothie, add a little raw agave nectar. It tastes great, is all natural, has no bizarre chemical aftertaste and is perfect for those with glycemic issues. Be sure to buy the raw version, it's less processed.

Improvising
Virtually any fruit or green can be combined, feel free to improvise with what you have on hand. Do not skimp on the greens and don't be afraid that it will taste bad, because the fruits really balance the flavor so they don't taste funky. They honestly taste very good. For some, it's just hard to get around the visual of drinking something green at first. One that I did a lot this winter was: frozen berries, chopped apples or pears, banana, filtered water and a few handfuls of spinach. Play around with combinations and amounts. You might find you like some better than others.

Recipes
Below, I've provided some recipes to get you started. Let me know if you like them. Any questions? Email me!

Cilantro Pineapple Shake (adapted from the book Living Raw Food by Sarma Melngailis)
2 Servings

Put everything in a blender and drink:

2 small cucumbers peeled and chopped
1/2 pineapple peeled and chopped (2 mangoes can be substituted)
1 large bunch cilantro (cut off bottom of long stems)
1/2 cup coconut water or filtered water
1 tablespoon raw agave nectar (more to taste if you like it sweeter)

Dana Joy's Morning Improv Shake
1 serving

Put everything in a blender and drink:

1 cup papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped (mango can be substituted)
1 banana
1/2 cup young coconut meat
2 cups spinach (black kale, chard, romaine, sunflower sprouts, spring lettuce are all great substitutes)
1 cup or more of coconut water or filtered water
1-2 tbsp. ground flax seed - optional

Banana Basil Smoothie (recipe adapted from the website Raw Epicurean)
1 serving

Blend and drink:

2 ripe bananas, peeled, chopped
10-12 basil leaves
1/2 to 1 cup filtered water (depending on how thick or thin you like it)
raw agave nectar to taste (this is optional)

Pear, Pineapple, Mint
2 servings

Blend and drink:

2 ripe pears
1/3 of a fresh pineapple, chopped
1/2 a frozen banana
1/3 of a large bunch of parsley, stems and all
4 stems mint leaves
1 cup of filtered water
1 cup of ice cubes (optional)

Key Lime Pie Shake (adapted from the book Living Raw Food by Sarma Melngailis)
2 servings

If you have a juicer, this is a delicious shake to make but it's a touch more time consuming.

First juice:
2-3 apples depending on size - you want 1 1/2 cups juice
3 limes (you can throw these in the juicer too but they must have the rind grated or peeled off first)

Add liquid to blender along with:

1 ripe avocado
2 small bananas
1 tsp vanilla
handful of mint leaves
Optional: agave, ice

Blend and serve.

More Resources

http://greensmoothiesblog.com/

http://www.greensmoothiequeen.com/

http://www.greensmoothie.com/blend/green.html

21 Day Real Food Spring Cleanse

2010-05-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

For a while now, I have been living in a state of subpar health. I've been aware of it on a subliminal level, but not ready to face it. Overall, I think I'm generally pretty healthy; but there's this inner knowing that I am not at my best. Here's some symptoms I've been experiencing of late:

Fatigue, poor digestion, occasional headaches, insomnia, brain fog, irritability and mood swings. I also gained 12 pounds over the winter.

This is unacceptable to me and I finally feel motivated to make change. There were a few things that sprung me into action: I've been helping two family members through some serious medical issues and seeing what they went through has firmed my resolve to take my health higher. I want to do everything I can to prevent ever being at the mercy of our health care system.

I'm also turning 45 in a few months and I am not taking any of this lying down!! I don't want to settle for simply feeling OK, I want to feel fantastic. I believe I can get in the best shape of my life in mid-life and I am committing to doing just that. I also think that looking good is a by-product of feeling good, not the other way around. I truly believe that achieving vibrant health is reliant on the foods we eat, the thoughts we think and by staying as active as possible doing things we love.

Lastly, I am a smart, beautiful and powerful woman who wants to make a difference in this world. I feel an obligation to really use this life I've been given. Life is too short to settle for feeling like crap especially when I have the power to do something about it.

When I'm at my best, I not only feel and look better, I am more positive, confident, focused, and experience more joy. I accomplish more and have a greater ability to be in the moment. I'm also more generous to everyone around me and that (especially) matters to me.

Therefore, I have committed to doing a 21 day, Real Food Spring Cleanse of my own design. I started it yesterday.

I have eliminated the following foods: Sugar, dairy, wheat, corn, caffeine (except for green tea), alcohol, red meat, and soy. These foods, I've noticed, have triggered my aforementioned symptoms. I normally don't consume these, but they are also not allowed: processed foods, chemical sweeteners and soda.

Here's what I will be eating:

-Fresh fruits and vegetables
-Cold water fish such as halibut, salmon, trout and cod
-Wild game, lean lamb, chicken and turkey (all organic or locally raised without antibiotics and hormones.)
-Nuts and seeds (no peanuts)
-Non-gluten grains such as brown rice and quinoa
-Legumes and beans
-Healthy fats such as flax seed, extra virgin olive oil, nut oils, goat butter, avocados and young coconuts
-Unsweetened nut milks such as almond milk.
-Condiments such as vinegars, mustard, spices, wheat-free tamari (similar to soy sauce) sea salt and pepper.
-Raw agave nectar
-I also have a carton of eggs from a local farm that I will eat until they're gone, then not replace them for the remainder of the cleanse.

Years ago, I did a 28 day cleanse similar to this but used an additional supplement shake called Ultraclear, which claims to aid in the detoxification of the liver, and I did have great results. But I have chosen not to use any supplements or powdered shakes this time because I believe in the power of Real Food. Food can be medicine, and I am going to attempt to heal myself with it for the next 21 days. I also think relying on shakes and supplements doesn't instill healthy patterns around food. You're avoiding food not embracing it.

This is not a goodbye forever to cheese and bread and wine. It's just a ciao ciao for now. It will still be there in three weeks and I'll be able to reincorporate them back into my diet as I please. This process helps you to first deconstruct your daily habits - the ones that aren't working for you - and then reconstruct them in a way that does. It gives you perspective and freedom from your perceived limitations and your day to day grind. Ultimately, it's about having more freedom, not less.

That said, I invite you to join me in this process. If you're not ready to take on the whole thing, then try incorporating the parts you can. I will be writing about the process throughout the cleanse, offering resources, recipes and tips to help all of us eat beautifully, feel empowered and satisfied. Feel free to email me with questions and concerns at danajoy@realfoodrehab dot com. If you'd like to stay posted, you can subscribe via email to Real Food Rehab and always opt out at any time. Look for the box to subscribe on our sidebar.

The Eating Plan

Since Spring is here and the weather has warmed, it's the perfect time to eat more raw fruits and veggies. The farmers' markets are about to begin and soon we will have local asparagus, young lettuces, radishes, spinach and sprouts to dig in to. Local produce is a nutritional powerhouse because you're getting it shortly after it's been harvested instead of standard grocery store produce that's already experienced a long lifetime having being picked, packaged, shipped thousands of miles, distributed and left to sit on store shelves for God knows how long. I do rely on the grocery store too, but when those markets open, I try to get to them at least once a week.

When I say raw fruits and veggies, I am not talking "baby" carrot sticks out of a plastic bag and lifeless pieces of celery. No my friends, we are going to eat beautifully dressed salads with delicious homemade dressings that you can make in a jam jar in 3 minutes flat. You are going to crave these salads, trust me.

If the temps drop, as they're known to do this time of year, I will add more cooked foods to the mix. This includes legumes and rice, sauteed, steamed and roasted veggies, homemade soups, roasted chicken and occasionally, some brown rice pasta if I'm in need.

The only basic day-to-day rules I have for the 21 days are:

Drink a green smoothie or a green juice at least once a day. (More about this tomorrow.)
Eat a large raw salad once (or twice) a day.
Eat some lean animal protein once a day.
Eat only when I'm hungry.
Do not overeat.

The rest I will leave to daily improvisation because that's how I roll.

Tools & Resources

There is a great book called Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itselfwritten by Dr. Alejandro Junger that I highly recommend. In it, he tells the story of how he recovered from his own malaise by doing an elimination diet that has had lasting effects on his health and completely changed the way he practices medicine. It's a very informative read. Below is his suggested list for what to eat and what not to eat, which I have based my own cleanse off of with a few exceptions. (Click to enlarge.) This is taken from his website: www.cleanprogram.com. There are great recipes on the site and in the book. It is also available at the library.

One of the most important things you will need for this cleanse is a good blender. A blender that can blend greens, fruits, ice and liquids together with ease. In my wildest dreams I would own a Blendtec Blender. It's a super-high powered blender that I hope to purchase one day soon. It's so powerful, it can turn nuts into nut butter and raw veggies into soups! For now, I have been using a 25 year old Oster that works just fine so if that's all you got, don't sweat it.

The other tool I find indispensable for making killer salads is this Truffle and Chocolate Shaver. I know, call me crazy but I can shave super thin slices of vegetables and fruits with it in seconds. You have to watch your hands as they get closer to the blade, but it works like a charm for me and is a steal. Other people really like this Kyocera Adjustable Mandolin Slicer. Either way, they make salad making a snap and they're a great investment.

Lastly, a Microplane Grater/Zesterand a Salad Spinnerare important for grating lemon and lime zest for dressings and marinades and the spinner for drying greens and fresh herbs. If your greens or veggies are wet and you try to add your delicious dressing to them, they won't adhere because oil and water don't mix, so your salad is rendered flavorless and you are never satisfied. That's a big bummer.

For those of you who would like a comprehensive grocery list of high quality ingredients with which to stock your fridge and pantry, I would like to recommend my Pantry Essentials Guide. It's a comprehensive list that will help you long after the cleanse is over, just omit the trigger foods for now.

The Spring cleanse would also be great to do with a good friend or family member. You can check in on a daily basis via phone or email with a commitment of what you're going to eat that day and also vent or brag about how you're feeling. It's great to have support when going through this process. And remember, you always have me.

No matter where you start is great, so don't stress it. Even if you decide to give up one thing like sugar or caffeine - that is huge! And even if you walk away having learned how to make a new salad or discover you (and maybe your kids, too) LOVE green smoothies, it will all have been worth it.

In the next post, we're going to dive in to Green Smoothies so get ready.

My Stage With Chef Paul Virant of Vie

2010-05-01T05:16:00.000-07:00

Black Perigord Truffles

The Excuse

Here's a lame story for you: I was fortunate enough to stage in the kitchen with Chef Paul Virant of Vie back in February and never wrote about it. Why? I took a gazillion photos then lost the memory card in my home somewhere, knowing it would eventually turn up. It finally did, inside a shoe I haven't worn in three months! So now, much after the fact, I finally get to share the experience with you, visually enhanced by my photos.

The Restaurant

Vie is a three-star restaurant serving seasonal contemporary American cuisine, located in Western Springs, an older, established and very charming suburb about fifteen miles west of Chicago. Lots of beautiful, architecture - everything from art deco bungalows to grand Arts and Crafts-style manor homes. You don't see any new construction or McMansions there, which I appreciate very much. There's a sweet, thriving business district with a family owned butcher shop, bakery and hardware store that have all been there forever. Paul's restaurant, Vie, is nestled on a side street off the main street in its own store front. The BNSF Railway also runs through the center of town, with its long, ambling freight trains which gives the place a slower, Mayberry kind of feel.

The reason I asked to stage in Paul's kitchen is Number One, I find him approachable, gentle and kind. I used to run into him at the Green City Market a lot when I worked and shopped there. He never struck me as an irascible, fry pan-throwing, type of chef. This was comforting to me. Number Two, he is passionate about local, seasonal and sustainable food. That is what moves me most. Paul uses the best ingredients and has close, longstanding relationships with farmers and growers. He cures and smokes his own meats and seafood, pickles and preserves his own produce and he's been doing this long before it was trendy. For lack of better terminology, Paul Virant is the shit.

The Mindset

So, on my way out there, I was really nervous. I kept envisioning I was going to make a giant ass of myself which wasn't out of the realm of possibility. Working in a professional kitchen felt like a big challenge to me and I had no idea what to expect. I was imagining I would cut myself, burn myself, shatter many plates and drop expensive cuts of meat on the floor. It was like a montage from a bad Jerry Lewis movie. After all, this is a three star kitchen helmed by one of the best chefs in the city: Food & Wine Best New Chef 2007, one of Gayot's Top 40 Restaurants in the Country, the list of accolades goes on and on. The pressure in my chattering monkey mind was building. Not to mention I was a few minutes late because of that damn freight train. Oy.

The Goal

My immediate goal? To learn as much as I could. To have an experience without any expectation. To be open to everything. To not pretend I knew anything I didn't. To be gracious. My long term goal? To use the experience as a building block to become more fluent in the use of seasonal ingredients. There are ingredients I long to take home from the farmers' market but feel mildly intimidated by how to best use them.

The Menu

This was not an average night at Vie. This was a very special night. Paul often executes seasonally themed dinners throughout the year and this was his Black Truffle Dinner. Paul bought a large amount (serious Ca-Ching!) of fresh, black Perigord truffles to infuse into every course. They are a fungus named after the Périgord region in France and highly prized for their earthy, pungent flavor - nothing tastes quite like them. Paul explained that a lot of hard core Vie regulars were guests that night, many of them accompanied by prized bottles of wine from their own cellars. He told me about one guest in particular who was coming, who had eaten at Vie about 500 times! (but who's counting?) Here is the glorious menu:

Black Truffle Dinner

February 3, 2010

Reception

black truffle and parmigiano-reggiano gougères

Amuse

edelweiss creamery emmenthaler fondue, celery root, croutons, black truffles

08 Rebenhof, Ürziger Würtzgarten, Riesling Kabinett, Germany

First

moose island scallops, black truffles, puff pastry, honey vinegar

08 Westrey, Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Second

maine lobster, black truffles, leeks, yukon gold potatoes, butter “en papillote”

07 Pulenta Estate, Chardonnay, Mendoza, Argentina

Third

terrine of au bon canard foie gras with black truffles and château montifaud cognac, three sisters pea shoots, roasted apple, black truffles

08 Domaine du Tariquet, Ugni Blanc-Colombard, Côtes De Gascogne, France

Fourth

gunthorp farm chicken and black truffle “scotch egg,”

spinach, jus de poulet mayonnaise

07 Stoller, Pinot Noir, JV Estate, Dundee Hills, Oregon

Fifth

roasted hawks hill ranch elk tenderloin, salsify, port and truffle sauce

07 Poderi Aldo Conterno, Masante, Langhe Dolcetto, Monforte D’Alba, Italy

To Finish

local honey, truffle, and walnut butter cake,

truffle chiboust, black walnut and truffle nougatine

black walnut and honey infused death’s door white whiskey

The Prep

My nervousness subsided a bit after I was greeted warmly by everyone in the kitchen. The staff were all young and very accomplished. There was one woman who had left a long stint at Alinea to work with Paul, another culinary veteran who owned her own farm in Michigan during the growing season and worked at a couple restaurants doing front and back of the house during the off season. One chef had been with Paul since the beginning and learned everything on the job.

Kitchen Meeting

Paul called a meeting to go over the specific preparation of each course and to delegate prep. He let me know this was not your average high stress night in the kitchen where everyone is ordering something different at different times. This was a pleasure trip by comparison: all courses would go out at the same time. We'd wait until the guests had finished one course, then put together the next and so on.

We were each put to work - there was another stage there, a recent culinary graduate named Tom, and he and I were assigned to peel the soft-boiled eggs for the Scotch Eggs without breaking them and spilling their runny centers. The eggs that didn't make the cut were served to the staff as a snack on grilled bread. Meanwhile, Paul was next to me killing live lobsters in the most humane way possible which I learned is by running a knife all the way through their heads into the cutting board to make sure their brains are severed before poaching them in water. It was a little heartbreaking for me to watch, I must confess. But I'm a very conflicted eater when it comes to living things and also a hypocrite. I love lobster.

The Kill

Nothing gets wasted - even the lobster shells. Everything is composted and recycled. Mint Creek Farms comes and gets their scraps for their compost pile.

Still Life With Compost Heap

Chicken Wrap

Paul and the other chefs showed Tom and I how to complete all the steps for the Scotch Eggs. After they were peeled we wrapped them in housemade Gunthorp Farms chicken sausage that were laced with a ton of sliced truffles. Paul estimated there was about $8 worth of truffles in each egg alone! He was very generous with the truffles that night. I gotta say, they were really flowing. The eggs were then rolled in flour, egg and bread crumbs and put in the deep fryer later before the course went out.

Scotch Eggs Right Out Of the Deep Fryer

I never got to touch a knife that night - but I cleaned spinach and also put together the papillote packages for the second course: we laid out circles of parchment paper and brushed them with butter. Then we stacked the ingredients on one half of the circle so we could fold over the other half to seal and then bake the packages. The Yukon Golds came first, then the sauteed leeks, lobster, black truffle slices, a big beautiful blob of butter, and a squirt of Pulenta Estate Chardonnay (the same wine paired with this course on the menu).

Lobster en Papillote

The terrine of goose liver, truffle and cognac was made in-house, in advance and here it is in all of its visually stunning glory. They look like granite paperweights from the shops along the Arno.

Foie

A couple of other cool things that were happening while I was there - the pastry chef was brewing homemade root beer and one of the chefs was smoking pork belly so the kitchen smelled like heaven all day long.

Smoked Pork Belly

The Show

Before guests arrived I went out with Paul to watch him go over the menu with the front of the house staff, talk about the wine pairings and how the evening would unfold. It was clear that Vie is a family restaurant and that Paul has cultivated a very devoted staff. I have worked in restaurants where there's lots of drama and dysfunction and Vie feels nothing like that. Paul had just gotten in a new small batch bourbon that day and he opened it and gave all of us a nice pour to take the edge off before service began. We drank out it out of short, plastic to-go containers. It was freaking fabulous.

Bourbon Neat en Plastique

Once the guests sat down I stood at the end of the line and watched the chefs do their thing. I did get to contribute to the plating here and there and Paul made a few extra dishes for the staff so we all got to try every course and also taste the wine pairings.

Line Dance

Another major bonus were these Vie regulars, who would come back in the kitchen and leave the staff glasses of their 1983 Mouton Rothschild for us to try. Sweet!! I mean come on, this is my kind of place.

Mais Oui, Monsieur

It surprised me how much I loved the dessert. The truffle-walnut-honey combo was a winner; the cake so buttery-moist and the truffle very subtle. That combined with the crunchy nougatine and the infused Death's Door white whiskey? It smacked of a real manly man's dessert. Lots of earthy and rich, deep and sweet flavors.

The Favorites

Chicken Brickle

My favorite things of the night were elements on the plates of two different courses but both were so simple and flavorful and I could replicate them very easily at home. One was the crunchy, seasoned chicken skin that topped the Scotch Egg. I call it Chicken Brickle. It is perhaps the greatest salty snack of all time. I can see serving that as a cocktail snack on it's own or as an accompaniment to a great salad. I know, completely decadent but so good. My dad eats this old world Jewish dish called gribenes - it's fried chicken fat - kind of like pork skins but chicken instead. I have to make it for him. Here's how:

Chicken Brickle Recipe
Heat oven to 300, lay the chicken skin (seasoned with salt and pepper) between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Place between 2 sheet pans and bake until skin is crisp, 1 hr.

AWESOME

The other is this fresh, gorgeous pea shoot salad that was served with the terrine course. It's tossed with shaved black truffles, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar! So fresh and so clean, clean.

Pea Shoot & Shaved Truffle Salad

The Recipe

Since many of us don't have the budget for live lobsters, I've asked Paul to give us an easy, simple Spring recipe using papillote - which is wrapping your ingredients in parchment paper pouches and cooking them in the oven - which seals in juices and causes the ingredients to meld beautifully.

Great Lakes Whitefish Papillote
(serves four)

4-5oz pieces whitefish filet, skin removed

Salt

5 T butter

2 globe radishes, washed and thinly sliced

2 spring onions, washed and sliced

1 white hakuri turnip, washed and sliced

4 dried tomato slices (olive oil packed)

4 T sauvignon blanc

1 c loosely packed herbs, picked (basil, tarragon, chervil, parsley)

4 ½ sheets parchment paper

Preheat an oven to 400F. Season whitefish with salt. Place sheets of parchment, shorter side facing you. Spread 1T of the butter evenly on each sheet. Place an equal amount of radishes, spring onions and turnips just below the center of the parchment sheets, season the vegetables. Place fish on top of the vegetable bed. Place 1T butter and 1 tomato slice on each fish. Top the fish with an equal amount of herbs. Fold shorter side over to meet the opposite shorter side. Starting by one crease, begin folding the parchment, each consecutive fold overlapping the one before. Continue folding to form a half cirlcle, just before you make the final fold to seal, add 1T white wine to each. Make sure each “bag” is sealed properly. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes (parchment should puff and resemble pillows), serve immediately. Cut parchment tableside, discard paper, enjoy!

The Big Thanks

One of the unfortunate things I did, that I feared might have gotten on everyone's nerves, was my propensity to say, "This is awesome," in a completely geeked out way every ten minutes or so throughout the day. It was an authentic statement for sure, but no doubt, highly annoying. I was so happy to be there, so honored to experience all that was going on, to learn, watch, taste and sip. And very grateful the staff was so kind and open towards me. I was like a kid in a candy store (chicken candy, that is). I love to learn and I value experience over things any day. I was tired when it was all over. I think I was on my feet from 1 pm to about 11:15 pm. But it was so worth it.

Big thanks to Paul, Jimmy, Albert, Anne, Kyle, Abra, Kennard, Tom, the Pastry Team, the front of the house staff, that regular (you know who you are) who brought the amazing wines to the kitchen and anyone else I'm forgetting - I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it!

For those of you who haven't experienced Vie, be sure to get there, special occasion or any occasion (the bar is great too) and also check out their cooking classes (scroll down the page) which I also hope to experience myself this summer.

Dance It Off! - The Ultimate After Work Dance Session

2010-04-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't been writing with much regularity lately. I apologize for that. Spending every day in front of the computer was killing me and I've desperately needed to take a break. You see, I write this blog and I also make my living, in part, by writing for others and I just hit a wall - I'm sure anyone who works in front a computer all day can relate. It's an energy suck and all this sitting has been hard and horrible on my body.

The other issue is winter - even though I felt like it was a pretty quick and mild one - I just didn't move my body enough. The problem is I hate the cold so I won't work out outside and I hate going to gyms. Yoga is my only saving grace but it doesn't seem to be quite enough. Recently, I realized the only form of exercise I really love is dancing! I used to love to go to clubs and dance but getting out at 11:30 at night isn't practical for me and generally speaking, it's not my scene anymore. In my old apartment, I didn't have neighbors above or below me so I used to turn out the lights, move the furniture, crank the tunes in my kitchen, and dance for hours. I can't do that now and be a good neighbor at the same time so that ends that.

Meanwhile, my ass has been spreading like wildfire and I feel like crap. What to do?

My friend, John and I were talking: What if there were a place you could go after work and dance hard for an hour? What if it simulated the feel of a nightclub: the room - dark, the music - funky, but there was no need to get dressed up, no alcohol, just a safe and friendly environment to get down?

Well, here it is: Dance It Off! It's one hour of freestyle dance to the best dance music from the 70's to the present. It's at the coolest dance studio on the Northside of Chicago: Visceral Dance Center - on Elston near the intersection of Elston, Diversey and Western.

Dance It Off! happens every Wednesday from 6 to 7 pm. Our inaugural dance session is this Wednesday, April 7 at 6 pm! It's only $10 and it promises to be a blast! Once Dance It Off! gets going, I plan on having them at various locations on different weeknights all over the city so more people can take advantage of them.

You can click HERE to get more details.

My mission is to create a place where men and women of all shapes and sizes can move the way their bodies want to move without any self-consciousness. A place to have fun (first and foremost), get out of our heads and into our bodies and dance off weight, stress, whatever the hell it is you want to dance off.

I believe it's important that each of us to find a way to move and exercise that gives us pleasure. It doesn't have to be torture. It should be enjoyable, feel good and be something we look forward to. Not the other way around!

What I know is that once I start to Dance It Off! my life will have more balance. Once I start to move my body by doing something I love - I know everything in my life will flow and improve. I am especially looking forward to it reinvigorating Real Food Rehab and the rest of my writing.

So thanks readers, for hanging in there with me. There's so much more to come.

A Matisse-Inspired Apple Tart

2010-03-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

Henri Matisse (French, 1869-1954). Apples, 1916. Oil on canvas, 116.9 x 88.9 cm (46 x 35 in.) The Art Institute of Chicago, gift of Florene May Schoenborn and Samuel A. Marx, 1948.563. © 2010 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

This past Saturday, The Art Institute of Chicago launched an exhibition entitled, Matisse: Radical Invention 1913-1917. In the words of the curator, "this exhibition examines what is without question the most innovative, momentous, and yet little-studied time in the artist’s long career." It's at the Art Institute through June 20. You must get there.

For me, it was a great excuse to collaborate with fellow food blogger Megan Fizell and her site Feasting on Art, which I profiled a few posts back. Megan creates and photographs recipes inspired by great works of art. We decided to each create a dish - one savory and one sweet - inspired by a painting in the exhibition and, you guessed it, it's the one above, Apples, which is actually in the Art Institute's permanent collection and a real stunner, especially in person.

Megan chose a savory apple recipe - Apple & Shallot Croquettes, and I chose a rustic apple tart from David Tanis' brilliant book, A Platter of Figs, which I cannot recommend highly enough. Definitely check out Megan's discourse on the Matisse painting on her blog post. She's an art historian and her knowledge of this period of Matisse's career is highly illuminating.

But let's get on with the tart. It's both rustic and elegant. It's simple yet also a showstopper. I think your guests will agree. Serve alongside creme fraiche.

Apple Tart
adapted from David Tanis' A Platter of Figs
enough for 2 tarts

ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for sprinkling
2 sticks cold butter cut in thin slices
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg beaten plus enough ice water to make one cup
8 medium, crisp apples
1 cup sugar for the glaze plus extra for sprinkling
1 cup water

method

Put the flour, butter and salt in a bowl. With your fingers, work the butter into the flour until it looks mealy, with some large flecks of butter remaining. Pour the egg-ice water mixture into the bowl and quickly knead the dough for only a minute or two, until it comes together. It will be soft, a little sticky, and, though gathered together, a little rough looking.

Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and pat into a rectangle about an inch thick. Wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.

Divide the pastry in half (there will be enough for 2 tarts; you can freeze one half for later.) Sprinkle your surface with flour and roll out the pastry to a rectangle, approximately 11 by 16 inches, using a 15 1/2-by-10 1/2-inch baking sheet as a template.

Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and let it relax, then trim the edges to fit the pan with a little dough going up the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Peel the apples and cut into quarters, Remove the cores and use to make a glaze as follows: Combine the 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water with the cores. Stir first to dissolve the sugar, then simmer to a thick syrup. Strain and reserve. Slice the apples as thin as possible. Arrange the apple slices over the pastry in 5 rows, overlapping them like cards in solitaire. You can see I wasn't so strict on this point, below. Crimp the dough around the edges of the apples with your hands. At this point the tart can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 8 hours. It's OK if the apples darken.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Sprinkle the sugar generously over the apples and bake until they are beautifully browned and the pastry is crisp about 45 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Just before serving, reheat the glaze. Slide the tart from the pan to a cutting board. Paint the apples with the warmed glaze. Slice into small rectangles and serve.

Pairing Music & Drink with Wine Expert Josh Kaplan

2010-03-11T10:54:00.000-08:00

Josh Kaplan is someone who has seriously influenced my interest and education in wine. We both worked at mk the restaurant many years ago; he, as their beverage manager and sommelier and me, as their publicist. I used to eat and entertain there quite often and Josh never made the experience of selecting wine stuffy or uncomfortable. He also never assumed anything about your level of knowledge - it didn't matter. What he brought to the table was a genuine and palpable excitement about turning you on to great wines that would heighten your experience and make it a memorable one. You understood that beneath the suit and the elegant demeanor was a man who was downright giddy about wine. That kind of passion is what draws me to people. I love to learn and with Josh, there is no pretense or snobbery; just a desire to openly share with you all he knows.

Josh saw my post on Beautiful Food Rituals and asked if he could contribute his own. He's a serious audiophile and offered to turn us all on to some great beats perfectly paired with time and place, great coffee, wine and even a digestif. Here's his piece below. Thank you so much, Josh!

The pairing of music and drink occurs for most of us on a daily basis. When you walk into a coffee shop or a bar, there is always something on. Usually in the background. Most likely that music was chosen to suit the overall vibe of the establishment, rather than as a specific accompaniment to an actual beverage.

The approach I like to take when pairing music and drink is not so much literal (Joni Mitchell's Blue and a blueberry frappé) but rather geared to the moment, the time of day and the season.

One of my favorite times of day to pair music and drink is early Sunday morning.

Just after the sun has risen, my home is bathed in a golden, yellow light. The beans are ground and the coffee is brewing. What to play?

Well, I'm an amateur audiophile. I have an extensive collection of vinyl I've been collecting since the late Eighties. Gotta say, my favorite Sunday morning LP is side one of Richard Davies' There's Never Been a Crowd Like This. The album is rich with crisp, strummed acoustic guitars, offbeat instrumentation, immediately tuneful melodies, witty lyrics and an overall sense of joy. There is a crystallized moment when the hot jolt of caffeine hits the bright morning and combines with Davies' lush arrangements that makes for a perfect way to start the day.

OK, let's say it's not sunny. It's grey. It's nasty. Snow. Everywhere. Urrgh. You have to adapt to the conditions. Chirpy, happy music is just going to be aggravating, so you need something that has a lilting, melancholy, grey feeling. You need Sigur Ros. Maybe it's because they're Icelandic so I associate their music with cold. Maybe it's because they tend to release their albums in winter. Maybe it's because their music can be slow like a glacier. I think it's because there's an abstract quality to their songs that gives them a strong, cold weather feel. Most particularly the album ( ). I mean...just look at the cover. It screams 'brrr' or maybe since we're talking about Sigur Ros, it gently whispers 'brrr.'

I recently tried the much-hyped Stumptown Coffee at Bagel on Damen. Best cup of coffee I've had in my 20+ years of drinking coffee. Thick and oily in texture, super-concentrated and intense, vaguely hallucinogenic - prepare to be blown away.

In general, since it is early in the day, I don't play anything too ruckus. I save the Sonic Youth for later.

Music and wine presents a wider array of options. It's the start of your night and you're drinking Alsatian Riesling or Rose Champagne. The music needs to be upbeat, fun and not too heavy. I'm a fan of Erlend Oye's Unrest. Definitely side 3. Quirky, stripped down beats, slinky eighties-style synths, gently sung lyrics. This record is just plain fun.

For Rose Champagne, I was recently turned on to Fluteau Carte Rubis Brut Rose. The wine is packed with crisp, bright red berry fruits and brimming with zesty bubbles. Another reason to pop the cork is the $32.99 price tag - a rare value from this typically pricey appellation. You can find the wine at Binny's.

Moving on to red wine. Something heavier. A little richer. Bolder. Chateauneuf du Pape. On the stereo it's My Morning Jacket. ROCK AND ROLL. Side one of It Still Moves.

Everything about those first three songs is boozy and over the top: huge guitars, outsized hooks, Jim James' reverb-soaked vocals...easily the musical equivalent of 15% alcohol Chateauneuf.

One of my favorite producers of high octane Chateauneuf du Pape is Domaine de la Janasse. Their CNDP bottlings start around $50 retail, depending on vintage. A more cost effective way to sample their wares is buying one of their wines from a different appellation. The vin de pays Terre de Bussiere is a mouthful to say and drink. At $15, it is totally worth it. The fruit is so rich and jammy, it's practically spreadable. Like My Morning Jacket, it's a crowdpleaser with integrity.

One last record for end of the night contemplation. A nod to Radiohead's In Rainbows, a brilliant late night album, but instead, I feel the need to mention Woodbine and their album Best Before End . Not too well known in the States, or their native England either. I just stumbled across this band a few years ago. They are kinda like Portishead minus beats, plus acoustic guitars. It's an intense way to end the night, but highly rewarding. Both sides. Fine with cognac. Or more red wine.

Although bourbon is fashionable now, let's not push cognac aside. Jean Luc Pasquet has a permanent home on my liquor cart for many reasons. Artisanal? Check. Cool label? Check. Value? Check. Warm fuzzies? Check.

You should be good to go.

Josh Kaplan grew up in the world of hospitality visiting Chicago's best restaurants with his father, well known restaurant critic, Sherman Kaplan. Early in his career, he worked at Evanston's Va Pensiero and at Michael Symon's Lola Cafe in Cleveland. Most recently he was the Beverage Director for mk the restaurant and theWit Hotel. Currently, he is the assistant General Manager at the soon-to-open Benny's Chop House in Chicago. Amongst friends, he is well-known for having an enviable record and wine collection.

Changing Old, Ingrained Eating Habits

2010-02-28T09:34:00.000-08:00

photo by earth-touch.com

This photo speaks to me in the most primordial way. I am a Leo, astrologically speaking, and an occasional carnivore. I also enjoy eating with my hands and have been known to voraciously enjoy my food. And for this very important post, I didn't want to use a tacky stock photo of someone nervously tapping their fingers next to a bowl of peanuts. It needed to have some weight, some gravitas. Because this is serious business. At least it is for me.

For the last few weeks, I've been keeping a journal of observations on how I eat, what I eat, what triggers my eating, what's working and what isn't. I've been feeling physically out of sorts for a while and winter sure doesn't help. I simply don't move my body as much in the winter and that's a big part of it. But there was something more - something deeper to untangle and it was time to face the music.

I want to point out that this detective work I was doing on my own behalf came from a place of loving observation, not condemnation. This was the perfect exercise for me to experience that the old, mean-spirited and hyper-critical voice in my head had virtually disappeared which was stupendous news.

So, here in brief, is what I've observed about myself:

On a day to day basis, I am not in touch with my natural instincts around food.
I often eat because it's breakfast, lunch or dinner time and not because I'm hungry.
I occasionally use food as a means to distract and disassociate from the moment.
I sometimes eat to combat stress.
I can use food and cooking to procrastinate.
I eat too mindlessly too often.
I sometimes reach for foods that don't make me feel good but have long been a source of comfort.
I will often resist what makes me feel good. (what the?!)
I desire to be more comfortable outside of my comfort zone.

What I also know is this: I am going through major change. And along with the tumult and discomfort inherent in change, also comes this feeling of being ungrounded, which is no freaking day at the carnival, let me tell you. It brings up a lot of fear. So, I've found myself wanting to cling to patterns that are comfortable and familiar just to feel grounded. But the reality is, those old ways of being no longer serve me. I have to create new ways to cope, ones that are life-affirming and make me feel good instead of keeping me physically and emotionally incapacitated.

I love this quote by the brilliant numerology expert, Christine DeLorey:

"Feel your fear, accept its presence, and allow it to move through you, and out of you. This process develops courage, and the ability to recognize those things which really do need to be feared, and those which need not be feared at all. Your feelings are your senses and instincts which, in turn, are vital to your survival."

Here's the other MAJOR thing I figured out from my observational experiment:

I do not allow myself the space to fully feel and acknowledge my feelings. This pattern was set in childhood. It is so old and obsolete and I am still, blindly following its lead. I need to slow down, breathe and acknowledge to myself what I'm feeling. I need to assure myself that everything's alright and that I am safe. This is a new pattern that will take time to gel but one I am forever committed to returning to.

Again, another liberating insight from Christine DeLorey:

"You will learn that your feelings are your only means of activating personal freedom. We have all been conditioned to believe that emotional expression denotes weakness and is "negative." In fact, emotional expression is our strength, our own self-healing mechanism, our only means of freedom, and the ultimate tool of creativity. "

Now, with this new found knowledge, I tried another experiment. I removed what I suspected to be "trigger" foods for me for one week and ate a very simple diet full of clean, organic animal protein and all the fruits and vegetables I desired. The foods I removed were coffee, alcohol, soy, wheat, sugar, dairy, red meat and my beloved salty, snacky treats. I also made a lot of green smoothies where I'd throw handfuls of dark leafy greens like spinach, kale and chard in a blender with berries I'd frozen in the summer, a banana, some papaya or pineapple and water and blend until smooth. I had a lot of energy that week. I started to feel great. I was definitely on to something.

The question became, could I realistically sustain this? Wouldn't it interfere with my social life? Would I begin to feel lonely and outcast? Would I feel deprived? I love a good pizza and a cocktail from time to time. How could this ever work? I honestly don't know.

But I do know that I don't respond well to absolutes. Ideally, I believe in finding balance. I like the idea of simply following what feels good for my emotional and physical well-being one day at a time. Noticing whether my body is saying "yes" or "no". Trusting myself to make decisions in the moment that are in my best interest and to catch myself when I hit slippery slope territory - when I'm building backwards momentum and not feeling my best. Right now, this is what makes sense to me.

When I look back on my long relationship with food, I hit on some remarkable memories that are significant reminders of how far I've come. My ex-boyfriend Joe, whom I lived with for many years in my twenties, recently shared that one of the things that endeared him to me was that I used to like to smoke Camel Lights and eat mint chocolate chip ice cream at the same time! I mean, come on! That's hilarious - my ersatz version of a menthol - I totally love it. But, I'm just so grateful it would never occur to me to do that now!

So, from what I've learned so far (and I'm sure there's more to come), these are my steps for changing outdated eating habits. I firmly believe that excavating the truth - your personal truth - will truly set you free.

Observe yourself in a loving and kind way, not a critical one.

Get clear on what your triggers are. Be honest with yourself about them and know that it's OK.

See if you can begin to cut your triggers off at the pass by kindly acknowledging how you're feeling in the moment and breathe deeply into your body.

Write about what you're feeling in a journal if you need to.

Begin to take notice of your authentic hunger cues. Let yourself get hungry before you eat and see how that feels.

Observe what foods make you feel good and which ones make you feel bad.

Try removing those foods one at a time (or all at once if you're up to it) for a while and see how you feel.

Find a movement/exercise practice that allows you to get out of your head and into your body.

If any of you are moved or can relate to this in any way, I'd love to hear from you. danajoy at realfoodrehab dot com.

Being A Contribution

2010-02-14T13:25:00.000-08:00

Not long ago, I set out to reinvent my life with the sole purpose of being the most authentic version of myself that I could be. In my search, I've found many books that have helped me on my path - books that synchronistically seemed to jump off the library shelves right when I needed them. This book, The Art of Possibilityby Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, created a profound shift in how I view what's possible in my personal life, my relationships and in turning around difficult situations to the best advantage for myself and others.

One of the chapters in the book that had the greatest influence on me was called, Being A Contribution. It opened with this parable:

Strolling along the edge of the sea, a man catches sight of a young woman who appears to be engaged in a ritual dance. She stoops down, then straightens to her full height, casting her arm out in an arc. Drawing closer, he sees that the beach around her is littered with starfish, and she is throwing them out one by one into the sea. He lightly mocks her, "There are stranded starfish as far as the eye can see, for miles up the beach. What difference can saving a few of them possibly make?" Smiling, she bends down and once more tosses a starfish out over the water, saying serenely, "It certainly makes a difference to this one."

Reading this chapter was a beautiful wake up call. I recognized that I measure and judge my place in the world far too narrowly: everything is either right or wrong, I am a success or a failure, I am too much or not enough. I am also guilty of occasionally making decisions out of fear based on what other people might think instead of from a place of strong personal belief and integrity. Benjamin Zander, a successful speaker and conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, came to the conclusion that instead of measuring his achievements in traditional ways, he could simply declare himself to be a contribution:

"I settled on a game called I am a contribution. Unlike success and failure, contribution has no other side. It is not arrived at by comparison. All at once I found that the fearful question, "Is it enough?" and the even more fearful question, " Am I loved for who I am, or for what I have accomplished?" could both be replaced with the joyful question, "How will I be a contribution today?"

The idea of declaring myself a contribution was liberating. It redirected my way of thinking.
I started to view difficult situations as personal challenges where I had an opportunity to rise to the occasion. I was recently in a work situation that was new and very perplexing. I was mired in negativity about finding a solution to a big problem. I was feeling like a victim and wanted to blame others for my predicament. But then I realized I wanted to resolve this with integrity and for me, that means not finding fault and blaming others but taking personal responsibility. So, I asked myself, "What is the best contribution I can make to this situation?" I visualized a happy outcome for all without having expectations about how it might unfold. I held the tension of not having answers but believing I could find one and ultimately, I did.

Frankly, I am tired of seeing the negative in every situation and of hearing myself say the words, "I can't." (again, fear talking). I knew at my core, that's not who I am or who I want to be in the world. When pressed in dilemma, when I think I have no options, I remember there is always another way and that's the perfect time to declare myself a contribution.

"Naming oneself and others as a contribution produces a shift away from self-concern and engages us in a relationship with others that is an arena for making a difference. Rewards in the contribution game are of a deep and enduring kind, though less predictable than the trio of money, fame and power that accrue to the winner in the success game. You never know what they will be, or from whence they come."

Excerpted directly from the book, here are steps to The Practice of Becoming a Contribution:

1. Declare yourself to be a contribution.

2. Throw yourself into life as someone who makes a difference, accepting that you may not understand how or why.

"When you play the contribution game, it is never a single individual who is transformed. Transformation overrides the divisions of identity and possession that are the architecture of the measurement model, recasting the tight pattern of scarcity into a widespread array of abundance."

We all desire abundance. Whether it's financial freedom, friendships, love or creative flow. What if abundance wasn't simply about "me, me, me - that's mine." The scarcity mentality thinks "I can't share this because then there won't be enough for me." The idea that no matter how much we have, there is never enough. That is surely fear talking; we've all experienced it but it is simply not true. I have lived with this mentality my whole life. It has been passed down from generation to generation in my family and I am committed to ending its legacy for good.

I'm going to end with another parable from the book that speaks to possibility and to our "limited understanding of the nature of the gifts the universe holds in store for us."

Four young men sit by the bedside of their dying father. The old man, with his last breath, tells them there is a huge treasure buried in the family fields. The sons crowd around him crying, "Where, where?" but it is too late. The day after the funeral and for many days to come, the young men go out with their picks and shovels and turn the soil, digging deeply into the ground from one end of each field to the other. They find nothing and, bitterly disappointed, abandon the search. The next season the farm had its best harvest ever.

Feasting On Art

2010-02-10T20:32:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered this incredible blog, Feasting on Art. Its proprietress, Megan Fizell, has combined her passion for food, art and photography and created a unique genre all her own: She creates culinary masterpieces inspired by classic and contemporary works of art, many of them still lifes.

Piet Mondrian, Composition No. 8, 1939-42
Oil on canvas, 74 x 68 cm, Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth

Mondrian's Pound Cake (click for recipe)

Megan is educated as an art historian and currently lives and works in Sydney, Australia. I love the way she describes the original works - for me, it's like getting a double major in art history and culinary education at the same time. Moreover, her site is so visually and sensually exciting - a very inspired place to visit so I hope you will check it out. Below, is my interview with Megan. She also shares her culinary experiences in Sydney, a place I dream about living someday...

How do you describe Feasting on Art?

Feasting on Art is an innovative translation from painting to plate. Taking cues from the ingredients depicted in each work, recipes are composed to reflect the artist's creativity. As a broad survey of both the role of food in the history of art and the gastronomic traditions of the culinary arts, the blog acts as a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.

Can you describe your day job and how Feasting on Art intersects with that? How do the two inform one another?

By working at an art gallery I am exposed to new and exciting art on a daily basis in the gallery collection and by the Sydney scene in general. I used one painting on the blog that was sold at the gallery many years ago by Weaver Hawkins.

Your recipes and images aren't literal, but inspired by the original work. Can you describe your process?

The process varies depending on the painting but generally I start with an artwork I find interesting and want to learn more about. I have a large archive of paintings I hope to study and find myself picking art based on the season. I am currently in the middle of a series about Frida Kahlo who created bright and vibrant paintings - perfect for our hot Sydney summer. Sometimes I find beautiful produce at the market and then search for a matching painting to research. Those posts are much harder for obvious reasons.

Frida Kahlo, Still Life, 1942

oil on copper, 64.5 cm diameter, Museo Frida Kahlo, Mexico City

Kahlo's Roasted Chicken with Pumpkin Mole (click for recipe)

Are these your proprietary recipes?

It depends on the specific recipe - I alternate between adapting recipes by other authors and creating my own. I cite the recipe's original source if adapting so unless otherwise noted the work is my own.

What is your cooking background? How often do you cook for yourself and others?

Up until my move to London my kitchen skills were very limited. I had a very inspiring roommate who introduced me to cooking as a creative outlet. I am self-taught and spend each Sunday testing new recipes. I cook for the blog on Mondays so that I can photograph the food in the fantastic natural light in my flat. When entertaining friends for dinner I often make chipotle chicken enchiladas and a berry lemon cream cheese pie for dessert.

Edouard Manet, The Ham, 1875
oil on canvas, 13 x 16 cm, The Glasgow Museum

Manet's Ham, Gruyère, and Moutarde Palmiers (click for recipe)

I love how much I learn about art and artists on your site. Tell me more about your fascination with still lifes.

Still life paintings are the meeting place of my two passions, food and art. The paintings are so much more than a depiction of a pile of foodstuffs, often the works are saturated with iconography. Food is central to culture - illustrated by it's continual presence in the visual arts.

Can you describe what it's like to be food-obsessed in Sydney, Australia? What are your favorite places to eat?

For me Australia is a small slice of heaven. I can get my greedy little hands on beautiful tropical fruits including my favorite, lady finger bananas, as well as incredibly fresh seafood. I have been in Sydney for less than a year so I am still in the exploration stage of the food scene here. There are so many restaurants on my list to try that I haven't had the chance to go back to the few places where I've had really memorable meals. One of them was at Buon Ricordo in Paddington. While photographing a friend's wedding reception I sampled one of the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth cuts of beef that I ever had. This was proceeded by the restaurant's famous dish, Fettuccine al Tartufovo described as a fettuccine with cream and Parmesan, topped with a fried truffle egg that is brought to the table and mixed in front of you in all of it's velvety rich glory. I have Buon Ricardo to thank for my current arancini infatuation. Before that fateful meal I had never even heard of the dish and now it seems, wherever I dine, the deep fried risotto balls are popping up on every menu. Last week I had a variety with spinach and parmesan at the North Bondi Italian restaurant below the RSL. Perfect with a squeeze of lemon.

The only restaurant I'm a regular at is a little place in Chinatown on Thomas Street. Sadly, I don't even know the name (if it even has one). It is one of those places that you are brought to, I would never have gone otherwise. It is a small room rented out in a large building that is always full of customers. People sit on whatever they can find including overturned milk crates. You order while you wait and mill about out front with the other 15 or so customers until the waitress calls you over. As you squeeze between the tables, you arrive at a table already laden with food. Everything I've had there has been delicious - thick homemade noodles with a sour-sweet sauce, floury pancakes with moreish meat filling that I spoon onto anything I can get my hands on, as well as the best hot & sour soup with thick meaty strips of black Chinese mushrooms. The decor is wonderfully bizarre, yarn tapestries of cows and fake plastic grape vines that hide the ceiling. I have a fondness for kitsch and appreciate that it provides a little clue for finding this hidden gem. Lastly, I love the restaurant Svens, a Swedish wood-fire pizzeria. My favorite pizza is called Ragnarök - "Judgement Day", complete with chorizo, smoked ham, pancetta, pepperoni and chili creme - so delicious!

You're experiencing summer right now, and I am so jealous. What foods are exciting you? Can you describe it in detail and make all of our mouths water - we're in winter's dark trenches so please share anything you've got!

Image top left, Frida Kahlo, Lágrimas de coco (Coconut Tears),1951
Oil on masonite, 22.8 x 29.8 cm, Los Angeles County Museum of Art

I traveled to New Zealand during Christmas break and while walking along the harbour I found half a coconut on the rocks. To me, a girl from Flint, Michigan, the idea of a coconut washing up onto the shore was utterly romantic and for this reason the first post of the new year featured coconuts. To combat the summer heat I selected a smooth coconut milk ice cream - the combination of flavours couldn't be tastier: sweet coconut milk, sour lime juice and spicy ginger, with thick slices of caramelized papaya.

More on Megan Fizell: Here is a great piece on Megan's Top Ten Favorite Things on the blog, Parliament of Two.

Professional Pizza At Home with Sunday Dinner Club

2010-02-02T09:22:00.000-08:00

What can a home cook glean from professional chefs? That's what I'm attempting to find out. I have a voracious hunger to learn from those far more experienced than I, so I decided last year to call upon some connections I have with local chefs and see if I could work in their kitchens. The name of this practice is called a stage. Pronounced with a soft a - St-ah-j.

You might recognize Josh and Christine from my Holiday Gift Guide. They own Sunday Dinner and Eat Green Foods (best granola bars on the planet, have you tried them yet?). Sunday Dinner Club is their underground community dining club; you have to be on their email list to get an invitation and it's not easy to get on the list - you have to know someone who's already on the list and be referred by them. They send out invitations for monthly, four-course themed menus, you respond with an RSVP and they let you know where to show up. It's all very hush hush because they are operating out of a private home.

So, it was at this secret location that I showed up to do my stage. It was a traditional, Victorian-style Chicago two-flat with a standard kitchen - a place you'd not expect to be served restaurant quality food.

One of the deal breakers for me in choosing the chefs I wanted to work with was that they only use the best ingredients; that they buy local, sustainable, hand-crafted foods as much as possible. It aligns with my tastes and values and fortunately for all of us, there are so many chefs doing that these days. I have staged for three consecutive months with Sunday Dinner Club and I am blown away by the ingredients in their fridge and larder. Everything they buy and use (and personally eat themselves) is of the highest quality; they shop and source from the best local and international purveyors. Everything they make is from scratch in their kitchen - start to finish. It was a treat to learn and work with these ingredients.

My first stage with Sunday Dinner, they did a series of pizza dinners and I was shocked that you could make professional, Neapolitan-style pizza at home without special equipment.

Here is the menu from their Pizza Dinner, last November 18, 2009:

Soup
Tuscan Ribollita Soup with Pancetta & White Beans

Antipasti
Calamari, Chickpeas, Cauliflower, Red Chile Orange Vinaigrette
Butternut Squash and Rainbow Chard Gratin
Finnochiona Salami (fennel salami from Salumeria Biellese) with Housemade Giardiniera
Fried Potato Cake with Leeks & Aioli
Winter Salad Greens, Marcona Almonds, Balsamic

Pizzas
Cavolo Nero (Tuscan Kale), Chile Flake & Ricotta
Tomato Sauce, fresh Mozzarella & Fennel Sausage
Wild Mushrooms, Creme Fraiche, Caramelized Onions & Rosemary

Dessert
Zeppole (Fried Donuts) with Local Honey & Cinnamon Sugar

One of the elements of the dinner that I loved the most was their housemade Giardinera. They served it with fennel salami on a small bruschetta toast. (By the way, the letters ch together in Italian produce the sound of a K - broo-sketta.) It's fresh and bright tasting versus the giardinera soaked in oil you usually see, which has its merits too. They were kind enough to offer me their recipe, so here it is. This is the kind of food I would keep in my fridge and just eat out of the container all the time.

Sunday Dinner Club Giardinera
Makes approximately one quart

Picking Liquid
6 cups water
4 cups vinegar (apple cider or white distilled or combination of both)

Aromatics
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon red chili flake
2 Tablespoons kosher salt

Vegetables
1 cup cauliflower florets, roughly medium dice size
1 cup medium dice carrots
1/2 cup medium dice celery
1/2 cup medium dice sweet bell pepper
1/2 cup medium dice shiitake mushrooms

Other Ingredients
1/2 cup sliced green olives (preferably Castelvetrano or Lucques)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Bring pickling liquid and aromatics to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Strain out aromatics and return the liquid to a simmer.

Add carrots to the liquid and cook for one minute. Add cauliflower and celery, cook for one additional minute. Add peppers and cook for one additional minute. Add mushrooms and turn off the liquid. Allow vegetables to steep for 5 minutes. Strain vegetables and discard the liquid. Cool vegetables completely on a sheet pan. Once cooled, add olives to mixture and toss mixture with olive oil. Serve with diced finocchiona on toasted bread.

Best Home Made Pizza

Here's the pizza recipe. It is made with "oo" flour, which is as fine as silt and high in protein. It's the essential ingredient for the dough. I haven't worked with dough much at all and was very intimidated, but the trick is to not over handle it. You could make a batch of dough and after you divide it into four portions, keep them in the freezer until you're ready to use them. The other trick is to parbake the dough, which is thoroughly explained below. Buy the best quality ingredients you can afford for the toppings, that's what makes the biggest difference of all. The other great thing I learned is how to make creme fraiche. It's so expensive to buy at the store but so ridiculously easy to make and can be used for both savory and sweet dishes. Mix one part organic buttermilk to three parts organic heavy whipping cream in a container and let sit out covered overnight. Voila, you have creme fraiche. On the pizzas, we used a large spoonful of it, rubbed it across the dough with the back of a spoon and then put the caramelized onions, mushrooms and rosemary on top. It was my favorite pizza of all.

OK, happy pizza making....

Inspired by Jim Lahey 's Sullivan Street Bakery no knead technique - pizza dough recipe

Makes 4 10-inch pizzas

Ingredients

3 cups "00" Flour (found at Italian Grocery Stores like Bari Foods and Caputo's)
1/2 teaspoon Instant Yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 1/2 cups Water
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (good quality)

Method

To make and portion dough:

Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and stir until mixture comes together in a slack dough. It should look loose and wet.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 18 hours at room temperature.

After the 18 hour rise, preheat oven to 500 degrees F and place a pizza stone on the middle rack. Flour your work surface and pour the dough onto the surface. Sprinkle the dough liberally with flour. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and place on a heavily floured sheet pan with at least one inch between each of the doughs. Cover with cheesecloth or a kitchen towel and allow to rise for two additional hours.

To shape and parbake dough:

Heavily flour your work surface and place dough on the surface. Begin to gently stretch the dough out from the center with your finger tips, rotating the dough and being careful not to create holes. Leave the rim in tact, trying to preserve as much air in the dough (especially in the rim) as possible. Once the dough is stretched to about 9 inches around, place the dough on a floured pizza peal or the back of sheet pan. Brush dough liberally with olive oil. Moving quickly (as to minimize heat loss), open the oven, slide the dough onto the baking stone and close the oven.

Parbake each dough about 4-5 minutes until it is bubbly and lightly golden brown around the edges. Remove pizza crust from the oven and allow to cool in a single layer on a sheet pan. At this point, without compromising quality, you can hold the parbaked pizza crust uncovered at room temperature for a maxium of two hours before finishing baking with toppings.

To finish pizzas:

Preheat broiler. Add toppings of choice to each pizza, leaving 1-inch around the rim and being careful not to put too much weight on the crust. Sprinkle pizzas with kosher salt and black pepper. Place pizza under the broiler for about 1 minute and watch carefully. Pizzas left unattended with most likely (and tragically) burn. Rotate pizza with tongs if neccessary to get even cooking and browning on the toppings. You might need a couple of additional minutes and rotations to get the desired finish, but you want the pizza toppings to bubble and begin to brown. Transfer finished pizza from the sheet pan onto a cutting board. Allow to rest for 1 minute, drizzle with olive oil and eat immediately.

Topping suggestions:

Tomato Sauce, Fennel Sausage, Fresh Mozzarella and Stravecchio (or Parmesan)

Creme Fraiche, Caramelized Onions, Roasted Shiitake Mushrooms and Fresh Rosemary

Braised Italian Kale, Chili Flake and Ricotta Cheese

Photos by Tyler Mallory

Real Food Rehab on Chicago Tonight

2010-01-29T06:18:00.000-08:00

Here's our segment from Chicago Tonight that aired on the 28th. The fellow bloggers that appeared with me are Natalie Slater from Bake and Destroy and Angie Montroy from Angie's Pantry. I hope you can check out their fabulous blogs. We were treated like gold by the WTTW staff and I am so grateful for the opportunity.

The Art of Living: Spider Saloff

2010-01-24T07:16:00.000-08:00

I often speak about the importance of getting out of our heads and into our bodies. From experience, I know when I'm trying to make important decisions or move forward on something that's difficult for me, I make better progress when I focus on how I feel versus what I think. My mind can spin in crazy, vicious circles for eternity but my body speaks the immediate, visceral truth.

I thought it would be interesting to ask people whose life's work or creative pastimes require them to be very in tune with their bodies, to share their process and personal stories on this topic.

Spider Saloff is an internationally celebrated jazz singer and she also teaches at the Bloom School of Jazz which is where I took her brilliant Master Class in Vocal Phrasing and Improvisation. Spider actually facilitated one of the peak experiences in my life so far: I got to sing two jazz tunes accompanied by a great band at the famed Green Mill jazz club in Chicago. I saw her recently and knew she'd be the perfect person for this interview. In a beautifully candid way, she shares personal and practical wisdom we can all learn from.

Why is this practice of getting out of our heads and into our bodies so important?

It has to do with the “big picture” concept. Our entire way of living our lives has to do with a balance of body, mind and spirit. When one of these is out of balance, we are open to disorder, unrest and even illness.

What are some of the ways it helps you in your day to day life?

I have recently been through some extremely stressful situations in my life. The big one being the sudden death of my husband. Carrying on with my life and creativity has been incredibly powerful and important in recovering from the experience. A major help to me was the daily practice of being present. By this I mean a real understanding of knowing where I am right in the moment - not being in the past or in an artificial future that I am just making up. When I can get myself to be present it almost immediately removes fear in just about any situation. And from this comes the capacity to be in a balanced state.

What are some of the ways it helps you in your work or creative practice?

As a creative artist I need to be self motivated in order to carry on with my work. This of course can be difficult at times. You don’t always wake up and say, “Hey, I think I’ll write a song today!” Most of the time you just want to put stuff off. But this, too, comes from fear. And that comes from not being present. The part of you that is in the past is saying, “Oh, what if I just can’t do it? I couldn’t do it yesterday. How will I be able to do it now?” And the part of you that is making up the false future is saying, “Oh, what if I do it and it isn’t good? People will think I'm a failure. I'm better off just being safe and not doing anything.”

Yeah. You can see how well that works! So if you can get present you can be with, “What if I just write a couple of thoughts down. And if it isn’t good, it doesn’t matter. I am here and I am safe.”

Has this practice affected other areas of your life that surprised you?

Yes. Even in mundane chores that seem overwhelming. Like cleaning out a closet that has not been touched since dinosaurs walked the earth. (They may even be living in there.) If I can just get myself to stop the conversation about how hard it is and take out one thing. All of sudden I can get into the actual joy of it and the release of throwing stuff out and making my life easier. Then when it's over I feel great and can’t believe all the fuss I was making over it. What a bunch of nonsense goes on in our heads!

What are the signs to look out for in your body to know when something moves you? How do you check in with your body when making decisions?

This, I suppose, is what one calls a gut reaction. When a situation calls for it, most of us will hear that little bell go off. It's getting used to knowing what the bell sounds and feels like that fine tunes the process.

Any other wisdom you'd like to share with us?

I think as an artist and a human being one of the most important things to remember is to never get caught up in comparing yourself or your success to ANYONE ELSE. We are all on our own path and we don’t have the energy to waste on such devouring thoughts. Always focus on what is working and what is making you feel good. That is the art of living.

Spider Saloff is a critically acclaimed singer and actress. Her syndicated radio series Words and Music has been heard world wide. She performs concerts with full orchestras as well as in intimate jazz venues. Her most well known work is her Gershwin concert in which Saloff worked directly with the Gershwin family. The show received rave reviews, toured nationally and was featured in St. Petersburg, Russia. Saloff has 7 CD’s to her credit and is the winner of 5 MAC Awards presented by The Manhattan Association of Cabarets. Her newest project is a one woman musical, Entertaining Guests which Saloff wrote the book as well as the music. The play is slated for a Chicago debut in 2010. Check out her website at http://www.SpiderJazz.com

And The Winner Is...Mac & Cheese

2010-01-17T21:21:00.000-08:00

Here I sit at my friend Ryan and Brian's house watching The Golden Globes. I'm a little blown away by how oddly tan, shiny, and privileged everyone is. I feel an inferiority complex coming on. Thank God I chose tonight to make an extra large pan of Macaroni & Cheese.

This recipe expresses a lush mix of flavors and textures; you can use virtually any cheese that tickles your fancy. It's toothsome and crunchy, rich and satisfying. It would make a great dish to serve to a crowd or make for yourself on a weekend and eat throughout the week accompanied by a crunchy, raw salad tossed with a bright vinaigrette. Tonight we paired our Mac & Cheese with Goose Island's Pere Jacques - a fruity, malty, Belgian-style Ale.

Mac & Cheese
adapted from Nigel Slater's The Kitchen Diaries
feeds four main dishers, six side-dishers

3/4 pound Macaroni, Strozzapreti, Shells or other short, hollow dried pasta
5 cups organic whole milk, half and half or a mix of both
a small onion, peeled and halved
a bay leaf or two
5 tablespoons organic butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
10 white peppercorns
8-10 ounces cheese - I used cave aged Gruyere
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
8 tablespoons grated Pecorino cheese

set oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water till tender. drain pasta and toss in a bit of olive oil to keep from sticking while you cook the rest.

warm the milk in a saucepan with the onion and bay leaves until it's just ready to boil then turn off heat. melt butter in another pan and add flour and whisk over moderate heat until you have a pale biscuit colored paste. Remove onion and bay leaf from milk. Gradually pour in milk to the flour and butter paste and whisk until there are no lumps, then leave to simmer over a very low heat until the sauce is the consistency of heavy cream, stirring regularly so the sauce does not stick.

crush the white peppercorns and season the sauce with both the white pepper, a few grinds of black pepper and a little salt. Cut the cheese into a large dice. Fold the drained pasta, the cheese, mustard and paprika into the sauce then taste for seasoning. Add more cheese if you like it cheesier.

tip the whole mixture into a buttered 9 x 12 Pyrex dish. Toss the bread crumbs with the grated Pecorino cheese and scatter liberally across the top. Bake for thirty-five or forty minutes until breadcrumbs are browned and the mixture is bubbling underneath. Serve.

I'd like to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press, Meryl Streep and her heartfelt acceptance speech, and my friends Ryan and Brian for making this night so special.

photos by Ryan Robinson

do not let your fire go out

2010-01-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

"Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours."

ayn rand

Ten Ideas To Make Your Life Better in 2010

2010-01-12T23:56:00.000-08:00

Last week I was featured in a piece in the Chicago Sun-Times. Freelance writer, Sandy Thorn Clark asked me to contribute my top ten ways to make your life better in 2010. You can click HERE to see the whole article but I thought I'd post my ideas here along with the photo that ran in the paper. It was an honor to contribute these and I hope they make a difference for you. They truly represent what me and Real Food Rehab are all about.

Remember that quality always trumps quantity. This is true of shoes, friends, food - everything. Be selective. Keep your standards high, and always be true to yourself, your taste and your means.

Take back control of your health by listening to your body. You know in your heart there’s a connection between what you eat and how you look and feel. There’s no doctor or pill that can do for you what you have the power to do for yourself.

Stock your fridge and pantry with fresh, high quality, chemical free foods. The food you buy should inspire, excite and energize you, not bore, repel or deplete you. If you have to question the integrity of anything you're bringing home or its effects on your well-being, then perhaps that's something to think about and change.

Embrace and elevate the foods you love the most. For example, say you love a grilled cheese sandwich every now and then. Excellent. Now, elevate it by using an artisan loaf of sourdough from a local bakery, real, organic butter and some handcrafted local cheddar like Brunkow or Otter Creek from Wisconsin.

Break out of a diet rut. Explore farmers’ markets, ethnic markets and natural food stores to get your juices flowing. Find a cooking buddy to shop and cook with once a week. Sign up for a free subscription to NoTakeOut.com to learn how to make fast, easy, step-by-step dinners for yourself and your family.

Create a living space that reflects who you really are. How? By only bringing things into your home that a) move you and bring you pleasure b) make your life better in a practical way or c) have personal meaning for you. Let go of everything else. This will change your life.

Stop thinking and start feeling. In my opinion, we spend way too much time as a culture thinking instead of feeling. I’m convinced when we over-think, we lose touch with what it is we truly want. Try approaching things with your senses and from your gut - not your head.

Get clear on what you really want from your life. Not what you think you should want or what your friends and family want – what you want. Make a list and keep editing it over time until it’s the deepest reflection of who you are. Then, hold that vision and go for it.

Create! Find ways to passionately express your true self in the world. It can be anything from the way you dress day to day, to writing a journal; making bread, singing at an open mike, making art from found materials, decorating your home; it all matters and the world needs your self-expression now more than ever.

Realize that change is a process. Take comfort in the fact that your process will not look or feel like anyone else’s and that nothing that matters was ever built in a day. Always be kind, tender and loving with yourself because it takes great courage to change. Small steps are definitely worth celebrating.

photo by Ryan Robinson

Beautiful Food Rituals: Maria Callas & Coffee

2010-01-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

"Your daily life is your temple and your religion." Rumi

You'd never think the little girl that got kicked out of Hebrew school would grow up to be the same woman who loves ritual. But I am and I do. I love ritual of all kinds as long as there's no oppressive dogma attached to it. I create rituals out of my need for comfort and connection and beauty. One of my favorite rituals is preparing and enjoying my morning coffee. I love getting up early when the world is quiet and I can wake slowly from my dreams, journal and putter about for a good hour before I have to do anything or be anywhere. I don't like to speak in that hour. But I do love music and one of my great joys and new passions is listening to opera in the morning.

It started with Pandora. Do you know it? It's a free internet radio station that allows you to create playlists with your favorite music. So early one morning, with the sun pouring through my windows and a steaming bowl of espresso and steamed milk in front of me, I innocently plugged in the name Maria Callas into the Pandora search function.

The song that came on first was Callas' version of Puccini's O Mio Babbino Caro. It completely stopped me in my tracks with surprise. Her voice alternately soared and delicately reverberated in the most gorgeous ways in my dining room and it was like my own personal church; so sacred in its way. It got me out of my head and into the moment. I love this ritual simply because it's a gift of time and space I give to myself. For you, it might be Lady Gaga and Genmaicha or Radiohead and Rooibos or Roy Orbison and Oolong. It's just a thought, but I recommend it highly.

Recommended Listening

The One and Only Maria Callas

Maria Callas was one of the world's most legendary divas known for her dramatic vocal range and style. She was a high profile member of the international artistic and social circles of her day and was also known for her temperamental behavior and scandalous love affairs, including one with Aristotle Onassis.

Coffee Preparation Notes

My coffee preparation of choice is a big warm bowl of stove top espresso with organic steamed milk and agave nectar or demerara sugar to sweeten it just a touch. My espresso is made with an inexpensive Bialetti Moka Express Espresso Maker 06799 and I use a Stove Top Milk Frotherto froth my milk. And trust me, it is gooood.

The Chicago French Market: A European Shopping Experience

2010-01-06T21:09:00.000-08:00

When I lived in Italy, one of the things I enjoyed most about my daily life was food shopping - if you've been there, you know that shopping for groceries is pure pleasure. At my local market in Florence, there were multiple vendors who sold cheeses, meats, seafood, flowers, produce, pastries, olives all under one glorious roof. Each vendor was a specialist and could tell you endless details about where their products came from and how they were made. You developed a relationship with your vendor and you went back again and again. I loved the ritual of only buying enough food for a few days at a time instead of having to fill your cart for a whole week when you don't really know what you might feel like eating only days later. The food I ate was fresher, healthier and more flavorful; and there wasn't aisle after aisle of food products that bore no resemblance to actual food. I also loved that I could walk there and only take home what I could comfortably carry.

Well, I'm happy to report that The Chicago French Market has opened and I was so surprised to find that it isn't simply a food court in the Metra station - which was my fear going in - it's a legitimate market place inspired by traditional European markets. There's produce vendors selling organic, local and commercial produce (with some prices I saw beating the larger grocery store chains), there's two amazing cheese counters, a collection of small-batch cured and smoked meats to die for, a meat counter selling pasture-raised beef, artisan baked breads and pastries, wine, a juice bar, and they have vendors selling prepared meals that aren't from chains or franchises but instead offering freshly made preparations often from family recipes. There's Indian food, Mexican food, a raw food vendor (delish!!), a crepe stand, Vietnamese Banh mi sandwiches, and an espresso bar where you can stand and have your coffee just like Italy. This makes my heart happy.

The only problem is that I don't live anywhere near this market, so instead of making this a habit, I'm going to have to make it a destination. But for people living in the West Loop or Fulton Market neighborhoods or those who commute every weekday through the Ogilvie Metra Station, I'm jealous! Because you can walk there to pick up fresh ingredients to make a meal at home or purchase prepared food that's been freshly made with care by the person you bought it from. Where else can you do that 6 days a week? I mean really. Get there!

Click HERE for their website with a list of vendors and hours.

Live Your Values

2010-01-04T08:35:00.000-08:00

"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell

I was so excited to begin 2010. On New Year's Eve day, I went downtown to get my hair done. I had a long walk from the train station to the salon and I found myself locking eyes with strangers on the street and saying, "Happy New Year," to them out loud. I never made a conscious decision to do it; it just came out of me like I was speaking in tongues. It was oddly exhilarating and my bursts were all met with smiles and the same response in kind. I'm so glad I didn't censor myself, which would have been a classic Dana Joy move of old. Nope, instead I chose to go with what felt good; I let the joy fly and just kept going.

Real Food Rehab isn't your typical food blog. As I have evolved and changed over time, it has evolved with me. Real Food Rehab is essentially documenting my process of attempting to live what I value most and sharing all the resources, discoveries, tips, recipes and ideas with you along the way.

These are the values of Real Food Rehab:

Health, Pleasure, Authenticity, Quality, Beauty, Integrity, Creativity/Personal Expression.

My goal for this new year is to be the most authentic version of myself that I can be. This is not some fluffy aspiration. I take it very seriously. And I believe what it takes to get there is living what I value everyday. What does that mean? Stay tuned, because we are going to explore this in depth, in all kinds of creative, fun ways.

I've asked someone I greatly admire to step in and give us her take on this topic. Her name is Alie McManus and she is my (favorite) yoga instructor. I love Alie because she makes me laugh out loud in yoga class (traditionally unheard of), and she's radiant all the freaking time and I'm reminded of that scene in the deli in When Harry Met Sally, after Meg Ryan has her "orgasm," and the woman at the table next to her says "I'll have what she's having." That's how I feel about Alie. If you are thinking about taking up a yoga practice, Alie teaches a great beginning yoga series at yogaview in Chicago. So, here she is to give us a much needed boost for the start of our New Year...

Alie McManus:

As we begin a brand new year bright with inspiration to be our best, the question I find myself asking is "what do you value?"

This is an excellent question.

I have freshly realized that what I value is what makes me feel good!

Okay, so this may be an obvious answer at first, but curious and profound as we begin to explore what it is we do value in our lives.

To start, things that make me feel good are life affirming, empowering, and fun. The idea is to get out of my habitual mindset and ditch thoughts like, "what should I do” in favor of going for the joie de vivre!

Being happy and feeling good are natural. But we often forget this.

It's the DOs and DON"Ts and SHOULDs we impose on ourselves that can make keeping our New Years goals feel like climbing Mount Everest.

What may serve us most effectively in discovering what makes us feel our best is the act of getting out of our habitual-thinking mind and sensing how we really feel. Immersing ourselves in our actual experience is the single most powerful act to affect positive change on a daily basis.

What can we do to get out of our habitual headset and into the moment? Here are some ideas to try:

Breathe. Allow your lungs to fill up, retain that energy for a moment or more, and then let it out slowly and smoothly—maybe even sounding a sigh of relief.

Get in your body. Let it be as simple as a seated side stretch or seated twist. When you stretch you are focused on the sensation happening within your body.

Savasana. This is a classical yoga posture for deep relaxation. Lie flat on your back with your knees supported by a pillow, or a rolled up blanket and notice the feeling of your entire body with your eyes softly closed. Notice the subtle expansion of your body as the breath flows in and the softening of your body as the breath flows out. Keep drawing your attention to your body as you breath even as you find your mind luring you in other directions.

Stay True. Be willing to say No. Be willing to say Yes. If you are not sure, be honest and say, “I don’t know, let me think about it.”

Take your time. Do less and enjoy yourself more.

Just do it. When you feel the energy or the excitement of inspiration, do it, whatever it is you want to do, do it! Or take the first baby step needed to reach your inspired goal. Look at Bob Wiley, from the film What about Bob. Bob outlived his fears by taking baby steps, as well as a “prescribed” vacation from his problems!

Pause. Pause frequently and often. Pause, breath and relax.

Meditate. As long as 5 min-30min. Try as many mediation techniques as possible, there are lots.

Have fun. Paint, play, run, walk, look, visit, watch, and be, without questioning or doubting your self.

Forget it! Forget whatever is not serving your best interest. If your energy level goes down, if you are not excited, it you do not want to do it, then don’t!!!! Get rid of whatever is not working and focus on what is working!

Alie McManus loves traveling around the world and currently lives and teaches yoga in Chicago. Join Alie for class at yogaview and Moksha. Find out more about Alie at www.aliemcmanus.com

LOVE!

2009-12-24T15:55:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all LOVE and a peaceful holiday. Real Food Rehab will be taking some time off and be back before the New Year! Yours, Dana Joy

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Sandra Holl of Floriole Bakery

2009-12-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

Sandra Holl's pastries are beautiful to look at and even more beautiful to eat. And I'm not just using flowery language when I say they're infused with character and grace because they are. She makes seasonal fruit bread pudding from homemade brioche and the flakiest, custard-style quiche and serves them warm at her farmers' market stall. I am especially fond of her insanely rich shortbread and cornmeal lime cookies. She makes it easy to get up early and trek through rain, sleet and snow to get to her because hers are the foods worth living for. Eating them sets apart a special moment in time.

WHO Sandra Holl is the chef and co-owner of the soon to open Floriole Café & Bakery in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Floriole has been a staple for rustic, seasonal pastries using organic and local ingredients at the Green City Market for the past four years. Sandra’s love of all things pastry started while studying and teaching English in France. Shortly after returning to the U.S., she decided to go to culinary school and started working at Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. With a little experience under her belt she moved to Chicago and began selling her baked goods at local farmers’ markets.

THE GIFT Mes Confitures: The Jams and Jellies of Christine Ferber. You could simply give this book as a gift but I think you may be inspired to keep it for yourself and make some beautiful jams for your friends and family. The recipes are seasonal and fairly simple but the results are remarkable. Packed in a jar with a printed label and a sweet ribbon, homemade jam is a gift from the heart that anyone would love to receive.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Chicago, IL

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I am constantly inspired by the farmers and the produce I encounter every week at the farmers’ market.

YOUR GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? I am always trying to find dishes that appeal to me, my husband and my three year old daughter. A perfect omelette made with farm fresh eggs, a little fresh goat cheese and chives served next to a simple salad is always a big hit at our house.

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Sunday Dinner Club

2009-12-23T21:33:00.000-08:00

I just want to gush over Josh and Christine for a moment if that's OK. Because I've come to really love them. They've allowed me to stage in their kitchen for the past couple months and I've learned so much about cooking and using beautiful ingredients. Yes, I'm well-read and well-versed when it comes to food, but I learn by doing and they've been providing me a very generous education. They're quite a bit younger than me but they've become mentors of sorts and it just proves that you never know who your teachers in life will be or where your great lessons will come from. They are the real deal and you should know them better...

WHO Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp are the chef/owners of Sunday Dinner, an underground community dining club in Chicago and Eat Green Foods, a line of granola bars handcrafted with local and sustainable ingredients. They also have a stall at Chicago's Green City Market selling locally sourced, pasture raised burgers and sandwiches. When not cooking or eating, they spend their time thinking about what, when and where they are going to cook and eat next.

THE GIFT Being fervent supporters of seasonal, local and sustainable foods has many known benefits — chief among them is the unparalleled flavor these foods so amply provide. We are strong proponents of keeping dollars in the local economy. However, when the Midwest turns into a veritable wasteland of cold, slush and snow, I look to Paternoster Family Farm in California to satiate our fix for fresh, delicious and responsibly grown produce. The Paternoster’s have been diligently attending to their citrus orchards in the San Joaquin Valley for over 50 years and recently started shipping Satsumas, Navel Oranges and Pomelo grapefruits direct to elated foodies and chefs alike. What better gift is there than supporting a small sustainable farm, not to mention unbelievably good citrus?

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Chicago, Illinois

WHAT INSIPRES YOU? Seasonality definitely informs our cooking but I find we're most inspired by what fellow chefs and artisans are creating and how they continually channel their passion into their food.

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF?(Christine) Since I live by myself and admittedly spend an excessive amount of time working, I gravitate towards dishes that can be made in mass and eaten over time. Lately, this has been tacos and assorted accoutrement - rice and beans, salsas and seasonal toppings of the like. I make all the parts on one day and spend the rest of the week happily consuming them in various tasty combinations. See Rick Bayless’ Mexico One Plate At A Timefor solid, user-friendly recipes.

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: NoTakeOut.com

2009-12-22T20:49:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, and you think about what you're going to make for dinner while you're eating breakfast, then you might love a free subscription to NoTakeOut.com. Because each weekday morning while I'm drinking coffee and checking emails, I get a yummy menu in my inbox with a grocery list and game plan to make a delicious dinner. The other thing that moves me about this service? There's not some huge corporate parent company behind it; it's three lovely people who live what they preach; who really care about food and bringing people back to the table. Here they are now...

WHO Three of us are stirring the pot at NoTakeOut.com - David and Kurt, two dads with day jobs and serious cooking hobbies, and Susan, an award-winning food journalist and author who lives – too good to be true — in France, where she founded and runs On Rue Tatin, a cooking school. It started with a craving, of sorts. David and Kurt, long-time friends, loved to cook but longed to expand their repertoire. And they wanted to help some of their food-loving, cook-shy friends produce a significant meal, worthy of serious table-time with friends and family. They envisioned a website to give really busy people the ideas and the tools to get organized and get cooking. So they enlisted Susan, the food expert, to help plan and structure menus to be delicious, seasonal, sophisticated and easy.

No more mediocre meals cobbled together last minute. No more trolling recipe websites to figure out what side dish might work with steamed halibut. No more shopping fiascos — like when you arrived home without eggplant for the ratatouille. NoTakeOut.com helps you plan, prep and cook an entire meal, not just one dish. We provide a complete menu, a shopping list and a game plan – basically, we help you organize to go from kitchen to table with ease.

Our menus call for seasonal, fresh ingredients, are uncomplicated and designed to be cooked in under an hour. 'Making mealtime manageable’ is kind of a mantra for us. When you say you’re busy, we get it: you’re taking care of kids, working, shopping, maybe grabbing a workout – oh yeah, and the laundry… You don’t need another hassle! Our goal is to make food, meals and dining-at-home an easy family ritual and a daily pleasure.

THE GIFT If you're looking for something really special, how about a Japanese knife? Most people are better off with one really good Chef's Knife than a whole set of "specialty" knives and nothing is as well balanced or as sharp as these beauties from Nenox/Nenohi currently on sale at Korin in New York. The people at Korin are knowledgeable, friendly and ready to help you find a truly special knife that's perfect for that special someone. They offer a full range of Japanese and Western style knives in a wide range of sizes and prices. If properly cared for, Nenox/Nenohi knives will last a lifetime and hold an edge that most knives cannot. Think of these as jewelry for cooks.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? New York City & Paris

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? We are inspired to get people into the kitchen and help them rediscover how fun and easy it can be to make and share great food.

YOUR GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELVES? Definitely Alio Olio (click for recipe!)

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Elizabeth Madden

2009-12-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

I am endlessly fascinated by this new generation of artisanal craftspeople who are making food products using hands-on skill and exceptional ingredients in place of mass machinery and chemicals. They pour their heart and soul into these foods and I feel it is my duty as a proud and loyal American to buy and enjoy as many of them as I can. That said, I don't profess to know Elizabeth Madden, only her jam, Rare Bird Preserves. I know her jam because I am by nature, drawn to beautiful things. Her logo and packaging made the first impression, but it was what was on the inside of the jar that really sold me. Startlingly clear flavors and provocative combinations such as Fig Earl Grey, Lemon Blueberry and Plum Cardamom Orange. Uses? Morning toast and tea, a sauce for your pork shoulder or loin and I think they'd make the sexiest thumbprint cookies your family and friends have ever tasted...

WHO Elizabeth Madden is the creator of Rare Bird Preserves local, artisanal jam. The same instincts that inspired Elizabeth Madden to pursue an advanced arts degree in photography are there in the way she makes preserves: a desire to capture life, its seasons, its moments, its essence, its deliciousness. After deciding to shift from the visual arts to the culinary, Elizabeth graduated from the French Pastry School and trained with some of the world’s most renowned chefs. She found her niche in making preserves. Elizabeth blends classic, traditional French and British methods to create her own modern American style. Elizabeth is committed to seasonal, local, and sustainably grown fruit. Using artisanal methods, she blends hand-cut fruit with floral and herbal pairings to create her own signature flavors.

THE GIFT When I asked my husband what he wants for Christmas, he said “Coffee, of course." He knows I always put a bag of Blue Max Coffee in his stocking every year. Blue Max is a local coffee roaster located in Forest Park, Illinois. They are committed to organic and fair trade coffee.

For myself? I love gifts that are definitely guilty pleasures. Gastronomica is a gorgeous, smart magazine, which hits all my pleasure zones. Every issue is an amazing collection of curated thoughts on culture, history, art, and society all viewed through the lens of food. Not inexpensive at $50 a subscription, so it might not be something I purchase for myself, but I'd love to give or receive as a gift. (Hint to husband.)

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? I live with my husband Jeff and 6 year old son Henry in River Forest, Illinois.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I am inspired by the fleeting beauty of fruit. Each season sings to me. I try to capture that.

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? Soup! Right now my go-to meal is a comforting Roasted Butternut Squash soup with Sage. I tend to make simple dishes with lots of flavor. This soup is from Real Simple: Meals Made Easy. Roasting the butternut squash makes all the difference. Throw in a grilled cheese made with some amazing cheese and bread from Marion Street Cheese Market and I’m happy!

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Tracy Kellner

2009-12-20T08:25:00.000-08:00

You know what? I don't really want to shop in a cold, cavernous space where I can get tires and wine and nylon fleece sweaters and lamb chops and a pallet of toothpaste, all in one fell swoop. That is not my idea of a good time. Nor does it meet my needs in any way, shape or form. I like supporting the little guy. I like going to a store where they know me by name. And I love a more European approach to shopping, where I can pop in for high quality products that meet my every day needs and make me feel good inside and out. And fortunately for me, I have Provenance Food and Wine right around the corner. And get this - they're bringing back this concept that I'm just crazy about, it's called customer service - ever hear of it?

This store is one of the many things I'm grateful for in my day to day life. To be able to get local, organic milk and cheese, artisanal ice cream when I'm in the mood, pasture raised beef, great wine and beer, seven days a week, it just makes my life better. So, thank you Tracy Kellner...

WHO Tracy Kellner is the owner of Provenance Food & Wine, an everyday grocery that focuses on small batch and handmade foods, wines, beers and spirits using sustainable methods wherever possible. Tracy spent close to ten years working front of the house positions in restaurants, where she learned about the synergy of food and wine and how to treat guests to a great experience. After a brief stint in non-profit, and eight years in the corporate world, she left to open Provenance Food & Wine in 2006. Provenance has two Chicago locations: Logan Square and Lincoln Square.

THE GIFT We recently brought in some of the O Olive Oils and Vinegars at the store. The oils are crushed with fruit so the flavors are really intense - there is actually some kind of chemical reaction that occurs when the olives and fruit are crushed together, as opposed to adding the ‘flavoring’ to the oil. They are great gifts that taste delicious in beautiful packaging. You can make a super-easy appetizer with them by spreading fresh goat cheese or ricotta onto toast or crackers, then drizzling with the oils and a touch of good sea salt. The jalapeno lime is my favorite – you get the essence of the jalapeno without the heat. It’s great in guacamole. The O line is made by a small producer in California who use high quality fruit from orchards using sustainable practices. They're a great gift for people who like to cook but also who don’t like or know how to cook because they're full of great flavor and simply need to be drizzled on the finished product and viola!

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Logan Square, Chicago, Illinois

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Honestly, most of my inspiration these days comes from other small business owners, whose energy and creativity I thrive on!

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? Sustainably-fished tuna in olive oil, kalamata olives, shallot confit and lemon zest, tossed with pasta. Yes, in a pinch it all comes from a jar, but it’s delicious and a dish inspired by friend and chef Kari Dillon.

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Kim Shambrook

2009-12-19T12:20:00.000-08:00

Those who believe that cooking is drudgery should spend some time in the kitchen with Kim Shambrook. The word is out that she throws the best parties in Chicago; Cooking Parties that is, where you learn to cook and eat in a professional kitchen with a group of friends, both old and new. I like to think of her as the Ellen Degeneres of the food world; she's grounded, unassuming and incredibly funny - a real woman of the people who makes everyone around her feel good. I think it's only a matter of time before she has her own TV show and then I can say I knew her when...

WHO Kim Shambrook is the Executive Chef and owner of Bespoke Cuisine, a catering and culinary company in Chicago. Growing up in rural Roberts, Illinois, Kim had her own pig farm at the age of 12. She also learned how to twirl a cone to perfection at her mother’s diner-cum-custard stand The Lickety Split. Kim played a regular part in the daily rituals of cooking and communal feasting as a child and her love of rural culture, simplicity, and seasonal tastes inspire her every move at Bespoke Cuisine. Kim also holds a BA and master’s degrees in education which she puts to good use during Bespoke Cuisine’s signature concept - The Cooking Party. With her singular brand of culinary moxie and a talent for making people comfortable in the kitchen, Kim is living proof that good food doesn’t have to be intimidating.

THE GIFT The pleasure of cooking with people you care about means so much. So, when thinking of that perfect gift for my friends and family, I often choose a specially selected cookbook accompanied by the latest or best kitchen gadget or ingredient. Depending on who the gift is for determines what cookbook is in order. For my sister (who emulates Martha Stewart), I try and pick cookbooks that are similar in Martha Stewart style but not familiar to my sister, like Donna Hay, the queen of Australian cooking. Her gift was the Donna Hay Seasons Cookbook and a small jar of wattleseed, a spice indigenous to Australia. For some of my friends, I pick cookbooks about cuisines that interest them but maybe they’ve never tried or cookbooks from chefs or restaurants that I admire. My latest favorites are Ad Hoc at Homeand How to Cook Everything: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food. I include a little note inside the gift suggesting that they pick a couple of recipes they want to try, pick a date and I’ll come over (with the libations, of course) to help them cook. It makes for a great memory – sharing good food and an experience with someone you care about.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Chicago, Illinois

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? my nieces, quiet time, thunderstorms and long and hot showers.

YOUR GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? Roast chicken, root vegetables, and a big ‘ol vodka martini

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Sally Schneider

2009-12-18T05:48:00.000-08:00

Sally Schneider brings new meaning to the words, keeping it real. On her website, 'the improvised life,' she calls our attention to the beauty, wonder and richness of our daily lives and helps us to see it with fresh eyes. Finding her site was such a revelation and I'm indebted to her for inspiring me in numerous ways. In her site's manifesto, Sally explains why improvising is the perfect operating system in today's world. "Improvising," she says, "is an antidote to I can't." I am beyond delighted to have Sally and her authentic style on Real Food Rehab...

WHO Sally Schneider is the creator and writer of ‘the improvised life’, a website about improvising -- inventing, being resourceful, making-it-up-as-you-go-along – as a daily practice. She has worked as a journalist, editor, syndicated columnist, radio commentator, teacher, stylist, small-space consultant and professional chef; she once wrangled 600 live snails for an Irving Penn photograph. Her very improvisational work has been the laboratory for her posts on ‘the improvised life’, her column Home Cooking on The Atlantic Food blog, and consulting and speaking about creativity and home design. Please check out her award-winning cookbooks The Improvisational Cookand A New Way to Cook.

THE GIFT Everyone I know has SO much, and does not need another object, so I’ve devised an alt-holiday gift strategy. I give a card saying I’ve given a donation in my friends name to a charity; this year it will be Maira Kalman’s beautiful angel.

I often bundle the card with a little something: like this swell $4 tasting spoon from Branch, which is the ideal shape for cooking; long and thin and slightly odd.

Or, I’ll give them some food gift I’ve made a big batch of, like some easy-to-make exotically flavored chocolates, or Alt-Malted Milk Balls, or some Dried Apricots in Cardamom Syrup. I make these in big batches to package as gifts (often with found/re-use jars, boxes, tins or gift-wrap) or to use for my own impromtu parties. (photos courtesy of Ellen Silverman)

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? New York City

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? New York City inspires me endlessly: all you have to do is walk out on the street to discover something interesting, an anonymous creation, like the tiny grafitti written on a rusted door that said “know hope”.

But what inspires me most, way beyond the city, is the idea of improvising, which is all about possibility: unexpected answers and solutions to be found in what we have right now.

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF?

My go-to survivalist dish when I’m alone and working flat-out is a fried egg on something with some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano in between. That something can be just about anything: spaghetti, steamed asparagus, crushed boiled new potatoes…The soft-yolk egg mixes with the cheese to become a sauce. For breakfast, I throw a fried egg on some greens like watercress or arugula.

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Ari Bendersky

2009-12-17T00:20:00.000-08:00

Some of us have a voracious appetite for life that can never be sated. Ari Bendersky is one such character. He's completely flush with his own need to know what's new, what's next, what's good in the worlds of food, wine and music. And because I know I could never hold a candle to his boundless energy and constant curiosity, I'm so grateful that I can be his armchair traveler and he, my guide. Go Ari, go Ari...

WHO Ari Bendersky is the co-creator (along with Matt Marcus) of foodie, an iPhone app that delivers unique, exclusive offers to users from Chicago's top restaurants. Over the last 15 years, Ari has been a successful lifestyle and entertainment journalist writing for the likes of the New York Times, Associated Press, Huffington Post, RollingStone.com, Advocate, Out, Chicago Tribune, NBCChicago.com, Chicago Magazine, Time Out Chicago and more, including his blog, SomethingGlorious.com.

THE GIFT I love wine and I find that giving a bottle from my favorite wineries is a great gift—definitely better than just picking any random bottle off the shelf. I'm a massive supporter of Joel Gott and his Zinfandel is always off the hook. Earlier this year, another Napa Zin came my way: Brown Estate is one of those cult shops that when you discover it, you know you found a good thing. Want to make someone happy? Send a bottle of the 2008 Napa Valley Zinfandel. And if you're feeling festive, forget Champagne and head to Alsace where you get better deals and just-as-good sparkling wine. My favorite? Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Brut Rosé. It has a gorgeous, coral color and is beautifully effervescent. It's crisp with delicious watermelon and strawberry notes—and it's great for any celebration or just hanging around having brunch on a Sunday.
If you really hard-pressed for a great gift, you'll never go wrong (unless the recipient is vegan or vegetarian) with a subscription to the Bacon of the Month Club from the Grateful Palate. I swear, if a slab of porcine lusciousness showed up at my house each month, I might leave a trail of drool from my front door all the way to my kitchen. I know my dog would love me even more!

But the ultimate gift? A trip to Sonoma for a long weekend of biking, eating and wining. While there are planned tours, I'd probably want to plot my own course by staying at the Hotel Healdsburg, renting hybrids from Wine Country Bikes and hitting some of my favorite wineries in the area, including Ridge, Gary Farrell, Gloria Ferrer and others. I'd eat at Cyrus and indulge at The Spa at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn. Anyone want to go?

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Chicago, Illinois

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I am an eternal explorer; whether that is traveling to other cities or countries or just checking out what's going on in Chicago. I thrive on learning about new music, cultures, food, wine and more. Positive energy also inspires me. Life's too short to be negative or to allow negative people to bring you down. I'm also inspired by my partner, Drew Harris, who is a passionate, creative and generous soul.

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? It usually involves a bottle of wine and something simple. I'm a big eater but not a huge cook. I craft simple dishes: salad, pizza, pasta. I love grilling chicken with a great rub. I'm a big fan of Chicago-based rubs, Urban Accents, and love making a spicy shrimp stir fry with massive amounts of fresh, colorful vegetables. And, in summer, I make a mean guacamole with fresh mango, tomatoes, red onion and habanero peppers.

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Fred Bamesberger

2009-12-16T06:57:00.000-08:00

The way Fred Bamesberger and his family live is something I aspire to. There's a warmth and thoughtfulness in every detail of their surroundings. Everything he designs is decidedly modern but his materials are of the earth and his techniques are often those of centuries-old craftsmen. Sharing a meal at their home is always a treat because Fred applies the same resourcefulness and skill to his culinary endeavors as he does to his design practice; his meals are rich in organic materials and always impart the most delicious workmanship. Take it away Fred....

WHO Fred Bamesberger is an architect who designs everything from buildings, to furniture, to objects and jewelry. His work reflects a commitment to optimism and the power of creative architecture to affect change. He creates spaces that offer their inhabitants a balance of serenity and playfulness, comfort and discovery. Above all, he wants his work to contribute to the lives and landscape that will come after our own. To that end, he is conscious of creating durable and environmentally sensible solutions that last.

THE GIFT I always struggle with the gift. You want to give something special, personal, authentic, but not too expensive. My wife Leslie and I usually make gifts for friends and family from our garden. Some of the past years' gifts have included Bosc pear butter, hot pepper jam, or limoncello from our very missed lemon tree. Other years it's more complicated, like the walnut tray with an inlay of cut whole walnuts. This year is a bit different. I'm recommending the new Momofuku Cookbook. It's fun, and well written in a style that accurately and authentically reflects the attitude of its author David Chang. He shows how to take something as humble as ramen and turn it into Art.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Valparaiso, Indiana

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Everything inspires me. I'm inspired everyday by the landscape and nature surrounding me, and I want to share the things that move me. I try to take time every day to walk and see and listen to the flora and fauna surrounding me. Gardening and teaching my daughter Ruby to get dirty, inspires me. We recently rehabbed an old farmhouse nearby and share this with people who want to slow down and recharge. When we need a break from the slow-life, we head to NYC to relax. This past trip we were inspired by the Pork Buns at Momofuku Noodle Bar.

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? I like to grab some of our oven roasted tomatoes. We take the surplus heritage tomatoes during peak season in the summer and roast them with salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil and fill up the freezer. A pack of these can turn into a pizza, pasta sauce, salad, or a simple side dish of its own.

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Chef Paul Virant

2009-12-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

So far, I have only three regrets in life. One - not going to Sydney, Australia when my best friend was working there for a year. Two - not buying the most drop-dead-gorgeous, turquoise silk, Rozae Nichols dress (on sale!) that would've been in style forever and Three - not eating at Paul Virant's restaurant, Vie, a helluva lot sooner.

I could kick myself for all the years I spent not eating his food that I'll never get back! What was I thinking? This past summer, I had the good fortune to be taken to Vie for my birthday for the first time. It was the best restaurant experience I've had in years, hands down. I don't claim to be a restaurant reviewer, so the best way I can describe it is like a stylish neighborhood joint that just happens to serve three-star food. The service was charming and laid back and the food was simple, seasonal and so, so soulful. There was love on my plate, this I can tell you. And now, I bring you Chef Paul Virant...

WHO Chef Paul Virant was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He has a bachelors degree in nutrition and studied culinary arts at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. His restaurant Vie, located in Western Springs; a suburb just west of Chicago, serves modern American food with a heavy emphasis on Midwestern seasonal products and specializes in traditional methods of food preservation such as canning and charcuterie. Chef Virant was named Best New Chef 2007, by Food & Wine Magazine and just recently competed on the TV show, Iron Chef America on The Food Network. In 2010, Vie Restaurant will be launching its "Tribute to the Farmer" series beginning January 28th, March 4th and April 22nd. Details to follow...

THE GIFT A wonderful gift anytime of the year is preserved or canned local produce. Ideally, this would be done by you, handcrafted with love for your family and friends. This task is not always realistic for everyone, and fortunately many local farmers and food artisans produce these delicious accompaniments. Shop Green Grocer Chicago and Green City Market for products from Seedling Fruit, River Valley Kitchens, Hillside Orchards and Kinnikinnick Farms to name a few. They make preserves, pickles, tomato sauces, etc., that they grow and capture at their peak in a jar for future enjoyment. This type of artisanal skill is something that's a large part of our focus at the restaurant, so looking to 2010, consider taking a preserving class at Vie beginning in May and offered throughout the growing season. Someday, maybe, we will sell our own line of preserved items, until then, happy sourcing and happy learning this old school craft.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? I live in Hinsdale, Illinois with my wife Jennifer and two boys, Lincoln and Zane.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Travel

YOUR GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF?
A sandwich (hot or cold) with pickles of course...

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Anna Johnson

2009-12-12T18:16:00.001-08:00

Anna Johnson is a name you might not recognize in the world of design, but she's been quietly making a name for herself amongst designers and collectors simply by virtue of her discriminating eye and excellent taste. Anna knows the nuances of every great designer, whether iconic or obscure, and her antique booths are a treasure trove of objects, art and furniture merchandised so beautifully that it is hard to walk away unscathed. I have eaten many a meal with this lady and even if it's 8 am on a Saturday, she always shows up looking like a combination of That Girl and Elke Sommers rolled into one. Welcome to the splendiferous world of Anna Johnson...

WHO As an extension to my work as a painter I sell vintage and modern antiques through my business, Studio A, located in my booths at the Edgewater Antique Mall and the Ravenswood Antique Mart. The objects shown here are at the Edgewater Antique Mall. My buyers include designers, dealers and collectors from Palm Beach, Miami, New York, Connecticut, California, Paris and, of course, Chicago. Thomas O'Brien and Nate Burkus come to mind. I recently sold a sleek, silvered pair of vintage candle holders that were gifted to shoe designer Brian Atwood by his mother.

Abalone mosaic and silverplated copper pitcher – Mexico - 1970s ($295)

Teak cheeseboard – Denmark – 1970s ($45)

David Anderson stainless steel cheese knife and cheese slicer – Norway – 1960s ($135)

Abalone and reticulated silver fish bottle opener – Mexico – 1970s ($145)

**Prices are 20% off through December 25.

THE GIFT An invitation to Tahoora in Chicago's Little India at 2345 West Devon Avenue where, on weekends, you can feast for $5 on Halwa Puri, a traditional Pakistani breakfast that includes a sweet and savory combination of sweet halwa, spicy chick peas, piquant chutneys, hot puris (in photo) and sweetly spiced chai.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Edgewater, Chicago, IL.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I look for sleek, classic lines. Fussiness annoys me; although decorative flourishes can be transcendent as long as they're like stunning earrings on Audrey Hepburn. The elegant work of designers like Jean-Michel Frank, Gio Ponti, Maria Pergay and Gabriella Crespi can practically make me faint, but over-the-top designers like Serge Roche and Aldo Tura are also seductive. Nevertheless, great style interests me far more than provenance. My approach is eclectic; I like surprises that heighten our aesthetic experience. Pleasure comes from being receptive to challenging, beautiful color and shape combinations that enrich our daily lives.

If I were limited to owning one thing, I'd choose an ancient Grecian black or red figure urn. In his “Ode to a Grecian Urn”, John Keats distills the secret of truly fine design, food and living choices to their essence. To paraphrase: Beauty is truth, truth beauty. That is all ye need to know on earth.

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? My schedule is pretty full, so when I want something quick and nourishing, I slice queso fresco, place the slices between two small corn tortillas, microwave this for 45 to 60 seconds and then sink my teeth into this sumptuous treat.

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Melissa Graham

2009-12-12T08:20:00.000-08:00

One of my greatest annoyances is the idea that beautiful food is an exclusive experience. That it's some secret club where only an elite few are allowed in. The reason I've been Melissa Graham's long-time secret admirer is because she makes beautiful food inclusive, without ever dumbing anything down. She writes about food and feeding her family with spare, elegant prose and absolutely no pretense and I can't say enough about the simple but sophisticated recipes on her site, Little Locavores. They use few ingredients, easy technique and are deliciously accessible to everyone.

WHO Melissa Graham, a former attorney, is the chef and owner of Monogramme Events & Catering, a boutique catering company that specializes in seasonal and sustainable cuisine. She is also the president and founder of Purple Asparagus, a non-profit dedicated to bringing families back to the table by promoting and enjoying all the things associated with good eating. When she’s not in the kitchen or the classroom, you can often find Melissa shopping at the Green City Market where she serves as the membership chair. She is a contributing editor of The Local Beet.com and authors Little Locavores.

THE GIFT My holiday pick and go-to hostess gift is Molly O'Neill's wonderful book A Well-Seasoned Appetite: Recipes for Eating with The Seasons, The Senses, and The Soul. I think that every cook should have two copies of this book, one for the kitchen and another for the night stand. Her writing style is lyrical, recipes inventive, yet usually simple. I've had this book for 15 years and there isn't a month that goes by that I don't pick it up for inspiration. She introduced me to so many new ingredients as a burgeoning cook: fiddlehead ferns, morel mushrooms and sour cherries. Skimming through my copy, I find numerous marks and stains, a sure sign of a beloved book. There are recipes for company and weekday dinners. Some of my favorites include: Soft-Shell Crabs with Black Bean Sauce, Arabic Eggplant and Pumpkin Succotash. The book is organized by season and then by ingredient, each section introduced by a lovely vignette of life and love. Sprinkled with a bit of botany and peppery humor, this book is sure to become a favorite of any cook. Buy it now as it's out of print and almost completely sold out on Amazon.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Roscoe Village, Chicago, IL.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? It may sound trite, but I'm inspired by the farmers' market, especially Green City Market, even in the dark days of winter. This is one of the reasons that I love Molly O'Neill's book. When I was learning to cook with the seasons, her book provided wonderful recipes for the market's bounty both in cold and hot weather. I'm also inspired by my son and his fanciful suggestions for recipes, some of which we try, including our new family recipe favorite French Fry Stuffing.

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? My favorite thing to cook for myself when my husband and son are out is pasta with a bit of garlic or onion and whatever fresh, seasonal vegetables I find in my fridge.

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Greg Christian

2009-12-11T15:40:00.000-08:00

Greg Christian is the Obi-Wan Kenobi of Chicago's sustainability movement. Each encounter I've had with Greg, whether in person, or via email, ends with a sincere directive, encouraging me to stay the course, to believe that my contributions to the cause are good ones, and to never give up and I love that about him. This man's passion is palpable and I have a feeling, that wherever he goes, he's subtly tutoring us all in the ways of The Force...

WHO Entrepreneur, chef, author, and caterer, Greg Christian is the owner of Greg Christian Consulting, a consulting firm focused on helping food service companies become more sustainable. Greg is at the forefront of his non-profit organization, The Organic School Project, an initiative he launched in 2005 to provide school children with positive food choices. Greg is considered a leader in green business and a pioneer in the foodservice industry's zero-impact movement.

THE GIFT I often find that a gift is better remembered if it's an experience rather than a thing. So, for the holiday season, I recommend that you treat someone you love to a hand-made delicacy, such as these Zeppole (Italian donuts), from Zullo’s, an Italian-inspired vendor at Chicago's Green City Market and soon to be opening at Chicago's new French Market at the Ogilvie Train Station. Zullo’s mission is to honor the environment and connect people to their food source in an affordable way. Their food is 95% organic and locally sourced. The menu is ingredient-driven; they look at what’s available from local farmers on any particular day when deciding what to put on the menu. The food is simple and delicious.

A Personal Message From Greg Christian

Love yourself more
Forgive yourself more
Open your hearts more
Try to move your daily routines towards sustainability.
Every little bit makes a difference.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Oak Park, IL.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? People inspire me. People who have beautiful, open hearts. People who pour their essence into passionate projects. People who partner that essence with clear intention. These types of people inspire me.

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? Anything that can be made in one pot!

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Ryan Robinson + Brian Sidney Bembridge

2009-12-10T06:54:00.001-08:00

Talk about your power couples. Talk about dynamic, creative phenoms. Talk about love. Real love. Talk about unparalleled generosity. Talk about two gorgeous hunks of man flesh. Well, then you must be talking about Ryan Robinson and Brian Sidney Bembridge. These gentlemen are my personal heroes and dear friends. And I just want to call this one for posterity: I predict one day in the not too distant future, Ryan will be as well known as Annie Leibovitz and Brian will be on stage and in all of our living rooms, accepting his Tony. You heard it here first...

WHO Ryan Robinson is a photographer based out of Chicago. Born and raised in a small farm town in Illinois, Ryan is best known for his brightly colored portraits peppered with humor, wit and a little irreverence. Ryan’s growing list of advertising clients include AT&T, Discover Card, Statefarm Insurance, National City, SC Johnson, Hampton Inn, Bosch Tools, Crains Chicago Business, Arts & Business Council and his images have appeared in TIME, Maxim, GQ, Chicago Magazine, Time Out Chicago, ESPN, Runner’s World, UFC and numerous others.

Brian Sidney Bembridge is an award winning scenic and lighting designer for theater and film. He has designed over 200 shows; everything from a Muppet Movie to Chekov and Shakespeare. His work has been seen in almost every main stage in Chicago as well as many regional theaters across the country. Brian just received a Joseph Jefferson Award for his Scenic Design of History Boys, making him a five time JEFF Award recipient.

RYAN'S GIFT
I’m a bit OCD when it comes to doing the dishes: organization is key. We don’t own a dishwasher, but that isn’t such a big deal when you’re placing your squeaky clean dishes and stemware on a sexy dishrack from Black + Blum of London. I recently gifted this to myself in hopes of enlightening our dish-doing experience. A dishrack as a gift? Yes. It’s a perfect place for delicate crystal stemware or heirloom dinnerware that cannot be thrown in the dishwasher.

BRIAN'S GIFT
This is such a simple gift, but it keeps on giving all year long . I am a magazine whore. I buy them for research, for shows I'm currently designing and for future projects. I get ideas for our home, our kitchen, the theater, decorating for the holidays, green ideas, shopping...the list is endless. I love to pair up a subscription with a friend that might be something they wouldn't buy for themselves, but I know will enrich their lives. Past favorites are Dwell, Wallpaper, Surface, and Martha Stewart Living. But there are so many ideas out there: art, cooking, travel, decorating and children's magazines. I remember getting Sesame Street Magazine when I was a young tyke. I was so excited every month to get something addressed to me and then open it up and read the articles and figure out the puzzles. It is still great fun!

WHERE DO YOU (BOTH) LIVE? Fulton Market, Chicago, Illinois

RYAN, WHAT INSPIRES YOU? my husband, quirky news reports, the weather, architecture and salvage yards.

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? Homemade pizza. I’ve perfected my crust this year from a recipe I found over at Smitten Kitchen. The trick? Patience and olive oil. Also, baking the pizza only on parchment paper and in a 500˚ F oven. For toppings, nothing beats freshly snipped basil (mine is still kickin’, even in December), farmers' market tomatoes, mozzarella and freshly shaved parmesan. Simple, fresh quick.

BRIAN, WHAT INSPIRES YOU? curiosity, water, people that give, how small we really are (I just realized this on our trip to Kaua'i).

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF?
Liquid concoctions. I love to make the martini, sweet or savory, strong, and bold.

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Laura Letinsky

2009-12-08T07:32:00.000-08:00

Years ago, I went to art school to study photography and the school's museum had a world class photo collection; everything from André Kertész to Garry Winogrand and Barbara Kruger. You could make an appointment with the archives, slip on some white cotton gloves, and request to have a private audience with any piece in the collection. It was there I was first struck by Laura Letinsky's work. To me, her still lifes were like Dutch paintings with their exquisite modeling of light, color and texture and I loved the way they stirred curious imaginings in my head, like, "What exactly happened at that table?" Years later, we met through a mutual friend and I discovered she's a serious eater and cook. I will brag and say she once made me bouillibase and garlic aioli from scratch. I am thrilled to introduce you to both Laura's work and her excellent taste...

WHO Laura Letinsky is an artist and a professor at the University of Chicago’s Department of Visual Art. Her ongoing photographic still life project examines what is “after the fact,” what (ma)lingers, what persists and by inference, what is gone. Her pictures have been shown at various museums and galleries including The Cleveland Museum, Michael Sturm Galerie, Stuttgart, Brancolini Grimaldi Arte Contemporanea, Rome, Casino Luxenbourg, The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Art, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Renaissance Society, Chicago, and the Nederlands Foto Institute. Laura is represented by Yancey Richardson Gallery in New York and Monique Meloche in Chicago.
(I encourage you to click and enlarge these images)

THE GIFT For me, there's a long list of requisite eating associated with this time of year transitioning from summer’s ceviches, cold borscht, and lime drinks into fall’s butternut squash ravioli and concord grapes to winter’s pomegranates, egg nog with rum, Manhattan's, citrus in all guises and finally, cassoulet. But when it comes to the holidays I’m a traditionalist and eschew most innovations. I’m more of a salt-aholic, but a Christmas treat of Vosges Bapchis Caramel Toffee has become an essential. It's sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy, chocolate-y, nutty, caramel-y (you get the idea) perfection.
In close competition are two childhood treats, Poppycock and Terry’s Chocolate Orange, definitely not on par with Proust’s madeleine, but nostalgic nonetheless. In my mind this relates to a well-trod dilemma, the conflict between aesthetics and ethics in the sense that while Vosges is superior by any evaluation, I remain faithful to enacting an experience that despite all rational, still connects me to the way it was back then. And, if you can follow the tangent - that is why I’m a photographer.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Chicago, Illinois

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Kids, husband, garden, porcini, pork belly....

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? It is my habit, addiction, and joy to cook almost daily for me, my family, and friends. Over the years I’ve come to rely on a range of dishes, primarily Mediterranean-influenced, that emphasize good ingredients and simple preparations such as trofie pasta with oil-roasted cherry tomatoes (from my garden), garlic, oregano and sheep’s milk feta. Or, octopus that has been simmered for a couple of hours in wine, lemon and herbs, then cut into sections and sautéed along with Yukon Gold potatoes, garlic (my garden!), parsley, and olive oil, til the edges of the potatoes and octopus get crispy, then served atop a bed of balsamic and olive oil-dressed arugula (and for its weed-like behavior, I am profoundly grateful).

The Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide: Louisa Neumann

2009-12-06T18:48:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the Real Food Rehab Holiday Gift Guide! For the next three weeks you'll be introduced to a group of artists, authors, chefs, great home cooks, au courant shopkeepers, food artisans, farmers, food writers, bloggers, entrepreneurs and restaurateurs from around the country and around the world. I've asked them to submit, in their own words, their picks for a food-related gift they'd love to give or receive this holiday season. These are people I respect and admire, not only for their excellent taste, but for the brave and beautiful work they do in the world. Taking your creative gifts, passions and beliefs and turning them into successful business ventures takes fortitude and courage and each of these people share that in common. And now, without further ado, I bring you The Gift Guide...

WHO Louisa Neumann is a cooking instructor and recipe developer living in Portland, Oregon. She was taught to cook by a woman in Burgundy, France and a few others in Louisville and Boston. She enjoys blogging on Stumptown's emerging wild and crazy food scene at her blog, The Portland Pickle.

THE GIFT Let's face it: We're all broke this year, right? So do yourself a favor and lay off your battered and bruised Mastercard this holiday season. I'm all about being cheap but not seeming cheap this year. That's why this idea at Twig and Thistle caught my eye. For your kids' favorite teacher, coworker, or the neighbor who collects your mail while you're away consider this DIY gift. For just a few bucks assemble your own S'mores Kits. Put a finer touch on it by using high quality chocolate and make or buy artisan marshmallows. Have fun with the packaging, too. Use colorful ribbon and clear boxes to show off your goods. If you're not into s'mores, try your hand at canning. Consider canning sweet meyer lemons, which are in peak season right about now. Preserved meyer lemons are the secret ingredient to many Moroccan dishes, so why not include a few recipes with your confiture gift.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Portland, Oregon

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I'm inspired by the fact that I'll never know it all and also by my students, old and young.

GO-TO DISH WHEN COOKING FOR YOURSELF? I love preparing delicious dishes with otherwise humble ingredients. I tend to make something and run it into the ground - I recently did that with Nigella Lawson's zesty pasta with mushroom, garlic, lemon and thyme. It's the easiest and most refreshing pasta. I love it, love it, love it. But I need a break from it.

The Inspiration Issue

2009-11-28T21:34:00.000-08:00

Today I took a long walk in this lovely park by my house. It has a circular, gravel running path and I go there every other day or so to get some exercise. As I walked toward the middle of the park, I heard the most beautiful sound. There, on a bench, was a young man playing the cello. There was no hat or instrument case open - there was no pressure of donation, he was simply practicing in the open air. I made it around the bend of the path and started walking back in his direction and stopped for a long while to lean against a tree, close my eyes, take in the sun and his beautiful music. The unexpected combination of the cello and the crisp fall weather touched me deeply. It completely made my day, and I made sure to tell him so.

For me, these last two years have been hardcore, soul-searching times. Throw in the impact of the recession and now, the holidays and that's a whole lot of pressure. But if there's one thing I've learned in my attempts at self-preservation, is that in dark times, it's crucial to seek out inspiration. Every single day.

Inspiration keeps you moving forward, striving and focused on your path, even when you don't quite know what your path is. Inspiration keeps you in the creative mix. Inspiration makes you feel rich even when you're poor. Inspiration is a reminder that anything is possible. Inspiration is a life line.

A while ago, I started by making a list of things I love; things that bring me joy and pleasure and actively searched them out. Then, I took it a step further and started writing down memories of experiences when I cried because I was happy. Specific books, movies, shared experiences with friends, my African dance class, yoga, being in the mountains have all had that effect. It was a big, glaring 'note to self' that I needed more of those types of experiences in my life.

Another thing I've found very hopeful is returning to memories of childhood. The experiences, music, books, toys and television that I loved as a child are great inspiration. It shed light on who I am and what's important to me.

I'm always on the lookout for new things to inspire me. I especially love to read non-fiction about people who've triumphed in the face of adversity or who've succeeded beyond their wildest dreams by bravely being their truest selves in the world without apologies.

Being in nature is perhaps my greatest inspiration - it's my first layer of protection against all the fear, violence and mediocrity in our culture. It's my echinacea or vitamin D. I am a city girl, born and raised, who discovered a love of nature late in life and I'm constantly seeking out-of-the-way green space for walks and quiet reflection. I am someone who tells trees that I love them out loud. Hey, it's not like I have a choice.

I also seek out beauty and bold personal expression in the form of brilliant performances and art. It inspires me to be brave in sharing my own creative contributions to the world. It reminds me that a lot of people society regarded as strange or outcast have made some of the most important contributions to our culture.

Being inspired helps me keep the most important promise of all - the one I made to myself to never, ever give up.

Here are some ideas and resources that have inspired me. I want to know what inspires you - I encourage you to share your stories and resources with me in the comments section or on the Real Food Rehab Fan Page.

Search out and spend time with people who inspire you - who are authentic, healthy and whole; who don't judge and criticize, who encourage and support and aren't threatened when good things happen to you. I find the people that inspire me most are those who have traits I admire and would like more of myself. It's like having the most delicious carrot at the end of a stick.

Take out old photos from the best times in your life and reflect back how you felt in those moments and why. What was present that made you feel so good?

Sit down in a book store or library and flip through photo, art or interior design books. Notice what moves you.

Have a dance break in your living room with the lights out to your favorite music. I do this one all the time!

Choose to mix up one pattern in your life like changing your route to work or getting off the computer when you find yourself aimlessly adrift in Google-land. What else might show itself if you broke up your patterns?

Here are a few videos I find particularly inspiring:

Here, writer Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat, Pray, Love muses brilliantly on creativity and genius.

This is a beautifully humanist audio-visual series of stories of New Yorkers from all walks of life called One in Eight Million. Some of my favorites are the blind wine taster and the animal rescuer.

If this doesn't make you feel good, nothing will: Madeline Kahn singing with Grover from Sesame Street circa 1975.

I am a huge fan of a very young Barbra Streisand. In these short performances, she's between 23 and 25 years old! Keep in mind, when she started her career, she was considered an oddball. She wore shabby, vintage clothes and was repeatedly discouraged by her mother who ignored her gifts. She would sneak out her bedroom window in Brooklyn to go perform at open mikes in Manhattan when she was under age! These are powerful performances, I hope you enjoy them. Click here for her classic duet with Judy Garland singing Happy Days Are Here Again which I find especially poignant during these hard times.

Lastly, I need to acknowledge my photo, which was taken from a brilliant slide show by Maira Kalman. It's about what would happen if we got away from industrial food production and got back to the land. It might inspire how you eat day to day...

Real Food Rehab in Time Out Chicago

2009-11-25T13:11:00.000-08:00

I have so much to be thankful for. For example, I'm very grateful to be included in an article in this weeks' Time Out Chicago Magazine. They asked three food bloggers to contribute recipes and our Thanksgiving stories to the mag. Definitely click on the link if you'd like to see my recipes for bacon bread sticks, cheese puffs, chicken liver crostini or my apple, pear and beet salad. The other two bloggers are Bake and Destroy and The Paupered Chef. We all have such different styles which makes it such a well-rounded piece. Be sure to check out the other bloggers!

I'm psyched to be spending the holiday with good friends and gorgeous food. We enlisted the help of local pie maker, Jane at Sugarkist Pies to make our desserts this year. We ordered a double crust apple and a cranberry-pear with a hazelnut crumble topping. She uses local ingredients and lots of made-from-scratch lovin'. We also ordered our turkeys from Tilth Farm through Provenance Food & Wine in Logan Square. I have never had their pasture-raised birds before and we're brining them so I'm excited to see how they turn out. We also bought our brioche bread for stuffing and cranberry conserve from another local genius, Sandra at Floriole Bakery. They specialize in French-style baked goods and have been regulars at Green City Market for years. They're also opening up a bakery in Lincoln Park very soon.

I am also grateful for all the local farmers, food artisans and shop-keeps who work so passionately to bring us such beautiful, traditional and authentic foods because it makes my life better. I don't care how schmaltzy that sounds because it's true. Besides, I like schmaltz.

I send love and wishes for a peaceful holiday.

Dana Joy

Everywhere A Squash Squash

2009-11-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

These days, you can't turn a corner without running into a squash. Their maudlin little autumnal displays seem to be everywhere. Truth be told, they've just never turned me on. They seem to need a lot of foreplay before they give up some love with their impenetrable skins and hour plus roasting times.

I was presented with a reason to try, yet again, to embrace the squash because my friends from Harvest Moon Farms gave me a lovely care package with pasture raised meats, Italian greens, farm-fresh eggs and yes, a box of squash - Acorn and Delicata.

I had to come up with something new because the standard squash-apple soup recipe just leaves me cold. So I searched and tested a few new things to do with roasted squash.

First, Roast The Squash

You need a sharp knife and a good, sturdy cutting board to cut these suckers. Cut the squash in half, use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and strings. Put in a roasting pan skin side down, throw some butter, chunky sea salt and fresh ground pepper in the little wells where the seeds used to be and cook at 375 for an hour or more until the flesh is soft and caramelized. Let cool and either scoop out large chunks with a spoon or peel away the skin and cut into square chunks. They don't need to look pretty to taste good.

So, these are my riffs on squash. Feel free to add, subtract and improvise to your taste.

Salad Ideas

Arugula, roasted squash, bacon, blue cheese, toasted walnuts, cider vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper

Arugula, prosciutto, roasted squash, pecorino shavings, good balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper

Rainbow or red chard (I love it as a salad green, cut out the stems and saute them with garlic until soft, let cool and add to the salad), roasted squash, fresh mozzarella, sherry vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper

Grain Salads

Farro, squash, red onion, walnuts, goat cheese, walnut oil, salt and pepper

Couscous, squash, red onion, harissa, cinammon, sultanas (golden raisins plumped in hot water), toasted slivered almonds, walnut oil, salt and pepper

Panini

Griddle this - thinly slice the squash and toss with a touch of sherry vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper; add to sturdy sandwich bread with a thick lick of goat cheese, arugula and bacon.

Squash, I hardly knew thee...

Rules For Living Well

2009-11-09T10:38:00.000-08:00

I was flipping through an old journal today and found this. It's a list of "Rules For Living" I created for myself a couple years ago. How bold of me! At the time, I was working through questions in a book called Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live, which is based on separating what the author, Martha Beck, calls your essential self from your social self. I highly recommend that book; if you're searching like I was, it really zeros in on all the right things.

I do believe in knowing what you value most and using that as a rudder to guide your life. So here they are, exactly as I wrote them two years ago. What are some of your rules?

Choose quality over quantity with everything - shoes, friends, food - everything.

Look into alternative forms of medicine.

Take the time to figure out who you really are, what you like and dislike, what you need and don't.

Live within your means and respect every dollar you make.

Cultivate a passion.

Eat Real Food! Stay away from processed and buy local whenever you can.

Refuse to give in to texting.

As hard as it is, acknowledge and work on whatever keeps you from living the life of your dreams.

Refuse to play small or dim your light in order to make others comfortable.

Listen to your body.

Spend part of every day in silence, even if it's ten minutes.

Create a living space that reflects who you are.

Make visual beauty a priority.

Tell people you love them often.

Be true to yourself at all costs.

2 Simple Steps To Healthy & Delicious Meals

2009-11-05T08:26:00.001-08:00

As many of you know, in the last few months, I’ve been doing in-home food makeovers and basic cooking instruction for people who want to eat better and rely less on processed and packaged foods. During the initial consultations, what I hear each time is a slightly different version of the same story:

They go to the store, stand in the produce section and freeze; they have great intentions but get completely overwhelmed. They have no idea what to do with all those vegetables! They have little to no food in the house and need satisfaction in the moment, so they inevitably run back to: a) the freezer section for frozen dinners, b) the expensive prepared foods or deli section or c) the grocery aisle for boxed, add-water type meals. Or maybe, they’ll just have chips for dinner in front of the Telly. Perhaps this rings true for you, too.

This repeated scenario is not what people want but what many people settle for. I believe that everyone wants to look good, feel good, share great food experiences and have the energy to pursue the life they desire. To do that, we all need to eat more high quality food: food that’s grown and produced without chemicals, antibiotics and hormones. We also need to spend some time planning and preparing our food.

I realize these are simply facts, not solutions. So, I have two big tips to turn your barriers into breakthroughs.

STEP ONE

Stock Your Pantry - it’s a well-known fact: if you stock your pantry with high-quality basics and foods you love, you won’t overspend on last minute grocery store runs. You’ll eat healthier and always be able to throw together a satisfying meal.

So, how do you know what to buy? How can you discern what’s delicious and healthy and what isn’t? This is where Real Food Rehab really saves the day.

Spend $9.95 and purchase The Pantry Essentials Guide.

The Guide is divided into four sections: Foundation Ingredients, Baking Basics, Perishable Staples and Ethnic Staples and is nine pages of detailed descriptions and uses for over one hundred ingredients. It includes easy recipes, kitchen tips, web resources and brand recommendations. It also includes checklists for each section that can be printed out and taken to the grocery store. And I should note, it's a guide to be experimented with over time; do not feel you have to run out and purchase all these things at once. You ease into it. It might help to start by stocking the Foundation Ingredients first, along with some of the Perishable Staples and work from there. Also, if you’re in a diet rut and tired of the things you eat on a daily basis, The Guide will turn you on to new, healthy and delicious things to eat.

OK, you’ve stocked your pantry – you have all your bases covered –now how do you use all this stuff?

STEP TWO

Subscribe to NoTakeOut.com for free! NoTakeOut is a life-enhancing site that I recommend to all my clients. You sign up for daily emails and each weekday they send you a complete menu, a short shopping list and a step-by-step game plan to prepare a delicious, seasonal meal in a short period of time. And if the menu of the day doesn’t move you, there are many others on the site to choose from.

Click here to see an example of one of their menus and instruction – Chicken Cacciatore & Polenta with a Big Green Salad – only 15 minutes prep time and 45 minutes total time to make a beautiful meal. I also love that their instructions usually include this step: “Open the wine and pour yourself a glass.” I can really get behind that.

The other thing you should know about NoTakeOut is that two working dads who are the primary cooks in their households created it. They wanted to help other busy people discover the simple pleasures of sharing a home-cooked meal.

So here’s the scenario:

You’re at home or at work. You get an email from NoTakeOut. You print out the shopping list and take it to the grocery store and pick up the few remaining ingredients to complete your recipe. You have a stocked pantry at home now so you can breeze through the express line. You get home, crack open that bottle of wine or beer if you desire and start cooking with an easy step-by-step game plan helping you along the way. Consider getting other members of the family to participate – make it a shared experience with your partner, your kids or your friends. Set the table and you’re eating.

Whether you begin to do this every other night or once a week, you’ve made an improvement to your health: You’ve eaten a healthy, delicious meal, you’ve sat around the table with those you love and you actually created more time for what’s important to you. These are major breakthroughs to a better life.

For more info on NoTakeOut.com, click HERE.

Photo courtesy of NoTakeOut.com

Power To The Pantry: Introducing The Pantry Essentials Guide

2009-10-27T07:41:00.001-07:00

Dear Readers,

Perhaps you've noticed that quality, authenticity, satisfaction, beauty and pleasure are all running themes of Real Food Rehab. And perhaps you've been subtly sparked by some of the ideas here and hopefully it's added to your life in good ways.

As many of you know, I began doing in-home kitchen makeovers and cooking lessons this year and it's definitely a life-changing experience for those who can afford it. But since it is my mission to educate and inspire others to experience the pleasures and life-giving effects of Real Food, it was important for me to develop something that could be available to everyone. So, I wrote The Real Food Rehab Pantry Essentials Guide. It's an indispensable tool for stocking your kitchen with an arsenal of high quality ingredients and storage staples for making healthy and delicious meals. The Guide is divided into four sections: Foundation Ingredients, Baking Basics, Perishable Staples and Ethnic Staples and is perfect for beginners and accomplished cooks alike. The Pantry Essentials Guide is also completely committed to sustainable, chemical-free food choices which you'll see reflected in the many suggestions throughout its pages.

The Guide is 9 pages of detailed descriptions and includes recipes, kitchen tips, web resources and brand recommendations. It's designed to create more pleasure, health, ease and satisfaction in the kitchen. It also includes checklists for each section that can be printed out and taken to the grocery store. And I should note, it's a guide to be experimented with over time; It might help to start by stocking the Foundation Ingredients first, along with some of the Perishable Staples and work from there.

The Guide is only $9.95 and can be purchased HERE or by clicking the orange link at the top right of the blog. The Guide is in a printable PDF format and gets sent to you via email.

Lastly, I want you to know how committed I am to what I do: I have chosen time and time again not to place ads and links that don't jibe with the values of Real Food Rehab and equally important, I want your experience on this site to be aesthetically beautiful. I take into careful consideration everything that goes up and that it meets the standards of beauty I preach here so often. Do I want to make money? Absolutely, but I want to do it by being true to myself, to you, and only offering things of value.

I do believe with all my heart that beautiful food is your birthright and I hope that my Pantry Essentials Guide will make a difference for you and those you love and feed around your table.

Thank you so much for being here,

Dana Joy

Save the Deli

2009-10-26T11:51:00.001-07:00

Not too long ago I discovered an article on the Atlantic Food Channel called Why I Want To Save The Deli. It was written by journalist and deli expert, David Sax, who was coming out with a new book called Save the Deli. The article spoke to me in a language I completely understood; it triggered something in me - a call to action - and strong sense memories from my own past, so I called his publicist right away for an advance copy of the book.

Save the Deli chronicles David's travels throughout the United States as well as Canada and Europe in search of authentic delicatessen. He documents the histories, the characters, the food and how it's made in glorious, mouth-watering detail. He also discovers where it's still thrives, where it's in decline, and where to go for particular dishes. It's part history, part travelogue and the Food and Yiddish Appendix in the back is worth the price alone.

What I love about the book is that it's written with such enthusiasm and heart! He captures the very essence of deli culture - the intoxicating smells, the one of a kind flavors, the tumult, the noise, the wise-cracking waitresses - which is a huge part of the Jewish experience that I knew and loved growing up. It wasn't until I read this book that I realized that as deli culture dies, a piece of my own history dies along with it. I want to save the deli too!

A little background: I grew up in Chicago with a grandfather from Kiev, Russia, who would take me to the original Ashkenaz Deli and Romanian Deli, both in Roger's Park. I would hand-pick my own new pickle from a giant barrel (a ritual inconceivable today in a culture dependent on sanitizer gel) and stand in line and order a hand-sliced corned beef sandwich from the countermen who knew my grandparents by name. My father used to take me to the old Berwyn Fisheries on Sunday where they smoked everything in-house and we'd take home fresh rye, bagels, smoked chubs (whitefish), sable and sturgeon. I will never forget the smell in that place - it was like breathing ice, smoke, fat and fish all in one breath. Pure heaven. So, I'm a die-hard deli lover if there ever was one.

And I have to say it breaks my heart that most children today haven't been indoctrinated into this world of deli foods and smoked fish. How can you thrive on a diet of chicken fingers? I mean really? And what kind of person do you become when you're exposed to such a narrow spectrum of foods and homogenous eating experiences? (I'll save this topic for another post)

Anyway, I had the chance to interview David last week while he was on his book tour. He'd just gotten back from a morning visit to the White House! While there, he discovered that feet away from our President's inner sanctum, in the office of special adviser, David Axelrod, are three photographs from Manny's Delicatessen here in Chicago including a shot of a knish and pastrami sandwich and one of the legendary counterman, Gino. They were sandwiched (pardon the pun) next to photos of Mr. Axelrod with various world leaders! Is that a hoot or what? It's amazing what deli can do.

I feel like deli is a part of my personal history and I am nostalgic about it but bottom line; I'd be devastated if I couldn't get a bowl of matzo ball soup or a great corned beef sandwich with chopped liver on a whim. To me, that would be a huge loss. So how do you save the deli? This is where our interview begins:

RFR: How do you hook a whole new generation on to deli food?

DAVID SAX: I don't see it being any different from Southern Barbecue or something like that. If you told people ten years ago there'd be this rash of new Southern hipster barbecue joints they'd say, "Whaddya crazy? Barbecue?" The difficult thing is, a lot of delis open up and say, "It's going to be like old New York, it's going to be like delis used to be", and there's only so much you can do with a nostalgic bent and I think when you do that you don't necessarily capture that younger generation. You're selling it to the older generation.

I think for the places that are going to save the deli, they're going to be the ones who bring it into the new and they're not going to do it with wasabi meatballs or sliders, they're simply going to do it by being true to themselves and by raising the level of quality; going back to the way that things were prepared, without pandering to that same sense of lost history. They don't need photos of old New York or Maxwell Street on the wall, but they do need to cure their own stuff and stop bringing stuff in from outside. People from our generation who love food, they respect that more than anything. That's the best hope we have right now. And there are only a few places around the country that are doing it that way. I think we'll see more of it in the coming years, I hope to; because delis have tried to branch out and franchise and it took away from their soul and detracted from the original locations. They also tried to open it up to other types of food which drained away the authenticity of it and hurt the traditional foods. You can't claim to make matzo balls and deep dish pizza really well, you've got to pick one or the other.

RFR: So who's doing great quality, artisanal deli in the States?

DAVID SAX: The most interesting one I saw is Kenny & Zuke's out of Portland, Oregon. It's two guys, one was a food blogger, the other one owned a restaurant. One said to the other, "Hey, there's no good pastrami in Portland, whaddya say we make a good pastrami and sell it at the farmers' market and see if it sells." So they did and it sold out in ten minutes. The next week they came back with twice the amount of pastrami and they sold out in twenty minutes. They were smoking it in a barbecue smoker and curing it in barrels. Then they started to do a Deli Brunch at his restaurant and it got so big they decided to do it full time.

They opened up their deli two years ago and it's doing incredibly well. They bake their own bread and bagels every morning in house, they smoke their own pastrami in a smoker with oak that they split with an axe in the basement and even though Kenny is from New York, they don't call themselves a New York-style deli. They're a Jewish delicatessen.

RFR: Have you ever felt as passionately about anything as you do deli? What's next for you?

DAVID SAX: This started out when I was at university, so this has been a passion project for me for a number of years. I knew I was getting into journalism and I always knew I was going to write this book. And what's next is certainly undecided but it's most likely not going to be about Jewish food because I just feel this one really came from the heart and I don't want to do anything just for the sake of, you know, "...now we can capture Jews 18 to 35 who like bagels." I'm not a food writer and I'm not a food critic and there are a lot of people who are and I think what interested me about this wasn't, "Oh this is a better sandwich and this is the best sandwich," it was the culture and the evolution of it and the business and the people that are within it. Maybe it will be something else Jewish, maybe it will be something else entirely. As of now, who knows?

JOIN ME AT THE SAVE THE DELI EVENT
Manny's Delicatessen, Chicago's most famous Jewish Deli, will be hosting a reading with David Sax this Thursday, October 29th at 6pm. Manny's is located at 1141 South Jefferson in Chicago. I will be there so please join me!

Here's the link to David's Blog: http://www.savethedeli.com/

The Flavor Bible

2009-10-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

Artists have been my personal heroes for as long as I can remember. I've always been moved by people who devote their lives to creating something unique; something that belongs to them but is also shared with the world for the sake of pleasure.

I consider great cooks to be artists. I'm not only speaking of professional chefs but of everyday folk, who passionately ply their craft in the privacy of their own homes and share it with family and friends. Eating in the home of a great cook, to me, is a thrill and a blessing. Not only do I get to eat great food but it's titillating to watch how other people prepare and serve their food. From their kitchen rituals, to how they chop and garnish - I learn so much in the process. Everyone has their own style and flair and it reminds me that there's more than one right way to do something.

Perhaps that's the problem: so much of our creativity gets shut down because we think that anything that veers from the norm isn't right. I am here to tell you that that is a load of crap. Once you learn the essentials of your craft - whatever it is - you are free to deviate and put your own stamp on it. It takes courage to stay your course - to trust your process and as any creative person will tell you, it's when you allow yourself to let go, to get messy and allow mistakes to happen, that's when things get juicy.

I am a creature of habit. I will do the same thing over and over even when I know it's not working for me, so I like having tools around that aid and abet my creativity and personal freedom.

In the kitchen, having a pantry of high quality ingredients and products that move me is key for allowing me to improvise and create amazing meals. The book The Flavor Bible, by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, who's cover you see here, is another great tool.

The book is a reference guide to hundreds of ingredients; from apples to zucchini and every herb, spice, spirit and cuisine in between. Each item has its own description in terms of flavor profile, season, and the best techniques and tips for using it. It also has suggestions and knowledge from some of America's greatest chefs.

But that's hardly the best part.

This book is the kitchen improviser's bible because it lists all the matching flavor affinities for each ingredient! So say you have beets in your fridge and you're not sure what to do with them. Not only will the book give suggestions on cooking them, but it lists all the other flavors, ingredients, herbs and spices that go well with beets in alphabetical order: avocado, Crème Fraîche, mustard, pistachios, walnuts and yogurt to name a few. Then it also lists perfect flavor combinations, such as:

beets + citrus + goat cheese + olive oil + shallots
or
beets + olive oil + Parmesan cheese + balsamic vinegar
or
beets + honey + tarragon

Imagine this kind of information listed for every ingredient you can think of!

Just for kicks, here's another example:

Chicken

chicken + garlic + pancetta + sage + thyme
or
chicken + cream + grapefruit + pink peppercorns
or
chicken + coconut + galangal + shiitake mushrooms
or
chicken + basil + cinnamon

I don't know about you but I find this terribly exciting! These pairings make my mouth water. That's what makes this volume invaluable. Once you've used it for a while, you gain a more natural sense of what goes with what, which will lend itself in numerous creative and tasty ways in your cooking. Learning the essentials and then riffing on that in your own style is precisely what makes a great cook. I think one of the privileges of being human is that we get to develop our style, our character, to know who we are and what we stand for in the scheme of things. Cooking and eating is a beautiful, convivial and tasty way to develop that.

Here's the link if you care to check it out at Amazon:

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs

Stuffed Asian Cabbage Rolls

2009-10-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

Whenever I get bored with my diet, or when I've had too much dairy, meat and starch (which is often), I always turn to Asian flavors to refresh and satisfy my palate. Hot, salty, sour and sweet combined with fresh aromatics like ginger, garlic, mint, basil, cilantro and lime - it always hits the spot.

My introduction to Asian cooking at home was the Nina Simonds book, Asian Noodles - a simple primer for cooking a variety of Pan-Asian soup, salad and noodle classics.

It was this book that began my habit of storing Asian staples in my pantry so I could satisfy my Asian comfort food cravings whenever I wanted. Now I'll just pick up a protein and whatever vegetables I need and come home and make Cinnamon Beef Noodles, Peanut Noodle Salad or Thai Red Curry soup in a pinch.

Just a few of the pantry essentials I keep around are: soy sauce, red curry paste, canned coconut milk, Mirin, a sweet rice wine used for cooking and Thai fish sauce. The words 'fish' and 'sauce' together seem to scare a lot of people but if you love and eat Thai food, you're already enjoying it without realizing it. Fish sauce in Southeast Asia is like salt in America, they season everything with it.

I picked up a copy of Jamie Oliver's new magazine, the eponymously titled, Jamie at the book store this summer and in it were a couple of great looking cabbage recipes including this one. To the plain eye, cabbage is perhaps the least sexy vegetable sitting in the produce aisle, but what a work horse and I love how quietly it carries all the other ingredients without demanding any credit. Kind of like the supporting cast in all those Jennifer Aniston movies. Ouchie.

Anywho, I finally got around to making them this week. I love this recipe and honestly can't wait to make them again. It required little skill, satisfied my craving for Asian flavors, was (is) incredibly healthy and I responded like an excited child to the perfect little packages that fit right in my hand. I also love anything that requires dipping. That said, I think this would make a great snack or lunch or you can double it as a main for dinner. You could pair it with a bowl of steamed rice with chopped scallions and a simple miso soup. Done.

Stuffed Asian Cabbage Rolls from Issue #2 of Jamie Magazine

You will need a food processor for this recipe.

Ingredients
1 white cabbage
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 fresh red chili, halved and seeded
Small bunch cilantro
Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled (use the back of a spoon to scrape the skin off, it works like a charm)
2 skinless chicken breasts cut into large chunks
soy sauce
rice vinegar
chili oil (see below) to serve

Instruction

Put a large pan of boiling, salted water on to boil. Peel back the outer leaves on the cabbage. Coax and click off 8 round leaves (it doesn't matter if they tear a little). Core the cabbage, reserving the stalk; chop the cabbage into quarters and set aside.

Drop the 8 leaves into the boiling water for 3 minutes, or until you can pick one up and bend it easily. Remove to a tray to cool down.

Put your garlic, chili, cilantro and ginger into a food processor and whiz for 30 seconds. Ad a pinch of sea salt and the chopped cabbage stalk and pulse for 30 seconds to break it down a bit. Add the chicken and one quarter of the cabbage and pulse it for 30-60 seconds until the flavors combine and you've got a nice coarse chicken mince.

Put a piece of plastic wrap on a board and scoop the mince on to it. Divide it in eight equal amounts.

Grease a large colander or steamer tray (that fits comfortably into a pan) with a bit of chili oil or olive oil. Take a soft cabbage leaf in your hand, scoop one pile of chicken mince in the middle then fold in the sides until you have a closed package. Lay it in the colander with the leaves tucked under. Repeat 7 more times.

Pour a few inches of water into the pan that fits your steamer and put over a medium flame to boil. When the water's boiling, place the colander on top so it fits into the pan and seal with a lid or some foil and steam for about 10 minutes. Do not take the lid off. When time's up, cut one and see if it's cooked through - it will be obvious.

Serve right away with a dipping sauce of equal parts soy sauce and rice vinegar in a little dish. You can also do just soy if that pleases you.

Jamie also suggests a little chili oil which can be bought or made. here's a quick recipe for homemade chili oil:

Buy 2 or 3 different dried chilis at your Asian grocer, remove stems and heat in very hot and dry pan for about 1 minute. Put them in a high powered blender or pulse in the food processor with an inexpensive pint of olive oil and blitz for a minute or two. Keep in a jar in a dark, cool place. Use liberally!

A Meal For The Uninspired

2009-10-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be honest. I've been feeling completely uninspired. I haven't been cooking at all. I've been living on grilled cheese and salad, pretzels, tzatziki and beer, an occasional Italian sub sandwich from Bari Foods, sauteed kale and smoothies. My house is also a sty. My house is never a sty. I may as well have farm animals roaming around in here, it's that bad. And the piece d'resistance? I haven't showered in days. There you go; more than you ever wanted to know about me. It happens, right? I'm not perfect.

I'm learning how NOT to be such a control freak. I've had to put all my energy into one thing and let a few other things go. That one thing happens to be my new Pantry Essentials Guide that I'll be offering on this very site in the coming week and it's taken a lot out of me. That's why no post last week, I apologize. It's paying off, though. It's comprehensive and well-designed and I'm very proud of it.

What I've been discovering about myself this year is that I'm a master improviser. I'm not ready for Iron Chef, but I can usually make a great meal out of whatever I have around.

This was my breakfast. It would also make a great lunch or dinner. It's a corn tortilla with melted cheddar, softly scrambled eggs, chopped avocado, a mess of cilantro and a pinch of sea salt. I made three of these and they were incredibly satisfying and took 5 minutes to prepare.

Here's how I did it:

I heated a touch of canola oil in a skillet, sliced some local cheddar on a tortilla and popped it in the skillet until the tortilla got a little crispy and the cheese began to melt. While that cooked, I scrambled some eggs and then tossed them into the tortilla. In addition to the avocado and cilantro, I added some Greek yogurt (porque, no sour cream aquí) and a dab of salsa.

Kids would love these, too. What's not to love?

TIP:
I keep cilantro in my kitchen almost all the time. For me, it's an essential and very flavorful addition to both Mexican and Asian dishes such as tacos and quesadillas or coconut curries and cucumber salads. I cut the stems, remove any rubber bands and put it in a glass of water covered loosely with a plastic produce bag in the fridge. It lasts quite a while this way.

Klee For A Day

2009-10-02T14:58:00.001-07:00

I love the abstract quality of these photos. Sometimes when I'm photographing, I forget they're tomatoes - they become these beautiful blocks of light, color and shape.

I swear my tomato obsession is almost over, but here's what I did today - it's quick, easy and delish. I cut up a bunch of tomatoes into quarter-inch slices and placed them on a baking sheet with a little olive oil and salt (you could do herbs too) and stuck them in the oven at 225 degrees for almost three hours until they looked like fruit leather. I ate a bunch right out of the oven but you can add them to pasta, braised dishes, sauteed veggies, salads or on a bagel and cream cheese - the possibilities are endless. I'm going to store the rest in a jar covered in olive oil in the fridge.