All posts filed under: Feel Good Food

Kale Tom Collins a.k.a. “The Balancing Act”

This is my healthy, refreshing version of the classic cocktail, a Tom Collins, which is mentioned in the 1877 Bon Vivant’s Companion, by Jerry Thomas, the George Washington of American mixology. I love it for it’s simple elegance, few drinks are as refreshing on a summer afternoon. Quick history of the Tom Collins: A certain John Collins, a waiter at Limmer’s Old House in Hanover Square in London get’s his name attatched to a drink with lemon, sugar, soda and Holland gin. Later, someone had the bright idea to make it with Old Tom gin and switched the name accordingly. So there we have it, A Kale Tom Collins. -Cheers! Ingredients: 2 oz Gin (preferably Hendrick’s) 1/2 oz each fresh squeezed Lemon, Kale and Green Apple Juice 1/4 – 1/2 oz pure Maple Syrup (depending on taste, I like 1/4 oz) Sparkling Mineral Water Combine the ingredients in a Collins glass 3/4 full of cracked ice. Stir briefly, then top with club soda or sparkling mineral water. Garnish with a lemon wheel with a small kale leaf …

Easy Homemade Corn Tortillas

Published by Jacqueline King

Homemade tortillas taste infinitely better than store-bought. The dough is super simple to make and takes all of 5 minutes to come together. When I first started making them I shaped them by hand, but since I invested in a tortilla press I haven’t looked back. That was $15 well spent! I bought mine at a great restaurant supply store called Surfas in Los Angeles but they are widely available at Mexican markets and online. Corn tortillas are made with a special corn flour called Masa Harina which is made with corn that is dried and then treated in a solution of lime (calcium hydroxide) and water to loosens the hulls from the kernels, soften the corn and make it more easily digestible. My favorite brand is Bob’s Red Mill because of its fresh corn taste. They also make a certified gluten-free version. Masa Harina is naturally gluten free but using a certified version is best for those with celiac disease as it ensures it has been processed in a gluten-free facility. As with all Bob’s Red Mill products …

Sweet & Savory Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Published by Jacqueline King

We’ve had a warm fall so far so the tomatoes just keep coming. This is an easy and delicious way to preserve fresh tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes make a great addition to salads, pastas and wraps but these are so good you’ll want to eat them like raisins as a snack. I like using cherry tomatoes because they dry relatively quickly and since you can dry them skin side down, they don’t get sticky. You can use Roma tomatoes cut in half, they will just take much longer. If you dry slices of larger tomatoes, you will want to lay them on foil so they don’t stick to your baking sheet. When temperatures are hot enough you can dry them outside in the sun on a wire rack. Use cheese cloth raised on bricks so it doesn’t stick to the tomatoes to keep the bugs and birds off and bring them in at night. I did this when temperatures were hovering around 100*F and it took 2 days for my cherry tomatoes to dry. Larger tomatoes …

The Supermarket Where You Pick Your Own Produce – Modern Farmer

Published by Jacqueline King

How cool is this?!-Jacq By Jordan Kushins @modernfarmer.com At the Farmery, shipping, packing, and handling are eliminated in favor of right here, right now, cultivation. In a series of stacked shipping containers, vertical growing panels and hydroponic tech and come together to form a fully immersive shopping experience. The various climate-controlled areas are equipped to support baby greens — a “high value crop,” Greene says — as well as lettuces, strawberries, dwarf chili peppers, and herbs, which customers can select themselves, along with custom shiitake, oyster, and seasonal mushroom containers. Fostering this intimate relationship with edibles will only serve to enhance the experience, while increasing understanding of how things grow. He anticipates half of the sales will come from this “u-pick” set-up, with the rest from local, artisanal goods stocked on-site — a nice way to craft a sense of community in the middle of a bustling metropolis. read more @The Supermarket Where You Pick Your Own Produce – Modern Farmer.

Fresh Lima Beans with Artichoke and Poached Shrimp

Published by Jacqueline King

Prepared correctly fresh lima beans are such a treat! These are not the mealy, mushy, tasteless beans of your youth. They have a bright, green, creamy flavor that pairs beautifully with delicate poached shrimp. I like to cook them till they are tender with still just a bit of bite. The preserved lemon adds a subtle complexity to this dish. It is available at specialty food shops and many supermarkets or you can make your own. Enjoy! -Jacq 4 appetizer or 2 main dish servings For Lima Beans: 2 1/2 cup Fresh Shelled or Frozen Baby Lima Beans 1 1/2 cup Vegetable Broth 1/2 cup Water 1/4 cup White Wine 3/4 cup Marinated Artichoke, drained and chopped 1 Tbsp Preserved Lemon, chopped Bring liquids to a boil in a saucepan, add lima beans and lower to a simmer until beans are tender but not mushy about 15 minutes. Drain (you can reserve liquid for another use) and stir in artichoke and preserved lemon. For Shrimp: 8 medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/2 cup Vegetable Broth 1/2 …

Deconstructed Ratatouille Salad

Published by Jacqueline King

I just got back from our annual vacation in Canada to find summer in Los Angeles still in full swing. The first few days of September have been scorching with temperatures hovering near 100*. My tomato plants are loving the prolonged heat and I came home to find them full of sweet, delicious fruit. I couldn’t resist posting this shameless tomato selfie on the BHF Facebook Page.. When my friend Paige saw the pic she commented “I want to eat you tomatoes!” so I gladly invited her over for a tomato-centric lunch. I also had a couple of little Japanese eggplant, yellow summer squash, zucchini and peppers in the garden so I thought of making ratatouille but wanted something lighter. I came up with this salad of grilled vegetables in a cherry tomato vinaigrette. It tastes delicious warm or chilled and is a fresh, healthy take on a summer standard. Enjoy! Ingredients: Serves 4 For Tomato Vinaigrette: 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved 1small Onion cut into 1/4 inch thick slices 1Shallot 2 cloves Garlic 2 …

Strawberry Lemon Chia Seed Jam

Published by Jacqueline King

Chia Seeds are a super-food packed with protein, omega-3s and vitamins. As you may know, they turn into gel when they’re mixed with water, which makes them perfect for jam-making. Just mix your fruit with these little nutritional powerhouses and you’ll get a beautiful fresh tasting jam that is just the right consistency. 1.5 cups sliced Strawberries + 4 whole Strawberries 1 Tbs Chia Seeds 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup or Honey 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract 1/4 tsp Lemon Juice 1/8 tsp Lemon Zest 1. Add 2 Tbs water and sliced Strawberries to a pan and heat over medium stirring until strawberries begin to break down and water evaporates, about 5 minutes. 2. Pour berries into a blender along with all the other ingredients including the 4 whole raw Strawberries and briefly puree 3. Allow to cool, pour into a jar and stick in the fridge. That’s it- 10 minutes start to finish, healthy, and oh my gosh is it good! I would assume this will keep about 2 weeks in the fridge but we’ve never managed to …

Vineyard Wild Rice with Fresh Peas and Pea Shoots

Published by Jacqueline King

I just returned from what has to be one of the prettiest places is the USA. I never thought I would use the word “bucolic” to describe a modern-day location. It seems like a word reserved for people describing life in Jane Austen’s time, but what can I say?…. Bucolic, right?! I always feel inspired in Martha’s Vineyard not only by the views but by the fantastic produce grown on the island. You can read my post from last years visit here. There are over 40 farms within its 100 sq miles and on many roads you can find farm stands selling freshly harvested fruits and vegetables on the honor system… The peas I found were sweet enough to eat right out of the pods. This is a great recipe to try with peas fresh from the garden or farmers market. All parts of the pea plant are edible and fresh pea shoots and tendrils add a lovely delicate flavor to this dish. I put this together after a trip to the farm stand and really loved …

Watermelon Radish and Cream Cheese Toasts (Smoked Salmon Optional)

Published by Jacqueline King

I love watermelon radishes! They are a bright, beautiful addition to the winter table. These are one of my favorite appetizers to serve around the holidays. They are quick and easy, not too heavy, and always a big hit. Watermelon radishes are a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and smoked salmon is high in heart healthy omega-3s. I am growing these in my garden this winter but they weren’t quite ready for the holidays so I picked some up at the farmer’s market. They can be a little difficult to find at regular supermarkets, but I have seen them at Whole Foods and other natural foods markets. If you’ve never tried them before- they look very similar to a turnip and taste savory and peppery like a regular radish, but are a touch sweeter and milder. Watermelon Radish and Cream Cheese Toasts (Smoked Salmon Optional) Makes approx. 25 Toasts Ingredients: 1 pkg. Pumpernickel Cocktail Bread or Mini Bagels cut in half* 3-4 lg. Watermelon Radishes sliced into large coins 8 oz. Cashew Cream …

Picked Peppers Pico De Gallo

Published by Jacqueline King

All through early fall there has been a plethora of peppers in our garden. Jalapeño, bell peppers, Anaheim and a variety of small sweet peppers abound. Quite frankly, I have peppers coming out of my ears. There are also spring onions, lots of them, so I was excited when I saw there were still beautiful heirloom tomatoes at the farmers market perfect for whipping up a fresh Pepper Pico de Gallo. The traditional version does not call for the sweet peppers but they add nice flavor, color and crunch. I also like to add a little dash of olive oil to bring the flavors together but I’m Californian and like to add olive oil to everything so feel free to leave it out. You can adjust the number of Jalapeños depending on how spicy they are and how spicy you like it. Enjoy with chips or as a flavorful topping to any mexican dish. Ok, that’s 7 peppers down… Ingredients: 3 small heirloom or Roma Tomatoes, diced 3 small Sweet Peppers or 1/2 lg Bell Pepper, seeded, diced 2 Spring Onions …