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Sacramento: Seven Places to Eat and Drink

August 9, 2016

Insight Coffee Roasters, Sacramento | Food and Drink Travel | Fake Food Free

It only took a stop in one coffee shop for me to wonder why I’d not made Sacramento a higher priority on my California travel list. Things appear to be changing rapidly in this city and that means it is ticking all the boxes of a top food and drink destination.

There are coffee shops that make you want to pull out the laptop and sit a few hours, craft beer lists that represent the state’s growing number of breweries and beyond, happy hours with bites that combine comforting favorites with trendy twists, and vegetarian food that I could easily pick over a meat treat any day of the week.

I was in Sacramento for 4 days at the end of July to attend the International Food Bloggers Conference. It was a fun few days catching up with old friends and making new ones. The conference did an excellent job of tying in so many of the wonderful foods and food companies that Sac has to offer.

Simple Slow Cooker Mung Bean Soup

November 11, 2015

Soon, we’ll be frantically running out to the supermarket to get overlooked ingredients. Soon, we’ll forget what it’s like to shop during the holidays and find ourselves elbowing our way to a check-out line. Soon, we’ll be waiting in line at the post office (something we swore we’d never do again) to get gifts mailed before the last possible hour.

Soon, no matter how hard we try to stay in control, things are going to get crazy.

I love the holiday season, crazy or not. So I say bring it on! As long as I have some lights sparkling in the living room and cookies in the oven at some point throughout the season, I’ll take it.

Chickpea Bowls with Ginger Cucumbers and Spicy Peanut Sauce

August 20, 2015

I’m happy to say that Fake Food Free has transitioned to the Substack Newsletter called Every Corner of the World.

I hope to see you there.

I can’t get enough of foods in bowls.

There is something about having several tasty ingredients in one container that is drizzled with a sauce or dressing and topped with condiments that creates my idea of a perfect meal.

The combinations are endless, but I find that I’m most often drawn to those that don’t make complete sense. The more random the ingredients, the more I want to eat them.

Take this creation, for example. A chickpea seems like an odd thing to combine with Korean chili powder and cucumbers, but somehow it works.

Chickpea and Quinoa Griddle Cakes with Spinach and Feta

November 7, 2014

These chickpea and quinoa griddle cakes are made with chickpea and quinoa flours. Spiced with curry powder, they are topped with sautéed spinach and feta cheese.

I’ve been experimenting with socca a lot over the past year. In case you are unfamiliar (like I was just a year ago), socca is a snack made with chickpea flour and water. To me, it’s a cross between a tortilla and a crepe.

Roasted Pepper and Arugula Scrambled Eggs

October 31, 2014

This single serving breakfast recipe combines roasted peppers and arugula for scrambled eggs that are simple, but special.

I often get asked – how do you find ideas for recipes?

Like most people, I find inspiration just about everywhere. Sometimes I get an idea, make a list and ponder it for a while. Other times, I stand in front of the fridge, trying to figure out what to have for breakfast. I grab a few ingredients, mix them together and it tastes so good that I think maybe someone else who is trying to eat protein-rich breakfasts might enjoy it.

This is one of those recipes.

Pumpkin White Bean Dip with Cheddar and Jalapeños Recipe

October 6, 2014

This savory pumpkin recipe combines the puréed winter squash with white beans to create a warm dip with the rich flavors of sharp cheddar cheese and a mild heat from pickled jalapeños. It’s the perfect starter for fall dinner parties and makes a great snack for game day.

I’ve already started on my 2014 Winter Squash Collection. The first one, usually a pie pumpkin, enters the house in late September or early October. After that it’s a spaghetti squash here, a kabocha there and I can’t turn down a new variety. They begin to pile up in the corners of the kitchen or on the cool tile in the entry way. I keep them until: 1) I’m hungry for squash, or 2) we get frustrated from tripping over them. At that point, into the oven they go to be roasted and turned into puree.

The small pie pumpkin I bought last week bit the dust pretty early. Half a week into October and I was way overdue for something pumpkin.

Olive Stuffed Mushrooms Marinara Recipe

September 18, 2014

This recipe uses a gluten-free filling made with olives and almond meal. White button mushroom caps are stuffed with the filling, covered in an easy marinara and baked until tender.

Almond meal is my new bread crumb. I sprinkle it on as a topping, coat fish and chicken with it, and use it to make fillings and stuffings. It doesn’t get quite as crunchy as bread crumbs, but it does add a pleasant sweetness. It also makes a grain-free alternative, so if you want to reduce grains or add some protein, it will do the trick.

I picked up some white button mushrooms last week. Yes, I know. At first glance they seem boring, but they are one of my favorite varieties. They are easy to work with, cook quickly and stay tender. This batch was on the big side, as in about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter for each mushroom. Perfect for stuffing.

I’ve been combining green olives with tomato sauces a lot lately. I love the saltiness of the olives with the sweetness of the tomatoes, so I kept that theme with these mushrooms by adding olives to the stuffing.

The almond meal works so well with these. There is enough moisture in the vegetables to create a stuffing you can mold easily, but if you find yours is a little dry, feel free to add a tablespoon or two of stock to get it to the right consistency.

If you use this as a side dish, it can easily serve 3 and maybe even 4. But if you serve it as a main course like I did, plan on 2, possibly 3. After your first helping you are going to want a few more, so plan accordingly!

Sorghum Pomegranate Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts Recipe

September 8, 2014

Switch up your cold grain salads and add some sorghum! In this recipe, the chewy grain is combined with pomegranate and walnuts, and then topped off with tangy goat cheese.

I was cooling down from my run last week, taking a nice leisurely walk back to the house, when I saw it. Tucked between two houses was a tree with long branches that were bending under the weight of beautiful red pomegranates.

I see fruit trees around here all the time – figs, citrus, persimmons – and while I’ve seen a pomegranate tree before, I had never seen one in our neighborhood. It was gorgeous.

And I want some!

When I see trees loaded with fruit that seem to be untouched I am so tempted to knock on the door and ask if the owners are going to use the fruit. But I have never gotten up the courage. Then again, the stakes have never been quite this high. A pomegranate might be just enough to get me out of my comfort zone.

So here is the plan. I’m going to watch the tree for the next few weeks and if none of the fruit disappears, I’m doing it. I’m going to walk up and ring the doorbell.

I think. Maybe.

Pomegranate and Pear Salad Recipe from Mason Jar Salads

September 5, 2014

Have you ever been the victim of being labeled the healthy eater at your workplace? If not the healthy eater, than the fancy eater?

I thought being teased by peers was something that I’d leave in grade school, but some of my jobs as an adult proved me wrong. I worked in public health so a lot of people were healthy eaters, but I quickly became labeled as a fancy eater in the lunch room.

I was the one who would bring in leftovers of Asian noodle dishes, black bean burgers or grilled pastured, local chicken. It was usually balanced out with some greens, fruit, some healthy fat — all the major food groups. I’d get comments about how healthy I ate and that I must cook, etc.

You never really know what to say to these things. Sorry? I promise I’m not trying to get attention, I honest-to-goodness just eat like this.

Chickpea and Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Recipe

April 1, 2014

Every time I make a stuffed mushroom recipe, I have to research the correct spelling – portobello or portabella.

Have you ever Googled this topic? It’s more debated than most health information.

Some say one or the other is translated from Italian. Others say it was a name made up by the U.S. mushroom industry and has no roots in any specific culture. Still others say that our made-up word in the U.S. has replaced what used to be the correct name in other countries. And with all that, there is still no clear answer. Does anyone really know at this point?

The best advice I’ve seen is that it’s up to author and both are correct. This leaves me uneasy, though. When it comes to food names, I really like to be correct, especially if the name has some historic or language-specific meaning.

One thing I have learned is that I may have been meshing the two and creating my own word in the past. I could have sworn that portobella was an option.

Ooops.

For this recipe, I think I’m going to go with portobello. An “o” because, oh my goodness, these portobello mushroom caps I picked up at Trader Joe’s were huge! I’ve never seen such monstrous caps.

They tasted delicious, stuffed with chickpeas, sautéed spinach and shallots with a hint of coriander. They also happen to be vegetarian, vegan and grain-free, if you are in the market for foods that fit those categories. The ratio of mushroom to filling was just a little heavier on the mushroom side. So if you set out to make these hearty portobellos (great, now I’m questioning myself on the correct plural of the word), opt for some small to medium sized mushroom caps.And if you have a reference on the portabella vs. portobello debate, do tell.

Chickpea and Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Makes 2 servings

1 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil)
2 medium portobello mushroom caps
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves, chopped
1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (rinsed and drained if using canned)
1 tbsp almond meal
1 tbsp low sodium vegetable stock
¼ tsp ground coriander
1/8 to ¼ tsp fine ground sea salt
Pinch of ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Wipe the mushrooms with a clean, damp cloth and gently scrape out the gills. Use the 2 teaspoons of olive oil to lightly coat each cap and grease the bottom of a baking dish or sheet pan. Place the mushrooms gill-side up in the pan.

In a small skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook about 1 minute, until the oil begins to bubble, and then reduce the heat to medium to prevent burning. Cook for about 3 more minutes, until softened.

Stir in the spinach and cook for about 1 more minute, just until the spinach wilts. Remove from the heat. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl.
Add the chickpeas to the bowl and use a potato masher to combine all ingredients, gently mashing the beans while you work. You will want the beans to be slightly chunky once the ingredients are mixed.

Stir in the almond meal and stock. Add the coriander and the salt according to taste. Start with 1/8 teaspoon and add more if you’d like. Stir in the pinch of black pepper.Divide the chickpea mash in two and divide it between the two mushroom caps. Pack it firmly and mound it slightly to fill the mushroom.Bake for 20 minutes, or until the mushroom is tender and the filling is slightly browned.