Let’s start this post off on a sweet note because that’s how I usually start my day. ‘Tis true that chocolate is usually the first thing I eat in my day. When did I become such a choco-aholic?

Something to savor

I finally tried the last kind of chocolate cup the folks at Newman’s Own Organic sent me. Three come in a package so that worked out very nicely for my family. Everyone approved – more than approved! This was the dark chocolate caramel cup. The dark chocolate melting  on my tongue and the gooey caramel! How could one go wrong?

Peach Cupcakes with Peach Buttercream Icing

Peaches are one my best friend’s favorite things! So these cupcakes sounded perfect to satisfy her incredible sweet tooth for Christmas! Do you see the bits of peach in the frosting?

I led her up to them with her eyes closed and I think she was very happy!

I usually don't like icing, but if it's homemade and like this - oi!

We had cupcakes with coffee and she got to try the vegan banana coconut cheesecake I shared in my last post. I was nervous about her trying it because it’s hard to satisfy her sweet tooth. I was stunned when she said she really liked it!

Some new things to try!

My dad noticed this seasonal flavor of Kefir at the local healthfood store. Sounds interesting, right? Personally, I wasn’t too keen on it. It just tasted fruity and not even tart. It doesn’t taste bad by any means, just not what I’d imagine cranberry creme brulee to taste like. I also got some Pico de Gallo tortilla chips by Garden of Eatin’. These looked like they’d be the most flavorful. They have this mild smokiness that I enjoy – even better with melted pepper jack cheese! I haven’t tried the chili yet though.

Lazy night

I had some chickpea dish my dad got at the Indian store with a methi paratha. Lately I’ve been loving raw collard greens.

Perfect drink to have before you drift off to sleep.

Just to make sure I would only have sweet dreams that night. Homemade hot cocoa with the delicious homemade marshmallows Maya sent me. One little thing I like to do to my hot cocoa is melt in real chocolate. I also made cups for my parents too because nobody wants nightmares!

I tried a new flavor!

I used another freebie coupon the people at Oikos sent me. Some of the things I like about Greek yogurt are its tartness, texture, and it’s high in protein!

This flavor was really yummy!

No weird artificial tasting flavor here! I even found real blueberries in it! So good.

Tortellini with Eggplant and Peppers

I used a four-cheese tortellini for this recipe I spotted in the Real Simple magazine the other day.

For dinner I made a recipe inspired by one that sparked my appreciation for capers.

Four-cheese tortellini with eggplant, tomato, roasted red peppers, and capers with Rice parmesan sprinkled on top. And the whole thing was drizzled with olive oil for extra flavor.

What a delicious landscape - where have we landed?

After dinner I went to go watch the movie Nine with some friends.

At the theatre they had a claw machine where you could win watches instead of stuffed animals!

My friend remembered her white cheddar seasoning for the popcorn - good thinking!

Today is the last day of 2009 and usually I find myself not coming up with a resolution because throughout the year I am constantly reevaluating things and see what I want to change. However this year I decided to make one. I want to practice more patience with my parents. Sometimes when they offer to help me, I usually brush it off because the thought of having to explain everything to them makes me anxious. But does taking a few minutes out of my time to go over something really need to be a big deal? No. I think the reason why it’s so hard for me to be patient with my parents is because I have patience for everyone else – and parents are unconditionally there for you. But I will work on that because I know that it also makes them happy to be able to help me out in any way. “Patience is a virtue, Virtue is a grace; both put together make a very pretty face.” Do any of you have any resolutions?

I plan on ringing in the new year with a bottle of this

and a box of chocolates! No matter what your aspirations or resolutions are for the upcoming year, I hope they help you seek more fulfillment in your own life. Not just seek but actually attain!

p.s. the next post is a fun one!

I’m not going to repost the breakfast pizza recipe but these are much better pictures than I posted before.  I only had my iphone available for pictures the last time we made this.  As I stated in the previous post, the recipe is versatile.  Here is one example of a different flavor combination for the pizza.  We replaced the pork sausage with Chorizo (which is basically the same thing but it has some awesome mexican spices).  We used a mexican cheese blend and replaced the hash browns with diced red bell peppers.  I also sprinkled some dried cilantro on top to complement the mexican spices.  I’m at home with my parents and I have access to a wider selection of kitchen accessories, which is why we were able to create a round pizza this time.  Its a fairly simple recipe to whip up, so if you don’t mind waiting 25 minutes for the pizza to cook, I highly recommend giving it a chance!

I’ve been lazy and haven’t really carried around my DSLR, so I’ve been taking most of my pictures with the iPhone. Here’s a small selection of photos I’ve taken in the last week.

Spicy Sichuan food at Red Pepper in Causeway Bay. Go with the Peking duck and sizzling prawns if you ever eat here.

A typical street in Causeway Bay. Neon lights everywhere you look and a taxi always on hand.

Took a junk boat around Hong Kong island earlier tonight. Here’s a view of Repulse Bay from the roof of the boat.

Drinks with the family at Hong Kong Brew House in Lan Kwai Fong. The Brew House is one of my favorite spots in the city.

Found this Porsche parked at IFC mall. Nothing fancy here, but that’s just the point. Clean, nice drop, great wheel choice, and perfect color.

As if trying on workout clothes equates to working out actually.

Sigh.

I swear it’s not because of New Years’, but lately I have been feeling really out of shape.  Ever since final exam period, I’ve been totally slacking in the fitness domain – probably because I realized I could get away with it.

Since overcoming my running addiction (you can get addicted!), I actually lost around 6-7 pounds – although this may also be attributable to the fact that it was around this time that I simultaneously transitioned from being a vegetarian to being a high raw vegan.  I definitely know I didn’t lose muscle.  Regardless, I went from running 7 days a week (one and a half hours to two hours at a time) to running once a week and doing intervals or the elliptical either once or twice  a week.  I was OK initially – perhaps my body needed the rest and energy to assimilate the dietary changes – but now I feel like I’m ready…

I’m ready to get back into shape!

(Now that I’ve typed that out…I realize how little I actually know about goal-setting – because I have no concrete plan other than : exercise more! Exercise a lot!  I think I need milestones…ya know? Like those stickers that we used to get in grade 1 for completing dictation every week.)  To be clear, I’m pretty OK with my current weight, but I’m thinking I need some kind of quantification to motivate me.  I have decided rather unofficially to set myself a goal of losing 10 pounds.

Internet, hold me accountable.

Interestingly enough, I’m looking forward to going back to school and feeling the pressures of work and life.  It’s a curious thing (I’m a curious creature) but I find that being busy actually forces me to become more desperate for making effective use of my time – for example, setting aside time for exercise!  It’s weird that now that I have no excuse NOT to exercise, I just don’t do it!  Terrible, isn’t it?

But I’m working on it.  I’ll be a fitness addict soon enough – once an addict, always an addict, right?

In the meantime… since I enjoyed the remnants of yesterday’s Red and Orange Hemp Soup so much, I thought I’d spread the love.

Red and Orange Hemp Soup

1 1/2 red peppers, diced

½ big carrot, diced

½ cup hemp seeds

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp soy sauce

2/3 – ¾ cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients together, adjusting water as necessary to achieve desired consistency.  Enjoy scooped into kale wraps, on top of eggplant “nachos”, or just plain jane!

It seems like it’s been forever since I’ve done a “normal” post.  I have quite a bit of catching up to do!!!
  

An Update on the Feet:  Thank you guys so much for all of your comments, asking how I’m doing and giving me get-well wishes, regardless of whether or not I even mention them! I am so thankful for your kind thoughts and prayers.  Luckily, my feet are doing as well as can be expected.  Of course, they are still quite painful and the “granny hobble” is going full force, but I’m hanging in there!  The toes have done some MAJOR swelling these past few days (totally normal), and that’s where most of the pain is coming from.  That, unfortunately, won’t be going down for a while.  Even so, I’ll be getting my stitches out one week from today – January 4th – and will be allowed to go back in tennis shoes as soon as I am comfortable doing so.
  

These past few days I’ve definitely kept myself busy!  Visiting my grandma, working on an intense book report, reading blogs, going grocery shopping (again!), walking laps around the house, doing strength exercises with weights and my exercise ball, doing pilates DVDs, watching movies, reading magazines, knitting… Ok, I think you get the point. I’ve never been one to sit still – EVER.  I always need to be doing something to keep my mind and body occupied.  I still remember asking my mom all the time when I was little, “Mom, what should I do?”  And, no, I wasn’t asking her for advice.   Honestly, I’m SOOOOO grateful for the blog these days – even more than I usually am; the blog gives me something to look forward to, focus my efforts on, and keep my mind off any stress, pain, and frustrations I might be experiencing. 
  

Now, I believe I owe you guys an abbreviated recap of the past few days!

Butternut squash fries baked with cinnamon and ginger, with a side of organic ketchup.

      
Banana-Strawberry Soft Serve topped with MaraNatha raw almond butter.

A few bottles of this lovely concoction.

      
Simple and fabulous bowl of a sliced organic banana, frozen organic blackberries, raw walnuts, and organic skim milk.

An AMAZING salad containing:

• organic spinach
• organic romaine
• organic sliced carrots
• organic red pepper
• organic zucchini
• raw walnuts

I used ~1/4 cup of POM juice as “dressing” and had more on the side to drink.

OMG SOOOOO delicious!  The POM was perfect on this salad!!!
  

I was up pretty early this morning for a dentist appointment, and now I’m getting ready to call it a night! Hope everyone is off to a great start on their week!

Heather

Israeli couscous is great but if you find it hard to get use risoni pasta instead.

Israeli Couscous Salad

½ c Israeli couscous
1 T olive oil
boiling water – as needed
2 courgettes – chopped into 2 cm pieces
1 red pepper – deseeded and sliced
1 red onion – sliced
1 eggplant – chopped into 1 cm pieces
1 T olive oil
6 basil leaves – finely sliced
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic – coarsely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 T olive oil in pot and add Israeli couscous and toast for a few minutes
on a medium heat, add boiling water and gently simmer
until al dente (about 10 minutes), rinse in cold water and drain well.
Mix together the courgettes, red pepper, red onion and eggplant with 1 T olive oil
and roast at 200°c until well cooked and browned.
Mix in cooked couscous, garlic, herbs, balsamic vinegar, 1 T olive oil, salt and pepper.
Serve at room temperature.

Sometimes, after spending a lot of time and thought preparing a beautiful dish, I have difficulty finding the right plate to put it on.  I always feel like plates need to complement the appearance of the food itself, and that in turn, the appearance can affect the experience of the food.  That being said, I do not always have the best selection of plates on hand (as a student, I consider myself already fortunate not to have to dine on paper plates and styrofoam cups every evening).  Sometimes, the search goes on for a while.

Sometimes, I find a plate, put the food on, realize it’s wrong, and switch plates.  Sometimes, this happens more than once or twice.

And sometimes, I never find the right plate.

Purple kale wraps…

Mom’s asparagus stir-fry…

Raw gingerbread cookies… (inspired by this recipe from Karen Knowler)

The most beautifully-coloured and absolutely delicious Red and Orange Hemp purée inspired by Gena’s soup recipe.

Juice pulp falafel (SO tasty!)…

Lately, I’ve been having plate-switching days.  Not gastronomically, but I mean in my day-to-day life.  In small decisions like, is exercise going to make me feel better today?  If so, do I have to run a 10-miler with 21 hills?  Or will a 30-minute walk do?

In big decisions like, what the heck do I want to do after graduation? Truth be told, there are days when all I want to do is high-tail it to nutrition school and become like Meghan or Marni.  But I think it’s more complicated than that.  Because there’s this other Person to whom I owe every member of my body, and perhaps I ought to consider what He wants, hmm?  Even though I know in my heart of hearts that I don’t want to miss His leading or His speaking in anything, big or small, when push comes to shove – can I really take the plate that He wants to offer me?  Why can’t I have the fancy plate with the octagon trim?

But I’m learning.  I’m learning to be OK with my plate.  I think, Life is the most intense experience that anyone of us could ever have – why spend time looking for the “right plate” when the perfect one is right in front of you?   Our plate is what we make of it.  Again, I’m learning.

What do you plate-switch about?

Cheers,

xo Aletheia

…pimento stuffed bell pepper with  holiday greens salad:

for the ‘pimento’ , i used sunflower seeds, a garlic clove, diced fennel, a little crushed red pepper, nutritional yeast, and the cap from the red bell pepper ‘bowl’.  all of these ingredients were mixed in a food processor until a thick paste with the consistency of hummus.  i sprinkled a little dried italian seasoning on top, and plated in the midst of a salad of holiday greens (fennel, dandelion, endive, and leaf lettuce).

this dinner took less than 30 minutes to prepare and plate; and that is being more than generous.  the cheesy taste of the pimento makes for a delightful and very palatable eating experience.

Roasted Peppers with Boquerones

Yes, yes, I know–another dish from The Barcelona Cookbook. What can I say–I like to get the most out of what’s on our cookbook shelves, and this book has delighted and intrigued us with every recipe we’ve tried in the months we’ve had it, so it shouldn’t be all that surprising that we’re cooking our way through it.

Besides:  now that it’s officially winter and we have nearly half a foot of snow outside our window, anything that conjures up images of warmer climates is a very, very good thing.  It’s fortunate our apartment is so warm, because I know I’ll be dying to lay about in our living room eating tapas this winter in little else but a skirt and a t-shirt and pretending I’m in Torremonlinos come February (if not sooner), all while listening to the Vicky Cristina Barcelona soundtrack.

This particular dish piqued my interest on Sunday morning when flipping through the book because it reminded me of our first meal in Spain.  Hungry after napping for an hour or two, we ambled our way down to our hotel’s lobby and saw that a tapas spread was set out, so we helped ourselves to some cheese, bread, fish, and other goodies and sipped on some wine.  It was here I had my first experience with the humble anchovy:  laid over an open roll and sprinkled with some olive oil.

I was hooked.

We were fortunate to have an anchovy connection through Romeo when we lived in New Haven, but until this past week we had not been able to find anything besides the canned/jarred stuff here in the city.  That’s fine for pizzas and to mash up in pasta dishes, but when you want to eat an anchovy, you need the really good stuff.  Happily, Fairway ’s extensive preserved/smoked fish section at the Broadway location more than delivered on what we were looking for, further cementing it as the grocery store of my wildest fantasies come to life.

There’s not much to this dish:  roasted red peppers are sliced thinly and left to marinate with the fish for at least two hours, and everything is topped with a mixture of 2 scallions sliced thinly, 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 garlic cloves also sliced thinly, and smoked paprika, all served on toasted bread.  It’s like a bruschetta topping, but in exchange for the delicate tomato and basil, you’re given a combination of ingredients that to me, at least, is Spain on a slice of bread.

Needless to say, I’ll definitely be eating this again during the winter (the summer too!) when I’m craving a light-but-substantial appetizer that will immediately make me feel like I’m sitting in a quiet cafe that overlooks the Mediterranean.

I made a Trader Joe’s run a few days ago to stock up on goodies for the holidays.  Whenever I shop at TJ’s, I buy a couple 1  lb cans of Crab Meat.  The same Crab Meat is sold at Whole Foods and Gelson’s for $35-$40.00 a tin, where TJ’s sells it for a mere $8.99!

Everyone here loves Crab Cakes and my favorite soup of all time is She-Crab Soup, so we usually have a mini-crab fest every time I shop at Trader Joe’s! This weekend it came in real handy for Sunday football fare!

I like to add just about every veggie in the fridge to my Crab Cakes and I serve it with a roasted red pepper remoulade.

I also made a pot of Blue Crab Soup, which I’ll share later (the recipe, NOT the soup – you’d have to pry that out of my cold dead hands.)

Crab Cakes

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16 ounces shelled, cooked crab
1/4 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 large eggs
1/4 cup dried, fine breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon stone ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Lightly sauté the celery, scallions and red pepper.  Remove from heat and let it cool.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the two eggs.  Add the crab, mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper. Stir together.  Add the cooled red pepper, celery mixture.  Add the parsley and stir gently.

Lightly spray a large cookie sheet.  Form mixture into 2″ wide by 1/2 inch thick cakes and arrange on cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the hot crab cakes to a platter and serve with roasted Red pepper remoulade.  Cheers!

Roasted Red pepper Remoulade

2 Red peppers
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon stone ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
salt and pepper, to taste

Place the peppers directly on the flame of your gas stove top.  With kitchen tongs, turn them over until they’re charred “black,” evenly on all sides.  If you don’t have a gas stove, you can char them on the bar-b-que or in the oven for approximately 30 minutes at 400 degrees.  Remove them from the flame and let them cool in a bowl.  The skin should peel away easily, remove it and discard.  Remove the insides and seeds and discard, as well.

Place the peeled, roasted peppers in a small processor, or blender.  Add the mayonnaise, mustard, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper and blend until smooth.

(From the Soup Collection at emealsforyou.com)

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

The east coast is snowed in, the weather has turned cold, really cold; in my book that means soup.  There is something comforting about a bowl of soup.  I mean beyond the simple pleasure of its warmth.  Soup says” the world is right,” at least for the time being.  Soup provides an emotional lift and a sense of well being.  So my question is why delegate all this power to a can that you add water to and then heat.

Soup used to be something that you made with leftover veggies, left over bits of meat, leftover anything.  Dump the ingredients into a pot and let it cook for a while.
this was before the red and white can appeared and people started taking the quick route.  Real soup is easy to make, most can be made in 20 minutes and I am betting you haven’t made a pot of soup in quite a while.

My father had a pot of soup or stew, actually a thicker form of soup, on the stove every Saturday during the Fall and Winter.  In the next couple of Recipe of the Week segments I will share my recipes for soup that will bring everyone around for lunch on Saturday or maybe a quite night’s dinner.

This soup comes from Chef Teresa who shared this recipe after much begging on my part.  It is one of over 20 soups on our site at emealsforyou.com.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

A word of caution: All brands of roasted sweet red peppers are not equal, taste the peppers before proceeding as they may have more “heat” then you wish.

Melt butter in a soup pan, sauté onions in butter until translucent. Add peppers and fluid they are packed in along with the pears and the fluid they are packed. Add the sweet basil and broth and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove soup from heat, place several scoops in a blender; don’t put more then half way up the container. Blend until smooth, place in a large container. Repeat until all the soup is blended. Return soup to the pan and place on medium heat. Add heavy cream and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Welcome your guests with these beautiful appetizers. Spread brie, camembert or plain cream cheese on crackers and top with red pepper relish and lemon zest. Here’s in translation Vicky’s recipe for red pepper relish.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 and 1/2 cups red peppers cut in small cubes
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon salt

How to make: Mix the peppers with the salt and let the mix stand for 4 hours. Prepare the syrup by boiling the vinegar and sugar at high heat.  Add the peppers with their liquid in the syrup and continue boiling at high heat until the syrup thickens. Here’s the readiness test: drop some syrup on a cold plate and run your finger through it. If the two parts do not come back together immediately, the syrup is ready. Put the mix in hot, sterilized jars.  Pour more  liquid from the syrup so the peppers have enough syrup in the jar. Close the jars with warmed lids and  let the jars stand upside down until they are cooled off. You can keep the relish for a year. Opened jars must be kept in the fridge and they can last for about a month.

leftover veggie curry and basmati rice tonight with some fresh veggies for… well, freshness.  top section:  broccoli, takuwan sticks, snow peas, blackberries in a heart-shaped cup, teeny tiny grape tomatoes, twist-cut carrot sticks.

poinsettia made of red pepper petals, green pepper leaves, and takuwan center (with yellow heart picks). inspired by pikko’s beautiful bento, as well as hapa’s lovely cupcakes, both featuring this seasonal flower.

prop-wise, we’ve got the new red pencil chopsticks sheri found for me at nyc’s own pearl river mart, a doily, and a candy cane with a bow.

1 T olive oil
1 medium kumara – cubed
1 red onion – cut into thick wedges
1 small red pepper – sliced
2 cougettes – cubed
3 cloves garlic – peeled and sliced
1 c cooked risoni pasta – rinsed in cold water
1 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
3 T fresh herbs – thyme, oregano, parsley – chopped,
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Toss vegetables in olive oil and roast until tender – about 30 minutes.
Gently mix together with cooked risoni pasta, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
Serve at room temperature.

Everyone loves my red pepper dip and asks for it often. So… at request, here is the recipe.

I roast my own red peppers. I’m told you can use the ones in a jar but be careful they are not marinated or seasoned in any way. I’m also told you can make this recipe with red pepper jelly or relish. I wouldn’t do it. This recipe is so simple and contains so few ingredients that anything different would really screw it up.

Serve this dip with tortilla chips or pretzel chips.

Here’s the recipe:

2 – 8 ounce packages of cream cheese

1 large roasted red pepper

1/4 cup honey

Allow the cream cheese to soften a room temperature. Add the cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Chop the prepared red pepper very finely. Mix the pepper and honey into the cream cheese.  Chill overnight or for at least 4 hours and serve.

Sometimes I don’t feel like messing with chopping the pepper and make this whole thing in the food processor. You have to do it kind of carefully and make sure you don’t get pepper puree. I add the cream cheese, pepper and honey all at once and just pulse it a few times.

To roast red peppers you need a grill or a gas stove and a bag (paper or one of those plastic grocery bags will work). I normally do mine over the burners on the stove.  Just sit the pepper on the grate over a burner turned on high. Using a tongs turn the pepper every few minutes until the whole thing is blackened and charred. During this process, the pepper will sizzle, drip and hiss. The skin will likely spark and little bits of it may burn. The kitchen will get smoky – don’t worry, that’s supposed to happen. Once the whole thing is charred, toss it into your bag and tie or fold the top over. Let the pepper sit in the bag until it cools. Once it’s cooled, clean the pepper in the sink under cool running water. Remove the seeds, stem and all the blackened bits.

I found myself with a night of me me me, so what do I do?  Cook.  It was cold, wet, damp and miserable enough out that I was desperate for comfort food that would not infringe on my upcoming Christmas binging.  The result was another soup – one that was sooooo good it only lasted a day (no freezing possibilities were even a glimmer in anyone’s eye).  The best thing about this soup is its versatility.  Add or remove whatever you want or have or feel like – maybe double the batch so at least there’s a chance it may last for more than a day.

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INGREDIENTS:

1 TBSP olive or canola oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 tsp coarse salt

2 cups mushrooms, chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 pepper, chopped (red, yellow, orange will do)

1/2 can of sweet corn

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced)

4 cups good quality broth

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz )

1 can mixed beans (19 oz)

2 TBSP tomato paste

2 tsps each of dried basil and dried parsley

1 tsp dried thyme

fresh pepper to taste

3-4 cups water

1 cup dried macaroni or shells

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a large stove-top pot at med-high, add chopped onion and sauté until translucent.

2. Add all remaining vegetables to the pot and sauté until well cooked and softened (about 10 min).

3. Gradually add stock, tomatoes, mixed beans, tomato paste, spices, and water (add as much as you like until you get your desired consistency – I used 3 cups).

4. Cover with lid and simmer on low heat for 20-30 minutes – stirring occasionally.

5. Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil for macaroni or shells then add pasta to boiling water, and cook until al dente (just under the recommended time)

6. Add al dente pasta to soup and simmer for another 5 minutes.

7. Remove soup from heat, and serve sprinkled with fresh Parmesan and crusty bread.

As I have mentioned many times in the past, I have a website that I created and still operate, One Cup Shoppe, that is dedicated to the enjoyment of single cup coffee and tea making. Since we are in the midst of the holiday season, I thought I would reprint here my reviews of two teas that I think you might enjoy making and serving to your holiday guests.

Rooibos Cinnamon Apple tea

As it steeps, my kitchen begins to fill with the aroma of the holidays. Just like the smell of turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie remind me of Thanksgiving, the smell of an apple pie baking in the oven reminds me of Christmas. So it is with the wonderful aroma of the Rooibos Cinnamon Apple tea from Adagio Teas. Yet, that’s only the beginning.

This wonderful blend of cinnamon, apple and South African red rooibos tea almost tastes like liquid apple pie. Add some sugar and you’re there. It steeps to a beautiful reddish brown color and tastes like dessert, due to it’s sweet aftertaste. Because it’s caffeine-free, you can enjoy it anytime. I know I will be serving this with dessert when friends come by for dinner. It also makes a very tasty iced-tea.

You definitely want to try the Rooibos Cinnamon Apple tea from Adagio Teas. I can see this becoming one of our year-round favorites, especially during the holiday season.

Mayan Chocolate Truffle tea

Herbal teas come in many types and flavor combinations. Because herbal teas are usually made from “non-tea” ingredients, most are caffeine-free. A truly memorable herbal tea is one that combines flavors in a way that makes you just keep coming back for another cup. Such is the Mayan Chocolate Truffle tea from Mighty Leaf Tea.

The Mayan Chocolate Truffle tea from Mighty Leaf Tea combines small chunks of apple, strawberry and chocolate with cacoa nibs and tiny flecks of chilis and red peppers. The resulting taste is really different and really good. It’s ideal for anytime of the day, but especially as a dessert tea. The taste of the chocolate really finishes nicely, giving it a sweet aftertaste with just a bit of a spicy bite from the chilis and the subtle lingering fruitiness of the apple and strawberry bits.

I love this herbal tea and I think you’ll also enjoy it. I definitely suggest the Mayan Chocolate Truffle tea. It’s part of a 6 tin loose leaf chocolate flavored tea sampler set from Mighty Leaf Tea.

This soup is an excellent source of healthy vitamins – and it’s delicious! If you don’t have an immersion blender, a regular blender works fine. You can use jarred roasted peppers but roasting fresh red peppers is easy and adds a depth to the pepper flavor that can’t be beat. One bowl will fill you up.

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1.5 cups

• 4 large red bell peppers, quartered
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp herbs de provence
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp fat free sour cream
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

To roast red peppers on the grill, place clean fresh red peppers directly on the grill top. You can also put them directly over the flame on your stove. Turn your peppers frequently, as needed until the skin has turned completely black and starts to blister. When the entire pepper skin has turned black, remove the peppers from the grill and place them into a bowl.

Cover the bowl with a lid or a dish to make it airtight to build up steam. Let the peppers rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, and herbs and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, roasted bell peppers, potato and wine. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cover, simmer until the potatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

With an immersion hand blender, puree the soup in the pot with the sour cream until it is smooth.Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the grated parmesan and ladle into bowls.

Red Pepper Flakes- Image taken from Cookthink.com

Red pepper is a generic term that usually refers to red-colored Cayenne pepper, which is made from dried, ground hot chile peppers named after the capital of French Guiana where they originate.
Red pepper flakes are the dried seeds and flesh of the Cayenne pepper.

Why are red pepper flakes used in so many recipes?
It is used as a flavor highlighter. In addition to the fives tastes — sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami — our tongues detect capsaicin, the main ingredient found in any hot chile. The heat of capsaicin in red pepper flakes “points up” the taste of ingredients they season. So, no matter what tastes and flavors you have going on in a dish, a pinch of red pepper flakes will help clarify and those tastes and flavors without necessarily adding heat (though you can add plenty of heat by adding red pepper flakes).

Experiment with red pepper flakes by starting out with a pinch in a dish like this Fusilli with Broccoli Raab and Parmesan. Increase (or decrease) the amount you use to get a sense of how much you like to add.

Information taken from Cookthink.com, to know more about red pepper flakes, click here.

Check out our new Press section above for a roundup of sites featuring ourPeriodic Table Cupcakes, including Wired, Serious Eats, and the Huffington Post’s blog.  If you’re new to Foodie Friday, welcome!

If you’re not familiar with the fritatta, it’s an Italian egg dish somewhere between an omelette and a quiche.

This easy one-pan fritatta recipe from The Kitchn has quickly become one of my standbys this semester.  I think the recipe’s tangy, slightly salty feta cheese adds just the right counterbalance to the hearty potato and egg.  Make it for dinner with a side of broccoli, and then have it again cold for breakfast — the flavors deepen overnight.

The Trader Joe’s roasted red peppers from a jar aren’t necessary — fresh red pepper works just fine — but they do add another dimension to the dish.  A word to the wise: Don’t skimp out on the fresh thyme.  It’s there for a reason.  Potato and fresh thyme are like Batman and Robin.  The latter is not technically necessary, but without it, you wouldn’t have a dynamic duo, would you?

This recipe is nice and straight forward. It made enough sauce that I just chopped up some romaine lettuce as a side and the glaze doubled as a salad dressing. I also tried out this garlic rice by Annie at Annie’s Eats. This is the best “just rice” recipe I’ve ever tried! I have a whole dish frozen for later and I plan to make it again, since it would compliment nearly anything.

Red Pepper Glazed Chicken

1 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts
1 red pepper, thin strips
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1/4 cup red pepper jelly
pinch of red pepper flakes
pepper to taste

In a frying pan, sprinkle the chicken with some pepper and cook in the oil until it is opaque throughout and the juice runs clear. Add the red pepper and rosemary. Cook until the pepper softens. Remove chicken and peppers to plates. Add vinegar, pepper flakes and jelly to the pan and heat until the jelly melts. Drizzle over the chicken and red pepper strips.

As for the rice, I doubled Annie’s recipe, but I used 4 cups of broth and 1 cup of water, just 1/2 tsp of pepper and I omitted the salt.

Trustafarian Must-Read.

There is a magazine in Britain. Even most lefties will have probably never heard of. It’s called Red Pepper.

Latest cover is on the ‘anti-capitalist movement’. We all know this has had great success in abolishing capitalism.

Most of it is concerned with issues which Mrs Jellyby from Dickens’ Bleak House would recognise. Nothing to do with any effect on the lives of the kinda people who read the glossy mag.

Concern for the deserving domestic poor? Stuff from groups like the London Coalition Against Poverty. And similar ineffectual ’coalitions’ (donchya just hate that US imported word for campaigns?). 

Nothing, literally nothing about the real campaign against Welfare Reform. Specifically not a word on the looming work-for-benefit. 

But this is not my specific  gripe today.

It’s the article written by Bilal El-Amine on Hizbullah in Lebanon. It ends with the conclusion that “It is tragic that progressives in the West have such a one-sided picture of Islamist political practice and fail to see the liberatory aspects of the movement. “

We know where we are going…..

Hizbullah have given the “Shia of Lebanon” “some semblance of dignity, liberated from Israeli occupation and terror, secure on their land, with a far brighter future than anyone could have predicted.”

It does not take a specialist knowledge of Lebanese sectarian politics to recognise that this is an immense piece of cack.

Presumably this future will be all the brighter for not having copies of Anne Frank’s Diary read in schools (story here).

1 pizza crust

2c. cheese

1.5c pizza sauce

1 eggplant peeled and in rounds

4 scallions, chopped

1 red pepper

1/4c red onion

1c sliced mushroom

Oregano, basil, olive oil to taste

Roast eggplant 6-8 minutes. Saute onions, scallions, pepper and mushrooms in oil while eggplant roasts. Layer, with cheese, on top of sauced pizza crust. Sprinkle on herbs, drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake at 450F for 12-14 minutes.