Lunch and Dinner Archives | Page 7 of 16

Sautéed Purple and Lacinato Kale Salad with Almond Dressing Recipe

February 20, 2013

I should probably warn you that the phrase “we explored a new Farmer’s Market” is likely to become common on the blog. That’s because there are 8 throughout the week within a 5 minute drive (some within a short walk), and probably 10 more within 15 to 20 minutes. So far I have only been to 2. I have a lot of exploring to do.

So…

We explored a new Farmer’s Market this past weekend. This time, in Berkeley, and I stumbled upon a beautiful box of purple kale. As much as I consider myself a kale connoisseur with the few varieties I’ve grown and the many kale recipes you find on this blog, I now realize I have been living a lie.

I knew there were other kale varieties, but I had no idea they were so pretty, so different in texture, so…tasty. I asked on my Facebook page who had tried purple kale, and I’m in the minority. Apparently, you all have been enjoying it without me for quite some time. Well, I was ready to join the club.

Along with purple kale, I have wanted to try Lacinato (Dinosaur) kale for at least a year or two and I was finally granted the opportunity. After staring at these leafy greens (and purples) in my kitchen for a couple days, I finally decided that I couldn’t get too fancy with the preparation. I needed their true flavors and colors to come out.

The Lacinato is top left.

I’m not a huge fan of raw kale. Massaged in oil it’s okay, but I prefer it to be stirred around a skillet even if it’s only for a few minutes. I tossed this sautéed kale salad in a super easy dressing of almond butter with a slight tang from rice vinegar. So far I’ve eaten it warm, room temperature and cold, and I have yet to find a way I don’t like it.

Sautéed Purple and Lacinato Kale Salad with Almond Dressing

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. Lacinato kale, chopped

½ lb. Purple kale chopped

2 tbsp raw almond butter

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp mascavo sugar (or brown sugar)

¼ tsp sea salt

Heat the olive oil in wok or skillet over medium-high. Add the garlic and the kale. Stir to coat the kale in oil. Add 2 tablespoons of water to help gently wilt the kale. Cook about 2 minutes total, allowing the water to cook off, and remove the kale from the heat.

In a small dish, mix together the almond butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Transfer the kale to a bowl and pour on the dressing. Toss to coat. Top with roasted almonds before serving if desired. Serves 4-6.

Arugula and Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese Orange Walnut Dressing Recipe

February 6, 2013

You remember this garden, right?

Well, I had to leave that garden in Kentucky. I miss it dearly, but there are new adventures ahead. They might even be more challenging adventures that will teach me a lot.

Why? Because this is our new garden.

Smaller, yes. But I’ve learned over time that it’s difficult to kill a plant that you stick in the ground. A plant in a pot is a whole different story. So begin my adventures in balcony and container gardening!

We started small with herbs, spinach, arugula, lettuce and chard, and I couldn’t resist trying out a few strawberry plants. (There’s also a new citrus tree, but I’ll save that for another post.) Everything is perky and green so far so I have high hopes.

It’s doing so well that I decided to trim off a little arugula for a salad. The spinach has a ways to go so I picked that up at the Farmer’s Market this past weekend. And you just know that oranges had to be in there somewhere.

Cheese is a requirement on my salads and the more flavorful and stronger the better. I like goat cheese. Well, some goat cheese. I seem to be getting pickier. If it’s mild in grassy flavor then I’m a huge fan.

Instead of topping my salad with goat cheese, I blended it with the dressing. Wow, do I love this dressing – nutty, sweet, tart and creamy. It’s a thin dressing so if you prefer something thicker I’d suggest cutting back a bit on the orange juice or adding a little more cheese.

Fingers crossed that there are more apartment garden salads to come!

Arugula and Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese Orange Walnut Dressing Recipe

3 cups spinach

1 cup arugula

1 orange, peeled and sliced

¼ cup dried cranberries

Dressing

2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 tbsp chèvre (goat cheese)

1 clove garlic

Juice of one orange

Sprinkle of salt and pepper, to taste

Arrange the spinach and arugula on two plates, about 1 ½ cups spinach and ½ cup arugula on each. Top each plate of greens with half of the orange slices. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cranberries on each salad.

To make the dressing, place all ingredients in a small food processor. Pulse until the walnuts are ground fine and all ingredients are combined. (Makes about ¼ cup.)

Drizzle each salad with half of the dressing. Makes 2 servings.

Sweet Orange-Sesame Bok Choy Recipe

January 24, 2013

During the winter months, my love for dark, leafy greens comes second only to my love of citrus. For me, putting these two favorites together is nothing short of mind blowing.

Yes, I realize that I might be the only person ever to consider greens mind blowing. But if you can’t get enough of kale, bok choy and chard, you must try them with a twist of citrus.

When I mix orange and greens I almost always lean towards adding Asian flavors. If orange and greens are good, then orange, greens and sesame or soy are even better.

Bok Choy with Orange-Sesame Glaze | Recipe | Fake Food Free

Alone, with rice, with rice and an egg on top – there so many options for these simple, citrusy greens. The biggest challenge is not eating them all before they get to the table.

Sweet Orange-Sesame Bok Choy Recipe

Makes: 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Juice of one large naval orange

Zest of half an orange

2 tablespoons raw sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

Splash of rice wine vinegar

½ tablespoon dark sesame oil

1 small head bok choy, greens and part of the whites chopped (about 4 cups)

Orange slices for serving (optional)

Preparation

In a small dish, stir together the orange juice, orange zest, sugar and garlic. Add this to a wok or large skillet and heat to medium-high. Continue to heat the juice, stirring often, until it begins to thicken slightly, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the bok choy and toss to coat in the juice. Add the splash of vinegar. Cook until the bok choy wilts, about 2 more minutes. Stir in the sesame oil. Serve warm.

Sautéed Sweet Orange and Sesame Bok Choy Recipe | Fake Food Free

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free and Lori Rice unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Where to Eat in 2013

January 13, 2013

Hello from California!

The move has been made and I’m working on getting comfortable in my new kitchen. I’m excited to start this new year in a new place and to see where my experiences take me and the blog.

I have to be honest. I can already feel things shifting a bit. I still want to cook with all the amazing ingredients that are now available to me, but I’m also in a place where there is some pretty amazing food (and drink) being made by others.

This year, along with recipes you are probably going to find more places dine and events to attend. I also hope to put the focus back on the global aspect of my blog. I have so much more to learn about the cuisines of other countries and it’s time to start trying more in my own kitchen.

Considering we’re already halfway through January, I really don’t want to look back and recap last year. But in 2012 I took part in 2 cross-country road trips, a trip to Toronto, a visit to New York City, a trip to Vegas, a day in Sonoma and Napa Valley and New Years Eve in Santa Barbara. Not to mention our explorations of Kentucky.

So, yeah. I have a few food recommendations for you.

So let’s not look back at the best eats of last year, but let’s look at it as where you need to eat and drink in 2013! These are my picks so start planning your road trip

Kansas City, KS – Oklahoma Joe’s

We moved my husband out to California last September. That was road trip #1, to the north via I-80. What an amazing drive! I want to do it again already.

We didn’t have our food planned out, but left it to tips from friends and popular TV shows along the way. First up, Oklahoma Joe’s in Kansas City. It turns out Anthony Bourdain kind of likes the place too.

I like barbecue, but I’m not all crazy for it. And I don’t understand all the allegiances to different types. I like all of them for different reasons. But, oh my goodness. This food was amazing! My husband and I are still talking about it months later. The meat, the sauce, the hour-long line, the restaurant-in-a-gas-station atmosphere. It was one of the best meals I had all year.

My favorite was the burnt ends sandwich, and the beans were as perfect as they can get. Slightly meaty, loaded with barbecue flavor. I’m usually not a fan of ribs, but I’d order them again in a second.

Salt Lake City, UT – Red Iguana

We had no plan when we got to Salt Lake, but after checking out the FoodNetwork app we found the Red Iguana which had been on an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. It’s described as pre-Hispanic Mexican, and the big draw? 7 kinds of moles.

I got the Mole Verde. This wasn’t your classic, chocolately mole, but it was delicious. The chicken was so tender and the sauce was full of spicy flavor. My husband got the Mole Negro and this is what I think of when I think of mole – rich, dark, slightly spicy sauce. It was my favorite.

Toronto, Canada – Steam Whistle

In July last year, I made my first trip to Canada. It’s hard to believe I hadn’t been before! And yes, I know. Everyone is telling me that I need to see more places, but I LOVED Toronto. One of our favorite things was the local beer, Steam Whistle. We did the brewery tour, and the bar just happened to be one of the most affordable places to grab a beer so we hung out for a while and enjoyed it.

New York City – Momofuku Noodle Bar

I traveled to New York City in October for the first time since I was in high school. Needless to say, a lot has changed. Mainly that I now have a deep appreciation for good food. I recapped the trip last year, but a round up on where to eat in 2013 wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Momofuku Noodle Bar. It was the first place I went when I got to the city, and I’m already planning to take my husband back this year.

The corn ramen was the special on my visit and it didn’t disappoint. The blackboard lists the farms where a majority of the food is sourced, and with a huge bar for seating it is perfect for dining alone if you are traveling on business like I was.

Sonoma, CA – The Girl and The Fig

Over the Thanksgiving holiday we took our first trip to California wine country. Knowing we would be in Sonoma around lunch time, we did what every food-lover does. We ate at The Girl and The Fig. We made reservations for lunch, as you should too because although the restaurant was only half full when we arrived, every table was taken by the time we left.

We started with a cheese plate and that was good, but the best part of it was the dried fig cake made in house. It was delicious with the cheese.

I had a simple lunch of a tasty grilled cheese, but for me my husband’s meal was the best. The pork belly sandwich with a slightly sweet apple slaw.

Stanford, KY – Bluebird Cafe

If you think a small-town, rural restaurant can’t compete with food-cities around the U.S., I encourage you to go to Bluebird. On a downtown street that barely has one stoplight, this place will amaze you. With locally sourced ingredients and a creative menu that would rival any restaurant in the big city, Bluebird serves Kentucky favorites with a twist.

Our first couple visits were for breakfast where I enjoyed the breakfast fries with smoked gouda sauce. We finally made it for lunch just before we moved – a fried green tomato BLT on a whole wheat sorghum bun. Yes, yum.

Santa Barbara, CA – East Beach Grill

We stayed in Santa Barbara on our final leg of the official move which also happened to be New Years Eve. (This time we took I-40 through the southern US.) Other than the wonderful ocean views, we experienced very little of what this awesome town has to offer. But we did manage to have pancakes on New Years morning. The East Beach Grill was close to our hotel, dog friendly and rumor had it they offered some amazing wheat germ pancakes. The rumors were true. I had a stack of blueberry and my husband a stack of strawberry while we relaxed outside with the pugs and enjoyed the view of the ocean.

Oakland, CA – Bocanova

There will be many more Oakland favorites to come, but I definitely found a place I love with only a few days of being here. Bocanova in Jack London Square has unique cocktails and one fine happy hour. One of my favorite appetizers is the Dungeness Crab Deviled Eggs with Chipotle Aioli.

That about sums it up. Hopefully I’ve shared enough to keep you busy. And full. Recipes will resume soon, but for now I’ll leave you with one of my favorite offerings at our Farmer’s Market. Gorgeous greens with edible flowers. Happy New Year!

P.S. I was having some trouble with formatting on this post. The names of the cities and restaurants are links that will take you to the restaurant website.

Watercress with Smoked Almond Goat Cheese Scoops and Grapes in Red Wine Syrup

December 4, 2012

Have you ever found a recipe that makes you want to have a party? You know, just so you can show it off to your guests? Not because it was a brilliant feat on your part, but because it was just that good.

I hadn’t. Until I found this.

This is Watercress with Smoked Almond Goat Cheese Scoops and Grapes in Red Wine Syrup.

This little salad-slash-starter is party worthy. It even felt like a party when I ate it alone for lunch yesterday. As mentioned above, it is just that good.

It came from what I now consider my absolute favorite cookbook of 2012 – Home Made Winter by Yvette van Boven. You might remember my review of Home Made last year. I assure you, things only got better.

And by things I mean recipes I want to make, pictures I want to look at and tips I want to incorporate. Home Made Winter is all the warm, fuzzy, comforting feelings you look for in winter and the holiday season in cookbook form.

I am so inspired by Yvette’s style. It makes me want to take myself to the kitchen on a cold night and cook, bake and create for hours. There are wonderful do-it-yourself standards such as homemade cured beef sausage, butter, yogurt, apple cider and Irish cream liqueur. (What? Irish cream isn’t a standard necessity? I’m ready to make it one.)

Then things get fancy – fancy and completely do-able and tasty. Butternut Crème with Goat Cheese Cream and Sage, Whole Organic Chicken Stuffed with Pork, Veal and Sage Sausage and Guinness Fruitcake only scratch the surface.

The best part of the book is the introduction where Yvette announces that she’s already started working on a second volume – Home Made Summer! This winter edition proudly displays Irish influence, while Home Made Summer will show its French roots. I can’t wait!

This book is full of holiday-inspired baked goods, and hearty meat and vegetable dishes, but I decided to pick something on the lighter side – a nice salad full of seasonal flavors.

The intro to the recipe suggests using fresh cranberries instead of grapes, and that is what I did, with amazing results! After stopping at two stores to find watercress, I finally settled on arugula. It tastes wonderful with the other flavors of the salad, but I’ll be trying it again with watercress as soon as I can get my hands on some.

I encourage you to give the recipe a try, but I offer fair warning.

You are going to want to have a party!

Watercress with Smoked Almond Goat Cheese Scoops and Grapes in Red Wine Syrup Recipe

Reprinted with permission from Abrams Books

An awfully simple recipe that looks very flashy. Instead of the grapes you could use fresh cranberries or quartered fresh figs. If you can’t find smoked almonds, you can use regular almonds.

½ of a 750-ml bottle red wine

½ cup plus 2 tbsp (125 g) turbinado or Demerara sugar

3 star anise

8 cardamom pods

5 oz (150 g) seedless red grapes

salt and freshly ground black pepper

7 oz (200 g) soft goat cheese

⅓ cup (50 g) smoked almonds

1 bunch fresh watercress, stems removed

Heat the wine in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve, then add the anise and cardamom and bring to a boil. Boil the syrup for about 25 minutes, until it’s slightly thicker. Reduce the heat to low and add the grapes. Warm the grapes in the syrup for about 7 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Divide the goat cheese into 12 equal portions. With clean hands, roll the portions into small balls.

Pulse the almonds in a food processor until coarsely ground. Roll the goat cheese balls in the almonds to coat them. Place the cheese balls on a tray or baking sheet, cover them, and place them in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up.

To serve, wash and dry the watercress. Arrange some nice leaves over 4 plates. Arrange the goat cheese balls on top and spoon grapes in syrup around the cheese.

Disclosure: This book was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so. It goes without saying, thoughts and opinions here are my own.

Roasted Garlic, Tomato and Black Bean Soup Recipe

November 7, 2012

In this soup recipe, plain tomato is made more flavorful with roasted garlic, and more filling with hearty black beans.

Roasted Garlic, Tomato and Black Bean Soup Recipe | Fake Food Free

Keeping an eye on healthy eating usually leads to one thing in my kitchen – soup.

I have loads of frozen tomatoes waiting to be used, but chili wasn’t sounding right. I needed something more exciting than the basic tomato soup, too.

I’ve come to realize that a head of creamy, sweet roasted garlic makes just about everything better. This soup is no exception. Along with the garlic, I added some black beans for texture and protein.

This soup is sweet, rich and hearty all at the same time. I used about a gallon bag full of mixed frozen tomatoes from the garden. Skin on, whole tomatoes. It all gets blended by the immersion blender so leaving everything intact isn’t a problem for me. You can use whatever you have on hand – frozen, fresh, canned, whole, puree – it will all ultimately result in a tasty soup!

Roasted Garlic, Tomato and Black Bean Soup Recipe

2018-04-03 13:04:45

Serves 4

Plain tomato soup is made more flavorful with roasted garlic, and more filling with hearty black beans!

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Ingredients

1 head garlic
2 teaspoon olive oil
8 cups frozen whole tomatoes, thawed
2 tablespoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mascavo or raw sugar
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
Shredded parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Tear off about a 4-x-4-inch square of aluminum foil. Cut off the top third of the full head of garlic removing just enough so that all the cloves are exposed. Place the garlic in the center of the foil, cut-side up. Drizzle with the olive oil. Wrap the foil around the garlic and roast for 30 to 45 minutes, until soft. Remove from the the oven and allow to cool.
While the garlic is roasted, begin to prepare the soup. Pour any excess water off of the thawed tomatoes. Place the tomatoes in a large soup pot and heat to medium-high. Allow the tomatoes to cook down, crushing them with a spoon or potato masher as they cook, for about 15 minutes. Remove and discard any foam that rises to the top.
Stir in the basil, red pepper, salt, and sugar. Unwrap the garlic and squeeze all of the roasted cloves into a dish. Be sure to separate out any skin and leave only the soft flesh. Add the garlic to the soup. Remove from the heat.
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup and puree the tomatoes. You can also transfer it in batches to a blender to do this. Once everything is smooth simmer the soup over medium heat for 5 more minutes and let the soup thicken.
Finally stir in the black beans and heat through. Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

By Lori Rice

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes or images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Chicken with Spicy Cranberry Citrus Relish Recipe

November 1, 2012

I used to eat chicken breasts all the time, but when we made the switch to whole pastured birds, dishes featuring them became rare. This was a positive change. I’ve enjoyed the challenge of tackling a whole bird and it is much more budget friendly, but sometimes I just want a chicken breast.

Yes, I know you can cut them off a whole bird yourself, but I can’t cut up a chicken correctly to save my life. I end up with pieces, but they certainly aren’t pretty. Fortunately, we can still buy breast cuts from our pastured chicken sources so last weekend I splurged a little and let the butcher do the work.

I also bought my first bag of fresh cranberries this season, and you know how I can’t stop thinking about the holidays. I thought a cranberry relish would be perfect for the poultry.

In past years, I’ve neglected fresh cranberries thinking I always needed to cook them into a sauce. Not so. I now love grinding them up in the food processor to eat them fresh.

My very favorite fresh relish recipe is Cranberry-Jalapeno Relish by Emeril. I’m constantly changing it up a bit, and I set out for a new version for my chicken.

Surprisingly, I have a few Scotch Bonnet peppers that have hung on in the fridge since I took out the garden. I subbed those for the jalapeños, added some onion and then some maple syrup.

I know spicy and tart is not a common combination, but with just a touch of maple syrup, this relish is so good! It works well with fish and poultry, and I also eat it alone as a salad.

Chicken with Spicy Cranberry Citrus Relish Recipe

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
Zest and segments from 1/2 an orange
2 tbsp choppped onion
1-2 small hot peppers, seeds and ribs removed
1 tbsp maple syrup
4 3-4oz chicken breasts, seasoned and grilled or baked

Place the cranberries, orange and orange zest, onion, hot peppers and maple syrup in a small food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped. Makes 1 3/4 cups of relish. You may find you want to add a little salt to taste, but I like mine without it.

Serve about 1/4 cup of the relish at room temperature over warm chicken breasts. Store leftovers in the fridge, but know that the heat intensifies as it sits!

Pumpkin Stuffing Loaves Recipe

October 24, 2012

If you love pumpkin this stuffing is a must! It’s packed with seasonal flavors and then baked into loaves for easy serving.

Pumpkin Stuffing Loaves | Fake Food Free

I realize that it’s not even Halloween yet, but my brain has already jumped ahead to Thanksgiving. All I can think about is cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and stuffing. Now, this may be because I read way too many food blogs and food magazines, but I like to think it’s simply because I’m in the holiday spirit a little early!

Despite my timing, I thought I should start thinking about this year’s stuffing, and get in a practice round or two. I like to do something just a little different every year, and this time around I mixed things up in both flavor and shape.

If you’ve already done stuffing in the bird, stuffing baked in a casserole dish and stuffing in a muffin pan, try this – stuffing in mini loaf pans. If you like your stuffing a little on the drier side (like I do), these are perfect.

The small portions dry out a bit faster and leave plenty of crispy edges. You can then slice off servings and it gives a little something different to the presentation. If you happen to have any leftovers, the little loaves make fridge and freezer storing super easy.

I am way behind in my pumpkin use this year so that’s what I decided to add to the stuffing, giving it a seasonal twist. It doesn’t have to be pumpkin, though. It can be any puree of winter squash.

For the bread I used a whole wheat variety full of nuts and seeds that I get at the local Great Harvest. This made the stuffing even more flavorful! Just let the bread slices dry out over night, or you can help them along by tossing them in the toaster. Then cut them in to cubes or tear them into pieces.

The pumpkin makes the stuffing a little richer, and you’ll use less stock due to the moisture. I used a puree from a roasted pumpkin and chicken stock I made myself earlier this year.

Pumpkin Stuffing Loaves Recipe

Makes: 6 – 9 servings

Ingredients

3 tbsp unsalted butter

4 stalks celery, sliced

½ large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup pumpkin puree (or any winter squash)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice

¼ tsp ground black pepper

6 to 7 cups dried bread pieces

1 ½ – 2 cups unsalted chicken stock

Prep

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 3 – 2×4 inch mini loaf pans with butter. Set aside.

Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until it is melted. Add the celery, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.

Reduce the heat slightly and stir in the pumpkin. Next add the salt, poultry seasoning, pumpkin pie spice and black pepper. Remove from the heat.

Transfer the bread pieces to a large mixing bowl. Pour in the onion and celery mixture and stir well. Next add the stock a little at a time. You can add more or less depending on how you like your stuffing. I like mine on the dry side so 1 ½ cups was all I needed.

Divide the stuffing evenly into each of the 3 loaf pans. Press down gently and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake 30-35 minutes or until the edges are brown and crispy.

Allow to cool in the pans 2-3 minutes and then remove and serve. If your family likes a lot of stuffing, cut each loaf in half which will result in 6 servings. For smaller portions cut the loaves into thirds and you can serve 9.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Food Favorites in New York City

October 21, 2012

The best thing about a growing interest in food is how it changes your travel. There are many places I went before I cared about food and culture, and now when I return it is a much different experience. A much more fulfilling and cultural experience, I might add.

This was definitely the case when I traveled to New York City in early October. I was headed there for a business conference and decided to go up the weekend beforehand to do some exploring. Since I saw all the major monuments and attractions on my first visit, this left me plenty of time to seek out some interesting foods tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the city.

Most of the places I visited aren’t off the beaten path. Some are pretty well known. But you definitely have to venture outside the tourist pockets to find them.

I have a lot of food to share so instead of lengthy explanations for each, I’m limiting myself to 3 phrases or sentences to describe the atmosphere and the food. So here you go. Short and sweet, but oh my goodness was it all delicious!

Momofuku Noodle Bar (my favorite meal).

I had this on the agenda from the day I booked the trip. I ordered the daily special – Corn Ramen with pork shoulder, poached egg and bok choy.

Corn Ramen

Atmosphere: Packed but seated quickly. Excellent for single diners. Friendly staff.

Many of the ingredients come from area farms listed on the black board.

Lots of bar seating and shared tables and Momofuku Noodle Bar

Food: Still dreaming about it. Corn as fresh as that from my Dad’s garden. Perfect balance of broth, meats, veg and noodles.

Pure Thai Cookhouse

This was an unplanned visit, and I found the restaurant through Yelp. I ordered the Ratchaburi Crab & Pork with the handmade egg noodles as a soup. (Sorry. iPhone photos only on this one.)

All the good restaurants feel like a walk-in closet.

Atmosphere: Quaint and packed full. Be pushy to put in your name (lots of people are waiting for takeout). Incredibly helpful, friendly staff.

Food: Amazing handmade egg noodles. So many great dishes coming out of the kitchen including mine. Love that they went to the trouble of labeling the tap water.

Chom Chom

I had the pleasure of meeting up with fellow food blogger Michelle of Taste As You Go and she planned a lunch for us here – my first Korean food experience aside from BBQ. I ordered the Bibimbap with Bulgogi.

Atmosphere: A quiet corporate lunch spot. Friendly staff. Much more relaxing than other spots I visited on the trip.

Vegetable sides that came along with soup and another fresh vegetable appetizer.

Food: The bulgogi (marinated beef) had outstanding flavor. Loved the spicy vegetables served with it including kimchi. So much food (unexpected for the moderate price).

Bibimbap with Bulgogi

Halal Guys Street Cart

Okay, this one needs a little explanation. On Saturday evening I walked down to Times Square and on my way back I noticed one particular food cart with a line wrapped around the block. Intrigued, I checked out Yelp and learned about the Halal Guys at 53rd and 6th . Sunday night I went back and got in line myself. I ordered the combo (chicken and lamb) platter with rice. Oh, and it’s only $6!

Atmosphere: Well, it’s a food cart. Get there early, the line forms quickly (the website says they open at 7:00 pm, but I got there about 10 minutes early and they were serving). They have other locations, but the original feels more lively!

Lamb, chicken, rice, pita and lettuce served with white sauce and hot sauce on the side.

Food: Flavorful gyro meat with pita – you can’t go wrong. The white sauce everyone describes as tzatziki tasted more like ranch dressing to me. Truth to the hot sauce being HOT, and I love spicy food.

Doughnut Plant

I had to try this place for the history and the unique flavors. I went to the location in the Chelsea Hotel, and I selected the seasonal yeast nut doughnut – Orange Blossom Cashew.

Atmosphere: A little tight, but crowd is constantly moving. Staff was a bit disorganized, but eh, it’s a doughnut shop. Limited seating at this location.

There was a lot of construction outside. Fortunately I found this sign!

Food: Oh my goodness that was a good doughnut – slight orange flavor with the sweetness of cashews, light and airy. Highly recommended for an afternoon snack. Coffee was delicious as well.

Bouchon Bakery

Yes, it is packed with tourists, but if you live in a place where access to a real macaron is limited, you must go. I managed to squeeze in between the breakfast and lunch rush, about 11:00 am on a Sunday, and there was barely a line. I ordered the Pistachio Macaron.

Atmosphere: Peaceful when I was there. Shoulder to shoulder when I walked by at breakfast. Friendly staff.

Food: The macaron was like eating a cloud. A sweet, slightly nutty cloud with a barely crisp lining. If you can describe a dessert as heavenly, this would be it.

Momofuku Milk Bar

I went to the Midtown location, and I can now tell from the website that my impressions had a lot to do with that specific location. For those big fans out there, you probably won’t like my opinion. I thought it was a bit overrated (I know. I know. It’s just me.) Maybe it was the atmosphere or maybe the cost. Overall, I felt like things were fairly priced at all the places I visited. The ice cream was good, but wow it was expensive for the little serving size. Not that I needed more, just comparing it to other treats with similar ingredient quality and draw that I had on this trip. I ordered the Kaffir Lime-Caramel ice cream.

Atmosphere: Dark. Small. Staff was, um, adequate, not overly friendly.

Food: The flavor of the ice cream was as unique as it sounds – I liked it. I do wish I could have tried the cereal milk ice cream too. Others bought cookies, maybe that is what I should have gone for.

Japadog

I had to check this place out after seeing it on No Reservations. I ordered the Terimayo Dog with grilled onions, teriyaki sauce, mayo and seaweed, and the Wasabi Fries.

Atmosphere: Warm, lots of cooking going on. Friendly, helpful staff. Not a bad place to sit for a quick lunch.

Food: Loved the onions and the teriyaki on the hot dog. The bun was fresh and didn’t seem to be your standard packaged variety. A little too salty for me (both the dog and fries), but definitely worth trying.

TKettle

Unfortunately, no pictures from this one. I stepped in out of the rain and it was a little too hectic to get out the camera. But I will say this was the best bubble milk tea I have ever had. Seriously. I ordered the cold almond tea and it was the perfect balance of tea flavor and sweetness. I actually felt sad when my cup was empty!

I also had the pleasure of seeing this organization at work.

I’ve read about them and the wonderful things they do to feed the hungry numerous times . They were collecting day old bread and bagels from a shop when I walked by.

This trip had me wanting to return to NYC soon. I know I only scratched the surface with my food-finds. What are some of your favorite NYC eats?

I searched lots of sources for this trip, but I have to give a shout out to The Real Bohemian and Near Afar for all the great food tips!

Baked Eggs with Pumpkin and Greens Recipe

October 16, 2012

I love eggs just about any way you can make them. No problems with the taste or texture here, I could eat them at every meal. Over the years my tastes have evolved from scrambled and hard boiled only, to fried, and just recently to poached with rich, runny yolks.

I realized recently that one of the only ways I have yet to make eggs is baking them. It had to be easier than poaching, right?

I had some left over pumpkin puree from roasting a pie pumpkin last week, and my mom brought me some kale from their garden this past weekend. I mixed in a few other ingredients and made this the base for eggs.

No surprise – I now love baked eggs too!

Even if eggs aren’t your thing, this combination makes a great baked side dish. I used kale and bok choy, but any hearty green will work fine

Baked Eggs with Pumpkin and Greens Recipe

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped kale
2 cups chopped bok choy (mostly greens)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 eggs
1 tbsp panko bread crumbs (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 F and lightly grease a small casserole dish with olive oil.

Heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, or just until the onions begin to soften. Add the greens and cook only 60-90 seconds, just until the greens begin to wilt. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Stir in the pumpkin, ricotta cheese, salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish.

Make four small indentations in the pumpkin mixture. One at a time, crack the eggs into the wells you created. Sprinkle the top evenly with the bread crumbs.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the whites are set, but the yolks are soft. Less if you like runny yolks, more if you like your eggs firm. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Makes 4 servings.