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Portland Brunch

By: Mary Sue

26-07-2011

Do you ever find that different people are constantly coming to you with the same question? I have friends who I turn to when I want to know how to sew something and others I ask how to keep my plants alive. And Erik probably has to answer more of my medical questions than he does his own patients.

I am known to my friends as the one who recommends where to go out to eat. I have lists in my head of restaurants. Lists that include where to bring people from out of town, where to grab a quick lunch, where you should go on your anniversary… So many lists, in fact, that I thought I should compile them here.

My favorite list to make is the one that involves people visiting from out of town. This is my favorite because you have a limited amount of time to cram down the best food Portland has to offer. And it is worth it.

This posts list is… Drumroll please…

Where should I take out-of-towners for brunch?

Unfortunately for non-natives, the experience of waiting two hours to get a table isn’t that appealing. I don’t mind so much at dinner when I can grab a cocktail and snack on something, but waiting for breakfast is not my favorite. Unfortunately, this is when waits are usually the longest. So I either go early, on a weekday, or pick some non-typical spots.

Broder: Scandinavian Deliciousness on SE Clinton

This is one of my favorite brunch places in town. If you aren’t well-versed in Scandinavian dishes think smoked trout hash; Danish pancakes that are way more like donuts than pancakes; breakfast boards piled high with walnut toast, cheese, ham, and a perfectly cooked egg; and roasted apples. The flavors are just unusual enough to be delightfully different, but not so unusual that you find yourself sticking out your tongue wondering what in hell it just tasted. Oh, and if you are there later in the day and want some lunch, the Swedish meatballs make Ikea’s taste like they come from a furniture store. Oh wait, they do.

Stats

Seating: Limited, no reservations

Wait: Long, coffee provided for free and seating next door at bar while waiting

Price: A little spendy for breakfast, but not crazy.

www.broderpdx.com

Simpatica: Foodies Do Brunch

This place is only open on Sundays for brunch (they do catering and an amazing dinner on the weekends as well). The wait is looo-ooong, but the food is worth it. They serve a typical NW breakfast with a seasonal rotating menu. Once I had this roasted beet and carrot hash, with a fried egg on top, that was so fantastic I had to recreate it, here. And as an eggs benedict groupie, their’s can compete with the best in town. Also, their Bloody Mary is not too shabby if you are into that sort of thing.

Stats

Seating: Family style, reservations only for 8 or more

Wait: I’ll say it again looo-ooong, but they provide coffee in the hallway while you stand there starving.

Price: Surprisingly reasonable. Not cheap for breakfast, but for the quality it is amazing.

www.simpaticacatering.com

Tasty n’ Sons: Tapas for breakfast?

Okay, so this place won restaurant of the year last year, and for a good reason. It is scrumptious. Brunch here will not help you lose the last five pounds, so swear off your diet for at least one morning. My only complaint is about the tapas style of serving. Food comes out as it is ready, not when the entire table’s food is up. For some reason, sharing two slices of french toast with a berry compote and whipped cream with four people just feels wrong. It is also wrong for three people to get their food ten minutes before the fourth person, leaving him to drool on the table while staring at the kitchen, hoping his food is up next. So, if you go, plan on ordering as a table and sharing. Oh, and get the shakshuka, a tomato stew with sausage and baked eggs. I have had it at both breakfast and dinner and it is fan-fricken-tastic.

Stats

Seating: Family style and individual tables. Large place.

Wait: So long that I have been turned away, saying they will not have any tables until breakfast ends. You can walk around a bit and get coffee or shop at some cute stores. Go early or on weekdays.

Price: Probably the most expensive of my brunch options, considering the tapas style makes you want to order everything off the menu. Worth it.

Tasty n sons

Subrosa: When you aren’t in the mood for the hype.

This is a tiny Italian restaurant up the street from my house and I probably go here more for breakfast than any other restaurant on the weekend. The food is good and simple, the service always friendly (helps that my book club/former Brownie trooper is a server – Hi Erin!), and the wait is typically non-existent. I am sure every neighborhood has a brunch spot like this, but this is mine. I once recreated one of their dishes, Ma’s Breakfast Bowl, on this here blog because I just love the healthy dish. The scrambles are good and always look out for the specials, because they are yummy.

Stats

Seating: Limited, but nice option for one large group. Call ahead.

Wait: 2 minutes at most?

Price: Great

www.subrosapdx.com

Fehrenbacher Hof: A coffee shop with one killer egg sandwich

This Goose Hollow coffee shop is a quaint and quirky collection of books, furniture, and patrons that welcomes you to skip work and hang out all day. It serves a few things for breakfast, but the best thing they make is a breakfast sandwich. Egg, cheddar cheese, ham (sausage or veggie sausage), tomato, and this AMAZING Rueben sauce made next door at the Goose Hollow Inn. I love that sandwich so much I drive across town in my pajamas to get it. Also, their pastries are yummy and I hear the breakfast burrito is a nice sandwich alternative.

Stats

Seating: Victorian house turned coffee shop: small, but with plenty of casual seating

Wait: As long as it takes them to fire up the broiler and make me my sandwich!

Price: Cheap-o

Fehrenbacher on Yelp

Portland Farmer’s Market: Something for Everyone!

As you may imagine from my partial locavore lifestyle, I spend some time each week at the farmers’ market. Typically, I go by myself to grab the farm-fresh eggs and plump, bruise-free berries before anyone else. But, when I am lucky enough to drag someone with me, I also make them eat breakfast. There are so many options, I can’t possibly list them all, so I will just name off a few of my favorites.

Pine State Biscuits: Their egg, fried chicken, cheese, and mushroom-gravy biscuit sandwich is so popular they now have two store fronts in SE and NE Portland. This thing will blow your socks off.

http://pinestatebiscuits.com/

Verde Cocina: This is Mexican/NW fusion is the smartest combination I have seen since salted caramel. They take farm-fresh produce and cook it with Mexican flavors and styles. The Huevos Rancheros with a white bean and garbanzo mash, piles of sauteed carrots and kale, and free-range eggs is healthy without tasting healthy. My favorite…

http://www.verdecocinamarket.com/

Tastebud: These people make wood-fired bagels and pizza right in the market. The bagel toppings are scrumptious and if you are having the kind of morning that requires pizza, this one hits the spot. They always mix it up at Tastebud, so try their seasonal pizza or rhubarb lemonade.

www.tastebudfarm.com

Portland Farmers’ Market Stats

Seating: Benches, grass, standing… Whatever you want.

Wait: Longest at Pine State and shortest at Tastebud

Price: Reasonable

http://www.portlandfarmersmarket.org/

The Big Egg: A Blind Recommendation.

In all truthfulness, I have never been to The Big Egg, but this food cart in the Mississippi Marketplace pod is rumored to have the best egg sandwich in town. I was going to try it out before posting, but apparently they are closed due to a death in the family for a few weeks. Luckily, the four over-the-top gushy recommendations for the cart have inspired me to include it on this list. Partly because it is made from a food cart and people visiting Portland should visit a food cart at least once. I will update this once I get a chance to sink my teeth into one of those famous sandwiches.

Stats

Seating: Ample outdoor seating

Wait: Rumors say LONG – like 45 minutes for a breakfast sandwich!

Price: Great

Big Egg Facebook

Holy Moly!

By: Mary Sue

14-07-2011

Blog, Canning

Has it actually been two months since I have last updated a post? Wow! No wonder everywhere I go someone gets mad at me for not writing. Sorry! The last few months have been spent working like crazy and after staring at the computer for 10-12 hours a day, it was near impossible to muster up enough energy to write a post. Not to mention I have been doing some awesome traveling on weekends that has completely filled up my time.

A sunset after a storm in Georgia.

Me! On top of a spire at Smith Rock.

When I am in town my weekends typically begin with a Saturday morning trip to the farmers’ market. With my recent weekend getaways, I missed weeks and weeks of farmers’ market goodies. I found myself day-dreaming about which fruits and veggies have come and gone in my absence. Did I miss snow peas? What about asparagus? Strawberries? Sure enough, when I went berry picking last weekend I HAD missed a season. STRAWBERRY SEASON OF ALL THINGS! Luckily, at the market a few vendors still had them so I could make some jam. Thank god. I almost had a heart attack when I thought I missed making strawberry jam.

I made a couple of types – one regular and another with Thai herbs. The herbs added an interesting twist on a regular jam, but not so overwhelming that it was all you tasted.

I have looked at this Thai Herb Strawberry Jam recipe many times since I started canning and I am glad I tried it. I love a juxtaposition of flavors in sweets… Salted caramel might be the best combination in history. So, I think this jam on salted butter toast with maybe a few fresh mint leafs will make any morning a bit brighter.

Strawberry Jam with Thai Herbs
Adapted from Canning For a New Generation

3 pounds hulled and diced strawberries (about 9 cups)
1 1/2 cups of sugar
3 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped mint
1 tbsp chopped Thai Basil
2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Add diced strawberries and sugar to a 6-8 qt preserving pot. Turn the heat on medium until it reaches a simmer, reduce temperature and simmer for 5 minutes. Once strawberries become liquid-y, place in a strainer over a glass or stainless bowl. Stir strawberries so they release some of their liquid. Place syrup back in preserving pot and turn up the heat to high. Bring to a boil and reduce to about 1 1/2 cups, or about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Once reduced, add back in the strawberries and the collected juice. Lower heat and continue to simmer for 15 more minutes, stirring frequently. When the jam has begun to set, turn off heat and stir in the herbs. Fill sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch of headspace and remove air bubbles. Add lids and screw tops according to the manufacturer’s instruction. Place in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

*Per usual, follow proper canning techniques and follow your jar manufacturer’s instructions.

Elderflower Syrup and Some Inspiration

By: Mary Sue

15-05-2011

Blog, Recipe

I spent this weekend taking an online photography class with National Geographic and Saveur Magazine photographer, Penny De Los Santos. The way Penny looks at food photography (and life) has changed me for good. It isn’t just her amazing pictures, but her entire attitude about sharing a story through a photo – whether the story is of a person, a place, or even food – that is utterly inspiring. The idea of honoring someone’s life with a stunning and thoughtful photograph sounds so rewarding and heart-filling that I can only hope one day to capture a tenth of the emotion she portrays in her photos.

And to honor myself, I would love to take beautiful photos of my passion: food.

These are a “forager’s dozen” of elderflowers, an herbaceous flower used in syrups, liquors, and the occasional recipe. Common in Europe, we often buy the syrup to mix with sparkling water for a refreshing, slightly sweet and tastes-like-a-summer-field drink.

I didn’t know Oregon could grow elderflowers, but luckily this farmer had bunches of them at his stand.

And a recipe to make syrup… Lucky me!

The recipe is pretty simple, you take equal parts sugar and water (3/4 a cup of each for one bunch of elderflower), bring to a boil, then take off the heat and throw in the flower portion of the elderflower plants. After it all cools, drain it and you have this delicious syrup to add to sparkling water, champagne, or any cocktail you can dream up.

I am feeling renewed after an inspiring weekend and hope that everyone out there finds something that lights a fire under you.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

By: Mary Sue

27-04-2011

Blog, Locavorism

As a wee thing, I always preferred one type of fruit over others: Strawberries. I remember going to my great-grandmother’s beach house in California and she would have waiting for me strawberries and a bowl of powdered sugar. Not that strawberries need any sugar, but I loved dipping each strawberry in the bowl. I even liked the way if I took a breath while bringing the sugar-dusted strawberry to my mouth, the powder would cause me to cough – spraying a white cloud over the kitchen.

As I got a bit older, my mom started ordering me a strawberry cream cheese pie from a bakery near our house. It may be my favorite dessert of all time. I remember on my birthday (in December) I would ask for it, but since there are no strawberries in December, I would always have to have cake or something lame. (In the battle of pie vs cake, I am on pie’s side all the way.)

So, when I learned the bakery was doing special orders for Easter (they closed a few years ago and now just sell by direct order), I placed my order, while in Europe, mind you, for a Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie.

The pie came and I must say, I was a little nervous to try it. Has it ever happened to you, that as an adult, you make one of your favorite childhood meals, only to find out it is kind of terrible? This happened to me with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. I really thought it was going to be good, but apparently I was wrong. It was not good at all.

Luckily, the pie actually better than I remember; the crust is not like a pie crust at all, but more of a shortbread cookie; the cream cheese filling has the consistency of a thick whipped cream, but the tang of cream cheese; and the strawberries, despite being shipped from California, were juicy and delightfully strawberry-y.

One day, I am going to learn to make that pie, but for now, I am just going to enjoy my store-bought pie and remember that some things stay the same.

What? You want some pie now? You can place an order with Evelyn’s Bakery for pies. Unfortunately, they usually ask that you order four at once. While you are checking them out, try their shortbread cookies. Yum!

I’m baaaaaaack!

By: Mary Sue

22-04-2011

Blog, Locavorism

Hellllloooooo! I am sorry to be away for so long, but some of us have to travel to Europe for weeks on end and live with limited internet access. I know. You feel terrible for me.

Especially when I go places that look like that.

In my absence I spent a few weeks in Austria (and a touch of Germany) with Erik’s extended family. We stayed with Erik’s aunt and cousins having a travel experience you just don’t get normally as a tourist. I got to see what day-to-day life was like for an Austrian family and it was incredible. I am so grateful to have the experience, I can’t even put it into words.

But, since this isn’t a travel blog, but a local food blog. Let me deal out some food insights, yo. The Austrians are an inspiration for local eating. They grow food in their gardens, can jam and pickles, drink local beer and wine, and refrain from buying tempting fruits from far off lands in the grocery store (probably because they are too expensive).

Of course, this also meant that we ate a lot of what you would expect: cabbage, potatoes, meat, bread, cheese. Occasionally we would get a salad when we would go out to a meal, but rarely at home. I am told during the summer you eat tons of green, leafy veggies and brightly-colored peppers, but we were there in Fruhling (aka spring) and in Fruhling you eat brothy soups with frozen veggies or roasted cabbage and potatoes.

This is a pork rib platter we had my last lunch in Austria. Delicious ribs in a tomato-based marinade atop roasted cabbage with bacon and fried potatoes.

The daily meal structure was also a tad different. Austrians tend to eat their biggest meal at lunch. For breakfast there was medium-boiled eggs, bread (not toast), butter, jam, cheese, and cold cuts (also, sometimes yogurt and granola). For dinner there was maybe some food leftover from lunch, but mostly bread, butter, cheese, cold cuts, and some pickles.

The lunches, though, were beyond fantastic. Each meal started with a soup – a rich broth with dumplings or duck or vegetables – usually from some part of the meal from the day before. Then we would have a wiener schnitzel (breaded pork (traditionally veal) pan fried), apricot dumplings, steak smothered in a dark, sweet gravy and swiss cheese, or a giant tray of pork ribs.

Yup, we ate it all.

At first I thought eating bread, cheese, and smoked meat products two times a day was awesome, but after a while, I really started to miss my regular food. Every time we had a chance to eat somewhere different, Erik and I would search out Asian food. Something as simple as noodles with vegetables called to us in train stations and when we had sushi it was so good I never wanted to leave the restaurant. One night we went to an Vietnamese/French place in Vienna and almost died the food was so delicious – a spicy mango and duck salad, cod in a green curry sauce, foie gras atop pureed mangos and chocolate.

And you can’t talk about Austria without mentioning the desserts.

Actually, I didn’t eat too many desserts (unless wine counts?), but since they are known for them I thought I would mention. Above is a picture of the famous Sacher Torte from the Hotel Sacher in Vienna. It was originally made for royalty and they apparently went ga-ga over the thing. Me? I thought it was okay. Kinda dry and the layer of apricot preserves a little off-putting in a chocolate cake. But, I ate the whole thing, obviously. When I told people in Austria that I didn’t love it, they looked at me like I was crazy, so maybe it is just me.

Although I am glad to be home, I think this was one of the most incredible cultural experiences I have ever had. Rarely have I been fortunate enough to meet such generous people who let me into their home and lives – even though we don’t speak the same language.

Ma’s Breakfast Bowl

By: Mary Sue

23-03-2011

Blog, Cooking Tip, Recipe

Down the street from my house is a restaurant called Sub Rosa. During the evening they serve simple Italian food, but on the weekend they do a pretty traditional breakfast. You know the type – eggs benedict, pancakes, an egg scramble of sorts – and my favorite, Ma’s Breakfast Bowl.

The dish is very simple: black beans, spinach, salsa, and two poached eggs. The first time I ordered it I was worried the soppy, squishy nature of those ingredients would not compliment each other, but I was wrong. With a little bit of crunchy, buttered toast on the side to dip in the dish, you are set.

The other morning, I felt like I needed a healthy, protein-rich breakfast to fuel my day and decided to recreate Ma’s bowl. I couldn’t believe how easy it was.

I started my water to poach some eggs. Updated tutorial here (in the past year I have made some changes to my egg poaching methods and I updated the original post).

Next, I got out a bowl and poured in a cup of spinach, 1/2 can of drained black beans, and some salsa.

Popped that in the microwave for a minute and a half, toasted my bread, and plopped the eggs right on top. I added a bit of salt and pepper and presto! Breakfast!

I am always looking for protein- and veggie-heavy breakfast options. What are your favorites?

menu planning

By: Mary Sue

10-03-2011

Blog, Cooking Tip

Why, hello there? I detest apologizing for my extended absence, but it feels more than necessary. Things have been busy in my household with work, a week of jury duty, learning some German (Sprechen Sie Deutsch?), and lots and lots of cooking. Sometimes there is so much cooking going on that I forget to document it. That doesn’t help anyone, does it?

How about I offer this picture of my centerpiece as a reminder of a nearing Spring for an apology?

Good, glad we are on better terms.

I thought I would share a bit about how I organize my weekly meals as of 2011. It all started with that 2 week cleanse we did in January. I planned out my weekly menu and went to the store once to get supplies. ONCE! I realized a new-found freedom in planning meals ahead of time. Sure, it takes a half an hour or so to think of the menus but I spent triple that time going to the store every other day. Not to mention, the food we eat is healthier as I am better at planning healthy meals in advance than I am randomly deciding to cook one. Plus, I have found we waste less food, because every piece of produce has a “plan”.

Before you go off thinking I am the most anal person in the world I must say that I do leave in leeway for last minute goings out to dinner and some creativity for lunch. For example, here is this week’s menu plans.

Wed: Beet salad for lunch and pizza leftovers
Thur dinner: Chicken breasts, caramelized cauliflower, and salad
Fri dinner: Roast beef with mushroom gravy, polenta and roasted carrots and parsnips
Sat: Borscht with beef soup
Sun: Salad with beef, caramelized onions, blue cheese, and squash
Mon: Beef and potato hash with poached egg and a salad.

But, here is what we actually ate…
Wed: Beet salad for dinner and pizza leftovers all day (we had a lot of leftovers and they were good!)
Thur: Same as suggested: chicken, caramelized cauliflower and salad
Fri: Out to dinner!
Sat: Roast beef with a horseradish cream sauce, polenta and roasted carrots and parsnips (remind me not to make roast beef without gravy again. Someone in this house (ahem) finds meat without gravy repugnant.)
Sun: Borscht, but without beef and grilled cheese with spinach sandwiches.
Mon: Salad with roast beef, caramelized onions, avocado, and blue cheese.

In the end, I did have to go to the store for more lettuce for salad and cheese and spinach for our grilled cheese because I got a hankering and couldn’t shake it. But, all in all, our meals stuck pretty close to what I originally planned.

I keep the menu right on the fridge, so everyone knows what we are having for dinner (especially me who frequently forgets what I had planned.)

We typically eat leftovers for lunch or Erik will make a sandwich for work. Overall, it seems to work a lot better than my going-to-the-store-every-other-day routine, which does get old… And expensive.

I once heard of a couple who planned out their entire month’s worth of meals. That is hard to imagine. Does anyone else plan their meals out a week or month in advance or are you individual meal shoppers?

love affair

By: Mary Sue

17-02-2011

Blog, Recipe

I am not going to deny it, I am obsessed with kale. I don’t know when this switch happened, but it was sudden and intense… A little like falling in love. I think about the kale constantly: wondering what other seasonings I could add to make it even better, imagining it with this dish or during this occasion, making plans for it to be in my life for years to come. I don’t know what else to call it, but love…

It isn’t just any kale I am obsessed with either, no, it is a specific cooking style that makes me swoon: kale chips. Paper thin, crispy and salty. There is nothing more I want from food. Even though Kale is one of the Super Foods, I feel like they might be unhealthy – they are that good.

I have made quite a few batches now and have figured out a few things. First, the kale has to be completely dry so that the chips come out crispy. Next, it is best to toss the kale in oil as opposed to drizzling on top (and you don’t need much!) Lastly, I think salting them once they are done works best. Oh, and because my sister bought me some for Christmas, if you have any truffle salt sprinkle some of that on top of the chips. Heaven.

These chips have got quite a lot of recognition on the blogging circuit, but for some reason I held off on making them. And true, they don’t taste exactly like potato chips, but VERY VERY close. And anything that tastes close to potato chips, but are healthy, will most definitely be able to keep my fickle affection for years to come.

Kale Chips
1/2 bunch of kale (I use Lacinato, but others will work)
1 tbsp of olive oil
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Wash kale and dry thoroughly. Remove center rib from leaves and tear or cut into chip-size pieces (the kale shrinks a bit, so I make mine a bit bigger than normal). Toss chips in oil and lay onto parchment covered cookie sheet (not necessary, but makes for easier clean up). Make sure chips are not overlapping.

Place in oven and cook for 10-15 minutes. My oven takes about 12 minutes, depending on the day. Chips are done when they easily break apart (like a really thin potato chip). Don’t let them turn brown as they can become bitter.

Remove from oven and salt. EAT!

Mini Frittatas

By: Mary Sue

27-01-2011

Blog, Recipe

Remember when I said that I love not drinking caffeine because it has made me sleep better and feel more awake during the day? Well, I forgot to notice one negative side effect. I seriously think being caffeine-free makes me stupid:

Two days ago, I was leaving the gym, thinking about how sweaty I was and what I was going to cook for dinner, and I stopped at a stoplight for probably 45 seconds, staring straight ahead at the light, only to watch it turn red.
I keep walking upstairs only to forget why I am there…
I can’t find the right word when I am in a conversation and stutter endlessly until finally the word I am searching for comes to me, in the most recent case the word “mechanic” (this word has alluded me not once, but four times in the last few days).

Maybe this happens all the time and I am using it as an excuse to drink caffeine again as soon as I can? Possibly.

But, while I am still caffeine-/alcohol-/dairy-/wheat-/sugar-free, I have to make do with some pretty amazing food. Really! You don’t need all those things in order to be happy (just kidding, of course you do!) – but, at least your food can still taste mighty good.

Today, I made some mini frittatas for breakfast. An exceptionally easy and time-saving menu item – you could even prepare most of it the night before and just cook it in the morning – and the possibilities of options are endless. The one you see above had a mix of chicken sausage and pork sausage, cooked sweet potato, and kale.

First, I cooked the sausage until crispy and brown.

I added a cooked sweet potato, raw kale, and the sausage to a muffin tin (mine is one of those silicone-like pans, so I didn’t need to grease the pan). Poured in some beaten eggs and baked!

They came out perfect and I can’t wait to try them with other veggies. Maybe spinach, oven-dried tomatoes, and feta? Or bacon, peppers, and onions? Yum!

Mini-Frittatas
Serves 3

6 eggs, beaten
1/4 pound of sausage
1/2 diced sweet potato (cooked)
1/2 cup of chopped kale
Grease for muffin tin (I used a 6 muffin tin)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make sure all vegetables are cut in a small dice and are cooked (Except peppers and leafy greens probably don’t need to be cooked before). In a frying pan on medium, cook sausage until browned and cooked through. Grease muffin tins with butter or cooking spray. Add meat and veggies, and then pour in beaten eggs – filling about 3/4 the tray.

Cook 20-25 minutes (more if your pre-cooked items are cold). Check for doneness by shaking the tin and making sure the eggs are set.

A cleanse-friendly salad

By: Mary Sue

23-01-2011

Blog, Recipe

I am at day 6 of this cleanse – no sugar, wheat, dairy, caffeine or alcohol – and am finally feeling some benefits. Around day 3 the headache was so intense I had to take some migraine medicine and spend most of the evening with my eyes closed. It wasn’t until day 5 that the headache went away completely and I realized I felt pretty good. My sleep has been amazing. Typically I get up at least once a night, often have a hard time falling asleep, and frequently wake up in the middle of the night for an hour or more. Sleeping through the night leaves me feeling rested and happy all day long. I even have more energy at night, not that I have done much but read my book or watch television.

Speaking of television… It has been kind of cruel to our diet. Do you know how many commercials are about candy, pizza, hamburgers, pasta, beer, OMG WHY!?! It is funny that I never noticed it before, but even scanning through the commercials on our DVR leave me with cravings. It is no wonder I got into this carb/sugar-craving mess.

Many of the cleanse recipes I have made come from an unusual source: Gwyneth Paltrow. Not my typical source for food inspiration, but once I read her plan for a detox diet on her website, GOOP, I thought it sounded doable. I have beefed up some of the meals – added either a green salad, lean protein, or whole grains – because we need our energy around here for work outs and for working, but in general it has been good to shake up the diet a bit.

Carrot-Ginger Dressing from GOOP

My favorite recipe so far has been this salad with carrot-ginger dressing. It tastes just like a salad you get in a sushi restaurant and I will definitely make it after this horrible pizza-less period in my life is over.

Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing
From Goop
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sweet white miso*
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seed oil
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons water
1 head of baby gem lettuce (or any greens), roughly cut
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 avocado, diced

Pulse the carrot, shallot and ginger in a blender until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, add the miso, vinegar and sesame seed oil and whiz together. While the blender is going, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil and the water.

Combine the lettuce, onion and avocado in a bowl, drizzle with plenty of dressing and serve.

*The diet suggests you use miso a lot, an ingredient I don’t normally buy. I have found its salty flavor complimentary in a lot of dishes I make. Buy some and try it!